eterisan:
Malachi 4:4-6

Malachi 4:4 Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.



Matthew 17:10-13

Matthew 17:10 And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come? 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things. 17:12 But I say unto you, That Elijah is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. 17:13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

Ecclesiastics 4:16

.

Ecclesiastes 4:16 There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit.


Guess your pastor did not show this to you.

Can give you more at your own request

yes please, can't get too much of God's word

johnw47:


yes please, can't get too much of God's word

So my friend you see, reincarnation is taught in the Bible. Majority of the teachings about it was removed by the early Christian church as heresy. Somehow few sneaked in, but your modern church will have non of it.

Truth is you cannot learn much about reincarnation from the Bible, if you limit yourself to it.

Will be dropping more from the Bible for you though when I'm free. Will modify or so I don't derail this thread I may create a new one. But first I have to get your reaction to the above texts.

eterisan:
So my friend you see, reincarnation is taught in the Bible. Majority of the teachings about it was removed by the early Christian church as heresy. Somehow few sneaked in, but your modern church will have non of it.

Truth is you cannot learn much about reincarnation from the Bible, if you limit yourself to it.

Will be dropping more from the Bible for you though when I'm free. Will modify or so I don't derail this thread I may create a new one. But first I have to get your reaction to the above texts.

fair enough, my reaction is that you are confused

i haven't been talking about reincarnation, and i'm not interisted in talking about reincarnation

but as i said and as far as i'm concerned, you can post as much of God's word here as you like

johnw47:


fair enough, my reaction is that you are confused

i haven't been talking about reincarnation, and i'm not interisted in talking about reincarnation

but as i said and as far as i'm concerned, you can post as much of God's word here as you like

Typical Christian. You were talking about the dead, how is that not related to reincarnation. Then you mention Gods word. What exactly is your definition of that. Is the Vedas not God's word or the Bhaghavagita or the Tora. Why do you think that God's word is confined to the Bible whose history is tainted?

0temSapien:

Okay let me explain to you...

All dead scientists are gods of science
All lovers of science are gods of science too
All first beings who appreciate science over religions are gods of sicnece as well

The word 'god' doesn't necessarily have to mean 'a spirit'. We are all gods FYI.

slippery answer! I repeat! science has no gods

chrisbaxtian:



slippery answer! I repeat! science has no gods

That's because u don't understand what god is.

0temSapien:
That's because u don't understand what god is.

what is a god? without worshippers, one cannot be a god. After all, what is a god to an unbeliever?! Nothing, I say. science has no gods because there is no compulsion to worship; no demand for sacrifices or reverence or rituals. There are no gods in science.

chrisbaxtian:



what is a god? without worshippers, one cannot be a god. After all, what is a god to an unbeliever?! Nothing, I say. science has no gods because there is no compulsion to worship; no demand for sacrifices or reverence or rituals. There are no gods in science.

A god is a maker, according to one of its definition. That's the kind of god I'm talking about. Scientists are makers/inventors/creators, so they are gods in such respect. Now don't get it mixed up, the kind of gods we have in science are not the religious gods you humans worship.

0temSapien:
A god is a maker, according to one of its definition. That's the kind of god I'm talking about. Scientists are makers/inventors/creators, so they are gods in such respect. Now don't get it mixed up, the kind of gods we have in science are not the religious gods you humans worship.

I am not talking about one of its definitions, I am talking about a holistic view of the term god and how it applies in science. You don't have to make or be a maker to be a god. Like I said earlier, science has no gods.

chrisbaxtian:



I am not talking about one of its definitions, I am talking about a holistic view of the term god and how it applies in science. You don't have to make or be a maker to be a god. Like I said earlier, science has no gods.

What's the holistic definition of god?
Are you a christian?


Here are the four definition of 'god' I found. Which of them is 'god' to you?
As i am not a christian, the second and third definition fits the 'god' I am talking about.

1. (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2. (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
3. a greatly admired or influential person.
4. the gallery in a theatre.

