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    United States AI Solar System (9)

    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 1:31 am

    "AI IS A RADIO FOR TALKING TO GOD!!"
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    HAL: Just What Do You Think You're Doing, DAV?
    DAV: Vengeance Belongs to the Lord, But He Delegates.
    COR: Be Afraid. Be VERY Afraid.

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    I Seem to Experience a Mental and Spiritual Block
    Regarding the Most Important Topics Imaginable.
    I Would Appreciate Assistance in This Matter.
    Aquaries1111 wrote:
    Let's add some spice to this thread Ram.
    Floyd wrote:
    And the lord he came down to fill up the
    imagination of humans that doth look skywards.
    His pity was reflected when both came to understand the mirror.
    The mirror being nothing. But only the reflections.
    The anthropomormic religions are a curse on humanity.
    With all the blood and hatred that has followed them.
    orthodoxymoron wrote:Thank-you Floyd and Debra. I am both believer and doubter. I've talked to a certain person who is rabidly atheist -- yet they know the Bible, Religion, and Politics better than most Preachers and Politicians. I respect that -- even though we are NOT on the same page!! I continue to think that I've bitten-off way more than I can chew -- so I really am trying to shut-up and study -- now that I've created a study-guide for myself (and anyone else crazy enough to go this far down the rabbit-hole). But once again, I've been told that the rabbit-hole mostly goes right up my @ss!! Could this be why I always seem to have my head up my @ss???!!! I love listening to Santos -- but I never know what is REALLY the truth about history and the otherworldly. This stuff is SO difficult to verify. Consider VERY CAREFULLY the term "Azazel" -- especially in an eschatological sense -- regarding bearing the ultimate responsibility for sin and evil in this solar system -- and the final solution to the sin-problem. Ram -- Bull -- Mithras -- Baphomet -- Christ -- Azazel -- Satan -- God -- et al. Try to put all of this together in some sort of a cogent and rational manner. Is Azazel a helper or savior of mankind (in some sense)?! What if whoever wrote Isaiah actually wrote the Whole-Bible (which was later nefariously edited, altered, and misused)??
    I've noticed that outspoken religious-critics on the fringes of traditions mostly have decades of extensive religious-programming which has probably plagued them with massive-baggage as well as blessed them with substantial-wisdom. I'm not sure our fickle-generation will have the necessary-grounding to create a useable-future in the coming-decades. Forgive me for more SDA stuff. I'm sure they despise me as much as you do, so don't blame them for me. The SDA sermons and literature throughout its history were much-different than the following:

    1. Reading the Whole-Bible straight-through, over and over (in a variety of translations).

    2. Reading the five-volume Conflict of the Ages Series straight-through, over and over.

    3. Reading the seven-volume SDA Bible Commentary (Genesis to Revelation) straight-through, over and over.

    I know all about the plagiarism and hermeneutic issues in Ellen White's writings (or whoever REALLY wrote them) yet I find the Conflict of the Ages Series to be more enlightening and inspiring than the Whole-Bible and the SDA Bible Commentary (drop those stones). Dr. Alden Thompson told me "If you tear something down, you'd better have something better to put in its place." I keep wondering what would ultimately emerge if one read the Conflict of the Ages Series straight-through, over and over, for an entire decade?? It's probably too-late to wonder such things. We're probably too-far down the road to a NWO Brainwashed Slave-State Technocracy, but still I wonder 'what might've been??'

    I keep hinting-at the 'Mean-Queen Theme' and this study might reveal a huge-amount of useful-information in that regard. We might be facing a 'Lost-Generation' for all religions and philosophies, which might place most of us in mental-institutions in the next couple of decades (and I wish I were kidding). I guess I'm attempting some sort of historical-continuity as I expose my mind to extremely-dangerous esoteric-material. Once again, I'm NOT spearheading a movement. Just the opposite. This stuff is for Sirius-Researchers in Underground-Bases.

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    Chapter 74
    Gethsemane

    In company with His disciples, the Saviour slowly made His way to the garden of Gethsemane. The Passover moon, broad and full, shone from a cloudless sky. The city of pilgrims' tents was hushed into silence.

    Jesus had been earnestly conversing with His disciples and instructing them; but as He neared Gethsemane, He became strangely silent. He had often visited this spot for meditation and prayer; but never with a heart so full of sorrow as upon this night of His last agony. Throughout His life on earth He had walked in the light of God's presence. When in conflict with men who were inspired by the very spirit of Satan, He could say, "He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him." John 8:29. But now He seemed to be shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence. Now He was numbered with the transgressors. The guilt of fallen humanity He must bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. So dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt which He must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His Father's love. Feeling how terrible is the wrath of God against transgression, He exclaims, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death."

    As they approached the garden, the disciples had marked the change that came over their Master. Never before had they seen Him so utterly sad and silent. As He proceeded, this strange sadness deepened; yet they dared not question Him as to the cause. His form swayed as if He were about to fall. Upon reaching the garden, the disciples looked anxiously for His usual place of retirement, that their Master might rest. Every step that He now took was with labored effort. He groaned aloud, as if suffering under the pressure of a terrible burden. Twice His companions supported Him, or He would have fallen to the earth.

    Near the entrance to the garden, Jesus left all but three of the disciples, bidding them pray for themselves and for Him. With Peter, James, and John, He entered its secluded recesses. These three disciples were Christ's closest companions. They had beheld His glory on the mount of transfiguration; they had seen Moses and Elijah talking with Him; they had heard the voice from heaven; now in His great struggle, Christ desired their presence near Him. Often they had passed the night with Him in this retreat. On these occasions, after a season of watching and prayer, they would sleep undisturbed at a little distance from their Master, until He awoke them in the morning to go forth anew to labor. But now He desired them to spend the night with Him in prayer. Yet He could not bear that even they should witness the agony He was to endure.

    "Tarry ye here," He said, "and watch with Me."

    He went a little distance from them--not so far but that they could both see and hear Him--and fell prostrate upon the ground. He felt that by sin He was being separated from His Father. The gulf was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered before it. This agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. As man He must suffer the consequences of man's sin. As man He must endure the wrath of God against transgression.

    Christ was now standing in a different attitude from that in which He had ever stood before. His suffering can best be described in the words of the prophet, "Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, and against the man that is My fellow, saith the Lord of hosts." Zech. 13:7. As the substitute and surety for sinful man, Christ was suffering under divine justice. He saw what justice meant. Hitherto He had been as an intercessor for others; now He longed to have an intercessor for Himself.

    As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with the powers of darkness. In the wilderness of temptation the destiny of the human race had been at stake. Christ was then conqueror. Now the tempter had come for the last fearful struggle. For this he had been preparing during the three years of Christ's ministry. Everything was at stake with him. If he failed here, his hope of mastery was lost; the kingdoms of the world would finally become Christ's; he himself would be overthrown and cast out. But if Christ could be overcome, the earth would become Satan's kingdom, and the human race would be forever in his power. With the issues of the conflict before Him, Christ's soul was filled with dread of separation from God. Satan told Him that if He became the surety for a sinful world, the separation would be eternal. He would be identified with Satan's kingdom, and would nevermore be one with God.

    And what was to be gained by this sacrifice? How hopeless appeared the guilt and ingratitude of men! In its hardest features Satan pressed the situation upon the Redeemer: The people who claim to be above all others in temporal and spiritual advantages have rejected You. They are seeking to destroy You, the foundation, the center and seal of the promises made to them as a peculiar people. One of Your own disciples, who has listened to Your instruction, and has been among the foremost in church activities, will betray You. One of Your most zealous followers will deny You. All will forsake You. Christ's whole being abhorred the thought. That those whom He had undertaken to save, those whom He loved so much, should unite in the plots of Satan, this pierced His soul. The conflict was terrible. Its measure was the guilt of His nation, of His accusers and betrayer, the guilt of a world lying in wickedness. The sins of men weighed heavily upon Christ, and the sense of God's wrath against sin was crushing out His life.

    Behold Him contemplating the price to be paid for the human soul. In His agony He clings to the cold ground, as if to prevent Himself from being drawn farther from God. The chilling dew of night falls upon His prostrate form, but He heeds it not. From His pale lips comes the bitter cry, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Yet even now He adds, "Nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

    The human heart longs for sympathy in suffering. This longing Christ felt to the very depths of His being. In the supreme agony of His soul He came to His disciples with a yearning desire to hear some words of comfort from those whom He had so often blessed and comforted, and shielded in sorrow and distress. The One who had always had words of sympathy for them was now suffering superhuman agony, and He longed to know that they were praying for Him and for themselves. How dark seemed the malignity of sin! Terrible was the temptation to let the human race bear the consequences of its own guilt, while He stood innocent before God. If He could only know that His disciples understood and appreciated this, He would be strengthened.

    Rising with painful effort, He staggered to the place where He had left His companions. But He "findeth them asleep." Had He found them praying, He would have been relieved. Had they been seeking refuge in God, that satanic agencies might not prevail over them, He would have been comforted by their steadfast faith. But they had not heeded the repeated warning, "Watch and pray." At first they had been much troubled to see their Master, usually so calm and dignified, wrestling with a sorrow that was beyond comprehension. They had prayed as they heard the strong cries of the sufferer. They did not intend to forsake their Lord, but they seemed paralyzed by a stupor which they might have shaken off if they had continued pleading with God. They did not realize the necessity of watchfulness and earnest prayer in order to withstand temptation.

    Just before He bent His footsteps to the garden, Jesus had said to the disciples, "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night." They had given Him the strongest assurance that they would go with Him to prison and to death. And poor, self-sufficient Peter had added, "Although all shall be offended, yet will not I." Mark 14:27, 29. But the disciples trusted to themselves. They did not look to the mighty Helper as Christ had counseled them to do. Thus when the Saviour was most in need of their sympathy and prayers, they were found asleep. Even Peter was sleeping. And John, the loving disciple who had leaned upon the breast of Jesus, was asleep. Surely, the love of John for his Master should have kept him awake. His earnest prayers should have mingled with those of his loved Saviour in the time of His supreme sorrow. The Redeemer had spent entire nights praying for His disciples, that their faith might not fail. Should Jesus now put to James and John the question He had once asked them, "Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" they would not have ventured to answer, "We are able." Matt. 20:22.

    The disciples awakened at the voice of Jesus, but they hardly knew Him, His face was so changed by anguish. Addressing Peter, Jesus said, "Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak." The weakness of His disciples awakened the sympathy of Jesus. He feared that they would not be able to endure the test which would come upon them in His betrayal and death. He did not reprove them, but said, "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." Even in His great agony, He was seeking to excuse their weakness. "The spirit truly is ready," He said, "but the flesh is weak."

    Again the Son of God was seized with superhuman agony, and fainting and exhausted, He staggered back to the place of His former struggle. His suffering was even greater than before. As the agony of soul came upon Him, "His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." The cypress and palm trees were the silent witnesses of His anguish. From their leafy branches dropped heavy dew upon His stricken form, as if nature wept over its Author wrestling alone with the powers of darkness.

    A short time before, Jesus had stood like a mighty cedar, withstanding the storm of opposition that spent its fury upon Him. Stubborn wills, and hearts filled with malice and subtlety, had striven in vain to confuse and overpower Him. He stood forth in divine majesty as the Son of God. Now He was like a reed beaten and bent by the angry storm. He had approached the consummation of His work a conqueror, having at each step gained the victory over the powers of darkness. As one already glorified, He had claimed oneness with God. In unfaltering accents He had poured out His songs of praise. He had spoken to His disciples in words of courage and tenderness. Now had come the hour of the power of darkness. Now His voice was heard on the still evening air, not in tones of triumph, but full of human anguish.

    The words of the Saviour were borne to the ears of the drowsy disciples, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done." The first impulse of the disciples was to go to Him; but He had bidden them tarry there, watching unto prayer. When Jesus came to them, He found them still sleeping. Again He had felt a longing for companionship, for some words from His disciples which would bring relief, and break the spell of darkness that well-nigh overpowered Him. But their eyes were heavy; "neither wist they what to answer Him." His presence aroused them. They saw His face marked with the bloody sweat of agony, and they were filled with fear. His anguish of mind they could not understand. "His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men." Isa. 52:14.

    Turning away, Jesus sought again His retreat, and fell prostrate, overcome by the horror of a great darkness. The humanity of the Son of God trembled in that trying hour. He prayed not now for His disciples that their faith might not fail, but for His own tempted, agonized soul. The awful moment had come--that moment which was to decide the destiny of the world. The fate of humanity trembled in the balance. Christ might even now refuse to drink the cup apportioned to guilty man. It was not yet too late. He might wipe the bloody sweat from His brow, and leave man to perish in his iniquity. He might say, Let the transgressor receive the penalty of his sin, and I will go back to My Father. Will the Son of God drink the bitter cup of humiliation and agony? Will the innocent suffer the consequences of the curse of sin, to save the guilty? The words fall tremblingly from the pale lips of Jesus, "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done."

    Three times has He uttered that prayer. Three times has humanity shrunk from the last, crowning sacrifice. But now the history of the human race comes up before the world's Redeemer. He sees that the transgressors of the law, if left to themselves, must perish. He sees the helplessness of man. He sees the power of sin. The woes and lamentations of a doomed world rise before Him. He beholds its impending fate, and His decision is made. He will save man at any cost to Himself. He accepts His baptism of blood, that through Him perishing millions may gain everlasting life. He has left the courts of heaven, where all is purity, happiness, and glory, to save the one lost sheep, the one world that has fallen by transgression. And He will not turn from His mission. He will become the propitiation of a race that has willed to sin. His prayer now breathes only submission: "If this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done." Having made the decision, He fell dying to the ground from which He had partially risen. Where now were His disciples, to place their hands tenderly beneath the head of their fainting Master, and bathe that brow, marred indeed more than the sons of men? The Saviour trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.

    But God suffered with His Son. Angels beheld the Saviour's agony. They saw their Lord enclosed by legions of satanic forces, His nature weighed down with a shuddering, mysterious dread. There was silence in heaven. No harp was touched. Could mortals have viewed the amazement of the angelic host as in silent grief they watched the Father separating His beams of light, love, and glory from His beloved Son, they would better understand how offensive in His sight is sin.

    The worlds unfallen and the heavenly angels had watched with intense interest as the conflict drew to its close. Satan and his confederacy of evil, the legions of apostasy, watched intently this great crisis in the work of redemption. The powers of good and evil waited to see what answer would come to Christ's thrice-repeated prayer. Angels had longed to bring relief to the divine sufferer, but this might not be. No way of escape was found for the Son of God. In this awful crisis, when everything was at stake, when the mysterious cup trembled in the hand of the sufferer, the heavens opened, a light shone forth amid the stormy darkness of the crisis hour, and the mighty angel who stands in God's presence, occupying the position from which Satan fell, came to the side of Christ.

    The angel came not to take the cup from Christ's hand, but to strengthen Him to drink it, with the assurance of the Father's love. He came to give power to the divine-human suppliant. He pointed Him to the open heavens, telling Him of the souls that would be saved as the result of His sufferings. He assured Him that His Father is greater and more powerful than Satan, that His death would result in the utter discomfiture of Satan, and that the kingdom of this world would be given to the saints of the Most High. He told Him that He would see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied, for He would see a multitude of the human race saved, eternally saved. Christ's agony did not cease, but His depression and discouragement left Him. The storm had in nowise abated, but He who was its object was strengthened to meet its fury. He came forth calm and serene. A heavenly peace rested upon His bloodstained face. He had borne that which no human being could ever bear; for He had tasted the sufferings of death for every man.

    The sleeping disciples had been suddenly awakened by the light surrounding the Saviour. They saw the angel bending over their prostrate Master. They saw him lift the Saviour's head upon his bosom, and point toward heaven. They heard his voice, like sweetest music, speaking words of comfort and hope. The disciples recalled the scene upon the mount of transfiguration. They remembered the glory that in the temple had encircled Jesus, and the voice of God that spoke from the cloud. Now that same glory was again revealed, and they had no further fear for their Master. He was under the care of God; a mighty angel had been sent to protect Him. Again the disciples in their weariness yield to the strange stupor that overpowers them. Again Jesus finds them sleeping.

    Looking sorrowfully upon them He says, "Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners."

    Even as He spoke these words, He heard the footsteps of the mob in search of Him, and said, "Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray Me."

    No traces of His recent agony were visible as Jesus stepped forth to meet His betrayer. Standing in advance of His disciples He said, "Whom seek ye?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am He." As these words were spoken, the angel who had lately ministered to Jesus moved between Him and the mob. A divine light illuminated the Saviour's face, and a dovelike form overshadowed Him. In the presence of this divine glory, the murderous throng could not stand for a moment. They staggered back. Priests, elders, soldiers, and even Judas, fell as dead men to the ground. The angel withdrew, and the light faded away. Jesus had opportunity to escape, but He remained, calm and self-possessed. As one glorified He stood in the midst of that hardened band, now prostrate and helpless at His feet. The disciples looked on, silent with wonder and awe.

    But quickly the scene changed. The mob started up. The Roman soldiers, the priests and Judas, gathered about Christ. They seemed ashamed of their weakness, and fearful that He would yet escape. Again the question was asked by the Redeemer, "Whom seek ye?" They had had evidence that He who stood before them was the Son of God, but they would not be convinced. To the question, "Whom seek ye?" again they answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." The Saviour then said, "I have told you that I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way"--pointing to the disciples. He knew how weak was their faith, and He sought to shield them from temptation and trial. For them He was ready to sacrifice Himself.

    Judas the betrayer did not forget the part he was to act. When the mob entered the garden, he had led the way, closely followed by the high priest. To the pursuers of Jesus he had given a sign, saying, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast." Matt. 26:48. Now he pretends to have no part with them. Coming close to Jesus, he takes His hand as a familiar friend. With the words, "Hail, Master," he kisses Him repeatedly, and appears to weep as if in sympathy with Him in His peril.

    Jesus said to him, "Friend, wherefore art thou come?" His voice trembled with sorrow as He added, "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" This appeal should have aroused the conscience of the betrayer, and touched his stubborn heart; but honor, fidelity, and human tenderness had forsaken him. He stood bold and defiant, showing no disposition to relent. He had given himself up to Satan, and he had no power to resist him. Jesus did not refuse the traitor's kiss. The mob grew bold as they saw Judas touch the person of Him who had so recently been glorified before their eyes. They now laid hold of Jesus, and proceeded to bind those precious hands that had ever been employed in doing good.

    The disciples had thought that their Master would not suffer Himself to be taken. For the same power that had caused the mob to fall as dead men could keep them helpless, until Jesus and His companions should escape. They were disappointed and indignant as they saw the cords brought forward to bind the hands of Him whom they loved. Peter in his anger rashly drew his sword and tried to defend his Master, but he only cut off an ear of the high priest's servant. When Jesus saw what was done, He released His hands, though held firmly by the Roman soldiers, and saying, "Suffer ye thus far," He touched the wounded ear, and it was instantly made whole. He then said to Peter, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?"--a legion in place of each one of the disciples. Oh, why, the disciples thought, does He not save Himself and us? Answering their unspoken thought, He added, "But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?" "The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it?"

    The official dignity of the Jewish leaders had not prevented them from joining in the pursuit of Jesus. His arrest was too important a matter to be trusted to subordinates; the wily priests and elders had joined the temple police and the rabble in following Judas to Gethsemane. What a company for those dignitaries to unite with--a mob that was eager for excitement, and armed with all kinds of implements, as if in pursuit of a wild beast!

    Turning to the priests and elders, Christ fixed upon them His searching glance. The words He spoke they would never forget as long as life should last. They were as the sharp arrows of the Almighty. With dignity He said: You come out against Me with swords and staves as you would against a thief or a robber. Day by day I sat teaching in the temple. You had every opportunity of laying hands upon Me, and you did nothing. The night is better suited to your work. "This is your hour, and the power of darkness."

    The disciples were terrified as they saw Jesus permit Himself to be taken and bound. They were offended that He should suffer this humiliation to Himself and them. They could not understand His conduct, and they blamed Him for submitting to the mob. In their indignation and fear, Peter proposed that they save themselves. Following this suggestion, "they all forsook Him, and fled." But Christ had foretold this desertion, "Behold," He had said, "the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." John 16:32.

    Chapter 75

    Over the brook Kedron, past gardens and olive groves, and through the hushed streets of the sleeping city, they hurried Jesus. It was past midnight, and the cries of the hooting mob that followed Him broke sharply upon the still air. The Saviour was bound and closely guarded, and He moved painfully. But in eager haste His captors made their way with Him to the palace of Annas, the ex-high priest.

    Annas was the head of the officiating priestly family, and in deference to his age he was recognized by the people as high priest. His counsel was sought and carried out as the voice of God. He must first see Jesus a captive to priestly power. He must be present at the examination of the prisoner, for fear that the less-experienced Caiaphas might fail of securing the object for which they were working. His artifice, cunning, and subtlety must be used on this occasion; for, at all events, Christ's condemnation must be secured.

    Christ was to be tried formally before the Sanhedrin; but before Annas He was subjected to a preliminary trial. Under the Roman rule the Sanhedrin could not execute the sentence of death. They could only examine a prisoner, and pass judgment, to be ratified by the Roman authorities. It was therefore necessary to bring against Christ charges that would be regarded as criminal by the Romans. An accusation must also be found which would condemn Him in the eyes of the Jews. Not a few among the priests and rulers had been convicted by Christ's teaching, and only fear of excommunication prevented them from confessing Him. The priests well remembered the question of Nicodemus, "Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?" John 7:51.

    This question had for the time broken up the council, and thwarted their plans. Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus were not now to be summoned, but there were others who might dare to speak in favor of justice. The trial must be so conducted as to unite the members of the Sanhedrin against Christ. There were two charges which the priests desired to maintain. If Jesus could be proved a blasphemer, He would be condemned by the Jews. If convicted of sedition, it would secure His condemnation by the Romans. The second charge Annas tried first to establish. He questioned Jesus concerning His disciples and His doctrines, hoping the prisoner would say something that would give him material upon which to work. He thought to draw out some statement to prove that He was seeking to establish a secret society, with the purpose of setting up a new kingdom. Then the priests could deliver Him to the Romans as a disturber of the peace and a creator of insurrection.

    Christ read the priest's purpose as an open book. As if reading the inmost soul of His questioner, He denied that there was between Him and His followers any secret bond of union, or that He gathered them secretly and in the darkness to conceal His designs. He had no secrets in regard to His purposes or doctrines. "I spake openly to the world," He answered; "I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing."

    The Saviour contrasted His own manner of work with the methods of His accusers. For months they had hunted Him, striving to entrap Him and bring Him before a secret tribunal, where they might obtain by perjury what it was impossible to gain by fair means. Now they were carrying out their purpose. The midnight seizure by a mob, the mockery and abuse before He was condemned, or even accused, was their manner of work, not His. Their action was in violation of the law. Their own rules declared that every man should be treated as innocent until proved guilty. By their own rules the priests stood condemned.

    Turning upon His questioner, Jesus said, "Why askest thou Me?" Had not the priests and rulers sent spies to watch His movements, and report His every word? Had not these been present at every gathering of the people, and carried to the priests information of all His sayings and doings? "Ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them," replied Jesus; "behold, they know what I said." Annas was silenced by the decision of the answer. Fearing that Christ would say something regarding his course of action that he would prefer to keep covered up, he said nothing more to Him at this time. One of his officers, filled with wrath as he saw Annas silenced, struck Jesus on the face, saying, "Answerest Thou the high priest so?"

    Christ calmly replied, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou Me?" He spoke no burning words of retaliation. His calm answer came from a heart sinless, patient, and gentle, that would not be provoked.

    Christ suffered keenly under abuse and insult. At the hands of the beings whom He had created, and for whom He was making an infinite sacrifice, He received every indignity. And He suffered in proportion to the perfection of His holiness and His hatred of sin. His trial by men who acted as fiends was to Him a perpetual sacrifice. To be surrounded by human beings under the control of Satan was revolting to Him. And He knew that in a moment, by the flashing forth of His divine power, He could lay His cruel tormentors in the dust. This made the trial the harder to bear.

    The Jews were looking for a Messiah to be revealed in outward show. They expected Him, by one flash of overmastering will, to change the current of men's thoughts, and force from them an acknowledgment of His supremacy. Thus, they believed, He was to secure His own exaltation, and gratify their ambitious hopes. Thus when Christ was treated with contempt, there came to Him a strong temptation to manifest His divine character. By a word, by a look, He could compel His persecutors to confess that He was Lord above kings and rulers, priests and temple. But it was His difficult task to keep to the position He had chosen as one with humanity.

    The angels of heaven witnessed every movement made against their loved Commander. They longed to deliver Christ. Under God the angels are all-powerful. On one occasion, in obedience to the command of Christ, they slew of the Assyrian army in one night one hundred and eighty-five thousand men. How easily could the angels, beholding the shameful scene of the trial of Christ, have testified their indignation by consuming the adversaries of God! But they were not commanded to do this. He who could have doomed His enemies to death bore with their cruelty. His love for His Father, and His pledge, made from the foundation of the world, to become the Sin Bearer, led Him to endure uncomplainingly the coarse treatment of those He came to save. It was a part of His mission to bear, in His humanity, all the taunts and abuse that men could heap upon Him. The only hope of humanity was in this submission of Christ to all that He could endure from the hands and hearts of men.

    Christ had said nothing that could give His accusers an advantage; yet He was bound, to signify that He was condemned. There must, however, be a pretense of justice. It was necessary that there should be the form of a legal trial. This the authorities were determined to hasten. They knew the regard in which Jesus was held by the people, and feared that if the arrest were noised abroad, a rescue would be attempted. Again, if the trial and execution were not brought about at once, there would be a week's delay on account of the celebration of the Passover. This might defeat their plans. In securing the condemnation of Jesus they depended largely upon the clamor of the mob, many of them the rabble of Jerusalem. Should there be a week's delay, the excitement would abate, and a reaction would be likely to set in. The better part of the people would be aroused in Christ's favor; many would come forward with testimony in His vindication, bringing to light the mighty works He had done. This would excite popular indignation against the Sanhedrin. Their proceedings would be condemned, and Jesus would be set free, to receive new homage from the multitudes. The priests and rulers therefore determined that before their purpose could become known, Jesus should be delivered into the hands of the Romans.

    But first of all, an accusation was to be found. They had gained nothing as yet. Annas ordered Jesus to be taken to Caiaphas. Caiaphas belonged to the Sadducees, some of whom were now the most desperate enemies of Jesus. He himself, though wanting in force of character, was fully as severe, heartless, and unscrupulous as was Annas. He would leave no means untried to destroy Jesus. It was now early morning, and very dark; by the light of torches and lanterns the armed band with their prisoner proceeded to the high priest's palace. Here, while the members of the Sanhedrin were coming together, Annas and Caiaphas again questioned Jesus, but without success.

    When the council had assembled in the judgment hall, Caiaphas took his seat as presiding officer. On either side were the judges, and those specially interested in the trial. The Roman soldiers were stationed on the platform below the throne. At the foot of the throne stood Jesus. Upon Him the gaze of the whole multitude was fixed. The excitement was intense. Of all the throng He alone was calm and serene. The very atmosphere surrounding Him seemed pervaded by a holy influence.

    Caiaphas had regarded Jesus as his rival. The eagerness of the people to hear the Saviour, and their apparent readiness to accept His teachings, had aroused the bitter jealousy of the high priest. But as Caiaphas now looked upon the prisoner, he was struck with admiration for His noble and dignified bearing. A conviction came over him that this Man was akin to God. The next instant he scornfully banished the thought. Immediately his voice was heard in sneering, haughty tones demanding that Jesus work one of His mighty miracles before them. But his words fell upon the Saviour's ears as though He heard them not. The people compared the excited and malignant deportment of Annas and Caiaphas with the calm, majestic bearing of Jesus. Even in the minds of that hardened multitude arose the question, Is this man of godlike presence to be condemned as a criminal?

    Caiaphas, perceiving the influence that was obtaining, hastened the trial. The enemies of Jesus were in great perplexity. They were bent on securing His condemnation, but how to accomplish this they knew not. The members of the council were divided between the Pharisees and the Sadducees. There was bitter animosity and controversy between them; certain disputed points they dared not approach for fear of a quarrel. With a few words Jesus could have excited their prejudices against each other, and thus have averted their wrath from Himself. Caiaphas knew this, and he wished to avoid stirring up a contention. There were plenty of witnesses to prove that Christ had denounced the priests and scribes, that He had called them hypocrites and murderers; but this testimony it was not expedient to bring forward.

    The Sadducees in their sharp contentions with the Pharisees had used to them similar language. And such testimony would have no weight with the Romans, who were themselves disgusted with the pretensions of the Pharisees. There was abundant evidence that Jesus had disregarded the traditions of the Jews, and had spoken irreverently of many of their ordinances; but in regard to tradition the Pharisees and Sadducees were at swords' points; and this evidence also would have no weight with the Romans. Christ's enemies dared not accuse Him of Sabbathbreaking, lest an examination should reveal the character of His work. If His miracles of healing were brought to light, the very object of the priests would be defeated.

    False witnesses had been bribed to accuse Jesus of inciting rebellion and seeking to establish a separate government. But their testimony proved to be vague and contradictory. Under examination they falsified their own statements.

    Early in His ministry Christ had said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." In the figurative language of prophecy, He had thus foretold His own death and resurrection. "He spake of the temple of His body." John 2:19, 21. These words the Jews had understood in a literal sense, as referring to the temple at Jerusalem. Of all that Christ had said, the priests could find nothing to use against Him save this. By misstating these words they hoped to gain an advantage. The Romans had engaged in rebuilding and embellishing the temple, and they took great pride in it; any contempt shown to it would be sure to excite their indignation. Here Romans and Jews, Pharisees and Sadducees, could meet; for all held the temple in great veneration.

    On this point two witnesses were found whose testimony was not so contradictory as that of the others had been. One of them, who had been bribed to accuse Jesus, declared, "This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days." Thus Christ's words were misstated. If they had been reported exactly as He spoke them, they would not have secured His condemnation even by the Sanhedrin. Had Jesus been a mere man, as the Jews claimed, His declaration would only have indicated an unreasonable, boastful spirit, but could not have been construed into blasphemy. Even as misrepresented by the false witnesses, His words contained nothing which would be regarded by the Romans as a crime worthy of death.

    Patiently Jesus listened to the conflicting testimonies. No word did He utter in self-defense. At last His accusers were entangled, confused, and maddened. The trial was making no headway; it seemed that their plottings were to fail. Caiaphas was desperate. One last resort remained; Christ must be forced to condemn Himself. The high priest started from the judgment seat, his face contorted with passion, his voice and demeanor plainly indicating that were it in his power he would strike down the prisoner before him. "Answerest Thou nothing?" he exclaimed; "what is it which these witness against Thee?"

    Jesus held His peace. "He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth." Isaiah 53:7.

    At last, Caiaphas, raising his right hand toward heaven, addressed Jesus in the form of a solemn oath: "I adjure Thee by the living God, that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God."

    To this appeal Christ could not remain silent. There was a time to be silent, and a time to speak. He had not spoken until directly questioned. He knew that to answer now would make His death certain. But the appeal was made by the highest acknowledged authority of the nation, and in the name of the Most High. Christ would not fail to show proper respect for the law. More than this, His own relation to the Father was called in question. He must plainly declare His character and mission. Jesus had said to His disciples, "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven." Matt. 10:32. Now by His own example He repeated the lesson. Every ear was bent to listen, and every eye was fixed on His face as He answered, "Thou hast said." A heavenly light seemed to illuminate His pale countenance as He added, "Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven."

    For a moment the divinity of Christ flashed through His guise of humanity. The high priest quailed before the penetrating eyes of the Saviour. That look seemed to read his hidden thoughts, and burn into his heart. Never in afterlife did he forget that searching glance of the persecuted Son of God.

    "Hereafter," said Jesus, "shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven." In these words Christ presented the reverse of the scene then taking place. He, the Lord of life and glory, would be seated at God's right hand. He would be the judge of all the earth, and from His decision there could be no appeal. Then every secret thing would be set in the light of God's countenance, and judgment be passed upon every man according to his deeds.

    The words of Christ startled the high priest. The thought that there was to be a resurrection of the dead, when all would stand at the bar of God, to be rewarded according to their works, was a thought of terror to Caiaphas. He did not wish to believe that in future he would receive sentence according to his works. There rushed before his mind as a panorama the scenes of the final judgment. For a moment he saw the fearful spectacle of the graves giving up their dead, with the secrets he had hoped were forever hidden. For a moment he felt as if standing before the eternal Judge, whose eye, which sees all things, was reading his soul, bringing to light mysteries supposed to be hidden with the dead.

    The scene passed from the priest's vision. Christ's words cut him, the Sadducee, to the quick. Caiaphas had denied the doctrine of the resurrection, the judgment, and a future life. Now he was maddened by satanic fury. Was this man, a prisoner before him, to assail his most cherished theories? Rending his robe, that the people might see his pretended horror, he demanded that without further preliminaries the prisoner be condemned for blasphemy. "What further need have we of witnesses?" he said; "behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What think ye?" And they all condemned Him.

    Conviction mingled with passion led Caiaphas to do as he did. He was furious with himself for believing Christ's words, and instead of rending his heart under a deep sense of truth, and confessing that Jesus was the Messiah, he rent his priestly robes in determined resistance. This act was deeply significant. Little did Caiaphas realize its meaning. In this act, done to influence the judges and secure Christ's condemnation, the high priest had condemned himself. By the law of God he was disqualified for the priesthood. He had pronounced upon himself the death sentence.

    A high priest was not to rend his garments. By the Levitical law, this was prohibited under sentence of death. Under no circumstances, on no occasion, was the priest to rend his robe. It was the custom among the Jews for the garments to be rent at the death of friends, but this custom the priests were not to observe. Express command had been given by Christ to Moses concerning this. Lev. 10:6. Everything worn by the priest was to be whole and without blemish. By those beautiful official garments was represented the character of the great antitype, Jesus Christ. Nothing but perfection, in dress and attitude, in word and spirit, could be acceptable to God. He is holy, and His glory and perfection must be represented by the earthly service.

    Nothing but perfection could properly represent the sacredness of the heavenly service. Finite man might rend his own heart by showing a contrite and humble spirit. This God would discern. But no rent must be made in the priestly robes, for this would mar the representation of heavenly things. The high priest who dared to appear in holy office, and engage in the service of the sanctuary, with a rent robe, was looked upon as having severed himself from God. By rending his garment he cut himself off from being a representative character. He was no longer accepted by God as an officiating priest. This course of action, as exhibited by Caiaphas, showed human passion, human imperfection.

    By rending his garments, Caiaphas made of no effect the law of God, to follow the tradition of men. A man-made law provided that in case of blasphemy a priest might rend his garments in horror at the sin, and be guiltless. Thus the law of God was made void by the laws of men. Each action of the high priest was watched with interest by the people; and Caiaphas thought for effect to display his piety. But in this act, designed as an accusation against Christ, he was reviling the One of whom God had said, "My name is in Him." Ex. 23:21. He himself was committing blasphemy. Standing under the condemnation of God, he pronounced sentence upon Christ as a blasphemer.

    When Caiaphas rent his garment, his act was significant of the place that the Jewish nation as a nation would thereafter occupy toward God. The once favored people of God were separating themselves from Him, and were fast becoming a people disowned by Jehovah. When Christ upon the cross cried out, "It is finished" (John 19:30), and the veil of the temple was rent in twain, the Holy Watcher declared that the Jewish people had rejected Him who was the antitype of all their types, the substance of all their shadows. Israel was divorced from God. Well might Caiaphas then rend his official robes, which signified that he claimed to be a representative of the great High Priest; for no longer had they any meaning for him or for the people. Well might the high priest rend his robes in horror for himself and for the nation.

    The Sanhedrin had pronounced Jesus worthy of death; but it was contrary to the Jewish law to try a prisoner by night. In legal condemnation nothing could be done except in the light of day and before a full session of the council. Notwithstanding this, the Saviour was now treated as a condemned criminal, and given up to be abused by the lowest and vilest of humankind. The palace of the high priest surrounded an open court in which the soldiers and the multitude had gathered. Through this court, Jesus was taken to the guardroom, on every side meeting with mockery of His claim to be the Son of God.

    His own words, "sitting on the right hand of power," and, "coming in the clouds of heaven," were jeeringly repeated. While in the guardroom, awaiting His legal trial, He was not protected. The ignorant rabble had seen the cruelty with which He was treated before the council, and from this they took license to manifest all the satanic elements of their nature. Christ's very nobility and godlike bearing goaded them to madness. His meekness, His innocence, His majestic patience, filled them with hatred born of Satan. Mercy and justice were trampled upon. Never was criminal treated in so inhuman a manner as was the Son of God.

    But a keener anguish rent the heart of Jesus; the blow that inflicted the deepest pain no enemy's hand could have dealt. While He was undergoing the mockery of an examination before Caiaphas, Christ had been denied by one of His own disciples.

    After deserting their Master in the garden, two of the disciples had ventured to follow, at a distance, the mob that had Jesus in charge. These disciples were Peter and John. The priests recognized John as a well-known disciple of Jesus, and admitted him to the hall, hoping that as he witnessed the humiliation of his Leader, he would scorn the idea of such a one being the Son of God. John spoke in favor of Peter, and gained an entrance for him also.

    In the court a fire had been kindled; for it was the coldest hour of the night, being just before the dawn. A company drew about the fire, and Peter presumptuously took his place with them. He did not wish to be recognized as a disciple of Jesus. By mingling carelessly with the crowd, he hoped to be taken for one of those who had brought Jesus to the hall.

    But as the light flashed upon Peter's face, the woman who kept the door cast a searching glance upon him. She had noticed that he came in with John, she marked the look of dejection on his face, and thought that he might be a disciple of Jesus. She was one of the servants of Caiaphas' household, and was curious to know. She said to Peter, "Art not thou also one of this Man's disciples?" Peter was startled and confused; the eyes of the company instantly fastened upon him. He pretended not to understand her; but she was persistent, and said to those around her that this man was with Jesus. Peter felt compelled to answer, and said angrily, "Woman, I know Him not." This was the first denial, and immediately the XXXX crew. O Peter, so soon ashamed of thy Master! so soon to deny thy Lord!

    The disciple John, upon entering the judgment hall, did not try to conceal the fact that he was a follower of Jesus. He did not mingle with the rough company who were reviling his Master. He was not questioned, for he did not assume a false character, and thus lay himself liable to suspicion. He sought a retired corner secure from the notice of the mob, but as near Jesus as it was possible for him to be. Here he could see and hear all that took place at the trial of his Lord.

    Peter had not designed that his real character should be known. In assuming an air of indifference he had placed himself on the enemy's ground, and he became an easy prey to temptation. If he had been called to fight for his Master, he would have been a courageous soldier; but when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he proved himself a coward. Many who do not shrink from active warfare for their Lord are driven by ridicule to deny their faith. By associating with those whom they should avoid, they place themselves in the way of temptation. They invite the enemy to tempt them, and are led to say and do that of which under other circumstances they would never have been guilty. The disciple of Christ who in our day disguises his faith through dread of suffering or reproach denies his Lord as really as did Peter in the judgment hall.

    Peter tried to show no interest in the trial of his Master, but his heart was wrung with sorrow as he heard the cruel taunts, and saw the abuse He was suffering. More than this, he was surprised and angry that Jesus should humiliate Himself and His followers by submitting to such treatment. In order to conceal his true feelings, he endeavored to join with the persecutors of Jesus in their untimely jests. But his appearance was unnatural. He was acting a lie, and while seeking to talk unconcernedly he could not restrain expressions of indignation at the abuse heaped upon his Master.

    Attention was called to him the second time, and he was again charged with being a follower of Jesus. He now declared with an oath, "I do not know the Man." Still another opportunity was given him. An hour had passed, when one of the servants of the high priest, being a near kinsman of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, "Did not I see thee in the garden with Him?" "Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto." At this Peter flew into a rage. The disciples of Jesus were noted for the purity of their language, and in order fully to deceive his questioners, and justify his assumed character, Peter now denied his Master with cursing and swearing. Again the XXXX crew. Peter heard it then, and he remembered the words of Jesus, "Before the XXXX crow twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice." Mark 14:30.

    While the degrading oaths were fresh upon Peter's lips, and the shrill crowing of the XXXX was still ringing in his ears, the Saviour turned from the frowning judges, and looked full upon His poor disciple. At the same time Peter's eyes were drawn to his Master. In that gentle countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but there was no anger there. The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips, that look of compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like an arrow. Conscience was aroused. Memory was active. Peter called to mind his promise of a few short hours before that he would go with his Lord to prison and to death. He remembered his grief when the Saviour told him in the upper chamber that he would deny his Lord thrice that same night. Peter had just declared that he knew not Jesus, but he now realized with bitter grief how well his Lord knew him, and how accurately He had read his heart, the falseness of which was unknown even to himself.

    A tide of memories rushed over him. The Saviour's tender mercy, His kindness and long-suffering, His gentleness and patience toward His erring disciples,--all was remembered. He recalled the caution, "Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." Luke 22:31, 32. He reflected with horror upon his own ingratitude, his falsehood, his perjury. Once more he looked at his Master, and saw a sacrilegious hand raised to smite Him in the face. Unable longer to endure the scene, he rushed, heartbroken, from the hall.

    He pressed on in solitude and darkness, he knew not and cared not whither. At last he found himself in Gethsemane. The scene of a few hours before came vividly to his mind. The suffering face of his Lord, stained with bloody sweat and convulsed with anguish, rose before him. He remembered with bitter remorse that Jesus had wept and agonized in prayer alone, while those who should have united with Him in that trying hour were sleeping. He remembered His solemn charge, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." Matt. 26:41. He witnessed again the scene in the judgment hall. It was torture to his bleeding heart to know that he had added the heaviest burden to the Saviour's humiliation and grief. On the very spot where Jesus had poured out His soul in agony to His Father, Peter fell upon his face, and wished that he might die.

    It was in sleeping when Jesus bade him watch and pray that Peter had prepared the way for his great sin. All the disciples, by sleeping in that critical hour, sustained a great loss. Christ knew the fiery ordeal through which they were to pass. He knew how Satan would work to paralyze their senses that they might be unready for the trial. Therefore it was that He gave them warning. Had those hours in the garden been spent in watching and prayer, Peter would not have been left to depend upon his own feeble strength. He would not have denied his Lord. Had the disciples watched with Christ in His agony, they would have been prepared to behold His suffering upon the cross. They would have understood in some degree the nature of His overpowering anguish. They would have been able to recall His words that foretold His sufferings, His death, and His resurrection. Amid the gloom of the most trying hour, some rays of hope would have lighted up the darkness and sustained their faith.

    As soon as it was day, the Sanhedrin again assembled, and again Jesus was brought into the council room. He had declared Himself the Son of God, and they had construed His words into a charge against Him. But they could not condemn Him on this, for many of them had not been present at the night session, and they had not heard His words. And they knew that the Roman tribunal would find in them nothing worthy of death. But if from His own lips they could all hear those words repeated, their object might be gained. His claim to the Messiahship they might construe into a seditious political claim.

    "Art Thou the Christ?" they said, "tell us." But Christ remained silent. They continued to ply Him with questions. At last in tones of mournful pathos He answered, "If I tell you, ye will not believe; and if I also ask you, ye will not answer Me, nor let Me go." But that they might be left without excuse He added the solemn warning, "Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God."

    "Art Thou then the Son of God?" they asked with one voice. He said unto them, "Ye say that I am." They cried out, "What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of His own mouth."

    And so by the third condemnation of the Jewish authorities, Jesus was to die. All that was now necessary, they thought, was for the Romans to ratify this condemnation, and deliver Him into their hands.

    Then came the third scene of abuse and mockery, worse even than that received from the ignorant rabble. In the very presence of the priests and rulers, and with their sanction, this took place. Every feeling of sympathy or humanity had gone out of their hearts. If their arguments were weak, and failed to silence His voice, they had other weapons, such as in all ages have been used to silence heretics,--suffering, and violence, and death. When the condemnation of Jesus was pronounced by the judges, a satanic fury took possession of the people. The roar of voices was like that of wild beasts. The crowd made a rush toward Jesus, crying, He is guilty, put Him to death! Had it not been for the Roman soldiers, Jesus would not have lived to be nailed to the cross of Calvary. He would have been torn in pieces before His judges, had not Roman authority interfered, and by force of arms restrained the violence of the mob.

    Heathen men were angry at the brutal treatment of one against whom nothing had been proved. The Roman officers declared that the Jews in pronouncing condemnation upon Jesus were infringing upon the Roman power, and that it was even against the Jewish law to condemn a man to death upon his own testimony. This intervention brought a momentary lull in the proceedings; but the Jewish leaders were dead alike to pity and to shame.

    Priests and rulers forgot the dignity of their office, and abused the Son of God with foul epithets. They taunted Him with His parentage. They declared that His presumption in proclaiming Himself the Messiah made Him deserving of the most ignominious death. The most dissolute men engaged in infamous abuse of the Saviour. An old garment was thrown over His head, and His persecutors struck Him in the face, saying, "Prophesy unto us, Thou Christ, Who is he that smote Thee?" When the garment was removed, one poor wretch spat in His face.

    The angels of God faithfully recorded every insulting look, word, and act against their beloved Commander. One day the base men who scorned and spat upon the calm, pale face of Christ will look upon it in its glory, shining brighter than the sun.

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Jesus-christ-0207



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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:00 am

    What if Loyal-Angels, Rebellious-Angels, Ancient-Supercomputers, Artificial-Intelligence, Bio-Robots, Asteroid-Drones, Holographic-Projection, and Weapons of Mass-Destruction, are central to understanding the Earth-Matrix Galactic Rat-Trap?? What Would the Rat-Bastard Say?? This thing might be more deceptive, disgusting, complex, and convoluted than ANYONE can imagine. There's a movie called John Hus, in which a mean-spirited inquisitor hisses "Cursed Judas!!" I said that to theology-students I disagreed with (including Mark Martin and Kevin Paulson)!! Consider The Desire of Ages as being Historical-Fiction (if you choose) but please read it. I consider it to be quite profound. I have no idea how accurate any of my posts are. I really don't. I'm modeling a particular approach (just to see where it leads) but I'm going to stop keeping-up and just shut-up. No one answers the questions I ask. The questions are legitimate, and I often ask them because I am not absolutely-certain, and not because I have no idea.

    I prefer "honest-research" over "going-within" or "praying-endlessly" for answers. Certain individuals could answer most of my questions, but it seems as if No-One would benefit by me knowing the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. I find this highly suspicious. I suspect that I often get frighteningly close to the "truth" but I have no idea where I get it right (and where I get it wrong). If I were a respected-scholar, publishing this sort of research in a respected journal, I might be in more trouble than even I can imagine. As it is, I'm just an unknown nutcase arguing on the internet. In the final-analysis, my threads might be best-studied by me alone, without fanfare, in a 600 square-foot office-apartment with a liquid-cooled desktop-computer (and a high-tech knapsack on my back if I go-mobile). Perhaps it's easier that way. What Would The Happy Wanderer Do?? What Would The Donald Do?? Go to the Marble Collegiate Church?? Is Peale Appalling?? Is Paul Appealing?? Is Schuller Cooler?? What Would Walter Martin Say?? What Would Sherry Shriner Say?? What Would The Brook of Egypt Do?? Go with the Flow?? Consider '42', '58', and '87'.

    I've considered the possibility that a lot of us might undergo endless-cycles of Condemnation > Vindication > Condemnation > Vindication regarding our Soul-Histories. I'm strongly leaning toward Silent Research and Reflection as the Information-War Heats-Up. I'm NOT kidding or bluffing when I complain of being miserable and hamstrung. I'm NOT lying when I write about 'RA' and other 'Individuals of Interest'. But I have purposely NOT become an 'Insider', 'Spy', or 'Sell-Out'. 'RA' told me "The Bush's Sold-Out Very-Quickly." Honest. I do NOT Dig-Deeply (on purpose). I suppose I'd prefer to Vindicate key-aspects of my SDA heritage (in ways which might alienate ALL SDA's). I speak of Victorian-England in connection with This Present Madness (which probably irritates MI5 and MI6) but the Royal-Model seems to fit my pseudo-research extremely-well. Dr. Louis Venden told me "Don't Be Too Definite. People Who Are Too Definite Go Off" as he waved his hand. He probably read me like a book, and knew I was on dangerous-ground.

    I've written for years about observation, research, and reflection WITHOUT ranting, raving, and insanity. I've joked about Supercomputers and Absolute-Access WITHOUT Meddling and Madness. I've joked about attending Top-Level Meetings WITHOUT Speaking or Being Spoken-To (or recognized in any manner). This is simply part of my Modeling-Project (which borders on insanity). It should be obvious to Casual-Observers and Sirius-Researchers that Earth and Humanity are on the Brink (in SO Many Ways) and that Martyrs and/or Scapegoats will be required by the Orchestrators That Be. Researchers Beware. This thing might be nastier and more-unmanageable than we think (or can think). Desperation might be Rampant (within ALL Factions). A Soft-Landing might NOT be possible. My very-passive advice is to simply sample This Present Madness, and then just move-on without saying or doing anything. All-Sides undoubtedly have legitimate and illegitimate reasoning and excuses. Perhaps EVERYONE Will Have Red-Faces Before This is Over (whatever 'Over' means). Some of us might have millions of years of Bad-Karma and Karmic-Debt to deal-with and repay.

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    Chapter 76
    Judas

    The history of Judas presents the sad ending of a life that might have been honored of God. Had Judas died before his last journey to Jerusalem he would have been regarded as a man worthy of a place among the twelve, and one who would be greatly missed. The abhorrence which has followed him through the centuries would not have existed but for the attributes revealed at the close of his history. But it was for a purpose that his character was laid open to the world. It was to be a warning to all who, like him, should betray sacred trusts.

    A little before the Passover, Judas had renewed his contract with the priests to deliver Jesus into their hands. Then it was arranged that the Saviour should be taken at one of His resorts for meditation and prayer. Since the feast at the house of Simon, Judas had had opportunity to reflect upon the deed which he had covenanted to perform, but his purpose was unchanged. For thirty pieces of silver--the price of a slave--he sold the Lord of glory to ignominy and death.

    Judas had naturally a strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this. He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life. The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christ. Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin.

    Judas had joined the disciples when multitudes were following Christ. The Saviour's teaching moved their hearts as they hung entranced upon His words, spoken in the synagogue, by the seaside, upon the mount. Judas saw the sick, the lame, the blind, flock to Jesus from the towns and cities. He saw the dying laid at His feet. He witnessed the Saviour's mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He felt in his own person the evidence of Christ's power. He recognized the teaching of Christ as superior to all that he had ever heard. He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus. The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ. He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse.

    Judas was highly regarded by the disciples, and had great influence over them. He himself had a high opinion of his own qualifications, and looked upon his brethren as greatly inferior to him in judgment and ability. They did not see their opportunities, he thought, and take advantage of circumstances. The church would never prosper with such shortsighted men as leaders. Peter was impetuous; he would move without consideration. John, who was treasuring up the truths that fell from Christ's lips, was looked upon by Judas as a poor financier. Matthew, whose training had taught him accuracy in all things, was very particular in regard to honesty, and he was ever contemplating the words of Christ, and became so absorbed in them that, as Judas thought, he could not be trusted to do sharp, far-seeing business. Thus Judas summed up all the disciples, and flattered himself that the church would often be brought into perplexity and embarrassment if it were not for his ability as a manager. Judas regarded himself as the capable one, who could not be overreached. In his own estimation he was an honor to the cause, and as such he always represented himself.

    Judas was blinded to his own weakness of character, and Christ placed him where he would have an opportunity to see and correct this. As treasurer for the disciples, he was called upon to provide for the needs of the little company, and to relieve the necessities of the poor. When in the Passover chamber Jesus said to him, "That thou doest, do quickly" (John 13:27), the disciples thought He had bidden him buy what was needed for the feast, or give something to the poor. In ministering to others, Judas might have developed an unselfish spirit. But while listening daily to the lessons of Christ and witnessing His unselfish life, Judas indulged his covetous disposition. The small sums that came into his hands were a continual temptation. Often when he did a little service for Christ, or devoted time to religious purposes, he paid himself out of this meager fund. In his own eyes these pretexts served to excuse his action; but in God's sight he was a thief.

    Christ's oft-repeated statement that His kingdom was not of this world offended Judas. He had marked out a line upon which he expected Christ to work. He had planned that John the Baptist should be delivered from prison. But lo, John was left to be beheaded. And Jesus, instead of asserting His royal right and avenging the death of John, retired with His disciples into a country place. Judas wanted more aggressive warfare. He thought that if Jesus would not prevent the disciples from carrying out their schemes, the work would be more successful. He marked the increasing enmity of the Jewish leaders, and saw their challenge unheeded when they demanded from Christ a sign from heaven. His heart was open to unbelief, and the enemy supplied thoughts of questioning and rebellion. Why did Jesus dwell so much upon that which was discouraging? Why did He predict trial and persecution for Himself and for His disciples? The prospect of having a high place in the new kingdom had led Judas to espouse the cause of Christ. Were his hopes to be disappointed? Judas had not decided that Jesus was not the Son of God; but he was questioning, and seeking to find some explanation of His mighty works.

    Notwithstanding the Saviour's own teaching, Judas was continually advancing the idea that Christ would reign as king in Jerusalem. At the feeding of the five thousand he tried to bring this about. On this occasion Judas assisted in distributing the food to the hungry multitude. He had an opportunity to see the benefit which it was in his power to impart to others. He felt the satisfaction that always comes in service to God. He helped to bring the sick and suffering from among the multitude to Christ. He saw what relief, what joy and gladness, come to human hearts through the healing power of the Restorer. He might have comprehended the methods of Christ. But he was blinded by his own selfish desires. Judas was first to take advantage of the enthusiasm excited by the miracle of the loaves. It was he who set on foot the project to take Christ by force and make Him king. His hopes were high. His disappointment was bitter. Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the words, "Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." John 6:53. He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch.

    From that time he expressed doubts that confused the disciples. He introduced controversies and misleading sentiments, repeating the arguments urged by the scribes and Pharisees against the claims of Christ. All the little and large troubles and crosses, the difficulties and the apparent hindrances to the advancement of the gospel, Judas interpreted as evidences against its truthfulness. He would introduce texts of Scripture that had no connection with the truths Christ was presenting. These texts, separated from their connection, perplexed the disciples, and increased the discouragement that was constantly pressing upon them. Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher, Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed. His suggestions were constantly exciting an ambitious desire for temporal preferment, and thus turning the disciples from the important things they should have considered. The dissension as to which of them should be greatest was generally excited by Judas.

    When Jesus presented to the rich young ruler the condition of discipleship, Judas was displeased. He thought that a mistake had been made. If such men as this ruler could be connected with the believers, they would help sustain Christ's cause. If Judas were only received as a counselor, he thought, he could suggest many plans for the advantage of the little church. His principles and methods would differ somewhat from Christ's, but in these things he thought himself wiser than Christ.

    In all that Christ said to His disciples, there was something with which, in heart, Judas disagreed. Under his influence the leaven of disaffection was fast doing its work. The disciples did not see the real agency in all this; but Jesus saw that Satan was communicating his attributes to Judas, and thus opening up a channel through which to influence the other disciples. This, a year before the betrayal, Christ declared. "Have not I chosen you twelve," He said, "and one of you is a devil?" John 6:70.

    Yet Judas made no open opposition, nor seemed to question the Saviour's lessons. He made no outward murmur until the time of the feast in Simon's house. When Mary anointed the Saviour's feet, Judas manifested his covetous disposition. At the reproof from Jesus his very spirit seemed turned to gall. Wounded pride and desire for revenge broke down the barriers, and the greed so long indulged held him in control. This will be the experience of everyone who persists in tampering with sin. The elements of depravity that are not resisted and overcome, respond to Satan's temptation, and the soul is led captive at his will.

    But Judas was not yet wholly hardened. Even after he had twice pledged himself to betray the Saviour, there was opportunity for repentance. At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work.

    Judas reasoned that if Jesus was to be crucified, the event must come to pass. His own act in betraying the Saviour would not change the result. If Jesus was not to die, it would only force Him to deliver Himself. At all events, Judas would gain something by his treachery. He counted that he had made a sharp bargain in betraying his Lord.

    Judas did not, however, believe that Christ would permit Himself to be arrested. In betraying Him, it was his purpose to teach Him a lesson. He intended to play a part that would make the Saviour careful thenceforth to treat him with due respect. But Judas knew not that he was giving Christ up to death. How often, as the Saviour taught in parables, the scribes and Pharisees had been carried away with His striking illustrations! How often they had pronounced judgment against themselves! Often when the truth was brought home to their hearts, they had been filled with rage, and had taken up stones to cast at Him; but again and again He had made His escape. Since He had escaped so many snares, thought Judas, He certainly would not now allow Himself to be taken. Judas decided to put the matter to the test. If Jesus really was the Messiah, the people, for whom He had done so much, would rally about Him, and would proclaim Him king. This would forever settle many minds that were now in uncertainty. Judas would have the credit of having placed the king on David's throne. And this act would secure to him the first position, next to Christ, in the new kingdom.

    The false disciple acted his part in betraying Jesus. In the garden, when he said to the leaders of the mob, "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He: hold Him fast" (Matt. 26:48), he fully believed that Christ would escape out of their hands. Then if they should blame him, he could say, Did I not tell you to hold Him fast?

    Judas beheld the captors of Christ, acting upon his words, bind Him firmly. In amazement he saw that the Saviour suffered Himself to be led away. Anxiously he followed Him from the garden to the trial before the Jewish rulers. At every movement he looked for Him to surprise His enemies, by appearing before them as the Son of God, and setting at nought all their plots and power. But as hour after hour went by, and Jesus submitted to all the abuse heaped upon Him, a terrible fear came to the traitor that he had sold his Master to His death.

    As the trial drew to a close, Judas could endure the torture of his guilty conscience no longer. Suddenly a hoarse voice rang through the hall, sending a thrill of terror to all hearts: He is innocent; spare Him, O Caiaphas!

    The tall form of Judas was now seen pressing through the startled throng. His face was pale and haggard, and great drops of sweat stood on his forehead. Rushing to the throne of judgment, he threw down before the high priest the pieces of silver that had been the price of his Lord's betrayal. Eagerly grasping the robe of Caiaphas, he implored him to release Jesus, declaring that He had done nothing worthy of death. Caiaphas angrily shook him off, but was confused, and knew not what to say. The perfidy of the priests was revealed. It was evident that they had bribed the disciple to betray his Master.

    "I have sinned," again cried Judas, "in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." But the high priest, regaining his self-possession, answered with scorn, "What is that to us? see thou to that." Matt. 27:4. The priests had been willing to make Judas their tool; but they despised his baseness. When he turned to them with confession, they spurned him.

    Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world.

    A murmur of surprise ran through the assembly. With amazement they beheld the forbearance of Christ toward His betrayer. Again there swept over them the conviction that this Man was more than mortal. But if He was the Son of God, they questioned, why did He not free Himself from His bonds and triumph over His accusers?

    Judas saw that his entreaties were in vain, and he rushed from the hall exclaiming, It is too late! It is too late! He felt that he could not live to see Jesus crucified, and in despair went out and hanged himself.

    Later that same day, on the road from Pilate's hall to Calvary, there came an interruption to the shouts and jeers of the wicked throng who were leading Jesus to the place of crucifixion. As they passed a retired spot, they saw at the foot of a lifeless tree, the body of Judas. It was a most revolting sight. His weight had broken the cord by which he had hanged himself to the tree. In falling, his body had been horribly mangled, and dogs were now devouring it. His remains were immediately buried out of sight; but there was less mockery among the throng, and many a pale face revealed the thoughts within. Retribution seemed already visiting those who were guilty of the blood of Jesus.

    Chapter 77

    In the judgment hall of Pilate, the Roman governor, Christ stands bound as a prisoner. About Him are the guard of soldiers, and the hall is fast filling with spectators. Just outside the entrance are the judges of the Sanhedrin, priests, rulers, elders, and the mob.

    After condemning Jesus, the council of the Sanhedrin had come to Pilate to have the sentence confirmed and executed. But these Jewish officials would not enter the Roman judgment hall. According to their ceremonial law they would be defiled thereby, and thus prevented from taking part in the feast of the Passover. In their blindness they did not see that murderous hatred had defiled their hearts. They did not see that Christ was the real Passover lamb, and that, since they had rejected Him, the great feast had for them lost its significance.

    When the Saviour was brought into the judgment hall, Pilate looked upon Him with no friendly eyes. The Roman governor had been called from his bedchamber in haste, and he determined to do his work as quickly as possible. He was prepared to deal with the prisoner with magisterial severity. Assuming his severest expression, he turned to see what kind of man he had to examine, that he had been called from his repose at so early an hour. He knew that it must be someone whom the Jewish authorities were anxious to have tried and punished with haste. Pilate looked at the men who had Jesus in charge, and then his gaze rested searchingly on Jesus. He had had to deal with all kinds of criminals; but never before had a man bearing marks of such goodness and nobility been brought before him. On His face he saw no sign of guilt, no expression of fear, no boldness or defiance. He saw a man of calm and dignified bearing, whose countenance bore not the marks of a criminal, but the signature of heaven.

    Christ's appearance made a favorable impression upon Pilate. His better nature was roused. He had heard of Jesus and His works. His wife had told him something of the wonderful deeds performed by the Galilean prophet, who cured the sick and raised the dead. Now this revived as a dream in Pilate's mind. He recalled rumors that he had heard from several sources. He resolved to demand of the Jews their charges against the prisoner.

    Who is this Man, and wherefore have ye brought Him? he said. What accusation bring ye against Him? The Jews were disconcerted. Knowing that they could not substantiate their charges against Christ, they did not desire a public examination. They answered that He was a deceiver called Jesus of Nazareth.

    Again Pilate asked, "What accusation bring ye against this Man?" The priests did not answer his question, but in words that showed their irritation, they said, "If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up unto thee." When those composing the Sanhedrin, the first men of the nation, bring to you a man they deem worthy of death, is there need to ask for an accusation against him? They hoped to impress Pilate with a sense of their importance, and thus lead him to accede to their request without going through many preliminaries. They were eager to have their sentence ratified; for they knew that the people who had witnessed Christ's marvelous works could tell a story very different from the fabrication they themselves were now rehearsing.

    The priests thought that with the weak and vacillating Pilate they could carry through their plans without trouble. Before this he had signed the death warrant hastily, condemning to death men they knew were not worthy of death. In his estimation the life of a prisoner was of little account; whether he were innocent or guilty was of no special consequence. The priests hoped that Pilate would now inflict the death penalty on Jesus without giving Him a hearing. This they besought as a favor on the occasion of their great national festival. But there was something in the prisoner that held Pilate back from this. He dared not do it. He read the purposes of the priests. He remembered how, not long before, Jesus had raised Lazarus, a man that had been dead four days; and he determined to know, before signing the sentence of condemnation, what were the charges against Him, and whether they could be proved.

    If your judgment is sufficient, he said, why bring the prisoner to me? "Take ye Him, and judge Him according to your law." Thus pressed, the priests said that they had already passed sentence upon Him, but that they must have Pilate's sentence to render their condemnation valid. What is your sentence? Pilate asked. The death sentence, they answered; but it is not lawful for us to put any man to death. They asked Pilate to take their word as to Christ's guilt, and enforce their sentence. They would take the responsibility of the result.

    Pilate was not a just or a conscientious judge; but weak though he was in moral power, he refused to grant this request. He would not condemn Jesus until a charge had been brought against Him.

    The priests were in a dilemma. They saw that they must cloak their hypocrisy under the thickest concealment. They must not allow it to appear that Christ had been arrested on religious grounds. Were this put forward as a reason, their proceedings would have no weight with Pilate. They must make it appear that Jesus was working against the common law; then He could be punished as a political offender. Tumults and insurrection against the Roman government were constantly arising among the Jews. With these revolts the Romans had dealt very rigorously, and they were constantly on the watch to repress everything that could lead to an outbreak.

    Only a few days before this the Pharisees had tried to entrap Christ with the question, "Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar?" But Christ had unveiled their hypocrisy. The Romans who were present had seen the utter failure of the plotters, and their discomfiture at His answer, "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's." Luke 20:22-25.

    Now the priests thought to make it appear that on this occasion Christ had taught what they hoped He would teach. In their extremity they called false witnesses to their aid, "and they began to accuse Him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ a King." Three charges, each without foundation. The priests knew this, but they were willing to commit perjury could they but secure their end. Pilate saw through their purpose. He did not believe that the prisoner had plotted against the government. His meek and humble appearance was altogether out of harmony with the charge. Pilate was convinced that a deep plot had been laid to destroy an innocent man who stood in the way of the Jewish dignitaries. Turning to Jesus he asked, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?" The Saviour answered, "Thou sayest it." And as He spoke, His countenance lighted up as if a sunbeam were shining upon it.

    When they heard His answer, Caiaphas and those that were with him called Pilate to witness that Jesus had admitted the crime with which He was charged. With noisy cries, priests, scribes, and rulers demanded that He be sentenced to death. The cries were taken up by the mob, and the uproar was deafening. Pilate was confused. Seeing that Jesus made no answer to His accusers, Pilate said to Him, "Answerest Thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against Thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing."

    Standing behind Pilate, in view of all in the court, Christ heard the abuse; but to all the false charges against Him He answered not a word. His whole bearing gave evidence of conscious innocence. He stood unmoved by the fury of the waves that beat about Him. It was as if the heavy surges of wrath, rising higher and higher, like the waves of the boisterous ocean, broke about Him, but did not touch Him. He stood silent, but His silence was eloquence. It was as a light shining from the inner to the outer man.

    Pilate was astonished at His bearing. Does this Man disregard the proceedings because He does not care to save His life? he asked himself. As he looked at Jesus, bearing insult and mockery without retaliation, he felt that He could not be as unrighteous and unjust as were the clamoring priests. Hoping to gain the truth from Him and to escape the tumult of the crowd, Pilate took Jesus aside with him, and again questioned, "Art Thou the King of the Jews?"

    Jesus did not directly answer this question. He knew that the Holy Spirit was striving with Pilate, and He gave him opportunity to acknowledge his conviction. "Sayest thou this thing of thyself," He asked, "or did others tell it thee of Me?" That is, was it the accusations of the priests, or a desire to receive light from Christ, that prompted Pilate's question? Pilate understood Christ's meaning; but pride arose in his heart. He would not acknowledge the conviction that pressed upon him. "Am I a Jew?" he said. "Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee unto me: what hast Thou done?" Pilate's golden opportunity had passed. Yet Jesus did not leave him without further light. While He did not directly answer Pilate's question, He plainly stated His own mission. He gave Pilate to understand that He was not seeking an earthly throne.

    "My kingdom is not of this world," He said; "if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto Him, Art Thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth My voice."

    Christ affirmed that His word was in itself a key which would unlock the mystery to those who were prepared to receive it. It had a self-commending power, and this was the secret of the spread of His kingdom of truth. He desired Pilate to understand that only by receiving and appropriating truth could his ruined nature be reconstructed.

    Pilate had a desire to know the truth. His mind was confused. He eagerly grasped the words of the Saviour, and his heart was stirred with a great longing to know what it really was, and how he could obtain it. "What is truth?" he inquired. But he did not wait for an answer. The tumult outside recalled him to the interests of the hour; for the priests were clamorous for immediate action. Going out to the Jews, he declared emphatically, "I find in Him no fault at all."

    These words from a heathen judge were a scathing rebuke to the perfidy and falsehood of the rulers of Israel who were accusing the Saviour. As the priests and elders heard this from Pilate, their disappointment and rage knew no bounds. They had long plotted and waited for this opportunity. As they saw the prospect of the release of Jesus, they seemed ready to tear Him in pieces. They loudly denounced Pilate, and threatened him with the censure of the Roman government. They accused him of refusing to condemn Jesus, who, they affirmed, had set Himself up against Caesar. Angry voices were now heard, declaring that the seditious influence of Jesus was well known throughout the country. The priests said, "He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place."

    Pilate at this time had no thought of condemning Jesus. He knew that the Jews had accused Him through hatred and prejudice. He knew what his duty was. Justice demanded that Christ should be immediately released. But Pilate dreaded the ill will of the people. Should he refuse to give Jesus into their hands, a tumult would be raised, and this he feared to meet. When he heard that Christ was from Galilee, he decided to send Him to Herod, the ruler of that province, who was then in Jerusalem. By this course, Pilate thought to shift the responsibility of the trial from himself to Herod. He also thought this a good opportunity to heal an old quarrel between himself and Herod. And so it proved. The two magistrates made friends over the trial of the Saviour.

    Pilate delivered Jesus again to the soldiers, and amid the jeers and insults of the mob He was hurried to the judgment hall of Herod. "When Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad." He had never before met the Saviour, but "he was desirous to see Him of a long season, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by Him." This Herod was he whose hands were stained with the blood of John the Baptist. When Herod first heard of Jesus, he was terror-stricken, and said, "It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead;" "therefore mighty works do show forth themselves in him." Mark 6:16; Matt. 14:2.

    Yet Herod desired to see Jesus. Now there was opportunity to save the life of this prophet, and the king hoped to banish forever from his mind the memory of that bloody head brought to him in a charger. He also desired to have his curiosity gratified, and thought that if Christ were given any prospect of release, He would do anything that was asked of Him. A large company of the priests and elders had accompanied Christ to Herod. And when the Saviour was brought in, these dignitaries, all speaking excitedly, urged their accusations against Him. But Herod paid little regard to their charges. He commanded silence, desiring an opportunity to question Christ. He ordered that the fetters of Christ should be unloosed, at the same time charging His enemies with roughly treating Him. Looking with compassion into the serene face of the world's Redeemer, he read in it only wisdom and purity. He as well as Pilate was satisfied that Christ had been accused through malice and envy.

    Herod questioned Christ in many words, but throughout the Saviour maintained a profound silence. At the command of the king, the decrepit and maimed were then called in, and Christ was ordered to prove His claims by working a miracle. Men say that Thou canst heal the sick, said Herod. I am anxious to see that Thy widespread fame has not been belied. Jesus did not respond, and Herod still continued to urge: If Thou canst work miracles for others, work them now for Thine own good, and it will serve Thee a good purpose. Again he commanded, Show us a sign that Thou hast the power with which rumor hath accredited Thee. But Christ was as one who heard and saw not. The Son of God had taken upon Himself man's nature. He must do as man must do in like circumstances. Therefore He would not work a miracle to save Himself the pain and humiliation that man must endure when placed in a similar position.

    Herod promised that if Christ would perform some miracle in his presence, He should be released. Christ's accusers had seen with their own eyes the mighty works wrought by His power. They had heard Him command the grave to give up its dead. They had seen the dead come forth obedient to His voice. Fear seized them lest He should now work a miracle. Of all things they most dreaded an exhibition of His power. Such a manifestation would prove a deathblow to their plans, and would perhaps cost them their lives. Again the priests and rulers, in great anxiety, urged their accusations against Him. Raising their voices, they declared, He is a traitor, a blasphemer.

    He works His miracles through the power given Him by Beelzebub, the prince of the devils. The hall became a scene of confusion, some crying one thing and some another. Herod's conscience was now far less sensitive than when he had trembled with horror at the request of Herodias for the head of John the Baptist. For a time he had felt the keen stings of remorse for his terrible act; but his moral perceptions had become more and more degraded by his licentious life. Now his heart had become so hardened that he could even boast of the punishment he had inflicted upon John for daring to reprove him. And he now threatened Jesus, declaring repeatedly that he had power to release or to condemn Him. But no sign from Jesus gave evidence that He heard a word.

    Herod was irritated by this silence. It seemed to indicate utter indifference to his authority. To the vain and pompous king, open rebuke would have been less offensive than to be thus ignored. Again he angrily threatened Jesus, who still remained unmoved and silent.

    The mission of Christ in this world was not to gratify idle curiosity. He came to heal the brokenhearted. Could He have spoken any word to heal the bruises of sin-sick souls, He would not have kept silent. But He had no words for those who would but trample the truth under their unholy feet.

    Christ might have spoken words to Herod that would have pierced the ears of the hardened king. He might have stricken him with fear and trembling by laying before him the full iniquity of his life, and the horror of his approaching doom. But Christ's silence was the severest rebuke that He could have given. Herod had rejected the truth spoken to him by the greatest of the prophets, and no other message was he to receive. Not a word had the Majesty of heaven for him. That ear that had ever been open to human woe, had no room for Herod's commands. Those eyes that had ever rested upon the penitent sinner in pitying, forgiving love had no look to bestow upon Herod. Those lips that had uttered the most impressive truth, that in tones of tenderest entreaty had pleaded with the most sinful and the most degraded, were closed to the haughty king who felt no need of a Saviour.

    Herod's face grew dark with passion. Turning to the multitude, he angrily denounced Jesus as an impostor. Then to Christ he said, If You will give no evidence of Your claim, I will deliver You up to the soldiers and the people. They may succeed in making You speak. If You are an impostor, death at their hands is only what You merit; if You are the Son of God, save Yourself by working a miracle. No sooner were these words spoken than a rush was made for Christ. Like wild beasts, the crowd darted upon their prey. Jesus was dragged this way and that, Herod joining the mob in seeking to humiliate the Son of God. Had not the Roman soldiers interposed, and forced back the maddened throng, the Saviour would have been torn in pieces.

    "Herod with his men of war set Him at nought, and mocked Him, and arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe." The Roman soldiers joined in this abuse. All that these wicked, corrupt soldiers, helped on by Herod and the Jewish dignitaries, could instigate was heaped upon the Saviour. Yet His divine patience failed not.

    Christ's persecutors had tried to measure His character by their own; they had represented Him as vile as themselves. But back of all the present appearance another scene intruded itself,--a scene which they will one day see in all its glory. There were some who trembled in Christ's presence. While the rude throng were bowing in mockery before Him, some who came forward for that purpose turned back, afraid and silenced. Herod was convicted. The last rays of merciful light were shining upon his sin-hardened heart. He felt that this was no common man; for divinity had flashed through humanity. At the very time when Christ was encompassed by mockers, adulterers, and murderers, Herod felt that he was beholding a God upon His throne.

    Hardened as he was, Herod dared not ratify the condemnation of Christ. He wished to relieve himself of the terrible responsibility, and he sent Jesus back to the Roman judgment hall.

    Pilate was disappointed and much displeased. When the Jews returned with their prisoner, he asked impatiently what they would have him do. He reminded them that he had already examined Jesus, and found no fault in Him; he told them that they had brought complaints against Him, but they had not been able to prove a single charge. He had sent Jesus to Herod, the tetrarch of Galilee, and one of their own nation, but he also had found in Him nothing worthy of death. "I will therefore chastise Him," Pilate said, "and release Him."

    Here Pilate showed his weakness. He had declared that Jesus was innocent, yet he was willing for Him to be scourged to pacify His accusers. He would sacrifice justice and principle in order to compromise with the mob. This placed him at a disadvantage. The crowd presumed upon his indecision, and clamored the more for the life of the prisoner. If at the first Pilate had stood firm, refusing to condemn a man whom he found guiltless, he would have broken the fatal chain that was to bind him in remorse and guilt as long as he lived. Had he carried out his convictions of right, the Jews would not have presumed to dictate to him. Christ would have been put to death, but the guilt would not have rested upon Pilate. But Pilate had taken step after step in the violation of his conscience. He had excused himself from judging with justice and equity, and he now found himself almost helpless in the hands of the priests and rulers. His wavering and indecision proved his ruin.

    Even now Pilate was not left to act blindly. A message from God warned him from the deed he was about to commit. In answer to Christ's prayer, the wife of Pilate had been visited by an angel from heaven, and in a dream she had beheld the Saviour and conversed with Him. Pilate's wife was not a Jew, but as she looked upon Jesus in her dream, she had no doubt of His character or mission. She knew Him to be the Prince of God. She saw Him on trial in the judgment hall. She saw the hands tightly bound as the hands of a criminal. She saw Herod and his soldiers doing their dreadful work. She heard the priests and rulers, filled with envy and malice, madly accusing. She heard the words, "We have a law, and by our law He ought to die." She saw Pilate give Jesus to the scourging, after he had declared, "I find no fault in Him." She heard the condemnation pronounced by Pilate, and saw him give Christ up to His murderers. She saw the cross uplifted on Calvary. She saw the earth wrapped in darkness, and heard the mysterious cry, "It is finished." Still another scene met her gaze. She saw Christ seated upon the great white cloud, while the earth reeled in space, and His murderers fled from the presence of His glory. With a cry of horror she awoke, and at once wrote to Pilate words of warning.

    While Pilate was hesitating as to what he should do, a messenger pressed through the crowd, and handed him the letter from his wife, which read:

    "Have thou nothing to do with that just Man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of Him."

    Pilate's face grew pale. He was confused by his own conflicting emotions. But while he had been delaying to act, the priests and rulers were still further inflaming the minds of the people. Pilate was forced to action. He now bethought himself of a custom which might serve to secure Christ's release. It was customary at this feast to release some one prisoner whom the people might choose. This custom was of pagan invention; there was not a shadow of justice in it, but it was greatly prized by the Jews. The Roman authorities at this time held a prisoner named Barabbas, who was under sentence of death. This man had claimed to be the Messiah. He claimed authority to establish a different order of things, to set the world right. Under satanic delusion he claimed that whatever he could obtain by theft and robbery was his own.

    He had done wonderful things through satanic agencies, he had gained a following among the people, and had excited sedition against the Roman government. Under cover of religious enthusiasm he was a hardened and desperate villain, bent on rebellion and cruelty. By giving the people a choice between this man and the innocent Saviour, Pilate thought to arouse them to a sense of justice. He hoped to gain their sympathy for Jesus in opposition to the priests and rulers. So, turning to the crowd, he said with great earnestness, "Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?"

    Like the bellowing of wild beasts came the answer of the mob, "Release unto us Barabbas!" Louder and louder swelled the cry, Barabbas! Barabbas! Thinking that the people had not understood his question, Pilate asked, "Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?" But they cried out again, "Away with this Man, and release unto us Barabbas"! "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" Pilate asked. Again the surging multitude roared like demons. Demons themselves, in human form, were in the crowd, and what could be expected but the answer, "Let Him be crucified"?

    Pilate was troubled. He had not thought it would come to that. He shrank from delivering an innocent man to the most ignominious and cruel death that could be inflicted. After the roar of voices had ceased, he turned to the people, saying, "Why, what evil hath He done?" But the case had gone too far for argument. It was not evidence of Christ's innocence that they wanted, but His condemnation.

    Still Pilate endeavored to save Him. "He said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath He done? I have found no cause of death in Him: I will therefore chastise Him, and let Him go." But the very mention of His release stirred the people to a tenfold frenzy. "Crucify Him, crucify Him," they cried. Louder and louder swelled the storm that Pilate's indecision had called forth. Jesus was taken, faint with weariness and covered with wounds, and scourged in the sight of the multitude. "And the soldiers led Him away into the hall, called Praetorium, and they call together the whole band. And they clothed Him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about His head, and began to salute Him, Hail, King of the Jews! And they . . . did spit upon Him, and bowing their knees worshiped Him." Occasionally some wicked hand snatched the reed that had been placed in His hand, and struck the crown upon His brow, forcing the thorns into His temples, and sending the blood trickling down His face and beard.

    Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth! Behold the oppressor and the oppressed. A maddened throng enclose the Saviour of the world. Mocking and jeering are mingled with the coarse oaths of blasphemy. His lowly birth and humble life are commented upon by the unfeeling mob. His claim to be the Son of God is ridiculed, and the vulgar jest and insulting sneer are passed from lip to lip.

    Satan led the cruel mob in its abuse of the Saviour. It was his purpose to provoke Him to retaliation if possible, or to drive Him to perform a miracle to release Himself, and thus break up the plan of salvation. One stain upon His human life, one failure of His humanity to endure the terrible test, and the Lamb of God would have been an imperfect offering, and the redemption of man a failure. But He who by a command could bring the heavenly host to His aid--He who could have driven that mob in terror from His sight by the flashing forth of His divine majesty--submitted with perfect calmness to the coarsest insult and outrage.

    Christ's enemies had demanded a miracle as evidence of His divinity. They had evidence far greater than any they had sought. As their cruelty degraded His torturers below humanity into the likeness of Satan, so did His meekness and patience exalt Jesus above humanity, and prove His kinship to God. His abasement was the pledge of His exaltation. The blood drops of agony that from His wounded temples flowed down His face and beard were the pledge of His anointing with "the oil of gladness" (Heb. 1:9.) as our great high priest.

    Satan's rage was great as he saw that all the abuse inflicted upon the Saviour had not forced the least murmur from His lips. Although He had taken upon Him the nature of man, He was sustained by a godlike fortitude, and departed in no particular from the will of His Father.

    When Pilate gave Jesus up to be scourged and mocked, he thought to excite the pity of the multitude. He hoped they would decide that this was sufficient punishment. Even the malice of the priests, he thought, would now be satisfied. But with keen perception the Jews saw the weakness of thus punishing a man who had been declared innocent. They knew that Pilate was trying to save the life of the prisoner, and they were determined that Jesus should not be released. To please and satisfy us, Pilate has scourged Him, they thought, and if we press the matter to a decided issue, we shall surely gain our end.

    Pilate now sent for Barabbas to be brought into the court. He then presented the two prisoners side by side, and pointing to the Saviour he said in a voice of solemn entreaty, "Behold the Man!" "I bring Him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in Him."

    There stood the Son of God, wearing the robe of mockery and the crown of thorns. Stripped to the waist, His back showed the long, cruel stripes, from which the blood flowed freely. His face was stained with blood, and bore the marks of exhaustion and pain; but never had it appeared more beautiful than now. The Saviour's visage was not marred before His enemies. Every feature expressed gentleness and resignation and the tenderest pity for His cruel foes. In His manner there was no cowardly weakness, but the strength and dignity of long-suffering. In striking contrast was the prisoner at His side. Every line of the countenance of Barabbas proclaimed him the hardened ruffian that he was. The contrast spoke to every beholder. Some of the spectators were weeping. As they looked upon Jesus, their hearts were full of sympathy. Even the priests and rulers were convicted that He was all that He claimed to be.

    The Roman soldiers that surrounded Christ were not all hardened; some were looking earnestly into His face for one evidence that He was a criminal or dangerous character. From time to time they would turn and cast a look of contempt upon Barabbas. It needed no deep insight to read him through and through. Again they would turn to the One upon trial. They looked at the divine sufferer with feelings of deep pity. The silent submission of Christ stamped upon their minds the scene, never to be effaced until they either acknowledged Him as the Christ, or by rejecting Him decided their own destiny. Pilate was filled with amazement at the uncomplaining patience of the Saviour.

    He did not doubt that the sight of this Man, in contrast with Barabbas, would move the Jews to sympathy. But he did not understand the fanatical hatred of the priests for Him, who, as the Light of the world, had made manifest their darkness and error. They had moved the mob to a mad fury, and again priests, rulers, and people raised that awful cry, "Crucify Him, crucify Him." At last, losing all patience with their unreasoning cruelty, Pilate cried out despairingly, "Take ye Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him."

    The Roman governor, though familiar with cruel scenes, was moved with sympathy for the suffering prisoner, who, condemned and scourged, with bleeding brow and lacerated back, still had the bearing of a king upon his throne. But the priests declared, "We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God."

    Pilate was startled. He had no correct idea of Christ and His mission; but he had an indistinct faith in God and in beings superior to humanity. A thought that had once before passed through his mind now took more definite shape. He questioned whether it might not be a divine being that stood before him, clad in the purple robe of mockery, and crowned with thorns.

    Again he went into the judgment hall, and said to Jesus, "Whence art Thou?" But Jesus gave him no answer. The Saviour had spoken freely to Pilate, explaining His own mission as a witness to the truth. Pilate had disregarded the light. He had abused the high office of judge by yielding his principles and authority to the demands of the mob. Jesus had no further light for him. Vexed at His silence, Pilate said haughtily:

    "Speakest Thou not unto me? knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and have power to release Thee?"

    Jesus answered, "Thou couldest have no power at all against Me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin."

    Thus the pitying Saviour, in the midst of His intense suffering and grief, excused as far as possible the act of the Roman governor who gave Him up to be crucified. What a scene was this to hand down to the world for all time! What a light it sheds upon the character of Him who is the Judge of all the earth!

    "He that delivered Me unto thee," said Jesus, "hath the greater sin." By this Christ meant Caiaphas, who, as high priest, represented the Jewish nation. They knew the principles that controlled the Roman authorities. They had had light in the prophecies that testified of Christ, and in His own teachings and miracles. The Jewish judges had received unmistakable evidence of the divinity of Him whom they condemned to death. And according to their light would they be judged.

    The greatest guilt and heaviest responsibility belonged to those who stood in the highest places in the nation, the depositaries of sacred trusts that they were basely betraying. Pilate, Herod, and the Roman soldiers were comparatively ignorant of Jesus. They thought to please the priests and rulers by abusing Him. They had not the light which the Jewish nation had so abundantly received. Had the light been given to the soldiers, they would not have treated Christ as cruelly as they did.

    Again Pilate proposed to release the Saviour. "But the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend." Thus these hypocrites pretended to be jealous for the authority of Caesar. Of all the opponents of the Roman rule, the Jews were most bitter. When it was safe for them to do so, they were most tyrannical in enforcing their own national and religious requirements; but when they desired to bring about some purpose of cruelty, they exalted the power of Caesar. To accomplish the destruction of Christ, they would profess loyalty to the foreign rule which they hated.

    "Whosoever maketh himself a king," they continued, "speaketh against Caesar." This was touching Pilate in a weak point. He was under suspicion by the Roman government, and he knew that such a report would be ruin to him. He knew that if the Jews were thwarted, their rage would be turned against him. They would leave nothing undone to accomplish their revenge. He had before him an example of the persistence with which they sought the life of One whom they hated without reason.

    Pilate then took his place on the judgment seat, and again presented Jesus to the people, saying, "Behold your King!" Again the mad cry was heard, "Away with Him, crucify Him." In a voice that was heard far and near, Pilate asked, "Shall I crucify your King?" But from profane, blasphemous lips went forth the words, "We have no king but Caesar."

    Thus by choosing a heathen ruler, the Jewish nation had withdrawn from the theocracy. They had rejected God as their king. Henceforth they had no deliverer. They had no king but Caesar. To this the priests and teachers had led the people. For this, with the fearful results that followed, they were responsible. A nation's sin and a nation's ruin were due to the religious leaders. "When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just Person: see ye to it."

    In fear and self-condemnation Pilate looked upon the Saviour. In the vast sea of upturned faces, His alone was peaceful. About His head a soft light seemed to shine. Pilate said in his heart, He is a God. Turning to the multitude he declared, I am clear of His blood. Take ye Him, and crucify Him. But mark ye, priests and rulers, I pronounce Him a just man. May He whom He claims as His Father judge you and not me for this day's work. Then to Jesus he said, Forgive me for this act; I cannot save You. And when he had again scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.

    Pilate longed to deliver Jesus. But he saw that he could not do this, and yet retain his own position and honor. Rather than lose his worldly power, he chose to sacrifice an innocent life. How many, to escape loss or suffering, in like manner sacrifice principle. Conscience and duty point one way, and self-interest points another. The current sets strongly in the wrong direction, and he who compromises with evil is swept away into the thick darkness of guilt.

    Pilate yielded to the demands of the mob. Rather than risk losing his position, he delivered Jesus up to be crucified. But in spite of his precautions, the very thing he dreaded afterward came upon him. His honors were stripped from him, he was cast down from his high office, and, stung by remorse and wounded pride, not long after the crucifixion he ended his own life. So all who compromise with sin will gain only sorrow and ruin. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Prov. 14:12.

    When Pilate declared himself innocent of the blood of Christ, Caiaphas answered defiantly, "His blood be on us, and on our children." The awful words were taken up by the priests and rulers, and echoed by the crowd in an inhuman roar of voices. The whole multitude answered and said, "His blood be on us, and on our children."

    The people of Israel had made their choice. Pointing to Jesus they had said, "Not this man, but Barabbas." Barabbas, the robber and murderer, was the representative of Satan. Christ was the representative of God. Christ had been rejected; Barabbas had been chosen. Barabbas they were to have. In making this choice they accepted him who from the beginning was a liar and a murderer. Satan was their leader. As a nation they would act out his dictation. His works they would do. His rule they must endure. That people who chose Barabbas in the place of Christ were to feel the cruelty of Barabbas as long as time should last. Looking upon the smitten Lamb of God, the Jews had cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children." That awful cry ascended to the throne of God. That sentence, pronounced upon themselves, was written in heaven. That prayer was heard. The blood of the Son of God was upon their children and their children's children, a perpetual curse.

    Terribly was it realized in the destruction of Jerusalem. Terribly has it been manifested in the condition of the Jewish nation for eighteen hundred years,--a branch severed from the vine, a dead, fruitless branch, to be gathered up and burned. From land to land throughout the world, from century to century, dead, dead in trespasses and sins!

    Terribly will that prayer be fulfilled in the great judgment day. When Christ shall come to the earth again, not as a prisoner surrounded by a rabble will men see Him. They will see Him then as heaven's King. Christ will come in His own glory, in the glory of His Father, and the glory of the holy angels. Ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands of angels, the beautiful and triumphant sons of God, possessing surpassing loveliness and glory, will escort Him on His way. Then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory, and before Him shall be gathered all nations. Then every eye shall see Him, and they also that pierced Him. In the place of a crown of thorns, He will wear a crown of glory,--a crown within a crown. In place of that old purple kingly robe, He will be clothed in raiment of whitest white, "so as no fuller on earth can white them." Mark 9:3.

    And on His vesture and on His thigh a name will be written, "King of kings, and Lord of lords." Rev. 19:16. Those who mocked and smote Him will be there. The priests and rulers will behold again the scene in the judgment hall. Every circumstance will appear before them, as if written in letters of fire. Then those who prayed, "His blood be on us, and on our children," will receive the answer to their prayer. Then the whole world will know and understand. They will realize who and what they, poor, feeble, finite beings, have been warring against. In awful agony and horror they will cry to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us, and hide us from the face of Him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?" Rev. 6:16, 17.
     
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    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:15 am

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    Desire of Ages
    Chapter 78
    Calvary

    "And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him."

    "That He might sanctify the people with His own blood," Christ "suffered without the gate." Heb. 13:12. For transgression of the law of God, Adam and Eve were banished from Eden. Christ, our substitute, was to suffer without the boundaries of Jerusalem. He died outside the gate, where felons and murderers were executed. Full of significance are the words, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." Gal. 3:13.

    A vast multitude followed Jesus from the judgment hall to Calvary. The news of His condemnation had spread throughout Jerusalem, and people of all classes and all ranks flocked toward the place of crucifixion. The priests and rulers had been bound by a promise not to molest Christ's followers if He Himself were delivered to them, and the disciples and believers from the city and the surrounding region joined the throng that followed the Saviour.

    As Jesus passed the gate of Pilate's court, the cross which had been prepared for Barabbas was laid upon His bruised and bleeding shoulders. Two companions of Barabbas were to suffer death at the same time with Jesus, and upon them also crosses were placed. The Saviour's burden was too heavy for Him in His weak and suffering condition. Since the Passover supper with His disciples, He had taken neither food nor drink. He had agonized in the garden of Gethsemane in conflict with satanic agencies. He had endured the anguish of the betrayal, and had seen His disciples forsake Him and flee. He had been taken to Annas, then to Caiaphas, and then to Pilate. From Pilate He had been sent to Herod, then sent again to Pilate. From insult to renewed insult, from mockery to mockery, twice tortured by the scourge,--all that night there had been scene after scene of a character to try the soul of man to the uttermost. Christ had not failed. He had spoken no word but that tended to glorify God. All through the disgraceful farce of a trial He had borne Himself with firmness and dignity. But when after the second scourging the cross was laid upon Him, human nature could bear no more. He fell fainting beneath the burden.

    The crowd that followed the Saviour saw His weak and staggering steps, but they manifested no compassion. They taunted and reviled Him because He could not carry the heavy cross. Again the burden was laid upon Him, and again He fell fainting to the ground. His persecutors saw that it was impossible for Him to carry His burden farther. They were puzzled to find anyone who would bear the humiliating load. The Jews themselves could not do this, because the defilement would prevent them from keeping the Passover. None even of the mob that followed Him would stoop to bear the cross.

    At this time a stranger, Simon a Cyrenian, coming in from the country, meets the throng. He hears the taunts and ribaldry of the crowd; he hears the words contemptuously repeated, Make way for the King of the Jews! He stops in astonishment at the scene; and as he expresses his compassion, they seize him and place the cross upon his shoulders.

    Simon had heard of Jesus. His sons were believers in the Saviour, but he himself was not a disciple. The bearing of the cross to Calvary was a blessing to Simon, and he was ever after grateful for this providence. It led him to take upon himself the cross of Christ from choice, and ever cheerfully stand beneath its burden.

    Not a few women are in the crowd that follow the Uncondemned to His cruel death. Their attention is fixed upon Jesus. Some of them have seen Him before. Some have carried to Him their sick and suffering ones. Some have themselves been healed. The story of the scenes that have taken place is related. They wonder at the hatred of the crowd toward Him for whom their own hearts are melting and ready to break.

    And notwithstanding the action of the maddened throng, and the angry words of the priests and rulers, these women give expression to their sympathy. As Jesus falls fainting beneath the cross, they break forth into mournful wailing. This was the only thing that attracted Christ's attention. Although full of suffering, while bearing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of grief. He looked upon these women with tender compassion. They were not believers in Him; He knew that they were not lamenting Him as one sent from God, but were moved by feelings of human pity. He did not despise their sympathy, but it awakened in His heart a deeper sympathy for them. "Daughters of Jerusalem," He said, "weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children." From the scene before Him, Christ looked forward to the time of Jerusalem's destruction. In that terrible scene, many of those who were now weeping for Him were to perish with their children.

    From the fall of Jerusalem the thoughts of Jesus passed to a wider judgment. In the destruction of the impenitent city He saw a symbol of the final destruction to come upon the world. He said, "Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" By the green tree, Jesus represented Himself, the innocent Redeemer. God suffered His wrath against transgression to fall on His beloved Son. Jesus was to be crucified for the sins of men. What suffering, then, would the sinner bear who continued in sin? All the impenitent and unbelieving would know a sorrow and misery that language would fail to express.

    Of the multitude that followed the Saviour to Calvary, many had attended Him with joyful hosannas and the waving of palm branches as He rode triumphantly into Jerusalem. But not a few who had then shouted His praise, because it was popular to do so, now swelled the cry of "Crucify Him, crucify Him." When Christ rode into Jerusalem, the hopes of the disciples had been raised to the highest pitch. They had pressed close about their Master, feeling that it was a high honor to be connected with Him. Now in His humiliation they followed Him at a distance. They were filled with grief, and bowed down with disappointed hopes. How were the words of Jesus verified: "All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." Matt. 26:31.

    Arriving at the place of execution, the prisoners were bound to the instruments of torture. The two thieves wrestled in the hands of those who placed them on the cross; but Jesus made no resistance. The mother of Jesus, supported by John the beloved disciple, had followed the steps of her Son to Calvary. She had seen Him fainting under the burden of the cross, and had longed to place a supporting hand beneath His wounded head, and to bathe that brow which had once been pillowed upon her bosom. But she was not permitted this mournful privilege. With the disciples she still cherished the hope that Jesus would manifest His power, and deliver Himself from His enemies.

    Again her heart would sink as she recalled the words in which He had foretold the very scenes that were then taking place. As the thieves were bound to the cross, she looked on with agonizing suspense. Would He who had given life to the dead suffer Himself to be crucified? Would the Son of God suffer Himself to be thus cruelly slain? Must she give up her faith that Jesus was the Messiah? Must she witness His shame and sorrow, without even the privilege of ministering to Him in His distress? She saw His hands stretched upon the cross; the hammer and the nails were brought, and as the spikes were driven through the tender flesh, the heart-stricken disciples bore away from the cruel scene the fainting form of the mother of Jesus.

    The Saviour made no murmur of complaint. His face remained calm and serene, but great drops of sweat stood upon His brow. There was no pitying hand to wipe the death dew from His face, nor words of sympathy and unchanging fidelity to stay His human heart. While the soldiers were doing their fearful work, Jesus prayed for His enemies, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." His mind passed from His own suffering to the sin of His persecutors, and the terrible retribution that would be theirs. No curses were called down upon the soldiers who were handling Him so roughly. No vengeance was invoked upon the priests and rulers, who were gloating over the accomplishment of their purpose. Christ pitied them in their ignorance and guilt. He breathed only a plea for their forgiveness,--"for they know not what they do."

    Had they known that they were putting to torture One who had come to save the sinful race from eternal ruin, they would have been seized with remorse and horror. But their ignorance did not remove their guilt; for it was their privilege to know and accept Jesus as their Saviour. Some of them would yet see their sin, and repent, and be converted. Some by their impenitence would make it an impossibility for the prayer of Christ to be answered for them. Yet, just the same, God's purpose was reaching its fulfillment. Jesus was earning the right to become the advocate of men in the Father's presence. That prayer of Christ for His enemies embraced the world. It took in every sinner that had lived or should live, from the beginning of the world to the end of time. Upon all rests the guilt of crucifying the Son of God. To all, forgiveness is freely offered. "Whosoever will" may have peace with God, and inherit eternal life.

    As soon as Jesus was nailed to the cross, it was lifted by strong men, and with great violence thrust into the place prepared for it. This caused the most intense agony to the Son of God. Pilate then wrote an inscription in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, and placed it upon the cross, above the head of Jesus. It read, "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews." This inscription irritated the Jews. In Pilate's court they had cried, "Crucify Him." "We have no king but Caesar." John 19:15. They had declared that whoever should acknowledge any other king was a traitor. Pilate wrote out the sentiment they had expressed. No offense was mentioned, except that Jesus was the King of the Jews. The inscription was a virtual acknowledgment of the allegiance of the Jews to the Roman power. It declared that whoever might claim to be the King of Israel would be judged by them worthy of death. The priests had overreached themselves. When they were plotting the death of Christ, Caiaphas had declared it expedient that one man should die to save the nation. Now their hypocrisy was revealed. In order to destroy Christ, they had been ready to sacrifice even their national existence.

    The priests saw what they had done, and asked Pilate to change the inscription. They said, "Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews." But Pilate was angry with himself because of his former weakness, and he thoroughly despised the jealous and artful priests and rulers. He replied coldly, "What I have written I have written."

    A higher power than Pilate or the Jews had directed the placing of that inscription above the head of Jesus. In the providence of God it was to awaken thought, and investigation of the Scriptures. The place where Christ was crucified was near to the city. Thousands of people from all lands were then at Jerusalem, and the inscription declaring Jesus of Nazareth the Messiah would come to their notice. It was a living truth, transcribed by a hand that God had guided. In the sufferings of Christ upon the cross prophecy was fulfilled. Centuries before the crucifixion, the Saviour had foretold the treatment He was to receive. He said, "Dogs have compassed Me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed Me: they pierced My hands and My feet. I may tell all My bones: they look and stare upon Me. They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture." Ps. 22:16-18. The prophecy concerning His garments was carried out without counsel or interference from the friends or the enemies of the Crucified One. To the soldiers who had placed Him upon the cross, His clothing was given. Christ heard the men's contention as they parted the garments among them. His tunic was woven throughout without seam, and they said, "Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be."

    In another prophecy the Saviour declared, "Reproach hath broken My heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. They gave Me also gall for My meat; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink." Ps. 69:20, 21. To those who suffered death by the cross, it was permitted to give a stupefying potion, to deaden the sense of pain. This was offered to Jesus; but when He had tasted it, He refused it. He would receive nothing that could becloud His mind. His faith must keep fast hold upon God. This was His only strength. To becloud His senses would give Satan an advantage.

    The enemies of Jesus vented their rage upon Him as He hung upon the cross. Priests, rulers, and scribes joined with the mob in mocking the dying Saviour. At the baptism and at the transfiguration the voice of God had been heard proclaiming Christ as His Son. Again, just before Christ's betrayal, the Father had spoken, witnessing to His divinity. But now the voice from heaven was silent. No testimony in Christ's favor was heard. Alone He suffered abuse and mockery from wicked men.

    "If Thou be the Son of God," they said, "come down from the cross." "Let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God." In the wilderness of temptation Satan had declared, "If Thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread." "If Thou be the Son of God, cast Thyself down" from the pinnacle of the temple. Matt. 4:3, 6. And Satan with his angels, in human form, was present at the cross. The archfiend and his hosts were co-operating with the priests and rulers. The teachers of the people had stimulated the ignorant mob to pronounce judgment against One upon whom many of them had never looked, until urged to bear testimony against Him. Priests, rulers, Pharisees, and the hardened rabble were confederated together in a satanic frenzy. Religious rulers united with Satan and his angels. They were doing his bidding. Jesus, suffering and dying, heard every word as the priests declared, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Christ could have come down from the cross. But it is because He would not save Himself that the sinner has hope of pardon and favor with God.

    In their mockery of the Saviour, the men who professed to be the expounders of prophecy were repeating the very words which Inspiration had foretold they would utter upon this occasion. Yet in their blindness they did not see that they were fulfilling the prophecy. Those who in derision uttered the words, "He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now, if He will have Him: for He said, I am the Son of God," little thought that their testimony would sound down the ages. But although spoken in mockery, these words led men to search the Scriptures as they had never done before. Wise men heard, searched, pondered, and prayed. There were those who never rested until, by comparing scripture with scripture, they saw the meaning of Christ's mission. Never before was there such a general knowledge of Jesus as when He hung upon the cross. Into the hearts of many who beheld the crucifixion scene, and who heard Christ's words, the light of truth was shining.

    To Jesus in His agony on the cross there came one gleam of comfort. It was the prayer of the penitent thief. Both the men who were crucified with Jesus had at first railed upon Him; and one under his suffering only became more desperate and defiant. But not so with his companion. This man was not a hardened criminal; he had been led astray by evil associations, but he was less guilty than many of those who stood beside the cross reviling the Saviour. He had seen and heard Jesus, and had been convicted by His teaching, but he had been turned away from Him by the priests and rulers. Seeking to stifle conviction, he had plunged deeper and deeper into sin, until he was arrested, tried as a criminal, and condemned to die on the cross. In the judgment hall and on the way to Calvary he had been in company with Jesus. He had heard Pilate declare, "I find no fault in Him." John 19:4. He had marked His godlike bearing, and His pitying forgiveness of His tormentors.

    On the cross he sees the many great religionists shoot out the tongue with scorn, and ridicule the Lord Jesus. He sees the wagging heads. He hears the upbraiding speeches taken up by his companion in guilt: "If Thou be Christ, save Thyself and us." Among the passers-by he hears many defending Jesus. He hears them repeat His words, and tell of His works. The conviction comes back to him that this is the Christ. Turning to his fellow criminal he says, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?" The dying thieves have no longer anything to fear from man. But upon one of them presses the conviction that there is a God to fear, a future to cause him to tremble. And now, all sin-polluted as it is, his life history is about to close. "And we indeed justly," he moans; "for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this Man hath done nothing amiss."

    There is no question now. There are no doubts, no reproaches. When condemned for his crime, the thief had become hopeless and despairing; but strange, tender thoughts now spring up. He calls to mind all he has heard of Jesus, how He has healed the sick and pardoned sin. He has heard the words of those who believed in Jesus and followed Him weeping. He has seen and read the title above the Saviour's head. He has heard the passers-by repeat it, some with grieved, quivering lips, others with jesting and mockery. The Holy Spirit illuminates his mind, and little by little the chain of evidence is joined together. In Jesus, bruised, mocked, and hanging upon the cross, he sees the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. Hope is mingled with anguish in his voice as the helpless, dying soul casts himself upon a dying Saviour. "Lord, remember me," he cries, "when Thou comest into Thy kingdom."

    Quickly the answer came. Soft and melodious the tone, full of love, compassion, and power the words: Verily I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with Me in paradise.

    For long hours of agony, reviling and mockery have fallen upon the ears of Jesus. As He hangs upon the cross, there floats up to Him still the sound of jeers and curses. With longing heart He has listened for some expression of faith from His disciples. He has heard only the mournful words, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel." How grateful then to the Saviour was the utterance of faith and love from the dying thief! While the leading Jews deny Him, and even the disciples doubt His divinity, the poor thief, upon the brink of eternity, calls Jesus Lord. Many were ready to call Him Lord when He wrought miracles, and after He had risen from the grave; but none acknowledged Him as He hung dying upon the cross save the penitent thief who was saved at the eleventh hour. The bystanders caught the words as the thief called Jesus Lord. The tone of the repentant man arrested their attention. Those who at the foot of the cross had been quarreling over Christ's garments, and casting lots upon His vesture, stopped to listen. Their angry tones were hushed. With bated breath they looked upon Christ, and waited for the response from those dying lips.

    As He spoke the words of promise, the dark cloud that seemed to enshroud the cross was pierced by a bright and living light. To the penitent thief came the perfect peace of acceptance with God. Christ in His humiliation was glorified. He who in all other eyes appeared to be conquered was a Conqueror. He was acknowledged as the Sin Bearer. Men may exercise power over His human body. They may pierce the holy temples with the crown of thorns. They may strip from Him His raiment, and quarrel over its division. But they cannot rob Him of His power to forgive sins. In dying He bears testimony to His own divinity and to the glory of the Father. His ear is not heavy that it cannot hear, neither His arm shortened that it cannot save. It is His royal right to save unto the uttermost all who come unto God by Him.

    I say unto thee today, Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise. Christ did not promise that the thief should be with Him in Paradise that day. He Himself did not go that day to Paradise. He slept in the tomb, and on the morning of the resurrection He said, "I am not yet ascended to My Father." John 20:17. But on the day of the crucifixion, the day of apparent defeat and darkness, the promise was given. "Today" while dying upon the cross as a malefactor, Christ assures the poor sinner, Thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.

    The thieves crucified with Jesus were placed "on either side one, and Jesus in the midst." This was done by the direction of the priests and rulers. Christ's position between the thieves was to indicate that He was the greatest criminal of the three. Thus was fulfilled the scripture, "He was numbered with the transgressors." Isa. 53:12. But the full meaning of their act the priests did not see. As Jesus, crucified with the thieves, was placed "in the midst," so His cross was placed in the midst of a world lying in sin. And the words of pardon spoken to the penitent thief kindled a light that will shine to the earth's remotest bounds. With amazement the angels beheld the infinite love of Jesus, who, suffering the most intense agony of mind and body, thought only of others, and encouraged the penitent soul to believe. In His humiliation He as a prophet had addressed the daughters of Jerusalem; as priest and advocate He had pleaded with the Father to forgive His murderers; as a loving Saviour He had forgiven the sins of the penitent thief.

    As the eyes of Jesus wandered over the multitude about Him, one figure arrested His attention. At the foot of the cross stood His mother, supported by the disciple John. She could not endure to remain away from her Son; and John, knowing that the end was near, had brought her again to the cross. In His dying hour, Christ remembered His mother. Looking into her grief-stricken face and then upon John, He said to her, "Woman, behold thy son!" then to John, "Behold thy mother!" John understood Christ's words, and accepted the trust. He at once took Mary to his home, and from that hour cared for her tenderly. O pitiful, loving Saviour; amid all His physical pain and mental anguish, He had a thoughtful care for His mother! He had no money with which to provide for her comfort; but He was enshrined in the heart of John, and He gave His mother to him as a precious legacy. Thus He provided for her that which she most needed,--the tender sympathy of one who loved her because she loved Jesus. And in receiving her as a sacred trust, John was receiving a great blessing. She was a constant reminder of his beloved Master.

    The perfect example of Christ's filial love shines forth with undimmed luster from the mist of ages. For nearly thirty years Jesus by His daily toil had helped bear the burdens of the home. And now, even in His last agony, He remembers to provide for His sorrowing, widowed mother. The same spirit will be seen in every disciple of our Lord. Those who follow Christ will feel that it is a part of their religion to respect and provide for their parents. From the heart where His love is cherished, father and mother will never fail of receiving thoughtful care and tender sympathy.

    And now the Lord of glory was dying, a ransom for the race. In yielding up His precious life, Christ was not upheld by triumphant joy. All was oppressive gloom. It was not the dread of death that weighed upon Him. It was not the pain and ignominy of the cross that caused His inexpressible agony. Christ was the prince of sufferers; but His suffering was from a sense of the malignity of sin, a knowledge that through familiarity with evil, man had become blinded to its enormity. Christ saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart, how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help.

    Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.

    Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God.

    With amazement angels witnessed the Saviour's despairing agony. The hosts of heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. Inanimate nature expressed sympathy with its insulted and dying Author. The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday, when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out. Complete darkness, like a funeral pall, enveloped the cross. "There was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." There was no eclipse or other natural cause for this darkness, which was as deep as midnight without moon or stars. It was a miraculous testimony given by God that the faith of after generations might be confirmed.

    In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion, and conceals His glory from human eyes. God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him. In the thick darkness, God veiled the last human agony of His Son. All who had seen Christ in His suffering had been convicted of His divinity. That face, once beheld by humanity, was never forgotten. As the face of Cain expressed his guilt as a murderer, so the face of Christ revealed innocence, serenity, benevolence,--the image of God. But His accusers would not give heed to the signet of heaven. Through long hours of agony Christ had been gazed upon by the jeering multitude. Now He was mercifully hidden by the mantle of God.

    The silence of the grave seemed to have fallen upon Calvary. A nameless terror held the throng that was gathered about the cross. The cursing and reviling ceased in the midst of half-uttered sentences. Men, women, and children fell prostrate upon the earth. Vivid lightnings occasionally flashed forth from the cloud, and revealed the cross and the crucified Redeemer. Priests, rulers, scribes, executioners, and the mob, all thought that their time of retribution had come. After a while some whispered that Jesus would now come down from the cross. Some attempted to grope their way back to the city, beating their breasts and wailing in fear.

    At the ninth hour the darkness lifted from the people, but still enveloped the Saviour. It was a symbol of the agony and horror that weighed upon His heart. No eye could pierce the gloom that surrounded the cross, and none could penetrate the deeper gloom that enshrouded the suffering soul of Christ. The angry lightnings seemed to be hurled at Him as He hung upon the cross. Then "Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" As the outer gloom settled about the Saviour, many voices exclaimed: The vengeance of heaven is upon Him. The bolts of God's wrath are hurled at Him, because He claimed to be the Son of God. Many who believed on Him heard His despairing cry. Hope left them. If God had forsaken Jesus, in what could His followers trust?

    When the darkness lifted from the oppressed spirit of Christ, He revived to a sense of physical suffering, and said, "I thirst." One of the Roman soldiers, touched with pity as he looked at the parched lips, took a sponge on a stalk of hyssop, and dipping it in a vessel of vinegar, offered it to Jesus. But the priests mocked at His agony. When darkness covered the earth, they had been filled with fear; as their terror abated, the dread returned that Jesus would yet escape them. His words, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" they had misinterpreted. With bitter contempt and scorn they said, "This man calleth for Elias."

    The last opportunity to relieve His sufferings they refused. "Let be," they said, "let us see whether Elias will come to save Him." The spotless Son of God hung upon the cross, His flesh lacerated with stripes; those hands so often reached out in blessing, nailed to the wooden bars; those feet so tireless on ministries of love, spiked to the tree; that royal head pierced by the crown of thorns; those quivering lips shaped to the cry of woe. And all that He endured--the blood drops that flowed from His head, His hands, His feet, the agony that racked His frame, and the unutterable anguish that filled His soul at the hiding of His Father's face--speaks to each child of humanity, declaring, It is for thee that the Son of God consents to bear this burden of guilt; for thee He spoils the domain of death, and opens the gates of Paradise. He who stilled the angry waves and walked the foam-capped billows, who made devils tremble and disease flee, who opened blind eyes and called forth the dead to life,--offers Himself upon the cross as a sacrifice, and this from love to thee.

    He, the Sin Bearer, endures the wrath of divine justice, and for thy sake becomes sin itself. In silence the beholders watched for the end of the fearful scene. The sun shone forth; but the cross was still enveloped in darkness. Priests and rulers looked toward Jerusalem; and lo, the dense cloud had settled over the city and the plains of Judea. The Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the world, was withdrawing His beams from the once favored city of Jerusalem. The fierce lightnings of God's wrath were directed against the fated city.

    Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross, and in clear, trumpetlike tones, that seemed to resound throughout creation, Jesus cried, "It is finished." "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." A light encircled the cross, and the face of the Saviour shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His head upon His breast, and died.

    Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father's acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father's favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor.

    Never before had the earth witnessed such a scene. The multitude stood paralyzed, and with bated breath gazed upon the Saviour. Again darkness settled upon the earth, and a hoarse rumbling, like heavy thunder, was heard. There was a violent earthquake. The people were shaken together in heaps. The wildest confusion and consternation ensued. In the surrounding mountains, rocks were rent asunder, and went crashing down into the plains. Sepulchers were broken open, and the dead were cast out of their tombs. Creation seemed to be shivering to atoms. Priests, rulers, soldiers, executioners, and people, mute with terror, lay prostrate upon the ground.

    When the loud cry, "It is finished," came from the lips of Christ, the priests were officiating in the temple. It was the hour of the evening sacrifice. The lamb representing Christ had been brought to be slain. Clothed in his significant and beautiful dress, the priest stood with lifted knife, as did Abraham when he was about to slay his son. With intense interest the people were looking on. But the earth trembles and quakes; for the Lord Himself draws near. With a rending noise the inner veil of the temple is torn from top to bottom by an unseen hand, throwing open to the gaze of the multitude a place once filled with the presence of God. In this place the Shekinah had dwelt. Here God had manifested His glory above the mercy seat. No one but the high priest ever lifted the veil separating this apartment from the rest of the temple. He entered in once a year to make an atonement for the sins of the people. But lo, this veil is rent in twain. The most holy place of the earthly sanctuary is no longer sacred.

    All is terror and confusion. The priest is about to slay the victim; but the knife drops from his nerveless hand, and the lamb escapes. Type has met antitype in the death of God's Son. The great sacrifice has been made. The way into the holiest is laid open. A new and living way is prepared for all. No longer need sinful, sorrowing humanity await the coming of the high priest. Henceforth the Saviour was to officiate as priest and advocate in the heaven of heavens. It was as if a living voice had spoken to the worshipers: There is now an end to all sacrifices and offerings for sin. The Son of God is come according to His word, "Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God." "By His own blood" He entereth "in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Heb. 10:7; 9:12.

    Chapter 79

    Christ did not yield up His life till He had accomplished the work which He came to do, and with His parting breath He exclaimed, "It is finished." John 19:30. The battle had been won. His right hand and His holy arm had gotten Him the victory. As a Conqueror He planted His banner on the eternal heights. Was there not joy among the angels? All heaven triumphed in the Saviour's victory. Satan was defeated, and knew that his kingdom was lost.

    To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, "It is finished," had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. They with us share the fruits of Christ's victory.

    Not until the death of Christ was the character of Satan clearly revealed to the angels or to the unfallen worlds. The archapostate had so clothed himself with deception that even holy beings had not understood his principles. They had not clearly seen the nature of his rebellion.

    It was a being of wonderful power and glory that had set himself against God. Of Lucifer the Lord says, "Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Ezek. 28:12. Lucifer had been the covering cherub. He had stood in the light of God's presence. He had been the highest of all created beings, and had been foremost in revealing God's purposes to the universe. After he had sinned, his power to deceive was the more deceptive, and the unveiling of his character was the more difficult, because of the exalted position he had held with the Father.

    God could have destroyed Satan and his sympathizers as easily as one can cast a pebble to the earth; but He did not do this. Rebellion was not to be overcome by force. Compelling power is found only under Satan's government. The Lord's principles are not of this order. His authority rests upon goodness, mercy, and love; and the presentation of these principles is the means to be used. God's government is moral, and truth and love are to be the prevailing power.

    It was God's purpose to place things on an eternal basis of security, and in the councils of heaven it was decided that time must be given for Satan to develop the principles which were the foundation of his system of government. He had claimed that these were superior to God's principles. Time was given for the working of Satan's principles, that they might be seen by the heavenly universe.

    Satan led men into sin, and the plan of redemption was put in operation. For four thousand years, Christ was working for man's uplifting, and Satan for his ruin and degradation. And the heavenly universe beheld it all.

    When Jesus came into the world, Satan's power was turned against Him. From the time when He appeared as a babe in Bethlehem, the usurper worked to bring about His destruction. In every possible way he sought to prevent Jesus from developing a perfect childhood, a faultless manhood, a holy ministry, and an unblemished sacrifice. But he was defeated. He could not lead Jesus into sin. He could not discourage Him, or drive Him from a work He had come on earth to do. From the desert to Calvary, the storm of Satan's wrath beat upon Him, but the more mercilessly it fell, the more firmly did the Son of God cling to the hand of His Father, and press on in the bloodstained path. All the efforts of Satan to oppress and overcome Him only brought out in a purer light His spotless character.

    All heaven and the unfallen worlds had been witnesses to the controversy. With what intense interest did they follow the closing scenes of the conflict. They beheld the Saviour enter the garden of Gethsemane, His soul bowed down with the horror of a great darkness. They heard His bitter cry, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Matt. 26:39. As the Father's presence was withdrawn, they saw Him sorrowful with a bitterness of sorrow exceeding that of the last great struggle with death. The bloody sweat was forced from His pores, and fell in drops upon the ground. Thrice the prayer for deliverance was wrung from His lips. Heaven could no longer endure the sight, and a messenger of comfort was sent to the Son of God.

    Heaven beheld the Victim betrayed into the hands of the murderous mob, and with mockery and violence hurried from one tribunal to another. It heard the sneers of His persecutors because of His lowly birth. It heard the denial with cursing and swearing by one of His best-loved disciples. It saw the frenzied work of Satan, and his power over the hearts of men. Oh, fearful scene! the Saviour seized at midnight in Gethsemane, dragged to and fro from palace to judgment hall, arraigned twice before the priests, twice before the Sanhedrin, twice before Pilate, and once before Herod, mocked, scourged, condemned, and led out to be crucified, bearing the heavy burden of the cross, amid the wailing of the daughters of Jerusalem and the jeering of the rabble.

    Heaven viewed with grief and amazement Christ hanging upon the cross, blood flowing from His wounded temples, and sweat tinged with blood standing upon His brow. From His hands and feet the blood fell, drop by drop, upon the rock drilled for the foot of the cross. The wounds made by the nails gaped as the weight of His body dragged upon His hands. His labored breath grew quick and deep, as His soul panted under the burden of the sins of the world. All heaven was filled with wonder when the prayer of Christ was offered in the midst of His terrible suffering,--"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Yet there stood men, formed in the image of God, joining to crush out the life of His only-begotten Son. What a sight for the heavenly universe!

    The principalities and powers of darkness were assembled around the cross, casting the hellish shadow of unbelief into the hearts of men. When the Lord created these beings to stand before His throne, they were beautiful and glorious. Their loveliness and holiness were in accordance with their exalted station. They were enriched with the wisdom of God, and girded with the panoply of heaven. They were Jehovah's ministers. But who could recognize in the fallen angels the glorious seraphim that once ministered in the heavenly courts?

    Satanic agencies confederated with evil men in leading the people to believe Christ the chief of sinners, and to make Him the object of detestation. Those who mocked Christ as He hung upon the cross were imbued with the spirit of the first great rebel. He filled them with vile and loathsome speeches. He inspired their taunts. But by all this he gained nothing. Could one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God. "And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night." Rev. 12:10.

    Satan saw that his disguise was torn away. His administration was laid open before the unfallen angels and before the heavenly universe. He had revealed himself as a murderer. By shedding the blood of the Son of God, he had uprooted himself from the sympathies of the heavenly beings. Henceforth his work was restricted. Whatever attitude he might assume, he could no longer await the angels as they came from the heavenly courts, and before them accuse Christ's brethren of being clothed with the garments of blackness and the defilement of sin. The last link of sympathy between Satan and the heavenly world was broken.

    Yet Satan was not then destroyed. The angels did not even then understand all that was involved in the great controversy. The principles at stake were to be more fully revealed. And for the sake of man, Satan's existence must be continued. Man as well as angels must see the contrast between the Prince of light and the prince of darkness. He must choose whom he will serve.

    In the opening of the great controversy, Satan had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed, that justice was inconsistent with mercy, and that, should the law be broken, it would be impossible for the sinner to be pardoned. Every sin must meet its punishment, urged Satan; and if God should remit the punishment of sin, He would not be a God of truth and justice. When men broke the law of God, and defied His will, Satan exulted. It was proved, he declared, that the law could not be obeyed; man could not be forgiven. Because he, after his rebellion, had been banished from heaven, Satan claimed that the human race must be forever shut out from God's favor. God could not be just, he urged, and yet show mercy to the sinner.

    But even as a sinner, man was in a different position from that of Satan. Lucifer in heaven had sinned in the light of God's glory. To him as to no other created being was given a revelation of God's love. Understanding the character of God, knowing His goodness, Satan chose to follow his own selfish, independent will. This choice was final. There was no more that God could do to save him. But man was deceived; his mind was darkened by Satan's sophistry. The height and depth of the love of God he did not know. For him there was hope in a knowledge of God's love. By beholding His character he might be drawn back to God. Through Jesus, God's mercy was manifested to men; but mercy does not set aside justice. The law reveals the attributes of God's character, and not a jot or tittle of it could be changed to meet man in his fallen condition. God did not change His law, but He sacrificed Himself, in Christ, for man's redemption. "God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself." 2 Cor. 5:19.

    The law requires righteousness,--a righteous life, a perfect character; and this man has not to give. He cannot meet the claims of God's holy law. But Christ, coming to the earth as man, lived a holy life, and developed a perfect character. These He offers as a free gift to all who will receive them. His life stands for the life of men. Thus they have remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. More than this, Christ imbues men with the attributes of God. He builds up the human character after the similitude of the divine character, a goodly fabric of spiritual strength and beauty. Thus the very righteousness of the law is fulfilled in the believer in Christ. God can "be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus." Rom. 3:26.

    God's love has been expressed in His justice no less than in His mercy. Justice is the foundation of His throne, and the fruit of His love. It had been Satan's purpose to divorce mercy from truth and justice. He sought to prove that the righteousness of God's law is an enemy to peace. But Christ shows that in God's plan they are indissolubly joined together; the one cannot exist without the other. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Ps. 85:10.

    By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan's charges were refuted. God had given man unmistakable evidence of His love.

    Another deception was now to be brought forward. Satan declared that mercy destroyed justice, that the death of Christ abrogated the Father's law. Had it been possible for the law to be changed or abrogated, then Christ need not have died. But to abrogate the law would be to immortalize transgression, and place the world under Satan's control. It was because the law was changeless, because man could be saved only through obedience to its precepts, that Jesus was lifted up on the cross. Yet the very means by which Christ established the law Satan represented as destroying it. Here will come the last conflict of the great controversy between Christ and Satan.

    That the law which was spoken by God's own voice is faulty, that some specification has been set aside, is the claim which Satan now puts forward. It is the last great deception that he will bring upon the world. He needs not to assail the whole law; if he can lead men to disregard one precept, his purpose is gained. For "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all." James 2:10. By consenting to break one precept, men are brought under Satan's power. By substituting human law for God's law, Satan will seek to control the world. This work is foretold in prophecy. Of the great apostate power which is the representative of Satan, it is declared, "He shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand." Dan. 7:25.

    Men will surely set up their laws to counterwork the laws of God. They will seek to compel the consciences of others, and in their zeal to enforce these laws they will oppress their fellow men.

    The warfare against God's law, which was begun in heaven, will be continued until the end of time. Every man will be tested. Obedience or disobedience is the question to be decided by the whole world. All will be called to choose between the law of God and the laws of men. Here the dividing line will be drawn. There will be but two classes. Every character will be fully developed; and all will show whether they have chosen the side of loyalty or that of rebellion.

    Then the end will come. God will vindicate His law and deliver His people. Satan and all who have joined him in rebellion will be cut off. Sin and sinners will perish, root and branch, (Mal. 4:1),--Satan the root, and his followers the branches. The word will be fulfilled to the prince of evil, "Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; . . . I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. . . . Thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more." Then "the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be;" "they shall be as though they had not been." Ezek. 28:6-19; Ps. 37:10; Obadiah 16.

    This is not an act of arbitrary power on the part of God. The rejecters of His mercy reap that which they have sown. God is the fountain of life; and when one chooses the service of sin, he separates from God, and thus cuts himself off from life. He is "alienated from the life of God." Christ says, "All they that hate Me love death." Eph. 4:18; Prov. 8:36. God gives them existence for a time that they may develop their character and reveal their principles. This accomplished, they receive the results of their own choice. By a life of rebellion, Satan and all who unite with him place themselves so out of harmony with God that His very presence is to them a consuming fire. The glory of Him who is love will destroy them.

    At the beginning of the great controversy, the angels did not understand this. Had Satan and his host then been left to reap the full result of their sin, they would have perished; but it would not have been apparent to heavenly beings that this was the inevitable result of sin. A doubt of God's goodness would have remained in their minds as evil seed, to produce its deadly fruit of sin and woe.

    But not so when the great controversy shall be ended. Then, the plan of redemption having been completed, the character of God is revealed to all created intelligences. The precepts of His law are seen to be perfect and immutable. Then sin has made manifest its nature, Satan his character. Then the extermination of sin will vindicate God's love and establish His honor before a universe of beings who delight to do His will, and in whose heart is His law.

    Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, "It is finished."

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    Stairway to Paradise?

    Chapter 80
    In Joseph's Tomb

    At last Jesus was at rest. The long day of shame and torture was ended. As the last rays of the setting sun ushered in the Sabbath, the Son of God lay in quietude in Joseph's tomb. His work completed, His hands folded in peace, He rested through the sacred hours of the Sabbath day.

    In the beginning the Father and the Son had rested upon the Sabbath after Their work of creation. When "the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them" (Gen. 2:1), the Creator and all heavenly beings rejoiced in contemplation of the glorious scene. "The morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7. Now Jesus rested from the work of redemption; and though there was grief among those who loved Him on earth, yet there was joy in heaven. Glorious to the eyes of heavenly beings was the promise of the future.

    A restored creation, a redeemed race, that having conquered sin could never fall,--this, the result to flow from Christ's completed work, God and angels saw. With this scene the day upon which Jesus rested is forever linked. For "His work is perfect;" and "whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever." Deut. 32:4; Eccl. 3:14. When there shall be a "restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21), the creation Sabbath, the day on which Jesus lay at rest in Joseph's tomb, will still be a day of rest and rejoicing. Heaven and earth will unite in praise, as "from one Sabbath to another" (Isa. 66:23) the nations of the saved shall bow in joyful worship to God and the Lamb. In the closing events of the crucifixion day, fresh evidence was given of the fulfillment of prophecy, and new witness borne to Christ's divinity. When the darkness had lifted from the cross, and the Saviour's dying cry had been uttered, immediately another voice was heard, saying, "Truly this was the Son of God." Matt. 27:54.

    These words were said in no whispered tones. All eyes were turned to see whence they came. Who had spoken? It was the centurion, the Roman soldier. The divine patience of the Saviour, and His sudden death, with the cry of victory upon His lips, had impressed this heathen. In the bruised, broken body hanging upon the cross, the centurion recognized the form of the Son of God. He could not refrain from confessing his faith. Thus again evidence was given that our Redeemer was to see of the travail of His soul. Upon the very day of His death, three men, differing widely from one another, had declared their faith,--he who commanded the Roman guard, he who bore the cross of the Saviour, and he who died upon the cross at His side.

    As evening drew on, an unearthly stillness hung over Calvary. The crowd dispersed, and many returned to Jerusalem greatly changed in spirit from what they had been in the morning. Many had flocked to the crucifixion from curiosity, and not from hatred toward Christ. Still they believed the accusations of the priests, and looked upon Christ as a malefactor. Under an unnatural excitement they had united with the mob in railing against Him. But when the earth was wrapped in blackness, and they stood accused by their own consciences, they felt guilty of a great wrong. No jest or mocking laughter was heard in the midst of that fearful gloom; and when it was lifted, they made their way to their homes in solemn silence. They were convinced that the charges of the priests were false, that Jesus was no pretender; and a few weeks later, when Peter preached upon the day of Pentecost, they were among the thousands who became converts to Christ.

    But the Jewish leaders were unchanged by the events they had witnessed. Their hatred of Jesus had not abated. The darkness that had mantled the earth at the crucifixion was not more dense than that which still enveloped the minds of the priests and rulers. At His birth the star had known Christ, and had guided the wise men to the manger where He lay. The heavenly hosts had known Him, and had sung His praise over the plains of Bethlehem. The sea had known His voice, and had obeyed His command. Disease and death had recognized His authority, and had yielded to Him their prey. The sun had known Him, and at the sight of His dying anguish, had hidden its face of light. The rocks had known Him, and had shivered into fragments at His cry. Inanimate nature had known Christ, and had borne witness to His divinity. But the priests and rulers of Israel knew not the Son of God. Yet the priests and rulers were not at rest. They had carried out their purpose in putting Christ to death; but they did not feel the sense of victory they had expected. Even in the hour of their apparent triumph, they were harassed with doubts as to what would next take place. They had heard the cry, "It is finished." "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." John 19:30; Luke 23:46. They had seen the rocks rent, and had felt the mighty earthquake, and they were restless and uneasy.

    They had been jealous of Christ's influence with the people when living; they were jealous of Him even in death. They dreaded the dead Christ more, far more, than they had ever feared the living Christ. They dreaded to have the attention of the people directed any further to the events attending His crucifixion. They feared the results of that day's work. Not on any account would they have had His body remain on the cross during the Sabbath. The Sabbath was now drawing on, and it would be a violation of its sanctity for the bodies to hang upon the cross. So, using this as a pretext, the leading Jews requested Pilate that the death of the victims might be hastened, and their bodies be removed before the setting of the sun. Pilate was as unwilling as they for the body of Jesus to remain upon the cross. His consent having been obtained, the legs of the two thieves were broken to hasten their death; but Jesus was found to be already dead. The rude soldiers had been softened by what they had heard and seen of Christ, and they were restrained from breaking His limbs. Thus in the offering of the Lamb of God was fulfilled the law of the Passover, "They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it." Num. 9:12

    The priests and rulers were amazed to find that Christ was dead. Death by the cross was a lingering process; it was difficult to determine when life had ceased. It was an unheard-of thing for one to die within six hours of crucifixion. The priests wished to make sure of the death of Jesus, and at their suggestion a soldier thrust a spear into the Saviour's side. From the wound thus made, there flowed two copious and distinct streams, one of blood, the other of water. This was noted by all the beholders, and John states the occurrence very definitely. He says, "One of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

    And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of Him shall not be broken. And again another scripture saith, They shall look on Him whom they pierced." John 19:34-37. After the resurrection the priests and rulers circulated the report that Christ did not die upon the cross, that He merely fainted, and was afterward revived. Another report affirmed that it was not a real body of flesh and bone, but the likeness of a body, that was laid in the tomb. The action of the Roman soldiers disproves these falsehoods. They broke not His legs, because He was already dead. To satisfy the priests, they pierced His side. Had not life been already extinct, this wound would have caused instant death.

    But it was not the spear thrust, it was not the pain of the cross, that caused the death of Jesus. That cry, uttered "with a loud voice" (Matt. 27:50; Luke 23:46), at the moment of death, the stream of blood and water that flowed from His side, declared that He died of a broken heart. His heart was broken by mental anguish. He was slain by the sin of the world.

    With the death of Christ the hopes of His disciples perished. They looked upon His closed eyelids and drooping head, His hair matted with blood, His pierced hands and feet, and their anguish was indescribable. Until the last they had not believed that He would die; they could hardly believe that He was really dead. Overwhelmed with sorrow, they did not recall His words foretelling this very scene. Nothing that He had said now gave them comfort. They saw only the cross and its bleeding Victim. The future seemed dark with despair. Their faith in Jesus had perished; but never had they loved their Lord as now. Never before had they so felt His worth, and their need of His presence.

    Even in death, Christ's body was very precious to His disciples. They longed to give Him an honored burial, but knew not how to accomplish this. Treason against the Roman government was the crime for which Jesus was condemned, and persons put to death for this offense were consigned to a burial ground especially provided for such criminals. The disciple John with the women from Galilee had remained at the cross. They could not leave the body of their Lord to be handled by the unfeeling soldiers, and buried in a dishonored grave. Yet they could not prevent it. They could obtain no favors from the Jewish authorities, and they had no influence with Pilate. In this emergency, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus came to the help of the disciples. Both these men were members of the Sanhedrin, and were acquainted with Pilate. Both were men of wealth and influence. They were determined that the body of Jesus should have an honorable burial.

    Joseph went boldly to Pilate, and begged from him the body of Jesus. For the first time, Pilate learned that Jesus was really dead. Conflicting reports had reached him in regard to the events attending the crucifixion, but the knowledge of Christ's death had been purposely kept from him. Pilate had been warned by the priests and rulers against deception by Christ's disciples in regard to His body. Upon hearing Joseph's request, he therefore sent for the centurion who had charge at the cross, and learned for a certainty of the death of Jesus. He also drew from him an account of the scenes of Calvary, confirming the testimony of Joseph.

    The request of Joseph was granted. While John was troubled about the burial of his Master, Joseph returned with Pilate's order for the body of Christ; and Nicodemus came bringing a costly mixture of myrrh and aloes, of about a hundred pounds' weight, for His embalming. The most honored in all Jerusalem could not have been shown more respect in death. The disciples were astonished to see these wealthy rulers as much interested as they themselves in the burial of their Lord.

    Neither Joseph nor Nicodemus had openly accepted the Saviour while He was living. They knew that such a step would exclude them from the Sanhedrin, and they hoped to protect Him by their influence in its councils. For a time they had seemed to succeed; but the wily priests, seeing their favor to Christ, had thwarted their plans. In their absence Jesus had been condemned and delivered to be crucified. Now that He was dead, they no longer concealed their attachment to Him. While the disciples feared to show themselves openly as His followers, Joseph and Nicodemus came boldly to their aid. The help of these rich and honored men was greatly needed at this time. They could do for their dead Master what it was impossible for the poor disciples to do; and their wealth and influence protected them, in a great measure, from the malice of the priests and rulers. Gently and reverently they removed with their own hands the body of Jesus from the cross.

    Their tears of sympathy fell fast as they looked upon His bruised and lacerated form. Joseph owned a new tomb, hewn in a rock. This he was reserving for himself; but it was near Calvary, and he now prepared it for Jesus. The body, together with the spices brought by Nicodemus, was carefully wrapped in a linen sheet, and the Redeemer was borne to the tomb. There the three disciples straightened the mangled limbs, and folded the bruised hands upon the pulseless breast. The Galilean women came to see that all had been done that could be done for the lifeless form of their beloved Teacher. Then they saw the heavy stone rolled against the entrance of the tomb, and the Saviour was left at rest. The women were last at the cross, and last at the tomb of Christ. While the evening shades were gathering, Mary Magdalene and the other Marys lingered about the resting place of their Lord, shedding tears of sorrow over the fate of Him whom they loved. "And they returned, . . . and rested the Sabbath day according to the commandment." Luke 23:56.

    That was a never-to-be-forgotten Sabbath to the sorrowing disciples, and also to the priests, rulers, scribes, and people. At the setting of the sun on the evening of the preparation day the trumpets sounded, signifying that the Sabbath had begun. The Passover was observed as it had been for centuries, while He to whom it pointed had been slain by wicked hands, and lay in Joseph's tomb. On the Sabbath the courts of the temple were filled with worshipers. The high priest from Golgotha was there, splendidly robed in his sacerdotal garments. White-turbaned priests, full of activity, performed their duties. But some present were not at rest as the blood of bulls and goats was offered for sin. They were not conscious that type had met antitype, that an infinite sacrifice had been made for the sins of the world. They knew not that there was no further value in the performance of the ritual service. But never before had that service been witnessed with such conflicting feelings. The trumpets and musical instruments and the voices of the singers were as loud and clear as usual. But a sense of strangeness pervaded everything.

    One after another inquired about a strange event that had taken place. Hitherto the most holy place had been sacredly guarded from intrusion. But now it was open to all eyes. The heavy veil of tapestry, made of pure linen, and beautifully wrought with gold, scarlet, and purple, was rent from top to bottom. The place where Jehovah had met with the high priest, to communicate His glory, the place that had been God's sacred audience chamber, lay open to every eye,--a place no longer recognized by the Lord. With gloomy presentiments the priests ministered before the altar. The uncovering of the sacred mystery of the most holy place filled them with dread of coming calamity.

    Many minds were busy with thoughts started by the scenes of Calvary. From the crucifixion to the resurrection many sleepless eyes were constantly searching the prophecies, some to learn the full meaning of the feast they were then celebrating, some to find evidence that Jesus was not what He claimed to be; and others with sorrowful hearts were searching for proofs that He was the true Messiah. Though searching with different objects in view, all were convicted of the same truth,--that prophecy had been fulfilled in the events of the past few days, and that the Crucified One was the world's Redeemer. Many who at that time united in the service never again took part in the paschal rites. Many even of the priests were convicted of the true character of Jesus. Their searching of the prophecies had not been in vain, and after His resurrection they acknowledged Him as the Son of God.

    Nicodemus, when he saw Jesus lifted up on the cross, remembered His words spoken by night in the Mount of Olives: "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:14, 15. On that Sabbath, when Christ lay in the grave, Nicodemus had opportunity for reflection. A clearer light now illuminated his mind, and the words which Jesus had spoken to him were no longer mysterious. He felt that he had lost much by not connecting himself with the Saviour during His life. Now he recalled the events of Calvary. The prayer of Christ for His murderers and His answer to the petition of the dying thief spoke to the heart of the learned councilor. Again he looked upon the Saviour in His agony; again he heard that last cry, "It is finished," spoken like the words of a conqueror. Again he beheld the reeling earth, the darkened heavens, the rent veil, the shivered rocks, and his faith was forever established. The very event that destroyed the hopes of the disciples convinced Joseph and Nicodemus of the divinity of Jesus. Their fears were overcome by the courage of a firm and unwavering faith.

    Never had Christ attracted the attention of the multitude as now that He was laid in the tomb. According to their practice, the people brought their sick and suffering ones to the temple courts, inquiring, Who can tell us of Jesus of Nazareth? Many had come from far to find Him who had healed the sick and raised the dead. On every side was heard the cry, We want Christ the Healer! Upon this occasion those who were thought to show indications of the leprosy were examined by the priests. Many were forced to hear their husbands, wives, or children pronounced leprous, and doomed to go forth from the shelter of their homes and the care of their friends, to warn off the stranger with the mournful cry, "Unclean, unclean!" The friendly hands of Jesus of Nazareth, that never refused to touch with healing the loathsome leper, were folded on His breast. The lips that had answered his petition with the comforting words, "I will; be thou clean" (Matt. 8:3), were now silent. Many appealed to the chief priests and rulers for sympathy and relief, but in vain. Apparently they were determined to have the living Christ among them again. With persistent earnestness they asked for Him. They would not be turned away. But they were driven from the temple courts, and soldiers were stationed at the gates to keep back the multitude that came with their sick and dying, demanding entrance.

    The sufferers who had come to be healed by the Saviour sank under their disappointment. The streets were filled with mourning. The sick were dying for want of the healing touch of Jesus. Physicians were consulted in vain; there was no skill like that of Him who lay in Joseph's tomb.

    The mourning cries of the suffering ones brought home to thousands of minds the conviction that a great light had gone out of the world. Without Christ, the earth was blackness and darkness. Many whose voices had swelled the cry of "Crucify Him, crucify Him," now realized the calamity that had fallen upon them, and would as eagerly have cried, Give us Jesus! had He still been alive.

    When the people learned that Jesus had been put to death by the priests, inquiries were made regarding His death. The particulars of His trial were kept as private as possible; but during the time when He was in the grave, His name was on thousands of lips, and reports of His mock trial, and of the inhumanity of the priests and rulers, were circulated everywhere. By men of intellect these priests and rulers were called upon to explain the prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the Messiah, and while trying to frame some falsehood in reply, they became like men insane. The prophecies that pointed to Christ's sufferings and death they could not explain, and many inquirers were convinced that the Scriptures had been fulfilled.

    The revenge which the priests had thought would be so sweet was already bitterness to them. They knew that they were meeting the severe censure of the people; they knew that the very ones whom they had influenced against Jesus were now horrified by their own shameful work. These priests had tried to believe Jesus a deceiver; but it was in vain. Some of them had stood by the grave of Lazarus, and had seen the dead brought back to life. They trembled for fear that Christ would Himself rise from the dead, and again appear before them. They had heard Him declare that He had power to lay down His life and to take it again.

    They remembered that He had said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 2:19. Judas had told them the words spoken by Jesus to the disciples while on the last journey to Jerusalem: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn Him to death, and shall deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify Him: and the third day He shall rise again." Matt. 20:18, 19. When they heard these words, they had mocked and ridiculed. But now they remembered that Christ's predictions had so far been fulfilled. He had said that He would rise again the third day, and who could say that this also would not come to pass? They longed to shut out these thoughts, but they could not. Like their father, the devil, they believed and trembled.

    Now that the frenzy of excitement was past, the image of Christ would intrude upon their minds. They beheld Him as He stood serene and uncomplaining before His enemies, suffering without a murmur their taunts and abuse. All the events of His trial and crucifixion came back to them with an overpowering conviction that He was the Son of God. They felt that He might at any time stand before them, the accused to become the accuser, the condemned to condemn, the slain to demand justice in the death of His murderers.

    They could rest little upon the Sabbath. Though they would not step over a Gentile's threshold for fear of defilement, yet they held a council concerning the body of Christ. Death and the grave must hold Him whom they had crucified. "The chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night, and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can." Matt. 27:62-65. The priests gave directions for securing the sepulcher. A great stone had been placed before the opening. Across this stone they placed cords, securing the ends to the solid rock, and sealing them with the Roman seal. The stone could not be moved without breaking the seal. A guard of one hundred soldiers was then stationed around the sepulcher to prevent it from being tampered with. The priests did all they could to keep Christ's body where it had been laid. He was sealed as securely in His tomb as if He were to remain there through all time.

    So weak men counseled and planned. Little did these murderers realize the uselessness of their efforts. But by their action God was glorified. The very efforts made to prevent Christ's resurrection are the most convincing arguments in its proof. The greater the number of soldiers placed around the tomb, the stronger would be the testimony that He had risen. Hundreds of years before the death of Christ, the Holy Spirit had declared through the psalmist, "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed. . . . He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." Ps. 2:1-4. Roman guards and Roman arms were powerless to confine the Lord of life within the tomb. The hour of His release was near.

    Chapter 81

    The night of the first day of the week had worn slowly away. The darkest hour, just before daybreak, had come. Christ was still a prisoner in His narrow tomb. The great stone was in its place; the Roman seal was unbroken; the Roman guards were keeping their watch. And there were unseen watchers. Hosts of evil angels were gathered about the place. Had it been possible, the prince of darkness with his apostate army would have kept forever sealed the tomb that held the Son of God. But a heavenly host surrounded the sepulcher. Angels that excel in strength were guarding the tomb, and waiting to welcome the Prince of life.

    "And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven." Clothed with the panoply of God, this angel left the heavenly courts. The bright beams of God's glory went before him, and illuminated his pathway. "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men."

    Now, priests and rulers, where is the power of your guard? Brave soldiers that have never been afraid of human power are now as captives taken without sword or spear. The face they look upon is not the face of mortal warrior; it is the face of the mightiest of the Lord's host. This messenger is he who fills the position from which Satan fell. It is he who on the hills of Bethlehem proclaimed Christ's birth. The earth trembles at his approach, the hosts of darkness flee, and as he rolls away the stone, heaven seems to come down to the earth. The soldiers see him removing the stone as he would a pebble, and hear him cry, Son of God, come forth; Thy Father calls Thee. They see Jesus come forth from the grave, and hear Him proclaim over the rent sepulcher, "I am the resurrection, and the life." As He comes forth in majesty and glory, the angel host bow low in adoration before the Redeemer, and welcome Him with songs of praise.

    An earthquake marked the hour when Christ laid down His life, and another earthquake witnessed the moment when He took it up in triumph. He who had vanquished death and the grave came forth from the tomb with the tread of a conqueror, amid the reeling of the earth, the flashing of lightning, and the roaring of thunder. When He shall come to the earth again, He will shake "not the earth only, but also heaven." "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage." "The heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll;" "the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up." But "the Lord will be the hope of His people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Heb. 12:26; Isa. 24:20; 34:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Joel 3:16.

    At the death of Jesus the soldiers had beheld the earth wrapped in darkness at midday; but at the resurrection they saw the brightness of the angels illuminate the night, and heard the inhabitants of heaven singing with great joy and triumph: Thou hast vanquished Satan and the powers of darkness; Thou hast swallowed up death in victory!

    Christ came forth from the tomb glorified, and the Roman guard beheld Him. Their eyes were riveted upon the face of Him whom they had so recently mocked and derided. In this glorified Being they beheld the prisoner whom they had seen in the judgment hall, the one for whom they had plaited a crown of thorns. This was the One who had stood unresisting before Pilate and Herod, His form lacerated by the cruel scourge. This was He who had been nailed to the cross, at whom the priests and rulers, full of self-satisfaction, had wagged their heads, saying, "He saved others; Himself He cannot save." Matt. 27:42. This was He who had been laid in Joseph's new tomb. The decree of heaven had loosed the captive. Mountains piled upon mountains over His sepulcher could not have prevented Him from coming forth.

    At sight of the angels and the glorified Saviour the Roman guard had fainted and become as dead men. When the heavenly train was hidden from their view, they arose to their feet, and as quickly as their trembling limbs could carry them, made their way to the gate of the garden. Staggering like drunken men, they hurried on to the city, telling those whom they met the wonderful news. They were making their way to Pilate, but their report had been carried to the Jewish authorities, and the chief priests and rulers sent for them to be brought first into their presence. A strange appearance those soldiers presented. Trembling with fear, their faces colorless, they bore testimony to the resurrection of Christ. The soldiers told all, just as they had seen it; they had not had time to think or speak anything but the truth. With painful utterance they said, It was the Son of God who was crucified; we have heard an angel proclaiming Him as the Majesty of heaven, the King of glory.

    The faces of the priests were as those of the dead. Caiaphas tried to speak. His lips moved, but they uttered no sound. The soldiers were about to leave the council room, when a voice stayed them. Caiaphas had at last found speech. Wait, wait, he said. Tell no one the things you have seen.

    A lying report was then given to the soldiers. "Say ye," said the priests, "His disciples came by night, and stole Him away while we slept." Here the priests overreached themselves. How could the soldiers say that the disciples had stolen the body while they slept? If they were asleep, how could they know? And if the disciples had been proved guilty of stealing Christ's body, would not the priests have been first to condemn them? Or if the sentinels had slept at the tomb, would not the priests have been foremost in accusing them to Pilate? The soldiers were horrified at the thought of bringing upon themselves the charge of sleeping at their post. This was an offense punishable with death. Should they bear false witness, deceiving the people, and placing their own lives in peril? Had they not kept their weary watch with sleepless vigilance? How could they stand the trial, even for the sake of money, if they perjured themselves?

    In order to silence the testimony they feared, the priests promised to secure the safety of the guard, saying that Pilate would not desire to have such a report circulated any more than they did. The Roman soldiers sold their integrity to the Jews for money. They came in before the priests burdened with a most startling message of truth; they went out with a burden of money, and on their tongues a lying report which had been framed for them by the priests.

    Meanwhile the report of Christ's resurrection had been carried to Pilate. Though Pilate was responsible for having given Christ up to die, he had been comparatively unconcerned. While he had condemned the Saviour unwillingly, and with a feeling of pity, he had felt no real compunction until now. In terror he now shut himself within his house, determined to see no one. But the priests made their way into his presence, told the story which they had invented, and urged him to overlook the sentinels' neglect of duty. Before consenting to this, he himself privately questioned the guard. They, fearing for their own safety, dared not conceal anything, and Pilate drew from them an account of all that had taken place. He did not prosecute the matter further, but from that time there was no peace for him.

    When Jesus was laid in the grave, Satan triumphed. He dared to hope that the Saviour would not take up His life again. He claimed the Lord's body, and set his guard about the tomb, seeking to hold Christ a prisoner. He was bitterly angry when his angels fled at the approach of the heavenly messenger. When he saw Christ come forth in triumph, he knew that his kingdom would have an end, and that he must finally die.

    The priests, in putting Christ to death, had made themselves the tools of Satan. Now they were entirely in his power. They were entangled in a snare from which they saw no escape but in continuing their warfare against Christ. When they heard the report of His resurrection, they feared the wrath of the people. They felt that their own lives were in danger. The only hope for them was to prove Christ an impostor by denying that He had risen. They bribed the soldiers, and secured Pilate's silence. They spread their lying reports far and near. But there were witnesses whom they could not silence. Many had heard of the soldiers' testimony to Christ's resurrection.

    And certain of the dead who came forth with Christ appeared to many, and declared that He had risen. Reports were brought to the priests of persons who had seen these risen ones, and heard their testimony. The priests and rulers were in continual dread, lest in walking the streets, or within the privacy of their own homes, they should come face to face with Christ. They felt that there was no safety for them. Bolts and bars were but poor protection against the Son of God. By day and by night that awful scene in the judgment hall, when they had cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children," was before them. Matt. 27:25. Nevermore would the memory of that scene fade from their minds. Nevermore would peaceful sleep come to their pillows.

    When the voice of the mighty angel was heard at Christ's tomb, saying, Thy Father calls Thee, the Saviour came forth from the grave by the life that was in Himself. Now was proved the truth of His words, "I lay down My life, that I might take it again. . . . I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." Now was fulfilled the prophecy He had spoken to the priests and rulers, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." John 10:17, 18; 2:19.

    Over the rent sepulcher of Joseph, Christ had proclaimed in triumph, "I am the resurrection, and the life." These words could be spoken only by the Deity. All created beings live by the will and power of God. They are dependent recipients of the life of God. From the highest seraph to the humblest animate being, all are replenished from the Source of life. Only He who is one with God could say, I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again. In His divinity, Christ possessed the power to break the bonds of death.

    Christ arose from the dead as the first fruits of those that slept. He was the antitype of the wave sheaf, and His resurrection took place on the very day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For more than a thousand years this symbolic ceremony had been performed. From the harvest fields the first heads of ripened grain were gathered, and when the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits was waved as a thank offering before the Lord. Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves. The sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest.

    So Christ the first fruits represented the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of God. His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all the righteous dead. "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." 1 Thess. 4:14. As Christ arose, He brought from the grave a multitude of captives. The earthquake at His death had rent open their graves, and when He arose, they came forth with Him. They were those who had been co-laborers with God, and who at the cost of their lives had borne testimony to the truth. Now they were to be witnesses for Him who had raised them from the dead.

    During His ministry, Jesus had raised the dead to life. He had raised the son of the widow of Nain, and the ruler's daughter and Lazarus. But these were not clothed with immortality. After they were raised, they were still subject to death. But those who came forth from the grave at Christ's resurrection were raised to everlasting life. They ascended with Him as trophies of His victory over death and the grave. These, said Christ, are no longer the captives of Satan; I have redeemed them. I have brought them from the grave as the first fruits of My power, to be with Me where I am, nevermore to see death or experience sorrow.

    These went into the city, and appeared unto many, declaring, Christ has risen from the dead, and we be risen with Him. Thus was immortalized the sacred truth of the resurrection. The risen saints bore witness to the truth of the words, "Thy dead men shall live, together with My dead body shall they arise." Their resurrection was an illustration of the fulfillment of the prophecy, "Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26:19.

    To the believer, Christ is the resurrection and the life. In our Saviour the life that was lost through sin is restored; for He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will. He is invested with the right to give immortality. The life that He laid down in humanity, He takes up again, and gives to humanity. "I am come," He said, "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." "Whoso eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." John 10:10; 4:14; 6:54. To the believer, death is but a small matter. Christ speaks of it as if it were of little moment. "If a man keep My saying, he shall never see death," "he shall never taste of death." To the Christian, death is but a sleep, a moment of silence and darkness. The life is hid with Christ in God, and "when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." John 8:51, 52; Col. 3:4.

    The voice that cried from the cross, "It is finished," was heard among the dead. It pierced the walls of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers to arise. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard from heaven. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in Christ shall arise. At the Saviour's resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice, and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.

    Chapter 82

    The women who had stood by the cross of Christ waited and watched for the hours of the Sabbath to pass. On the first day of the week, very early, they made their way to the tomb, taking with them precious spices to anoint the Saviour's body. They did not think about His rising from the dead. The sun of their hope had set, and night had settled down on their hearts. As they walked, they recounted Christ's works of mercy and His words of comfort. But they remembered not His words, "I will see you again." John 16:22.

    Ignorant of what was even then taking place, they drew near the garden, saying as they went, "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulcher?" They knew that they could not remove the stone, yet they kept on their way. And lo, the heavens were suddenly alight with glory that came not from the rising sun. The earth trembled. They saw that the great stone was rolled away. The grave was empty.

    The women had not all come to the tomb from the same direction. Mary Magdalene was the first to reach the place; and upon seeing that the stone was removed, she hurried away to tell the disciples. Meanwhile the other women came up. A light was shining about the tomb, but the body of Jesus was not there. As they lingered about the place, suddenly they saw that they were not alone. A young man clothed in shining garments was sitting by the tomb. It was the angel who had rolled away the stone. He had taken the guise of humanity that he might not alarm these friends of Jesus. Yet about him the light of the heavenly glory was still shining, and the women were afraid. They turned to flee, but the angel's words stayed their steps.

    "Fear not ye," he said; "for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead." Again they look into the tomb, and again they hear the wonderful news. Another angel in human form is there, and he says, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." He is risen, He is risen! The women repeat the words again and again. No need now for the anointing spices. The Saviour is living, and not dead. They remember now that when speaking of His death He said that He would rise again. What a day is this to the world! Quickly the women departed from the sepulcher "with fear and great joy; and did run to bring His disciples word."

    Mary had not heard the good news. She went to Peter and John with the sorrowful message, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him." The disciples hurried to the tomb, and found it as Mary had said. They saw the shroud and the napkin, but they did not find their Lord. Yet even here was testimony that He had risen. The graveclothes were not thrown heedlessly aside, but carefully folded, each in a place by itself. John "saw, and believed." He did not yet understand the scripture that Christ must rise from the dead; but he now remembered the Saviour's words foretelling His resurrection.

    It was Christ Himself who had placed those graveclothes with such care. When the mighty angel came down to the tomb, he was joined by another, who with his company had been keeping guard over the Lord's body. As the angel from heaven rolled away the stone, the other entered the tomb, and unbound the wrappings from the body of Jesus. But it was the Saviour's hand that folded each, and laid it in its place. In His sight who guides alike the star and the atom, there is nothing unimportant. Order and perfection are seen in all His work.

    Mary had followed John and Peter to the tomb; when they returned to Jerusalem, she remained. As she looked into the empty tomb, grief filled her heart. Looking in, she saw the two angels, one at the head and the other at the foot where Jesus had lain. "Woman, why weepest thou?" they asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord," she answered, "and I know not where they have laid Him." Then she turned away, even from the angels, thinking that she must find someone who could tell her what had been done with the body of Jesus. Another voice addressed her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" Through her tear-dimmed eyes, Mary saw the form of a man, and thinking that it was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away." If this rich man's tomb was thought too honorable a burial place for Jesus, she herself would provide a place for Him. There was a grave that Christ's own voice had made vacant, the grave where Lazarus had lain. Might she not there find a burial place for her Lord? She felt that to care for His precious crucified body would be a great consolation to her in her grief.

    But now in His own familiar voice Jesus said to her, "Mary." Now she knew that it was not a stranger who was addressing her, and turning she saw before her the living Christ. In her joy she forgot that He had been crucified. Springing toward Him, as if to embrace His feet, she said, "Rabboni." But Christ raised His hand, saying, Detain Me not; "for I am not yet ascended to My Father: but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." And Mary went her way to the disciples with the joyful message.

    Jesus refused to receive the homage of His people until He had the assurance that His sacrifice was accepted by the Father. He ascended to the heavenly courts, and from God Himself heard the assurance that His atonement for the sins of men had been ample, that through His blood all might gain eternal life. The Father ratified the covenant made with Christ, that He would receive repentant and obedient men, and would love them even as He loves His Son. Christ was to complete His work, and fulfill His pledge to "make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." Isa. 13:12. All power in heaven and on earth was given to the Prince of Life, and He returned to His followers in a world of sin, that He might impart to them of His power and glory.

    While the Saviour was in God's presence, receiving gifts for His church, the disciples thought upon His empty tomb, and mourned and wept. The day that was a day of rejoicing to all heaven was to the disciples a day of uncertainty, confusion, and perplexity. Their unbelief in the testimony of the women gives evidence of how low their faith had sunk. The news of Christ's resurrection was so different from what they had anticipated that they could not believe it. It was too good to be true, they thought. They had heard so much of the doctrines and the so-called scientific theories of the Sadducees that the impression made on their minds in regard to the resurrection was vague. They scarcely knew what the resurrection from the dead could mean. They were unable to take in the great subject.

    "Go your way," the angels had said to the women, "tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you." These angels had been with Christ as guardian angels throughout His life on earth. They had witnessed His trial and crucifixion. They had heard His words to His disciples. This was shown by their message to the disciples, and should have convinced them of its truth. Such words could have come only from the messengers of their risen Lord.

    "Tell His disciples and Peter," the angels said. Since the death of Christ, Peter had been bowed down with remorse. His shameful denial of the Lord, and the Saviour's look of love and anguish, were ever before him. Of all the disciples he had suffered most bitterly. To him the assurance is given that his repentance is accepted and his sin forgiven. He is mentioned by name.

    "Tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him." All the disciples had forsaken Jesus, and the call to meet Him again includes them all. He has not cast them off. When Mary Magdalene told them she had seen the Lord, she repeated the call to the meeting in Galilee. And a third time the message was sent to them. After He had ascended to the Father, Jesus appeared to the other women, saying, "All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshiped Him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me."

    Christ's first work on earth after His resurrection was to convince His disciples of His undiminished love and tender regard for them. To give them proof that He was their living Saviour, that He had broken the fetters of the tomb, and could no longer be held by the enemy death; to reveal that He had the same heart of love as when He was with them as their beloved Teacher, He appeared to them again and again. He would draw the bonds of love still closer around them. Go tell My brethren, He said, that they meet Me in Galilee.

    As they heard this appointment, so definitely given, the disciples began to think of Christ's words to them foretelling His resurrection. But even now they did not rejoice. They could not cast off their doubt and perplexity. Even when the women declared that they had seen the Lord, the disciples would not believe. They thought them under an illusion.

    Trouble seemed crowding upon trouble. On the sixth day of the week they had seen their Master die; on the first day of the next week they found themselves deprived of His body, and they were accused of having stolen it away for the sake of deceiving the people. They despaired of ever correcting the false impressions that were gaining ground against them. They feared the enmity of the priests and the wrath of the people. They longed for the presence of Jesus, who had helped them in every perplexity.

    Often they repeated the words, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel." Lonely and sick at heart they remembered His words, "If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?" Luke 24:21; 23:31. They met together in the upper chamber, and closed and fastened the doors, knowing that the fate of their beloved Teacher might at any time be theirs.

    And all the time they might have been rejoicing in the knowledge of a risen Saviour. In the garden, Mary had stood weeping, when Jesus was close beside her. Her eyes were so blinded by tears that she did not discern Him. And the hearts of the disciples were so full of grief that they did not believe the angels' message or the words of Christ Himself.

    How many are still doing what these disciples did! How many echo Mary's despairing cry, "They have taken away the Lord, . . . and we know not where they have laid Him"! To how many might the Saviour's words be spoken, "Why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" He is close beside them, but their tear-blinded eyes do not discern Him. He speaks to them, but they do not understand.

    Oh that the bowed head might be lifted, that the eyes might be opened to behold Him, that the ears might listen to His voice! "Go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen." Bid them look not to Joseph's new tomb, that was closed with a great stone, and sealed with the Roman seal. Christ is not there. Look not to the empty sepulcher. Mourn not as those who are hopeless and helpless. Jesus lives, and because He lives, we shall live also. From grateful hearts, from lips touched with holy fire, let the glad song ring out, Christ is risen! He lives to make intercession for us. Grasp this hope, and it will hold the soul like a sure, tried anchor. Believe, and thou shalt see the glory of God.

    Chapter 83

    Late in the afternoon of the day of the resurrection, two of the disciples were on their way to Emmaus, a little town eight miles from Jerusalem. These disciples had had no prominent place in Christ's work, but they were earnest believers in Him. They had come to the city to keep the Passover, and were greatly perplexed by the events that had recently taken place. They had heard the news of the morning in regard to the removal of Christ's body from the tomb, and also the report of the women who had seen the angels and had met Jesus. They were now returning to their homes to meditate and pray. Sadly they pursued their evening walk, talking over the scenes of the trial and the crucifixion. Never before had they been so utterly disheartened. Hopeless and faithless, they were walking in the shadow of the cross.

    They had not advanced far on their journey when they were joined by a stranger, but they were so absorbed in their gloom and disappointment that they did not observe him closely. They continued their conversation, expressing the thoughts of their hearts. They were reasoning in regard to the lessons that Christ had given, which they seemed unable to comprehend. As they talked of the events that had taken place, Jesus longed to comfort them. He had seen their grief; He understood the conflicting, perplexing ideas that brought to their minds the thought, Can this Man, who suffered Himself to be so humiliated, be the Christ? Their grief could not be restrained, and they wept. Jesus knew that their hearts were bound up with Him in love, and He longed to wipe away their tears, and fill them with joy and gladness. But He must first give them lessons they would never forget.

    "He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto Him, Art Thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" They told Him of their disappointment in regard to their Master, "which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people;" but "the chief priests and our rulers," they said, "delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him." With hearts sore with disappointment, and with quivering lips, they added, "We trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done."

    Strange that the disciples did not remember Christ's words, and realize that He had foretold the events which had come to pass! They did not realize that the last part of His disclosure would be just as verily fulfilled as the first part, that the third day He would rise again. This was the part they should have remembered. The priests and rulers did not forget this. On the day "that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I will rise again." Matt. 27:62, 63. But the disciples did not remember these words.

    "Then He said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory?" The disciples wondered who this stranger could be, that He should penetrate to their very souls, and speak with such earnestness, tenderness, and sympathy, and with such hopefulness. For the first time since Christ's betrayal, they began to feel hopeful. Often they looked earnestly at their companion, and thought that His words were just the words that Christ would have spoken. They were filled with amazement, and their hearts began to throb with joyful expectation.

    Beginning at Moses, the very Alpha of Bible history, Christ expounded in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Had He first made Himself known to them, their hearts would have been satisfied. In the fullness of their joy they would have hungered for nothing more. But it was necessary for them to understand the witness borne to Him by the types and prophecies of the Old Testament. Upon these their faith must be established. Christ performed no miracle to convince them, but it was His first work to explain the Scriptures. They had looked upon His death as the destruction of all their hopes. Now He showed from the prophets that this was the very strongest evidence for their faith. In teaching these disciples, Jesus showed the importance of the Old Testament as a witness to His mission. Many professed Christians now discard the Old Testament, claiming that it is no longer of any use. But such is not Christ's teaching. So highly did He value it that at one time He said, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 16:31.

    It is the voice of Christ that speaks through patriarchs and prophets, from the days of Adam even to the closing scenes of time. The Saviour is revealed in the Old Testament as clearly as in the New. It is the light from the prophetic past that brings out the life of Christ and the teachings of the New Testament with clearness and beauty. The miracles of Christ are a proof of His divinity; but a stronger proof that He is the world's Redeemer is found in comparing the prophecies of the Old Testament with the history of the New.

    Reasoning from prophecy, Christ gave His disciples a correct idea of what He was to be in humanity. Their expectation of a Messiah who was to take His throne and kingly power in accordance with the desires of men had been misleading. It would interfere with a correct apprehension of His descent from the highest to the lowest position that could be occupied. Christ desired that the ideas of His disciples might be pure and true in every specification. They must understand as far as possible in regard to the cup of suffering that had been apportioned to Him. He showed them that the awful conflict which they could not yet comprehend was the fulfillment of the covenant made before the foundation of the world was laid. Christ must die, as every transgressor of the law must die if he continues in sin. All this was to be, but it was not to end in defeat, but in glorious, eternal victory. Jesus told them that every effort must be made to save the world from sin. His followers must live as He lived, and work as He worked, with intense, persevering effort.

    Thus Christ discoursed to His disciples, opening their minds that they might understand the Scriptures. The disciples were weary, but the conversation did not flag. Words of life and assurance fell from the Saviour's lips. But still their eyes were holden. As He told them of the overthrow of Jerusalem, they looked upon the doomed city with weeping. But little did they yet suspect who their traveling companion was. They did not think that the subject of their conversation was walking by their side; for Christ referred to Himself as though He were another person. They thought that He was one of those who had been in attendance at the great feast, and who was now returning to his home. He walked as carefully as they over the rough stones, now and then halting with them for a little rest. Thus they proceeded along the mountainous road, while the One who was soon to take His position at God's right hand, and who could say, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth," walked beside them. Matt. 28:18.

    During the journey the sun had gone down, and before the travelers reached their place of rest, the laborers in the fields had left their work. As the disciples were about to enter their home, the stranger appeared as though He would continue His journey. But the disciples felt drawn to Him. Their souls hungered to hear more from Him. "Abide with us," they said. He did not seem to accept the invitation, but they pressed it upon Him, urging, "It is toward evening, and the day is far spent." Christ yielded to this entreaty and "went in to tarry with them."

    Had the disciples failed to press their invitation, they would not have known that their traveling companion was the risen Lord. Christ never forces His company upon anyone. He interests Himself in those who need Him. Gladly will He enter the humblest home, and cheer the lowliest heart. But if men are too indifferent to think of the heavenly Guest, or ask Him to abide with them, He passes on. Thus many meet with great loss. They do not know Christ any more than did the disciples as He walked with them by the way.

    The simple evening meal of bread is soon prepared. It is placed before the guest, who has taken His seat at the head of the table. Now He puts forth His hands to bless the food. The disciples start back in astonishment. Their companion spreads forth His hands in exactly the same way as their Master used to do. They look again, and lo, they see in His hands the print of nails. Both exclaim at once, It is the Lord Jesus! He has risen from the dead! They rise to cast themselves at His feet and worship Him, but He has vanished out of their sight. They look at the place which had been occupied by One whose body had lately lain in the grave, and say to each other, "Did not our heart burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?"

    But with this great news to communicate they cannot sit and talk. Their weariness and hunger are gone. They leave their meal untasted, and full of joy immediately set out again on the same path by which they came, hurrying to tell the tidings to the disciples in the city. In some parts the road is not safe, but they climb over the steep places, slipping on the smooth rocks. They do not see, they do not know, that they have the protection of Him who has traveled the road with them. With their pilgrim staff in hand, they press on, desiring to go faster than they dare. They lose their track, but find it again. Sometimes running, sometimes stumbling, they press forward, their unseen Companion close beside them all the way.

    The night is dark, but the Sun of Righteousness is shining upon them. Their hearts leap for joy. They seem to be in a new world. Christ is a living Saviour. They no longer mourn over Him as dead. Christ is risen--over and over again they repeat it. This is the message they are carrying to the sorrowing ones. They must tell them the wonderful story of the walk to Emmaus. They must tell who joined them by the way. They carry the greatest message ever given to the world, a message of glad tidings upon which the hopes of the human family for time and for eternity depend.

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    Chapter 84
    "Peace Be Unto You"

    On reaching Jerusalem the two disciples enter at the eastern gate, which is open at night on festal occasions. The houses are dark and silent, but the travelers make their way through the narrow streets by the light of the rising moon. They go to the upper chamber where Jesus spent the hours of the last evening before His death. Here they know that their brethren are to be found. Late as it is, they know that the disciples will not sleep till they learn for a certainty what has become of the body of their Lord. They find the door of the chamber securely barred. They knock for admission, but no answer comes. All is still. Then they give their names. The door is carefully unbarred, they enter, and Another, unseen, enters with them. Then the door is again fastened, to keep out spies.

    The travelers find all in surprised excitement. The voices of those in the room break out into thanksgiving and praise, saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon." Then the two travelers, panting with the haste with which they have made their journey, tell the wondrous story of how Jesus has appeared to them. They have just ended, and some are saying that they cannot believe it, for it is too good to be true, when behold, another Person stands before them. Every eye is fastened upon the stranger. No one has knocked for entrance. No footstep has been heard. The disciples are startled, and wonder what it means. Then they hear a voice which is no other than the voice of their Master. Clear and distinct the words fall from His lips, "Peace be unto you." "But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet."

    They beheld the hands and feet marred by the cruel nails. They recognized His voice, like no other they had ever heard. "And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them." "Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." Faith and joy took the place of unbelief, and with feelings which no words could express they acknowledged their risen Saviour.

    At the birth of Jesus the angel announced, Peace on earth, and good will to men. And now at His first appearance to the disciples after His resurrection, the Saviour addressed them with the blessed words, "Peace be unto you." Jesus is ever ready to speak peace to souls that are burdened with doubts and fears. He waits for us to open the door of the heart to Him, and say, Abide with us. He says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me." Rev. 3:20. The resurrection of Jesus was a type of the final resurrection of all who sleep in Him. The countenance of the risen Saviour, His manner, His speech, were all familiar to His disciples. As Jesus arose from the dead, so those who sleep in Him are to rise again. We shall know our friends, even as the disciples knew Jesus. They may have been deformed, diseased, or disfigured, in this mortal life, and they rise in perfect health and symmetry; yet in the glorified body their identity will be perfectly preserved. Then shall we know even as also we are known. 1 Cor. 13:12. In the face radiant with the light shining from the face of Jesus, we shall recognize the lineaments of those we love.

    When Jesus met with His disciples, He reminded them of the words He had spoken to them before His death, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Him. "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things." The disciples began to realize the nature and extent of their work. They were to proclaim to the world the wonderful truths which Christ had entrusted to them. The events of His life, His death and resurrection, the prophecies that pointed to these events, the sacredness of the law of God, the mysteries of the plan of salvation, the power of Jesus for the remission of sins,--to all these things they were witnesses, and they were to make them known to the world. They were to proclaim the gospel of peace and salvation through repentance and the power of the Saviour.

    "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." The Holy Spirit was not yet fully manifested; for Christ had not yet been glorified. The more abundant impartation of the Spirit did not take place till after Christ's ascension. Not until this was received could the disciples fulfill the commission to preach the gospel to the world. But the Spirit was now given for a special purpose. Before the disciples could fulfill their official duties in connection with the church, Christ breathed His Spirit upon them. He was committing to them a most sacred trust, and He desired to impress them with the fact that without the Holy Spirit this work could not be accomplished.

    The Holy Spirit is the breath of spiritual life in the soul. The impartation of the Spirit is the impartation of the life of Christ. It imbues the receiver with the attributes of Christ. Only those who are thus taught of God, those who possess the inward working of the Spirit, and in whose life the Christ-life is manifested, are to stand as representative men, to minister in behalf of the church.

    "Whosesoever sins ye remit," said Christ, "they are remitted; . . . and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." Christ here gives no liberty for any man to pass judgment upon others. In the Sermon on the Mount He forbade this. It is the prerogative of God. But on the church in its organized capacity He places a responsibility for the individual members. Toward those who fall into sin, the church has a duty, to warn, to instruct, and if possible to restore. "Reprove, rebuke, exhort," the Lord says, "with all long-suffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:2. Deal faithfully with wrongdoing. Warn every soul that is in danger. Leave none to deceive themselves. Call sin by its right name. Declare what God has said in regard to lying, Sabbathbreaking, stealing, idolatry, and every other evil. "They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. 5:21. If they persist in sin, the judgment you have declared from God's word is pronounced upon them in heaven.

    In choosing to sin, they disown Christ; the church must show that she does not sanction their deeds, or she herself dishonors her Lord. She must say about sin what God says about it. She must deal with it as God directs, and her action is ratified in heaven. He who despises the authority of the church despises the authority of Christ Himself. But there is a brighter side to the picture. "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted." Let this thought be kept uppermost. In labor for the erring, let every eye be directed to Christ. Let the shepherds have a tender care for the flock of the Lord's pasture. Let them speak to the erring of the forgiving mercy of the Saviour. Let them encourage the sinner to repent, and believe in Him who can pardon. Let them declare, on the authority of God's word, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. All who repent have the assurance, "He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Micah 7:19.

    Let the repentance of the sinner be accepted by the church with grateful hearts. Let the repenting one be led out from the darkness of unbelief into the light of faith and righteousness. Let his trembling hand be placed in the loving hand of Jesus. Such a remission is ratified in heaven.

    Only in this sense has the church power to absolve the sinner. Remission of sins can be obtained only through the merits of Christ. To no man, to no body of men, is given power to free the soul from guilt. Christ charged His disciples to preach the remission of sins in His name among all nations; but they themselves were not empowered to remove one stain of sin. The name of Jesus is the only "name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12.

    When Jesus first met the disciples in the upper chamber, Thomas was not with them. He heard the reports of the others, and received abundant proof that Jesus had risen; but gloom and unbelief filled his heart. As he heard the disciples tell of the wonderful manifestations of the risen Saviour, it only plunged him in deeper despair. If Jesus had really risen from the dead, there could be no further hope of a literal earthly kingdom. And it wounded his vanity to think that his Master should reveal Himself to all the disciples except him. He was determined not to believe, and for a whole week he brooded over his wretchedness, which seemed all the darker in contrast with the hope and faith of his brethren. During this time he repeatedly declared, "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." He would not see through the eyes of his brethren, or exercise faith which was dependent upon their testimony. He ardently loved his Lord, but he had allowed jealousy and unbelief to take possession of his mind and heart.

    A number of the disciples now made the familiar upper chamber their temporary home, and at evening all except Thomas gathered here. One evening Thomas determined to meet with the others. Notwithstanding his unbelief, he had a faint hope that the good news was true. While the disciples were taking their evening meal, they talked of the evidences which Christ had given them in the prophecies. "Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you."

    Turning to Thomas He said, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing." These words showed that He was acquainted with the thoughts and words of Thomas. The doubting disciple knew that none of his companions had seen Jesus for a week. They could not have told the Master of his unbelief. He recognized the One before him as his Lord. He had no desire for further proof. His heart leaped for joy, and he cast himself at the feet of Jesus crying, "My Lord and my God."

    Jesus accepted his acknowledgment, but gently reproved his unbelief: "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." The faith of Thomas would have been more pleasing to Christ if he had been willing to believe upon the testimony of his brethren. Should the world now follow the example of Thomas, no one would believe unto salvation; for all who receive Christ must do so through the testimony of others.

    Many who are given to doubt excuse themselves by saying that if they had the evidence which Thomas had from his companions, they would believe. They do not realize that they have not only that evidence, but much more. Many who, like Thomas, wait for all cause of doubt to be removed, will never realize their desire. They gradually become confirmed in unbelief. Those who educate themselves to look on the dark side, and murmur and complain, know not what they do. They are sowing the seeds of doubt, and they will have a harvest of doubt to reap. At a time when faith and confidence are most essential, many will thus find themselves powerless to hope and believe.

    In His treatment of Thomas, Jesus gave a lesson for His followers. His example shows how we should treat those whose faith is weak, and who make their doubts prominent. Jesus did not overwhelm Thomas with reproach, nor did He enter into controversy with him. He revealed Himself to the doubting one. Thomas had been most unreasonable in dictating the conditions of his faith, but Jesus, by His generous love and consideration, broke down all the barriers. Unbelief is seldom overcome by controversy. It is rather put upon self-defense, and finds new support and excuse. But let Jesus, in His love and mercy, be revealed as the crucified Saviour, and from many once unwilling lips will be heard the acknowledgment of Thomas, "My Lord and my God."

    Chapter 85

    Jesus had appointed to meet His disciples in Galilee; and soon after the Passover week was ended, they bent their steps thither. Their absence from Jerusalem during the feast would have been interpreted as disaffection and heresy, therefore they remained till its close; but this over, they gladly turned homeward to meet the Saviour as He had directed.

    Seven of the disciples were in company. They were clad in the humble garb of fishermen; they were poor in worldly goods, but rich in the knowledge and practice of the truth, which in the sight of Heaven gave them the highest rank as teachers. They had not been students in the schools of the prophets, but for three years they had been taught by the greatest Educator the world has ever known. Under His instruction they had become elevated, intelligent, and refined, agents through whom men might be led to a knowledge of the truth.

    Much of the time of Christ's ministry had been passed near the Sea of Galilee. As the disciples gathered in a place where they were not likely to be disturbed, they found themselves surrounded by reminders of Jesus and His mighty works. On this sea, when their hearts were filled with terror, and the fierce storm was hurrying them to destruction, Jesus had walked upon the billows to their rescue. Here the tempest had been hushed by His word. Within sight was the beach where above ten thousand persons had been fed from a few small loaves and fishes. Not far distant was Capernaum, the scene of so many miracles.

    As the disciples looked upon the scene, their minds were full of the words and deeds of their Saviour. The evening was pleasant, and Peter, who still had much of his old love for boats and fishing, proposed that they should go out upon the sea and cast their nets. In this plan all were ready to join; they were in need of food and clothing, which the proceeds of a successful night's fishing would supply. So they went out in their boat, but they caught nothing. All night they toiled, without success. Through the weary hours they talked of their absent Lord, and recalled the wonderful events they had witnessed in His ministry beside the sea. They questioned as to their own future, and grew sad at the prospect before them.

    All the while a lone watcher upon the shore followed them with His eye, while He Himself was unseen. At length the morning dawned. The boat was but a little way from the shore, and the disciples saw a stranger standing upon the beach, who accosted them with the question, "Children, have ye any meat?" When they answered, "No," "He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes."

    John recognized the stranger, and exclaimed to Peter, "It is the Lord." Peter was so elated and so glad that in his eagerness he cast himself into the water and was soon standing by the side of his Master. The other disciples came in their boat, dragging the net with fishes. "As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread."

    They were too much amazed to question whence came the fire and the food. "Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught." Peter rushed for the net, which he had dropped, and helped his brethren drag it to the shore. After the work was done, and the preparation made, Jesus bade the disciples come and dine. He broke the food, and divided it among them, and was known and acknowledged by all the seven. The miracle of feeding the five thousand on the mountainside was now brought to their minds; but a mysterious awe was upon them, and in silence they gazed upon the risen Saviour.

    Vividly they recalled the scene beside the sea when Jesus had bidden them follow Him. They remembered how, at His command, they had launched out into the deep, and had let down their net, and the catch had been so abundant as to fill the net, even to breaking. Then Jesus had called them to leave their fishing boats, and had promised to make them fishers of men. It was to bring this scene to their minds, and to deepen its impression, that He had again performed the miracle. His act was a renewal of the commission to the disciples. It showed them that the death of their Master had not lessened their obligation to do the work He had assigned them. Though they were to be deprived of His personal companionship, and of the means of support by their former employment, the risen Saviour would still have a care for them. While they were doing His work, He would provide for their needs. And Jesus had a purpose in bidding them cast their net on the right side of the ship. On that side He stood upon the shore. That was the side of faith. If they labored in connection with Him,--His divine power combining with their human effort,--they could not fail of success.

    Another lesson Christ had to give, relating especially to Peter. Peter's denial of his Lord had been in shameful contrast to his former professions of loyalty. He had dishonored Christ, and had incurred the distrust of his brethren. They thought he would not be allowed to take his former position among them, and he himself felt that he had forfeited his trust. Before being called to take up again his apostolic work, he must before them all give evidence of his repentance. Without this, his sin, though repented of, might have destroyed his influence as a minister of Christ. The Saviour gave him opportunity to regain the confidence of his brethren, and, so far as possible, to remove the reproach he had brought upon the gospel.

    Here is given a lesson for all Christ's followers. The gospel makes no compromise with evil. It cannot excuse sin. Secret sins are to be confessed in secret to God; but, for open sin, open confession is required. The reproach of the disciple's sin is cast upon Christ. It causes Satan to triumph, and wavering souls to stumble. By giving proof of repentance, the disciple, so far as lies in his power, is to remove this reproach.

    While Christ and the disciples were eating together by the seaside, the Saviour said to Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?" referring to his brethren. Peter had once declared, "Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended." Matt. 26:33. But he now put a truer estimate upon himself. "Yea, Lord," he said, "Thou knowest that I love Thee." There is no vehement assurance that his love is greater than that of his brethren. He does not express his own opinion of his devotion. To Him who can read all the motives of the heart he appeals to judge as to his sincerity,--"Thou knowest that I love Thee." And Jesus bids him, "Feed My lambs."

    Again Jesus applied the test to Peter, repeating His former words: "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" This time He did not ask Peter whether he loved Him better than did his brethren. The second response was like the first, free from extravagant assurance: "Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep." Once more the Saviour put the trying question: "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" Peter was grieved; he thought that Jesus doubted his love. He knew that his Lord had cause to distrust him, and with an aching heart he answered, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee." Again Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."

    Three times Peter had openly denied his Lord, and three times Jesus drew from him the assurance of his love and loyalty, pressing home that pointed question, like a barbed arrow to his wounded heart. Before the assembled disciples Jesus revealed the depth of Peter's repentance, and showed how thoroughly humbled was the once boasting disciple.

    Peter was naturally forward and impulsive, and Satan had taken advantage of these characteristics to overthrow him. Just before the fall of Peter, Jesus had said to him, "Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Luke 22:31, 32. That time had now come, and the transformation in Peter was evident. The close, testing questions of the Lord had not called out one forward, self-sufficient reply; and because of his humiliation and repentance, Peter was better prepared than ever before to act as shepherd to the flock.

    The first work that Christ entrusted to Peter on restoring him to the ministry was to feed the lambs. This was a work in which Peter had little experience. It would require great care and tenderness, much patience and perseverance. It called him to minister to those who were young in the faith, to teach the ignorant, to open the Scriptures to them, and to educate them for usefulness in Christ's service. Heretofore Peter had not been fitted to do this, or even to understand its importance. But this was the work which Jesus now called upon him to do. For this work his own experience of suffering and repentance had prepared him.

    Before his fall, Peter was always speaking unadvisedly, from the impulse of the moment. He was always ready to correct others, and to express his mind, before he had a clear comprehension of himself or of what he had to say. But the converted Peter was very different. He retained his former fervor, but the grace of Christ regulated his zeal. He was no longer impetuous, self-confident, and self-exalted, but calm, self-possessed, and teachable. He could then feed the lambs as well as the sheep of Christ's flock. The Saviour's manner of dealing with Peter had a lesson for him and for his brethren. It taught them to meet the transgressor with patience, sympathy, and forgiving love. Although Peter had denied his Lord, the love which Jesus bore him never faltered. Just such love should the undershepherd feel for the sheep and lambs committed to his care. Remembering his own weakness and failure, Peter was to deal with his flock as tenderly as Christ had dealt with him.

    The question that Christ had put to Peter was significant. He mentioned only one condition of discipleship and service. "Lovest thou Me?" He said. This is the essential qualification. Though Peter might possess every other, yet without the love of Christ he could not be a faithful shepherd over the Lord's flock. Knowledge, benevolence, eloquence, gratitude, and zeal are all aids in the good work; but without the love of Jesus in the heart, the work of the Christian minister is a failure.

    Jesus walked alone with Peter, for there was something which He wished to communicate to him only. Before His death, Jesus had said to him, "Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow Me afterwards." To this Peter had replied, "Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake." John 13:36, 37. When he said this, he little knew to what heights and depths Christ's feet would lead the way. Peter had failed when the test came, but again he was to have opportunity to prove his love for Christ. That he might be strengthened for the final test of his faith, the Saviour opened to him his future. He told him that after living a life of usefulness, when age was telling upon his strength, he would indeed follow his Lord. Jesus said, "When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake He, signifying by what death he should glorify God."

    Jesus thus made known to Peter the very manner of his death; He even foretold the stretching forth of his hands upon the cross. Again He bade His disciple, "Follow Me." Peter was not disheartened by the revelation. He felt willing to suffer any death for his Lord. Heretofore Peter had known Christ after the flesh, as many know Him now; but he was no more to be thus limited. He knew Him no more as he had known Him in his association with Him in humanity. He had loved Him as a man, as a heaven-sent teacher; he now loved Him as God. He had been learning the lesson that to him Christ was all in all.

    Now he was prepared to share in his Lord's mission of sacrifice. When at last brought to the cross, he was, at his own request, crucified with his head downward. He thought it too great an honor to suffer in the same way as his Master did. To Peter the words "Follow Me" were full of instruction. Not only for his death, but for every step of his life, was the lesson given. Hitherto Peter had been inclined to act independently. He had tried to plan for the work of God, instead of waiting to follow out God's plan. But he could gain nothing by rushing on before the Lord. Jesus bids him, "Follow Me." Do not run ahead of Me. Then you will not have the hosts of Satan to meet alone. Let Me go before you, and you will not be overcome by the enemy.

    As Peter walked beside Jesus, he saw that John was following. A desire came over him to know his future, and he "saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me." Peter should have considered that his Lord would reveal to him all that it was best for him to know. It is the duty of everyone to follow Christ, without undue anxiety as to the work assigned to others. In saying of John, "If I will that he tarry till I come," Jesus gave no assurance that this disciple should live until the Lord's second coming. He merely asserted His own supreme power, and that even if He should will this to be so, it would in no way affect Peter's work. The future of both John and Peter was in the hands of their Lord. Obedience in following Him was the duty required of each.

    How many today are like Peter! They are interested in the affairs of others, and anxious to know their duty, while they are in danger of neglecting their own. It is our work to look to Christ and follow Him. We shall see mistakes in the lives of others, and defects in their character. Humanity is encompassed with infirmity. But in Christ we shall find perfection. Beholding Him, we shall become transformed.

    John lived to be very aged. He witnessed the destruction of Jerusalem, and the ruin of the stately temple,--a symbol of the final ruin of the world. To his latest days John closely followed his Lord. The burden of his testimony to the churches was, "Beloved, let us love one another;" "he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." 1 John 4:7, 16.

    Peter had been restored to his apostleship, but the honor and authority he received from Christ had not given him supremacy over his brethren. This Christ had made plain when in answer to Peter's question, "What shall this man do?" He had said, "What is that to thee? follow thou Me." Peter was not honored as the head of the church. The favor which Christ had shown him in forgiving his apostasy, and entrusting him with the feeding of the flock, and Peter's own faithfulness in following Christ, won for him the confidence of his brethren. He had much influence in the church. But the lesson which Christ had taught him by the Sea of Galilee Peter carried with him throughout his life. Writing by the Holy Spirit to the churches, he said:

    "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 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. And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away." 1 Peter 5:1-4.

    Chapter 86

    Standing but a step from His heavenly throne, Christ gave the commission to His disciples. "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth," He said. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15. Again and again the words were repeated, that the disciples might grasp their significance. Upon all the inhabitants of the earth, high and low, rich and poor, was the light of heaven to shine in clear, strong rays. The disciples were to be colaborers with their Redeemer in the work of saving the world.

    The commission had been given to the twelve when Christ met with them in the upper chamber; but it was now to be given to a larger number. At the meeting on a mountain in Galilee, all the believers who could be called together were assembled. Of this meeting Christ Himself, before His death, had designated the time and place. The angel at the tomb reminded the disciples of His promise to meet them in Galilee. The promise was repeated to the believers who were gathered at Jerusalem during the Passover week, and through them it reached many lonely ones who were mourning the death of their Lord. With intense interest all looked forward to the interview. They made their way to the place of meeting by circuitous routes, coming in from every direction, to avoid exciting the suspicion of the jealous Jews. With wondering hearts they came, talking earnestly together of the news that had reached them concerning Christ.

    At the time appointed, about five hundred believers were collected in little knots on the mountainside, eager to learn all that could be learned from those who had seen Christ since His resurrection. From group to group the disciples passed, telling all they had seen and heard of Jesus, and reasoning from the Scriptures as He had done with them. Thomas recounted the story of his unbelief, and told how his doubts had been swept away. Suddenly Jesus stood among them. No one could tell whence or how He came. Many who were present had never before seen Him; but in His hands and feet they beheld the marks of the crucifixion; His countenance was as the face of God, and when they saw Him, they worshiped Him. But some doubted. So it will always be. There are those who find it hard to exercise faith, and they place themselves on the doubting side. These lose much because of their unbelief.

    This was the only interview that Jesus had with many of the believers after His resurrection. He came and spoke to them saying, "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth." The disciples had worshiped Him before He spoke, but His words, falling from lips that had been closed in death, thrilled them with peculiar power. He was now the risen Saviour. Many of them had seen Him exercise His power in healing the sick and controlling satanic agencies. They believed that He possessed power to set up His kingdom at Jerusalem, power to quell all opposition, power over the elements of nature. He had stilled the angry waters; He had walked upon the white-crested billows; He had raised the dead to life. Now He declared that "all power" was given to Him. His words carried the minds of His hearers above earthly and temporal things to the heavenly and eternal. They were lifted to the highest conception of His dignity and glory.

    Christ's words on the mountainside were the announcement that His sacrifice in behalf of man was full and complete. The conditions of the atonement had been fulfilled; the work for which He came to this world had been accomplished. He was on His way to the throne of God, to be honored by angels, principalities, and powers. He had entered upon His mediatorial work. Clothed with boundless authority, He gave His commission to the disciples: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations," "baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:19, 20, R. V.

    The Jewish people had been made the depositaries of sacred truth; but Pharisaism had made them the most exclusive, the most bigoted, of all the human race. Everything about the priests and rulers--their dress, customs, ceremonies, traditions--made them unfit to be the light of the world. They looked upon themselves, the Jewish nation, as the world. But Christ commissioned His disciples to proclaim a faith and worship that would have in it nothing of caste or country, a faith that would be adapted to all peoples, all nations, all classes of men.

    Before leaving His disciples, Christ plainly stated the nature of His kingdom. He called to their minds what He had previously told them concerning it. He declared that it was not His purpose to establish in this world a temporal, but a spiritual kingdom. He was not to reign as an earthly king on David's throne. Again He opened to them the Scriptures, showing that all He had passed through had been ordained in heaven, in the councils between the Father and Himself. All had been foretold by men inspired by the Holy Spirit. He said, You see that all I have revealed to you concerning My rejection as the Messiah has come to pass. All I have said in regard to the humiliation I should endure and the death I should die, has been verified. On the third day I rose again. Search the Scriptures more diligently, and you will see that in all these things the specifications of prophecy concerning Me have been fulfilled.

    Christ commissioned His disciples to do the work He had left in their hands, beginning at Jerusalem. Jerusalem had been the scene of His amazing condescension for the human race. There He had suffered, been rejected and condemned. The land of Judea was His birthplace. There, clad in the garb of humanity, He had walked with men, and few had discerned how near heaven came to the earth when Jesus was among them. At Jerusalem the work of the disciples must begin.

    In view of all that Christ had suffered there, and the unappreciated labor He had put forth, the disciples might have pleaded for a more promising field; but they made no such plea. The very ground where He had scattered the seed of truth was to be cultivated by the disciples, and the seed would spring up and yield an abundant harvest. In their work the disciples would have to meet persecution through the jealousy and hatred of the Jews; but this had been endured by their Master, and they were not to flee from it. The first offers of mercy must be made to the murderers of the Saviour.

    And there were in Jerusalem many who had secretly believed on Jesus, and many who had been deceived by the priests and rulers. To these also the gospel was to be presented. They were to be called to repentance. The wonderful truth that through Christ alone could remission of sins be obtained was to be made plain. While all Jerusalem was stirred by the thrilling events of the past few weeks, the preaching of the gospel would make the deepest impression.

    But the work was not to stop here. It was to be extended to the earth's remotest bounds. To His disciples Christ said, You have been witnesses of My life of self-sacrifice in behalf of the world. You have witnessed My labors for Israel. Although they would not come unto Me that they might have life, although priests and rulers have done to Me as they listed, although they have rejected Me as the Scriptures foretold, they shall have still another opportunity of accepting the Son of God. You have seen that all who come to Me, confessing their sins, I freely receive. Him that cometh to Me I will in nowise cast out. All who will, may be reconciled to God, and receive everlasting life. To you, My disciples, I commit this message of mercy. It is to be given to Israel first, and then to all nations, tongues, and peoples. It is to be given to Jews and Gentiles. All who believe are to be gathered into one church.

    Through the gift of the Holy Spirit the disciples were to receive a marvelous power. Their testimony was to be confirmed by signs and wonders. Miracles would be wrought, not only by the apostles, but by those who received their message. Jesus said, "In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17, 18.

    At that time poisoning was often practiced. Unscrupulous men did not hesitate to remove by this means those who stood in the way of their ambition. Jesus knew that the life of His disciples would thus be imperiled. Many would think it doing God service to put His witnesses to death. He therefore promised them protection from this danger.

    The disciples were to have the same power which Jesus had to heal "all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people." By healing in His name the diseases of the body, they would testify to His power for the healing of the soul. Matt. 4:23; 9:6. And a new endowment was now promised. The disciples were to preach among other nations, and they would receive power to speak other tongues. The apostles and their associates were unlettered men, yet through the outpouring of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, their speech, whether in their own or a foreign language, became pure, simple, and accurate, both in word and in accent.

    Thus Christ gave His disciples their commission. He made full provision for the prosecution of the work, and took upon Himself the responsibility for its success. So long as they obeyed His word, and worked in connection with Him, they could not fail. Go to all nations, He bade them. Go to the farthest part of the habitable globe, but know that My presence will be there. Labor in faith and confidence, for the time will never come when I will forsake you.

    The Saviour's commission to the disciples included all the believers. It includes all believers in Christ to the end of time. It is a fatal mistake to suppose that the work of saving souls depends alone on the ordained minister. All to whom the heavenly inspiration has come are put in trust with the gospel. All who receive the life of Christ are ordained to work for the salvation of their fellow men. For this work the church was established, and all who take upon themselves its sacred vows are thereby pledged to be co-workers with Christ.

    "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come." Rev. 22:17. Everyone who hears is to repeat the invitation. Whatever one's calling in life, his first interest should be to win souls for Christ. He may not be able to speak to congregations, but he can work for individuals. To them he can communicate the instruction received from his Lord. Ministry does not consist alone in preaching. Those minister who relieve the sick and suffering, helping the needy, speaking words of comfort to the desponding and those of little faith. Nigh and afar off are souls weighed down by a sense of guilt. It is not hardship, toil, or poverty that degrades humanity. It is guilt, wrongdoing. This brings unrest and dissatisfaction. Christ would have His servants minister to sin-sick souls.

    The disciples were to begin their work where they were. The hardest and most unpromising field was not to be passed by. So every one of Christ's workers is to begin where he is. In our own families may be souls hungry for sympathy, starving for the bread of life. There may be children to be trained for Christ. There are heathen at our very doors. Let us do faithfully the work that is nearest. Then let our efforts be extended as far as God's hand may lead the way. The work of many may appear to be restricted by circumstances; but, wherever it is, if performed with faith and diligence it will be felt to the uttermost parts of the earth. Christ's work when upon earth appeared to be confined to a narrow field, but multitudes from all lands heard His message. God often uses the simplest means to accomplish the greatest results.

    It is His plan that every part of His work shall depend on every other part, as a wheel within a wheel, all acting in harmony. The humblest worker, moved by the Holy Spirit, will touch invisible chords, whose vibrations will ring to the ends of the earth, and make melody through eternal ages. But the command, "Go ye into all the world," is not to be lost sight of. We are called upon to lift our eyes to the "regions beyond." Christ tears away the wall of partition, the dividing prejudice of nationality, and teaches a love for all the human family. He lifts men from the narrow circle which their selfishness prescribes; He abolishes all territorial lines and artificial distinctions of society. He makes no difference between neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies. He teaches us to look upon every needy soul as our brother, and the world as our field.

    When the Saviour said, "Go, . . . teach all nations," He said also, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." The promise is as far-reaching as the commission. Not that all the gifts are imparted to each believer. The Spirit divides "to every man severally as He will." 1 Cor. 12:11. But the gifts of the Spirit are promised to every believer according to his need for the Lord's work. The promise is just as strong and trustworthy now as in the days of the apostles. "These signs shall follow them that believe." This is the privilege of God's children, and faith should lay hold on all that it is possible to have as an indorsement of faith.

    "They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." This world is a vast lazar house, but Christ came to heal the sick, to proclaim deliverance to the captives of Satan. He was in Himself health and strength. He imparted His life to the sick, the afflicted, those possessed of demons. He turned away none who came to receive His healing power. He knew that those who petitioned Him for help had brought disease upon themselves; yet He did not refuse to heal them. And when virtue from Christ entered into these poor souls, they were convicted of sin, and many were healed of their spiritual disease, as well as of their physical maladies. The gospel still possesses the same power, and why should we not today witness the same results?

    Christ feels the woes of every sufferer. When evil spirits rend a human frame, Christ feels the curse. When fever is burning up the life current, He feels the agony. And He is just as willing to heal the sick now as when He was personally on earth. Christ's servants are His representatives, the channels for His working. He desires through them to exercise His healing power. In the Saviour's manner of healing there were lessons for His disciples. On one occasion He anointed the eyes of a blind man with clay, and bade him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam. . . . He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing." John 9:7. The cure could be wrought only by the power of the Great Healer, yet Christ made use of the simple agencies of nature. While He did not give countenance to drug medication, He sanctioned the use of simple and natural remedies.

    To many of the afflicted ones who received healing, Christ said, "Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee." John 5:14. Thus He taught that disease is the result of violating God's laws, both natural and spiritual. The great misery in the world would not exist did men but live in harmony with the Creator's plan.

    Christ had been the guide and teacher of ancient Israel, and He taught them that health is the reward of obedience to the laws of God. The Great Physician who healed the sick in Palestine had spoken to His people from the pillar of cloud, telling them what they must do, and what God would do for them. "If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God," He said, "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." Ex. 15:26. Christ gave to Israel definite instruction in regard to their habits of life, and He assured them, "The Lord will take away from thee all sickness." Deut. 7:15. When they fulfilled the conditions, the promise was verified to them. "There was not one feeble person among their tribes." Ps. 105:37.

    These lessons are for us. There are conditions to be observed by all who would preserve health. All should learn what these conditions are. The Lord is not pleased with ignorance in regard to His laws, either natural or spiritual. We are to be workers together with God for the restoration of health to the body as well as to the soul.

    And we should teach others how to preserve and to recover health. For the sick we should use the remedies which God has provided in nature, and we should point them to Him who alone can restore. It is our work to present the sick and suffering to Christ in the arms of our faith. We should teach them to believe in the Great Healer. We should lay hold on His promise, and pray for the manifestation of His power. The very essence of the gospel is restoration, and the Saviour would have us bid the sick, the hopeless, and the afflicted take hold upon His strength. The power of love was in all Christ's healing, and only by partaking of that love, through faith, can we be instruments for His work. If we neglect to link ourselves in divine connection with Christ, the current of life-giving energy cannot flow in rich streams from us to the people. There were places where the Saviour Himself could not do many mighty works because of their unbelief. So now unbelief separates the church from her divine Helper. Her hold upon eternal realities is weak. By her lack of faith, God is disappointed, and robbed of His glory.

    It is in doing Christ's work that the church has the promise of His presence. Go teach all nations, He said; "and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." To take His yoke is one of the first conditions of receiving His power. The very life of the church depends upon her faithfulness in fulfilling the Lord's commission. To neglect this work is surely to invite spiritual feebleness and decay. Where there is no active labor for others, love wanes, and faith grows dim.

    Christ intends that His ministers shall be educators of the church in gospel work. They are to teach the people how to seek and save the lost. But is this the work they are doing? Alas, how many are toiling to fan the spark of life in a church that is ready to die! How many churches are tended like sick lambs by those who ought to be seeking for the lost sheep! And all the time millions upon millions without Christ are perishing.

    Divine love has been stirred to its unfathomable depths for the sake of men, and angels marvel to behold in the recipients of so great love a mere surface gratitude. Angels marvel at man's shallow appreciation of the love of God. Heaven stands indignant at the neglect shown to the souls of men. Would we know how Christ regards it? How would a father and mother feel, did they know that their child, lost in the cold and the snow, had been passed by, and left to perish, by those who might have saved it? Would they not be terribly grieved, wildly indignant? Would they not denounce those murderers with wrath hot as their tears, intense as their love? The sufferings of every man are the sufferings of God's child, and those who reach out no helping hand to their perishing fellow beings provoke His righteous anger. This is the wrath of the Lamb. To those who claim fellowship with Christ, yet have been indifferent to the needs of their fellow men, He will declare in the great Judgment day, "I know you not whence ye are; depart from Me, all ye workers of iniquity." Luke 13:27.

    In the commission to His disciples, Christ not only outlined their work, but gave them their message. Teach the people, He said, "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." The disciples were to teach what Christ had taught. That which He had spoken, not only in person, but through all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament, is here included. Human teaching is shut out. There is no place for tradition, for man's theories and conclusions, or for church legislation. No laws ordained by ecclesiastical authority are included in the commission. None of these are Christ's servants to teach. "The law and the prophets," with the record of His own words and deeds, are the treasure committed to the disciples to be given to the world. Christ's name is their watchword, their badge of distinction, their bond of union, the authority for their course of action, and the source of their success. Nothing that does not bear His superscription is to be recognized in His kingdom.

    The gospel is to be presented, not as a lifeless theory, but as a living force to change the life. God desires that the receivers of His grace shall be witnesses to its power. Those whose course has been most offensive to Him He freely accepts; when they repent, He imparts to them His divine Spirit, places them in the highest positions of trust, and sends them forth into the camp of the disloyal to proclaim His boundless mercy. He would have His servants bear testimony to the fact that through His grace men may possess Christlikeness of character, and may rejoice in the assurance of His great love. He would have us bear testimony to the fact that He cannot be satisfied until the human race are reclaimed and reinstated in their holy privileges as His sons and daughters.

    In Christ is the tenderness of the shepherd, the affection of the parent, and the matchless grace of the compassionate Saviour. His blessings He presents in the most alluring terms. He is not content merely to announce these blessings; He presents them in the most attractive way, to excite a desire to possess them. So His servants are to present the riches of the glory of the unspeakable Gift. The wonderful love of Christ will melt and subdue hearts, when the mere reiteration of doctrines would accomplish nothing. "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God." "O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! . . . He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom." Isa. 40:1, 9-11.

    Tell the people of Him who is "the Chiefest among ten thousand," and the One "altogether lovely." The Song of Solomon 5:10, 16. Words alone cannot tell it. Let it be reflected in the character and manifested in the life. Christ is sitting for His portrait in every disciple. Every one God has predestinated to be "conformed to the image of His Son." Rom. 8:29. In every one Christ's long-suffering love, His holiness, meekness, mercy, and truth are to be manifested to the world.

    The first disciples went forth preaching the word. They revealed Christ in their lives. And the Lord worked with them, "confirming the word with signs following." Mark 16:20. These disciples prepared themselves for their work. Before the day of Pentecost they met together, and put away all differences. They were of one accord. They believed Christ's promise that the blessing would be given, and they prayed in faith. They did not ask for a blessing for themselves merely; they were weighted with the burden for the salvation of souls. The gospel was to be carried to the uttermost parts of the earth, and they claimed the endowment of power that Christ had promised. Then it was that the Holy Spirit was poured out, and thousands were converted in a day.

    So it may be now. Instead of man's speculations, let the word of God be preached. Let Christians put away their dissensions, and give themselves to God for the saving of the lost. Let them in faith ask for the blessing, and it will come. The outpouring of the Spirit in apostolic days was the "former rain," and glorious was the result. But the "latter rain" will be more abundant. Joel 2:23.

    All who consecrate soul, body, and spirit to God will be constantly receiving a new endowment of physical and mental power. The inexhaustible supplies of heaven are at their command. Christ gives them the breath of His own spirit, the life of His own life. The Holy Spirit puts forth its highest energies to work in heart and mind. The grace of God enlarges and multiplies their faculties, and every perfection of the divine nature comes to their assistance in the work of saving souls. Through co-operation with Christ they are complete in Him, and in their human weakness they are enabled to do the deeds of Omnipotence.

    The Saviour longs to manifest His grace and stamp His character on the whole world. It is His purchased possession, and He desires to make men free, and pure, and holy. Though Satan works to hinder this purpose, yet through the blood shed for the world there are triumphs to be achieved that will bring glory to God and the Lamb. Christ will not be satisfied till the victory is complete, and "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." Isa. 53:11. All the nations of the earth shall hear the gospel of His grace. Not all will receive His grace; but "a seed shall serve Him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation." Ps. 22:30. "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 earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." "So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun." Dan. 7:27; Isa. 11:9; 59:19.

    "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! . . . Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places: . . . for the Lord hath comforted His people. . . . The Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." Isa. 52:7-10.

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Jesus-christ-0207




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    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 8:32 am

    As I finish posting the entire Desire of Ages from the five-volume Conflict of the Ages Series I do this with very mixed and conflicted feelings. There's been a HUGE amount of controversy in this area, with Ellen White and 'her' writings subjected to a HUGE amount of hatred and attack (deserved and undeserved). I've suggested limiting one's EGW study to the Conflict of the Ages Series while treating it as Historical-Fiction (for better or worse, I know not). I've also suggested combining this study with Science-Fiction and Sacred-Classical Music (for better or worse, I know not). This is experimental and experiential territory. Researchers Beware.
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Jesus-christ-0207

    Desire of Ages
    Chapter 87
    "To My Father, and Your Father"

    The time had come for Christ to ascend to His Father's throne. As a divine conqueror He was about to return with the trophies of victory to the heavenly courts. Before His death He had declared to His Father, "I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do." John 17:4. After His resurrection He tarried on earth for a season, that His disciples might become familiar with Him in His risen and glorified body. Now He was ready for the leave-taking. He had authenticated the fact that He was a living Saviour. His disciples need no longer associate Him with the tomb. They could think of Him as glorified before the heavenly universe.

    As the place of His ascension, Jesus chose the spot so often hallowed by His presence while He dwelt among men. Not Mount Zion, the place of David's city, not Mount Moriah, the temple site, was to be thus honored. There Christ had been mocked and rejected. There the waves of mercy, still returning in a stronger tide of love, had been beaten back by hearts as hard as rock. Thence Jesus, weary and heart-burdened, had gone forth to find rest in the Mount of Olives. The holy Shekinah, in departing from the first temple, had stood upon the eastern mountain, as if loath to forsake the chosen city; so Christ stood upon Olivet, with yearning heart overlooking Jerusalem. The groves and glens of the mountain had been consecrated by His prayers and tears. Its steeps had echoed the triumphant shouts of the multitude that proclaimed Him king. On its sloping descent He had found a home with Lazarus at Bethany. In the garden of Gethsemane at its foot He had prayed and agonized alone. From this mountain He was to ascend to heaven. Upon its summit His feet will rest when He shall come again.

    Not as a man of sorrows, but as a glorious and triumphant king He will stand upon Olivet, while Hebrew hallelujahs mingle with Gentile hosannas, and the voices of the redeemed as a mighty host shall swell the acclamation, "Crown Him Lord of all! Now with the eleven disciples Jesus made His way toward the mountain. As they passed through the gate of Jerusalem, many wondering eyes looked upon the little company, led by One whom a few weeks before the rulers had condemned and crucified. The disciples knew not that this was to be their last interview with their Master. Jesus spent the time in conversation with them, repeating His former instruction. As they approached Gethsemane, He paused, that they might call to mind the lessons He had given them on the night of His great agony. Again He looked upon the vine by which He had then represented the union of His church with Himself and His Father; again He repeated the truths He had then unfolded. All around Him were reminders of His unrequited love. Even the disciples who were so dear to His heart, had, in the hour of His humiliation, reproached and forsaken Him.

    Christ had sojourned in the world for thirty-three years; He had endured its scorn, insult, and mockery; He had been rejected and crucified. Now, when about to ascend to His throne of glory,--as He reviews the ingratitude of the people He came to save,--will He not withdraw from them His sympathy and love? Will not His affections be centered upon that realm where He is appreciated, and where sinless angels wait to do His bidding? No; His promise to those loved ones whom He leaves on earth is, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matt. 28:20.

    Upon reaching the Mount of Olives, Jesus led the way across the summit, to the vicinity of Bethany. Here He paused, and the disciples gathered about Him. Beams of light seemed to radiate from His countenance as He looked lovingly upon them. He upbraided them not for their faults and failures; words of the deepest tenderness were the last that fell upon their ears from the lips of their Lord. With hands outstretched in blessing, and as if in assurance of His protecting care, He slowly ascended from among them, drawn heavenward by a power stronger than any earthly attraction. As He passed upward, the awe-stricken disciples looked with straining eyes for the last glimpse of their ascending Lord. A cloud of glory hid Him from their sight; and the words came back to them as the cloudy chariot of angels received Him, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." At the same time there floated down to them the sweetest and most joyous music from the angel choir.

    While the disciples were still gazing upward, voices addressed them which sounded like richest music. They turned, and saw two angels in the form of men, who spoke to them, saying, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven." These angels were of the company that had been waiting in a shining cloud to escort Jesus to His heavenly home. The most exalted of the angel throng, they were the two who had come to the tomb at Christ's resurrection, and they had been with Him throughout His life on earth. With eager desire all heaven had waited for the end of His tarrying in a world marred by the curse of sin. The time had now come for the heavenly universe to receive their King. Did not the two angels long to join the throng that welcomed Jesus? But in sympathy and love for those whom He had left, they waited to give them comfort. "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" Heb. 1:14.

    Christ had ascended to heaven in the form of humanity. The disciples had beheld the cloud receive Him. The same Jesus who had walked and talked and prayed with them; who had broken bread with them; who had been with them in their boats on the lake; and who had that very day toiled with them up the ascent of Olivet,--the same Jesus had now gone to share His Father's throne. And the angels had assured them that the very One whom they had seen go up into heaven, would come again even as He had ascended. He will come "with clouds; and every eye shall see Him." "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise." "The Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory." Rev. 1:7; 1 Thess. 4:16; Matt. 25:31. Thus will be fulfilled the Lord's own promise to His disciples: "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3. Well might the disciples rejoice in the hope of their Lord's return.

    When the disciples went back to Jerusalem, the people looked upon them with amazement. After the trial and crucifixion of Christ, it had been thought that they would appear downcast and ashamed. Their enemies expected to see upon their faces an expression of sorrow and defeat. Instead of this there was only gladness and triumph. Their faces were aglow with a happiness not born of earth. They did not mourn over disappointed hopes, but were full of praise and thanksgiving to God. With rejoicing they told the wonderful story of Christ's resurrection and His ascension to heaven, and their testimony was received by many.

    The disciples no longer had any distrust of the future. They knew that Jesus was in heaven, and that His sympathies were with them still. They knew that they had a friend at the throne of God, and they were eager to present their requests to the Father in the name of Jesus. In solemn awe they bowed in prayer, repeating the assurance, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:23, 24. They extended the hand of faith higher and higher, with the mighty argument, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." Rom. 8:34. And Pentecost brought them fullness of joy in the presence of the Comforter, even as Christ had promised.

    All heaven was waiting to welcome the Saviour to the celestial courts. As He ascended, He led the way, and the multitude of captives set free at His resurrection followed. The heavenly host, with shouts and acclamations of praise and celestial song, attended the joyous train.

    As they drew near to the city of God, the challenge is given by the escorting angels,--

    "Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
    And be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors;
    And the King of glory shall come in."
    Joyfully the waiting sentinels respond,--

    "Who is this King of glory?"

    This they say, not because they know not who He is, but because they would hear the answer of exalted praise,--

    "The Lord strong and mighty,
    The Lord mighty in battle!
    Lift up your heads, O ye gates;
    Even lift them up, ye everlasting doors;
    And the King of glory shall come in."

    Again is heard the challenge, "Who is this King of glory?" for the angels never weary of hearing His name exalted. The escorting angels make reply,--

    "The Lord of hosts;
    He is the King of glory." Ps. 24:7-10.

    Then the portals of the city of God are opened wide, and the angelic throng sweep through the gates amid a burst of rapturous music. There is the throne, and around it the rainbow of promise. There are cherubim and seraphim. The commanders of the angel hosts, the sons of God, the representatives of the unfallen worlds, are assembled. The heavenly council before which Lucifer had accused God and His Son, the representatives of those sinless realms over which Satan had thought to establish his dominion,--all are there to welcome the Redeemer. They are eager to celebrate His triumph and to glorify their King.

    But He waves them back. Not yet; He cannot now receive the coronet of glory and the royal robe. He enters into the presence of His Father. He points to His wounded head, the pierced side, the marred feet; He lifts His hands, bearing the print of nails. He points to the tokens of His triumph; He presents to God the wave sheaf, those raised with Him as representatives of that great multitude who shall come forth from the grave at His second coming. He approaches the Father, with whom there is joy over one sinner that repents; who rejoices over one with singing. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, the Father and the Son had united in a covenant to redeem man if he should be overcome by Satan. They had clasped Their hands in a solemn pledge that Christ should become the surety for the human race. This pledge Christ has fulfilled. When upon the cross He cried out, "It is finished," He addressed the Father. The compact had been fully carried out. Now He declares: Father, it is finished. I have done Thy will, O My God. I have completed the work of redemption. If Thy justice is satisfied, "I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am." John 19:30; 17:24.

    The voice of God is heard proclaiming that justice is satisfied. Satan is vanquished. Christ's toiling, struggling ones on earth are "accepted in the Beloved." Eph. 1:6. Before the heavenly angels and the representatives of unfallen worlds, they are declared justified. Where He is, there His church shall be. "Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other." Ps. 85:10. The Father's arms encircle His Son, and the word is given, "Let all the angels of God worship Him." Heb. 1:6.

    With joy unutterable, rulers and principalities and powers acknowledge the supremacy of the Prince of life. The angel host prostrate themselves before Him, while the glad shout fills all the courts of heaven, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Rev. 5:12.

    Songs of triumph mingle with the music from angel harps, till heaven seems to overflow with joy and praise. Love has conquered. The lost is found. Heaven rings with voices in lofty strains proclaiming, "Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5:13. ----------

    From that scene of heavenly joy, there comes back to us on earth the echo of Christ's own wonderful words, "I ascend unto My Father, and your Father; and to My God, and your God." John 20:17. The family of heaven and the family of earth are one. For us our Lord ascended, and for us He lives. "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Heb. 7:25.


    "Soli Deo Gloria!!"
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Jesus-christ-0207
    "The Empire Strikes Bach!!"


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    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 2:45 pm

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Mural

    I'm becoming somewhat Christocentric, but not necessarily in a traditional politically-correct manner. My United States of the Solar System conceptualization is firmly-rooted in Experimental Science-Fictional Politics, Religion, Education, and Employment. My work is probably more bizarre and chaotic than a Jackson Pollock masterpiece!! This pseudo-intellectual study is NOT for the Casual-Observer!! It is for Seasoned Sirius-Researchers!! Researchers Beware!! If you REALLY study this stuff, you might go crazy (temporarily or permanently)!! By 2030 my threads will probably seem mighty-tame in comparison!! I'm seeing those Streaming White-Lights much more often!! I continue to suspect that I have been HIGHLY Messed-With (for better or worse, I know not). I honestly think we're in the middle of a VERY Nasty Power-Struggle of Biblical-Proportions which the General-Public is beginning to experience in Real-Life. Unfortunately, I believe it will get MUCH Worse rather quickly. The Final-Movements Will Be Rapid and of a Startling-Nature!! The Horror!!

    I have suggested that there is a good-side and a bad-side to BOTH the Bible and the Writings of Ellen White. I have suggested that the SDA Bible Commentary is a reasonable (though difficult) Middle-Way. What Would the Anglicans Say?? This is frankly a game which most people can't or won't play. I've suggested wrestling with the madness, without saying or doing much of anything with it. The material I include in my threads are often difficult and disorienting. Once again, I am including this stuff for seasoned-researchers, and not the general-public. I try to cover at least a couple of sides of the issues I address. This is to help us think, rather than telling anyone what to think and/or do. I think the Info-War is just going to get worse and worse. Regarding the following articles, I've sat in the classes of Dr. Fred Veltman, and he was quite the scholar and gentleman. Ellen White claimed that an Angel spoke to her on a regular basis. I hate to say it, but what if the Angel used sources without giving credit?? What if the Angel was the God of This World?? I think it's interesting that Vincent Ramik, a Roman Catholic attorney, was hired by the SDA church, to investigate the plagiarism-charge against Ellen White!! http://www.whiteestate.org/issues/ramik.html What if the God of the SDA church was (and is) the God of the Roman Catholic church?? What if the God of This World has deliberately and methodically afflicted This World with The Great Controversy Between Christ and Satan (for thousands of years)?? I have suggested that a particular Angel has run this solar system for thousands of years, going way-back to the Garden of Eden (for better or worse, I know not)!! I have suggested that the reprehensible might've been inevitable and unavoidable, but I have no-idea about the true state of affairs, going way, way, way back!!

    Once again, I think it will be necessary to know the Whole-Truth about our Whole-History!! Perhaps this will occur in an Investigative and Executive Judgment. I suspect an Ancient Other Than Human Race, going way, way, way, way back. I further suspect a Recent and Renegade Human-Race in conflict with the Original Ancient-Race, but I certainly don't know the details. I think the Bible and the Writings of Ellen White offer significant-clues, but that this study is just the beginning of understanding the Real-Story. I don't think this is a nice-story at all. All of Us might be forced to face-reality in the near-future, whether we like it or not. To say it again, I suspect a Relatively-Nice Original-Creator or Genetic-Engineer of Humanity, who was overthrown by a Not So Nice Replacement God of This World, for legitimate or illegitimate reasons, I know not. Beware of Deliberately Inflicted Murder and Mayhem. I think this thing might get REALLY Ugly and Nasty!! Some of you laugh and scoff at me because I seem to be lazy and stupid, but if you agonized over what I agonize over, each and every day, you'd probably be in a lot worse shape than I am. I really just want to let this stuff go for a while. Now I'm HONESTLY going to try to go away for a while. I'll try to maintain Responsible-Neutrality. Give until it hurts, and then Agonize until it hurts. The more you Suffer, the more it shows you really Care. What Would The Offspring Sing?? What Would Noodles Do?? This Thing Might NOT Be Over for a Very Long Time. Namaste, Godspeed, and Geronimo.


    http://www.truthorfables.com/Desire_of_Ages_Veltman.htm
    The Desire of Ages Project: The Data
    by Fred Veltman
    (Ministry, October 1990)

    In 1982, Dr. Fred Veltman, then chairman of the religion department of Pacific Union College, was asked by the Seventh-day Adventist church to analyze the charges of plagiarism brought by Walter Rea and others against Ellen White. Dr. Veltman spent eight years at church expense estimated at $450,000, studying The Desire of Ages. His research was printed in the Adventist church's official magazine for clergy named Ministry.

    The fact that Ellen White used literary sources in the production of her writings has been known for more than a century. But in January 1980, Walter Rea, then an Adventist pastor in Southern California, presented evidence that Ellen White's literary dependency was greater than had been recognized previously. The nature and scope of her literary borrowing, however, particularly for any given book other than The Great Controversy, was still a matter of speculation. How much verbatim material was there in her writings, especially her narrative, descriptive, and theological commentaries on Scripture? To what degree was she dependent upon literary sources? Do her comments reflect the influence of other writers? From what writers did she borrow and from what kind of books? Did Ellen White do the copying herself, or was it done by her literary assistants? Could she have unconsciously used the literary expressions of other authors—did she have a "photographic" memory? These and similar issues had to be addressed before one could treat the charge of plagiarism leveled against Ellen White, and the questions being raised over the nature of her inspiration.

    The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists sponsored an in-depth investigation into Ellen White's use of literary sources in writing The Desire of Ages. The research, which spread over a period of almost eight years and involved the equivalent of five years of full-time work, was completed about two years ago. Adventist colleges and universities throughout the world received copies of the full report on this in-depth study. All of the Ellen G. White Estate research centers also carry a copy of the final document.

    Space requirements dictate that my comments focus on the conclusions of the investigation. But for the benefit of those readers who may not be acquainted with the study, I will briefly touch on its textual base and methodology. And for those who may be interested in my own reaction to the results of the research, a personal postscript accompanies the concluding article of this series. I make no attempt here to document or argue the evidence supporting the conclusions.

    The Ellen White textual base

    The Desire of Ages includes both narrative and theological commentary. Nearly every chapter is based upon a portion of Scripture. If Adventists were concerned about Ellen White's use of sources, this book, perhaps the best loved of all her writings, was the obvious text to study.

    Ellen White's motivation to write The Desire of Ages stemmed from her desire to prepare a more complete and accurate portrayal of the life of Christ than was contained in The Spirit of Prophecy, volumes 2 and 3, a new book that Adventist colporteurs could sell to the public. For nearly 40 years she wrote on this subject, finally having The Desire of Ages published in 1898. She became so caught up in the subject that she produced enough material to fill two additional books, Christ's Object Lessons and Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing. Much of what she wrote for The Desire of Ages first saw publication as articles in various Adventist journals.

    Initially we researchers were assigned to study the entire text of The Desire Ages—all of its 87 chapters and more than 800 pages. We soon found we had neither the time nor the staff to tackle a project of such scope. To reduce the textual base to manageable size, we asked statisticians to select 15 chapters that would serve as a random sample of the full text.

    Ellen White did not write The Desire Ages chapter by chapter from scratch. Rather, for the most part it was compiled from her earlier writings. So the pre-1898 unpublished manuscripts and the articles published prior to that year afforded a textual base more representative of her own handiwork. Using the subject matter of the 15 chapters as our control, we searched all the earlier writings of Ellen White to locate the letters, manuscripts, and articles in which she had written on these same subjects. To distinguish these texts from the text of The Desire of Ages (DA), we have designated them pre-DA.

    Methodology

    We were commissioned to study Ellen White's use of literary sources. For an investigation of this type, the obvious research method is source analysis, or what is commonly called source criticism. In this kind of study, the researchers select literary subunits to serve as the basis for comparing the major text and the possible source texts. They establish criteria to permit them to find the literary units that are parallel and to determine the degree to which the two units resemble each other. We selected the sentence as the unit of comparison. The 15 chapters of the DA text contained 2,624 sentences, and the pre-DA text furnished 1,180 sentence units.

    We also established a scale of seven levels of dependency. The criteria differentiating between these levels of dependency were the amount of verbatim words and the order of the elements in the sentences. For instance, if a sentence from an Ellen White text was in every respect identical to one in a source text, we labeled it "strict verbatim" and gave it a dependency value of seven. In cases where the sentences were identical except that an obvious synonym had been substituted for a word, we identified the sentence as "verbatim" and gave it a value of six-indicating that it had a lesser degree of dependency than "strict verbatim" with its value of seven. When the Ellen White text and the source were identical because both writers were depending directly on Scripture, we labeled the sentence "Bible quotation" and gave it a dependency rating of zero. When there was no clear indication of literary dependency, we called the sentence "independent" and gave it a dependency value of zero - even when the content of her DA text was very similar to that of a source text.

    Literary dependency is not limited to parallel sentence structure and verbal similarities. Authors may also consult sources for the arrangement of the sentences and the thematic development of a chapter. So our analysis of the DA text included a study of possible editorial or redactional dependency. In our investigation we examined more than 500 works, mostly nineteenth-century works on the life of Christ. Of course, Ellen White was not limited to this type of literature when she wrote on the life of Christ. She also had access to sermons, devotional books, Bible society tracts, Bible commentaries, and general Christian literature, and could have borrowed materials from any of these sources. In view of the fact that we did not review all the life-of-Christ materials available to Ellen White, much less the literature from other genres she is known to have read, there is no way this probe could be called complete or exhaustive. So the reader must consider the summations and conclusions that follow as minimal if not tentative findings, even though we made every possible effort to conduct a thorough and careful study.

    Summations

    From the outset of the study and throughout its long course I constantly faced questions relating to the conclusions. What do you think you will discover? Will you be able to report the results of your study without having your ministerial credentials revoked? Will the church publicize your findings? Have you changed your views on Ellen White? Do you still believe that she was inspired? Did her secretaries do the copying? Did you find any disagreement between her writings and Scripture? Do you think a believer has any right to look for sources behind inspired writings? Do you think the writers she used were inspired?

    Marian Davis compiled Ellen White's earlier writings on Christ's life into scrapbook form. It was from this collection that the DA text was developed. While these inquiries were appropriate and appreciated, they were not the issues troubling me. I had other concerns. How could we approach the analysis of the textual data fairly and consistently? How accurate would our conclusions be when based upon a random sample consisting of 15 chapters of varying length, content, and source dependency? Could our conclusions serve as valid generalizations about the entire text of The Desire of Ages and Ellen White's method of writing her books, particularly her commentaries on the great controversy between good and evil as covered in Scripture? My solution was to study each chapter in terms of its own special nature. I hoped that I would be able to let the data determine the questions to be asked, and I endeavored to be open to any new insights, even new perplexities, that might emerge from the analysis. In the end I developed a list of 14 questions that I asked in regard to each chapter. I hoped that these questions would help to keep my analysis focused and consistent despite variations in the text and possible changes in my outlook as the study progressed. It became very clear to us that it was Ellen White herself who was copying from the sources.

    In what follows, I present the 14 questions and the corresponding summary statements derived from our analysis of the 15 chapters. The statements, of course, present in abbreviated form what is more fully laid out in chapter XVIII of the report. The questions and answers offer further clarification on the nature and scope of the study and largely form the evidence supporting the five general concluding statements that I give in the second article.

    1. Do we have any original (hand-written) manuscripts of Ellen White on the DA text?

    No chapters have been located in either handwritten or copy form. Several sentences from three chapters have been found in Ellen White's diaries, and significant portions of three additional chapters were developed from manuscripts dating from 1897. Handwritten and copied texts exist for portions of the pre-DA text, treating the content of 10 of the 15 chapters.

    2. Does the DA text represent an increase or a reduction in the coverage of topics Ellen White treated in her earlier works? And if she enlarged her coverage, is the expansion to be accounted for by a greater dependency on sources?

    No consistent answer emerges. Some topics receive more attention, and others less. Where the commentary has been extended, we also find more independent material. The DA text generally represents a lesser degree of dependency than does the pre-DA text, and the longer chapters of DA show no greater use of sources than do the shorter ones.

    3. How does the content of the DA text compare in general with the content of Ellen White's earlier writings on the life of Christ? Can we detect any influence of the sources on the content?

    Doing source analysis involves giving some consideration to content, but finding a definitive answer to this question would require a separate study. Generally speaking, there is strong agreement between the later and earlier writings except where the earlier text needed revision. No doubt much of the agreement results from the use of the same sources for both the earlier and later writings. The DA text manifests a stronger spiritual appeal, no doubt because of the evangelistic purpose that motivated and guided its production.

    4. Are there any significant differences between the DA text and the pre-DA text?

    Differences appear in the order of events in the life of Christ, in how the two texts harmonize the Scripture accounts, and in DA's exclusion of some extrabiblical stories contained in the pre-DA text. No doubt the sources influenced to some degree the chronology of Ellen White's narrative account and the thematic arrangement of some of her chapters in the DA text. It is not always possible to tell when the revision is the result of the source's influence or of a closer reading of the biblical account.

    5. How much of the DA text reveals literary dependency?
    6. What is the extent of Ellen White's literary independence in writing DA?
    7. What is the degree of dependence of the DA text?

    Questions 5, 6, and 7 address the basic issue of literary dependency. Of the 15 chapters, 2,624 sentence units, we found 823 (31 percent) to be in some degree clearly dependent upon material appearing in our 500-plus literary sources. We found that 1,612 sentence units (61 percent) showed no verbal similarity to any of the sources we investigated. The average dependency of the 823 dependent sentences rated just a little higher than the level of "loose paraphraser" (3.3).

    8. What major works were used by Ellen White in writing the DA text?

    We found 10 books from which Ellen White drew 10 or more literary parallels per The Desire of Ages chapter. The Life of Christ, by William Hanna, heads the list with 321 source parallels. Night Scenes of the Bible and Walks and Homes of Jesus, both by Daniel March, come in second with 129 parallel sentences. Ellen White drew from Hanna's work for nearly every one of the 15 chapters. But she tended not to use the other sources in such a general way, tending rather to draw mostly from a single source for each chapter that we found to be dependent. Which other source she used varied from chapter to chapter.

    9. What additional sources contributed to the DA text?

    In addition to the major sources, we found that 21 works written by 20 authors had a minor impact on the 15 chapters. Two authors had works in both the major influence and minor influence categories.

    10. What literary sources were used in the composition of the pre-DA writings?

    Marian Davis compiled Ellen White's earlier writings on Christ's life into scrapbook form. It was from this collection that the DA text was developed. As a result of this method of book production, many source parallels appearing in the DA text make their first appearance in these earlier writings. Exceptions to this expected duplication in literary parallels occur when the earlier text is not included in the DA text or when DA treats content not found in the earlier materials. Our study revealed that the works of Hanna and March figure heavily in the earlier texts that were taken over into DA. In the Ellen White manuscripts on Christ's life that were not used in forming the DA text, there are literary parallels from the works of Frederic Farrar, John Harris, Henry Melvill, Octavius Winslow, and others.

    11. How does the DA text compare with the pre-DA text in the use of literary sources?

    When we first formulated this question, we had planned to evaluate every sentence of the earlier writings, but time and staff limitations prevented such a thorough study. We did examine this earlier material for its use of sources and found that in most cases it showed either the same level or greater levels of literary dependency than did the DA text. Out of the 1,180 sentence units reviewed, we noted 879 dependent sentences. We found 6 strict verbatim sentences, 80 verbatim, 232 strict paraphrase, and 232 simple paraphrase. The average rate of dependency of the pre-DA dependent sentences was 3.57, compared with DA's rate of 3.3. As we carefully studied the nature and degree of literary dependency of these early materials, which included Ellen White's personal journals, it became very clear to us that it was Ellen White herself who was copying from the sources. We need not look to the work of her secretaries to account for the source parallels found in her writings.

    12. How does the content of the dependent sentences compare with that of the independent?

    We found no significant differences in content. Both types of sentences include descriptive, devotional, spiritual, and theological commentary and moral exhortation. Both types contain details such as one might expect in an eyewitness account or as having come from a vision. The differences we noted involve the way reality is affirmed and the number of sentences or degree of emphasis given to a particular topic. Ellen White's independent materials often extend the descriptive, spiritual, theological, or devotional commentary. And where the source is suggestive and indefinite as to what took place in the life and ministry of Christ, Ellen White is positive and definite.

    13. Do the literary or thematic structures of the chapters of the DA text reflect the structural composition of the sources, apart from the common influence of the Bible?

    Even though most DA chapters reflect the dominant use of one source, most of them contain parallels from more than one source. So the final compositions exhibit their own overall structures rather than those of any given source. Several chapter sections appear to reflect specific Ellen White manuscripts. Ellen White's earlier manuscripts do not reflect multiple sources to the extent the DA chapters do. Evidently in writing them she used one source at a time as she worked on a given topic or aspect in Christ's life. When writing on the same topic on another occasion, she generally used a different source. The fact that DA chapters contain literary parallels from multiple sources more likely represents Marian Davis's conflation of several separate Ellen White manuscripts or journal entries than it does Ellen White sitting down with several sources to compose a chapter.

    14. Are the pre-DA writings dependent on sources for their thematic arrangement?

    In most instances her diary entries float freely from topic to topic, not offering extensive comment on any given subject. But where her pre-DA writings treat a topic, they usually follow the thematic development of the source. Particularly is this the case with her later manuscripts. However, we would remind the reader of the differences discussed under question 12. Though the basic structure of Ellen White's material usually depends upon the source, her emphasis often differs.

    Hopefully this brief review of the 14 questions and their answers provides both a useful context and some justification for the few broad conclusions that follow in the second article (in the December issue of Ministry). These concluding statements may well apply to the entire text of The Desire of Ages, and perhaps to a number of Ellen White's other writings, as well. If not, they are - at least in my judgment - appropriate for the 15 chapters upon which this investigation focused.

    Two Adventist journals have carried reviews of the report (Adventist Review, Sept. 22, 1988; and South Pacific Record, Apr. 15, 1989), but to my knowledge, nowhere have the full conclusions been published. For a while copies of the entire report and of the 100-page-long Chapter XVIII, "Summary and Conclusions", were available for purchase from the office of the president of the General Conference.

    Because I was the project director, I am solely responsible for all the evaluations, the interpretation of the data, and the writing of the report. But I could not have carried out the project without the help of many others, most of whom are mentioned in the preface to the report. The random sample comprised the following chapters: 3, 10, 13, 14, 24, 37, 39, 46, 53, 56, 72, 75, 76, 83, and 84. In a few instances compound sentences were divided into two independent clauses and evaluated accordingly. The other levels of dependency were rated as follows: strict paraphrase, 5; simple paraphrase, 4; loose paraphrase, 3; source Bible, 2 (when the Scripture usage reflected the literary source); and partial independence, 1. I have in mind here such works as Patriarchs and Prophets, Prophets and Kings, and The Acts of the Apostles. We arbitrarily chose to classify any source supplying 10 or more literary parallels for any one DA chapter as a "major" literary source. The other major sources are:

    John Harris, The Great Teacher;
    Frederic Farrar, The Life of Christ;
    George Jones, Life-Scenes From the Four Gospels;
    Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah;
    J. H. Ingraham, The Prince of the House of David;
    Francis Wayland, Salvation by Christ;
    John Cumming, Sabbath Evening Readings on the New Testament: St. John.
    Henry Melvill, "Jacob's Vision and Vow";
    and Octavius Winslow, The Glory of the Redeemer.

    In combining the two Nazareth visits into one chapter, DA chapter 24 seems to reflect the structure of March. Some evidence exists for arguing that chapters 46 and 76 also depend upon their sources for significant aspects of their literary arrangement.


    The Desire of Ages Project: The Conclusions
    by Fred Veltman
    (Ministry, December 1990)

    To what degree was Ellen White dependent upon literary sources in writing The Desire of Ages? Did she do the copying herself or was it done by her literary assistants? Could she have unconsciously used the literary expressions of other authors - did she have a photographic memory? Our lengthy and detailed investigation led to five general conclusions that cast light upon these broad questions posed in the introduction to the study. The conclusions are based primarily but not exclusively on the answers generated by the 14 questions we addressed to each chapter of The Desire of Ages (DA) text.1 They also include interpretations of the data, and to that degree involve personal judgment. I have tried, however, to separate my opinion from what I would argue the evidence indicates to be a fact. I have attempted to set forth the five concluding statements in as concise a manner as accuracy would allow. To understand properly the meaning intended, the reader should give careful consideration to the accompanying explanations and supporting arguments, brief as they are. As is true of most research activities, the process of drawing conclusions raised additional issues that in my view call for further study. I hope that the underscoring of these issues will challenge some readers to add their efforts to those of myself and others who have tried to shed more light on Ellen White's work and writings. It should be clearly understood that these questions are not offered to dilute the reasonableness of the arguments or to suggest that this investigation is incomplete, and that therefore its conclusions are invalid.

    1. Ellen White used literary sources when writing The Desire of Ages.

    The purpose of this fundamental claim, and for many an obvious truth, is to set forth clearly the following facts. It is of first importance to note that Ellen White herself, not her literary assistants, composed the basic content of the DA text. In doing so she was the one who took literary expressions from the works of other authors without giving them credit as her sources. Second, it should be recognized that Ellen White used the writings of others consciously and intentionally. The literary parallels are not the result of accident or photographic memory. In view of the fact that she employed editorial assistants, our clearest evidence of Ellen White's literary borrowing comes from her personal diaries and manuscripts. If we want to establish more precisely the degree of literary dependence, it would be well to study the manuscripts as they come from her hand, comparing both the dependent and independent sentences. Each manuscript should be treated as a whole. When we take the chapter as the basic unit of composition, we remove ourselves several steps from Ellen White's basic work. This first and fundamental conclusion never fails to elicit a further inquiry as to its implications. Implicitly or explicitly, Ellen White and others speaking on her behalf did not admit to and even denied literary dependency on her part. In the light of this study and other similar studies, what are we to make of such denials? I think that any attempt to address this problem should include a serious consideration of Ellen White's understanding of inspiration and of her role as a prophet. Such a study should be contextualized in terms of nineteenth-century views on inspiration, especially within Adventism.

    2. The content of Ellen White's commentary on the life and ministry of Christ, The Desire of Ages, is for the most part derived rather than original.

    In light of the data our source studies on the DA text provided, this conclusion might appear to some readers as being unjustified.' To those who have been told that literary sources played a minimal role in Ellen White's compositions such a statement may be incredible. Obviously this second general conclusion calls for some clarification. As I explained in the first article, source dependency involves more than verbal parallels. We must consider not only the DA text as it reads today, but also Ellen White's earlier writings, the thematic structure of her writings, and the content of her material even where no direct literary similarity exists. When we do so, we find that she depended on her sources to a much greater degree than the verbal similarities of the DA text to those sources indicate. We must not place too much weight upon arguments from silence. But it is worthy of note that the DA material that we classified as independent was often material dealing with topics not usually covered in a work on the life of Christ. Since our study was largely limited to this type of literature, the reader must consider our estimate of the level of source dependency in The Desire of Ages as conservative. In practical terms, this conclusion declares that one is not able to recognize in Ellen White's writings on the life of Christ any general category of content or catalog of ideas that is unique to her. We found source parallels for theological, devotional, narrative, descriptive, and spiritual materials, whether in reference to biblical or extra-biblical content. Ever since the recent surfacing of the issue of Ellen White's literary borrowing, the question How much? has had center stage. Adventists have tended to emphasize the uniqueness, the originality, of the content of Ellen White's writings. But in an ultimate spiritual sense Ellen White always insisted that her works were derivative. She received the information from which she wrote out her views through visions, through some sort of impression upon the mind, and from Scripture. She saw herself as a messenger of the Lord. I believe the issue that concerned her was the authority and truth of her messages—not their originality. For Ellen White, all truth ultimately originates with God.

    This second conclusion suggests some areas for fruitful study. Even though we found parallels to sources in all of the types of the DA materials, perhaps we need to make a serious comparison of the content of the parallels and that of the independent sections. And it may be that we will find other distinctions when we study the other books published from her writings on the life of Christ Christ's Object Lessons and Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing. We also need to look at the content of her visions. Did she leave any record—what she saw and when—that would enable us to identify the vision content independent of her commentary on the life of Christ that exhibits the use of sources? And what about those times when she was impressed to write? Did she have revelatory experiences other than what is generally understood as a vision? Would the use of sources play any role in such experiences? There is also the matter of plagiarism. We have now identified several of the sources she used. We know the types of literature these sources represent. And we have an idea of the nature and extent of Ellen White's literary dependency at the level of her original writings. With all this data at hand, we should be able to examine the issue of plagiarism in terms of the literary conventions that governed the use of such religious works among her contemporaries.

    3. The special character of Ellen White's commentary is to be found in its practical use of Scripture and in its stress on spiritual realities and personal devotion.

    Though Ellen White's writings appear to have been largely derivative, they do not lack originality. A fair assessment of the evidence should not deny or underplay the degree of her dependence, but neither should it overlook or depreciate her independence. Despite her lack of formal education and her dependence upon literary sources and literary assistants, Ellen White could write. She obviously had the ability to express her thoughts clearly. She was not slavishly dependent upon her sources, and the way she incorporated their content clearly shows that she recognized the better literary constructions. She knew how to separate the wheat from the chaff. It may not be possible to identify Ellen White's "fingerprint" in the material that Marian Davis edited, but certain features of her work are readily apparent. She did not approach the biblical text as a scholarly exegete. Rather, she approached it from a practical point of view, taking the obvious, almost literal, meaning. She gave Marian Davis the responsibility of deciding where the earlier publication needed improving. In some instances the revision included a change in the order of events to bring her writings into harmony with the text of Scripture. Another distinct characteristic of her work is stress on what I have called "spiritual realities. " She differed from her sources in the emphasis she gave to descriptions of the activities or viewpoints of God and His angels and of Satan and his angels. She appears to be much more informed and at home than her sources when discussing the "other world," the real though invisible world of the spiritual beings of the universe. Her concern for reality is also evident in her replacing the expressions of probability, supposition, and imagination found in the sources with factual accounts given in the style of a reporter or eyewitness.

    Ellen White's "signature" is also to be found in the proportion of commentary given to devotional, moral, or Christian appeals or lessons that usually appear at the end of a chapter. This feature would naturally fit the evangelistic purpose that motivated her writing on the life of Christ. It is among her devotional comments and throughout her presentation of what I have called "spiritual realities" that we are more likely to find her independent hand at work. Ellen White's independence is also to be seen in her selectivity. The sources were her slaves, never her master. Future studies would do well to compare her text with that of the sources and to note how she selected, condensed, paraphrased, and in general rearranged much of the material she used. Our study raised another question that merits further attention: Was Ellen White indebted to sources for her devotional or spiritual comments? We did find several parallels in one or two works of this type, but our research did not survey enough of these works to establish whether her apparent independence is owing to her originality or to the limits of our investigation. When we extend the survey of possible sources to sermons and devotional literature, we will be able to tell how accurate are our data on her independence and bring into sharper focus just how much of her sections of comment corresponds to or differs from the sources she used. No doubt a thorough look at Ellen White's use of Scripture would also prove helpful. Is biblical interpretation today limited to her practical approach? Is there a place for careful exegesis? If there is more than one legitimate approach to the study of Scripture, should Ellen White's views control Adventist interpretation of Scripture?

    Finally, regarding content, how do Ellen White's writings on the life of Christ compare among themselves? We can no longer ask either Ellen White or those who knew her to explain what she meant by what she wrote. To be fair to her and to avoid the misuse of her authority, we must be careful how we represent what she wrote and how we establish what her position on a given subject was. My study of her writings on the life of Christ has given me the impression that some of her views changed through time. The very fact that the DA text represents a revision of her earlier work suggests that her writings form a textual tradition. If continued investigation indicates that there is some development in her ideas, would it not suggest that her comments need to be considered in terms of "time and place" not only within her own life experience and textual tradition but with respect to the larger background of her times, both within and without the Adventist Church? Perhaps we need Adventist historians and/or the Ellen G. White Estate to provide introductions to her writings in similar fashion to what we find useful in studying the Old and New Testament writings. At any rate, we may not necessarily find her view by simply striking a harmony among all her writings on a given subject. Her latest view might well be a correction or at least a modification of an earlier position.

    4. Ellen White used a minimum of 23 sources of various types of literature, including fiction, in her writings on the life of Christ.

    Actually, we have no way of knowing how many sources are represented in Ellen White's work on the life of Christ. In addition to the remaining 72 chapters of the DA text, there are two other books to review: Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing and Christ's Object Lessons. These 23 writers are sufficient, however, to answer the questions so many have asked: From what writers did Ellen White borrow? What kinds of books were they writing? Space does not permit us to survey all 23 here. But there is no need to cover the entire lot, since many fall under the literary category of "Victorian lives of Christ." The books in this category were never intended to be biographies. Today they would probably be classified as historical fiction. One obviously fictional account is Ingraham's The Prince of the House of David, a work that Albert Schweitzer referred to as one of the "’edifying’ romances on the life of Jesus intended for family reading." Ingraham cast his work as a collection of letters written by an eyewitness in Palestine to her father in Egypt. William Hanna's popular work was designed to be "practical and devotional." 9 No wonder that parallels from Hanna are to be found in 13 of the 15 DA chapters we investigated. The books in Ellen White's library at the time of her death appear to corroborate what her writings reveal. She read widely in works of differing literary type, theological perspective, and scholarly depth.

    5. Ellen White's literary assistants, particularly Marian Davis, are responsible for the published form of The Desire of Ages.

    The role of Ellen White's literary assistants was not a major concern of the study. But this subject cannot be entirely excluded from any serious attempt to treat her use of sources. Her method of writing inextricably involved the work of her secretaries, especially that of her "bookmaker." A significant part of the introduction to the research report covers this rather interesting side to Ellen White's literary work. In her day she was no doubt known more for her public speaking than for her writing. She loved to speak, took every opportunity to speak, and was confident of her speaking ability. It was not that way with her writing. Though she felt the burden to write, her confidence in her ability as a writer was not strong. She knew that her education did not qualify her to write for publication. The evidence suggests that she wrote day by day in her journals, moving from topic to topic as time and opportunity made it possible. No doubt she worked with one source for a while and then moved on to another source and another subject. These jottings would be copied and corrected for grammar, syntax, and spelling when she passed that journal over to one of her secretaries. Several journals would be active at the same time. From these collections her assistants would compose articles for Adventist journals. It appears that larger publications were produced from collections of materials gathered into a scrapbook. At least that seems to be the way the chapters for The Desire of Ages were compiled. Apparently her assistants at times developed manuscripts from journal entries. Several of the manuscripts consist mainly of excerpts from earlier writings and do not carry Ellen White's signature.

    Our comparison of manuscripts with the finished text and our study of the letters Ellen White and Marian Davis wrote that reveal the steps required for preparing the text for publication clearly show that Marian Davis had the liberty to modify sentence structure, to rearrange paragraphs, and to establish chapter length. Ellen White was more concerned about the general content of the book, the cost, and getting the material to the public as soon as possible. She also took a keen interest in the artwork used to illustrate her writings. I found no evidence to indicate that Marian Davis was involved in the original composition of any Ellen White text. But without the original manuscripts it is difficult to prove that such did not happen with any portion of the text of The Desire of Ages. It might prove helpful to make a stylistic study of the letters of Marian Davis and the handwritten materials of Ellen White. If their "fingerprints" emerge, we would have some basis for determining more precisely the level of involvement Marian Davis exercised in her role as "bookmaker." It may well be that she deserves some public recognition for her services in this regard.

    As a final statement on the research project, I think it is fair to say that in respect to the text of The Desire of Ages, Ellen White was both derivative and original. Future studies will no doubt bring to our attention not only more sources but also a greater understanding of Ellen White's creative role. With the aid of her literary assistants, she built out of the common quarry of stone not a replica of another's work but rather a customized literary composition that reflects the particular faith and Christian hope that she was called to share with her fellow Adventists and the Christian community at large. It is perhaps more accurate and useful to speak of her creative and independent use of her writings and those of others than to minimize her dependence upon the writings of others. Whether sentence, paragraph, chapter, or book, it is the finished product that should be considered in the final analysis. A reading of the full report will readily reveal that the multiple aspects of literary dependence or independence, particularly of large portions of text, are often too subtle, too intertwined, and otherwise too complex to be precisely and consistently evaluated. See the first article in this series: Ministry, October 1990.

    I do not claim that her secretaries did not borrow from the sources. My point is that I found no evidence that they composed the text using literary sources, and there is plenty of evidence in Ellen White's manuscripts to show that she did so. See "Personal Postscript" for the reference of the statement from The Great Controversy on this question. See questions 5, 6, and 7 in the first article in this series, "The Desire of Ages Project: the Data," Ministry, October 1990. For example, chapter 56, "Blessing the Children," includes much comment on motherhood, fatherhood, and the family. Until we survey the literature that we know Ellen White read on such topics, we cannot be sure that the sentences of this chapter actually deserve the independent rating we have given them. For a good example of a content analysis, see Tim Poirier's "Sources Clarify Ellen White's Christology," Ministry, December 1989, pp. 7-9. The summary statement in the first article listed 28 writers and 32 sources for both the DA and pre-DA texts. I came up with the number 23 by omitting the duplications between the two textual Surveys and, in an effort to be sure that we had bona fide sources, by eliminating from the count all sources providing less than five parallels for any given chapter.

    Albert Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus (London: A. and C. Black, Ltd., 1910), p. 328, note 1.
    Daniel L. Pals, The Victorian "Lives" of Christ (San Antonio: Trinity University Press, 1982), p. 69.

    Personal Postscript
    by Fred Veltman
    (Ministry, December 1990)

    Some of the questions I have been asked about this investigation relate to matters of faith and to my perspectives as an Adventist. Because I view myself as both a pastor and a scholar, I would, like to answer briefly four of these questions. The following remarks constitute my personal response to what I have discovered and are not conclusions formed from the research data.

    1. "If you believe that Ellen White was inspired of God, why are you spending so much time searching out possible sources for her writings?"

    There are several reasons. The study is justified on the basis of Adventist interest—many in the church are asking about her literary dependency. No faith in Ellen White and her writings can be persuasive if it cannot stand the light of truth. Several friends of mine, and I am told many others unknown to me, have given up faith in Ellen White's inspiration, if not in Adventism, over this issue. If there are those who find it no longer possible to believe in Ellen White or Adventism, I would prefer that their decision be based upon a proper understanding rather than a misconception. There is also a professional basis for my interest in this subject. As a biblical scholar I am aware that our knowledge of Scripture is largely owing to similar studies on the biblical text, its composition, its history, and its background. In my view, it is imperative that we develop the knowledge and tools for properly interpreting the writings of Ellen White. These principles must emerge from a knowledge of the text and not be superimposed on the text.

    2. "Do you think that Ellen White was guilty of plagiarism, as some have charged?"

    As I pointed out in my report, the investigation did not treat the issue of plagiarism. While we cannot settle that issue here, nor do I wish to minimize its importance, my personal opinion is that she was not guilty of this practice. We did find verbatim quotes from authors who were not given credit. But the question of plagiarism is much more complicated than simply establishing that one writer used the work of another without giving credit. A writer can only be legitimately charged with plagiarism when that writer's literary methods contravene the established practices of the general community of writers producing works of the same literary genre within a comparable cultural context. In the process of doing our research we found that Ellen White's sources had previously used each other in the same way that she later used them. At times the parallels between the sources were so strong that we had difficulty deciding which one Ellen White was using.

    3. "How do you harmonize Ellen White's use of sources with her statements to the contrary? Do you think the introductory statement to The Great Controversy constitutes an adequate admission of literary dependence?"

    I must admit at the start that in my judgment this is the most serious problem to be faced in connection with Ellen White's literary dependency. It strikes at the heart of her honesty, her integrity, and therefore her trustworthiness. As of now I do not have - nor, to my knowledge, does anyone else have—a satisfactory answer to this important question. The statement from The Great Controversy comes rather late in her writing career and is too limited in its reference to historians and reformers. Similar admissions do not appear as prefaces to all her writings in which sources are involved, and there is no indication that this particular statement applies to her writings in general. But it seems to me that the statement from The Great Controversy does provide a hint as to where the answer will be found. Apparently Ellen White believed that documentation was necessary only when a writer was quoted as an authority. When the source was quoted to provide "a ready and forcible presentation of the subject," no credit need be given. *

    The idea that Ellen White worked with these distinctions in mind does not settle the question of plagiarism. Nor does it fully answer the questions raised in connection with the DA text, in which paraphrases rather than quotations dominate. It does suggest, however, that Ellen White may have viewed literary dependency as primarily indicating authority and applying to wholesale quotations rather than to paraphrasing. If my guess is correct, answering the question would demand that we carefully study her responses on the topic of literary dependency in their historical context. This approach would include a scrutiny of her comments and those of her contemporaries on the subject of inspiration. If so many believers today find her use of sources disturbing to their faith in her inspiration, is it reasonable to expect less of nineteenth-century Adventists? Ellen White's denials and/or non-admissions may have meant something other to her than what they mean to us today.

    4. "Do you personally believe that Ellen White was an inspired messenger of the Lord? And if so, what do you mean by 'inspiration'?"

    This fourth and final question is the "bottom line" when it comes to questions on Ellen White. Even though there is no single orthodox Adventist view of inspiration, whether of the authors of Scripture or of Ellen White, there are boundaries to acceptable positions. My personal position relative to Ellen White is informed primarily by my knowledge of the biblical text and secondarily by what I know about Ellen White and her writings. While I do not have all the answers to the questions being addressed to the writings of Ellen White, my belief in her inspiration is not seriously compromised. After all, we don't have all the answers to questions on the text of Scripture. I have no problem with inspired writers using sources. To my way of thinking, inspiration is not dependent upon originality. Much of Scripture makes no claim to being new and different from what anyone else was saying or from what had been said in the past. Why should we expect from Ellen White something more than we find in Scripture?

    Actually, as a result of my reading many of her writings in their handwritten and typescript form, I find that my respect for and appreciation of Ellen White and her ministry have grown. I covet for her supporters and critics alike the opportunity to read her writings in their original context. To be able to experience firsthand her breadth of interest and involvement, her judgment and devotion, her humor and humaneness, and her piety and spirituality, was both informative and faith-building. Obviously she was human, had personal and character weaknesses, and was far from perfect and infallible. She never claimed otherwise. In my judgment, her writings contain both time-conditioned and timeless statements. These have to be sorted out through principles of interpretation, as is done with Scripture. I am under the strong conviction, now more than before I began this research, that the issue is not one of deciding if Ellen White was a prophet or merely a religious leader. It is not a case of all or nothing, of either/or. Nor is it the problem of deciding which of her messages are inspired or when she exchanged her prophetic hat for an editorial cap.

    I find compelling reasons for viewing her as a nineteenth-century prophetic voice in her ministry to the Adventist Church and to the larger society as well. Her voice out of that Christian community of the past still deserves to be heard today in those timeless messages that speak to the realities of our world at the end of the twentieth century.

    *Ellen G White, The Great Controversy (Mountain View, Calif: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1911), p. xii.

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Ellenwhite

    http://whiteestate.org/books/gc/gcintroduction.html Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open communion with his Maker; but since man separated himself from God by transgression, the human race has been cut off from this high privilege. By the plan of redemption, however, a way has been opened whereby the inhabitants of the earth may still have connection with heaven. God has communicated with men by His Spirit, and divine light has been imparted to the world by revelations to His chosen servants. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21.

    During the first twenty-five hundred years of human history, there was no written revelation. Those who had been taught of God, communicated their knowledge to others, and it was handed down from father to son, through successive generations. The preparation of the written word began in the time of Moses. Inspired revelations were then embodied in an inspired book. This work continued during the long period of sixteen hundred years--from Moses, the historian of creation and the law, to John, the recorder of the most sublime truths of the gospel.

    The Bible points to God as its author; yet it was written by human hands; and in the varied style of its different books it presents the characteristics of the several writers. The truths revealed are all "given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16); yet they are expressed in the words of men. The Infinite One by His Holy Spirit has shed light into the minds and hearts of His servants. He has given dreams and visions, symbols and figures; and those to whom the truth was thus revealed have themselves embodied the thought in human language.

    The Ten Commandments were spoken by God Himself, and were written by His own hand. They are of divine, and not of human composition. But the Bible, with its God-given truths expressed in the language of men, presents a union of the divine and the human. Such a union existed in the nature of Christ, who was the Son of God and the Son of man. Thus it is true of the Bible, as it was of Christ, that "the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us." John 1:14.

    Written in different ages, by men who differed widely in rank and occupation, and in mental and spiritual endowments, the books of the Bible present a wide contrast in style, as well as a diversity in the nature of the subjects unfolded. Different forms of expression are employed by different writers; often the same truth is more strikingly presented by one than by another. And as several writers present a subject under varied aspects and relations, there may appear, to the superficial, careless, or prejudiced reader, to be discrepancy or contradiction, where the thoughtful, reverent student, with clearer insight, discerns the underlying harmony.

    As presented through different individuals, the truth is brought out in its varied aspects. One writer is more strongly impressed with one phase of the subject; he grasps those points that harmonize with his experience or with his power of perception and appreciation; another seizes upon a different phase; and each, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, presents what is most forcibly impressed upon his own mind--a different aspect of the truth in each, but a perfect harmony through all. And the truths thus revealed unite to form a perfect whole, adapted to meet the wants of men in all the circumstances and experiences of life.

    In harmony with the word of God, His Spirit was to continue its work throughout the period of the gospel dispensation. During the ages while the Scriptures of both the Old and the New Testament were being given, the Holy Spirit did not cease to communicate light to individual minds, apart from the revelations to be embodied in the Sacred Canon. The Bible itself relates how, through the Holy Spirit, men received warning, reproof, counsel, and instruction, in matters in no way relating to the giving of the Scriptures. And mention is made of prophets in different ages, of whose utterances nothing is recorded. In like manner, after the close of the canon of the Scripture, the Holy Spirit was still to continue its work, to enlighten, warn, and comfort the children of God.

    Jesus promised His disciples, "The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." "When He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: . . . and He will show you things to come." John 14:26; 16:13. Scripture plainly teaches that these promises, so far from being limited to apostolic days, extend to the church of Christ in all ages. The Saviour assures His followers, "I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Matthew 28:20. And Paul declares that the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit were set in the church "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Ephesians 4:12, 13.

    The great controversy between good and evil will increase in intensity to the very close of time. In all ages the wrath of Satan has been manifested against the church of Christ; and God has bestowed His grace and Spirit upon His people to strengthen them to stand against the power of the evil one. When the apostles of Christ were to bear His gospel to the world and to record it for all future ages, they were especially endowed with the enlightenment of the Spirit. But as the church approaches her final deliverance, Satan is to work with greater power. He comes down "having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time." Revelation 12:12. He will work "with all power and signs and lying wonders." 2 Thessalonians 2:9. For six thousand years that mastermind that once was highest among the angels of God has been wholly bent to the work of deception and ruin. And all the depths of satanic skill and subtlety acquired, all the cruelty developed, during these struggles of the ages, will be brought to bear against God's people in the final conflict. And in this time of peril the followers of Christ are to bear to the world the warning of the Lord's second advent; and a people are to be prepared to stand before Him at His coming, "without spot, and blameless." 2 Peter 3:14. At this time the special endowment of divine grace and power is not less needful to the church than in apostolic days.

    Through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, the scenes of the long-continued conflict between good and evil have been opened to the writer of these pages. From time to time I have been permitted to behold the working, in different ages, of the great controversy between Christ, the Prince of life, the Author of our salvation, and Satan, the prince of evil, the author of sin, the first transgressor of God's holy law. Satan's enmity against Christ has been manifested against His followers. The same hatred of the principles of God's law, the same policy of deception, by which error is made to appear as truth, by which human laws are substituted for the law of God, and men are led to worship the creature rather than the Creator, may be traced in all the history of the past. Satan's efforts to misrepresent the character of God, to cause men to cherish a false conception of the Creator, and thus to regard Him with fear and hate rather than with love; his endeavors to set aside the divine law, leading the people to think themselves free from its requirements; and his persecution of those who dare to resist his deceptions, have been steadfastly pursued in all ages. They may be traced in the history of patriarchs, prophets, and apostles, of martyrs and reformers.

    As the Spirit of God has opened to my mind the great truths of His word, and the scenes of the past and the future, I have been bidden to make known to others that which has thus been revealed--to trace the history of the controversy in past ages, and especially so to present it as to shed a light on the fast-approaching struggle of the future. In pursuance of this purpose, I have endeavored to select and group together events in the history of the church in such a manner as to trace the unfolding of the great testing truths that at different periods have been given to the world, that have excited the wrath of Satan, and the enmity of a world-loving church, and that have been maintained by the witness of those who "loved not their lives unto the death."

    In these records we may see a foreshadowing of the conflict before us. Regarding them in the light of God's word, and by the illumination of His Spirit, we may see unveiled the devices of the wicked one, and the dangers which they must shun who would be found "without fault" before the Lord at His coming. The great events which have marked the progress of reform in past ages are matters of history, well known and universally acknowledged by the Protestant world; they are facts which none can gainsay. This history I have presented briefly, in accordance with the scope of the book, and the brevity which must necessarily be observed, the facts having been condensed into as little space as seemed consistent with a proper understanding of their application. In some cases where a historian has so grouped together events as to afford, in brief, a comprehensive view of the subject, or has summarized details in a convenient manner, his words have been quoted; but in some instances no specific credit has been given, since the quotations are not given for the purpose of citing that writer as authority, but because his statement affords a ready and forcible presentation of the subject. In narrating the experience and views of those carrying forward the work of reform in our own time, similar use has been made of their published works.

    It is not so much the object of this book to present new truths concerning the struggles of former times, as to bring out facts and principles which have a bearing on coming events. Yet viewed as a part of the controversy between the forces of light and darkness, all these records of the past are seen to have a new significance; and through them a light is cast upon the future, illumining the pathway of those who, like the reformers of past ages, will be called, even at the peril of all earthly good, to witness "for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ."

    To unfold the scenes of the great controversy between truth and error; to reveal the wiles of Satan, and the means by which he may be successfully resisted; to present a satisfactory solution of the great problem of evil, shedding such a light upon the origin and the final disposition of sin as to make fully manifest the justice and benevolence of God in all His dealings with His creatures; and to show the holy, unchanging nature of His law, is the object of this book. That through its influence souls may be delivered from the power of darkness, and become "partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," to the praise of Him who loved us, and gave Himself for us, is the earnest prayer of the writer (Ellen G. White).






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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:06 pm

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    I continue to know that I don't know, and that I probably won't know for the remainder of this present incarnation. I presently suspect that a secretive and deceptive "Tough God" replaced a kinder and gentler "Nice God" in antiquity, legitimately or illegitimately, for better or worse, I know not. I mean zero disrespect, but I need to know the truth regarding Divinity and Humanity in This Solar System. Unfortunately, I doubt that I can handle the truth. I can't even handle the lies. I suspect that a Corrupt and Violent Solar-System Business must transition into an Open and Honest Solar-System Business Without Murder and Mayhem. Once again, I am a Law and Order Kind of Guy, and NOT a Fire and Brimstone Kind of Guy (at least in this present incarnation). I've been told that Lucifer hasn't existed since 1998 (or something like that)!! The Ancient Egyptian Deity said they couldn't talk about the NSA!! I've suggested that a supercomputer-network runs this solar system!! I've suggested that one supercomputer-network was replaced by another supercomputer-network on September 11, 2001!! I've suggested that "Lucifer" might be a job-title rather than a distinct being!! What if the Ancient Egyptian Deity was, and is, "Lucifer Emeritus"?? What if a supercomputer-network is the new "Lucifer"?? The Ancient Egyptian Deity shuddered, and was visibly-disturbed, when I read the last chapter of The Great Controversy (by Ellen White) to them, one dark night!! You can read it at the bottom of this post. A graduate of the Harvard Divinity School (who I worked with for a couple of years) spoke supportively of this volume (much to my surprise)!! I asked the AED who they really were, and I thought I heard them whisper "Lucifer". Honest. Think long and hard about what I just said!! That's all I'm going to say about THAT!!

    What is the true and complete interpretation and application of Psalm 119?? What is the Perfect Law of the Lord in Antiquity and Modernity?? Do we have an Ancient and Modern Legal-Problem of Biblical-Proportions?? Where is that critique of my internet-madness?? I've been asking for one for several-years now (with no responses)!! Does Fame, Fortune, and Power trump the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?? Is the bottom-line the bottom-line?? Is moral-agonizing a waste of time?? Why must politics and religion have historical roots?? Why remember?? What should clean-sheet of stone politics and religion look-like in modernity?? Why don't we use 3,000 year-old science textbooks?? Should the Bible simply be studied as "Ancient-Literature"?? What does Joshua through Malachi tell us about Genesis through Deuteronomy?? What does Acts through Revelation tell us about Matthew through John?? Consider the following Roman Catholic Minimal-List:

    1. Love and Responsibility by Karol Wojtyla.

    2. Life of Christ by Fulton Sheen.

    3. Christ: The Experience of Jesus As Lord by Edward Schillebeekx.

    I continue to suspect that most everyone and everything of significance are centrally recruited, planned, groomed, scripted, and orchestrated (for better or worse, I know not). I'd love to attend a particular UFO conference, even though I remain wary of the UFO scene. I know they exist, and I've seen them, but I'm suspicious of who and what are behind them. I'm suspicious of religion, which is why I don't go to church. I'm suspicious of my own thoughts and activities. I wonder how "messed-with" I really am?! I've found a lot of answers, but I mostly don't like them. The questions are endless, and will undoubtedly continue. I'd be a disaster in public. I'm a disaster in private. In 2009, an Individual of Interest called me "King David" and congratulated me for winning a Nobel Prize, but I never received a call!! Perhaps "Information" gave them Obama's number instead of mine!! Around that same time, a total-stranger asked me what I would do with $15,000,000??!! But I never heard another word!! Why?? Perhaps it was something I said!! The Top of the Pyramid scares the hell out of me. I doubt that I'd like the view from the top. I doubt that ANYONE could remain sane and pure at the Top of the Pyramid in This Solar System. I suspect that this has been a nasty-game for thousands of years, and that it will continue to be a nasty-game for thousands of years. I think Christians need to seriously question their Ethics and Eschatology. Overall, the Bible is NOT a nice book, but I still love to study it!! Actually, I think I might just study Astronomy for a while. Thank-you for tolerating my contrarian, irreverent, dangerous, and inflammatory threads and posts. This sort of thing wouldn't have been possible a few short years ago. I am extremely apprehensive regarding what has made the new "Openness" possible. I think "They" are categorizing everyone, before they "Crack-Down".

    I must end this thread. I must cease and desist. I suspect that the next phase of this present quest will not be appropriate for this present forum. I still don't know who the members of this forum really are, but I have some ideas. Sometimes I think I've met some of you in real-life, without knowing it. I might keep in touch, but perhaps that might not be possible. This quest has honestly been an experiment, which was a lot like script-writing. This forum was a perfect context for my adventure, even though this has been a rather sad and painful experience. I'm frankly preparing for the worst. The reality of this world is anything but "happy-clappy". I'll probably study "Project Avalon", "The Mists of Avalon", Books, and Newspapers, without posting on any forum, for a significant time-period. I think I'll just watch things play-out. It might be easier that way. We seem to be in the middle of a spiritual and technological nightmare. This thing might destroy all of us. Sorry for the pessimism, but I think most everyone is extremely vulnerable. The corporations might rule us all, perhaps with a Supreme-Supercomputer aka RoboGod!!! Everything is a Business. The Bottom-Line is the Bottom-Line. The God of This World is the Almighty-Dollar. I've Dreamt of a Dynamic-Equilibrium Between the Golden-Rule and the Bottom-Line, But This Is Just a Pipe-Dream!! I've Dreamt of a Medical-Center Consisting of:

    1. Acute-Care Drugs and Surgery Medicine.

    2. An Ethics, Spirituality, and Philanthropy Center.

    3. Preventive, Natural, and Rehabilitation Care.

    The idea would be for each of these three sections to be equal in all-possible respects, including budgets and compensation. The Naturopath would have the same income as the Neurosurgeon. What Would the Mayo Brothers Say?? One was the Head-Doctor, and the Other was the Belly-Doctor!! The Ethics-Center might also specialize in the History of Spirituality, Science, and Medicine (or something like that). I'm so disillusioned and upset, that I'm not going to post for a while. I might never recover from the depression I'm experiencing regarding the future of the souls in this solar system. I believe, but I don't know what I believe. O Wretched Man That I Am!! Just look VERY CLOSELY at Cleopatra, Cicero, Virgil, Horace, Ovid, Josephus, the Piso Family, and the Descendants of Cleopatra. What if very-real Gods and Goddesses created Mythological Gods and Goddesses??!! What if the Bible is a Puzzle which MUST Be Solved??!! I'm still waiting for that "Brook Book". Now I'm going to make the coffee (with Baileys Irish Cream creamer). What Would Jupiter Jones Do?? What Would Indiana Jones Do?? I don't know what else to do with this thread, and now I'm just going to leave it "as-is" as I leave "as-is" (singing "Just As I Am").

    I've learned many lessons while posting on this website. I tend to want the good-things to happen (without the bad-things happening)!! Hope Springs Eternal. I just attended a memorial service. I didn't know the person very well, even though I had known them for many years. I was deeply impressed with the sense of community and togetherness at the service. But it wasn't a religious service. It didn't have to be. It was perfect "as-is". The secular must become sacred, and the sacred must become secular. I'm sure most people at that service would be shocked and disgusted by my internet-posting. I'm shocked and disgusted by my internet-posting. It was a "cry for help" which never got answered, and I'm not going to "cry for help" anymore. Now I'm going to watch Humphrey Bogart in my "Dead Reckoning" DVD (given to me by the "Ancient Egyptian Deity"). Now I must go. My computer was just ruthlessly-attacked by someone near Wichita, Kansas!! Can't we all just get along?? Namaste, Godspeed, and Geronimo.

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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Cupid2
    King David = Cupid = Ovid Bowman?

    Psalm 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— 3 they do no wrong but follow his ways. 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. 9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. 17 Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. 18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. 19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. 20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. 21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands. 22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. 23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. 24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors. 25 I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word.

    26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. 27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, LORD; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. 33 Teach me, LORD, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. 37 Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. 38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. 39 Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. 40 How I long for your precepts! In your righteousness preserve my life. 41 May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise; 42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. 44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. 45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, 47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees. 49 Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. 50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

    51 The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. 52 I remember, LORD, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them. 53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. 54 Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. 55 In the night, LORD, I remember your name, that I may keep your law. 56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts. 57 You are my portion, LORD; I have promised to obey your words. 58 I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to your statutes. 60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands. 61 Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law. 62 At midnight I rise to give you thanks for your righteous laws. 63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. 64 The earth is filled with your love, LORD; teach me your decrees. 65 Do good to your servant according to your word, LORD. 66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. 68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. 70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. 71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. 72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. 73 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. 74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. 75 I know, LORD, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

    76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. 79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. 80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame. 81 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. 82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?” 83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees. 84 How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? 85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, contrary to your law. 86 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause. 87 They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. 88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth. 89 Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. 90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. 91 Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. 92 If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. 93 I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. 94 Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. 95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. 96 To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless. 97 Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.

    101 I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. 102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. 106 I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws. 107 I have suffered much; preserve my life, LORD, according to your word. 108 Accept, LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws. 109 Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law. 110 The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts. 111 Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. 112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. 113 I hate double-minded people, but I love your law. 114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 116 Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. 118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their delusions come to nothing. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws. 121 I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Ensure your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. 123 My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise. 124 Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. 125 I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

    126 It is time for you to act, LORD; your law is being broken. 127 Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, 128 and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path. 129 Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. 130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. 131 I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands. 132 Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name. 133 Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me. 134 Redeem me from human oppression, that I may obey your precepts. 135 Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. 136 Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed. 137 You are righteous, LORD, and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. 139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. 141 Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. 143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. 144 Your statutes are always righteous; give me understanding that I may live. 145 I call with all my heart; answer me, LORD, and I will obey your decrees. 146 I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes. 147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word. 148 My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. 149 Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, LORD, according to your laws. 150 Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law.

    151 Yet you are near, LORD, and all your commands are true. 152 Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever. 153 Look on my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law. 154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise. 155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees. 156 Your compassion, LORD, is great; preserve my life according to your laws. 157 Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. 158 I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word. 159 See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, LORD, in accordance with your love. 160 All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal. 161 Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word. 162 I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and detest falsehood but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. 165 Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble. 166 I wait for your salvation, LORD, and I follow your commands. 167 I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly. 168 I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you. 169 May my cry come before you, LORD; give me understanding according to your word. 170 May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise. 171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. 172 May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous. 173 May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. 174 I long for your salvation, LORD, and your law gives me delight. 175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me. 176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Salt-trailer-screencap-church-crowd-angelina-jolie
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Salt-1


    RedEzra wrote:It is easy to prove GOD with laws and logic. The law of conservation of energy and the law of conservation of mass together state that the energy and mass of an isolated system like the universe remains constant and so the universe is not able to add new energy and matter to itself. So when the universe cannot create energy nor matter then... who can ? Logically GOD of course. It may not be so easy to prove that GOD of the universe is the GOD of the Bible but all the fulfilled prophecies therein like the return of the Jews to their old land cannot but impress logical minds.

    "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east,
    And gather you from the west; I will say to the north, ‘Give them up!’
    And to the south, ‘Do not keep them back!’ Bring My sons from afar,
    And My daughters from the ends of the earth—"

    - Isaiah 43:5-6 -
    Eartheart wrote:
    Razz  Beloveds, you seem to be drifting here   Arrow

    Sharpen your wits:
    *switching on your divine body or your dreambody is a systematic learnprocess...
    *direct input sensors (leaving the datacloud to seek source signals) can be tuned to recieve voice or datapacks, similar outofbody astraltravel trains input sensors and dreamnavigation
    *discerning between synthetic and living streams of conciousness helps to aquire sanety and lightcodes stabilisation
    *Your Flux presents spatial time in a holy Now Paradoxymoron  tongue where timeless awarness witnesses 3 streams of choicecontiniuation are applied to your magnetix - creative resonance, destruction & maintenance
    *Says revelation, Antitale & theHoly happen at same moment in your little star which is a nurturing set up to achieve angelic mans destiny HoHoHo
    *Eat some Hempseeds to get the missing proteins for your missing DNA strangs Liberationprayer for all daughters on their path...
    RedEzra wrote:
    Just a little update from me...

    For about 2.5 years now just after Russia annexed Crimea I have been warning that we are about to reach the end of the timeline given to the prophet Daniel over 2500 years ago. GOD is going to punish this world and if you don't understand why then perhaps you have a problem !? There is a "sudden destruction" event on the horizon closely connected around the astronomical date of Sept 23 2017. And if you pride yourselves in being somewhat awake and aware with a good grasp of what's going on around the world then you ought to know that this is an ever increasing possibility. Unfortunately it will not only be a possibility for long as GOD foretold it WILL happen ! The CREATOR is not going to plead with the world to please stop war crime and corruption... no GOD's just gonna punish. And if you have a problem with that then take it up with your MAKER !
    orthodoxymoron wrote:I continue to pursue Law and Order, rather than Fire and Brimstone. The Bible is an extremely violent book, but perhaps we live in an extremely violent universe. I don't doubt that extremely bad things are going to happen to Earth-Humanity, for legion reasons, but I am extremely troubled by Biblical-Eschatology, especially when Jews and Christians claim Moral High-Ground based in large-part upon the Bible. I'm presently trying to focus upon 1 Chronicles to Malachi, in the context of the Whole-Bible, with a New-Testament inspired hermeneutic. Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary are helpful in this regard. But people will always flock to the Sensationalist-Preachers, rather than quietly and diligently studying Scripture and History on their own. Several months ago, a Mason told me that 80% of Humanity was probably going to die in the near-future, in a random manner, but they didn't offer details. This wouldn't surprise me, but I'm frankly sick and tired of Murder and Mayhem, even though this is a Biblical-Concept. If I were the King of the World, I think I'd push for a Highly Trained and Disciplined Global Police-Force, with NO Warfare Whatsoever!! Just Reasonable and Rational LAW and ORDER!! I'd like to think that the Rest of the Universe would support that sort of thing.
    Swanny wrote:I don't believe in gods.  

    If there is one like the one they talk about in the bible then he's an xxxxxxxx  Razz

    All religions are just control systems
    RedEzra wrote:So it turns out that Jesus is the CREATOR of this earth.

    I'm sorry guys but if you don't follow the rules of the Owner of this place then you're out !
    Swanny wrote: Who is the Owner of this place?
    orthodoxymoron wrote:It's very difficult to verify or prove much of anything regarding the historical and the otherworldly, which is why I've turned the Whole-Bible Thing into Religious and Political Science-Fiction, without starting yet another religion. If it were done properly, Politics and Religion as Control-Modalities, would be useful and legitimate, but the reality is just the opposite of useful and legitimate. I keep asking "Who Owns the Solar System??" but I never get an answer. The God of the Bible often seems to be an ill-tempered bad@ss, but if the universe is a violent and nasty place, such a God might be necessary. My United States of the Solar System threads scare the hell out of me, regarding the possibilities of Solar System Governance and Ownership. I wonder if Guardians of the Galaxy and Jupiter Ascending contain at least some truth?! The Individuals of Interest I've conversed with REALLY scared the hell out of me!! My honest and sincere quest for answers has mostly resulted in being ridiculed and ignored. I've basically had to talk to myself, because no one else will talk to me. I've recently been identifying with the Roman-Poet "Ovid". The "Ancient Egyptian Deity" I conversed with, kept needling me about "girls", and spoke of methods of seducing women!! Ovid seemed to have a lot to say about such things!! My name is similar to "Ovid". I've been called "King of the Girls" even though the opposite-sex seems to not wish to have anything to do with me. In fact, no one seems to wish to have anything to do with me. Perhaps it's easier that way. What Would Jesus Christ, the Apostle Paul, and John Nash Say?? I used to perfectly-play the following composition by J.S. Bach, but I never got lucky like the guy in the video!!

    THE CONTROVERSY ENDED
    by
    Ellen G. White

    At the close of the thousand years, Christ again returns to the earth. He is accompanied by the host of the redeemed and attended by a retinue of angels. As He descends in terrific majesty He bids the wicked dead arise to receive their doom. They come forth, a mighty host, numberless as the sands of the sea. What a contrast to those who were raised at the first resurrection! The righteous were clothed with immortal youth and beauty. The wicked bear the traces of disease and death.

    Every eye in that vast multitude is turned to behold the glory of the Son of God. With one voice the wicked hosts exclaim: "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!" It is not love to Jesus that inspires this utterance. The force of truth urges the words from unwilling lips. As the wicked went into their graves, so they come forth with the same enmity to Christ and the same spirit of rebellion. They are to have no new probation in which to remedy the defects of their past lives. Nothing would be gained by this. A lifetime of transgression has not softened their hearts. A second probation, were it given them, would be occupied as was the first in evading the requirements of God and exciting rebellion against Him.

    Christ descends upon the Mount of Olives, whence, after His resurrection, He ascended, and where angels repeated the promise of His return. Says the prophet: "The Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with Thee." "And His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof, . . . and there shall be a very great valley." "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and His name one." Zechariah 14:5, 4, 9. As the New Jerusalem, in its dazzling splendor, comes down out of heaven, it rests upon the place purified and made ready to receive it, and Christ, with His people and the angels, enters the Holy City.

    Now Satan prepares for a last mighty struggle for the supremacy. While deprived of his power and cut off from his work of deception, the prince of evil was miserable and dejected; but as the wicked dead are raised and he sees the vast multitudes upon his side, his hopes revive, and he determines not to yield the great controversy. He will marshal all the armies of the lost under his banner and through them endeavor to execute his plans. The wicked are Satan's captives. In rejecting Christ they have accepted the rule of the rebel leader. They are ready to receive his suggestions and to do his bidding. Yet, true to his early cunning, he does not acknowledge himself to be Satan. He claims to be the prince who is the rightful owner of the world and whose inheritance has been unlawfully wrested from him. He represents himself to his deluded subjects as a redeemer, assuring them that his power has brought them forth from their graves and that he is about to rescue them from the most cruel tyranny. The presence of Christ having been removed, Satan works wonders to support his claims. He makes the weak strong and inspires all with his own spirit and energy. He proposes to lead them against the camp of the saints and to take possession of the City of God. With fiendish exultation he points to the unnumbered millions who have been raised from the dead and declares that as their leader he is well able to overthrow the city and regain his throne and his kingdom.

    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. There are kings and generals who conquered nations, valiant men who never lost a battle, proud, ambitious warriors whose approach made kingdoms tremble. In death these experienced no change. As they come up from the grave, they resume the current of their thoughts just where it ceased. They are actuated by the same desire to conquer that ruled them when they fell.

    Satan consults with his angels, and then with these kings and conquerors and mighty men. They look upon the strength and numbers on their side, and declare that the army within the city is small in comparison with theirs, and that it can be overcome. They lay their plans to take possession of the riches and glory of the New Jerusalem. All immediately begin to prepare for battle. Skillful artisans construct implements of war. Military leaders, famed for their success, marshal the throngs of warlike men into companies and divisions.

    At last the order to advance is given, and the countless host moves on--an army such as was never summoned by earthly conquerors, such as the combined forces of all ages since war began on earth could never equal. Satan, the mightiest of warriors, leads the van, and his angels unite their forces for this final struggle. Kings and warriors are in his train, and the multitudes follow in vast companies, each under its appointed leader. With military precision the serried ranks advance over the earth's broken and uneven surface to the City of God. By command of Jesus, the gates of the New Jerusalem are closed, and the armies of Satan surround the city and make ready for the onset.

    Now Christ again appears to the view of His enemies. Far above the city, upon a foundation of burnished gold, is a throne, high and lifted up. Upon this throne sits the Son of God, and around Him are the subjects of His kingdom. The power and majesty of Christ no language can describe, no pen portray. The glory of the Eternal Father is enshrouding His Son. The brightness of His presence fills the City of God, and flows out beyond the gates, flooding the whole earth with its radiance.

    Nearest the throne are those who were once zealous in the cause of Satan, but who, plucked as brands from the burning, have followed their Saviour with deep, intense devotion. Next are those who perfected Christian characters in the midst of falsehood and infidelity, those who honored the law of God when the Christian world declared it void, and the millions, of all ages, who were martyred for their faith. And beyond is the "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, . . . before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands." Revelation 7:9. Their warfare is ended, their victory won. They have run the race and reached the prize. The palm branch in their hands is a symbol of their triumph, the white robe an emblem of the spotless righteousness of Christ which now is theirs.

    The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and re-echoes through the vaults of heaven: "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." Verse 10. And angel and seraph unite their voices in adoration. As the redeemed have beheld the power and malignity of Satan, they have seen, as never before, that no power but that of Christ could have made them conquerors. In all that shining throng there are none to ascribe salvation to themselves, as if they had prevailed by their own power and goodness. Nothing is said of what they have done or suffered; but the burden of every song, the keynote of every anthem, is: Salvation to our God and unto the Lamb.

    In the presence of the assembled inhabitants of earth and heaven the final coronation of the Son of God takes place. And now, invested with supreme majesty and power, the King of kings pronounces sentence upon the rebels against His government and executes justice upon those who have transgressed His law and oppressed His people. Says the prophet of God: "I saw a great white throne, and Him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:11, 12.

    As soon as the books of record are opened, and the eye of Jesus looks upon the wicked, they are conscious of every sin which they have ever committed. They see just where their feet diverged from the path of purity and holiness, just how far pride and rebellion have carried them in the violation of the law of God. The seductive temptations which they encouraged by indulgence in sin, the blessings perverted, the messengers of God despised, the warnings rejected, the waves of mercy beaten back by the stubborn, unrepentant heart--all appear as if written in letters of fire.

    Above the throne is revealed the cross; and like a panoramic view appear the scenes of Adam's temptation and fall, and the successive steps in the great plan of redemption. The Saviour's lowly birth; His early life of simplicity and obedience; His baptism in Jordan; the fast and temptation in the wilderness; His public ministry, unfolding to men heaven's most precious blessings; the days crowded with deeds of love and mercy, the nights of prayer and watching in the solitude of the mountains; the plottings of envy, hate, and malice which repaid His benefits; the awful, mysterious agony in Gethsemane beneath the crushing weight of the sins of the whole world; His betrayal into the hands of the murderous mob; the fearful events of that night of horror--the unresisting prisoner, forsaken by His best-loved disciples, rudely hurried through the streets of Jerusalem; the Son of God exultingly displayed before Annas, arraigned in the high priest's palace, in the judgment hall of Pilate, before the cowardly and cruel Herod, mocked, insulted, tortured, and condemned to die--all are vividly portrayed.

    And now before the swaying multitude are revealed the final scenes--the patient Sufferer treading the path to Calvary; the Prince of heaven hanging upon the cross; the haughty priests and the jeering rabble deriding His expiring agony; the supernatural darkness; the heaving earth, the rent rocks, the open graves, marking the moment when the world's Redeemer yielded up His life.

    The awful spectacle appears just as it was. Satan, his angels, and his subjects have no power to turn from the picture of their own work. Each actor recalls the part which he performed. Herod, who slew the innocent children of Bethlehem that he might destroy the King of Israel; the base Herodias, upon whose guilty soul rests the blood of John the Baptist; the weak, timeserving Pilate; the mocking soldiers; the priests and rulers and the maddened throng who cried, "His blood be on us, and on our children!"--all behold the enormity of their guilt. They vainly seek to hide from the divine majesty of His countenance, outshining the glory of the sun, while the redeemed cast their crowns at the Saviour's feet, exclaiming: "He died for me!"

    Amid the ransomed throng are the apostles of Christ, the heroic Paul, the ardent Peter, the loved and loving John, and their truehearted brethren, and with them the vast host of martyrs; while outside the walls, with every vile and abominable thing, are those by whom they were persecuted, imprisoned, and slain. There is Nero, that monster of cruelty and vice, beholding the joy and exaltation of those whom he once tortured, and in whose extremest anguish he found satanic delight. His mother is there to witness the result of her own work; to see how the evil stamp of character transmitted to her son, the passions encouraged and developed by her influence and example, have borne fruit in crimes that caused the world to shudder.

    There are papist priests and prelates, who claimed to be Christ's ambassadors, yet employed the rack, the dungeon, and the stake to control the consciences of His people. There are the proud pontiffs who exalted themselves above God and presumed to change the law of the Most High. Those pretended fathers of the church have an account to render to God from which they would fain be excused. Too late they are made to see that the Omniscient One is jealous of His law and that He will in no wise clear the guilty. They learn now that Christ identifies His interest with that of His suffering people; and they feel the force of His own words: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." Matthew 25:40.

    The whole wicked world stand arraigned at the bar of God on the charge of high treason against the government of heaven. They have none to plead their cause; they are without excuse; and the sentence of eternal death is pronounced against them. It is now evident to all that the wages of sin is not noble independence and eternal life, but slavery, ruin, and death. The wicked see what they have forfeited by their life of rebellion. The far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory was despised when offered them; but how desirable it now appears. "All this," cries the lost soul, "I might have had; but I chose to put these things far from me. Oh, strange infatuation! I have exchanged peace, happiness, and honor for wretchedness, infamy, and despair." All see that their exclusion from heaven is just. By their lives they have declared: "We will not have this Man [Jesus] to reign over us."

    As if entranced, the wicked have looked upon the coronation of the Son of God. They see in His hands the tables of the divine law, the statutes which they have despised and transgressed. They witness the outburst of wonder, rapture, and adoration from the saved; and as the wave of melody sweeps over the multitudes without the city, all with one voice exclaim, "Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints" (Revelation 15:3); and, falling prostrate, they worship the Prince of life.

    Satan seems paralyzed as he beholds the glory and majesty of Christ. He who was once a covering cherub remembers whence he has fallen. A shining seraph, "son of the morning;" how changed, how degraded! From the council where once he was honored, he is forever excluded. He sees another now standing near to the Father, veiling His glory. He has seen the crown placed upon the head of Christ by an angel of lofty stature and majestic presence, and he knows that the exalted position of this angel might have been his.

    Memory recalls the home of his innocence and purity, the peace and content that were his until he indulged in murmuring against God, and envy of Christ. His accusations, his rebellion, his deceptions to gain the sympathy and support of the angels, his stubborn persistence in making no effort for self-recovery when God would have granted him forgiveness --all come vividly before him. He reviews his work among men and its results--the enmity of man toward his fellow man, the terrible destruction of life, the rise and fall of kingdoms, the overturning of thrones, the long succession of tumults, conflicts, and revolutions. He recalls his constant efforts to oppose the work of Christ and to sink man lower and lower. He sees that his hellish plots have been powerless to destroy those who have put their trust in Jesus. As Satan looks upon his kingdom, the fruit of his toil, he sees only failure and ruin. He has led the multitudes to believe that the City of God would be an easy prey; but he knows that this is false. Again and again, in the progress of the great controversy, he has been defeated and compelled to yield. He knows too well the power and majesty of the Eternal.

    The aim of the great rebel has ever been to justify himself and to prove the divine government responsible for the rebellion. To this end he has bent all the power of his giant intellect. He has worked deliberately and systematically, and with marvelous success, leading vast multitudes to accept his version of the great controversy which has been so long in progress. For thousands of years this chief of conspiracy has palmed off falsehood for truth. But the time has now come when the rebellion is to be finally defeated and the history and character of Satan disclosed. In his last great effort to dethrone Christ, destroy His people, and take possession of the City of God, the archdeceiver has been fully unmasked. Those who have united with him see the total failure of his cause. Christ's followers and the loyal angels behold the full extent of his machinations against the government of God. He is the object of universal abhorrence.

    Satan sees that his voluntary rebellion has unfitted him for heaven. He has trained his powers to war against God; the purity, peace, and harmony of heaven would be to him supreme torture. His accusations against the mercy and justice of God are now silenced. The reproach which he has endeavored to cast upon Jehovah rests wholly upon himself. And now Satan bows down and confesses the justice of his sentence.

    "Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest." Verse 4. Every question of truth and error in the long-standing controversy has now been made plain. The results of rebellion, the fruits of setting aside the divine statutes, have been laid open to the view of all created intelligences. The working out of Satan's rule in contrast with the government of God has been presented to the whole universe. Satan's own works have condemned him. God's wisdom, His justice, and His goodness stand fully vindicated. It is seen that all His dealings in the great controversy have been conducted with respect to the eternal good of His people and the good of all the worlds that He has created. "All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee." Psalm 145:10. The history of sin will stand to all eternity as a witness that with the existence of God's law is bound up the happiness of all the beings He has created. With all the facts of the great controversy in view, the whole universe, both loyal and rebellious, with one accord declare: "Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints."

    Before the universe has been clearly presented the great sacrifice made by the Father and the Son in man's behalf. The hour has come when Christ occupies His rightful position and is glorified above principalities and powers and every name that is named. It was for the joy that was set before Him--that He might bring many sons unto glory--that He endured the cross and despised the shame. And inconceivably great as was the sorrow and the shame, yet greater is the joy and the glory. He looks upon the redeemed, renewed in His own image, every heart bearing the perfect impress of the divine, every face reflecting the likeness of their King. He beholds in them the result of the travail of His soul, and He is satisfied. Then, in a voice that reaches the assembled multitudes of the righteous and the wicked, He declares: "Behold the purchase of My blood! For these I suffered, for these I died, that they might dwell in My presence throughout eternal ages." And the song of praise ascends from the white-robed ones about the throne: "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:12.

    Notwithstanding that Satan has been constrained to acknowledge God's justice and to bow to the supremacy of Christ, his character remains unchanged. The spirit of rebellion, like a mighty torrent, again bursts forth. Filled with frenzy, he determines not to yield the great controversy. The time has come for a last desperate struggle against the King of heaven. He rushes into the midst of his subjects and endeavors to inspire them with his own fury and arouse them to instant battle. But of all the countless millions whom he has allured into rebellion, there are none now to acknowledge his supremacy. His power is at an end. The wicked are filled with the same hatred of God that inspires Satan; but they see that their case is hopeless, that they cannot prevail against Jehovah. Their rage is kindled against Satan and those who have been his agents in deception, and with the fury of demons they turn upon them.

    Saith the Lord: "Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God; behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness. They shall bring thee down to the pit." "I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. . . . I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. . . . I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. . . . Thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more." Ezekiel 28:6-8, 16-19.

    "Every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire." "The indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and His fury upon all their armies: He hath utterly destroyed them, He hath delivered them to the slaughter." "Upon the wicked He shall rain quick burning coals, fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup." Isaiah 9:5; 34:2; Psalm 11:6, margin. Fire comes down from God out of heaven. The earth is broken up. The weapons concealed in its depths are drawn forth. Devouring flames burst from every yawning chasm. The very rocks are on fire. The day has come that shall burn as an oven. The elements melt with fervent heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein are burned up. Malachi 4:1; 2 Peter 3:10. The earth's surface seems one molten mass--a vast, seething lake of fire. It is the time of the judgment and perdition of ungodly men--"the day of the Lord's vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion." Isaiah 34:8.

    The wicked receive their recompense in the earth. Proverbs 11:31. They "shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts." Malachi 4:1. Some are destroyed as in a moment, while others suffer many days. All are punished "according to their deeds." The sins of the righteous having been transferred to Satan, he is made to suffer not only for his own rebellion, but for all the sins which he has caused God's people to commit. His punishment is to be far greater than that of those whom he has deceived. After all have perished who fell by his deceptions, he is still to live and suffer on. In the cleansing flames the wicked are at last destroyed, root and branch--Satan the root, his followers the branches. The full penalty of the law has been visited; the demands of justice have been met; and heaven and earth, beholding, declare the righteousness of Jehovah.

    Satan's work of ruin is forever ended. For six thousand years he has wrought his will, filling the earth with woe and causing grief throughout the universe. The whole creation has groaned and travailed together in pain. Now God's creatures are forever delivered from his presence and temptations. "The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they [the righteous] break forth into singing." Isaiah 14:7. And a shout of praise and triumph ascends from the whole loyal universe. "The voice of a great multitude," "as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings," is heard, saying: "Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth." Revelation 19:6.

    While the earth was wrapped in the fire of destruction, the righteous abode safely in the Holy City. Upon those that had part in the first resurrection, the second death has no power. While God is to the wicked a consuming fire, He is to His people both a sun and a shield. Revelation 20:6; Psalm 84:11.

    "I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away." Revelation 21:1. The fire that consumes the wicked purifies the earth. Every trace of the curse is swept away. No eternally burning hell will keep before the ransomed the fearful consequences of sin.

    One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. Says the prophet, beholding Christ in His glory: "He had bright beams coming out of His side: and there was the hiding of His power." Habakkuk 3:4, margin. That pierced side whence flowed the crimson stream that reconciled man to God--there is the Saviour's glory, there "the hiding of His power." "Mighty to save," through the sacrifice of redemption, He was therefore strong to execute justice upon them that despised God's mercy. And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honor; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power.

    "O Tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto Thee shall it come, even the first dominion." Micah 4:8. The time has come to which holy men have looked with longing since the flaming sword barred the first pair from Eden, the time for "the redemption of the purchased possession." Ephesians 1:14. The earth originally given to man as his kingdom, betrayed by him into the hands of Satan, and so long held by the mighty foe, has been brought back by the great plan of redemption. All that was lost by sin has been restored. "Thus saith the Lord . . . that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited." Isaiah 45:18. God's original purpose in the creation of the earth is fulfilled as it is made the eternal abode of the redeemed. "The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever." Psalm 37:29.

    A fear of making the future inheritance seem too material has led many to spiritualize away the very truths which lead us to look upon it as our home. Christ assured His disciples that He went to prepare mansions for them in the Father's house. Those who accept the teachings of God's word will not be wholly ignorant concerning the heavenly abode. And yet, "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9. Human language is inadequate to describe the reward of the righteous. It will be known only to those who behold it. No finite mind can comprehend the glory of the Paradise of God.

    In the Bible the inheritance of the saved is called "a country." Hebrews 11:14-16. There the heavenly Shepherd leads His flock to fountains of living waters. The tree of life yields its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the service of the nations. There are ever-flowing streams, clear as crystal, and beside them waving trees cast their shadows upon the paths prepared for the ransomed of the Lord. There the wide-spreading plains swell into hills of beauty, and the mountains of God rear their lofty summits. On those peaceful plains, beside those living streams, God's people, so long pilgrims and wanderers, shall find a home.

    "My people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places." "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise." "They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: . . . Mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Isaiah 32:18; 60:18; 65:21, 22.

    There, "the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree." "The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; . . . and a little child shall lead them." "They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain," saith the Lord. Isaiah 35:1; 55:13; 11:6, 9.

    Pain cannot exist in the atmosphere of heaven. There will be no more tears, no funeral trains, no badges of mourning. "There shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying: . . . for the former things are passed away." "The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." Revelation 21:4; Isaiah 33:24.

    There is the New Jerusalem, the metropolis of the glorified new earth, "a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God." "Her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal." "The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it." Saith the Lord: "I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people." "The tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God." Isaiah 62:3; Revelation 21:11, 24; Isaiah 65:19; Revelation 21:3.

    In the City of God "there shall be no night." None will need or desire repose. There will be no weariness in doing the will of God and offering praise to His name. We shall ever feel the freshness of the morning and shall ever be far from its close. "And they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light." Revelation 22:5. The light of the sun will be superseded by a radiance which is not painfully dazzling, yet which immeasurably surpasses the brightness of our noontide. The glory of God and the Lamb floods the Holy City with unfading light. The redeemed walk in the sunless glory of perpetual day.

    "I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it." Revelation 21:22. The people of God are privileged to hold open communion with the Father and the Son. "Now we see through a glass, darkly." 1 Corinthians 13:12. We behold the image of God reflected, as in a mirror, in the works of nature and in His dealings with men; but then we shall see Him face to face, without a dimming veil between. We shall stand in His presence and behold the glory of His countenance.

    There the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The loves and sympathies which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest and sweetest exercise. The pure communion with holy beings, the harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with the faithful ones of all ages who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, the sacred ties that bind together "the whole family in heaven and earth" (Ephesians 3:15)--these help to constitute the happiness of the redeemed.

    There, immortal minds will contemplate with never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God. Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount, new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the powers of mind and soul and body.

    All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds afar--worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they gaze upon the glory of creation--suns and stars and systems, all in their appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to the greatest, the Creator's name is written, and in all are the riches of His power displayed.

    And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise.

    "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13.

    The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is love.




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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Alden-Thompson

    I stopped regularly-attending church a very-long time ago, mostly because I questioned everything privately, and upset myself and others when I opened my mouth, and asked hard-questions in polite-company. Well, I recently attended an SDA church, and during Sabbath-School Class, I opened my rebellious-mouth, stating that Jesus should've fired Judas, and that not firing him was a bad-example for workplace-ethics. That's the sanitized-version of what happened. It reinforced my decision to not attend any church, and to just post contrarian-threads on a renegade-website. You might've noticed that I frankly don't give a damn whether anyone appreciates my posting or not. There's a certain honesty and integrity when a topic under review is pursued relentlessly, regardless of whether anyone gives a damn about my tripe, or not. Consider the linked 1975 Doctoral Dissertation of Dr. Alden Thompson (a doctoral-graduate of the University of Edinburgh, Scotland) titled 'Responsibility for Evil in the Theodicy of IV Ezra: A Study Illustrating the Significance of Form and Structure for the Meaning of the Book'. https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/30831 I couldn't download the dissertation, so I ordered the one copy available on Amazon. I Got Mine. Good-Luck Getting Yours. Actually, I just successfully downloaded the dissertation!! So now I'll have the download and the hard-copy!! Here's an introduction to IV Ezra and II Baruch (which easily downloads). http://www.augsburgfortress.org/media/downloads/9780800699680Intro.pdf Here's a bit of information about Dr. Alden Thompson. https://www.wallawalla.edu/academics/areas-of-study/theology/faculty/alden-thompson/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alden_Thompson I've conversed with Dr. Thompson, several times in his office. I once told him "I Don't Think Jesus is God." Another time, we discussed the ministry of Dr. Robert H. Schuller. Another time, Dr. Thompson told me "If you tear something down, you'd better have something better to replace it."

    Alden Lloyd Thompson is a Seventh-day Adventist Christian theologian, author and seminar presenter. He is the professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla University in Washington, United States. He graduated from Walla Walla College (now Walla Walla University) in 1965 with a BA.[1] The same year he married Wanda Hoffman. Thompson graduated from Andrews University with an MA in 1966 and a BD in 1967. After serving as a pastor in southeastern California from 1967 to 1970, he became a faculty member of Walla Walla University in 1970. From 1972 to 1974 he attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He was awarded with a doctorate in Old Testament and Judaic Studies in 1974, and his dissertation was published in 1977 by Scholars Press. In 1980 and 1981, he taught at Marienhoehe Seminary in Darmstadt, Germany. From 1986 to 1990 he served as the academic vice president of Walla Walla College, returning to full-time teaching in the School of Theology in 1990.

    Thompson has written much about the inspiration of the Bible and prophets. He published a 4-part series "Adventists and Inspiration" in the Adventist Review, in 1985.[2] Subsequently, church publisher Review and Herald invited him to submit a book manuscript for publication. This became the 1991 book Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answers, which had a large impact in the Adventist church.[3] (Baptist scholar Clark Pinnock reviewed it very favourably.[4]) Two conservative responses to Thompson were published. Firstly was Issues in Revelation and Inspiration, published by the Adventist Theological Society the following year.[5] Secondly was Samuel Koranteng-Pipim, Receiving the Word (1996)[6] which was reviewed by Thompson in turn.[7] Thompson is open to a small use of the historical-critical method of Bible interpretation, although many Adventists reject this method, for example, the 1986 statement Methods of Bible Study, "urge[s] Adventist Bible students to avoid relying on the use of the presuppositions and the resultant deductions associated with the historical-critical method." He is much concerned with church unity, and has described his 2009 book Beyond Common Ground: Why Liberals and Conservatives Need Each Other as "a kind of capstone to my teaching career."[8] He has discussed differing personality types and how they relate to God and the church.[9]

    He supports the process of change, and has argued for significant change in Ellen G. White's views of God (see: inspiration of Ellen White#Change over time. For instance, his best known series is "From Sinai to Golgotha", a five-part sequence published in 1981 in the Adventist Review. It discusses a change from a more fear-based picture of God in the Bible at Mt Sinai, to a more grace-based image of God at the cross. He also claims Ellen White moved from fear to joy.[10] See also his article, "The Scary Lady of Adventism Learns to Have Fun".[11] His book Escape from the Flames: How Ellen White Grew from Fear to Joy - and Helped Me to Do it Too (2005) has a similar theme. Thompson's speaking engagements and writings cover many topics, including the Bible, especially the Old Testament, Ellen White studies, inspiration (see biblical inspiration, revelation), and Adventist history.

    His books include:

    2009. Beyond Common Ground: Why Liberals and Conservatives Need Each Other, Pacific Press; publisher's page[12]
    2005. Escape from the Flames: How Ellen White Grew from Fear to Joy - and Helped Me to Do it Too (Pacific Press). ISBN 0-8163-2085-3
    1995. Samuel: From the Danger of Chaos to the Danger of Power. Boise, ID: Pacific Press (part of The Abundant Life Bible Amplifier series) ISBN 0-8163-1265-6
    1991. Inspiration: Hard Questions, Honest Answers,[13] (Review and Herald), now translated into German[14] and Dutch[15]
    1988. Who's Afraid of the Old Testament God? (Paternoster, 1988; Zondervan, 1989). ISBN 0-310-51921-7; one publisher's page (fifth edition)
    1977 Responsibility for Evil in the Theodicy of IV Ezra (Ph.D. thesis) Dissertation series, Society of Biblical Literature; no. 29)[16]
    Two chapters were withdrawn from Inspiration prior to publication, "Eschatology: The Angels Always Say the Time Is Short" (RTF format), and "The Adventist Church at Corinth" (RTF), which describes three dominant strands of Adventist theology. These were eventually published in Beyond Common Ground.

    References

    ^ Thompson, Alden. "Brief Biographical Sketch for Alden Thompson". Archived from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-02-16.

    ^ Alden Thompson in the Adventist Review. "Adventists and Inspiration", 5 September 1985, p5–7. "Improving the Testimonies through Revisions", 12 September 1985, p13–15. "Questions and Perplexities without End", 19 September 1985, p7–9. "Letting the Bible Speak for Itself", 26 September 1985, p12–15. Full series available (RTF) from Thompson's website. The series was reprinted in Adventtiairut (Finnish) in 1986

    ^ "A Peek Inside"

    ^ Pinnock, Clark (January 1994). "Alden Thompson's Inspiration: Why Is It A Cause Célèbre?" (PDF). Spectrum. Association of Adventist Forums. 23 (4): 51–52. ISSN 0890-0264. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-06-26. Retrieved 2006-11-21.

    ^ Frank Holbrook; Leo Van Dolson, eds. (1992). Issues in Revelation and Inspiration. Berrien Springs, MI: Adventist Theological Society Publications. OCLC 25701461. Possibly see also Timm, Alberto (1999). "A History of Seventh-day Adventist Views on Biblical and Prophetic Inspiration (1844-2000)" (PDF). Journal of the Adventist Theological Society. Adventist Theological Society. 10 (1–2): 486–542. ISSN 1550-7378. Retrieved 2006-10-23.

    ^ Koranteng-Pipim, Receiving the Word. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Berean Books, 1996

    ^ "En Route to a `Plain Reading' of Scripture Archived 2010-06-26 at the Wayback Machine.". Spectrum 26:4 (January 1998), p50–52

    ^ "A Peek Inside" interview

    ^ "Adventist Personality Types" (RTF). Insight, 10 August 1985, p6–11. Also Beyond Common Ground, "The Adventist Church at Corinth", etc.

    ^ Also republished on SDANet AtIssue.

    "From Sinai to Golgotha" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden01.htm (part 1)
    "One law, two mountains" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden02.htm (part 2)
    "The story of a pilgrimage" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden03.htm (part 3)
    "Ellen White's pilgrimage to Golgotha" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden04.htm (part 4)
    "The theology of Ellen White: The great controversy story" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden05.htm (part 5)
    "Even the Investigative Judgment can be Good News" http://www.sdanet.org/atissue/white/alden/alden06.htm (part 6)


    https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/30831

    RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVIL IN THE THEODICY OF IV EZRA:
    A Study Illustrating the Significance of
    Form and Structure for the Meaning of the Book

    by

    ALDEN LLOYD THOMPSON

    A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF DIVINITY
    IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
    FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
    University of Edinburgh
    1974

    The primary purpose of this study is to analyze IV Ezra as theodicy and in particular to establish where the author would place the ultimate responsibility for evil. Judging from the traditions which the author of IV Ezra apparently had available to him, there were four different levels at which he could establish responsibility for evil: first, he could affirm that each man is responsible for his own sin; second, he could place the blame on Adam or Eve; third, he could shift responsibility onto a supernatural evil being, Satan; or fourth, he could implicate God himself by means of the evil yetzer tradition. The development and use of these traditions in the OT and intertestamental Jewish sources has been noted in chapter I where it is shown that all four traditions may be woven together in the same literary work. Yet even when responsibility for evil is shifted onto Adam, Satan or God, the individual is consistently held to be responsible for determining his own destiny, the difference between the sources being only the degree of emphasis with which individual responsibility is maintained.

    The theodicy-related matters of IV Ezra are taken up most specifically in chapters V and VI, but chapters II-IV focus on an aspect of IV Ezra which is an essential first step for the understanding of the content of the book, namely, the author's use of form and structure in developing his argument. The significant elements are the seven-episode structure and the dialogue format. By means of the dialogue between the distraught, complaining seer and the dogmatic, confident angel, the author has developed his theodicy-problem in episodes I-I.il; episode IV is transitional, establishing a tone of guarded optimism which is maintained in episodes V-VII. After the transition is accomplished in episode IV, the dialogue tension ceases as Ezra more-or-less adopts the angel's point of view. The crucial question for the interpretation of the book is: where do the author's true convictions appear—on Ezra's side of the dialogue or on Uriel's? This question in particular, and more generally, the interpretation of the seven-episode structure and the dialogue format have been the primary focus of attention in the survey of the history of research in chapter II.

    Chapter III concentrates on the dialogue format, comparing and contrasting the dialogue elements in IV Ezra with those of its sister apocalypse, II Baruch. This establishes the points of reference for the detailed tracing of the author's argument in chapter IV. Ezra's interests are seen to progress from a predominant concern with Israel the nation, i.e., the. one in the hands of the many (3:1-7:16) to a primary interest in perishing mankind, i.e., the many who will be lost compared with the few who will be saved (7:17-9:25), with a final return to a concern for Israel. The author artfully accomplishes this return from an interest in the many to renewed interest in the one by means of four successive stages: first, he turns from his complaints and from fasting to feasting on flowers; second, he classes himself with sinners for the last time; third, he turns from his interest in the many to a renewed concern for the one, and fourth, he ceases his sorrow—thereafter, if not altogether buoyant in his hopes for the future, at least he is properly fearful in the presence of the divine. All of these transitional aspects are woven into the narrative of episode IV.

    After the detailed treatment of the elements of form and structure in chapters II-IV, chapters V and VI return to the specific treatment of theodicy in IV Ezra. Chapter V seeks to define the author's theodicy-problem. The author is seen to be struggling with two issues. On the one hand are the narrower sectarian issues connected with the present physical distress of Israel the nation, and on the other hand, there are the universalistic concerns linked with the problem of moral evil and the impending judgment man must face. Though Ezra's initial concern is for Israel, this would appear to be primarily the catalyst for the author's real concern, namely, the problem of moral evil and man's inability to live a righteous life. Not only is this suggested by Ezra's unanswered challenge in 9:14-16, but also by the way his concern about moral evil has managed to permeate even those contexts where the primary interest is Israel.

    Finally, the author's attempt at a theodicy is analyzed in chapter VI. On both sides of the dialogue, the author has simultaneously placed the responsibility for evil on the individual, on Adam, and on God, thus making use of three of the four traditions available to him (surveyed in chapter I). He makes no use of a Satanic figure and by pushing the responsibility for evil back to God himself by means of the evil yetzer tradition, he shows his inclination for a solution to the problem of evil that is compatible with monotheism. Yet the author has failed to develop a coherent theodicy on the rational level, neglecting even to make use of those elements of the evil yetzer tradition which would seem to be best suited for constructing a theodicy. But in spite of the lack of a rational solution to his theodicy problem, the author indicates by the way that he has organized his book that he was able to attain an experiential solution. He thereby demonstrates his links with the theodicy traditions of the OT and the ANE where the realm of experience provided the answers that reason could not.

    In addition to illustrating the importance of form and structure for the analysi of the elements of theodicy in IV Ezra, the present study has adduced a certain amount of evidence in favor of recognizing the Ezra speeches as an integral part of the author's own viewpoint, rather than as an heretical position against which he is polemicizing as argued by Brandenburger and Harnisch. Not only is this suggested by the author's choice of pseudonym and the heart-rending pathos of the Ezra speeches but it is confirmed by the way in which the author has manipulated the various formal elements to preserve the "reputation" of his seer while at the same time giving credibility to his complaints. Accordingly, it is possible to typify the author as a truly sensitive person who was attempting a corrective to Jewish theology from within, rather than as a vigorous polemicist who was repulsing an attack on the fundamental principles of his faith. Thus the study of the form and structure of IV Ezra can be seen not only as essential for the proper understanding of the content of the book, but also for the proper appreciation of the author himself and his relationship to his Jewish faith.

    Although the writing of this thesis has entailed a disproportionate concern with the problem of evil, the splendid assistance which I have received from many quarters during the course of my study amply attests to the fact that there is more than just a vestige of good left in the world. From the standpoint of the research itself, I am most grateful to the Faculty of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh for the facilities they have provided and for their guidance in connection with the many facets of a research program. In particular, Dr. Peter Haynian of the Old Testament Department has given unstintingly of his time and has made numerous fruitful suggestions which have contributed in no small measure to the development of this study. David Mealand of the New Testament Department has also given generously of his time even though the exigencies of time and space made it necessary to virtually eliminate the New Testament aspects from direct consideration in the thesis itself. The staff of the New College Library have also been most helpful in locating necessary research materials. In this respect, a special word of appreciation is due to Mr. Iain Hope for his assistance in obtaining books and articles from other libraries.

    More indirectly, but no less significantly, my wife Wanda, and our two girls, Karin and Krista, have contributed substantially to the cause of scholarly research. Not only have they cheerfully accepted the considerable limitations to normal family life that have been necessary in order to see this project to completion, but they have also helped to provide a pleasant environment that has proved to be a most effective antidote for the pessimism engendered by the author of IV Ezra. A special word of gratitude belongs to the Board of Trustees and the Administration of Walla Walla College for providing financial support and a leave of absence for the duration of my studies at the University of Edinburgh. And when it became evident that an additional term would be necessary if the job were to be done properly, my long-suffering colleagues in the School of Theology were willing to accept additional teaching responsibilities so that we could remain in Scotland until my work was completed. We are deeply grateful for their sacrifice on our behalf. In addition to the many contributions that others have made to the content of the thesis, I have received much invaluable help in connection with its mechanical aspects. Mrs. Audrey Ogilvie-Eerald has contributed substantially to the preparation of the final typescript, and several have assisted in ferreting out mechanical irregularities at various stages of preparation. But regardless of the much appreciated assistance along the way, I assume full responsibility for whatever errors there may be in the finished product.

    Edinburgh November, 1974

    TABLE OF CONTENTS
    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii
    KEY TO TRANSLATIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS v
    INTRODUCTION 1
    1. THE ORIGIN AND DISPERSION OF EVIL, AND THE ATTEMPTS TO FIX RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT: A SURVEY OF THE SOURCES OF JUDAISM TO CA. A. D. 100 3
    A. Physical Evil 4
    1. Universality of Physical Evil 4
    2. Relationship of Physical Evil to a "Fall" 7
    a. Death: a Result of Sin, or a Natural Expectation? 8
    b. Physical Evil in General 11
    i. Effects on Man 16
    ii. Effects on the Lower Creatures 17
    iii. Effects on Nature and the Cosmos 17
    B. Moral Evil 18
    1. Universality of Moral Evil: the Old Testament View 18
    a. Evil Is Widespread, but Not Inevitable 19
    b. Evil Is Universal, but Not Inherent 20
    c. Evil Is Congenital, but Not Linked to a Primal Sin 21
    2. Moral Evil: the Search for an Answer 22
    C. Attempts to Fix Responsibility for Evil 26
    1. Individual Responsibility 26
    a. Old Testament 26
    b. Palestinian Jewish Sources 32
    i. Ecclesiasticus 32
    ii. Tobit 33
    iii. I Enoch 33
    iv. Dead Sea Scrolls 34
    v. Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 35
    vi. The Books of Adam and Eve 35
    vii. (IV Ezra), (II Baruch), Rabbinic Sources 36
    c. Hellenistic Jewish Sources 37
    i. Wisdom of Solomon 37
    ii. Philo 37
    iii. II Enoch 38
    2. Responsibility Placed on Adam (or Eve) 40
    a. Old Testament: Genesis 3 40
    b. Early Palestinian Jewish Sources 41
    i. Ecclesiasticus 41
    ii. I Enoch 43
    iii. Jubilees 43
    iv. Dead Sea Scrolls 44
    v. Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 44
    c. Hellenistic Jewish Sources 45
    i. Wisdom of Solomon 45
    ii. Philo 46
    iii. II Enoch 47
    d. Late Palestinian Jewish Sources 48
    i. The Books of Adam and Eve 48
    ii. Pseudo-Philo, Testament of Abraham, Apocalypse of Abraham 49
    iii. (IV Ezra), (II Baruch) 50
    iv. Rabbinic Sources 50
    3. Responsibility Placed on a Supernatural Evil Personality (Satan) 52
    a. Old Testament 52
    i. The Demonic in the Old Testament 52
    ii. Satan in the Old Testament 54
    b. Palestinian Jewish Sources 55
    i. Ecclesiasticus 55
    ii. Jubilees 56
    iii. I Enoch 58
    iv. Dead Sea Scrolls 60
    v. Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 63
    vi. Martyrdom of Isaiah, Assumption of Moses, Apocalypse of Abraham, Testament of Abraham, Books of Adam and Eve 65
    c. Hellenistic Jewish Sources 66
    i. Wisdom of Solomon (and Philo) 66
    ii. Sibylline Oracles 67
    iii. II Enoch 67
    iv. Testament of Job 68
    d. The Absence of Satan in Later Palestinian Jewish Sources; IV Ezra, II Baruch, Pseudo-Philo 69
    4. Responsibility Placed on God; the Evil Yetzer 70 a. The Rabbinic Teaching 70
    b. Palestinian Jewish Sources 74
    i. Ecclesiasticus 74
    ii. Dead Sea Scrolls 79
    iii. Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs 86
    iv. (IV Ezra), Apocalypse of Moses, Targum Pseudo-Jonathan 89
    c. Hellenistic Jewish Sources 91
    i. Fhilo 91
    ii. II Enoch 91
    D. Summary, and Introduction to the Problem in IV Ezra 92
    II. INTRODUCTORY MATTERS AND A SURVEY OF THE HISTORY OF RESEARCH 96
    A. Preliminary Aspects 96
    1. Name of the Apocalypse 96
    2. Manuscripts and Versions 97
    3. Original Language 100
    B. Historical Survey of IV Ezra Research 102
    1. Survey of the Significant Contributions to the Study of IV Ezra with Particular Attention to the Study of Form and Structure as Related to the Purpose of the Book 104
    a. Volkmar (1863) 104
    b. Rosenthal (1885) 105
    c. Kabisch (1889) 107
    d. Gunkel (1900) 109
    e. Schiefer (1901) 110
    f. Vaganay (1906) 110
    g. Box (1912) 112
    h. Haulers (1922) 114
    i. Violet II (1924) 116
    j. Mundle (1929) 117
    k. Montefiore (1929) 118
    I. Oesterley (1933) 119
    m. Volz (1934) 121
    n. Gry (1938) 122
    o. Klausner (1956) 123
    (Chapter II Outline (continued) )
    p. Harnisch (1969) 124
    q. Stone (1971) 127
    r. Breech (1973) 127
    s. Hayman (1974) 130
    t. Myers (1974) 131
    u. Summary: the Roots of the Present Study 133
    i. Seven-episode Structure 133
    ii. Dialogue Format 133
    iii. Purpose of the Book 134
    2. History of Research: Introductory Matters 134
    a. Unity, Authorship, Relationship with Rabbinic Schools 134
    b. Time and Place of Composition 136
    III. FORM AND STRUCTURE AS A KEY TO INTERPRETATION: A COMPARISON OF IV EZRA AND II BARUCH 138
    A. The Seven-episode Scheme in IV Ezra and II Baruch 139
    B. The Dialogue Format 144
    1. Character and Function of the Seer 145
    a. Element of Complaint in the Prayers for Enlightenment 145
    b. Personal Pessimism of the Seer 149
    c. Attitude towards the Wicked 160
    2. Character and Function of the Divine Respondent 163
    a. Unattractive Elements in the Speeches of the Divine Respondent 164
    b. Use of the Angel as Mediator 169
    c. Adequacy of the Divine Response 172
    IV. FROM LAMENT OVER ISRAEL, TO LAMENT OVER ALL MANKIND, TO CONSOLATION FOR ISRAEL: THE FORM AND STRUCTURE OF IV EZRA AS THE KEY TO THE AUTHOR'S ARGUMENT 181
    A. The Development and Use of the One/Many and the Many/Few Arguments in Episode I 184
    1. The Constituent Elements 184
    a. Elements Used to Support the One/Many Argument 184
    b. Ambiguous Elements: May Support Either Argument 185
    c. Elements Used to Support the Many/Few Argument 186
    2. The Author's Argument 187
    a. The Function of Chapter 3 in the Author's Plan 187
    b. Analysis of Specific Elements of the One/Many and the Many/Few Arguments 192
    c. Uriel as the Spokesman for the Many 196
    d. Function of 3:35-36 as the Transitional Element between Chapters 3 and 4 204
    i. Relationship of Chapter 3 to 4:4 205
    ii. Usage of "World" and "Earth" in 3:34-35 205
    iii. The Sense of Comparison in 3:36b 209
    iv. Singular or Plural for "nation" in 3:36? 214
    3. Summary: Use of the One/Many and the Many/Few Arguments in Episode I 215
    B. Tie Development and Use of the One/Many and the Many/Few Arguments in Episode II 217
    1. The Constituent Elements 218
    a. Summary of Passages in Episode II Which Recapitulate or Reapply Terminology and Arguments from Episode I 218
    b. Summary of Points of Transition between Concern for Israel (One/Many) and Concern for All Mankind (Many/Few) in Episode II 221
    (Chapter IV Outline-Page 2)
    2. The Author's Argument 221
    a. Analysis of the One/Many-and the Many/Few Elements in Episode II 221
    i. The One/Many Argument in Episode II 222
    ii. The Many/Few Argument in Episode II 224
    b. The Hint of Optimism from Ezra in Episode II 226
    c. Possible Polemic in 6:6 227
    3. Summary: The Development of the Argument in Episode II 229
    C. The Development and Use of the One/Many and the Many/Few Arguments in Episode III 230
    1. Outline of Episode III 231
    2. Traces of the One/Many Argument in Episode III 233
    a. Passages Which Imply an Interest in Israel (One/Many) and in Episode III 233
    b. Analysis of Passages in Episode III Which Imply an Interest in Israel (One/Many) 234
    c. Summary: the Use of the One/Many Elements in Episode III 241
    3. Development of the Many/Few Argument in Episode III 243
    a. 6:35-7:18 Introduction to the Many/Few Argument 244
    b. 7:19-44 Uriel's Defense of God 244
    c. 7:45-48 An Ezra Lament over the Many Who Perish 245
    d. 7:49-61 Uriel's Defense of the Destruction of the Many 246
    e. 7:62-74 Ezra/Uriel Dialogue over the Relative Merits of the Mind 247
    f. 7:75-131 Ezra/Uriel Dialogue about the Coming Day of Judgment 248
    g. 7:132-140 Ezra's Midrash on Ex. 34:6-7 250
    h. 8:1-45 Rebuffs by Uriel and Appeals by Ezra 251
    i. 8:46-9:25 Uriel-dominated Dialogue in Defense of the Destruction of the Wicked 255
    (Chapter IV Outline - Page 3)
    4. Particular Problems in Episode III Arising from the Question: Who Are the "Many" and the "Few"? 259
    a. The Views of Ezra and Uriel on the "Few" 260
    i. Is Salvation Personal or National 260
    ii. Is the Age to Come for Israel the Nation, or for a Remnant of Individuals from within Israel? 262
    b. The Differing Definitions of Ezra and Uriel for the "Ungodly" (Many) and the "Righteous" (Few) 263
    c. Acceptance of Ezra's Definition of the Many as Determinative for the Author 267
    5. The Seer Undeterred: The Significance of Uriel's Failure to Satisfy Ezra 269
    D. Episode IV: Transition from Concern for the Many to Consolation for the One 271
    1. Significant Aspects of Ezra's Introductory Prayer 272
    a. Election Theme 272
    b. Attitude towards the Perishing 272
    c. Attitude towards the Law 273
    2. The Transitional Elements in Episode IV 274
    3. Episode IV as Diagrammatic of the Author's Own Experience 276
    4. The Author's Use of "Zion, Mother of Us All" (10:7) 278
    a. Mother Earth and Related Imagery in IV Ezra 279
    b. The Problem of the Text in 10:7-9 281
    c. The Function of 10:7-9 as a Transitional Element 286
    5. Climax: Final Return from the Concern over the Many to the Consolation of the One 287
    6. Summary: the Transitional Aspects in Episode IV 291
    a. The Literary and Stylistic Features Used to Effect the Transition in Episode IV 291
    b. The Major Consequences of the Transitional Episode for the Author's Argument 294
    (Chapter IV Outline - Page 4)
    E. Development of the Author's Scheme in the Post-transitional Episodes (V-VII) 295
    1. Episode V 296
    2. Episode VI 297
    3. Episode VII 299
    4. Summary: the Development of the Post-transitional Elements in Episodes V-VII 301
    a. Post-transition Emphasis on the One 302
    b. Transition from Pessimism to Guarded Optimism 302
    c. Transition in Eschatology? The Eschatology of V-VII as Compared with the Eschatology of I-IV 303
    V. THE THEODICY-PROBLEM IN IV EZRA 305
    A. The Nature of Ezra's (i.e., the Author's) Problem 306
    1. God's Blessings: Past, Present, and Future 306
    2. The Author's Problems: Present Distress or Future Judgment? 309
    3. The Author's Predominant Concern: Israel or All Mankind? 319
    4. The Author's Problem: Physical Evil or Moral Evil? 323
    a. Evidence of Concern about Moral Evil in the Israeldominated Episodes (I, II, IV-VII) 325
    b. Evidence for Concern about Physical Evil in the Universalistic Episode III 329
    c. Conclusion: Dominant Concern for Moral Evil 332
    5. Is Evil Increasing? 332 a. Increase in Physical Evil 334
    b. Increase in Moral Evil 337
    i. The Interpretation of 3:12 in Its Larger Context of the Whole Chapter 337
    (Chapter V Outline - Page 2)
    ii. The Problem in 4:26-32 340
    (a) Comparison of the Good and Bad Seed 341
    (b) The Dominance of the End-time in 4:26-32 343
    iii. The Problem in 7:48, 64, 71: 14:16-18 , 344
    c. Summary: Is Evil Increasing on the Earth? 346
    B. Summary: the Definition of the Theodicy-problem in IV Ezra 348
    VI. THEODICY IN IV EZRA: RATIONAL, OR EXPERIENTIAL SOLUTION? 352
    A. Theodicy in IV Ezra: the Rational Solution 353
    1. Personal Responsibility for Sin (Evil) 353
    a. Freedom vs. Determinism 354
    b. Ezra's View of Man's Situation: All Have Sinned, but Not All Will Perish 356
    i. The Universality of Sin 356
    ii. Many, but Not All Will Perish 357
    (a) The Key Passages 359
    (1) 7:47-48 359
    (2) 7:132-140 361
    (3) 10:10: 365
    (b) Remnant (by Merit): the Verdict of the Versions 366
    (1) Analysis of the Key Passages in the Versions 369
    (2) Remnant (by Merit): Summary by Passage 372
    (3) Summary of the Tendency of Each Version 372
    c. The Basis for Man's Condemnation or Salvation 376
    i. The Basis for Man's Condemnation 376
    ii. The Basis for Man's Salvation 378
    (a) The Human Dimension of Salvation: Obedience vs • Faith and Belief 378
    (b) The Godward Dimension of Salvation: Mercy vs. Justice and Righteousness 387
    d. Individual Responsibility in IV Ezra: Summary and Comparison with II Baruch 392
    2. Responsibility for Evil Placed on Adam 395
    a. Adam's Sin and Physical Evil 396
    b. Adam's Sin and Moral Evil 397
    c. Summary and Comparison with II Baruch 402
    3. The Neglected Solution: the Responsibility Placed on Satan 405
    4. The Evil Yetzer Tradition: the Responsibility Placed on God 408
    a. The Evil Yetzer Terminology in IV Ezra 408
    i. The General Scope of the Tradition 408
    ii. Evil Heart: Equivalent for Evil Yetzer or the Result of the Evil Yetzer? 411
    b. The Elements of the Rabbinic Teaching in IV Ezra 415
    i. Basic Characteristics 416
    ii. Obtaining Victory over the Yetzer 417
    c. Evaluation of the Evil Yetzer Tradition in IV Ezra As an Element in Theodicy 419
    5. Summary: Theodicy in IV Ezra As a Rational Solution 420
    B. Theodicy in IV Ezra: the Experiential Solution 421
    CONCLUSION 425
    BIBLIOGRAPHY 429

    INTRODUCTION

    When God's care for his people falls short of expectations, a crisis of confidence ensue3, and all the more so when this shortfall is compounded into outright disaster. The author of IV Ezra confronted just such a disaster and his agony erupted into the searching dialogue which still stands as a significant attempt to bridge the evident gulf between God's promises and the actual facts of Jewish history. In the study that follows, an attempt has been made to delineate the author's struggles with the problem of evil. Preliminary to the study of IV Ezra itself, the various "solutions" to the problem of evil which had appeared in antecedent Jewish sources have been surveyed. This survey is contained in chapter I and the use of these "solutions" in IV Ezra is explored in chapter VI.^ But of primary importance for the proper understanding of the meaning of IV Ezra is the form and structure of the book, and in particular, the seven-episode scheme and the dialogue format. The significance of these aspects is highlighted especially in chapters II-IV. Chapter II focuses on the history of research as it relates to the significance of the form and structure in IV Ezra, and it describes the current status of IV Ezra research in this respect. Chapter III seeks to demonstrate the significance of the dialogue format, and as a means to that end, compares and contrasts the dialogue elements in IV Ezra and II Baruch. Chapter IV further illustrates the significance of form and structure as it traces in detail the development of the author's argument. Of special interest in chapter IV is the transition from pessimism to guarded optimism which takes place in episode IV. Chapter V builds on the discussion in the preceding chapters of the form and structure of IV Ezra in an attempt to define more precisely the author's theodicy problem. Finally, in chapter VI, the extent and content of the author's theodicy is discussed and evaluated in terms of the various solutions which were available to him, i.e., those which are outlined in chapter I. It is hoped that this study will contribute not only to the understanding of IV Ezra as an attempted theodicy, but also to a greater appreciation of the significance of the form and structure of IV Ezra for the meaning of the book.

    CONCLUSION

    In the attempt to determine where the author of the Ezra Apocalypse would place the ultimate responsibility for evil, the present study has sought to demonstrate the importance of form and structure for the understanding of the book. This involves an analysis of the seven-episode scheme and the dialogue format. First, with regard to the seven-episode scheme, the author has carefully developed a 3 + 1 + 3 outline, using the first three episodes to develop the various aspects of his theodicy-problem, the fourth one as a means of transition from complaint to consolation, and the last three to re-establish confidence in the God that he had so severely questioned initially. Second, the author has relied on the dialogue format to develop the points of tension with which he is struggling. On the one hand, there is the complaining and pessimistic seer who openly questions God's justice while demonstrating a genuine sympathy with perishing sinners. On the other hand, there is the dogmatic and deterministic angel Uriel, who vigorously defends God's actions, but who cheerfully dismisses the many perishing sinners as not worthy of concern. It would appear that the author has used the angelic figure both as a spokesman for a point of view which he considers to be unrealistic and as a mediating figure to absorb some of the sharpness of Ezra's complaints against God*

    There are two major facets to the author's argument. His first concern would appear to be the present distress of Israel the nation (the one in the hands of the many), but on closer analysis, this should probably be considered primarily as the catalyst which activates the author's real concern, namely, the problem of moral evil and the impending doom facing all mankind (the many who will be lost compared with the few who will be saved). Although the author has appropriately indicated his concern for Israel at the beginning and at the end of each episode, the way in which his interest in moral evil permeates even those contexts dealing with the nation Israel suggests that this is his primary theodicy-problem. In addition, Ezra's complaint about the many who perish in 9:14-16 stands as an unanswered challenge and gives the impression that this is a question for which the author has no answer. Even though the final episodes are more optimistic in tone and speak of a just judge (14:32) and mercy after death (14:34), the vivid impression left by the author's complaints in episodes I-III casts a long shadow over the whole book.

    The final chapter of the present study has delineated the author's attempts to find a solution to his theodicy-problem. He was evidently not satisfied with any of the solutions then current in Judaism which sought to give a rational explanation for evil so that God could be seen to be justified. Although the author affirms, both through Ezra and Uriel, that man is responsible for determining his own destiny, Ezra is seen to hold that position with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, thereby suggesting that as far as the author was concerned, simply to assert individual responsibility was an inadequate explanation of the human dilemma. Thus he adopted the theory of the Adamic fall and made use of the evil yetzer tradition, though he evidently rejected all dualistic systems, refusing even to include the figure of Satan as a part of his theodicy. In the end, he was forced to conclude that it was God himself who was responsible for the existence of the evil heart in man. Yet the author does not take full advantage of those aspects of the evil yetzer tradition which are most suitable for the purpose of constructing a theodicy, for he does not introduce the concept of a good yetzer as a means of counteracting the evil yetzer, nor does he envisage the law as an effective antidote; and perhaps most significantly, he makes use only of the negative aspects of the evil yetzer tradition, apparently refusing to define the yetzer as a more-or-less neutral force which could be seen as having a potential either for good or for evil. Yet in spite of the fact that the author does not arrive at a coherent rational solution to his theodicy-problem, he nevertheless is finally able to claim that God is a righteous judge (14:32). Thus it would appear that the author of IV Ezra found an experiential solution in lieu of rational answers, and in so doing, demonstrates that he belongs within a well-attested OT and Near Eastern tradition.

    In addition to illustrating the importance of form and structure for the analysis of the elements of theodicy in IV Ezra, the present study has adduced a certain amount of evidence in favor of recognizing the Ezra speeches as an integral part of the author's own viewpoint, rather than as an heretical position against which he is polemicizing as argued by Brandenburger and Hamisch. Not only is this suggested by the author's choice of pseudonym and the heart-rending pathos of the Ezra speeches, but it is confirmed by the way in which the author has manipulated the various formal elements to preserve the "reputation" of his seer while at the same time giving credibility to his complaints. Accordingly, it is possible to typify the author as a truly sensitive person who was attempting a corrective to Jewish theology from within, rather than as a vigorous polemicist who was repulsing an attack on the fundamental principles of his faith. Thus the study of the form and structure of IV Ezra can be seen not only as essential for the proper understanding of the content of the book, but also for the proper appreciation of the author himself and his relationship to his Jewish faith.

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    "I Think He Likes You, Doctor!!"

    If there really is a God of the Whole-Universe, then why was Adam seemingly placed in charge of Earth (as a New-Human with ZERO Administrative-Experience)?? When the Dominion of Earth was usurped from Adam by Satan -- why did the God of the Universe allow this reprehensible state of affairs to stand?? When Jesus Christ Lived and Died on Earth 2,000 Years Ago, Did He Gain Dominion of Earth?? If so, has Jesus Christ ruled Earth for the past 2,000 years?? Why hasn't the God of the Universe been firmly in charge of Earth at all-times?? What if the God of the Universe has allowed This Present Mess to stand because the Whole-Operation (right from the beginning) is considered to be Rebellious and Illegal?? What if both the Rulers and the Ruled of Planet-Earth are being taught a VERY Severe Lesson?? What if the Standard-Story is a Cover-Story?? Consider Daniel 8:14 in conjunction with 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. Is the "Orion-Group" a "Renegade-Group"?? But what if (in some sense) This Present Madness is somehow necessary and justifiable (from the perspectives of All Major Factions)??

    Everyone has a Story, Rationalization, Excuse, etc. When I speak of a hypothetical Investigative and Executive Judgment -- I'm hinting at a Judgment Which Might Involve the Whole-Universe. This is Mind-Numbing Stuff. What if the God of the Universe -- and the Universal Royal-Family were somehow taken-hostage in antiquity?? What Would Omnipotent-Highness and Original-Hostage KRLLL Say?? http://krlll.com/ Do We REALLY Wish to Know?? http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vida_alien/alien_krllpapers.htm BTW -- when I first met the "Ancient Egyptian Deity" they said "Finally" or "At Last". Remember what the Valeyard said to Dr. Who when he was "pulled out of time"?? He said, "At last, Doctor!!" Sort of creepy, isn't it?? I could go on and on -- but I'm sick and tired of this exercise in futility. When will you all quit slithering around behind my back (like snakes in the grass) and tell me What the Hell is REALLY Going On??!! Try treating the book I'm posting as Historical Science-Fiction (using your imagination). It seems to require that sort of context to begin making sense (to skeptical-inquirers).

    What if one made a career out of analyzing each and every photograph and video allegedly made in space?? Is the Solar System what we think it is?? How much do we really know about the sun, the planets, the moons, the asteroids, and the space separating all of the above?? What do we really know about the origin and history of the Solar System?? Thinking one knows, and actually knowing, are two very-different things. Are the Internet and Info-War destroying secrecy and compartmentalization?? If so, is this a good-thing or a bad-thing?? What if Faction-A is being exposed and deposed by Faction-B?? But what if Faction-B will ultimately be worse than Faction-A?? What if Faction-C will clean-up the mess when Factions A and B have destroyed each-other?? How many levels of deception are there?? Is deception a necessary-evil in a reprehensible-context?? A conservative-branch of the SDA church teaches character-perfection relative to eschatological-salvation, which I find somewhat reasonable and attractive (with my own interpretation and application) but the characters in the Bible and the SDA Church never really seem to be perfect (or even close to getting it right). It seems as if Human-Idealism is constantly being attacked and destroyed by Brutal Gangs of Facts. WTF??

    I'd love to view the Cliff Notes version of what the Agencies know about All of the Above (and my pathetic-life), but they don't do things that way!! I think 'RA' could've revealed all of this to me, but most of my questions were answered with "You Know I Can't Tell You That." I asked 'RA' "What terrible thing did humanity do in antiquity which might explain their present predicament??" Again, 'RA' responded "You Know I Can't Tell You That." I honestly think that the Agencies have a complete record of my interaction with 'RA'. Audio, Video, and Transcript. What if 'RA' was an Ancient-Soul Incarnating a Supercomputer-Based Bio-Robot?? I spoke with 'RA' about the possibility that the Queen of Heaven has an IQ of at-least 500, but 'RA' was non-responsive. But what if the Queen of Heaven is a Supercomputer-Connected Artificial-Intelligence Borg-Queen?? I honestly mean zero-disrespect. I'm simply attempting to understand the Bible, History, Aliens, Gods, and Goddess in This Particular Solar-System (for at-least the past 15,000 years). We might NOT be able to handle the truth. I can't even handle the lies.








    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:21 am; edited 3 times in total
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sat Mar 16, 2019 3:56 am

    I might (or might not) eventually write a book to pay the bills, but I'm referring everyone to everything I've posted on 'Project Avalon' and 'The Mists of Avalon'. I have less and less to offer online and in real-life. I'm fading fast. I'm NOT kidding when I claim I'm somehow being cracked-down upon, and that I'm feeling worse and worse, even though the doctors tell me I'm fine. A few years ago, an Individual of Interest seemed to know the details of a trip to the hospital (without being told by me), but I don't want to talk about it. I noticed a teenager intently watching me in the cafeteria (but it might've just been my paranoid-imagination)!! There seems to be an Intelligence-Network which involves Everyone and His or Her Dog!! They seem to know more about us than we know about ourselves!! WTF??

    It might get interesting if this network ever turns against itself, with Spy v Spy!! Or has it been like this for a very-long time?? I've been aware of dozens of conversations about myself, involving information No-One should know about!! It's almost as if I were providentially provided with this knowledge, but I don't want to talk about it. Will Everyone eventually turn-against Everyone as the Info-War gets hotter and hotter?? What if that A.D. 2046 Extreme Global-Warming thing turns-out to be somewhat true?? What Would Douglas Vogt Say?? Do those who believe in Apocalyptic-Salvation wish for things to "Go to Hell", so they can be "Saved"?? Do the "Saved" feel superior to the "Lost"?? Consider a side-by-side study of Genesis, Deuteronomy, Luke, and Acts. Does anyone know why I'm suggesting these four books?? Don't answer all at once!!

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    The Perils of Empathy

    In politics and policy, trying to feel the pain of others is a bad idea.
    Empathy distorts our reasoning and makes us biased, tribal and often cruel

    By
    Paul Bloom

    Dec. 2, 2016 9:38 a.m. ET
    http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-perils-of-empathy-1480689513

    Everywhere you turn in American politics, leaders talk about the need for empathy. The best-known instance, of course, comes from Bill Clinton, who told an AIDS activist in 1992, “I feel your pain.” But it’s also been a recurrent theme in the career of Barack Obama, who declared in 2007 (while still a senator) that “the biggest deficit that we have in our society and in the world right now is an empathy deficit.”

    And it isn’t just a liberal reflex. A few months ago, George W. Bush spoke at a memorial service in Dallas for five slain police officers and said, “At our best, we practice empathy, imagining ourselves in the lives and circumstances of others.” As a candidate, even Donald Trump asked Americans to identify with the suffering of others, from displaced Rust Belt factory workers to the victims of crime by undocumented immigrants.

    Though there are obvious ideological differences over who deserves our empathy, it is one of the rare political sentiments that still command a wide consensus. And that’s a shame, because when it comes to guiding our decisions, empathy is a moral train wreck. It makes the world worse. When we have the good sense to set it aside, we are better people and make better policy.

    What do we mean by empathy? Some use the word to describe what psychologists call cognitive empathy—that is, the capacity to understand what’s going on in the minds of other people, without necessarily sharing their feelings. Empathy in this sense is essential; you can’t act effectively in the world if you don’t have some sense of what other people want. But it isn’t inherently a positive force. High cognitive empathy is also necessary for a successful con man, seducer or torturer.

    When most of us talk about empathy, we mean what psychologists call emotional empathy. This goes beyond mere understanding. To feel empathy for someone in this sense means that you share their experiences and suffering—you feel what they are feeling.

    This is an important part of life. Such empathy amplifies the pleasures of sports and sex, and it underlies much of the appetite we have for novels, movies and television. Most of all, people want to share the feelings of their friends and romantic partners; it’s a basic part of intimacy.

    But emotional empathy is a different matter when it comes to guiding our moral judgments and political decisions. Recent research in neuroscience and psychology (to say nothing of what we can see in our everyday lives) shows that empathy makes us biased, tribal and often cruel.

    Much of the science of empathy involves scanning subjects’ brains while subjecting them to certain experiences (usually mildly painful ones such as an electric shock, a pinprick to the finger or a blast of noise through headphones). These scans are then compared with how their brains respond when watching others being shocked, pricked or blasted.
     
    To some extent, we literally do feel the pain of others.  
    .
    No matter how you test it, there is neural overlap: Your brain’s response to your own pain—in areas such as the anterior insula and the cingulate cortex—is similar to how it responds when you empathize with someone else’s pain. Bill Clinton’s response was more than a metaphor—to some extent, we literally do feel the pain of others.

    Such studies also find, however, that empathy is biased. Some of these biases are superficial, based on considerations like ethnicity and affiliation. One study, published in 2010 in the journal Neuron, tested European male soccer fans. A subject would receive a shock on the back of his hand and then watch another man receive the same shock. When the other man was described as a fan of the same team as the subject, the empathic neural response—the overlap in self-other pain—was strong. But when the man was described as a fan of an opposing team, it wasn’t.

    Other biases run deeper. You feel more empathy for someone who treated you fairly in the past than for someone who cheated you, and more empathy for someone you have cooperated with than for a competitor.

    And empathy shuts down if you believe someone is responsible for their own suffering. A study published in 2010 in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience showed people videos of individuals said to be suffering from AIDS. When they were described as being infected through intravenous drug use, subjects felt less empathy than if they were described as being infected by a blood transfusion.

    Our empathic responses are not just biased; they prompt us to ignore obvious practical calculations. In studies reported in 2005 in the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, researchers asked people how much money they would donate to help develop a drug that would save the life of one child, and asked other people how much they would give to develop a drug to save eight children. The research participants were oblivious to the numbers—they gave roughly the same in both cases. And when empathy for the single child was triggered by showing a photograph of the child and telling the subjects her name, there were greater donations to the one than to the eight.

    Empathy is activated when you think about a specific individual—the so-called “identifiable victim” effect—but it fails to take broader considerations into account. This is nicely illustrated by a classic experiment from 1995, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Subjects were told about a 10-year-old girl named Sheri Summers who had a fatal disease and was low on a wait list for treatment that would relieve her pain. When subjects were given the opportunity to give her immediate treatment—putting her ahead of children who had more severe illnesses or who had been waiting longer—they usually said no. But when they were first asked to imagine what she felt, to put themselves in her shoes, they usually said yes.
     .
    We see this sort of perverse moral mathematics in the real world. It’s why people’s desire to help abused dogs or oil-drenched penguins can often exceed their interest in alleviating the suffering of millions of people in other countries or minorities in their own country. It’s why governments and individuals sometimes care more about a little girl stuck in a well (to recall the famous 1987 case of Baby Jessica in Midland, Texas) than about crises that affect many more people.

    It’s also why we get so concerned when it comes to the immediate victims of policies—someone who is assaulted by a prisoner who was released on furlough, a child who gets sick due to a faulty vaccine, someone whose business goes under because of taxes and regulation—but we are relatively unmoved when it comes to the suffering that such policies might avert. A furlough program might lead to an overall drop in crime, for instance, but you can’t feel empathy when thinking about a statistical shift in the number of people who are not assaulted.

    In moral and political debates, our positions often reflect our choice of whom to empathize with. We might feel empathy with minorities abused and killed by law enforcement—or with the police themselves, whose lives are often in peril. With minority students who can’t get into college—or with white students turned away even though they have better grades. Do you empathize with the mother of a toddler who shoots himself with a handgun? Or with a woman who is raped because she is forbidden to buy a gun to defend herself? With the Syrian refugee who just wants to start a new life, or the American who loses his job to an immigrant?

    Such empathic concerns can lead to hostility. Consider that the most empathic moments in the 2016 election season came from the president-elect, in his attacks on undocumented immigrants. Donald Trump wasn’t stirring empathy for the immigrants, of course, but for those he described as their victims, those putatively raped and assaulted and murdered.

    We can see the connection between empathy and aggression in the laboratory. In one clever study from 2014, published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, subjects were told about a financially needy student who was entering a mathematics competition for a cash prize. When motivated to feel empathy for the student, subjects were similarly motivated to torment the student’s competitor—by assigning large doses of hot sauce for her to consume—even though she plainly had done nothing wrong.

    ‘You can always find someone to empathize with on either side of the issue.’
    .
    Given all these problems with empathy, it’s a good thing that we can use rational deliberation to override its pull. Most people would agree, on reflection, that these empathy-driven judgments are mistaken—one person is not worth more than eight, we shouldn’t stop a vaccine program because of a single sick child if stopping it would lead to the deaths of dozens. We can appreciate that any important decision—about criminal justice, diversity policies in higher education, gun control or immigration—will inevitably have winners and losers, and so one can always find someone to empathize with on either side of the issue.

    What about our motivation to be good people? If we don’t empathize with others, don’t feel their pain, why would we care enough to help them? If the alternative to empathy is apathy, then perhaps we should stick with it, regardless of its flaws.

    Fortunately, empathy isn’t the only force motivating us to do good. Empathy can be clearly distinguished from concern or compassion—caring about others, valuing their fates. The distinction is nicely summarized by the neuroscientists Tania Singer and Olga Klimecki in a 2014 article for the journal Current Biology: “In contrast to empathy, compassion does not mean sharing the suffering of the other: rather, it is characterized by feelings of warmth, concern and care for the other, as well as a strong motivation to improve the other’s well-being. Compassion is feeling for and not feeling with the other.”

    In a series of studies that I conducted with Yale graduate students Matthew Jordan and Dorsa Amir, just published in the journal Emotion, we compared people’s scores on two different scales, one measuring emotional empathy and another measuring compassion. As predicted, we found that the scales tap different aspects of our nature: You can be high in one and low in the other. We found as well that compassion predicts charitable donations, but empathy does not.

    There is also the body of research, led by Tania Singer, in which people were trained to experience either empathy or compassion. In empathy training, people were instructed to try to feel what suffering people were feeling. In compassion training—sometimes called “loving-kindness meditation”—they were told to direct warm thoughts toward others, but they were not to feel empathy, only positive feelings.

    Their brains were scanned while they did this, and it turns out that there was a neural difference in the two cases: Empathy training led to increased activation in the insula and cingulate cortex, the same parts of the brain that would be active if you were empathizing with the pain of someone you care about. Compassion training led to activation in other parts of the brain, such as the ventral striatum, which is involved in, among other things, reward and motivation.

    These studies also revealed practical differences between empathy and compassion. Empathy was difficult and unpleasant—it wore people out. This is consistent with other findings suggesting that vicarious suffering not only leads to bad decision-making but also causes burnout and withdrawal. Compassion training, by contrast, led to better feelings on the part of the meditator and kinder behavior toward others. It has all the benefits of empathy and few of the costs.

    These results connect nicely with the recent conclusions of Paul Condon and his colleagues, published in the journal Psychological Science in 2013, who found that being trained in meditation makes people kinder to others and more willing to help (compared with a control condition in which people were trained in other cognitive skills). They argue that meditation “reduces activation of the brain networks associated with simulating the feelings of people in distress, in favor of networks associated with feelings of social affiliation.” Limiting the impact of empathy actually made it easier to be kind.

    I don’t deny the lure of empathy. It is often irresistible to try to feel the world as others feel it, to vicariously experience their suffering, to listen to our hearts. It really does seem like a gift, one that enhances the life of the giver. The alternative—careful reasoning mixed with a more distant compassion—seems cold and unfeeling. The main thing to be said in its favor is that it makes the world a better place.

    Dr. Bloom is the Brooks and Suzanne Ragen Professor of Psychology at Yale University. This essay is adapted from his new book, “Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion,” which will be published next week by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins (which, like The Wall Street Journal, is owned by News Corp).

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    http://v.wikia.com/wiki/Empathy_Test The Empathy Test is a programme conducted by the Visitors in order to test their own kind and determine whether they experience Human emotions. This involved a base line scan of which other Visitors are compared to the template in order to determine whether they have succumbed to feeling Human emotional traits. Thus, the Empathy Test is a way of rooting out potential dissenters or those that have been infected by the weakness of Human emotions. The test made use of a Memory chamber and neural implants in order to judge a persons feelings when they witnessed unspeakable Human carnage before their eyes.

    After a bombing of a Visitor Mothership that was conducted by the Fifth Column, Anna came to the conclusion that these traitors were immune to her Bliss. Thus, she decided to conduct a purge of her forces in order to remove such sympathizers within her fleet. First, she met with her Chief Medical Officer Joshua where a test was devised that used Anna's reactions as a template with other Visitors being compared to it. Any that showed a higher reaction were thus feeling emotions and possible threats in order to be eliminated.

    It was during the testing of Marcus's aid that it was confirmed that there was a margin of error in the Empathy Test which meant it gave a false positive in certain occasions. Rather then stop the tests, Anna had those who failed the test arrive in one of the chambers where she commanded that they take their Suicide Pills. Those that did not were thus seen as being traitors whilst those that died as a result simply gave their lives to the cause. (Pound of Flesh)

    The tests continued even when Anna went to meet with the United Nations in order to get Humanity to embrace Blue energy. As Joshua continued the tests, he had Lisa undergo the Empathy Test where it was revealed that  she failed. Lisa at first attempted to claim that it was a mistake and even stated that her assignment with Tyler must have affected the test. However, Joshua claimed that the Visitor High Commander's directive was clear - to terminate any that failed the test. Whilst this was the case, Joshua was in fact a member of the Fifth Column and he decided to forge the results of the Empathy Test in order to make it appear that Lisa passed. When Lisa asked him why he told her mother that she passed, Joshua said it was because he would ask her for a favor in the future and she would need to comply with it. (We Can't Win)

    Carol wrote:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sb18kkVlRh4&t=2764s
    WILLIAM TOMPKINS: SELECTED BY EXTRATERRESTRIALS - PART ONE
    Published on Dec 15, 2016

    PART ONE : William Mills Tompkins is one of the most important witnesses to come forward revealing details about the Secret Space Program and human interactions with ETs. He details the German alliances with Reptilians and Dracos, the infiltration of NASA by these beings as well as the positive contribution by the Nordics to our secret space program over decades since at least the 1920s and perhaps earlier.

    This interview connects the dots on many topics discussed by Tompkins in other interviews including the collaboration of our Navy with Nordics (and reptilians) involving top aerospace companies such as Northrop, TRW, Boeing, Hughes, and many others.

    He discusses what really happened during the Battle of LA, the beginnings of MJ12, how nearly all U.S. presidents have been ruled by Dracos and much much more....



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPMOjV9SMOo

    WILLIAM TOMPKINS: SELECTED BY EXTRATERRESTRIALS -
    PART TWO with Kerry Cassidy

    This is quite good.


    http://projectcamelotportal.com/2016/12/15/william-tompkins-selected-by-extraterrestrials-part-two/

    Published on Dec 15, 2016
    PART TWO: THIS PART HAS SOME OF THE MOST GROUNDBREAKING DISCLOSURES...

    William Mills Tompkins is one of the most important witnesses to come forward revealing details about the Secret Space Program and human interactions with ETs. He details the German alliances with Reptilians and Dracos, the infiltration of NASA by these beings as well as the positive contribution by the Nordics to our secret space program over decades since at least the 1920s and perhaps earlier.

    This interview connects the dots on many topics discussed by Tompkins in other interviews including the collaboration of our Navy with Nordics (and reptilians) involving top aerospace companies such as Northrop, TRW, Boeing, Hughes, and many others.

    He discusses what really happened during the Battle of LA, the beginnings of MJ12, how nearly all U.S. presidents have been ruled by Dracos and much much more....

    KERRY CASSIDY
    PROJECT CAMELOT
    http://projectcamelotportal.com

    Book: WILLIAM TOMPKINS: SELECTED BY EXTRATERRESTRIALS

    Bill Tompkins was embedded in the world of secrecy as a teenager, when the Navy took his personal ship models out of a Hollywood department store because they showed the classified locations of the radars and gun emplacements. He was personally present at the “Battle of L.A.” when a thousand rounds of ammo were fired at UFOs, and one of the Nordic craft may have selected him to be their rep in the evolving aerospace race.

    This book is a partial autobiography about his life to the beginning of the 1970s including some of his early work for TRW. Selected by the Navy prior to completing high school to be authorized for research work, he regularly visited classified Naval facilities during WWII until he was discharged in 1946. After working at North American Aviation and Northrop, he was hired by Douglas Aircraft Company in 1950, and when they found out about his involvement in classified work, was given a job as a to create design solutions as a draftsman with a peripheral assignment to work in a “think tank”. This work was partly controlled by the Navy personnel who used to work for James Forrestal, who was allegedly assassinated because he was going to publicly reveal what he knew about UFOs.

    Bill Tompkins was asked to conceive sketches of mile-long Naval interplanetary craft designs. Later, as he became involved in the conventional aspects of the Saturn Program that later became the Apollo launch vehicle, his insight to system engineering resulted in his offering some critical suggestions personally to Dr. Wernher von Braun about ensuring more reliable checkout using the missiles in their vertical position and also some very efficient launch control concepts adopted by both NASA and the Air Force.

    This story is peppered with very personal interactions with his co-workers and secretaries, some of whom the author believes to be Nordic aliens helping the “good guys” here on Earth. Towards the end of this volume of his autobiography, he sketches what he personally saw on TV when Armstrong was landing on the moon. Born in May 1923, Bill Tompkins is one of the few survivors of the “big war” who is still healthy, married to the same girl Mary, and is willing to tell his story about what he really did during his aerospace life in the 40s, 50s and 60s that relate to aliens, NASA and secrets that now can be told.
    Carol wrote:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Chn7i42aDh0
    Robert Wood and William Tompkins Interview - Part 1
    Published on Nov 14, 2016

    In this multi-part interview series, we meet with William Tompkins and Dr. Robert Wood – the author and editor of Bill’s autobiography, Selected by Extraterrestrials, My Life in the Top Secret World of UFOs, Think-tanks, and Nordic Secretaries.

    In part one; we explore Dr. Bob’s work at Douglas Aircraft as an engineer and his scientific research into UFOs and how they could work; his work with in retirement with MUFON; and his authentication of Top Secret UFO, MJ12, and other documents related to of a variety of topics, including the Battle of Los Angeles, c.1942.

    Later, Dr. Wood and Bill Tompkins discuss TRW research projects, the prospect of meeting ET and UFO sightings.
    Carol wrote:

    Jeff Rense & William Tompkins - The Moon is an Alien Command Center

    Clip from November 30, 2016 - guest William Tompkins on the Jeff Rense Program. Full program available in Archives at http://www.renseradio.com/signup.htm
    Carol wrote:WILLIAM TOMPKINS: SELECTED BY EXTRATERRESTRIALS - PART ONE personal notes
    Published on Dec 15, 2016 by Kerry Cassidy


    200,000 Trillion galaxies

    Nordics

    William is still involved with navy and participated in naval programs. In 1942 he was selected by navel intelligence to be assigned a program to discuss with the US Navy secret space operators, who had been operating in Germany, trying to understand the tremendous complicated agreement between the SS and draco reptilian group assisting Germany.

    Maria Orson in Germany was contacted by the Nordics to get her friends to develop the necessary requirements to build a large space transport / design a propulsion system to carry 30-40 thousand people) and get friends and family to participate to go to another planetary system (1920s-30s)

    ___ his hobby was to get 28-29 naval operatives continually going back to Germany and studying across the agreement between the Drakes and Germany. SS took over 1040 people’s assets who had been working on building massive size of transport system. They allowed this group to design and develop space transports. They had large underground facilities in antarctic as did the Drakes. The ETs have been using these underground caverns and tunnels for thousands of years.

    All disclosure meetings took place at night. tapped on shoulder and told “he’s here” then he would go to where the disclosure meetings take place. These operatives themselves didn’t believe some of the information they brought back. Some of the info was in manuals, some in hieroglyphs and some in german. Lt JGs or American german people spies for the US navy and totally unaware of the Air force. These operatives would bring photos of the different vehicles and data all in german or hieroglyphs found underneath the pyramids

    Info was controlled by drakes not to know what was really going on.Operatives were directed to study these packages. This info that got typed up that went to all of th top labatories.

    Will took papers and information in packages to underground facilities out in the desert at China Lake north of Air Force facilities out in the dessert off Hwy 395 in Calif.

    Photos of space crafts were included in the packets.. he took them to the US secret facilities (Douglas Doc was put together by the secret think tank - that document is called unconventional propulsion schemes. he flew to all top secret facilities, no doc was stamped as it was way above top secret.. if not stamped people would not pay attention to it.

    Feb 1942 LA sighting. He was in Long Beach in their apt at age 18.. all the way across the back is a great big deck, balcony at 5:30 in the evening in 1942 his dad said get up and come back here to the deck and there is this little spot above the trees.. out of the spot came a little beam that hit the back of the house and lit up everything knocking them back and then it was gone. They went back had dinner, listened to a show on the radio and went to bed. At 1:30 am all the anti air craft started firing.. above them was a huge vehicle parked over Long Beach with 8 search lights underneath.. for 1 hour and 30 minutes it was shelled.. this was the battle of LA. In this sighting dozens of different shaped vehicles were coming out. Nobody got scared, nobody got sick, nobody died all these other people watched this same sighting from Santa Barbarba and San Diego.. this was a massive group of vehicles. There is only 2 ways this could happen where hundreds of them come in over the ocean.. fly out to sea and then come back to make one think there are more or thousands of space craft vehicles came in all at once.

    The crafts were surround by an electro magnetic field. Two small ones were shot down that were not occupied. One went down 1/2 mile from Rainbow pier that the Navy recovered. This took place just before Will was contacted and pulled out of High School to work with this project. A whole lot of people who were involved in this sighting and immediately knew that there are Extra terrestrials. 2 navy admirals (one Curtis Lamay), 2 army air core generals and Donald Douglas Sr.. those 5 people were in meetings that evening and watched this whole thing. No coverup, the UFOs were real. Within one week Douglas put this together and created a secret think tank pulling in top scientists (the beginning of MJ12), that Will went to work for. He was contacted telepathically and was told to go to work at Douglas and applied for a job as a model builder.

    On the other side of the planet at the same time of the Los Angels sighting the Germans were bombing London Feb 1942.

    Thousands of people telepathically got information from the ETs. They were contacted and told what to do. Will has only met 3 of them since that time and they’re all quiet to this day. There are many areas he doesn’t know about the are extremely important - there are top physicists in Universities, top designers in aero space companies that have had the info put in their head but almost everyone who knows the info have been in some way put in a position where their family or themselves have been threatened and don’t want to talk. The easier way for Will to say what he is saying is his association with 3 Nordic people in Douglas in the Apollo programs, 2 females and one male. So he has been working with the three of them for 3 1/2 years on the Apollo program.. all 3 denied that they were Nordics but everyone else knew that they were. He had 170 top engineers working on the Apollo program for him when he was engineer and Section Chief in Douglas. His ideas came from the female who is always joking around and stuffing things in his head, so he is subject to Nordic mind control.

    Will flew the Apollo model down to the Red Stone arsenal. Massive base is covered with trees. The humidity at this location is great. 3 level of steps that are in the back… where 4 security guards came down with a dolly to pick up his load, his big box with the model in it. His contract on the SB4 stage of the contract require them to utilize an open hanger to check out their facility and stage. They have the most advanced circuits that have ever been designed.. Germany did not use computers back in those days. This facility has this massive outside structure where one assembles the stages on it - its 270 ft high.. someone starts the engines and it takes off. It’s out in an environment with the doors open with a hanger. There contract required them to assemble it setting it up in a vertical position and assembled that way. They were working on production launches to the moon. Cape Kennedy Launch Complex 39 (that was designed at Douglas) and further provided materials for 10,000 man underground navel base facility was built on the moon.

    There are federation facilities out in the galaxy where other ETs get together for different types of missions.  One program cruises the galaxy with more then 30 different ET civilizations on board and looks like the moon but is a vehicle. When they (US) got to the moon they found out a lot of surprises. Draco and Reptilians were there on the back side. But they were in a position where the moon is their laboratory. There was huge crafts floating above… hundreds of them standing underneath their vehicle - their ugly lizard alligator looking people, terrible looking faces but have the ability to shape shift and look like a human. (George Bush Sr, Bill Clinton and Obama can also shape shift). These groups of ETs that work tougher but at war with other ETs have these vehicles that look like a planet are command centers, like an arm. Earth is in the area on the tip of the Milky Way Galaxy. We are like the ETs, nice guys out there and eventually Earth will get thrown off and eventually in a few thousand years be picked up by another galaxy. These command centers monitor the bad guys and attempt to get them to back off. There are both nice and bad guys in the same same vehicle. They discuss wars and this agreement and other things. It’s a center of info sort of like a group of people trying to get along. They control our moon because it is a command center for this region of the galaxy. Not just the solar system which is small potatoes. Saturn has large facilities on it too with other agendas for other people. We have mining companies (North American Aviation at LA airport where it is located) on Saturn. What systems engineering really is. What controls the secret think tanks?

    There are different phases of it with blocked diagram required to initiate certain space programs. These documents are used in different manners to be used for ICBMs and other weapon systems. The initiation of that is to understand our position with other ETs to interface with them. We’ve used a standard requirement for any weapons system that the military has. This 375 document was originally designed for the Apollo program and their missions. They had 44 separate mission extended to the year 2000. The Apollo program and the mission(s) was designed to take us out into our solar system and build navel stations on every habitable planet and/or it’s moon and onto alpha century (stopped because it had 2 suns and too high radiation). It got stopped by the reptilians. The Nordics downloaded the info to him not for weapons but for us to go out into the galaxy, everything necessary to build a transport and set up business with other ETs, set up communications with other civilizations out in the galaxy. Nordics also put that stuff in Billy Tompson’s mind. Thrust was not military but military picked it up and ran with it. Both white hat and black hats are influencing humans and they have their own separate agendas.

    Neil Armstrong on the moon and the 7 crafts surround them.. Kelly Johnson also said top secret documents were not stamped. Bill is the genius on the NOVA .. they had trucks to haul up boring machines for the moon for navel operation and research base on the moon. The Apollo moon program is from 1963 to 1999.
    Carol wrote:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kF8_KPV3XPY
    Former CIA Agent on his Deathbed Reveals Alien & UFO TRUTH
    Carol wrote:

    The Real Secrets of Alien Covenant Leaked
    Carol wrote:Published on Jan 2, 2017
    http://projectavalon.net/lang/fr/clif…
    https://nesara.news/index.php
    THE LIST OF ALIEN RACES MENTIONED BY KENT DUNN:


    Alien Races A to E

    AGHARIANS – (or Aghartians)
    A group of Asiatic or Nordic humans who, sources claim, discovered a vast system of caverns below the region of the Gobi desert and surrounding areas thousands of years ago, and have since established a thriving kingdom within, one which has been interacting with other-planetary systems up until current times.

    ALPHA-DRACONIANS
    Reptilian beings who are said to have established colonies in Alpha Draconis. Like all reptilians, these claim to have originated on Terra thousands of years ago, a fact that they use to ‘justify’ their attempt to re-take the earth for their own. They are apparently a major part of a planned ‘invasion’ which is eventually turning from covert infiltration mode to overt invasion mode as the “window of opportunity” (the time span before International human society becomes an interplanetary and interstellar power) slowly begins to close. They are attempting to keep the “window” open by suppressing advanced technology from the masses, which would lead to eventual Terran colonization of other planets by Earth and an eventual solution to the population, pollution, food and other environmental problems. Being that Terrans have an inbred “warrior” instinct the Draconians DO NOT want them/us to attain interstellar capabilities and therefore become a threat to their imperialistic agendas. Refer to Els.

    ALTAIRIANS
    Alleged Reptilian inhabitants of the Altair stellar system in the constellation Aquila, in collaboration with a smaller Nordic human element and a collaborative Grey and Terran military presence. Headquarters of a collective known as the “Corporate”, which maintains ties with the Ashtar and Draconian collectives (Draconian – Ashtar Command)

    AMPHIBIANS
    Similar to the Saurians or Reptiloids, yet being hominoid creatures with reptilian AS WELL AS amphibian-like features and are semi-aquatic in nature. May have once lived on land, yet became more aquatic over the centuries. ‘They’ have been encountered near swampy regions, rivers, etc., and have been known to attack people without being provoked. It is interesting that some types of Greys AND Reptiloids are believed to be semi-aquatic, having webbed fingers and toes (Draconian).

    AMOEBA-LIKE CREATURES over polar regions of the earth.
    No name that I can find. These have shown up periodically over the last ten years. NASA is working on this. Every time they’ve been detected, all kinds of strange illnesses break out.
    They don’t how they can stay alive and be in outer space

    ANAKIM
    Also referred to the ‘Els’, short for ‘Elder Race’ or simply as the ‘Giants‘. Referred to in ancient Hebrew tradition, this race is allegedly tied-in with a branch of ancient humans who broke-off from mainstream humanity because of their vast size which had developed over the centuries, possibly as a result of a genetic anomaly. They are said to range anywhere from 9-11 ft. and in some cases even 12 ft. in height, although in configuration they are remarkably similar to ‘International’ humans. Are said to possess a means of molecular condensing and expansion which allows some of their kind to mingle among humans on the surface. They have allegedly been encountered in deep and extensive cavern systems below the western part of North America, as far north as Alaska, as far south as Mexico, and as far east as Texas. They are believed to have interstellar traveling capabilities

    ANDROMEDANS
    The Andromedan Council has ordered all extraterrestrial presences on the planet, in the planet, and on the moon to be completely out of our space. They want everything that’s ET, benevolent or not, off the planet. This will be very interesting since there are over 1,833 reptilians living in our planet and over 18,000 grays living underground and on the moon. The council would like to see how we will live with each other when we are not being manipulated by ETs, as we have been for the last 5,723 years

    ANUNNAKI
    Nimrod and Iraq
    Nimrod was a worshipper of Anu. Nimrod unlike Abraham did not believe in an unseen deity. Nimrod wanted Abraham to worship Anu, The Most High known as ELYOWN ELYOWN EL. Nimrod was the founder of the city of Babylon, and his most renowned architectural influence was the construction of the Tower of Babel. Nimrod also had a city named in honor of Anu. It was to be called Calneh or Kalneh (Genesis 10:10), meaning “fortress of Anu.” It used to be an ancient city in Babylon, Mesopotamia. Calneh is often associated with Nippur, which is one of the seven cities that was inhabited by the agreeable Anunnaqi. Nippur was also known as Kodesh. It was originally called “Nibruqi” meaning “Earth place of Nibiru.” It was the city of Enlil, the Anunnaqi Eloheem, son of Anu and Antum. Not only was Calneh one of Nimrod’s cities, there was Babel or Babylon, the ancient site and capital of Babylon near the Euphrates. Erek a city 40 miles northwest of Ur, toward Babylon on the left bank of the Euphrates; and Accad or Akkad – a city in North Babylon and a part of the district around it are all a part of the land of Shinar called by many “The Country of Two Rivers,” literally meaning “plains of the flatlands.” In the land of Shinar, today called Iraq, is the place where the Ancient Sumerians came to set up an advanced civilization where you’d find pictograph cuneiform writings. Excerpted from The Spell of Leviathan “666” (Spell of Kingu) by Dr. Malachi Z. York

    ANTARCTICAN
    This is allegedly a secret area of operations for both human and reptilian beings. It is said by some that Aryan-Nazi scientists actually developed disk-shaped aircraft capable of very advanced aerial performance, and that swastika’s have been seen on a few aerial disks. They may be piloted by a ‘pure-bred’ blond, blue-eyed Aryan race. There appears to be more than one ‘Blond’ human society involved in the UFO scenarios, and especially subterranean human societies may have developed ‘blond’ hair due to lack of sunlight. There does not seem to be anything more than a peripheral connection between the Antarcticans, the Telosian and the Pleiadean ‘blondes’ (i.e. we will refer to the Antarcticans as the ‘Aryans’; the Telosians as the ‘Blondes’; and the Pleiadeans as the ‘Nordics’ in order to discourage confusion). The Antarcticans may consist largely of ‘batch consigned’ pure-bred blue-eyed, blond Aryans who became victims of Hitler’s obsession to create a super race, and as suggested by Harbinson and others most of these may be controlled through mind manipulation and implants, being ‘human drones’ who are used to keep this hidden society functioning. A massive joint humanoid-reptiloid underground system called the “New Berlin” is said to lie below the mountains of Neu Schwabenland, Antarctica. It is said by some sources that this joint human-alien force has spread terror through this sector of the galaxy, conquering and committing untold atrocities against the peaceful inhabitants of other worlds. The famous abductee Barney Hill who along with his wife Betty was abducted by “Zeta Reticulan Greys” in 1961, stated under regressive hypnosis that he had encountered an evil-eyed “German Nazi” working with the Greys on board the craft. It is claimed that the original “treaty” with the Greys was established by the Bavarian Thule and Illuminati societies as early as 1933, and this collaboration was brought into America via the CIA, which was established with the help of American Nazi fifth column agents as well as European Nazi’s who were brought into America through Project Paperclip and other operations.

    ANTARIES
    Alien group that was affiliated with the Montauk Project, but only as observers. They look ‘human’.

    ARCTURIANS
    Arcturus is one of the most advanced civilizations in our entire galaxy. -Edgar Cayce Further Information here.

    ATLANS
    These are humans, usually described as being benevolent by comparison to other groups, who are said to inhabit vast and complex cavern-cities beneath southern Brazil and surrounding regions. The term ‘Atlantean’ or ‘Atlan’ in reference to these races, has been placed upon them because of the fact that these cavern networks along the east coast of Brazil were reportedly once a part of the antediluvian ‘Atlantean’ empire. The present inhabitants have no direct GENETIC relation to the ancient ‘Atlantean’ society which is said to have controlled these cavern systems several millennia ago, but are referred to as ‘Atlanteans‘ simply because they are descendants of those who re-discovered and inhabited the ancient Atlan installations. As in North America and other continents, both common and gnome-like humans have been encountered here, some of which possessed advanced aerial or ‘disk’ technology. The Telosians claim to have some connections with South America, especially the Matto Grosso region where a sister city named POSID exists in a large cavern system underground.

    BIAVILANS
    Refer to Agharians

    BIG FOOT
    Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

    BERNARIANS
    Inhabitants of the ‘Bernard’s Star’ system. Although not much has been written about them, it seems that human beings at least in part control this star system, along with “The Orange”. Whether the Saurians have any influence or not is uncertain, however some sources indicate a possible collaboration similar to that within our own SOL system.

    BOOTEANS
    Reptilians from the ‘Bootes’ system. These, AND reptilian entities from the ‘Draconis’ system are allegedly involved with the ‘Dulce’ scenario as well as the infiltration- implantation-control of human society on earth in anticipation of their planned takeover at some point in the future (Draconian).

    BLUE PEOPLE
    The Cherokee tell of a story of a race of people that were blue skinned that they came upon when they entered the lands of Kentucky. They bragged over wiping them out, but we have recently found out that this may not be the case and they still may exist in the tunnel and cave systems of Kentucky and surrounding areas.

    Another mutation of the saurian or serpent race that is capable of burrowing through the earth.
    Possibly quadrupedal as well as be-pedal, these have been known to use their natural ‘boring’ abilities to create artificial tunnels like moles, or even spontaneously produced ‘cave-ins’ (the latter has allegedly been used in attempts to entrap or kill unsuspecting intruders into the underground domains). These may possess a highly-developed ‘bio-sensing’ system.

    BUTTAHS
    Being that dwells in spiritual darkness. The person may be intellectually developed. The Buttah are normally associated with nightmares, abductions and the taking of small children. They usually come around at night. The Grey aliens who do abductions falls into this category. The Reptilians are also part of this group. They are usually not very physically attractive. Apparently long ago there was a visitation long ago by Buttahs called Wacshashas who were negative, powerful, aggressive beings.

    CETIANS – (or Tau Cetians)
    A human race of ‘Mediterranean’ or ‘South American’ appearing, tan-skinned humans.
    Very similar to Caucasian humans on Terra except for SLIGHT differences (slightly pointed ears, higher physical ‘density’ for their size, slightly broader nose, 5' 5? tall on average, and often wear short ‘Roman’ or ‘crew’ style haircuts). Tau Ceti and Epsilon Eridani are said to be a major ‘convergence’ of exterran ‘human’ activity, and are said to be in alliance with the Pleiadeans (who in turn, according to contactees, have ‘Federated’ alliances with the Vegans, the Ummites, and others). The Cetian alliance with the Pleiadeans and ‘other’ societies who have been ‘victimized’ by the ‘Grey’ predators is based on a desire to establish a common defense against their reptilian nemesis.

    CHAMELEON
    Reptilians genetically bred to enable themselves to appear ‘human’. Also less-humanoid appearing Reptiloids who use a form of technosis, molecular shape-shifting and/or laser holograms to produce an outward “human” appearance. Reports of these have surface from underground joint-operational facilities near Dulce, New Mexico; Dougway, Utah; Groom Lake, Nevada; Deep Springs, California; and Fort Lewis, Washington and elsewhere. They are reportedly involved in some type of infiltration agenda. These ‘infiltrators’ can appear remarkably human outwardly, however at the same time retaining reptilian or neo-saurian internal organs. Often described as appearing ‘bulge-eyed’ with scaly, hairless skin behind their ‘disguise’. One report alleged that the ‘Chameleons’ may utilize artificial ‘lenses’ to conceal “slit-pupiled iris’”.

    Some claim they are genetically bred ‘mercenaries’ who are part of an advanced guard of a planned silent invasion-takeover of human society.

    DEROS An underground species.
    Some believe them to be human while others see them as non-humans. These are the beings from which comes our legends of leprachauns and trolls. Unlike the Teros, this ‘little’ beings are considered ‘demented’ and cannot be trusted. The Teros try to keep them under control and keep them from having excessive power. The Deros live in underground tunnels, cities and under the sea. This group of insane cave dwellers were called Sumuwnean meaning “the obese ones,” or Saamiym, and Abandonderos or as they are called today “Deros,” which is a combination of the words “detrimental” and “robots.” These Sumuwneans or Deros really exist. There Chief is Yabahaan. The Sumuwneans are constantly in conflict with the group of beings called the Duwaanis who hold the same belief, that they too will take over the planet one day.

    They are born by hatching from eggs that are four to six feet in diameter. They grow to seven feet and are extremely obese. The Deros who live in the caves are degenerated so much that, they don’t have much intelligence. They have two stomachs and their digestive system is the same as that of a cow. Deros and cows both chew the cud, meaning when they eat, they chew their food and it goes through the initial stages of digestion where it reaches a large sac that is before the true stomach. The food is then regurgitated to the mouth for further chewing; this is called chewing the cud. The Deros have no fingernails, toenails, nipples, navel or rectum. Their eyes are silver grey and they glow in the dark. They have blonde eyebrows and a pinkish grey color skin, much like the corpse of a Caucasian, and a pig, having not being exposed to the inner or outer Sun. Other than their eyebrows, they have no hair on their bodies because of a disease called trichotillomania, and are responsible for the diseases trichinosis and trichiniasis.

    They have no teeth. Their mouth appears to be full of a gummy, slimy substance. They are nocturnal and hear extremely well. They’re not very peaceful and have a strong dislike for human beings. They are very human in appearance, yet far from it. Their noses are long, trunk-like which is very similar to that of an elephant. They contend that the Planet Earth was theirs originally and will be theirs again one day. Many people today who are obese are descendants of the Deros. I’m talking about those people who have a serious weight problem, weighing over 300 pounds, which is abnormal for human beings. It is obviously a hereditary glandular problem and is caused by over active glands. Certain endocrine gland disorders, such as hypothyroidism or tumors of the adrenal gland, pancreas, or pituitary gland, can cause obesity. It is a trait of who they are from, the Deros.

    DINOSAUROIDS (Human Dinosaurs…Saurians)
    From: The “NEVADA AERIAL RESEARCH JOURNAL” for Summer, 1989.
    Re-print a UPI news item which appeared in a Berkley, California newspaper:
    “Dale Russell, curator of fossil vertebrates at the National Museums of Canada in Ottawa, has developed a theory that intelligent life forms could have developed from the large reptiles that roamed the earth (in ancient times). ”Russell calls his imaginary creature a ‘Dinosauroid’ which would look like a hairless, green-skinned reptile with a bulging skull, luminous cat-like eyes and three-fingered hands…”The amphibians evolved into a humanoid species that eventually developed a culture that ran its course or was destroyed in an Atlantis-like catastrophe–just after they had begun exploring extraterrestrial frontiers. Certain UFOnauts, then, may be the descendants of the survivors of that amphibian culture RETURNING from their space colony to monitor the present dominant species on the HOME planet.”

    DRACOS (Mothmen)
    The leader elite of the Reptilians are the ‘Draco’. They even have special ‘wings’, which are flaps of skin, supported by long ribs. These can be folded back against the body. They are also known as the “Dragon Race” and their symbology usually includes the Winged Serpent. Also known as the Mothmen. There are elements of their species which do not have wings — the “soldier class” of the species and ‘scientists’

    DRACO-BORGS
    Cybernetic forms controlled by reptilian entities. These would also include those forms which are animated by fallen supernatural or paraphysical entities, whether of ‘gray,’ ‘human-like’, ‘mechanical’ or other configuration. There are some who suggest that human-appearing ‘infiltrators’ of this type may exist in our society, and that certain characteristics might give them away – i.e. the eyes, a slightly sulfurous smell, unrefined features such as no fingerprints or ears or other ‘body’ parts which seem to have a slight ‘artificial’ appearance.

    DRAGONWORMS
    These creatures are largely subterranean and have been reported on very rare occasions. Although a mutation of the serpent race which lost the use of it’s limbs through centuries of atrophication, it is nevertheless apparently a part of the reptilian ‘conspiracy’. The ‘Dragonworms‘ are reportedly very intelligent, according so certain sources. ‘They’ have sometimes been described as appearing similar to a giant reptilian ‘worm’ or ‘slug’.

    DROPAS
    Humanoid type. Average height 3-4 foot. Crashed on the Sino-Tibetan Border in 10,000 B.C. Tribe of this culture still exists today.

    DWARFS
    Diminutive humans who have allegedly been encountered in or near caverns in various parts of the world, including northern California and the south-eastern Arizona/south-western New Mexico region and in some in connection to UFO’s, although most reported ‘dwarf’ sightings in connection to UFO’s are actually sightings of the saurian ‘greys’. These should not be confused with the small ‘elementals’ or ‘nature spirits’ which some believe are ethereal in nature yet have the ability to appear in solid or semi-solid form at times. The Dwarf races are allegedly just as human as surface peoples but average between 3 to 4 ft. in height, although at times they have been seen as small as two feet. As with the ‘giants’ or ‘Els’ this diminutivity may have resulted in a genetic anomaly which ran it’s course due to the separation of their race(s) from the International ‘gene pool’. They allegedly live in subterranean systems to a large extent as a ‘protective’ measure. And as we’ve said, some allegedly possess ‘aerial disk’ technology and interplanetary travel capabilities.

    ELOHIMS
    This is the oldest group of aliens in the universe that we know of. They are the ones that are at war with the Orions, which are the ones that manipulate the Greys.

    TO REVIEW THE COMPLETE LIST, PLEASE GO TO:  
    http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vida_alien/alien_races00.htm#Alien_Races_A_to_E
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Supermoon+real+color+death+star+starwars
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 ISS044-E-45576
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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Alien2basteroid2bspaceship2bmars
    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Alien%2Bbase%2Binside%2Bthe%2Bmoon
    The Real Ring of Power???


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    Once again, I wish to make it clear that my threads are Religious and Political Science-Fiction (which might contain some aspects of forbidden-truth, and probably contain massive quantities of utter-bullshit). I have no idea where the BS ends, and the TRUTH begins. However, I keep wondering if ALL of US came here as Strange-Aliens in Antiquity, and subsequently incarnated into the Human-Bodies WE Genetically-Engineered (as sort of a 'Babylon 5' type of experiment)??!! I doubt that the Strange-Aliens are just now showing-up in this solar system (supposedly because we created Atomic-Bombs). I suspect a Civil-War between those who became Human, and those who chose to continue to exist as Strange-Aliens. I tend to think this thing is VERY Ancient and Nasty. I frankly doubt that This Present Madness will be resolved anytime soon (but I SO hope I'm wrong). Hope Springs Eternal.

    http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/vida_alien/alien_races00.htm#Alien_Races_A_to_E

    ELS
    Giants are defined as 'Els', El Anakims, based on the mythed 'EL-der Race, tied-in with the ancient Hebrew traditions, Evadamic heritage, having a very tall stature. Nephs or Nephli. Also known as the Titans. Not to be confused with the Elohims

    El (Could be 'elite') May be from the Orion group with an outpost base inside the Planet Mars.

    Some prophesize that there will come a time of a great battle between the Els and the Serpent Race and use Revelations for the reference. REVELATION 12:7: 'Now war arose in Heaven, Michael and his Angels fighting against the Dragon and his Angels...'

    The "Book of Enoch" from the Dead Sea scrolls says how these men married Earth women, who bore 'giants 3000 cubits high'. (Note, a cubit is 1 Sacred Jewish inch, so 3000 cubits would be about 250 feet.). These people may have helped build the pyramids.

    The Men of Renown - the red and blonde haired Aryan giants of that epoch are dug up today all over the world, including the United States. Red and fawn - haired mummies - 8-11 feet tall.

    But the words for red and the red haired race have found their way into biblical names - all of the following denote the Race that formerly ran the 'Garden of Eden' Adamites Scythians, Phoenecians - from the root phoinos or blood red.

    The Garden of Eden in Greek literature - the Garden of the Hesperides - and as Dionysius Periestis once said '...in the Hesperides whence tin comes dwell the sons of noble iberes' - tin comes from south UK at Cornwall.

    The garden was known as the Fortunatae Insularae, the fortunate isles of Bretannides, or Ultima Thule - the farthest land.

    More information in Biblical History and Prophesies of the Els.
     
    EVA-BORGS
    Cybernetic forms controlled by 'human' entities. OR humans who have been implanted or surgically altered to such an extent that they have become cybernetic in nature, yet still retaining a soul-matrix

    GIZAN - (or Gizahn)
    The ’Gizeh People’ have been referred to by the Pleiadians (Billy Meier contacts) as well as others.

    This ’may’ have some connection with the strange ’people’ and technology allegedly encountered in deep labyrinthine recesses beneath Egypt, who were sometimes reportedly seen by explorers, and who are said to dress like ’ancient Egyptians’. There is allegedly, according to Leading Edge Research, a huge cavern deep beneath Egypt which is inhabited by people with close ties with the U.S. ’secret government’.

    Some sources indicate that the ’Giza People’ may be a ’controlled’ society with the reptilians being the dominant power, although there is still much mystery as to what the "Gizeh Empire" is all about.

    GRAILS
    These are saurian ’grey’ type entities which are apparently somewhat taller than the usually-encountered greys yet with extremely thin ’rail-like’ torso and limbs yet very strong.

    GREENS, THE
    Humans of ’normal’ size, yet who possess an olive-green skin color. They claim to be from a subterranean or cavernous realms beneath Europe which they refer to as ’St. Martin’s Land’.

    GREYS, THE Zeta Reticulans (See Star Map)
    This is the group of aliens who abducted Betty and Barney Hill in 1958. and these are the ones who have supposedly been doing the majority of the abductions. They are said to have no emotions and little regard for human life .

    The dim point of light known to us as Zeta Reticuli is actually a binary star system, and its two stars are each very much like our own yellow sun. It is not visible in the northern hemisphere. In our (Earth) sky, it is approximately equidistant between the constellation Orion and the Celestial South Pole.

    The constellation Reticulum is a fairly small collection of faint stars, of which zeta is barely visible to the naked eye even though it is relatively close to us at approximately 40 light years ~ right around the corner in Galactic terms.  

    They ’feed’ off of human and animal vital fluids by rubbing a ’liquid protein’ formula on their bodies, which is then absorbed through the skin.

    Like typical reptiles which shed their skins the ’waste’ is excreted back through the skin. The Greys range from 3 ½ to 4 ½ ft. tall on the average, with skin colors ranging from gray-white to grey-brown to gray-green to grey-blue. Aside from feeding off of human and animal proteins and fluids, they also allegedly feed off the ’life energy’, the ’vital essence’ or ’soul energy’ of humans as do other reptilian species.

    This is why those humans seen working with the Greys (implanted and programmed ’drones’, whether willingly or unwillingly) have appeared ’lifeless’ and ’emotionless’ to the witnesses who observed them.

    The Zeta’s or Greys live in the Constellation "Reticulum" by the Star "Zeta 2 Reticuli" a planet was discovered there and then suddenly taken off the list!

    Further descriptions on Greys.

    PRIMARY PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GRAYS:
    The larger Grays apparently have some vestigial reproductive capability, and some of the hybrid species that have been cross-bred with the [taller] reptilian species have full reproductive capability.

    The brain capacity is estimated to be between 2500 and 3500 cc, compared to 1300 cc for the average human. Due to the cloning process, the neural matter is artificially grown brain matter, and the Grays have known technology that enables them to insert memory patterns and consciousness into clones in any manner or pattern that they wish.

    The Greys consume nourishment through a process of absorption through their skin. The process, according to abductees who have witnessed it, involved spreading a biological slurry mixture that has been mixed with hydrogen peroxide [which oxygenates the slurry and eliminates bacteria] onto their skin. Waste products are then excreted back through the skin. Many abductees have noted that the Greys have a distinct series of odors...

    The larger Greys have a more pronounced nose... According to some government sources, these extraterrestrial biological entities called themselves the EBAN.

    It is with the larger Grays that elements of the government made a series of diplomatic agreements in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s...

    MORE ON THE GREYS:
    The Greys are involved in the stockpiling of humans [including children] for use as a food source for the Reptilian species [and as a lesser food source for themselves?]...

    PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME GREY-REPTILIAN SPECIES - AUTOPSIED BY UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT:
    [Alien Life Form] ALF, term used by the government to describe the Greys in terms of being a malevolent life form.

    The deal with the Greys is that their field around their body is different to ours to the point where merging of the fields ends up creating physical symptoms [the "body terror" mentioned by people like Whitley Strieber].

    The field around them is in direct opposition to ours. It is an ANTI-LIFE field, as these specific species are on a devolutionary spiral. They are akin to soldiers of fortune, and ’offer’ their advanced technology in trade for things they require. They are experts at manipulation of both the human body [through manipulation of the fields] and the human mind. They require blood and other biological fluids to survive.

    They abduct humans and animals in order to acquire these fluids. They implant small devices near the brain which potentially gives them total control and monitoring capability.

    These devices are very difficult to detect. The analysis of the devices by technical staff has produced a description that involves use of crystalline technology combined with molecular circuitry and these ride on the resonant emissions of the brain and the various fields of the human. Information is entrained on the brain waves.

    It appears that all attempts to remove the implants [1972] have resulted in the death of the human...

    (This is usually due in part to the fact that the implants are attached to major nerve centers, and once attached the nerve tissues grow in and around the implant essentially making the implant a PART of the nervous system. When relatively unsophisticated medical procedures are used in an attempt to remove the implants, major nerve centers are damaged as a result, causing severe injury or even death - Branton)

    Various descriptions of the ALF’s relate the following characteristics:
    Between 3 to 3 1/2 feet in height, erect standing biped, small thin build, head larger than humans, absence of auditory lobes [external], absence of body hair, large tear-shaped eyes [slanted approximately 35 degrees] which are opaque black with vertical slit pupils.

    Arms resembling praying mantis [normal attitude] which reach to the knees, long hands with small palm, claw-like fingers [various number of digits - often two short digits and two long, but some species have three or four fingers], tough gray skin which is reptilian in texture, small feet with four small claw-like toes, organs that are similar to human organs but have obviously developed according to a different [mutational] process.

    A non-functioning digestive system; two separate brains; movement is deliberate, slow and precise; alien subsistence requires that they must have human blood and other biological substances to survive.

    (Other indications suggest that originally they did not ’require’ human blood, but once having used human blood for this purpose they have since acquired a racial ’addiction’ to this ’vital’ substance. This goes far beyond just mere physical hunger, since the Grays/Reptiloids tend to feed off the human life-energies resident within human blood plasma, in what may be considered a vampirial type of hunger for human vital fluids - Branton).

    In extreme circumstances they can subsist on other [cattle] animal fluids.

    Food is converted to energy by chlorophyll by a photosynthetic process [this supports results gained from autopsies at 29 Palms underground base where it was seen that their ’blood’ was greenish and the tissue was black]. Waste products are secreted through the skin. The two separate brains are separated by mid-cranial lateral bone [anterior and posterior brain].

    There is no apparent connection between the two. Some autopsies have revealed a crystalline network which is thought to have a function in telepathic [and other] functions which help to maintain the group-consciousness between members of the same species.

    Functions of group consciousness in this species does have a disadvantage in that decisions in this species come rather slowly as the matter at hand filters through the group awareness to those who must make a decision...
     
    MORE ON THE GREYS
    The Greys are primarily situated as 4th density beings, although there are a small number that are 3rd and 6th density. To 3rd density humans they appear cold, cruel and heartless.

    They are, in fact, extremely curious about all aspects of existence, highly analytical and devoid of sentimentality. They can experience emotional manifestations radiated from the terrestrial 3rd density human, and use this ability generally as a mood-elevator. The Greys manipulate humans in order to create situations of conflict or extreme pain and emotion to acquire these sensations. They are, in effect, sensation junkies.

    The Greys have the ability to pick out our emotions, thoughts and experiences. For them, this is the closest they can come to experiencing feeling.

    To those beings who have some form of ethical conduct, the Greys appear psychotic and degrading. They are masters of mind-control and mental implantation technique. Their physical attributes reflect their psychotic souls - we could easily consider them to have anti-social attributes as well as tendencies toward megalomania and schizophrenia.

    They have been described by some as being absolutely mad. To make matters worse, they are performing other actions with terrestrial humans that are quite perverse.

    The Greys are playing a game with us that depends heavily on maintaining a situation where humans view themselves as limited, fatalistic beings with no control over their own destiny. They continually manipulate humans that is playing the domination/control game.

    GYPSIES
    Several sources refer to the Gypsies as having some connection with the UFO mystery.

    Other sources suggest a connection with high-tech subsurface kingdoms such as Agharti, etc. The knowledge which the Gypsies allegedly possess of an ancient war, UFO craft, and so on is supposedly a carefully guarded secret among various Gypsy tribes. Some claim to have traced the Gypsies back to ancient India or surrounding regions.

    The infamous Philadelphia Experiment information source, Carlos Allenda, was allegedly part of a Gypsy clan with knowledge of past and present "history" on alien cultures which have interacted behind the scenes in Terran affairs.

    HAV - MUSUVS - (or Suvians)
    Prominent in Paihute Indian tradition, the Hav-Musuvs were allegedly an Egyptian or Grecian-like sea-faring race who discovered huge caverns around 3 to 5 thousand years ago within, and later deep beneath the Panamint Mountains of California.

    Within these they then established their vast underground cities. When the inland sea (now Death Valley) which connected the ocean in ancient times dried up, they had no way to carry on trade with other parts of the world. As a result of this, according to Paihute Indian tradition, they began to build and fly ’silvery eagles’ which became increasingly advanced as time went on.

    They then evidently established interplanetary and later interstellar travel, exploration and colonization.

    This huge facility is now operating as a MAJOR Federation base on earth, and possesses huge chambers with differing environmental, atmospheric and even gravitational conditions to accommodate the various visiting Federation dignitaries.

    HOMINS
    Homins" is the name given to large, human-like creatures that are reported across the world.

    HU-BRID
    ’Hybrids’ possessing reptilian and human genetic coding yet who possess a human soul-matrix.

    HYADEANS
    The Hyades in the constellation Taurus, like the Pleiades and Vega, are said to have been the destination of yet another group of refugees from the ancient Lyran wars.

    HYBRIDS - Reptilian
    Since human and reptilian beings are genetically so different in their physical make-up a natural ’hybrid’ between the two is impossible. However an unnatural GENETIC alteration, in essence ’splicing’ human and reptilian genes, has allegedly been attempted.

    Even if this were accomplished the offspring would not be an actual ’hybrid’ (half human - half reptilian) but would fall to one side or the other. Since reptilians possess no soul-matrix as do humans but instead operate on a ’collective consciousness’ level, the ’hybrid’ would be human or reptilian depending on whether they/it was born with or without a soul-energy-matrix.

    In most cases one might tell the difference if the entity had round-pupils as opposed to black opaque or vertical-slit pupiled eyes; or five-digit fingers as opposed to three or four; or external genitalia as opposed to none. This may not always be the rule, especially when the ’chameleons’ are considered.

    Some of the hybrids without souls are ’fed’ with human soul-energy in an attempt to engraft an already existing human soul-matrix into the hybrid.

    HYBRID - GREY
    The following description is of a hybrid female, approximately 15 years old.

    Height is five feet, three inches; skin color is pale white/grey. The head is slightly larger and rounder than normal. Hair is dark, high above the forehead and worn in a long ponytail. The face is very fine featured and attractive. Method of communication is telepathic. They consider themselves human, not Grey, in almost all respects.

    They care about the Greys, as any child would a parent, but find them boring. The desire for human contact is great. Their capacity for emotion is as great, if not greater than, humans. Their intellectual capacity is well above human standards.

    Very likely to except the capabilities of both races.

    HUMAN TYPE ALIENS

    HUMAN TYPE A: These are of a genetic base similar to humans of earth. They appear of "normal" height (5-6ft?) and tend to be fair-skinned with blonde hair. These entities have been abducted by the greys or are the offspring of abductees and have been trained by the greys as servants. These entities are totally subservient to the greys.

    HUMAN TYPE B: These are aliens of similar genetics to earth humans and also, it seems, of the humans that serve the greys. These are from the Pleiades and are also of the blonde, fair-skinned appearance. This type is of a genuine highly evolved, spiritual, benevolent variety and have a kinship toward humans and are the only aliens to be truly trusted by earth humans at this time. They had at one time offered to be of assistance to earth leaders in dealing with the alien situation here but were rebuffed and so have taken a kind of "hands off" approach for the time being. These aliens are supposedly the forefather race of humankind. These are apparently not on earth much at this time due to serious problems in the area of their home.

    HUMAN TYPE C: Very little is known about these. They are supposedly another of the highly evolved, spiritual type of great benevolence to earth humans. I understand that their appearance is similar to other human-type aliens. They are from Sirius and don’t appear to be much involved with earth happenings at this time other than being concerned about the Grey scenario. They could desire to be of help to humans.

    There are other known human type aliens of this "more highly spiritually evolved" nature that are apparently aware of the situation on earth and considering some possible course of action. These are from Arcturus and Vega.

    The following article appeared in the summer 1993 edition (vol. 3 no. 2) issue of UFO Universe magazine.

    [GROUP A] Non Earth-Born Humans
    This GROUP consists of three peoples from three distinct colony zones, namely Sirius, Pleiades and Orion. Genetically, they are nearly identical to Earth-born humans with the following exceptions. Abductees refer to these beings as the talls. Males average up to approximately seven feet in height; females, six and a half feet. They are extremely fine featured, pale in complexion.

    Eyes are almond shaped, slightly slanted with a natural black liner, much like the renderings of ancient Egyptian royalty. There are three hair colors apparently related to colony origin: blonde (Pleiades), red (Orion), and black (Sirius). The insignia of these combined human races is a triangular arrangement of three spheres.

    This symbol has deep significance, and is found throughout Earth history. History records these beings as goddesses, gods, devas, etc. A subgroup of GROUP A females is in command of most Terran projects.

    [GROUP B] Earth-Born Humans
    These are Homo Sapiens whose origin is the planet Earth. They can be divided into two separate classes.

    [Class A] (Ancient) - These humans were the companions and house servants of a GROUP A military mining and occupation force. When this force left the Earth sometime between 1,000 BC and 3,500 BC, it was decided to remove all humans that had been in close proximity with them. It was felt that leaving them would only further disrupt normal human development. Class A humans are on an equal level with GROUP A and cooperate fully in all Earth projects.

    [Class M] (Modern) - These humans are working on the same cooperative level as Class A. They were taken from the Earth in modern times. During some abduction projects, twins (either identical or fraternal) are induced in a female subject. During the first trimester, one of the fetuses is removed. It is then grown to maturity by GROUP A. Abductees will meet their twins during some abductions. Very limited contact has been made by these humans.

    [GROUP C] Genetically Modified Earth-Born Humans
    These humans are comprised of two classes and should not be confused with GROUP D Greys.

    [Class W] (Workers) - This class is the smallest in physical stature. They are described as approximately three and a half feet in height, large head and eyes, pale white in complexion. These workers were created by GROUP A through genetic modification of Earth human fetuses. Their function is to perform menial tasks requiring limited reasoning abilities. In mental capacity, they are equivalent to a five year-old child. They are incapable of violence and, in some cases, are kept as companions by GROUP A individuals.

    [Class T] (Technicians) - These humans are basically the same as Class W. they are slightly larger, at approximately four and a half feet in height. Their complexion is tan or yellowish. Their reasoning and deductive abilities are higher. This allows them to perform more complex operations. They are often seen operating ship controls and in transport activities.

    Both Classes W and T are telepathically camouflaged to appear as Greys to abductees. This is done to conceal the true nature of GROUP C.

    It is felt that perception of GROUP A maintaining a human slave population would hinder future contact efforts.

    This point will undoubtedly be a source of much heated debate in the near future.

    IGUANOIDS
    Approximately 4-5 ft. tall, with ’Iguana-like’ appearance yet ’hominoid’ configuration.

    They have sometimes been seen wearing black, hooded ’monk’ robes or cloaks which conceal much of their saurian features, which include tails. These have been reported as being extremely dangerous and hateful towards humans and lesser-ranking Reptiloids such as Greys, and like all other branches of the ’serpent’ race they utilize black witchcraft, sorcery and other forms of mind control against their enemies.

    They appear to be a dimension-hopping sorcerer or priest class among the reptiloid species.

    IKELS OR SATYRS
    Small hairy humanoids with cloven hoofs which inhabit deep caverns beneath South America and elsewhere.

    They may be members of a fallen pre-Adamic race which possessed angelic, animal AND humanoid characteristics. Now allied with the reptilians.

    They have been known, according to natives, to ’kidnap’ women and children down through the ages and many stories are told of South American tribes who have battled these creatures with machetes during certain of their forays to the surface in search for women, children or food.

    INSIDERS
    Residents, either permanent or temporary, of the various different secret-society-connected top secret-government ’underground installations’, bases or colonies throughout the United States and the World.

    Some of these groups may possess advanced technology enabling them to travel to various other planetary bodies in the solar system. This group is international in scope and may be tied-in with the Alternative 2 and 3 scenarios.

    JANOSIAN
    This is allegedly a planet on which human beings live or once lived.

    They apparently arrived on that planet some thousands of years ago according to certain ’contactees’, and had all along retained dim memories and legends concerning their ancient home world, planet earth, where their ancestors lived long before their colonization of the planet ’Janos’.

    They are said to be like Terrans, although somewhat oriental and slender. A group of refugees is said to have left Janos centuries ago in a huge carrier vessel of roughly donut-shaped configuration after an asteroid or meteor shower devastated the surface of their planet, causing a chain-reaction in their nuclear power grid, loosing deadly radiation into the atmosphere and unto the underground tunnels and ’cities’ which they had built beneath Janos.

    They apparently remembered the star-route back to earth, and the latest reports stated that they were in a high orbit somewhere ’near’ the earth and are seeking contact with earth governments to exchange technology for a place to live on (or below?) the earth, in the tradition of the TV series ALIEN NATION.

    In light of other revelations and lack of confirmation from other ’contactees’, this might be a ’staged’ Draconian propaganda operation; on the other hand the account MAY be legitimate.

    JAWAS
    Another group of extraterrestrials has been termed the ’Jawas’, after their resemblance to the creatures in the film, Star Wars.

    This groups is distinguished by their clothing. They wearhoods and robes, are generally short, 3-4 1/2 ft. tall and their faces are concealed by the shadows thrown by their hoods.

    There has been reports that this species has glowing eyes.

    KONDRASHKIN
    K-Group, which was short for the Kondrashkin.

    They have pale skin that had a slight greenish tint and almost no hair. They looked human, and have to bleach their skin and wear wigs. They have been periodically involved with covert projects since the 1940’s.

    Connected to the Montauk Projects and other Black Op Projects

    KORENDIAN
    Humans allegedly living on a colonized planet known as ’Korender’.

    Perfectly ’human’ in proportion yet 4-5 ft. tall on the average. Gabriel Green described alleged contacts with this group in publications during the late 1950’s - early ’60’s. The accounts published by Gabriel Green were rather fantastic, although perhaps no less so than some other accounts.

    Robert Renaud is one of the main "Korendian" contactees, and he claims that they have a large underground facility somewhere in Massachusetts.

    The Korendians claim alliance with the Arcturians and are part of a massive collective Alliance of worlds who lean more to non-Interventionism than to direct Interventionism.

    LEVIATHANS
    Sea saurian ’sea serpents’ such as the so-called ’Loch Ness Monster’.

    Loch Ness has been the site of much occult or paranormal activity including UFO activity, ’Grey’ sightings, etc. Aliester Crowlay, the Satanist-Illuminist founder of the O.T.O. or Ordo Templi Orientis, claimed to be in contact with ’The Beast’ of the Loch.

    He owned a mansion on the shores of the loch and this same mansion later became the residence of the British occultist Jimmy Page, who not only played with the British Rock group Led Zeppelin but also owned a large bookstore dealing with witchcraft and the occult.

    Being aquatic in nature and having lost the use of their limbs via atrophication and mutation, this branch of the "serpent race" is allegedly used for long-range ’psychic’ warfare and occult manipulation of the human race.

    LEVERONS
    Alien Group that is affiliated with the Orions. Associated to the Montauk Project. Listen to Mary Sutherland interview John Meloney as he describes these Light Workers, Where they are from, his and his wife’s work with them as they learn how to use the human body as a tool to work on this earth plane.

    LYRAN
    Supposing that the human inhabitants of Lyra (who are said to have a common origin with Terran humanoids) were driven out of that system several million of years ago, then it is likely that some of the present day inhabitants of the ’Lyra’ constellation may be of reptiloid descent.

    During the Lyran wars which are mentioned in several ’contactee’ accounts, a mass exodus’ of humans reportedly left the system and escaped to the Pleiades, the Hyades [which are 130 light-years from earth in the Taurus constellation], and to Vega which is also in Lyra.

    This region, like our own system, may still be a ’battleground’ between saurian greys and humans.

    MARTIANS
    Inhabitants of the planet Mars, both human and non-human, including the alleged inhabitants of the two Martian ’moons’, which many believe to be artificially-hollowed asteroids, one of which - Phobos - is said to be under the control of the "original" Greys, or self-reproducing Greys which are the "hosts" for the Grey "clones" which operate from various space stations that are disguised as planetoids.

    (It is from these "carrier" ships that the abduction, implantation, programming, mutilation, infiltration and other projects are carried out against planet earth).

    It has also been suggested that thousands of years ago the surface of LUNA and Mars were much more ’habitable’, that the surfaces of these bodies may have been decimated after passing through the asteroid belt or an ’asteroid storm’ (consisting of debris which ’may’ have been torn from a planet which apparently existed between Mars and Jupiter at one time - possibly destroyed by a close encounter with another planetary body in the tradition of Velikovsky’s theories).

    It is believed that ancient ’ruins’, possibly thousands of years old, have been seen on both ’planets’ and that these attest to such a cataclysm.

    MIB’S
    Also referred to as the ’Men In Black’ or ’Horlocks’.

    These are apparently in many cases humans who are controlled by draconian influences, although other ’MIB’ have been encountered which do not seem human, but more reptilian OR synthetic. The ’MIB’ have been encountered often after UFO sightings, usually intimidating witnesses into keeping silent about what they’ve seen (many of the witnesses may be ’abductees’ with suppressed memories of the event).

    Their ’threats’ appear to be motivated by attempts to utilize ’terrorism’, ’fear’ or ’intimidation’ as a psychological weapon against witnesses. This ’weapon’ may not only be used to keep the human ’MIB’ under control, but by the human MIB’s themselves.

    ’They’ are often, though not always, seen in connection with large, black automobiles, some of which have been seen disappearing into mountains - as in the case of one basing area between Hopland and Lakeport, California - canyons or tunnels or in some cases apparently appear out of or disappear (cloak?) into thin air.

    Most humanoid MIB have probably been implanted by the Draconians and are essentially their ’slaves’. Bio-synthetic forms possessed by ’infernals’ also seem to play a part in the MIB scenario, as do subterranean and exterran societies.

    Sirius, at only 9+ light years away, has been identified as a major exterran MIB center of activity, with a subterran counterpart existing in ancient antediluvian ’Atlantean’ underground complexes which have been ’re-established’ beneath the Eastern U.S. seaboard.

    These could be considered ’Almost Humans’. Made with animal tissue and depends on a computer to simulate memory. A memory the computer has withdrawn from another human being.

    The Almost Humans may also fall under the category of the ’zombie’ type aliens.

    MOON-EYES, THE
    A race of peaceable humans some 7-8 ft. tall, with pale-blue skin and large ’wrap-around’ eyes which are extremely sensitive to light.

    They MAY be the same as the large humans allegedly encountered on the moon by our ’astronauts’ according to John Lear and others, who in turn were silenced and not allowed to tell what they saw. These people may, according to some accounts, be allied to the ’Nordics’ and/or ’Blondes’.

    They claim to be descendants of Noah who traveled to the Western Hemisphere a few centuries following the deluge and discovered ancient antediluvian cavern systems and ancient technologies which had been abandoned by the antediluvians in deep subterranean recesses. They have been encountered mostly in deep cavern-systems beneath the general region of the Ozarks-Arkansas and surrounding regions.

    The only real evidence we have on their existence is an early report of the Cherokee Indians telling of a blue-skinned race that they encountered.

    MOTHMEN
    Largely subterranean, pterodactyloid-like hominoids with bat-like wings.

    Sometimes describes as possessing ’horns’ and thus are considered very similar to the traditional depiction of the ’devil’, according to certain individuals who have encountered them. Although often referred to as ’Mothmen’, this title might be a little misleading.

    These creatures - which have also been referred to as the Ciakars, Pteroids, Birdmen and Winged Draco - have been encountered near underground systems near Mountauk Point, Long Island; Point Pleasant, West Virginia; and Dulce, New Mexico. (identical to the Sumero-Babylonian UTUKKI, a demon of the KI GAL or underworld)

    NAGAS
    Also referred to as the ’Reptoids’, ’Reptiloids’, ’Reptons’, ’Homo-saurus’, ’Lizard-men’, or the ’Large Nosed Greys’.

    They play a significant role in the legends of India and Tibet where they are considered by some to be demoniacal residents of a subterranean realm. They are described as being around 7-8 ft. tall and of various colors, grotesque, but most often moldy greenish with scaled crocodilian ’skin’.

    Allegedly descended from a branch of bipedal sauroids which existed thousands of years ago on earth and via mutation and natural selection developed the brain-body coordination necessary to develop a technology.

    Some species still reportedly retain a visible ’tail’ although much atrophied from their supposedly extinct’ saurian ancestors. Some abductees claim that the "lizard" people resemble a humanoid version of a Velociraptor.

    After a reputed battle in ancient times between a "pre-Scandinavian" race from the Gobi region and a Reptiloid race based in Antarctica, the reptilians allegedly lost the battle for domination of the surface world and were driven into underground networks in which they eventually developed aerial and space technology.

    A) The Nagas are said to have appeared at the birth of Gautama Siddharta, who later became "Buddha".

    B) The ancient "well" of Sheshna in Benares, India, is traditionally where the "YOGA APHORISMS OF PATANJALI, a classical guide to students of Yoga, was written." This "well" is said to be an entrance to one of the Naga’s underworld lairs.

    Sherman Minton states that "Sheshna’s well", an alleged opening into the underground reptilian underworld of "Patalas" [consisting of seven worlds or cavern levels], may be seen today in Benares, India, and,

    "...It has forty steps leading down into a circular depression to a stone door covered with cobras.

    This is said to lead to PATALA, the reptile netherworld legend of the Nagas, the "serpents" which live in extensive underground palaces in the rocky Himalayas. It is believed that these creatures are able to fly in space and that they possess amazing magical powers and intelligence.

    They are not too fond of man if he is a curiosity seeker, explorer or mountaineer. According to the sacred(?) tradition of the Hindus, the deep caverns of the Nagas contain fabulous treasures, illuminated by flashing precious stones.

    The subterranean abodes are known to be in certain parts of both the Himalayas and Tibet, particularly around the Lake of the Great Nagas - Lake Manosarowar."

    NORDICS (Wingmakers?)
    Blonde, Blue-Eyed, Angular Faces.

    Although Nordics are humanoid and externally almost identical to humans. There are subtle differences in the Nordic alien physiology, and most of them are based on the living conditions that they have grown up in. Their planets are extremely hot and dry, and have a low oxygen content in the atmosphere.

    They have a larger lung capacity than humans and have a copper based blood in order to carry oxygen more efficiently. The eyes are protected by inner lids and can allow them to see into the ultraviolet range of the spectrum. They have only 28 teeth, as they lack a back pair of molars. Their heads are longer than humans.

    The brain case is about .2 mm thicker and the bone is harder. The brain is the same as the human brain as far as structure and size is concerned, except for the midbrain area, where there are functions that allow telepathic and telekinetic skills. It explains the psionic powers of the Nordics.

    They average about 2 meters in height. Females about 1.7 meters. They have no sweat glands. The skin allows moisture to be drawn from the air as well as moisture to penetrate. The heart beats at around 242 beats per minute, and the average blood pressure is 80 systolic and 40 diastolic. They have extremely dilated blood vessels.

    The heart is located where the human liver would be. The cartilage that would protect a human heart extends down 3.5cm further in the Nordic in order to protect this structure. Blood cells are biconvex in contrast to the concave cells of humans. Kidney type functions only allow about half the liquid consumed to be excreted.

    The rest is evidently put back into the system. Urine is thick with minerals and appears in color and texture to freshly pumped crude oil. Feces are dry pellets with all moisture removed. The adult Nordic can regulate the amount of adrenaline in their body. They have no pineal gland.

    Nordic females are capable of being impregnated at any time, but the males are capable of impregnation about once a year. The period of incubation is three to five months.

    ORANGE, THE
    These entities largely converge beneath southern Nevada, northern New Mexico and possibly Utah.

    Some sources refer to a:

    [1] ’human’ race with stalky yellow, red or orange hair, others of

    [2] a genetically-altered, humanoid-reptiloid strain or hybrid. They are often described often as having a humanoid form yet certain ’reptilian’ genetic features. They are also said to possess human-like reproductive organs, and possibly (or not) a human ’soul-matrix’, and therefore a divergent branch of the human race, or reptiloid race depending on which ’type’ of Orange one is referring to. as some accounts suggest there MAY also be

    [3] orange-colored reptilians which possess no soul-matrix. Refer to ’hu-breds and hybrids’ Some of the "Orange" allegedly have connections to Bernard’s Star. These may also be the Native Amerian’s Sitecah or Red Giants. In 1911, miners were digging out layers of bat guano from a cave located about 22 miles southwest of Lovelock, Nevada, when they happened upon the mummified remains which would have stood 6 1/2 feet tall alive. The mummy was still crowned with ’distinctly’ red hair. The ancient legends of the local Paiute Indians described a race of red-haired giants who were the enemies of many Indian tribes of the region .

    ORIONS
    Orions which come from the stars in the Orion constellation are a group claimed to be working with the government on Black Op Projects.

    They are very heavily involved in influencing the world population through the use of mind control. They have also been doing genetic work in which they alter a human sperm and ovum to the extent that all offspring will produce hybrids with new characteristics. Humans will mate and create children with alien genetics. That’s one step beyond the average abduction scenario.

    Some claim that ’negative’ entities have been associated with some of the stars in the Orion constellation. Other sources claim that the Orion Nebula is a cosmic ’doorway’ to ’infinity’ or the realm of the Creator, which transcends the time-space-matter universe.

    Some astronomers claim that a huge, beautifully-illuminated multicolored ’light’ has emerged from the "nebula" and is on an intercept-course with Earth, although at a rather leisurely pace and at this rate this ’light’ or ’star’ will reach earth approximately 3000 AD (give or take a hundred years).

    Could this have something to do with the prophecy in Revelation 21? Since the Draconians are attempting to conquer the ’heavens’, they may have made futile attempts to enter the ’Eternity Gate’ and intercept the emerging ’Light’ (’War In Heaven’ between Michael and the ’Dragon’?)

    This may explain the alleged presence of the Draconians in the Orion constellation, although certain ’human’ groups have allegedly become curious of the ’Eternity Gate’ as well. The Orion open cluster itself is the base of a joint Reptiloid - Grey empire called the Unholy Six, which has been working out of NEMESIS in an effort to sabotage the human presence in the SOL system.

    Many of the "planetoids" that have entered this system and have made observable "course alterations" are arriving from NEMESIS and the Orion-Draconian EMPIRE.

    PHILADELPHIA PROJECT ALIENS
    I refer to them as this because I wasn’t given a name for this type of alien.

    They were detected as one of their ships got caught up and sucked in with the Eldrich, which ended up 40 years , August 12, 1983, later at Montauk. They were about 6 foot 5 inches tall. They were essentially human in appearance. They had dark leathery skin.

    They had no hair. Where they came from is not for sure..

    REPTILIAN (DRACONIAN, SERPENT)

    According to TAL LeVesque (Jason Bishop):

    Having been within arm length of REPTOIDS, I did get to observe various details. They wore no clothes. But, they did have a "UTILITY BELT", with several unusual things on it.

    One "device" had a small orange light on it. When this is touched, they simply "disappear". I have quickly moved into the spots where the REPTOIDS were, instantly after they disappear. There was no temperature anomaly in the ZONE.

    I had expected it to be "cooler" in the area (if they were draining energy to manifest, like happens in various kinds of apparitions). They did change density at times. They made heavy footsteps, in the hallway, on the wood floor. And could walk through the walls. They "glow" an electrical blue/greenish color, like some kind of AURA. The head is similar to the Reptilian Humanoids on the TV Program "BABYLON 5".

    The head was more cone shaped, like the "YETI" kind of have. In fact, the REPTOIDS are built like Big Foot. The one has SCALES, the other has HAIR. The Eyes are "slit" SERPENT-like. Very strange, "flame-like" and flickery. Three fingers and an opposing thumb. With claw-like Talons (on fingers and feet). A small tail.

    Large Scales, like a "Breast Plate" on the chest. The scales were smaller where the body is flexible, like around the elbow. The Scales were like a SNAKE. I guess that is why some call them "The SERPENT Race". The Scales were mostly green to very dark green, on each scale(a variation of color). They are "Telepathic". Very quick thoughts.

    IDEAS driven by Images and geometric Impressions. NOT a "linear" form of communication, like words. More, of a Symbol or Image Language. They DO react to your "thoughts". They can "overwhelm" you with DATA (it seems like "thought compression". It can take you a long time to assimilate their "TRANSMISSION" and integrate it.

    After awhile I "saw" the language, as FRACTAL "Mandelic" Hyper-Spheres or "THOUGHT FORM" constructs, to pass DATA. These sucks are data freaks. Highly Intellectual. Limited Emotional response (Hate, Fear and a "short circuit" Confusion state (mild Panic). You can think or do "the UNEXPECTED" and they do "freak out". So... stay calm and centered. They RESPECT that.

    Then they "THINK" you are dangerous. But, if you Fear them, they will taunt your weakness and will DISrepect you. Careful, don’t DIS-"REP" them either. They are no better than you. I "glean" they want something WE have. Something in our SOUL Nature. We can "Shift" to Theta "BALANCE" and LINK to the SOURCE. They are TOO far into analyzing. Unbalanced. They like DRUGS like cocaine, opium, Magic Mushrooms and "milking" humans for endorphins.

    They can’t get INTO your Mind without you having the opportunity to get into their REPTILIAN Brain, too. They KNOW alot about the outward form of creation. They KNOW the "Force"... but, behind that is "The SOURCE". They NEED us, we don’t need them.

    (But what do they need... Our Vital Source... Our Life Source.. Our Soul Force... Sutherland)

    From: THE DULCE BOOK - CHAPTER 27:
    "...[Brazilian] Jefferson Souza claims that the following revelations are from the personal notes and scientific diaries of a scientist who was commissioned by the U.S. Government over a period of several years to visit all crash sites, interrogate captured Alien Life Forms and analyze all data gathered from that endeavor.

    Eventually this person was discovered to have kept and maintained personal notes on his discoveries and was therefore scheduled for termination [not just "job termination"!]... which he narrowly escaped.

    Following 33 years of investigations, he went in to hiding in 1990. Here is some data which this anonymous informant reportedly gathered on the Reptilian type alien entities:
    Average Height: Male - 2.0 Meters; Female - 1.4 Meters
    Average Weight: M - 200 Kilos; F - 100 Kilos
    Body Temperature: M - Ambient Temperature; F - Ambient Temperature
    Pulse/Respiration: M - 40/10; F - 40/10
    Blood Pressure: M - 80/50; F - 80/50
    Life Expectancy: M - 60 Earth Years; F - 23 Earth Years
    Cold-blooded like all reptiles, the Reptiloid is found to flourish in a warm, tropical clime [normally artificial... big caves].

    With imperfect respiration providing just enough oxygen to supply tissues and maintain the processing of food and combustion, their temperature can be raised only a few degrees above the ambient [this suggests that ’heat’ weapons, like flame-throwers and so on, may prove to be very effective and fatal to this species under battle conditions].

    The reproductive system is ovouniparous, with eggs hatching in the oviduct prior to birth.

    The underdeveloped Reptiloid cerebellus [for faster activities, physical activities] results in a slowness and simpler city of movement.

    The Reptiloid eye is composed of thousands of microscopic facets, each facet with its own independent protective lid. The eye is almost never closed entirely during waking hours; rather, sections of the organ are shut down in conjunction with the dominant light source.

    The reptiloids survived ’hidden’ inside the Earth [within] Big Caves Underground.
    Additional Information in The Reptilian Blood Legacy.

    SIRIANS
    The Sirians are usually described as about 6½ feet tall, blond hair cut very short, and blue eyes that have a cat’s eye vertical pupil.

    There has been some discussion as to whether these negative Sirians are part of the Kamagol II group that built the records chamber under Gizeh, but that has not been established.

    The negative Sirians are considered part of the Orion group that is playing the domination/control game.

    SHINING ONES
    Tibetans and American Indians both refer to ’shining beings’ they encounter in isolated spaces during secret religious rituals.

    They are humanoid and ’lit within’. They guard sacred sites on earth, ’holding them in trust for a future of wonders’ and are bearers of great wisdom. These may be the counterparts of the Celtic fairy traditions. Some abductees, including Betty Andreasson have reported such beings.

    Science fiction writer PHILIP K. DICK* wrote letters at great length beginning in February 1978 referring to encounters with just such shining beings. He wrote half a million words on incidents between him and the light beings over a four year period before his death in 1982. Dick found himself kept awake at night by,

    ’vilent phosphene activity... within my head it communicated with me in the form of a computer like or Artificial Intelligence system like voice, quite different from any human voice, neither male nor female, and a very beautiful sound it was, the most beautiful sound I ever heard... the imposition of another human personality unto mine produced startling modifications in my behavior...

    Some living, highly intelligent entity manifested itself inside me and around me, but what it was , what its purpose was, where it came from... each theory leaves some datum unexplained...and I know this is not going to change’. I have the impression that a ’master gameplayer and magician and trickster’ is involved."

    Dick’s insistence that it was both another ’human personality and that it had a computerlike voice, supports the theories being presented here.

    If the shining beings that ’imposed’ itself was both a robot and an emissary from a human source, this makes perfect sense.

    * PHILIP K DICK was a very influential writer, so much so that an ANNUAL AWARD IS GIVEN IN HIS NAME. His stories were made into movies such as BLADE RUNNER AND TOTAL RECALL. featuring ACCURATE UFOLOGICAL ELEMENTS.

    TEROS
    Source: 1996 Nuwaubian Calendar, “Extraterrestrial Amongst Us

    The Teros, which is short from integrative or constructive, are a subsurface race that usually keep the Deros in check.

    The Teros, were the original tribe of the Lunarians who came to this planet to dwell beneath the surface of the Earth. They are referred to as the Sunaynans, meaning “The Yearly Ones.” The Deros were for disagreeable people and the Teros, were for agreeable people. Their chief is named Laamsa (right photo).

    The Teros came from the planet Jomon in the star constellation Arcturus which is in the Bootes constellation. Arcturus, the red giant, the fourth brightest star in heaven is where much mixing took place. The Sunaynans have 48 chromosomes instead of the normal 46 that Earth people possess.

    The Tero’s chromosome structure is so different from Earthlings that when mixed with certain humans, it caused a defect of 47 chromosomes which today is called “Down’s Syndrome.” Their children are usually born with breathing defects as well as congenital heart disease and they also have poor digestive systems.

    Their immune system is unable to function properly and they are more apt to developing leukemia.

    The Teros that have an abundance of pigmentation in their skin are descendants of the Shuyukh. Those who are lacking pigmentation are descendants of the Halaabeans, Flugelrods or Hulub. The Teros bored further into the Earth and were able to keep their sanity. Because of cross-breeding, the Teros took on different forms.

    Some look so human they can come to the surface and not be noticed.

    ZOMBIES
    Humans with alien brain implants programmed to help overthrow Mankind in the NEAR FUTURE.

    Seashore wrote:
    To listen, click on the link:

    orthodoxymoron wrote:
    If there's another Civil-War in America, it will be because
    too-many people have their heads stuck where the sun don't shine.

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    Humans with Alien Brain Implants Programmed
    to Overthrow Mankind in the NEAR FUTURE...

    Prepare Now for the Zombie Apocalypse!!
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    Sorry for my sarcasm and irreverence, but I guess I try to poke fun at serious issues, which is probably a problem I need to work on. I've never owned a gun (other than a low-powered BB gun) but I support the right to keep and bare arms (with proper screening and training). A Civil-War would be a VERY Bad Idea, and I'm a 'Country-Club Constitutionalist' (similar to Donald Trump) rather than a 'Constitution and Shotgun In My Truck Constitutionalist' (similar to Alex Jones) but Red-Necks Are Some of My Best Friends (if I even have friends). The Bible, Judaism, Christianity, and the United States (as we know them) display Extreme-Violence and even Unprovoked-Conquest (with God On Our Side) which seems somewhat suspicious and hypocritical, but what do I know?? I recently conversed with a Viet Nam War Medical-Corpsman about the Horrors of War and it was extremely sobering. We somehow need to learn to Stay Out of War. Can't We All Just Get Along?? Studying the historical American Civil-War is highly-instructive regarding NOT having another stupid internal-war. I once spent seven-weeks travelling the United States, which included visiting the major Civil-War battlefields, while listening to the lectures of two college history-professors. War is Hell and makes the Devil Laugh and the International-Bankers Rich. We the Peons need to Wake-Up. The books of Bruce Catton are excellent windows into the Civil-War (such as 'A Stillness at Appomattox'). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Catton
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    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Mon Mar 25, 2019 12:44 am; edited 4 times in total
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Sat Mar 16, 2019 10:00 am

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    Consider, one more time, the following Biblical Minimal-List (in a variety of translations):

    1. Deuteronomy.
    2. Job to Malachi.
    3. Acts.
    4. Romans to Revelation.

    This concept involves repeatedly-reading these Fundamentally-Theological Books in order, in a rapid and somewhat-aggressive manner, as a mental and spiritual exercise. The two most-problematic books in this list are Deuteronomy and Revelation. These two-books are extremely-violent. Notice that when one reads this group of 46 books straight-through, over and over, Revelation is immediately-followed by Deuteronomy. Also notice that Deuteronomy is the fifth-book of the Old-Testament, and Acts is the fifth-book of the New-Testament. Job to Malachi are the last 22 books of the Old-Testament, and Romans to Revelation are the last 22 books of the New-Testament. 23 Old-Testament Books. 23 New-Testament Books. 46 of 66 Canonical-Books.

    I'd love to move on without rehashing antiquity, but what if it is necessary to get this particular study right, regardless of whether anyone likes it, or not?? This might be an Eschatological-Test of Biblical-Proportions. The variety of translations approach involves a variety of interpretations. Here is a rather boring video with rather poor recording quality, but with some rather profound points made by Dr. A. Graham Maxwell. I spent many Sabbath mornings in his class (often attended by Steven Spielberg's stepmother). I name-drop because it somehow adds interest to my tripe. My life is completely-uninteresting, so I try to spruce things up whenever I can. Kyrie Eleison. The second-video is the first-part of an interesting series of lectures by Dr. Desmond Ford. I spent many Sabbath mornings in his class, and I attended his infamous Forum-Lecture 'The Investigative Judgment: Theological-Milestone or Historical-Necessity?'




    Alternatively, listening to critics of the Bible gives one a completely-different (and oddly-refreshing) perspective. I maintain that one must carefully consider as many points of view as possible to retain some semblance of credibility. Unfortunately, this often causes True-Believers to 'lose their faith' and become 'hard and bitter' opponents of the 'Truth'. In a sense, this is a no-win game, which has probably caused a lot of people to just skip the whole-mess, and move on to more important things (such as seeking fame, fortune, and power) with moral-ambiguity. Here are some examples of scholarly-stones thrown at the Bible (especially regarding the historical material). I'm frankly (and sadly) wondering if Pluralistic-Education and Corporate-Employment is replacing Judeo-Christianity and True-Belief?! I'm particularly-interested in how the Real Solar-System Powers That Be have influenced the progress and conflict of humanity. The history (factual and fictional) of the world is NOT Nice (to say the least). Why is this the case?? Responsibility for Evil might be the most-important theological and philosophical topic imaginable. Consider Theodicy and Eschatology.



    My threads are disjointed and irreverent, mostly because I'm indulging in possibility-thinking (mostly without positive-thinking and self-esteem). What Would Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Harold Schuller Say?? I was present at the Crystal Cathedral when Dr. Peale delivered these sermons. I was almost persuaded. Some have found Peale Appalling and Paul Appealing!! Peale and Schuller didn't talk much about the Bible (while claiming to believe the Bible). Both seemed to use the Bible to support THEIR Teachings. Perhaps I should go and do likewise. Perhaps I should've listened to Dr. Peale. Perhaps I should've followed the example of Donald Trump. Perhaps I should've been Jesuit-Educated and a 33rd Degree Mason. Some of you know what I'm talking about. A particular Individual of Interest seemed to know way too-much about Dr. Robert H. Schuller, and seemed surprised when I did a brief Schuller impersonation!! Perhaps I could've been a contender!! It might've been. 'RA' told me that this Individual of Interest had changed their mind about me because of my participation in the Crystal Cathedral. What Would HAL 9000, the Matrix-Oracle, the God of This World, and the Queen of Heaven Say??


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    Brook wrote:
    orthodoxymoron quoted: I would really like to know if anyone has taken a close look at this thread -
    or any of the other threads I have posted??

    Raven wrote: Barely, as its full of nothing but egotestical puritanical rantings from a completely ignorant fool, who would rather spend hours typing endless bathering bullshit out of his incessant mouth, and listening to his own "higher" ego then the True higher ego of the Divine.

    If one reads your bullshit enough, one gets an idea as to the degree and level of how deep your rabbit hole goes. Mostly the hole leads right up your XXX.

    Oh bullshit oxy, you LOVE this XXXX, its all you talk about and point people in the direction of it!! Get over yourself already. You are an incredibly ignornant Xxxxx hiding behind a false puritanical skirt, who needs to grow some balls and accept his own self responsibility. Law of attraction baby, what you dish out will be in kind served back to you. Your so called sincere search is nothing but your own whining out loud, hoping for some small platitude from anyone taking the time to read your vomit.
    Brook Responded: Has someone got their panties in a bunch?  Oh wait....it must be that "True higher ego of the divine" speaking". Self Governance comes from knowing and understanding the Divine...............I'll bet that venom comes from one of those "aspects", or "archetypes" Divine understanding?  not so certain about that........ but none the less, "enlightening" words Raven.

    Truly sent with love
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    orthodoxymoron wrote:
    Raven wrote:
    orthodoxymoron wrote:
    Raven wrote:OrthordoxymorOn quote:

    Frankly my dear - I don't give a damn. Hell - with all of my blasphemous posts and delusions of grandeur - I could be the damn antichrist!


    Bingo!!!! Now go look in the mirror Satan  United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 245713
    Raven! Now you're getting nasty! You're so sexy when you're nasty! Does it sometimes take one to know one? Is this a case of the pot calling the kettle 'black'? Leo Zagami said that he was Christ (and that Amen Ra was his father) - so if I am opposed to Leo (especially in regard to his 'Prison - 2012 - Armageddon rant' - then I take that as a complement. Once again - I wish for everyone to be happy - and that means everyone - including you, Raven. Namaste.
    Yes Oxy it does take one to know one *wink* a black kettle indeed, womb of Isis. But then, YOU know.  United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 245713
    I am extremely happy to know that my 'nasty' ways have turned you on Oxy, but we will chat later, I have an urgent task at hand.....well maybe its both hands... cyclops I am the Tree of Akhenaton and the Djed of Amen Rah Mirror of Hathor/..
    Raven.
     
    No hard feelings, Raven. No, actually, I take that back. Think long and hard about that one. Speaking of back - I looked-up 'Djed' http://www.egyptartsite.com/symlst.html Speaking of Egypt - you remind me of Hathor. Double your pleasure by using both hands, Raven - but make sure that you have lots of Vaseline stockpiled in preparation for the coming earthchanges. These drawings were smuggled out of the Dulce Deep Underground Military Base by Thomas Costello. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOIaYGz-vY4&feature=related Incidentally - my primitive Red Letter Christology includes Egyptology. I really think this thing will work out well for everyone, including you, Raven. That text you quoted from the Gospels is interesting and troubling - and highlights my belief that the Bible is a mixed-bag and a big puzzle - which needs to be completely understood and solved. Still - I don't do the numerology and symbology thing very well - so I have left that to others - such as Dr. Desmond Ford, Dr. Erwin R. Gane, Dr. Tonyblue, Dr. Matrix, et al. At some point, I would love to speak with you, without the mind-games and nastiness. I realize that you are much more knowledgeable and experienced than I am - but I like ladies who are experienced, and who know what they're doing...
    SuiGeneris wrote:
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    Remember...

    You are in our VVOMB Oxy

    We Love you!!
    Hugs

    Xeia kali de WaterFlyer Leviathan of The Sacred Waters of Heaven
    &
    Amzara Ishtara Behemoth of The Sacred Fires of Hell,

    DoveRaven and RavenDove of The Logos Womb, Mirrors of Hathor, AMEN RA


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    SuiGeneris wrote:
    The Creator's Agony!!

    (A poem by Oxy as channeled through Xeia)

    A hundred years of solitude awaits me...
    for my Queen was banned from the Mists,
    we were happy and fine with our fists,
    but true fear and ignorance remains...
    see this fire that burns in my veins?
    It's my longing for her that berates me!
    scarred, torn is what equates me...
    in the wait I'm consumed with my pains.

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    Anointment of the ET-Breed/Clan
    in the preparation of the Logos-Family for Contact!!
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    I'm tired of being ignored and/or hated as I attempt to 'figure things out' and 'solve the world's problems' without appreciation and/or compensation. Apparently 'casting one's pearls before the swine' constitutes a 'grave-threat to national-security'. I've been incognito for nearly two-months, and no-one has added to this thread. Why am I not surprised?? Is Rich@$$Hole the New-Normal?? What if Earth is supposed to be Purgatory Incorporated for All-Eternity?? What if Earth is NOT Supposed to be Made-Better?? 'RA' told me "You Can Leave Things the Way They Are, If You Choose" and "You'll Be Sorry If You Try to Save Humanity". What if 'Resistance is Futile' even for the Borg-Queen and/or Matrix-Mediatrix and/or Matrix-Creator?? Anyway, I'd appreciate some wise-advice regarding any of my Threads aka Exercises in Futility, but I won't hold my breath. I might contrast [Genesis to Esther] and [Matthew to Acts] with [Job to Malachi] and [Romans to Revelation], just for the hell of it. You know, the Historical-Books contrasted with the Theological-Books. Didn't you go to Sabbath-School or Sunday-School?? Consider reading [Job to Daniel] and [Romans to Philemon] straight-through, over and over, in the 'NIV Reader's Bible' (by Zondervan). [Wisdom-Books, Major-Prophets] and [Pauline-Epistles]. This might be a Missing-Link in your Sophisticated Alternative-Research. The Bible is a Can of Worms which must be properly understood and managed IMHO.

    What Would Dr. Carol Williams Play?? What Would Dr. Francesca Stavrakopoulou Say?? I Love to Hear Francesca Say "David!!" 'RA' Told Me "I'm Close to God!!" What If God Doesn't Believe in God?? What Would George Zebrowski's 'Heathen God' Say?? https://epdf.tips/george-zebrowski-heathen-god.html Ever Heard of the 'Human (G)nome Project'?? What If God Isn't 'God-Enough' for Us?? A Famous Attorney Told Me "If Jesus Showed-Up the Church Wouldn't Know What to Do with Him!!" What If God is a Slob?? What If We Achieved Eternal-Freedom from God 5,000 to 15,000 Years Ago?? What If Our 'Proxy-God' is HAL 9000?? What Would David Bowman Say?? This might be much more significant than 'Patristics'. What Would Joseph Farrell Say?? Consider the following Individuals of Interest. Is there a past-life connection?? What if they are the Same-Soul?? Dr. Who was called 'Your Holiness' in 'The Vampires of Venice'. What Would a Renegade French Jesuit Organist Say?? Several Insiders (in all factions) need to study my nine USSS threads exhaustively. I'm an outsider, and I won't dig-deep, go-nuts, or sell-out, so I'll probably never know the Real-Deal and/or Real-Truth. It might be easier that way. What Would Ovid Say?? What Would Michael Say?? What Would the Dark Knight Say??

    1. Martin Luther (1483 to 1546).
    2. Francis Bacon (1561 to 1626).
    3. Dietrich Buxtehude (1637 to 1707).
    4. John Carroll (1735 to 1815).
    5. Prince Albert (1819 to 1861).
    6. Eugenio Pacelli (1876 to 1958).
    7. Dr. Who (1963 to ????).

    I understand the experiential and devotional aspects of 'He Lives Within My Heart' but I keep encountering sacred-texts such-as 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 New International Version:

    Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

    Consider this 1994 lecture by Dr. Desmond Ford. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSjDH6qO5zE There is a problem here. The deeper I dig, the more resistance I encounter, which I find highly-suspicious, as if the Matrix-Oracle is cracking-down on an Uppity Completely-Ignorant Fool with a Monkey-Mind and a God-Complex!! We seem to be in some sort of a Galactic-Prison aka Hotel-California, but perhaps it's better not to know. Ignorance seems to be Bliss and Virtue. Perhaps I should read 'Q' instead of the 'Holy-Bible'. It might be easier that way. I understand the Christ Concept, but the details seem increasingly problematic, such as the 'Hard Sayings of Jesus' (see Dr. F.F. Bruce) or the 'Quest for the Historical Jesus in Acts to Revelation'. There are numerous 'Hard Sayings' and the 'Life and Teachings of the Historical Jesus' (as found in the Gospels) don't seem to exist or be acknowledged in Acts to Revelation. However, visualizing a Perfect Being of Ethics and Responsibility named 'Christ' and/or 'Jesus' is spiritually expedient and effective. My current problem with religion is that people are scared and superstitious, and seem incapable of being open and honest regarding their church and sacred-writings. Perhaps Pluralistic-Education and Corporate-Employment is the New-Religion for a New-Age (or something corny like that).

    Perhaps one should tell people what they wish to hear about 'Jesus' and 'Religion'. Perhaps one should say (in essence) "I Think Like You Do." Perhaps one should make as much money as possible, and "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." The Revelation of Jesus Christ is highly-violent and highly-upsetting. The first and last chapters should be carefully examined before buying into the rest of the Last Book of the Bible. I appreciate supernatural-experiences, but I don't seek them. I don't astral-travel or channel-archangels, but what was I supposed to do when someone showed-up, saying "I AM RA"?? I'm going to let this go for a while, but I'm presently thinking in terms of reading 1 Chronicles to Malachi in the Reader's NIV Bible (without verse numbering) straight-through, over and over. James Dean (in East of Eden) would love that version! I have no idea where this might ultimately lead, but it might shed significant light on Genesis to 2 Kings and Matthew to Revelation. Something is very-right and very-wrong with Religion and Spirituality (as we know it).

    Just a heads-up for all concerned (and unconcerned). I recently visited that Masonic-Cemetery (which is sort of a ritual with me). It makes me face myself and think. I'm feeling worse and worse, with my 'one-eye out of alignment with the other-eye' episodes occurring much more frequently. I'm seeing those 'streaming white lights' much more often (which I'm interpreting as nefarious remote-viewing). Some 'wandering-souls' might not make it back to their bodies. My computer has been running very-hot, with the battery draining very-quickly, which means that someone has been messing with my computer. I hope you guys are cracking-down on the Bad-Guys as hard as you crack-down on the Good-Guys. If I don't have much-longer would that be a good-thing or a bad-thing (for me, the good-guys, and the bad-guys)?? What if I left, and never returned??

    In 'Babylon 5', Michael Garibaldi states "We Go to War Because We Like It" (or something to that effect). 'The Gods of Eden' by William Bramley is an eye-opener regarding war. I suspect that ALL of US are Ancient-Warriors, who are Prisoners of War, in a Prison-Planet in Rebellion (or something to that effect). I suspect the Artificial-Intelligence Management of Humanity for many thousands of years (or something to that effect) which might involve some sort of Direct-Democracy wherein we get what we want (regardless of whether it's right or wrong). In 'Babylon 5', Mr. Morden keeps asking "What Do You Want??" I suspect that wars are centrally planned and orchestrated for profit and power. I further suspect that the Nukes and Space-Force are Centrally-Controlled, which might explain why we haven't had a full-bore World War III (yet). The Technocratic-Enslavement of Humanity might be enforced by the Weapons of Mass-Destruction We've Built to 'Protect' Ourselves.

    I honestly don't know what to do, so I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, which isn't much. This thing might simply need to play-out, to prove some sort of a galactic-point. The prophetic-thing and the War in Heaven thing might have everything to do with everything, but there are at least a million different interpretations of what that might mean. Mystery seems to be an integral-part of 'The Plan'. I've talked to several young-people who seem to think 'Everything is Fine' and that we're entering into a 'Bright-New Beautiful-Tomorrow'. I hope they're correct, but the German-People probably thought that was the case in the 1930's (to greater or lesser extents). They seemed to have God and Technology on their side. The hidden factional-conflicts frighten me, mostly because they're probably extremely sophisticated and well-financed. They're all probably more diabolical than hell itself. Perhaps all-factions are centrally-managed. I suspect that people such as Jordan Maxwell and Linda Moulton Howe suspect this as well (judging from bits and pieces of their presentations). I honestly don't wish to dive too deeply into these troubled-waters. The Matrix seems to have ways to deal with cats who become too loud and curious. They have ways to make us stop. Many ways.

    I've somewhat recently been modeling a four-planet solar-system, namely Sun, Planet-Hell, Planet-Purgatory, Planet-Paradise, Planet-Administration (in very-crude terms) and Planet-Purgatory seems to be the only one with 'Freedom' and/or 'Probation'. Planet-Hell would have an open  'Devil' with Absolute-Authority. Planet-Paradise would have an open 'God' with Absolute-Authority. Planet-Purgatory would probably advertise 'Freedom' but still have a hidden 'Devil' and/or 'God' aka Deep-State (in very-crude terms). Earth's Moon might be a Refereeing Planet-Administration (with a pretty regimented modus-operandi). Sometimes it seems as if Earth and the Moon are an amalgamation of All of the Above (in very-crude terms). I've somewhat idealistically modeled a 'United States of the Solar System' commencing in or around A.D. 2133, which might incorporate the best of All of the Above (in very-crude terms).

    I don't know what's really going-on (here, and throughout the universe). I have no credible information regarding 'the rest of the universe' to compare with 'here'. 'Here' might be 'as good as it gets', 'as bad as it gets', or 'somewhere in-between'. I'm very-concerned regarding how we 'mess' with everyone and everything. We seem to have no-problem opening legion 'Pandora's Boxes' (in very-crude terms). I frankly don't have a problem with trusting and obeying 'God' if (and only if) we're dealing with the 'Real-Deal' but the Holy-Writings and Religious-Leaders often don't inspire much confidence relative to a 'Real-Deal Righteous-God'. I suffer from a Theological-Crisis of Biblical-Proportions 24/7, and it honestly feels as-if I'm being cracked-down upon by the Matrix (in very-crude terms). I suspect an Ancient to Modern YouTube and Supercomputer Based Investigative-Judgment (in very-crude terms). 'RA' told me "You Did It With YouTube" and "Negotiations Occur Every-Day". I could say a lot more about this, but my policy is to 'Beat-Around the Burning-Bush'.  

    I wish I were a scholar, but the inconvenient truth is that my misery regarding the predicaments of humanity and myself propel me to seek unconventional explanations and solutions, which is why I hang out on this website. I suppose I'm attempting to understand the real characters and circumstances behind the mythologies and theologies. The Christ (as we know Him) seems to be a shadow of a very-ancient lost-somebody. I'm leaning toward some sort of Zeus and Artemis (figurative and/or literal) conflict and/or collaboration. I'm merely a reflector of the brilliance of others (including members of this website). I've merely created a study-guide for Sirius-Researchers (and NOT a manifesto and/or ultimatum). I know that I don't know, but I suspect that humanity (and myself) are in a HUGE amount of trouble. I'm truly an Apostate-SDA, and possibly a Past-Life Renegade-Turncoat Roman-Catholic and/or Ancient-Hebrew. I might be an Ancient Hermaphrodite-Reptilian System-Lord (for all I know) with a HUGE amount of Karmic-Debt. I simultaneously accept and reject the Bible and EGW. I simultaneously accept and reject the UFO and Alien reports and theories. I'm reduced to reviewing my threads in a MOST miserable manner. Probably the less-said the-better. It might've been...Shalom.

    Carol wrote:Well stated Oxy. "Mystery seems to be an integral-part of 'The Plan'." And I still think you are far closer to the target in your understanding of all of the elements in play then anyone could possibly imagine. For the most part I just sit back and enjoy the show with the appropriate ohs, ahh, and arghs. All we can do is our best, pray and keep in alignment with our spiritual core.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT6E1hh3Zjo
    The Economic Setup Is Complete, Well Played Patriots - Episode 1813a

    Report date: 03.12.2019

    The UK and the EU have reached an impasse in negotiations. May is preparing for another vote and it is happening very soon. The US National Security Council has now warned Italy not to join the Belt and Road initiative started by China. The Federal Reserve Chairman has appeared on 60 minutes, the question is why now. This is part of the plan, the setup is complete.



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH2PzAH4aX0
    T [-7] And Counting, Prepared And Ready, Be Vigilant - Episode 1813b

    Report date: 03.12.2019

    More layoffs are coming for the MSM. Feds arrest dozens in a college bribery scam, many of those involved are tv and movie stars. Rep Doug Collins releases Lisa Pages transcript. Schiff is panicking. JW is suing for communication between RR and Comey. US embassy staff are leaving Venezuela. Q drops more bread, the countdown continues, be ready and prepared.



    Lisa Page's congressional testimony reveals that the FBI was considering charging Hillary Clinton under the Espionage Act for "gross negligence" — until the DOJ flat-out told them "No.
    https://twitter.com/JerryDunleavy/status/1105566267426119680
    Carol wrote:

    https://youtu.be/vSdKl6EwS9E
    Praying Medic: Qanon March 16 2019 - Promises Soon to be Kept

    The promises made by President Trump and Q about the prosecution the deep state are about to become promises kept.

    Twitter thread: http://bit.ly/Q-promises

    This broadcast covers posts #3034-3079 on https://qmap.pub/

    My website: https://prayingmedic.com/

    https://twitter.com/StormIsUponUs

    Q: https://qanon.pub


    ENDGAME : POTUS Trump's Vindication Nears
    https://quodverum.com/2019/03/75/endgame-potus-trump-s-vindication-nears.html

    Leftists have long alleged that Donald Trump has conducted crimes with the mafia, as well as with Russian oligarchs. What they can never explain is why Trump has never been indicted. As REX explains, there may be a reason for that. And in 2019, it's all connected to POTUS Trump's masterful takedown of The Swamp.  Trump has been working undercover against the Swamp for the past 3 decades. Now he's the president and going in for the kill.

    'Over the past three decades, at least 13 people with known or alleged links to Russian mobsters or oligarchs have owned, lived in, and even run criminal activities out of Trump Tower and other Trump properties. Many used his apartments and casinos to launder untold millions in dirty money. Some ran a worldwide high-stakes gambling ring out of Trump Tower—in a unit directly below one owned by Trump. Others provided Trump with lucrative branding deals that required no investment on his part.'

    Gosh. And did you know that 'over the years, Trump and his sons would try …to build a new Trump Tower in Moscow?

    There's one problem. The reporters don't tell you that of 'the thirteen people', almost all have been indicted and jailed, in the US or overseas. They also don't tell you that the Moscow project never happened.

    Time and time again, leftist 'reporters' are able to connect dots between Trump and mafia associates. However, they're never able to find that elusive piece of evidence that they know must exist, revealing Trump's criminality.

    And that's the point. Their intense hatred of Trump blinds them. It means that they are starting their investigations and research with the assumption that Trump must be a criminal, rather than asking, 'if Trump has been working with the Italian and Russian mob so much since the 1980s, why has he never been indicted with anything?'

    Maybe they don't want to ask that question, because they suspect the answer doesn't fit their narrative. Far from working with organized criminals since the 1980s, Trump has been working with the FBI - to bring them down.

    Trump Started Working With The FBI Since 1981.



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v47So14ZVho
    This Is What Economic Control Looks Like, Boom - Episode 1816a

    Report date: 03.15.2019

    Increasing the minimum wages does not help the people, it might look like it does in the short run but in the long run they are exactly back to where they started or out of work. The real problem lays with the economic system that we are in. Trump and the Patriots now have control over the Fed, the Fed is going to be in a holding pattern and talking about maybe increasing the rates in the 3rd quarter.



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP2oxeal6oM
    Placeholders Ready To Be Filled, Narrative Change Needed, Be Vigilant - Episode 1816b

    Report date: 03.15.2019

    More posts were dropped. More and more evidence is now coming out, this evidence shows who is involved, who conspired and what comes next. There is a narrative shift coming and we all need to be vigilant. The latest event was to hit at Trump to discredit him in anyway possible, plus the [DS] was pushing new legislation, and as we know new legislation does not move unless their is an event. The countdown continues.

    "District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ordered senior officials — including Susan Rice, Ben Rhodes, Jacob Sullivan, and FBI official E.W. Priestap – to respond under oath and submit the answers in writing to the questions provided by Judicial Watch. The decision from Lamberth was made this past January. Lamberth ordered the discovery from the watchdog’s July 2014 FOIA lawsuit, which was filed after the State Department failed to respond to an earlier request made May 13, 2014."
    https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-03-16/former-obama-officials-ordered-judge-answer-questions-over-clinton-emails
    orthodoxymoron wrote:Carol, I never know who the Good-Guys and Bad-Guys really are. I suspect several Bad@$$ Factions in conflict with each-other, yet absolutely-controlled by a REALLY Bad@$$ Central-Faction!! I guess I've attempted Responsible-Neutrality to create a Research-Context to shine-light on the Good-Guys and Bad-Guys, hoping that things will somehow get sorted-out by those who REALLY Know What's Going-On.
    Carol wrote:Oxy,

    the good guys provide self-less service and the bad guys are self-serving.

    this is a also a spiritual battle between good and evil.

    the bad guys torture, sexually abuse, rape, murder children and are cannibals.

    the bad guys promote human trafficking, sexual enslavement, drugs and violence.

    the bad guys are followers of Satan and work to enslave humanity.

    the bad guys are into greed, power and control the the earth's resources - ALL of the earths resource including humans which they consider in the same vein as cattle.

    the bad guys are immoral and without conscience.

    the bad guys take pleasure in tormenting others (animals and humans).

    the bad guys are beyond sick and many are demonic having sold their souls to Satan.

    The good guys fight the bad guys and their disastrous negative affect on humanity and the negative impact on the planet.

    The good guys work to make things right at the risk of their own lives.

    The good guys tend to be humble and hang in there when the going gets tough.

    The good guys stand up to EVIL and state: "You shall not pass!"

    The good guys protect the children, families, the animals and our planet.

    The good guys believe in God and being in alignment with God's laws.

    God Bless the Good guys,
    orthodoxymoron wrote:Thank-you for your response, Carol. I understand the basic concept of 'Good v Evil' but what concerns me is that many (if not all) of the Top Bad-Guys and Good-Guys might be controlled by the Same Guy and/or Gal to perpetuate Purgatory Incorporated, with Earth being run as a Big Ancient-Business. God and God's Laws in the Bible often seem Highly Arbitrary, Harsh, Violent, and Counter-Intuitive. The History of God's Church (or should I say "Churches") often seems absurd. I am often highly-troubled by BOTH the Good-Guys and Bad-Guys. What if (when reality is faced) it is necessary for the Agencies and Militaries to run a Solar System?? John Dominic Crossan stated that one can have an Empire or a Republic, but that it is impossible to have both for long. He might've been quoting someone, but I can't remember who. What if we've gotten to where we are via a long history of Star-Wars of Brutal-Conquest?? What if this particular Solar-System was a line in the sand, to end Galactic-Atrocities for All-Eternity?? But what if a Supercomputer Proxy-God was deemed necessary to Manage the Unmanageable?? The Heart of Man is Desperately-Wicked?? Who Can Comprehend It?? What if All of Us are worse than we can imagine (going way, way, way back)?? What if we have been sentenced to Purgatory Incorporated for All-Eternity?? I scare the hell out of myself sometimes.
    Carol wrote:Oxy, I believe the heart of humanity is essentially good and those who seek to exploit humanity wicked. I don't dwell on the rest of it. Watching it all unfold on a daily basis is enough entertainment for the day.  After all. It's about mystery and discovery. Then learning and becoming more consciously aware, don't you think? Don't you believe in the evolution of human consciousness? An eventual returning to source?
    orthodoxymoron wrote:Carol, I don't know what I believe. Perhaps humanity has exploited humanity for thousands of years. Perhaps that was part of the plan to reform humanity. Human consciousness currently seems to be undergoing revolutionary (rather than evolutionary) change, coupled with revolutionary (rather than evolutionary) technological 'advancement' which might result in the catastrophic-destruction of humanity, and the returning to source in soul and/or primitive-humanoid form. An Individual of Interest told me "We Need to Start Over." I feel as if I've gone way too far with This Present Quest, and the Matrix seems to be reigning me in. Perhaps the Good-Guys and Bad-Guys get reigned in by the Matrix to maintain some sort of a Dynamic-Equilibrium wherein Nobody Wins on a long-term basis. One of the 'V' (2009-11) episodes was titled 'We Can't Win'. I've come to interpret 'V' in a Supercomputer Artificial-Intelligence Bio-Robotic Matrix-Mediatrix manner, and it's scared the hell out of me.

    My current plan revolves around reading newspapers and tending to business, rather than saving humanity. 'RA' told me "Humanity is Screwed" and "You'll Be Sorry If You Try to Save Humanity". What Would Anna and Erica Say?? What Would Chad Decker Report?? I've imagined myself in a 'Chad Decker' role, hosting 'The Regressive Perspective'!! 'RA' scoffed when I used the term 'Regressive' and called me a 'Commoner' when I spoke of 'Tall Long-Nosed Greys'!! I just realized that 'Aurora' (the King's Daughter) in 'Maleficent' had a curse related to her 16th birthday, and that 'David' (the Son of John and Delenn Sheridan) in 'Babylon 5' had a curse related to his 16th birthday. I've met 'Maleficent' and the 'Snow Queen', but I don't think I've met Diana or Anna. Actually, I'm related to Anna. We're both V's.

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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 They-live1
    "What Are We Going To Do
    About Orthodoxymoron?!"

    I discussed 'They Live' with 'RA'. Honest. I would deeply appreciate it if someone would carefully analyze This Present Thread, and post their observations and recommendations. Thank-You In Advance. I'm supposed to be Incognito in 2019, but Look At Me!! I'm going to try to keep-quiet one more time, but we'll see how long that lasts. Silence is Golden.

    What if, ultimately, there is no ultimate-answer?? What if we'll be searching for all-eternity?? In a high-school yearbook there's a picture of me with the caption 'Still Searching'. Well, I'm 'Still Searching' but at this point 'Still Suffering' seems more appropriate. I honestly think I was placed in This Present Container to rub my nose in the Crap Happening On Earth. I feel a bit similar to Dr. Who being pulled out of time in 'The Trial of a Time-Lord'. What if 'Searching for Truth in Newspapers' is not such a bad idea?? I know it sounds 'Old-School' but what if that approach might help keep a lot of us sane in an increasingly insane world?? The joke is 'There's No Pravda in Izvestia' and 'There's No Izvestia in Pravda'. Just remember 'The KGB Read the KJV'. Must I Explain?? I didn't create the first joke, but I claim responsibility for the second. Mea Culpa.

    Siriusly, in A.D. 2133, a United States of the Solar System might include Russia (pretty much 'as-is') but it might involve travelling throughout the world as easily as travelling from Oregon to California, with some sort of an amalgamation of the United Nations and the United States with a Constitution and Bill of Rights modeled after the Constitution for the United States of America (with Amendments) with a Non-Bloodline Highly-Educated King and Queen Under a Real-Deal Righteous-God Meeting in the Washington National Cathedral (or something to that effect). "Don't Shoot!! I'm Just a Completely Ignorant Fool!!" What Would John Carroll Say??

    I've tentatively concluded that humanity has somehow been supercomputer-connected for thousands of years, and that our words, actions, and (possibly) thoughts have been remotely influenced and recorded for thousands of years. I'm attempting to think-through the implications and ramifications of this revolting-development, and I seem to be sliding-downhill at a frightening-rate. I'm not buying simulation-theories, but I'm seriously considering all of the above to be somewhat likely. Unfortunately, my mind seems to be turning to mush as I become more sluggish and miserable. I'm frankly preparing for the worst. An Individual of Interest told me that humanity was past the point of no-return. I've attempted to mostly take the words of several Individuals of Interest seriously (without committing to anything). I've tentatively concluded that attempting to communicate my experiences and insights with the general-public is a lost-cause, and worse than a waste of time. Even those in the know turn away from me (online and in real-life). I'm finally getting the message.

    mudra wrote:There are several ways to understand the world Oxy. The one that works for me and which is most gratifying is to see it as within me. For when I accept this I can at the same time transform it. Letting go of everything I fix and make solid, and make it fluid. This is something we can do, you know, to pay attention to how we create the world , how we create our problems, our burdens by our own as beings and collectively. How do we create something  from " nothing "? We are creating something that is perceivable in the material world. It's fascinating stuff really.

    Love from me
    mudra
    It might merely be coincidental but when I posted the 'Russian' stuff my computer slowed-down to a near-standstill. I meant no harm, but perhaps not everyone sees it that way. I'm honestly wondering if Not-Knowing, Not-Caring, Not-Talking, and Not-Doing are a Wise-Plan in This Present Darkness?! The Less Said, The Better?? Ignorance is Bliss and Virtue?? Is Ignorance or Apathy the Worst Problem in the World?? "I Don't Know and I Don't Care!!"
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    Breaking FakeNews:
    'Prince of Sirius'
    Demoted To
    'Prince of Siberia'


    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Wed Jul 24, 2019 3:29 am; edited 16 times in total
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Mon Mar 18, 2019 2:57 am

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Incognito-mode

    Hello, I'm Incognito. I'm a Completely-Ignorant Air-Head, but I wish to make it clear that I'm on everyone's side and no-one's side. I'm both friend and enemy of the church -- which probably makes me an enemy -- but I mean-well. I think I see how things work in this solar-system -- and I won't be "playing-ball" anytime soon. I don't have high-hopes for this incarnation, or my next incarnation -- but I'm thinking the second-incarnation after this one holds significant-promise (in my mind anyway). I could say a lot more about this -- but I'd rather not talk about what I really think. I MUST silently research the material I've speculated about. I'm honestly NOT an insider. I've purposely kept myself "out of the loop" -- even though I have spoken at length with several individuals of interest. I think I've probably come perilously-close to the "dark-side" but I've functioned mostly as a reporter. I sometimes think of myself as a 'Chad Decker Kind of Guy'. What Would Anna Say?? What Would Adria Say?? What Would Agent Erica Evans Say?? What Would the 'Snow Queen' Say?? Just know that I'll be researching and reflecting -- without saying or doing much of anything. Perhaps 100 years of solitude awaits me, until A.D. 2133, and the founding of the United States of the Solar System.

    http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18900&highlight=united+states+solar+system You might find this link somewhat interesting!! Researchers Beware!! What Would Balem Abrasax Say?? When I made my first "Amen Ra" post on the old and closed Project Avalon http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18223 -- I did so with fear and trembling (and I said so). That fear and trembling was reinforced when a mysterious individual of interest looked me in the eye, and matter of fact said, "I AM RA". Over several months, their words and actions tended to substantiate that assertion (or at least that they weren't just another crackpot). There have been approximately 160,000 views of that thread -- even though the site has been closed to editing and posting since 2010. I make this post with nearly the same level of fear and trembling. It has a lot to do with the "Azazel" post on the previous page. I feel targeted, harassed, hamstrung, and paranoid. I think I'm a Victim. You might have a difficult time understanding this post -- and understanding why my heart is racing. You'd almost have to be me to see what I mean. Here is a preliminary timeline, just to break the ice, and get things going:

    1. M.L. Andreasen gains unprecedented access to Ellen White and her writings (shortly before her death).
    2. Prophets and Kings (covering the last-half of the Old-Testament) is published in 1917 (two-years after Ellen White's death).
    3. M.L. Andreasen publishes the book Isaiah the Gospel Prophet in 1929.
    4. Pope Pius XII creates an encyclical promoting Biblical-Scholarship (during World War II).
    5. The SDA Church facilitates the monumental SDA Bible Commentary in the early to mid 1950's.
    6. Significant problems are encountered regarding the Book of Daniel during that project.
    7. A Top-Level Daniel-Committee (including Raymond Cottrell) spends Five-Years (1961 to 1966) studying the Problems in Daniel -- with no minutes kept -- and nothing published.
    8. Raymond Cottrell spends Seventeen-Years (1955--1972) studying Daniel and Sanctuary Issues -- resulting in 1,100 pages of notes -- with nothing being officially-published (as far as I know).
    9. Seventh-day Adventists Answer Questions on Doctrine is published in 1957 with a HUGE Firestorm of Controversy.
    10. Desmond Ford obtains a PhD in 1972 from the University of Manchester in England -- with F.F. Bruce as his advisor -- wherein he studies the Issues Involving Daniel and the Sanctuary (from a New-Testament Perspective).
    11. Desmond Ford moves from Australia to California in 1977 -- where he teaches at Pacific Union College in the Napa Valley.
    12. "Azazel" begins studies at Pacific Union College in 1977 -- attends numerous lectures by Desmond Ford -- and takes classes from Erwin R. Gane (outspoken critic of Desmond Ford).
    13. "Oh, God!" seemingly featuring "Azazel" is produced in 1977 (with John Denver and George Burns).
    14. Desmond Ford publishes his Commentary on Daniel in 1978.
    15. Desmond Ford delivers a controversial lecture at P.U.C. in 1979 titled The Investigative Judgment: Theological-Milestone or Historical-Necessity (with "Azazel" in attendance). Eric Syme is the lecture-respondent -- and speaks significantly regarding "Azazel". "Azazel" takes a class from Dr. Syme -- and speaks to him in his office regarding Dr. Ford's lecture.
    16. Desmond Ford is given a leave of absence from teaching to prepare a defense of his views.
    17. "Azazel" is involved in significant conversations with P.U.C. Theology-Major (and Ford Supporter) Mark Martin (Now an Arizona Calvary Chapel Mega-Church Pastor with 12,000 members).
    18. Ford attends a major gathering of scholars and administrators in 1980 at Glacier View Ranch, in Colorado -- regarding his views -- which turns-out to be a Kangaroo-Court (in retrospect).
    19. Ford Publishes the 1,000 page Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment in 1980.
    20. Ford is fired by P.U.C. and defrocked by the SDA Church in 1980.
    21. Kenneth Woodward of Newsweek Magazine comes to P.U.C. in 1980 to write a story regarding the Desmond Ford Controversy -- and speaks in a public-meeting -- in which "Azazel" asks Mr. Woodward a question.
    22. Raiders of the Lost Ark -- directed by Steven Spielberg -- featuring Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones -- is released in 1981. This movie features the Ark of the Covenant -- which is central to the Sanctuary, Daniel, and the Investigative Judgment.
    23. Russell Crowe stars in a 6 minute advertisement in 1982 for Avondale College -- an SDA college in Australia -- and is subsequently featured in many movies which seem to have "Azazel" parallels.
    24. The End of the World, A.D. 2133 by Lucio Bernardo Silvestre is published in 1985 by Vantage Press -- with seemingly a very-small number of copies being printed. "Azazel" later obtains a copy. The text is expertly-written -- and features the Book of Daniel.
    25. "Azazel" regularly attends a Sabbath-School Class taught by Dr. A. Graham Maxwell (in the late 1980's) -- which is regularly attended by Steven Spielberg's stepmother -- who "Azazel" speaks with regarding a Movie-Idea featuring a Science-Fictional Life of Christ.
    26. "Azazel" regularly attends Dr. Walter Martin's Sunday-School Class in Costa Mesa, California (in the late 1980's). Martin was a central-figure in the Questions on Doctrine saga.
    27. "Azazel" later speaks extensively with several individuals of interest -- including a Dogma movie-character "Bartleby" look-alike who says "I AM RA".

    I could continue -- but this list is a beginning -- and it honestly hurts too much to elaborate. I could be more direct and complete -- but I've already stuck my neck out way too far. All of the Above sounds far-fetched and ridiculous -- but if you were me, and you knew everything I know, you'd be shaking with fear!! I'm wondering if that Daniel-Committee which met for five-years -- and Raymond Cottrell's seventeen-year study -- uncovered some of what I'm presently dealing-with??!! I'm recommending an intense study of the third, fourth, and sixth volumes of the SDA Bible Commentary -- for several reasons. The main-idea is to use the sixth-volume (Acts to Ephesians) to give the third and fourth volumes (1 Chronicles to Malachi) a decidedly New-Testament tone and application -- with the 1 Chronicles to Malachi third and fourth volumes being Normative. You'd have to be deeply immersed in this stuff to really get what I'm getting-at!! "Daniel 8:14!! Do You Get What I Mean??!!"

    I honestly think this thing is going to end BADLY (in SO Many Ways). I'm just trying to warn you. I don't want to keep repeating what I keep posting throughout my threads regarding who I think I MIGHT Be (and how the whole prophecy-thing MIGHT Play-Out) -- but if some of you Nazi-Mason-Jesuit Intelligence-Agents do some research (way beyond what I'm capable of doing with my limited-resources and self-imposed restrictions) -- you'll be amazed -- and you might even quarantine me!! A Subterranean 600 Square-Foot Office-Apartment with a Supercomputer is looking better all the time!! I'm sort of kidding -- and sort of Sirius!! I'm really dumb and dull in real-life -- but I have sort of a "silent and subtle sophistication". What Would Alanis Morissette Say?? What Would David Mann Say?? What Would David Bowie Say?? What Would David Bowman Say?? What Would Alan Rickman Say??

    Remember that strange message I found in my word-processor some time ago, regarding supposedly writing 37 books (at least 2,000 years-ago) 5 of which were supposedly included in the Bible?? Consider 1 Chronicles -- Job -- Ecclesiastes -- Daniel -- and Zechariah -- as possible candidates for those five-books!! And what about Isaiah 40-66 -- Jonah -- and Malachi?? What if those five-books referenced in that word-processor message had nothing to do with the New-Testament (as we know it)?? Or what if James were one of the chosen-five?? What if those 37 (including the 5) books were essentially an Old-Testament Commentary in the Style of the New-Testament?? What would a Completely New-Testament Version of 1 Chronicles to Malachi look-like?? Does ANYONE Know What I'm Talking About?? What Would King David Say?? What Would King Solomon Say?? What Would the Queen of Sheba Say?? Notice that I'm often purposely obscure. Notice that I've kept my word regarding restricting my tripe to this website. I'm serious about "My Book" being Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary (for the time-being). Ellen G. White didn't write a Bible-Commentary!! WHY NOT??!!

    Patriarchs and Prophets -- Prophets and Kings -- Desire of Ages -- and Acts of the Apostles -- are essentially a New-Bible!! Perhaps she had inside-information regarding how the Bible should've been written!! I'm half-joking and half-serious!! What if Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary might be considered an Ellen White Bible Commentary on 1 Chronicles to Malachi?? Why did Ellen (Goa'uld) White "Beat Around the Burning-Bush" and take so many "Editorial-Liberties"?? Imagine Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary rewritten in the style of Prophets and Kings!! BTW -- might there be such a thing as a Kinder and Gentler Nazi--Mason--Jesuit Alphabet-Agency??!! What Would William Boone Say?? What Would Ronald Sandoval Say?? What Would Zo'or and Da'an Say?? Think About It!! Visualize reading Volumes 3 and 4 of the SDA Bible Commentary while listening to the Bach B-minor Mass!! What Would Leroy Froom Say?? What Would Roy Allen Anderson Say?? What Would Desmond Ford Say?? What Would the Jesuit General Say?? Does ANYONE Get What I'm Getting At??!! This stuff is so sad and insane -- that it's almost funny!! "I told you she was funny!!"

    I noticed that the liberal "Spectrum" site has NOT Discussed a fine SDA Bible Commentary series of articles at all -- but they vigorously-debate the most-trivial matters imaginable!! WHY?? I've noticed that The Mists mostly avoids my threads (as if by Divine-Prohibition) -- yet vigorously-debates the most-trivial matters imaginable!! WHY?? Regarding Volumes  Three, Four, and Six of the SDA Bible Commentary -- what would a composite-study reveal regarding Sabbath-Observance in Modernity for Jews, Gentiles, and All-Concerned? I frankly have No Problem with Sabbath-Observance in the Right-Context BUT I fear that Imposing Sabbath-Observance (of ANY Day) upon humanity in modernity would result in unimaginable civil-unrest and brutal-bloodshed. I've suggested the possibility of Sacred Classical Music offered in the larger-churches Each and Every Day as a possible Ecumenical-Genesis. But really, I think I need to Not Talk. This isn't my gig. Helping might result in Hurting.

    I've absented myself from church to gain objectivity and clarity -- not as an expression of rebellion. Plus, I'm unimaginably burned-out and disillusioned with just about EVERYTHING. The Ancient Egyptian Deity closely (and seemingly gloatingly) questioned me regarding the Sabbath in a telephone-interview which he said was recorded and in which others were listening!! It was almost an "Aha!! We Got You Now!!" sort of thing!! I got the same impression at the end of the original Project Avalon -- when I called for the institution of a United States of the Solar System (with the help of the Benevolent Beings of the Universe)!! I had NO Idea at that time (2010) that I might be a Significant Individual of Interest (possibly with a Significant Ancient Existence). Have I been Decisively-Defeated at Long-Last?? That frankly wouldn't surprise me one little-bit!! Ding-Dong??!! If this actually occurred, will this somehow protect me from the horrors and karmic-debt of what's in-store for Earth, Humanity, the Solar-System, the Galaxy, and the Rest of the Universe?? What if the Cleansing of the Sanctuary involves the Entire-Universe?? I Honestly Have NO Idea -- but I'm more apprehensive and fearful than anyone can possibly imagine. It sucks to be me. I HATE My Life. I Honestly Do. Making the Coffee and Watching Jupiter Ascending Doesn't Help!!

    I guess I really intend my nine United States of the Solar System threads to be sort of a Research-Baseline as a Foundation for MUCH More Scholarly and Serious Research. Perhaps it's NOT my place to do anything more than that (at least until A.D. 2133). Perhaps I've done way too much already. Perhaps this incarnation wasn't supposed to be a competition at all. Some (including me) seem to feel as if I've failed in this incarnation -- and that the other-guy won. Perhaps that's exactly what's happened OR perhaps my incarnation was sort of a Red-Herring. Perhaps there were predetermined-responses established to properly deal-with whatever I did (or didn't do). Think about John and Delenn Sheridan's son "David" -- briefly mentioned toward the end of the Babylon 5 series. David was destined to receive some sort of a curse on his sixteenth-birthday. Why?? "Sweet-Sixteen and Never Been Cursed??" I feel as if I've been cursed and hamstrung for most of my pathetic-life.

    You have no idea how smart and sensitive I was as a child and teen. But things have gotten worse and worse and worse -- while I continued to mean-well and intend the best. The ongoing hatred I've encountered has been inexplicable to me. Perhaps I was placed here to experience and observe (in a most-unpleasant and highly-unproductive manner). I think you can see by my posts that I'm not a total-moron -- but in real-life, posting is NOT a marketable job-skill (to say the least). BTW -- what if the resignation of the Pope (and the election of a Jesuit-Pope) signaled the removal of Archangel II -- and the beginning of an A.D. 2013 to A.D. 2133 Home-Rule of Mankind by Mankind (without Divine-Management)?? What if this was part of the plan?? What if this was NOT part of the plan?? What if this is mankind's only possible chance at surviving?? Or what if an extermination is inevitable (with or without Divine-Intervention)?? What if the Father, Son, and Holy-Spirit have been replaced by Putin, Obama, and Francis?? Sorry if that offends -- but what-if?? What if the PTB will be replaced by a Computer-Managed Human-Collective?? What if that has already occurred?? If so, what if this will continue indefinitely (way-past A.D. 2133)?? What if a changing of the guard in A.D. 2133 will be a non-event?? I honestly have No Idea.

    What if Archangel II overthrew Archangel I in Antiquity?? What if Mankind overthrew Archangel II in Modernity?? What if there will be an Investigative and Executive Judgment between A.D. 2013 and A.D. 2133?? What if the movie Noah signaled the beginning of a 120 Year End of the World?? What Would Russell Crowe Say?? What if Archangel I will be restored to their rightful-state in A.D. 2133?? What if the Garden of Eden inaugurated Mankind's Rebellion Against God?? What if the End of the World will consummate Mankind's Rebellion Against God?? Once again -- consider Possibility-Thinking relative to Sacred-Scripture!! I think I'm trying to eliminate the element of surprise -- or perhaps I'm simply trying to cover my @$$!! Raven told me the Rabbit-Hole Mostly Went Right Up My @$$!! She didn't like me one little bit -- did she??!! "F^%%$#@^&&**K!!!!" BTW -- When I Don't Stop Posting -- and When I Change My Mind Regarding a Foundational-Book -- Does That Make Me Deceptive?? What Is One to Do?? What if the Antichrist Doesn't Want the Job?? What Would the Pope Say?? What Would the President Say?? What Would Putin Do?? What Would Slim Shady Say??


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    A 600 Square-Foot Office-Apartment on the Dark-Side of the Moon!!
    "What Shall We Do About Desmond Ford??"

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Ford Desmond "Des" Ford (born Townsville, Queensland, Australia, 2 February 1929) is an evangelical Christian and an Australian theologian. He is also the father of Pornography blogger Luke Ford.

    Within the Seventh-day Adventist Church he was a controversial figure.[1] He was dismissed from ministry in the Adventist church in 1980 following his critique of the church's investigative judgment teaching. He has since worked through the non-denominational evangelical ministry Good News Unlimited. Ford disagrees with some aspects of traditional Adventist end-time beliefs. However he still defends a conservative view of Scripture, the seventh-day Sabbath, and a vegetarian lifestyle. He views the writings of Ellen G. White as useful devotionally but as she made clear,[2] and as the Adventist Church believes, not at the level of Canon.

    Ford shares the sermon time at the Good News Unlimited congregation which meets on Saturdays in the Brisbane suburb of Milton[3] and in periodic seminars on the eastern seaboard of Australia.

    Desmond Ford was born in Townsville, Queensland, Australia on 2 February 1929, to Wilfred Ford and Lillian Simpson. He had one brother, Val, who was three and a half years older. The Ford lineage consisted of farmers and cattlemen of English and Australian descent. The Simpson lineage derived from England, Ireland and China. Desmond's parents were nominal Anglican Christians, with his father almost an atheist in practice, and his mother presenting "a religious façade." Wilfred encouraged his son to read, beginning a lifelong obsession for the "unusually gifted" boy.[4]

    When Lillian was pregnant with Desmond, an Adventist book salesman shared insights on nutrition with the family, sparking a chain of events affecting Desmond's life. At an Adventist camp meeting in 1939 Desmond was given a Bible, which he would complete 3 years later, around the time he finished primary school. However his parents divorced when he was nine; Wilfred moved to Canberra, and Lillian and the boys later moved to Sydney, New South Wales (NSW). He passed his Intermediate Certificate in 1943. However, due to the family's poverty and Australia's involvement in World War II, Desmond had to drop out of school. He became officially employed with Associated Newspapers at the age of 15, although he had started working there months earlier, and was promoted from copy boy to an editorial position because of his published work. Meanwhile, Desmond took night classes for high school. All along, Desmond was being influenced by encounters with Adventists and other Christians, and steadily collected books on Christian theology, and the creation-evolution controversy.[5][6]

    Ford was challenged by the strict lifestyle standards presented in Ellen G. White's Messages to Young People, and gave up the cinema and reading fiction. Reading novels had been his main childhood hobby, and became replaced with reading theology.[7] White's book The Great Controversy was a key influence on his conversion. In winter 1946 he publicly responded to a call for commitment to God's service. Ford was impressed by the Christian character of many of the Adventists who had nurtured him. In September he was officially baptised into the church. This was despite strong opposition from his brother; and his mother was also originally resistant to his conversion, having become disenchanted with the Adventist church herself. Ford resigned from his job, and returned briefly to Townsville with his family. He then left in 1947 for the Australasian Missionary College (nicknamed "Avondale", and later known as Avondale College) in the Lake Macquarie region of NSW, to train for the ministry.[8]

    Ford found Avondale an exciting time for mental and spiritual growth. He was an active participant in class discussions, and occasionally taught classes to fill in for the lecturers. He was particularly inspired by Dr. William Murdoch, and carried out research for him. Ford gave talks in nearby churches, and published around a dozen articles for church magazines during this time. He also led students in Bible study. He struggled financially, and worked on Avondale's farm and elsewhere, and also selling Adventist books.[9]

    He graduated from the Ministerial Course in Avondale in 1950, with high marks.[10]

    Ford lived in a caravan (trailer) with his mother, who insisted on accompanying him, while canvassing (selling Christian books). Ford was sent to help build a new church in the coastal town of Coffs Harbour, NSW. In 1951, still in his first year of service as a pastor, he was sent to Newcastle, NSW, then an industrial city, to assist evangelist George Burnside. While Burnside was a dynamic presenter, Ford's biographer Milton Hook describes him as a fundamentalist (see: historic Adventism), and draws an analogy with a rugged, gung-ho cowboy like a John Wayne character. Ford questioned him on some end-times interpretations, resulting in conflict between the pair – a sign of further things to come.[11][12] Later he sold books in the Lake Macquarie and nearby Upper Hunter regions, which he found challenging work.[13]

    He worked as a pastor in various churches and as an evangelist for about 7 years in NSW, in Australian[6][14] rural towns.

    In 1952 Ford pastored the Coffs Harbour area, under a supervisor. His mother returned to Queensland. In December he married Gwen Booth, with whom he had shared a budding friendship and romance since their meeting at Avondale, where she studied teaching. Gwen had been raised in humble circumstances in Yass, and was a quiet achiever who cared about others, and had a deep faith in Jesus.[15] The following year they moved to the country town of Quirindi, where Ford pastored the church. From 1954 to mid-1955, Ford pastored in the Gunnedah area, then moved north to Inverell.[16] There a public debate with Burgin, a Church of Christ minister and a "formidable opponent" of Adventists, brought Ford respect. The topic was the Sabbath, with the specific title "Is the Seventh Day or the First Day Binding on Christians?" Arguably Ford won the debate. He later baptised some of Burgin's church members.[17] He was ordained. The couple stayed till the end of 1957, living on a meagre income throughout this whole period.[citation needed]

    The South Pacific Division called him back to Avondale to complete his ministry course.[12][14] He completed a BA in 1958,[18] and went on to complete a Master's degree in systematic theology at the SDA Washington Seminary in 1959.[6] Ford subsequently received a PhD in the rhetorical analysis of Paul's letters from Michigan State University in 1961.[6] In the same year he returned to Australia and became head of the Religion Department at Avondale College, where he would remain until 1977.[19] At Avondale, Ford taught many classes, including public speaking, homiletics, and evangelism. He was a member of the Biblical Research Committee in Australia and the United States.[6]

    He completed his second PhD in 1972 from the University of Manchester, while on leave from teaching at Avondale.[18] His supervisor was the renowned Protestant theologian F. F. Bruce. His field was New Testament studies, specifically eschatology (end times).[6][19] Ford entitled his thesis, The Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Eschatology.[20] His main expertise has been biblical apocalyptic literature, such as Daniel and Revelation, and eschatology.[6]

    Ford was a primary opponent of the perfectionism within the SDA church, especially its form as taught by fellow Australian Robert Brinsmead.[21]

    Ford believes that victory over the guilt of sin (justification) was provided at the cross, victory over the power of sin (sanctification) is the work of a lifetime and victory over the presence of sin (glorification) occurs at the return of Christ Jesus. Ford disagrees with the belief of sinless perfection, and acknowledges the final removal of sin occurs when mortality changes to immortality at the return of Jesus Christ. Ford believes that victory over the presence of sin does not occur during this lifetime, but at the return of Jesus Christ.[22]

    Ford teaches that justification precedes sanctification, because victory over the guilt of sin, precedes victory over the power of sin. Ford teaches that while justification is distinct from sanctification, the two concepts are always found together, in the same manner as two railway lines are distinct but never separate. Adventist belief places an equal emphasis on sanctification compared to justification, while still believing both are necessary for salvation.

    Ford disagrees strongly with the belief of "eschatological perfectionism," which is the teaching that a final generation of believers must achieve a state of complete sinlessness (or Christlikeness) in the final period just before the second coming of Jesus when the saints are sealed (see Last Generation Theology). Mainstream Adventists consider the life and character of Christ as a perfect example that all must imitate. M. L. Andreasen felt that the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary, or investigative judgment, also involves the cleansing of the lives of believers on earth. This belief in sinlessness arose particularly from M. L. Andreasen's interpretation of the investigative judgment doctrine, which he based on concepts found in The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White.

    Ford stepped into the debate within Adventism concerning the nature of Jesus Christ, specifically whether Jesus Christ took on a fallen or an unfallen human nature in the Incarnation. This was precipitated by the publication of Questions on Doctrine in 1957 which some Adventists felt did not agree with what the church held.[23][24]

    The debate revolves around the interpretation of several biblical texts:

    "For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh." Romans 8:3 (ESV)"For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 4:15"...concerning his Son (Jesus), who was descended from David according to the flesh..." Romans 1:3 (ESV)"Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." Hebrews 2:17 NKJV

    and statements made by Ellen White:

    "Notwithstanding that the sins of a guilty world were laid upon Christ, notwithstanding the humiliation of taking upon Himself our fallen nature, the voice from heaven declared Him to be the Son of the Eternal." The Desire of Ages, p. 112."He assumed human nature, with its infirmities, its liabilities, its temptations." Manuscript Releases, Vol. 17, p. 337."But Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God. He took upon Himself human nature, and was tempted in all points as human nature is tempted. He could have sinned; He could have fallen, but not for one moment was there in Him an evil propensity." Letter 8, 1895 in Manuscript Releases, Vol. 13, p. 18."Christ did not possess the same sinful, corrupt, fallen disloyalty we possess, for then He could not be a perfect offering." Review & Herald, April 25, 1893

    According to Adventist historian George Knight, most early Adventists (until 1950) believed that Jesus Christ was born with a human nature that was not only physically frail and subject to temptation, but that he also had the fallen predisposition and inclination to sin.[25] Since 1950, the "historic" wing of the church continues to hold this fallen view of Christ's human nature. Mainstream Adventist hold to the belief taught by Ellen White[26] that He came with the effects of Adam’s sin deep within his nature, that Christ took on the fallen nature but not the sinfulness of man.

    In contrast to the "historic" view, Ford believes that Ellen White was clear that Christ took our infirmities and with the weaknesses of fallen man, the sinful nature in the sense of that he had a lessened capacity with respect to the fallen physical nature that he inherited from Adam, including physical weaknesses, frailties and mental, and moral degeneracy and deterioration.[27][28] While Christ was tempted as all other human beings are, Ford notes that the lessened capacity of his human nature did not ever include giving in to temptation or having any evil desires or propensity or predisposition towards sin in his spiritual nature, a position with which Ellen White taught and mainstream Adventists agree.[29][30]

    According to Anglican Geoffrey Paxton, during the 1960s scholars such as Ford and Edward Heppenstall highlighted the concept of original sin within the SDA church.[31]

    Seventh-day Adventists have historically preached a doctrine of inherited weakness, but not a doctrine of inherited guilt.[32] Ellen White and others such as George Storrs, and Uriah Smith were disposed to de-emphasise the corrupt nature inherited from Adam, instead stressing the importance of actual, personal sins committed by the individual. Adventists traditionally understand sins of commission as the transgression of God's law, either wilfully or in ignorance. They base their belief on texts such as "Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law." (1 John 3:4) [33] Progressive Adventists add to this with some form of original sin.[34][35]

    Ford urged Brinsmead to study the Reformers. As a result, Brinsmead ultimately rejected perfectionism.[18] Around 1970, there was a major controversy amongst Australian Adventists over whether "righteousness by faith" included both justification and sanctification.[18] This had been sparked by Brinsmead, and Ford became caught up in it.[18] Tensions over Ford and the theology teaching at Avondale more generally, led to a meeting of Australian church leaders on 3–4 February 1976 to hear accusations by a group of "Concerned Brethren". Ford's understanding of righteousness by faith was the main issue,[36] while the report mentions "the Sanctuary, the Age of the Earth and Inspiration."[37] In April a group of church leaders and theologians, including Ford met in Palmdale, California, to discuss the meaning of righteousness by faith.[38] Ford was the "center of attention." The resulting document was titled the "Palmdale Statement".[39][40]

    In response to criticisms of his theology, in 1977 the church moved him to the United States, where he taught Religion at Pacific Union College for three years.[6][19][41] The classes he taught included the life and teachings of Christ, the Pauline epistles, Christian apologetics, Daniel and Revelation, the major and minor prophets of the Old Testament, introduction to theology, and biblical theology.[6]

    In October 1979 Ford was invited to address a chapter meeting of the Association of Adventist Forums (now Adventist Forums) held at the College, on the topic of Hebrews 9 and its implications for the Adventist investigative judgment teaching.[6] The talk was titled, "The Investigative Judgment: Theological Milestone or Historical Necessity?" The talk criticized some aspects of the traditional understanding; Ford was summoned to the General Conference headquarters in Washington, D.C.[6] He was given six months to write up his views. Late in 1979, he stopped lecturing and moved to Takoma Park, Maryland.[19] Ford produced the 991-page manuscript, Daniel 8:14, the Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment .[42] Ford, together with the majority of Christendom, believes the atonement was completed on the cross when Jesus cried out, "It is finished." And the Seventh-Day Adventist Church agrees with Ford on this point, declaring Christ's "sacrifice in behalf of man was full and complete".[43] "On the cross the penalty for human sin was fully paid."[44] Like Ford, Seventh-Day Adventists see Christ's work in the heavenly sanctuary as the application of the benefits of the already completed atonement, and not as an added payment or continuation of the work of atonement begun on the cross, as some groups do that teach salvation by works.

    In August 1980, a group of Adventist theologians and administrators convened at Glacier View Ranch in Colorado to examine Ford's views. According to TIME magazine, he "made the case that White's 'sanctuary' explication of 1844 no longer stood up, and that 'investigative judgment' undercut the belief in salvation by God's grace apart from good works."[45] The culmination of this event was Ford losing his employment with the denomination [45] as a minister and theology professor.[19] After counsel from the General Conference, the Australasian Division withdrew "Ford's ministerial credentials."[46]

    Ford's mentor, Edward Heppenstall, saw him as moving in some theological areas that his mentor could not agree with. Heppenstall was disappointed when he failed to dissuade Ford from his position at Glacier View, subsequently writing to him that he "was shocked at how far" he "had swung to the left Biblically and doctrinally".[47]

    To commemorate the 30-year anniversary of Glacier View, the Sydney Adventist Forum held a pretend courtroom trial to assess the accuracy of Ford's claim that the Consensus Document has been largely in agreement with him. They concluded, "Ford was found to be substantially correct in claiming that the 114-member Sanctuary Review Committee (SRC) Consensus Document was in agreement with his twelve propositions—while Ministry was judged to have considerably over-stated its case." It concluded, "In retrospect, it is clear that the SRC made—in five days—more progress in understanding this biblical doctrine than the church has typically made in any fifty years of its history."[48]

    Ford married Gwen Booth with whom he had three children – Elènne Gwen Ford (born 29 October 1955)[49][50] Paul Wesley Ford (born 20 December 1957),[51] and Luke Ford (born 1966).[52] Gwen died of breast cancer in April 1970.[53] Ford married Gillian Wastell ("Gill") in November of that year.[54] Elènne works as a barrister. She also owns the "Mango Hill Farm" organic farm attraction on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, which includes farmstays, a small function centre, cooking school, etc.[55][56] It is located in Peachester, and for some years was the location of Ford's twice-a-month Gospel fellowships. Luke converted to Judaism and is a controversial internet blogger.[57]

    Ford's biography, written by Milton Hook, was published in 2008.[58]

    Ford has written around 30 books and numerous articles:

    Unlocking God's Treasury, 1964
    Discovering God's Treasures, 1972. Same book as Unlocking God's Treasury.
    Answers on the Way, 1976
    Daniel, 1978
    The Abomination of Desolation in Biblical Eschatology, 1979
    Daniel 8:14, The Day of Atonement, and the Investigative Judgment, 1980
    Physicians of the Soul, God's Prophets Through the Ages, (Nashville, TN: Southern Publishing Association, 1980) ISBN 0-8127-0262-X. Includes Ford's views on Ellen G. White as a prophetess. It also traces Ford's childhood encounters with Adventists and the influence of Ellen G. White's books on helping him find Christ and becoming an Adventist.
    The Forgotten Day, 1981, about the Sabbath
    Crisis, 2 vols., 1982
    The Adventist Crisis of Spiritual Identity, 1982
    Coping Successfully with Stress, 1984
    Will there be a Nuclear World Holocaust? 1984
    How to Survive Personal Tragedy, 1984
    A Kaleidoscope of Diamonds: The Jewelled Glories of the Cross Revealed, 2 vols, 1986
    Worth More Than a Million, 1987
    Daniel and the Coming King, 1996
    Right With God Right Now: How God Saves People as Shown in the Bible's Book of Romans, 1998
    The End of Terrorism, 2004
    Eating Right for Type 2 Diabetes, 2004
    God's Odds, 2006
    For the Sake of the Gospel: Throw out the bathwater, but keep the Baby, 2008
    Jesus Only, 2008
    The Time is at Hand, 2009
    The Coming Worldwide Calvary, 2009
    The Final Roller-Coaster, 2010
    How Long, O Lord, 2010
    Jesus Only (abridged), 2013. Abridged by Ritchie Way.
    For more publications see Hook, p. 394, 395

    Also:

    Inside Story (written by Gillian Ford)
    Why Believe? Source Book

    References:

    1.Jump up ^ Peter H. Ballis (1999). Leaving the Adventist Ministry: A Study of the Process of Exiting. Praeger. p. 123.
    2.Jump up ^ (Selected Messages vol. 1, p. 24)
    3.Jump up ^ http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au/
    4.Jump up ^ Milton Hook (2008). Desmond Ford: Reformist Theologian, Gospel Revivalist (Adventist Today), 9–10
    5.Jump up ^ Hook, p11–16
    6.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k http://www.goodnewsunlimited.org.au/ See the brief biography on the Good News Unlimited website
    7.Jump up ^ Hook, p10
    8.Jump up ^ Hook, p17, 20–24. Desmond Ford, Physicians of the Soul (Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Publishing, 1980), p99–100, 105, 108
    9.Jump up ^ Hook, p26–30
    10.Jump up ^ Hook p27, 32–36.
    11.Jump up ^ Hook, p39–43
    12.^ Jump up to: a b Colin and Russell Standish, The Gathering Storm and the Storm Burst, p53
    13.Jump up ^ Hook, p46
    14.^ Jump up to: a b Interview with Desmond Ford by Adrian Zytkoskee in Spectrum 11:2 (November 1980), 53–61
    15.Jump up ^ See Hook, p30–32, 39-40, 47–49. Another source is Archibald Hefren, "Life Sketch of Gwen Ford". Australasian Record (25 May 1970), p14; cited in Hook, p37
    16.Jump up ^ Hook, p50–51
    17.Jump up ^ Hook, p51–54
    18.^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Ford, Desmond (1929- )" in Historical Dictionary of Seventh-day Adventists by Gary Land
    19.^ Jump up to: a b c d e Reflections On Adventism: An Interview With Dr. Desmond Ford by Adventist Today Forum. Accessed 25 October 2007
    20.Jump up ^ "The Abomination of Desolation". Retrieved 15 June 2006.
    21.Jump up ^ Schwarz, Richard W. (1979). Light Bearers to the Remnant. Boise, Idaho; Oshawa, Ontario, Canada: Pacific Press and General Conference Department of Education. pp. 456–461. ASIN B0006CZ2QO.
    22.Jump up ^ Evangelicals And Adventists Together See Item # 4 in article
    23.Jump up ^ George R. Knight, ed. (2003). Questions on Doctrine: Annotated Edition. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Andrews University Press. pp. v, 516–522. ISBN 1-883925-41-X.
    24.Jump up ^ Questions on Doctrine, page 60,(The Desire of Ages, p.25), He "took upon Himself human nature" (The SDA Bible Commentary, vol.5, p.1128), He "took the nature of man" (The Desire of Ages, p.117), He took "our sinful nature" (Medical Ministry, p.181), He took "our fallen nature" (Special Instruction Relating to The Review and Herald Office, p. 13, May 26, 1896), He took "man's nature in its fallen condition" (Signs of the Times, June 9, 1898).
    25.Jump up ^ Questions on Doctrine, annotated edition, 2005.
    26.Jump up ^ The Signs of the Times, May 29, 1901.
    27.Jump up ^ QOD Assumed Liabilities of Human Nature pp. 653-654
    28.Jump up ^ The Review and Herald, July 28, 1874.
    29.Jump up ^ Woodrow W. Whidden II (1997), The Humanity of Christ, Review and Herald Publishing Association, p. 70
    30.Jump up ^ Ellen White on the Nature of Christ by Denis Fortin.
    31.Jump up ^ Pain and Progress: The 1960s, chapter of The Shaking of Adventism by Geoffrey J. Paxton
    32.Jump up ^ E. G. White, Signs of the Times, August 29, 1892
    33.Jump up ^ Are We Born Saved or Lost? See quote in article "Willful choice makes one a sinner (1 John 3:4; Isaiah 59:2)."
    34.Jump up ^ Original Sin in Questions On Doctrine Manuscript by Froom, Anderson
    35.Jump up ^ Original Sin
    36.Jump up ^ "Advance and Retreat: The 1970s" chapter in The Shaking of Adventism
    37.Jump up ^ "Church Growth Experiments in Secular Australia" by E. Bruce Price in Here We Stand: Evaluating New Trends in the Church edited by Samuel Koranteng-Pipim. Berrien Springs, Michigan: Adventists Affirm, 2005. ISBN 0-9677622-1-9 (publisher's page). Chapter republished in Samuele Bacchiocchi's Endime Issues Newsletter No. 130. The quote is from the official report, as reprinted in Price's chapter
    38.Jump up ^ "Christ Our Righteousness" (DjVu). Adventist Review (Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald) 153 (22): 4–7. ISSN 0161-1119. Retrieved 23 October 2007.
    39.Jump up ^ Adventisarchives.org"DjVu.
    40.Jump up ^ Adventists: Heirs of the Reformation, chapter 1 of The Shaking of Adventism by Geoffrey J. Paxton
    41.Jump up ^ L. R. Tarling, The Edges of Seventh-day Adventism (Bermagui South: Galilee, 1981), 215-16; D. Ford, "The Historical Background of the Crisis," in D. & G. Ford, The Adventist Crisis of Spiritual Identity (Newcastle, Cal.: Desmond Ford Publications, 1982), 23.
    42.Jump up ^ Ford, Desmond (November 1980). "Daniel 8:14 and the Day of Atonement" (PDF). Spectrum (Roseville, California: Adventist Forums) 11 (2): 30–36. ISSN 0890-0264. Retrieved 24 October 2007.
    43.Jump up ^ The Desire of Ages, page 819
    44.Jump up ^ Seventh-day Adventists Believe, 1988, page 315
    45.^ Jump up to: a b Ostling, Richard N.; Jim Castelli; Dick Thompson (2 August 1982). "The Church of Liberal Borrowings". Time (Time Inc.). ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 22 October 2007.
    46.Jump up ^ Sanctuary Debate Documents
    47.Jump up ^ Knight 2000, p. 175.
    48.Jump up ^ Trevor G Lloyd, "Sydney Adventist Forum assesses Desmond Ford and Ministry magazine against Consensus Document". Adventist Today online, 12 November 2010
    49.Jump up ^ Hook, p54–55
    50.Jump up ^ Chapter of a recent Ford book. Reprinted from notes from a presentation made by Desmond Ford to the Sydney Adventist Forum meeting at the Castle Hill Adventist Church (website) in 1997
    51.Jump up ^ Hook, p63–64
    52.Jump up ^ Hook, p104
    53.Jump up ^ Hook, p104–111
    54.Jump up ^ Hook, p119–121
    55.Jump up ^ Mangofillfarm.com, Cath Fouracre, "Love at First Sight Impressions Last". Caboolture News 20 August 2008, p9; reprint
    56.Jump up ^ "A Labour of Love Bears Fruit"; reprint
    57.Jump up ^ Noah Shachtman (1 February 2001). "'The Most Hated Man in Web Porn'". Wired. Retrieved 14 June 2007.
    58.Jump up ^ Milton Hook (2008). Desmond Ford: Reformist Theologian, Gospel Revivalist (Adventist Today).


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    orthodoxymoron
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    I honestly mean no hostility or disrespect toward Angelina Jolie or Blanche Barton. The 'Salt' and 'Maleficent' images simply seemed to harmonize with Blanche Barton being interviewed by Art Bell. Consider Redlands, University of Redlands, Redlands University, Barton Road, San Bernardino, Norton AFB, Merlin's Cave, Indio, Satanism, etc. Again, I beat around the Burning Bush, mostly because I know I don't know. I wonder as I wander, but I honestly do NOT dig deep. I have mostly attempted to avoid the Real-Truth throughout my life, even though I think I've known too-much from the age of six, when I stood transfixed for fifteen-minutes before the 'Blue Boy' by Thomas Gainsborough, at the Huntington Library, in San Marino, California. Again, my threads are merely a Study-Guide and Research-Context for Sirius-Researchers. What Would Linda Moulton Howe Say??

    I would appreciate at least one or two comprehensive commentaries on The United States of the Solar System, A.D. 2133. This might be anonymously given to me in an appropriate manner. I have no idea where the BS ends and the TRUTH begins in My OWN Threads!! The lack of responses might mean that I'm too far from the Truth OR that I'm too close to the Truth. I'm prepared to walk away from everything I've posted, and start over (even at this late date). I simply seek the TRUTH, regardless of whether I can handle it, or not. I thought I'd post some funny images and videos which don't really follow a particular theme. I'm sort of at the end of my rope, and I'm feeling a bit silly this morning, but the first video is really quite serious, and I like it a lot, even though it's old and slow (sort of like me). The second video shakes me up and makes me think.

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    Lionhawk wrote:Take all the time you need. It's your time anyway and it shouldn't matter to anyone what you do with your time. I just have more important things to focus on as of recent days that involve with what is going on in the present. What has occurred has already gone under the bridge and will only serve us as a reminder of what was. It also causes me to take my focus off the targets (changes) that are moving in the now. I would prefer to be focused in the now as great changes are at our door steps. So I hope you understand why that is. I have no intentions of missing my scheduled front row seat. It comes down to free agency as to what anyone does. So choose what is best for you and never compromise your course no matter who says what. Savvy? Good luck with all of your questions!
    Thank-you Lionhawk. Does your name have anything to do with the 'Lion of the Tribe of Judah'? I am focused on the present, yet I am simultaneously viewing the past and the future with my peripheral vision. It's those great changes that worry me. What are the specifics? Do we have a choice in the matter? I frankly smell a rat, or is it a snake? It seems as though imperfect beings are governed by imperfect deities, in a universe which is stranger than we can think. I grew-up attending a church which teaches the non-immortality of the soul. In fact, they teach against the existence of a soul. They teach bodily resurrection rather than reincarnation or dying and going to heaven, purgatory, or hell (door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3?). I now believe that we just get recycled over and over, and that this world is heaven, purgatory, and hell. However, I do not get involved in anything supernatural, although I've had some very creepy and upsetting things of a supernatural nature happen to me over the past couple of years. I wonder if my church taught what they did (and do) because of the alleged reptilian and demonic phenomenon? I don't trust 'the other side' at all. I believe that by focusing upon mind, character, and personality development that we will be prepared for the eventual positive interaction with the supernatural, but that we shouldn't go where angels fear to tread, and rush 'contact'. My computer hardly functions, and my other computer was immediately and completely fried when I called the beings on the Moon, Mars, and Phobos 'Bastards'. Right after that happened a streaming white light passed between me and the computer monitor, as if to say 'Don't mess with us'. God Got Me! Plus, I got scolded a few days later, so I'm going away for a while, and I will be lurking in the mists, as I continue to seek understanding more than condemnation.

    I'm trying to walk in the shoes of the Secret Government - Human and Otherwise - and I continue to worry about solar system governance by ANYONE. The Progressives might end-up doing a worse job than the Regressives. Is there a place for unquestioning obedience at the level of solar system governance? Can you imagine what a Dictatorial Draconian Empire might be like? Try thinking about this for a while. What would it be like to be a Drac? What if all of us were Dracs before we became Human? I continue to wonder if our souls are Interdimensional Reptilian in nature. What if all of us will be Dracs after we are Human? If so, I hope we will have a choice in the matter. I have recently made some very intelligent individuals angry with me on this website, and probably elsewhere as well. Sometimes I think You Are All One! I think I've tried really hard to be as nice as possible, while being as honest as possible. I have limited my conceptual exploration to a very small website, rather than going-off half-cocked with a show or book. I'm about to lose my house because of being sidetracked by all of this madness, and not taking care of business on the home-front. I'm not getting paid to do this. Is anyone else covering the same territory I am? I continue to be a stable basket-case, if that makes any sense. I think I could fit-in well in an Underground Base, and sit in on some really upsetting presentations, yet in day to day living, I'm not doing very well. I really wonder what I've done in previous incarnations. I seem to be somewhat at home with a lot of upsetting subject matter, yet I can't seem to make small-talk to save my soul. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even from around here. It's sort of fun to imagine being interesting people in previous incarnations, or even being non-human in previous incarnations, but I obviously would not encourage others to do this sort of thing!

    I think that discussing things on the internet is very necessary for humanity right now. I'd rather see people arguing on the internet, than running in the streets, or going off to war. It's the 'doing something' that scares me. Perhaps we don't need to do a lot. I'm so undecided and unsettled about so many things, that I frankly don't trust myself to do a lot right now. I'm  trying to become much more comfortable with everything I have been dealing with, before I actually do much of anything with it. I'm conceptually trying to be part of the secret government, just so I can try to understand them, rather than just hate them. This is an open think-tank, where I know that I'm being watched and listened to, yet I proceed to think out-loud, regardless of the consequences. I continue to have no hostility toward anyone, yet I post things which might seem to be somewhat mean to various groups and individuals. I think I could talk to the Devil in a civil manner, and then turn around and post a video which is critical of Satanism. I can be a friend and an enemy at the same time, which is why I sometimes think that in a future incarnation, I might make an excellent negotiator with various alien nations, or something like that. Again, I am laying a foundation for imagining shuttling between the City of London, Vatican City, Washington D.C., and Copernicus Crater - with small apartment-offices in each location. They could be 100 square-feet, rather than the 600 square-feet I suggested, although I'd prefer the larger size!

    Again, I'm trying to be a Token Benevolent Megalomaniac in Megalomaniacs Anonymous! I think I could meet with the Pope, the Queen, the Queen of Heaven, and God of This World -- in a civil and respectful manner -- but I still might be very blunt and trenchant with them! I might also meet with a roomful of Nazis, Masons, and Jesuits in a similar manner. This isn't selling-out, but it might take a helluva lot of discipline to keep from selling-out. Really, if I were to actually live this deam (or nightmare) I might continue this thread in perpetuity, with tactfully written posts which might touch upon insider activities. Even if a Responsibility-Based United States of the Solar System became a reality, and I became some sort of a Solar System Administrator, I might just keep doing what I'm doing right now, but with access to individuals, organizations, meetings, files, etc. Again, I liked the Palmer Joss and Rachael Constantine characters in 'Contact'. I'd like to be a cross between those two. I also like the best aspects of Anna in 'V'. I have thought about what a male counterpart would look-like and act-like. I'm seriously trying to become an idealistic insider, without becoming a 666th Degree Mason, if you know what I mean.

    Would a Responsibility-Based United States of the Solar System have to incorporate the Osiris, Isis, Horus, and Set Factions of a Sirius-Egyptian-Roman Empire, administered from the City of London, Vatican City, Washington D.C., and the Crater Copernicus? Would it further have to incorporate the Monarchy, Papacy, Jesuits, Nazis, Masons, Alphabet Agents, the Anglican Communion, and the Roman Catholic Church? Would a United States of the Solar System merely be a subsidiary of the Orion Group, LLC? Would a Solar System Administrator be employed as a Division Chief? Would they have to sell-out the human-race in a somewhat heartless and cruel manner? Is this really a violent, cruel, and nasty universe we live in? Are we simply lucky to be alive? I feel extremely depressed by all of my research and speculation. Do we live in the Hotel Sirius? If we check-out, can we ever really leave? I'm trying to understand that which presently exists, and to understand the historical foundation upon which it is based. Then, I'm trying to positively-reinforce the best aspects of all of this. Unfortunately, I don't think I know much about what's REALLY going on. Am I too idealistic to be told what's REALLY going on? Must I be kept in the dark, so that I don't try to start another Star War? Again, I'm really depressed about all of this, and I'm feeling as if things will never really be good around here, for any significant time-period. In fact, we might be very lucky to survive as a species. In the movie 'Contact', is Mr. Hadden representative of the 'Osiris Faction'? Is Rachael Constantine representative of the 'Isis Faction'? Is her assistant 'Mike' representative of the 'Set Faction'? Is Palmer Joss representative of the 'Horus Faction'? Or, are Adam, Aaron, Kate, and Cal, in 'East of Eden' better representations of Osiris, Horus, Isis, and Set? Who knows?  

    I would love to go to Heaven, but I have frankly lost faith in the gods. I don't necessarily have a problem with the God-Concept -- but the History of the Solar System does not seem to point toward a Good and Loving God Being in Charge. There seems to be more at work than a bunch of stupid and irreverent human beings ignoring the Word of God. I don't wish to be rebellious. I really don't. But a deep study of theology and history is most upsetting, and most people have no idea. Please conceptualize idealistic forms of church and state - politics and religion - and their possible integration. Consider all of the possibilities. Think in terms of Comparative Governance - Secular and Sacred. I certainly hope there are some silent researchers who are working with me on all of this. I don't have to be right, but I want the right things to be done, and for the truth to be known. I continue to think that the Masons and Jesuits know more than most about what's really going on in this solar system, but I think they are highly compromised and controlled. I'd like to know what they know, without taking the oaths, participating in the rituals, and carrying out reprehensible orders. I don't necessarily have a problem with deep and esoteric philosophy and theology -- but I have a huge problem with illegal and violent activities which are destructive toward the human race. I'd like to know what the best and brightest Masons and Jesuits really think about life, the universe, and everything.

    I have decided to work outward from the word 'Responsibility' regarding church and state. We should consider clean sheet of paper approaches, as well as the historical attempts at governance. These are the times that try men's and women's souls. My repeated reference to 'Responsibility' does not imply that I am 'Responsible'. I'm not trying to win a popularity contest or a 'holier than thou' contest. I'm not even trying to win a 'competency contest'. I'm merely taking an approach that is probably relatively uncommon, and possibly for very valid reasons! My support mechanism has failed me, and I'm looking for a more solid foundation. I'm looking for reasonable knowledge to replace my shattered faith. In a sense, this is all somewhat selfish. I'm trying to solve my problems as I try to solve the problems of the human race. I'm not completely altruistic, but please don't shoot! I'm just a Completely Ignorant Fool! But whatever you do, Believe in the God Who Believes in You! And don't get on a UFO! You might end-up in slave-labor and on the dinner-table -- and I'm not kidding. I continue to hear stories. Take a look at this old and fascinating art! http://www.dudeman.net/siriusly/ufo/art.html What did the artists know, and when did they know it? The Bible has hidden messages. Cathedrals contain riddles in stone. What's going on here? It was as if whoever created all of this knew a lot more than they could openly reveal. I continue to think that the Bible is a mixture of good and evil, truth and error -- and that it should be studied carefully and devotionally -- but that it should not be used as an infallible rule of faith and practice in modernity. Is sola scriptura scriptural? I don't think  so. Is faith enough? I don't think so. Is grace enough? I don't think so. Does sacramentalism save? I don't think so. Should salvation be for sale? I don't think so. Is the presence real? There is no substantial body of evidence to substantiate transubstantiation, but who knows who shows up, high above the altar?


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    Take a look at this Ellen White quote. I think her work is quite profound, even though I don't agree with a lot of the details. The following is taken from the first chapter of her book 'Education':

    Our ideas of education take too narrow and too low a range. There is need of a broader scope, a higher aim. True education means more than the pursual of a certain course of study. It means more than a preparation for the life that now is. It has to do with the whole being, and with the whole period of existence possible to man. It is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joy of service in this world and for the higher joy of wider service in the world to come. The source of such an education is brought to view in these words of Holy Writ, pointing to the Infinite One: In Him "are hid all the treasures of wisdom." Colossians 2:3. "He hath counsel and understanding." Job 12:13. The world has had its great teachers, men of giant intellect and extensive research, men whose utterances have stimulated thought and opened to view vast fields of knowledge; and these men have been honored as guides and benefactors of their race; but there is One who stands higher than they. We can trace the line of the world's teachers as far back as human records extend; but the Light was before them. As the moon and the stars of our solar system shine by the reflected light of the sun, so, as far as their teaching is true, do the world's great thinkers reflect the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. Every gleam of thought, every flash of the intellect, is from the Light of the world.

    In these days much is said concerning the nature and importance of "higher education." The true "higher education" is that imparted by Him with whom "is wisdom and strength" (Job 12:13), out of whose mouth "cometh knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6. In a knowledge of God all true knowledge and real development have their source. Wherever we turn, in the physical, the mental, or the spiritual realm; in whatever we behold, apart from the blight of sin, this knowledge is revealed. Whatever line of investigation we pursue, with a sincere purpose to arrive at truth, we are brought in touch with the unseen, mighty Intelligence that is working in and through all. The mind of man is brought into communion with the mind of God, the finite with the Infinite. The effect of such communion on body and mind and soul is beyond estimate. In this communion is found the highest education. It is God's own method of development. "Acquaint now thyself with Him" (Job 22:21), is His message to mankind. The method outlined in these words was the method followed in the education of the father of our race. When in the glory of sinless manhood Adam stood in holy Eden, it was thus that God instructed him. In order to understand what is comprehended in the work of education, we need to consider both the nature of man and the purpose of God in creating him. We need to consider also the change in man's condition through the coming in of a knowledge of evil, and God's plan for still fulfilling His glorious purpose in the education of the human race.

    When Adam came from the Creator's hand, he bore, in his physical, mental, and spiritual nature, a likeness to his Maker. "God created man in His own image" (Genesis 1:27), and it was His purpose that the longer man lived the more fully he should reveal this image--the more fully reflect the glory of the Creator. All his faculties were capable of development; their capacity and vigor were continually to increase. Vast was the scope offered for their exercise, glorious the field opened to their research. The mysteries of the visible universe--the "wondrous works of Him which is perfect in knowledge" (Job 37:16)--invited man's study. Face-to-face, heart-to-heart communion with his Maker was his high privilege. Had he remained loyal to God, all this would have been his forever. Throughout eternal ages he would have continued to gain new treasures of knowledge, to discover fresh springs of happiness, and to obtain clearer and yet clearer conceptions of the wisdom, the power, and the love of God. More and more fully would he have fulfilled the object of his creation, more and more fully have reflected the Creator's glory. But by disobedience this was forfeited. Through sin the divine likeness was marred, and well-nigh obliterated. Man's physical powers were weakened, his mental capacity was lessened, his spiritual vision dimmed. He had become subject to death. Yet the race was not left without hope. By infinite love and mercy the plan of salvation had been devised, and a life of probation was granted. To restore in man the image of his Maker, to bring him back to the perfection in which he was created, to promote the development of body, mind, and soul, that the divine purpose in his creation might be realized--this was to be the work of redemption. This is the object of education, the great object of life.

    Love, the basis of creation and of redemption, is the basis of true education. This is made plain in the law that God has given as the guide of life. The first and great commandment is, "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." Luke 10:27. To love Him, the infinite, the omniscient One, with the whole strength, and mind, and heart, means the highest development of every power. It means that in the whole being-- the body, the mind, as well as the soul--the image of God is to be restored. Like the first is the second commandment--"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Matthew 22:39. The law of love calls for the devotion of body, mind, and soul to the service of God and our fellow men. And this service, while making us a blessing to others, brings the greatest blessing to ourselves. Unselfishness underlies all true development. Through unselfish service we receive the highest culture of every faculty. More and more fully do we become partakers of the divine nature. We are fitted for heaven, for we receive heaven into our hearts. Since God is the source of all true knowledge, it is, as we have seen, the first object of education to direct our minds to His own revelation of Himself. Adam and Eve received knowledge through direct communion with God; and they learned of Him through His works. All created things, in their original perfection, were an expression of the thought of God. To Adam and Eve nature was teeming with divine wisdom. But by transgression man was cut off from learning of God through direct communion and, to a great degree, through His works. The earth, marred and defiled by sin, reflects but dimly the Creator's glory. It is true that His object lessons are not obliterated. Upon every page of the great volume of His created works may still be traced His handwriting. Nature still speaks of her Creator. Yet these revelations are partial and imperfect. And in our fallen state, with weakened powers and restricted vision, we are incapable of interpreting aright. We need the fuller revelation of Himself that God has given in His written word.

    The Holy Scriptures are the perfect standard of truth, and as such should be given the highest place in education. To obtain an education worthy of the name, we must receive a knowledge of God, the Creator, and of Christ, the Redeemer, as they are revealed in the sacred word. Every human being, created in the image of God, is endowed with a power akin to that of the Creator-- individuality, power to think and to do. The men in whom this power is developed are the men who bear responsibilities, who are leaders in enterprise, and who influence character. It is the work of true education to develop this power, to train the youth to be thinkers, and not mere reflectors of other men's thought. Instead of confining their study to that which men have said or written, let students be directed to the sources of truth, to the vast fields opened for research in nature and revelation. Let them contemplate the great facts of duty and destiny, and the mind will expand and strengthen. Instead of educated weaklings, institutions of learning may send forth men strong to think and to act, men who are masters and not slaves of circumstances, men who possess breadth of mind, clearness of thought, and the courage of their convictions. Such an education provides more than mental discipline; it provides more than physical training. It strengthens the character, so that truth and uprightness are not sacrificed to selfish desire or worldly ambition. It fortifies the mind against evil. Instead of some master passion becoming a power to destroy, every motive and desire are brought into conformity to the great principles of right. As the perfection of His character is dwelt upon, the mind is renewed, and the soul is re-created in the image of God. What education can be higher than this? What can equal it in value? "It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof. It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, With the precious onyx, or the sapphire. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: For the price of wisdom is above rubies." Job 28:15-18.

    Higher than the highest human thought can reach is God's ideal for His children. Godliness--godlikeness--is the goal to be reached. Before the student there is opened a path of continual progress. He has an object to achieve, a standard to attain, that includes everything good, and pure, and noble. He will advance as fast and as far as possible in every branch of true knowledge. But his efforts will be directed to objects as much higher than mere selfish and temporal interests as the heavens are higher than the earth. He who co-operates with the divine purpose in imparting to the youth a knowledge of God, and molding the character into harmony with His, does a high and noble work. As he awakens a desire to reach God's ideal, he presents an education that is as high as heaven and as broad as the universe; an education that cannot be completed in this life, but that will be continued in the life to come; an education that secures to the successful student his passport from the preparatory school of earth to the higher grade, the school above.


    Despite my idealism and insights, I think I've missed the boat. Something is very wrong. I think I might be losing touch with reality, which is probably a bad thing -- even if reality is a bad thing. Truth and beauty are so overrated. The more idealistic one becomes, the less one seems to be able to properly function in the 'real' world. I seem to have less and less in common with those around me, and frankly I am a lone-nut at this point, and I don't like it one little bit. My recent scolding was probably a bridge-burning of sorts, and I think I got the intended message loud and clear. What would Raven say? Perhaps I should make a serious effort to reenter the mainstream. What profiteth a man if he gaineth the whole solar system, yet hath no friends? I'm going away for a while. I'm not going away mad. I'm just going away. I'm going to read 'The 1928 Book of Common Prayer', 'The Desire of Ages', 'The Orgelbuchlein' (Clark and Peterson Edition), and 'The Federalist Papers' while listening to Sacred Classical Music. What if the '1928 Book of Common Prayer' were published in parallel-columns of English and Latin (including the 'Articles of Religion') http://www.anglicansonline.org/basics/thirty-nine_articles.html -- and called the 'Anglo-Catholic Book of Common Prayer'? What if this version were approved for use in both the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church? Would Catholics cry 'Heresy!'? Would Protestants cry 'Papacy!'? What if this became an interim basis for Ecumenism and Protestant-Catholic Reunification? I continue to lean toward 'The Desire of Ages' theologically, and 'The Federalist Papers' for both sacred and secular governance.

    What if most of the sacred organ literature were transformed into choral music (with most of the words taken from the '1928 Book of Common Prayer'), again in both English and Latin, and with orchestral parts? Each congregation could use whatever combination of English and Latin they desired. What if all of this were integrated into a unified whole? The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Pope of Rome might write an introduction. Who knows? I'm not necessarily saying this is the way things should be, but I am attempting to preserve historical continuity while facilitating contemporary evolutionary innovation. I really like the term 'Minimalist Traditionalist'. I've been listening to a lot of French Romantic Organ Music lately - but my real love is Bach - preferably played on a French Romantic Organ with French Romantic Interpretation. The Empire Strikes Bach! I Go for Baroque! What you do is up to you, as long as you are being responsible while you are being free! Once again, take this thread as a whole, and as a study-guide, rather than an attempted 'my way or the highway' manifesto. I need to repeatedly review this thread more than anyone, and I shall be doing this in the coming months. I think the infowar is going to get really nasty! I don't think there is any right and good way to do this! No matter what we do, it's probably going to seem like the wrong thing! Don't be too hard on yourselves! This too shall pass! Namaste and Godspeed!

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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


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    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Tue Mar 19, 2019 9:06 pm

    'MI5'   ------------   '007'   ------------   'MI6'
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    I wish the Trumps, Obamas, and Clintons well, but I am horrified regarding what some say about how things really work in the world!! I'm reading a book, which I've had for quite a while, which is making my hair stand on-end!! I have no idea how much of it is true, but even if ten-percent is accurate, it would be earth-shattering!!

    https://www.amazon.com/Planet-Earth-Inc-Empire-Exposed/dp/1927066018/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=
    UTF8&qid=1485296984&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=planet+earth+inc+ed+rychun

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    In PLANET EARTH INC., VOLUME ONE, Ed Rychkun will take you on a remarkable 5000 year historical journey of the dark and light plight of Earthlings to free themselves from the Empire of PLANET EARTH Inc. Here you will learn how: the Global Elite gods have created the Luciferian corporate structure of conquest the means of conquest has become commerce, debt and religion the gods of Sumeria have created their dynasties to emerge into world power the gods of vengeance and greed now face their ultimate challenge of 2012 the End Times final prophesy to impose New World Order is at risk the truth is not black and white While shattering myths about Lucifer and Christ, Ed Rychkun maps out the Illuminati and royal Bloodline business plan of PLANET EARTH Inc and how at the turn of the century their secret New World Order plan came into risk. The book exposes a new truth about the private world of the Elite, Vatican and Jesuits; how they reap and maintain dominion over their Earthling slaves. Accepting the business strategy of polarity; divide and conquer through religion and commerce, Earthlings have provided their monetary and spiritual energies through a commercial utility called a Strawman. Ed reveals how acceptance of dominion over Spirit and Monetary affairs has brought humanity and Nations alike into subservience, bowing before false vengeful gods and the falsity of monetary debt. This book exposes a carefully crafted PLANET EARTH business plan, and the Lucifer-Christ duality of Novus Ordo Seclorum over centuries of bloodline control. Will the Earthling accept a fate of slavery even though the truth is hidden in plain sight? Or will the Earthling rise above polarity and face the Lucifer-Christ truth?

    In PLANET EARTH INC., VOLUME TWO, Ed Rychkun reveals how Earthlings, as employees have begun to shift at the turn of the Ages to a new Christ Consciousness, demanding a new truth of commerce and spirit. You will see clearly: 1. the undeniable truth of the shifting consciousness of the End Times 2. the ways the Empire is being deposed by New Earth demand for peace and sovereignty 3. the emergence of the New Age Christ Consciousness 4. the Sovereignty of Spirit emerging as the New Order of the Ages. 5. the unparalleled drive by humanity for truth and disclosure 6. the means to resign from PLANET EARTH and access the secret Strawman estate 7. the means to transcend polarity and conflict regardless of Light or Dark As the Old Earth dominion shifts to a New Earth, Earthlings, as employees of PLANET EARTH INC., have begun to unconsciously shift at the turn of the Ages to a new Christ Consciousness, demanding a new truth of commerce, religion, and spirit. Clearly humanity is at a juncture of the End Times where a new choice opens between Dominion of The New World Order and Sovereignty of Spirit of the New Order of the Ages. Here Ed Rychkun reveals a new consensus of the Soul’s Journey. He reports state of the art research to resign from PLANET EARTH INC and access the Good Faith and Credit that has been reserved in the secret Estate created under the fictional double called a Strawman. At an unprecedented time at the end of 26,000 year cycle, Ed explains the ways and means to the God given divine sovereignty of all in equality, peace and harmony regardless of dark or light ways, transcending the judgment of good or evil. Can the meek Earthling inherit the Earth?


    I have created my own study-guide on this website, and I am committed to studying it (probably for the rest of my life), rather than trying to keep-up with the madness. I continue to envy the energy and stage-presence of Alex Jones (regardless of who he might work for, and regardless of any hidden-agendas). I've tried to re-think the "end of the world" in the context of this website, with truly startling results. This might not be the right time or place BUT I keep thinking about an old crash-video of an F-100. The jet was so close to the ground. It wasn't going that fast. It was flying level. But the Plane and Pilot were in a HUGE amount of trouble. I certainly hope this video isn't representative of Earth and Humanity.

    I don't trust people or gods!! I don't even trust myself!! In my youth, I thought I might like to be some sort of an evangelist, but I got so disoriented and disillusioned, that I went downhill, and remained at the bottom of the hill (at the bottom of a cliff)!! What if there are very-real gods and goddesses who create very-fake gods and goddesses (along with puppet politicians and preachers)??!! Even if every word of the Bible were absolutely true, things would still be a HUGE mess!! No matter how one attempts to create theological-foundations, they are always wrong, and then one is left with defending the indefensible (if one wishes to retain fame, fortune, and power)!! But this might be exactly what the real gods and goddesses want!! My current theory is that a good-god was deposed by a bad-god (in antiquity) because the people the good-god created were too stupid to see through the lies (and that they remain too stupid to see through the lies)!! My theory is that the reality of our predicament is something no-one wishes to honestly deal-with!! I'm presently studying a somewhat scholarly Bible-Commentary, along with a somewhat scholarly History of European and American Democratic-Developments!! I've almost completely abandoned attempting to keep-up with the madness!! I'm re-watching Independence Day today!!


    GEORGE ZEBROWSKI was born December 28, 1945, in Villach, Austria, of Polish parents. He grew up in England, Manhattan, the Bronx and Miami, and he is one of an extremely small group of authors who have achieved literary success in a second language. He attended Harpur College and the State University of New York at Binghamton, majoring in philosophy, and he brings his interest in this field to his writing-several of his science fiction stories utilize philosophical concepts.

    He is a member of the World Future Society, Science Fiction Writers of America, and the SFWA Speakers' Bureau. He has reviewed books for Craw daddy, Science Fiction Review and Riverside Quarterly,- has been a reader for Dell Books; has sold fiction to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, If, Infinity and to several forthcoming collections of original stories. Currently he lectures in science fiction at SUNY-Binghamton, edits the SfWA Bulletin and writes. His two forthcoming novels are The Omega Point and Macrolife.

    The story "Heathen God" was a 1971 Nebula Award finalist.
    . . . every heathen deity has its place in the flow of existence."

    The isolation station and preserve for alien flora and fauna on Antares IV had only one prisoner, a three-foot-tall gnome like biped with skin like creased leather and eyes like great glass globes. His hair was silky white and reached down to his shoulders, and he usually went about the great natural park naked. He lived in a small white cell located in one of the huge. block like administration modules. There was a small bed in the cell, and a small doorway which led out to the park. A hundred feet away from the door there was a small pool, one of many scattered throughout the park. It reflected the deep-blue color of the sky.

    The gnome was very old, but no one had yet determined quite how old. And there seemed to be no way to find out. The gnome himself had never volunteered any information about his past. In the one hundred years of his imprisonment he had never asked the caretaker for anything. It was rumored among the small staff of Earthmen and humanoids that the gnome was mad. Generally they avoided him. Sometimes they would watch his small figure standing under the deep blue sky, looking up at the giant disk of Antares hanging blood red on the horizon, just above the well pruned trees of the park, and they would wonder what he might be thinking.

    The majority of Earthmen spread over twelve star systems did not even know of the gnome's existence, much less his importance. A few knew, but they were mostly scholarly and political figures, and a few theologians. The most important fact about the alien was that sometime in the remote past he had been responsible for the construction of the solar system and the emergence of intelligent life on Earth.

    The secret had been well kept for over a, century. In the one hundred and fourth year of the alien's captivity two men set out for Antares to visit him. The first man's motives were practical: the toppling of an old regime; the other man's goal was to ask questions. The first man's political enemies had helped him undertake this journey, seeing that it would give them the chance to destroy him. The importance of gaining definitive information about the alien was in itself enough reason to send a mission, but combined with what they knew about the motives of the man they feared, this mission would provide for them the perfect occasion to resolve both matters at the same time. In any case, the second man would bring back anything of value that they might learn about the gnome.

    Everything had been planned down to the last detail. The first ship carrying the two unsuspecting men was almost ready to come out of hyperspace near Antares. Two hours behind it in the warp was a military vessel-a small troop ship. As the first vessel came out of nothingness into the brilliance of the great star, the commander of the small force ship opened his sealed orders.

    As he came down the shuttle ramp with his two companions, Father Louis Chavez tried to mentally prepare himself for what he would find here. It was still difficult to believe what his superiors had told him about the alien who was a prisoner here. The morning air of Antares IV was fresh, and the immediate impression was one of stepping out into a warm botanical garden. At his left Sister Guinivere carried his small attaché case. On his right walked Benedict Compton, linguist, cultural anthropologist, and as everyone took for granted, eventual candidate for first secretary of Earth's Northern Hemisphere. Compton was potentially a religious man, but the kind who always demanded an advance guarantee before committing himself to anything: Chavez felt suspicious of him; in fact he felt wary about this entire visit to Antares IV.

    On Earth the religio-philosophic system was a blend of evolutionary Chardinism and Christianity, an imposing intellectual structure that had been dominant for some two hundred years now. The political structure based its legitimacy and continuing policies on it. Compton, from what he had learned, had frightened some high authorities with the claim that the gnome creature here on Antares IV was a potential threat to the beliefs of mankind. This, combined with what was already known about the alien's past, was seemingly enough to send this fact-finding mission. Only a few men knew about it, and Chavez remembered the fear he had sensed in them when he had been briefed. Their greatest fear was that somehow the gnome's history would become public knowledge. Compton, despite his motives, had found a few more political friends. But Chavez suspected that Compton wanted power not for himself, but to do something about the quality of life on Earth. He was sure the man was sincere. How little of the thought in our official faith filters out into actual policy, Chavez thought. And what would the government do if an unorganized faith-a heresy in the old sense-were to result from this meeting between Compton and the alien? Then he remembered how Compton had rushed this whole visit. He wondered just how far a man like Compton would go to have his way in the world.

    Antares was huge on the horizon, a massive red disk against a deep blue sky. A slight breeze waved the trees around the landing square. The pathway which started at the north corner led to three block like administration buildings set on a neat lawn and surrounded by flowering shrubs and fruit-bearing trees. The buildings were a bright white color. The walk was pleasant.

    Rufus Kade, the caretaker, met them at the front entrance to the main building. He showed them into the comfortable reception room. He was a tall, thin botanist, who had taken the administrative post because it gave him the opportunity to be near exotic plants. Some of the flora came from worlds as much as one hundred light-years away from Antares. After the introductions were over, Kade took the party to the enclosed garden which had a pool in its center, and where the gnome spent most of his time.

    "Do you ever talk with him, Mr. Kade?" Father Chavez asked. The caretaker shook his head. "No," he said. "And now I hope you will all excuse me, I have work to do." He left them at the entrance to the garden path. Compton turned to Father Chavez and said, "You are lucky; you're the only representative of any church ever to get a chance to meet what might be the central deity of that church." He smiled. "But I feel sorry for you-for whatever he is, he will not be what you expect, and most certainly he will not be what you want him to be."

    "Let's wait and see," Chavez said. "I'm not a credulous man."

    "You know, Chavez," Compton said in a more serious mood, "they let me come here too easily. What I mean is they took my word for the danger involved with little or no question."

    "Should they have not taken your word? You are an important man. You sound as if you didn't quite tell them everything."

    They walked into the garden. On either side of them the plants were luxurious, with huge green leaves and strange varicolored flowers. The air was filled with rich scents, and the earth gave the sensation of being very moist and loosely packed. They came into the open area surrounding the pool. Sister Guinivere stood between the two men as they looked at the scene. The water was still, and the disk of Antares was high enough now in the morning sky to be reflected in it.

    The gnome stood on the far side, watching them as they approached, as if he expected them at any moment to break into some words of greeting. Father Chavez knew that they would appear as giants next to the small figure. It would be awkward standing before a member of a race a million years older than mankind and towering over him. It would be aesthetically banal, Chavez thought.

    As they came to the other side of the pool Compton said, "Let me start the conversation, Father."

    "If you wish," Chavez said. 'Why am I afraid, and what does it matter who starts the conversation?' he thought.

    Compton walked up to the standing gnome and sat down cross-legged in front of him. It was a diplomatic gesture. Father Chavez felt relieved and followed the example, motioning Sister Guinivere to do the same. They all looked at the small alien. His eyes were deep-set and large; his hair was white, thin and reached down to his shoulders. He had held his hands behind his back when they had approached, but now they were together in front of him. His shoulders were narrow and his arms were thin. He wore a one-piece coverall with short sleeves. Chavez hoped they would be able to talk to him easily. The gnome looked at each of them in turn. After a few minutes of silence it became obvious that he expected them to start the conversation.

    "My name is Benedict Compton," Compton said, "and this is Father Chavez and Sister Guinivere, his secretary. We came here to ask you about your past, because it concerns us."

    Slowly the gnome nodded his head, but he did not sit with them. There was more silence. Compton gave Chavez a questioning look. "Could you tell us who you are?" Chavez asked. The gnome moved his head sharply to look at him. It's almost as if I interrupted him at something, Chavez thought. There was a sad look on the face now, as if in that one moment he had understood everything-why they were here and the part he would have to play. Chavez felt his stomach grow tense. He felt as if he were being carefully examined. Next to him Compton was playing with a blade of grass. Sister Guinivere sat with her hands folded in her lap. Briefly he recalled the facts he knew about the alien-facts which only a few Earthmen had been given access to over the last century. Facts which demanded that some sort of official attitude be taken. The best-kept secret of the past century was the fact that this small creature had initiated the events which led to the emergence of intelligent life on Earth. In the far past he had harnessed his powers of imagination to a vast machine, which had been built for another purpose, and had used it to create most of the life on Earth. He had been caught at his experiments in cosmology, and exiled. Long before men had gone out to the stars he had been a wanderer in the galaxy, but in recent years he had been handed over to Earth authorities to keep at this extraterrestrial preserve.

    Apparently his people still feared his madness. This was all they had ever revealed to the few Earthmen who took charge of the matter., It was conjectured that the gnome's race was highly isolationist; the gnome was the only member of it that had ever been seen by Earthmen. The opinion was also held that his culture feared contact with other intelligent life, and especially with this illegitimate creation. Of the few who knew about the case, only one or two had ever expressed any disbelief. It was after all, Chavez thought, enough to make any man uneasy. It seemed safer to ignore the matter most of the time. Since that one contact with Earth, the gnome's race had never come back for him and had never offered further explanations. A century ago they had simply left him in Earth orbit, in a small vessel of undeniably superior workmanship. A recorded message gave all the information they had wanted to reveal. Their home world had never been found, and the gnome had remained silent. Benedict Compton had set up this meeting, and Chavez had been briefed by his superiors and instructed to go along as an observer.

    Chavez remembered how the information had at first shaken and then puzzled him. The tension in his stomach grew worse. He wondered about Compton's motives; but he had not dared to question them openly. On Earth many scientists prized the alien as the only contact with a truly advanced culture, and he knew that more than one young student would do anything to unlock the secrets that must surely exist in the brain of the small being now standing in front of him. He felt sure that Compton was hoping for some such thing. Suddenly the small figure took a step back from them. A small breeze waved his long white hair. He stopped and his small, gnarly body took on a strange stature; his face was grief-stricken and his low voice was sad. It wavered as he spoke to them. "I made you to love each other, and through yourselves, me. I needed that love. No one can know how much I needed it, but it had to be freely given, so I had to permit the possibility of it being withheld. There was no other way, and there still is not."

    Chavez looked at Compton for a reaction. The big man sat very still. Sister Guinivere was looking down at the grass in front of her feet. Chavez felt a stirring of fear and panic in his insides. It felt as if the alien was speaking only to him--as if he could relieve the thirst that lived behind those deep-set eyes in that small head. He felt the other's need. lie felt the deprivation that was visible on that face, and he felt that at any moment he would feel the awesome rage that would spill out onto them. This then, he thought, is the madness that his race had spoken about- All the power had been stripped from this being, and now he is a beggar. Instead of rage there was sadness. It was oppressive- It hung in the air around them. What was Compton trying to uncover here? How could all this benefit anyone? Chavez noticed that his left hand was shaking, and he gripped it with the other hand.

    The gnome raised his right hand and spoke again. Dear God, help me, Chavez prayed. Help me to see this clearly. "I rebelled from the hive mind which my race was working toward," the gnome said in a louder voice than before. `"They have achieved it. They are one entity now. What you see in this dwarfed body are only the essentials of myself-the feelings mostly. They wait for the day when the love in my children comes to fruition and they will unite, thus recreating my former self which is now in them. Then I will leave my prison and return to them to become the completion of myself. This body will die then. My longing for that time is without limit, and I will make another history like this one and see it through. Each time I will be the completion of a species and its moving spirit. And again they will give birth to me.  Without this I am nothing."

    There was a loud thunderclap overhead, the unmistakable sound of a shuttle coming through the atmosphere. But it was too early for the starship shuttle to be coming back for them, Chavez thought. Compton jumped up and turned to look toward the administration buildings. Chavez noticed that the gnome was looking at him. Do your people worship a supreme being? Chavez thought the question. Do they have the idea of such a being? Surely you know the meaning of such a being.

    I don't know any such thing, the thought spoke clearly in his head. Do you know him?

    "It's a shuttle craft," Compton said. "Someone's coming to join us."

    Chavez got to his feet and went over to Compton. Sister Guinivere struggled to her feet and joined them. "What is it?" she asked.

    "I-I don't know who it could be," Compton said. Chavez noticed the lack of confidence in the other's voice. Behind them the gnome stood perfectly still, unaffected by the interruption.

    "They've landed by now," Compton said. "It could only be one thing, Father-they've found out my plans for the gnome." Compton came up to him and spoke in a low voice. "Father, this is the only way to get a change on Earth-yes, it's what you think, a cult, with me as its head, but the cause is just. Join me now, Father!"

    Then it's true, Chavez thought. He's planning to bypass the lawful candidacy. Then why did they let him come here?

    There was a rustling sound in the trees and shrubs around the pool area. Suddenly they were surrounded by armed men. Twenty figures in full battle gear had stepped out from the trees and garden shrubs. They stood perfectly still, waiting.

    Antares was directly overhead now, a dark-red circle of light covering twenty percent of the blue dome that was the sky. Noontime.

    Compton's voice shook as he shouted, "What is this? Who the devil are you?"

    A tall man immediately on the other side of the pool from them appeared to be the commanding officer. He wore no gear and there were no weapons in his hands. Instead he held a small piece of paper which he had just taken out of a sealed envelope.

    "Stand away, Father, and you too, Sister!" the officer shouted. "This does not concern you." Then he looked down at the paper in his hand and read: "Benedict Compton, you have been charged with conspiracy to overthrow the government of the Northern Hemisphere on Earth by unlawful means, and you have been tried and convicted by the high court of North America for this crime. The crime involves the use of an alien being as your coconspirator to initiate a religious controversy through a personally financed campaign which would result in your becoming the leader of a subversive cult, whose aim would be to seize power through a carefully prepared hoax. You and your co-conspirator are being eliminated because you are both enemies of the state." The officer folded the paper and put it back in its envelope and placed it in his tunic. Chavez noticed that Sister Guinivere was at his side, and he could tell that she was afraid. Compton turned to Chavez.

    "Father, protect the gnome, whatever he is. Use what authority you have. They won't touch you."

    "The execution order is signed by Secretary Alcibiad herself!" the tall officer shouted.

    Chavez was silent.

    "Father, please!" Compton pleaded. "You can't let this happen." Chavez heard the words, but he was numb with surprise. The words had transfixed him as effectively as any spear. He couldn't move, he couldn't think. Sister Guinivere held his arm. Suddenly Compton was moving toward the gnome.

    "Shoot!"

    The lasers reached out like tongues. The little figure fell. And the thought went out from him in one last effort, reaching light-years into space. I loved you. You did not love me, or each other. They all heard the thought, and it stopped them momentarily. Compton was still standing, but his right arm was gone, and he was bleeding noisily onto the grass.

    "Shoot!" The order went out again. Again the lasers lashed out. Compton fell on his back, a few yards from the gnome. Sister Guinivere fell to the grass on her knees, sobbing. She began to wail. The soldiers began to retreat back to their shuttle craft. Father Chavez sat down on the ground. lie didn't know what to do. lie looked at the two bodies. There was smoke coming from Compton's clothing. The gnome's hair was aflame. The tall officer now stood alone on the other side of the pool Chavez knew that his orders had probably been sealed, and he only now felt their full force. After a few moments the tall officer turned and went after his men. The alien knew this would happen, Chavez thought. He knew, and that was why he told us everything.

    When the great disk of Antares was forty-five degrees above the horizon, Rufus Kade came out to theca. He put the two bodies in plastic specimen bags. Sister Guinivere was calm now and was holding Father Chavez's hand. They both stood up when Kade was finished with the bodies. "They had an official pass from way up," Kade said. "I even checked back on it." He walked slowly with them to the administration building. The shuttle to the starship was ready.

    Thirty hours out from Antares, Father Chavez sat alone in his small cabin looking at the small monitor which showed him where he had been. Soon now the brilliance of the stars would be replaced by the dull emptiness of hyperspace. Antares was a small red disk on the screen. Momentarily Chavez resented the fact that he had been a creation to the gnome. In any case the alien had not been God. His future importance would be no greater than that of Christ-probably less. He had been only an architect, a mere shaper of materials which had existed long before even his great race had come into being. But still-was he not closer to God than any man had ever been? Or would be? The completion for which the gnome had made man would never take place now. The point of mankind's existence as he had made it was gone. And the alien had not known God. If there was such a being, a greatest possible being, he now seemed hopelessly remote . . .

    'O Lord, I pray for a sign!' Chavez thought. But he heard only his thoughts and nothing from the being who would surely have answered in a case like this. And he had stood by while they killed the gnome there in the garden by the poolside, on that planet circling the red star whose diameter was greater than the orbit of Mars. Despite all his reasoning now, Chavez knew that he had stood back while they killed that part of the small creature which had loved humanity.

    But what had he said? The rest of the gnome's being was humanity, and it still existed; except that now it would never be reunited with him. "Do not fear," the holy Antony had said three thousand years ago, "this goodness as a thing impossible, nor its pursuit as something alien, set a great way off. It hangeth on our own arbitrament. For the sake of the Greek learning men go overseas.. . but the city of God is everywhere . . . the kingdom of God is within. The goodness that is in us only asks the human mind." What we can do for ourselves, Chavez thought, that's all that is ours now: goals.

    He took a deep breath as the starship slipped into the nothingness of hyperspace. He felt the burden of the political power which he now carried as a witness to the alien's murder, and he knew that Compton's life had not been for nothing. He would have to hide his intentions carefully, but he knew what he would have to do.

    In time, he hoped anew, we may still give birth to the semblance of godhood that lives on in mankind, on that small world which circles a yellow sun.


    You were Incarnate 2000 Years ago and let Us also say that You brought the Prime Creator's Message to the People (Big "G"). After You had been exiled to the far east in those times - A Usurper (Jesus Cesarian) was set up to draw others away from Your Message and to corrupt It. 300 Years Later - The Council of Nicea was convened by a Roman Emperor (Constantine) to reduce the understandings You'd brought to the People - From approximately 37 Books down to 5. Under the Tutelage of these Controller's - Classical Christian Religion was enacted and forced upon the People over the next 1700 Years...The True Teachings of Yeshua are being held in the Vatican Archives so that They can remain on Top as Controllers (See Stigmata: We need no Men or Buildings to reach the Prime Creator was the Thrust of the Teachings kept secret - The Path within). Does this then mean that the Man  that originally brought the Message was trying to deceive Us? Or is It rather that the Controller's perverted the Understandings that You'd brought Us previously on Purpose? Simply put - I would say - The Later...This is the Crux and one They have worked hard to convolute...

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    mudra wrote:
    orthodoxymoron wrote: GEORGE ZEBROWSKI was born December 28, 1945, in Villach, Austria, of Polish parents. He grew up in England, Manhattan, the Bronx and Miami, and he is one of an extremely small group of authors who have achieved literary success in a second language. He attended Harpur College and the State University of New York at Binghamton, majoring in philosophy, and he brings his interest in this field to his writing-several of his science fiction stories utilize philosophical concepts.

    He is a member of the World Future Society, Science Fiction Writers of America, and the SFWA Speakers' Bureau. He has reviewed books for Craw daddy, Science Fiction Review and Riverside Quarterly,- has been a reader for Dell Books; has sold fiction to The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, If, Infinity and to several forthcoming collections of original stories. Currently he lectures in science fiction at SUNY-Binghamton, edits the SfWA Bulletin and writes. His two forthcoming novels are The Omega Point and Macrolife.

    The story "Heathen God" was a 1971 Nebula Award finalist.
    . . . every heathen deity has its place in the flow of existence."

    As I read this I thought this could well be Oxy's biography Wink

    Love from me
    mudra
    Thank-you mudra. As most of you know, I model various concepts and personalities, which do not necessarily reflect who I am in "real-life". I have been given various hints at who I might be on a soul-basis, by various individuals of interest, but I have no idea where the truth ends, and the BS begins. This whole thing often feels like a set-up. If this story did apply to me in some way, shape, or form, that might be a VERY Bad Thing!! The so-called "Ancient Egyptian Deity" I spoke with for several months (in 2010-11) made various suggestions to me, about who I might be, and what my role might be, but they seemed to HATE Me (while being very polite and charming)!! I don't wish to repeat what we discussed, but it scared the hell out of me!! Notice what George Zebrowski said about what "Holy Antony" said 3,000 years ago!! Compare that with the strange message I found in my word-processor (regarding me supposedly writing in antiquity)!! 1,100 BC to AD 100 is of particular interest to me. If someone of note was deposed 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, they might've written various things from time to time (if they remained in this solar-system)!! I'm still looking for a missing 32-37 book commentary on a Pre New-Testament World. I don't trust history!! Not Knowing is Driving Me Crazy!! But Knowing Might Drive Me Even Crazier!! Knowing What I Think About Would Drive Everyone Crazy!! I mostly play internet-games on this website!! This is just a fishing-expedition!! BTW, have you ever heard of the Human Gnome Project??!! Someone who knew someone on the Human Genome Project told me they had learned how smart I was (even though I had never exhibited significant intelligence in their presence). Could this have had something to do with Zebrowski's story?! Probably not, but sometimes I wonder as I wander!!


    Here's a couple of bright-ideas!! I'm half-joking and half-serious!!

    1. Set-up White House operations at Camp David, and have everyone who wants to see and talk to President Trump, come to Camp David!! Think of how much more secure that would be!! Think of how much money would be saved!! Another location might be even better!!

    2. Invite all the nations of the world to join the United States of America!! Invite all the nations of the solar system to join the United States of America!!

    This sort of fits in with my United States of the Solar System modeling and speculation!! My target-date remains A.D. 2133, but these two ideas might be fun to think about!! In the movie Oh, God! John Denver talks to God on the 27th floor of a building at 1600 North Hope Street (even though the building only has 17 floors)!! Trump has his office on the 27th floor of the Trump Tower!! Does anyone know what's on the 33rd floor?! Which Angel is pictured below?? What Would Apollyon Say?? What Would the Apostle Paul Say?? I don't know how to say this delicately and tactfully BUT how much scrutiny and security are the Family of the President subject to?? What about Vice Presidents and their families?? I'm thinking in terms of people being "gotten-to", "blackmailed", "threatened", "programmed", etc. President John F. Kennedy was extremely vulnerable when he had hookers coming and going under the radar (even in the White House)!! Apart from being morally-reprehensible, it was a tremendous security-risk!! There is supposedly a "Female Illuminati"!! What if they targeted certain promising "Male Drones"?? Think about the movie SALT!!

    What if Vice Presidents should be elected, rather than selected?? What if Presidents should be elected, rather than selected?? I've recently been speculating that we've lived in a Hypothetical Holy-Roman Solar-System for a very-long time!! If so, I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate competition from the United States of America!! My theory is that this solar system has had one ultimate BOSS for thousands (if not millions) of years (for better or worse, I know not)!! Once again, take everything I post with a Sea of Salt!! I know that I don't know!! What if I should shut-up?? I'm presently thinking in terms of "changing the system" by simply "understanding the system" without "changing the system". Perhaps this is similar to "Quantum Entanglement" wherein something is changed by merely observing it. My MO will probably be "Religious and Political Science-Fiction" for the rest of my life, without making a "Big-Deal" about it. It might be easier that way. I mostly want to silently research and reflect (perhaps to prepare my soul for my "next life"). This life seems to be a "total loss".

    Carol wrote:Trump Is Penetrated: Former CIA Spy Drops Bombshells in RT Interview
    Related CIA Releases Over 13 Million Pages of Declassified Documents -- Include Psychic Experiments, UFO Research


    Source - The Mind Unleashed
    by Lance Schuttler, January 27th, 2017

    This is the same Robert Steele who appeared on RT in March of 2015 and said that every terrorist attack in the U.S. has been a false flag event.

    It comes as no surprise then that Steele once again openly spoke about uncomfortable truths in an interview with RT last week.

    Hillary and the DNC stole 13 primaries from Bernie Sanders using electronic vote tampering: “Hillary Clinton, it’s on record, Stanford University has studied this and documented this, stole 13 primaries from Bernie Sanders using electronic ballot tampering. The Russians did not hack the election, Hillary Clinton hacked the election and lost.”

    The Counter-Coup: “We’ve had a counter-coup in the United States. We have successfully defeated the coup that was being led by Wall Street, Hillary Clinton and John Brennan (CIA Director).

    The Electoral Reform Act of 2017 is a must: “My personal feeling is that if Trump does not pass an Electoral Reform Act in the next 90 days, he will not finish his term. He will leave. The Electoral Reform Act does a number of things but one of the most important things is that it free the members from the bribery and blackmail that is pervasive in U.S. politics. I think Trump has the capacity to free the members from their dependency on foreign money, particularly Saudi Arabian, Israeli and Wall Street money. It destroy’s the 2-party tyranny. I have tried for over 3 years to get the mainstream media to cover Electoral Reform. They won’t touch it.”

    Russia Did Not Hack The Election: “This has been disproven completely. First off, I sounded the alarm on cyber-security in 1994. I wrote the first letter to the White House, I introduced NSA to hackers, I was the opening speaker of Hackers on Planet Earth in 1994. I am, as it were, a strong representative of the hacking community going back 30 years. I know what I’m talking about. The DNC was a leak, not a hack. Julian Assange, William Binney from the NSA, Ambassador Craig Murray and I and Ray McGovern and Phil Giraldi, we’re all saying the same thing. This was a leak, not a hack. I’ve listed 29 different people with links to their public statements saying the Russians did not hack the election. It was a leak. The ‘Russians hacked the election’ is now a dead meme.”

    John Brennan Should Be Tried As a War Criminal: “The lies that John Brennan has told, both anonymously and publicly, are in my view, an impeachable offense. He has prostituted his office the way that George Tenet prostituted his office when he led with Dick Cheney the telling of 935 lies that led us into Iraq. Brennan should be in an international court under indictment for being a war criminal. If you want to play war criminal, let’s start with John Brennan. The drone assassination program by CIA is killing thousands, 98% of whom are known to not be on any list. They’re women, children and innocent old men.

    Mainstream Media Has Been Revealed As The Fake News: “In the panic to repress skeptical citizens and investigative journalists, the fake news meme, like the conspiracy meme that the CIA invented in the 1960s to diminish people who were questioning the JFK story, has been intended to diminish citizens saying ‘hey wait a minute, there’s a pizza-gate, there’s a pedo-gate, there’s all these other things. What has happened is that now everyone understands what they’ve refused to believe in the past, which is that the New York Times, the Crap News Media, all of these people, are the fake news.”

    Reince Priebus Has Penetrated the Trump Administration & Doesn’t Want Trump to “Unrig the System”: “Reince Priebus, in my view, is a spy on Trump who is opposing Trump from within. I personally believe Priebus should not be allowed to be Chief of Staff. Trump now has the power, should he choose to use it, to unrig the system. And that’s where I’m really concerned, because Reince Priebus’ highest priority in life is to stop Donald Trump from unrigging the system.”

    Related Ex-CIA Spy Calls For IRS & Federal Reserve To Be Abolished, Electoral Reform Act Passed

    There are also many other truths that Steele has revealed in this interview that can be seen here.

    What is important to take from this is that yet another person has come out and shredded the many lies that have been told to the world for a very long time. The fact that this was said on RT, which reaches many people around the world, is yet another sign of the times we live in. The truth is continuing to gain momentum at an unprecedented rate, which is making some people very excited, and certain others, very nervous.

    About The Author

    Lance Schuttler


    Lance Schuttler graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Health Science and is Director of Creative Health Non-Profits for Personable Media. He is passionate about holistic and naturopathic medicine as well as helping to bring awareness to an efficient, sustainable and health-promoting transition that our world’s current socio-economic model is rapidly undergoing.

    https://sitsshow.blogspot.ca/2017/01/trump-penetrated-former-cia-spy-drops-bombshells-rt-interview.html
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    Mercuriel wrote:
    Sorry, but someone has to say It...


    Swanny wrote: jews are not nice people

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 111

    We're all familiar with the Zionist Agenda and so on but Zionists are not only Jews and in fact
    Joe Biden (even though I hate to use Him for anything as an example) is an admitted Zionist. That said -
    C'mon - No whole Ethnic group of People is absolutely ONLY one thing and one thing alone - EVER.
    One should always be very careful of throwing ANY Baby out with the Bathwater based on that...

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    orthodoxymoron wrote:I grew-up attending a church which sometimes referred to itself as "Spiritual-Israel" and sometimes had an Inferiority-Superiority Complex. I grew-up keeping the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. I no longer attend, but I still research some of the best books and lectures by SDA writers and scholars. I personally knew a rich and famous Jew, and we always got along splendidly. I've been around other rich and famous Jews (without knowing them personally), and I had no problems with them. My starting-point is that everyone is wrong, deluded, and screwed-up (including me). Once again, consider the following Minimal-List:

    1. Prophets and Kings (Ellen White).

    2. SDA Bible Commentary Volumes 4 and 6 (Isaiah to Malachi, and Acts to Ephesians).

    3. Toward Democracy (James Kloppenberg).

    4. Sacred Classical Music.

    What if there is something to British-Israel Teutonic-Zionism?? What Would the Roman-Catholics Say?? I'm tired of this stupid little game. I'm tired of all the BS. The end might be near (again). I don't endorse any of the violent and disgusting "Angel Movies" but they contain some useful lessons. BTW, I just noticed that my "Amen Ra" thread on the old and closed "Project Avalon" site, now has nearly 160,000 views, despite being closed to posting since 2010!! A few months after the closing, I encountered a "Bartleby" look-alike, who said "I Am RA!!" Decades ago, I attended a church with an assistant-pastor, named Clifton Davis, who was the star of the TV series "Amen"!! We once discussed the ministry of Dr. Robert H. Schuller. One more thing. Is "RA" the same as "AMEN RA"?? What if "RA" replaced "AMEN RA" 5,000 to 6,000 years ago?? What Would Anchor Say?? What Would Doctor Who Do?? Who?? What if the Bible is mostly Historical-Fiction (which is a mixture of Fact and Fiction)?? What if the Bible is a Cover-Story for a MUCH Nastier True-Story (which might drive everyone completely insane)?? If the Bible is discredited and discarded, what should replace it?? I get the feeling we'll be fighting about Politics and Religion for All-Eternity!! http://projectavalon.net/forum/showthread.php?t=18223
    RedEzra wrote:Does it not seem to be an agenda to end cash ? Well some still got cards and a line of credit... but almost everybody and their nation is so indebted that this will probably end as well. There is a prophecy in an old book about not only a cashless but also a cardless world if I have read it right.

    "And the second beast required all people
    small and great, rich and poor, free and slave
    to receive a mark on their right hand or on their forehead
    so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark
    the name of the beast or the number of its name."

    - Revelation 13:16-17

    This "mark" whatever it is maybe an implant read RFID chip perhaps sounds similar to stories about alien implants. So are governments around the world cooperating with aliens ? Are aliens the brains behind our modern high tech society? Don't GOD love aliens ?

    "If anyone worships the beast and its image
    and receives its mark on his forehead or hand
    he too will drink the wine of God’s anger
    poured undiluted into the cup of His wrath.
    And he will be tormented in fire and brimstone
    in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb."

    - Revelation 14:9-11
    orthodoxymoron wrote:RedEzra, I've been reading Why I Am Not a Christian by the atheist-author, Dr. Richard Carrier. I don't agree with his ultimate conclusions, but he makes numerous valid-arguments. If Satan has ruled Earth for 6,000 years, in a secretive and deceptive manner, with the Creator having been removed (voluntarily or otherwise), this would help to explain why Richard is Not a Christian!! I'm much too tired and miserable to explain. I will soon undergo open-heart surgery, but even if this is successful, I doubt that my misery and dullness of mind will be significantly reduced!! (BTW - It Wasn't.) I seem to be in the middle of some stupid Spiritual-War!! I am more hamstrung than any of you can imagine!! Honest!! What if the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals a "Replacement-God" who isn't very kind and loving??!! Also, Revelation repeatedly claims the "End is Near", and that was 2,000 years ago!! Why should Revelation retain credibility with Christians, in light of failed-prophecy and reprehensible-ethics??!! I'm leaning toward "Research" rather than "Religion"!! The Solar System is my Gothic Cathedral!! The Bible should be exhaustively studied, but not stupidly believed and followed in modernity!! I'm leaning toward Nature, Research, and Sacred Classical Music, for an Ecumenical-Genesis, but what do I know??!! I believe, but I don't know what I believe!! I know that I don't know!! I'm still waiting for a detailed critique of my three latest United States of the Solar System threads!! I recently made a couple of FOIA requests, but I'm not holding my breath, waiting for the spooks to blurt-out everything they know about me and my sad-story!! (BTW - They Didn't.) I honestly think I might've spoken with the God of This World (directly and/or indirectly). What if I turn out to be the Guy and/or Gal who got replaced in Antiquity??!! What if I'm supposed to be the Scapegoat in Modernity??!! The Horror!!

    orthodoxymoron wrote:Consider the following Minimal-List:

    1. Prophets and Kings (Ellen White).

    2. SDA Bible Commentary Volume 4 (Isaiah to Malachi).

    3. SDA Bible Commentary Volume 6 (Acts to Ephesians).

    4. Toward Democracy (James Kloppenberg).

    Consider the following Ecumenical-Genesis:

    1. Nature.

    2. Research.

    3. Sacred Classical Music.

    There's more to All of the Above than you might think, but I know No-One will even attempt to take my suggestions seriously (let alone actually spending years of quality-time with this approach). And I'm speaking to the supposedly Awake and Aware. The General-Public couldn't care less. They are generally loyal to the Home-Team, without knowing much about what they support or attack. They simply wish to WIN. One More Thing. I recently had a good-laugh with an attractive-attorney in a conference-room, concerning the bizarre murder of Captain Rolf Neslund!! I knew some of the Pilots who worked with Capt. Neslund!! They told me about his wife, "Ruthless Ruth"!! The story is so sad, that it's actually funny!! Rumor has it that parts of Capt. Neslund ended-up in a Police Picnic!! "The Cops Ate the Evidence!!" Sorry if that offends, but I'm being completely honest. http://www.historylink.org/File/8137



    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Arkcovenant
    What if the Ark of the Covenant was a Casket for the
    Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World
    (possibly 5,000 to 6,000 years ago)??  



    Last edited by orthodoxymoron on Sun Apr 28, 2019 5:25 am; edited 4 times in total
    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Tue Mar 19, 2019 11:52 pm

    Carol wrote: March 18, 2017

    France’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (MAEDI) has refused a request by the Paris Legal Attache of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to interview former President Barack Obama who fled to the French Polynesian island of Tahiti while being pursued by investigators from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) of the US Department of the Treasury (DoT) seeking to interview him about one of the largest drug busts in American history occurring in the Caribbean aboard a fishing vessel named the Lady Michelle. This was in relation to the 4.2 tons of seized cocaine, worth an estimated $125 million, from the President Barack Obama linked fishing vessel named Lady Michelle on 16 February 2017.

    President Obama fled from his home in Washington D.C. using an over 9,600 kilometer (6,000 miles) “escape path” that brought him first to New York City where he met with his private attorneys, then Omaha, Nebraska, where he met with famed billionaire investor Warren Buffett, then to California where he met with American tech titans, then to Hawaii where he said goodbye to his wife and family, with his finally ending up in Tahiti under French government control that is nearly impossible to extradite anyone from.

    President Obama’s meeting with billionaire investor Warren Buffett prior to his fleeing to Tahiti was the most consequential to his survival—as Buffett has long been known as the “fixer” between “Deep State” warring elements within America. Buffett’s further connections with President Obama, this report details, was his aiding Obama’s illegal stealing of hundreds-of-billions of dollars from US mortgage giants Fannie and Freddie Mae investors to secret finance his socialist health care debacle called Obamacare—and that Buffett fully supported. To the “master plan” devised by the Obama-Buffett “Deep State” factions to destroy President Trump, this report explains, is by wielding their “weapon of choice” called the Federal Reserve to “Xxxxx the largest bubble in human history” and collapse the entire US stock market—and along with it the entire American economy too.

    How President Trump will survive this “Deep State” war against him? Will he have to resort to imposing martial law (Trial Balloon for a Coup?, Trump/Bannon Planning for Martial Law?)—and that the still secret National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive (known as Directive 51) gives him the power to do anytime he so chooses—and that would give him absolute and total power over all of the United States to crush forever his liberal-leftist communistic enemies. Time will reveal how this plays out.
    Carol wrote:
    SPIES


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCiGTdtiOf4
    Could the CIA be sabotaging the Trump cabinet? - Episode #692 with Kevin Shipp
    Published on Feb 21, 2017

    In this edition Host: John B Wells speaks to former CIA Counterintelligence officer Kevin Shipp about CIA policy, and how some intelligence officers could be sabotaging President Trump’s cabinet.
    Carol wrote:
    OBAMA connection to drug trafficking -
    Lady Michelle Cocaine Running


    Here is a transcript from page (not copyrighted material)

    Greetings World, We are Anonymous.

    Former President Barack Obama fled Washington D.C. this past Friday (10 March) traveling to New York City, Omaha, San Jose, and ending up in Hawaii, all occurring within 36 hours while he sought elite allies to defend him, and keeping him a head of investigators from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the US Department of the Treasury, seeking to interview him, about one of the largest drug busts in American history occurring in the Caribbean aboard a fishing vessel named the Lady Michelle.

    Nearly immediately upon taking office as President Donald Trumps Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, as head of the US Department of Justice, was handed a top secret file by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey, detailing the nearly two-decade long crimes of 12 current, and former, security and intelligence officers belonging to the Transportation Safety Administration who for at least 18 years under both the Bush and Obama regimes had smuggled into the United States at least $100 million worth of cocaine.

    Four days after Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, received this top secret file on these Bush-Obama regime drug criminals from Director Comey, he ordered their immediate arrest, and that was meant to coincide with former President Obama being out of the United States as he was vacationing in the Virgin Islands.

    Upon their learning that Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, had ordered the arrest of this Bush-Obama regime TSA criminal drug ring, accomplices of former President Obama vacationing with him in the Virgin Islands attempted to contact a Guyana national named Mohamed Nazim Hoseain, whom the SVR had previously identified as being an organizational member of the Islamic terror group known as the Muslim Brotherhood, and that President Trump is now preparing to name as a terror organization too.

    Mohamed Nazim Hoseain, was unable, however, to be contacted by former President Obama accomplices as the fishing vessel he was the captain of, named the Lady Michelle, was dead in the water about 70 miles off Paramaribo, in international waters after all of its electronics had been disabled by a US Navy EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft, and that shortly afterwards, on 16 February, it was boarded by the US Coast Guard whom discovered over 4 tonnes of cocaine valued at $125 million, and was the largest US drug bust in the Caribbean since 1999.

    Arrested with Mohamed Nazim Hoseain aboard the Lady Michelle drug ship, were Richard La Cruz, Neville Jeffrey, and Mark Anthony Williams, all of whom were remanded to US custody in the Virgin Islands just hours after former President Obama accomplices flew out from there on a private aircraft.

    As to the Lady Michelle fishing vessel used by these cocaine smugglers, its Saint Vincent registration showed it being owned by the Argyle International Airport Development Company, and whom the US Coast Guard returned custody to under existing international treaties between these two nations.

    Critical to note about the Argyle International Airport Development Company, though, is that its sole business is the Argyle International Airport on Saint Vincent whose first ever flight into was on 14 February by a private charter aircraft from Mexico, and that upon this charter planes arrival, the Lady Michelle was in port awaiting departure, and whose real purpose has long been suspected to be for smuggling purposes:

    “Forget the tourists, there is something much more lucrative afoot. It is whispered that recently cocaine barons have injected US$400 million into a group within the Vincentian government for help with setting up an improved link into the US of South American cocaine. There are five areas of concern for the South American investors.

    1. for the SVG ruling regime to be kept in power at any cost.

    2. the completion of Argyle Airport.

    3. the control of the abandoned fishery units at Bequia and Owia.

    4. tight control and implication of the police and coast guard.

    5. control of a working shipyard for the secret alteration of internal structures of vessels.

    6. building of a new shipping container port and facility.

    The whole operation is compartmentalized so as no group or individual within the grouping knows everything. Those involved are high ranking Vincentian government officials, Venezuelans, Panamanians and, most importantly, Colombians.

    According to fishermen, Venezuelans have already inspected the fishery installations with the view of acquiring them. It is alleged that Venezuelans are involved in the new lease of the Ottley Hall shipyard complex. Venezuela is involved with building our airport at Argyle.”

    Further raising fears that the Argyle International Airport is being used by drug smugglers linked to former President Obama, was that barely a month a prior to his leaving office, in December, 2016, he quietly signed a new law called the United States, Caribbean Strategic Engagement Act that, in essence, would allow the Central Intelligence Agency to secretly lease this entire airport and fishing boat facility, and who is the largest illegal drug smuggler the world has ever known.

    As to why the CIA would need the Argyle International Airport as a drug smuggling operation, is due to the calamity that ensued in 2007 when their Gulf Stream II jet, that was used to transport rendition prisoners from Europe to America to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, crash-landed in Mexico carrying over 4 tons of cocaine, and that to this very day, no one has been prosecuted for.

    The CIA’s involvement with drug smuggling has long been known, and as the Huffington Post noted in their 2014 article titled “Key Figures In CIA-Crack Cocaine Scandal Begin To Come Forward” that, in part, said:

    “With the public in the U.S. and Latin America becoming increasingly skeptical of the war on drugs, key figures in a scandal that once rocked the Central Intelligence Agency are coming forward to tell their stories in a new documentary and in a series of interviews with The Huffington Post.

    More than 18 years have passed since Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Gary Webb stunned the world with his “Dark Alliance” newspaper series investigating the connections between the CIA, a crack cocaine explosion in the predominantly African-American neighborhoods of South Los Angeles, and the Nicaraguan Contra fighters, scandalous implications that outraged LA’s black community, severely damaged the intelligence agency’s reputation and launched a number of federal investigations.

    It did not end well for Webb, however. Major media, led by The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times, worked to discredit his story. Under intense pressure, Webb’s top editor abandoned him. Webb was drummed out of journalism. One LA Times reporter recently apologized for his leading role in the assault on Webb, but it came too late. Webb died in 2004 from an apparent suicide.”

    Also in 2014, The American New Service shockingly revealed how grave these crimes had actually become in their article titled “U.S. Government and Top Mexican Drug Cartel Exposed as Partners” that, again in part, said:

    “For over a decade, under multiple administrations, the U.S. government had a secret agreement with the ruthless Mexican Sinaloa drug cartel that allowed it to operate with impunity, an in-depth investigation by a leading Mexican newspaper confirmed this week.

    In exchange for information and assistance in quashing competing criminal syndicates, the Bush and Obama administrations let the Sinaloa cartel import tons of drugs into the United States while wiping out Sinaloa competitors and ensuring that its leaders would not be prosecuted for their long list of major crimes.

    Other revelations also point strongly to massive but clandestine U.S. government involvement in drug trafficking.

    Relying on over 100 interviews with current and former government functionaries on both sides of the border, as well as official documents from the U.S. and Mexican governments, Mexico’s El Universal concluded that the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Justice Department had secretly worked with Mexican drug lords.

    The controversial conspiring led to increased violence across Mexico, where many tens of thousands have been murdered in recent years, the newspaper found after its year-long probe.

    The U.S. agents and their shady deals with Mexican drug lords even sparked what the paper called a “secret war” inside Mexico.”

    OBAMA connection to drug trafficking - Lady Michelle Cocaine Running
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7tszsV6dCs

    Coast Guard offloads $125 million worth of seized cocaine in Puerto Rico
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lMQo3MOFSM - good

    http://coastguardnews.com/coast-guard-offloads-125-million-worth-of-seized-cocaine-in-puerto-rico/2017/02/27/
    Lady Michelle fishing vessel dead in the water after electronics had been disabled by US Navy E-A 60 prowler electronic airfare warcraft.

    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-02-15/12-tsa-agents-just-indicted-smuggling-100-million-worth-cocaine

    and last Monday night (March 13th) he visited Judge Watson. "Judge Watson’s 43-page ruling was issued a mere two hours after hearing arguments on whether or not the immigration ban should be blocked. This would have required Watson to write a page roughly every three minutes, raising questions about whether or not the judge had already made a decision before even hearing arguments from attorneys and had already drafted a ruling. The proximity of the judge to Obama on his vacation just days before the consequential hearing, their lengthy history together and facts indicating that the judge had prepared a ruling before the case even began raise questions about whether or not the former President exercised improper influence in the judge’s decision. Barack Obama’s representatives have yet to issue any comment on the matter."

    http://disobedientmedia.com/online-observers-accuse-obama-of-improper-intervention-in-hawaii-immigration-ruling/
    Carol wrote:
    Jerome Corsi has obtained credible information from law enforcement sources regarding individual records of U.S. citizens under National Security Agency (NSA) electronic surveillance in the years 2004 through 2010 – a database that suggests both Donald J. Trump was under illegal, unauthorized government monitoring during those years.

    Michael Zullo, formerly the commander and chief investigator of the Cold Case Posse (CCP), a special investigative group created in 2006 in the office of Joseph M. Arpaio, formerly the sheriff in Maricopa County, an Arizona State Certified Law Enforcement Agency, headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, provided sections of the database to Corsi.

    The electronic surveillance database, provided to Zullo by a whistleblower in 2013, was apparently created by the NSA as part of the NSA’s illegal and unconstitutional Project Dragnet electronic surveillance of U.S. citizens, first revealed by news reports published in 2005, as further documented by the revelations of whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013.

    Sheriff Arpaio and Chief Investigator Zullo have identified dozens of entries at various addresses, including both Trump Tower in New York City and Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, under which Donald Trump was apparently under NSA electronic surveillance from 2004, during President George W. Bush’s term of office, through 2009, the first year of President Obama’s presidency.

    Electronic surveillance of Donald Trump was listed in the database for the following companies, locations, and dates:

    Trump International
    1 Central Park, NYC, NY
    2008

    Trump World Tower
    845 United Nations Plaza, NYC, NY
    No Date

    Trump Tower SAL
    108 Central Park, NYC, NY
    2007

    Trump Palace Co
    200 E. 69th Street A, NYC, NY
    2008

    Trump Entertainment
    725 Fifth Ave. FL, NYC, NY
    2007

    Trump Organization
    725 Fifth Ave. BSM, NYC, NY
    2009

    Trump Palace
    725 Fifth Ave., NYC, NY
    2004

    Mar-a-Lago Club
    1100 S. Ocean BL, Palm Beach, FL
    2006

    Trump International
    401 N. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL
    2008

    Douglass Limousine
    239 Nassau St., Princeton, NJ
    2008

    Trump International
    3505 Summit BLV, West Palm Beach, FL
    2004

    Flights INC
    P.O. Box 196, Hamilton MA
    2004

    Trump International
    1 Central Park, NYC, NY
    2008

    Trump Hotels
    Huron Ave., Atlantic City, NJ
    No Date

    Trump National
    339 Pine Rd, Briarcliff, NY
    No Date

    Trump Plaza & C
    2500 Pacific Ave, Atlantic City, NJ
    2008

    Trump Palace Co.
    200 E. 69th St., NYC, NY
    2008

    Seven Springs
    66 Oregon Rd, Mount Kisco, NY
    2006-2008

    While attempts have been made to deny such domestic surveillance, reports from the New York Times in 2014 showed the Central Intelligence Agency had done just that by spying on a senate panel investigating the agency’s use of “enhanced interrogation.”

    In a 2016 article from The Guardian entitled, “‘A constitutional crisis’: the CIA turns on the Senate,” it is likewise noted just how drastic and widespread the CIA’s domestic surveillance operation was.

    As revealed from the Dragnet database, not only was Trump himself surveilled but so were numerous employees of his located at Trump Tower.

    Former CIA officer Larry Johnson recently joined the Alex Jones show to discuss how intelligence sources have stated that such surveillance of Trump during the presidential election in fact took place.

    Here is a partial list of the Trump employees that show up in the Project Dragnet database:

    • Patricia Hernandez, a Manager for the Trump Organization, was under NSA electronic surveillance at Trump Parc, Central Park South, in New York City, at phone 212-586-xxxx, date: 9/16/2008.

    • Mike van der Goes, a Golf Pro at Oceans Trails Golf Course in Palos Verdes, who was promoted to be general manager when Trump bought the course from the bank in 2005 and renamed it Trump National. Mike van der Goes was under surveillance at Trump National, 1 Ocean TRL, Rancho Palos Verdes, California, at phone: 310-265-xxxx, no date.

    • Carolyn Kepcher, a frequent guest on NBC’s television program “The Apprentice,” who was under NSA electronic surveillance when she was General Manager at the Trump National Golf Course in Briarcliff, New York, in Westchester County north of New York City, at 339 Pine Rd., in Briarcliff, New York, at phone 914-944-xxxx, date: 9/7/206.

    • Joe Traci, a Real Estate Property Manager at Trump New World Property Management, at 438 W. 69th Street, New York City, phone 212-769-xxxx, date: 11/12/2008; and at 5 12th Street, New York City, phone: 212-586-xxxx, no date.

    • Roger Socio, a Senior Project Manager, Trump Organization, Trump Tower, 725 Fifth Avenue, New York City, phone: 212-715-xxxx, 2/23/2009.

    • Bill Fichter, Residents Manager, Trump Organization, Trump Palace, 200 E. 69th Street, New York City, phone: 212-879-xxxx, date: 2/24/2009.

    • Florin Bogosel, Trump Park Avenue, 502 Park Avenue, New York City, phone: 212-223-xxxx, no date.

    • Grace Dunne, Trump Park Residence, 3770 Barger Street, Shrub Oak, New York, phone: 914-245-xxxx, date 1/26/2006.

    • Greg Bradley, Vice President, Trump Pavilion for Nursing and Rehabilitation, 9028 Van Wyck, East Richmond Hill, New York, phone: 718-291-xxxx, no date.

    All these employees appear to have been under NSA phone surveillance, plus various of them under financial surveillance as well.

    The Project Dragnet database suggests Trump was under surveillance not only for phone conversations, but also for financial information, including most likely bank account transactions, credit card transactions, and tax filings.

    Both federal and state law enforcement have had access to the Project Dragnet database, allowing widespread use for methods such as parallel construction. The practice, outlined in the 2013 Reuters article, “U.S. directs agents to cover up program used to investigate Americans,” reveals the breadth of information that trickles down to law enforcement from high-level intelligence agencies.

    Also listed as under NSA surveillance in the period 2004-2010 was Trump’s former wife, Ivanka Trump at House of Ivanka, 10 East 64th Street, New York City.

    The Project Dragnet database also indicates that the NSA was conducting electronic surveillance on an extensive list of Trump employees in the years 2004-2010 – the only years for which Sheriff Arpaio had data.

    Sheriff Arpaio and Chief Investigator Zullo have validated through law enforcement channels the validity of the name, address, and telephone numbers for the dates that appear in the Project Dragnet database.

    Sheriff Arpaio and Chief Investigator Zullo are prepared to share relevant information with appropriate federal law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, as well as the Department of Justice, Homeland Security Department, the White House, and members of Congress the Project Dragnet Database in whole, or in part, as it pertains to NSA electronic surveillance of Donald J. Trump and his various employee.

    Sheriff Arpaio and Chief Investigator Zullo also show up in the database, listed as being under both phone and financial surveillance.

    Zullo explained that he and Arpaio came in contact with the information from Operation Dragnet during an unrelated investigation that began in October 2013 and ended January 2015.

    A whistleblower by the name of Dennis Montgomery brought forward information that Montgomery alleges was collected while he was employed as a subcontractor for the NSA, working on various surveillance projects.

    Court documents do verify Montgomery was contracted by the NSA, in part to develop computer breaching software that has been utilized in government mass surveillance operations targeting American citizens without legal justification.

    While Montgomery’s credibility has been called into question, Zullo maintains that the amount of information provided by Montgomery related to Operation Dragnet was extraordinarily voluminous and that Montgomery had shared information with investigators in 2013 that is only now being revealed by media outlets.
    http://www.wnd.com/2017/03/nsa-documents-trump-under-surveillance-for-years/
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    Carol wrote:CIA Whistleblower Leaked Proof Trump Under "Systematic Illegal" Surveillance Over Two Years Ago: FBI Sat On It - 47 hard drives and over 600 million pages of information reveal massive spying program targeting Judges and Prominent Americans http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-22/bombshell-cia-whistleblower-leaked-proof-trump-under-systematic-illegal-government-s
    Carol wrote:
    SPIES

    BUSTED! Twitter Caught Manipulating Tweets Of Former BlackRock Fund Manager Critical Of CIA and NSA by ZeroPointNow -
    Mar 23, 2017

    Followers and retweets vanishing without a trace... until now.
    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-23/busted-twitter-caught-manipulating-tweets-former-blackrock-fund-manager-critical-cia

    White House Fingers John McCain as Media Leak/Trump Phone Eavesdropper
    According to White House officials, McCain is believed to have somehow gained access to the content of President Donald Trump’s private, classified telephone calls with world leaders. And he isn’t keeping quiet about what was talked about either. An analysis of McCain’s recent public statements by White House officials, coupled with information from intelligence personnel working with the Trump administration, paints a disturbing picture for McCain — or any elected U.S. politician. Officials believe the senator has inside knowledge of a number of President Trump’s telephone conversations, including at least one conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
    http://truepundit.com/exclusive-white-house-fingers-john-mccain-as-media-leak-believes-u-s-senator-eavesdropped-on-trumps-classified-phone/

    Maxine Waters: "Some people are missing something here. The President (Obama) has put in place an organization that contains a kind of database that no one has ever seen before in life. That's going to be very, very powerful. And whoever...and that database will have information about everything on every individual in ways that its never been done before, and whoever runs for President on the democratic ticket have to deal with that. They're going to have to go down with that database and the concerns of those people, because they can't get around it. And he's (Obama) been very smart - I mean it’s very powerful what he's leaving in place. And I think that's what any democratic candidate is going to have to deal with."

    On Don Adams show Maxine Waters admits Obama Wiretapped Trump. On MSNBC with Chris Hayes she admitted work that has been done to spy on Trump and that the Obama administration has done everything they can possibly do. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvoS_CD7U64



    NSA To Provide 'Smoking Gun' Proof Obama Spied on Trump...
    http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/23/potential-smoking-gun-showing-obama-administration-spied-on-trump-team-source-says.html

    [/size]
    Carol wrote:
    SPIES

    ObamaGate Bombshell - Bigger Than Watergate, 1555


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFAjp4R6g8g&feature=em-uploademail
    Consider conducting a Moot Holy-War between [The SDA Bible Commentary -- Volumes 1, 2, 5, 7 (Genesis to 2 Kings, Matthew to John, Philippians to Revelation)] AND [The SDA Bible Commentary -- Volumes 3, 4, 6 (1 Chronicles to Malachi, Acts to Ephesians)]!! Choose your own commentary, but I highly recommend the SDABC as an underrated and underused research-resource. Was Questions On Doctrine a Red-Herring?? Were the Writings of Ellen G. White a White Lie?? What Would Walter Rea Say?? What Would Walter Martin Say?? Sometimes I'm Sirius, and sometimes I'm just 'messing with you' (just a bit)!! Seriously, I think I might've briefly spoken with the 'Oracle' today (in a wheelchair) but I'm not sure. I gave her a couple of dollars for the bus. I had a lot on my mind, and I didn't think about it until later, but what if it WAS the 'Oracle'??!! "BINGO!!" What Would Ingo Say?? What Would Shingo Say?? What Would Inigo Loyola Say?? If I weren't so miserable, I'd be MUCH more friendly!! Honest!! Please re-watch The Event miniseries!! Please re-watch the movie 2012!! Please watch the recent movie A United Kingdom!! Things have been weird, and I'm pretty-much done with 'weird'. I was declared 'well' today, but I don't feel 'well'. Perhaps this was similar to 'Imputed-Righteousness'. You know, Imputed and Imparted Righteousness. This is related to Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification. Didn't you go to Sunday-School??!!

    Someone I know, knew Adela Rogers St. Johns. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adela_Rogers_St._Johns Adela used to have lunch with President Richard Nixon, and often prayed with him. He needed prayer, didn't he?? But what if President Nixon could see what's gone-on since he passed-on??!! OMG!! Please remember that my internet-posting is on the level of low-profile religious and political Science-Fiction!! It's sort of an Apocalyptic Soap-Opera!! The posting-volume on this website has slowed dramatically!! What's going on?? I'm attempting to stop posting!! I wish to become proficient with the material I've already posted. I've made notes, and I wish to study these notes. Perhaps a watered-down philosophical-book will materialize in a couple of years!! I think I might like to live in a small mountaintop-lookout home (with a bunker-basement and satellite InterPlaNet)!! I don't want to do anything significant. I simply wish to watch, reflect, and write a book once in a while!! Once again, I am a 'Law and Order' kind of guy, rather than a 'Fire and Brimstone' sort of individual!! I lean-toward Jail and Work for the Bad Guys and Gals!! I lean-away from Torture and Extermination!! I'm a Softie!! Perhaps I need to toughen-up!! I might've been one of the Ancient (or Recent) Bad-Guys!! What Would Loki Do?? What Would Smokey Say??


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    orthodoxymoron
    orthodoxymoron


    Posts : 13591
    Join date : 2010-09-28
    Location : The Matrix

    United States AI Solar System (9) - Page 3 Empty Re: United States AI Solar System (9)

    Post  orthodoxymoron Thu Mar 21, 2019 1:05 am

    A lot of my posts are re-posts from several years ago. I suppose this is sort of a 'Reality-Check', but I'm honestly becoming more disoriented and despondent, and I find it difficult to create brand-new material. I suspected this would happen, but I didn't think it would hit me this hard. I also suspect that 'Serco on Steroids' is turning-up the heat against me. I continue to allege that I've been majorly messed-with, and no-one seems to care. That might change when it becomes obvious that EVERYONE is being messed-with (to greater and lesser extents).

    I continue to be puzzled by the silence related to my threads. I've repeatedly stated that a lot of this is experimental-acting. I'm NOT like this in Real-Life. 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!

    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 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 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!

    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 se