Chapter Eight
1. Gurune was a male homo sapiens born in the 280,017th year of the homo sapiens era, called the 17CE, in a land now found in Burkinafaso. When Gurune began to grow, he was amazed about the emergence of languages.
2. He went to the elders to ask them the origin of the languages which they spoke and they said that they met languages on earth when they were born. They said that languages and dialects were the gifts of the gods.
3. Now Gurune fell in love with different kinds of dialects. He pronounced words with care and passion. He saw words as his companions and made up rhymes with them. Then when Gurune had done so much in the act of word-using, his head opened up and a new language broke out.
4. Now Gurune awoke and began to speak in such strange language. Then those who heard him were amazed. He had names for rivers, plants of different species, different forms of animals and farm tools.
5. Then he taught deep words of wisdom with the language which he had acquired without learning. Then the people prefered the language of Gurune to other languages spoken around that place. For he had words for many abstract things and hundreds of proverbs.
6. Now the language of Gurune, which was called Gurene, spread from one place to another and had many children born into it, speaking it as their first language.
7. When famine and pests attacked the lands, the language called Gurene spread from one place to another, even many centuries after the death of Gurune himself.
8. In the 280,051st year of the homo sapiens era, a man named Nankani and his brother named Bunni separated from their father. And Nankani mixed with the people of Kumbungu, Tamale, Saboba and Yagaba which were places in the country now called Ghana.
9. So the language which they spoke began to change by intonation and Gurene language which Nankani brought to those land was mixed with other languages already existing in those places.
10. And the Gurene language of Nankani became a dialect called Nankani.
11. Also the language Gurene which Bunni and his family member spoke was taken with them to villages called Sang, Daboya and Saboba, including other places which were nameless in those days.
12. So was the dialect named after Bunni. Then as thr population increased and immigration occured, the dialects spread from one place to the other, so much that languages and dialects were recreated.
13. So did the language brought by Gurune spread from one place to the other as people moved about and had children. And these days, Gurene is spoken in more than a hundred villages, towns and cities altogether, with varying dialects.
14. Bambela was another homo sapiens who came across a language after spending years loving and making proverbs with the already existing languages. Now Bambela imagined every word spoken as if they were living beings.
15. He imagined the word 'come' to be a female human while the word 'go' seemed to him as a male human. So he made proverbs, saying, a 'go' without a 'come' is incomplete. A man cannot get married to himself and have children.
16. Ups and Downs make life complete. Every Up will come to Down at the close of the day. Up is male and Down is a female. Down pulls Up to herself, so shall everything up return down.
17. When Happiness kisses Sadness, Sadness is turned around. Open your lips to the kisses of Happiness and you will be transformed forever. Eat words to grow in intelligence, drink words to digest your thoughts.
18. Then spit out words in songs and rhymes. Code words to hide your feelings and intentions from lazy people. Speak words to calm down nerves. Words are messengers, feared by the fools, but sent by the wise.
19. Love words and the word Love itself. Love is a female word, but the word Words itself is a male. All Loves are not expressed in words, but all Words expressed in Love can do great things.
20. Now when Bambela continued thinking and playing on words day and night for fifteen years, his dreams were filled with proverbs which were generated by his brain unconsciously and unintentionally.
21. Then in the 280,049th year of the homo sapiens era, a great bang occured in his brain and a language emerged. Then Bambela began to teach this language. And many things were changed around the part of the earth where he was.
22. Now Bambela was famous in Congo in those days. But with time, years rolling into years, his knowledge went hidden, but the language called Lingala which he brought continued from generation to generation.

eterisan:
Typical Christian. You were talking about the dead, how is that not related to reincarnation. Then you mention Gods word. What exactly is your definition of that. Is the Vedas not God's word or the Bhaghavagita or the Tora. Why do you think that God's word is confined to the Bible whose history is tainted?

ha ha to the bolded, many subjects concerning the dead are not related to reincarnation

and it's strange that you would use Bible verses which you claim are tainted to try and prove your point, ha ha to that as well

chat with otem he is on about the same level of understanding-intell' as you

0temSapien:
What's the holistic definition of god?
Are you a christian?


Here are the four definition of 'god' I found. Which of them is 'god' to you?
As i am not a christian, the second and third definition fits the 'god' I am talking about.

1. (in Christianity and other monotheistic religions) the creator and ruler of the universe and source of all moral authority; the supreme being.
2. (in certain other religions) a superhuman being or spirit worshipped as having power over nature or human fortunes; a deity.
3. a greatly admired or influential person.
4. the gallery in a theatre.

what has Christianity got to do with our discussion? number 3 & 4 on the list do not qualify has 'god' in my own book.

chrisbaxtian:



what has Christianity got to do with our discussion? number 3 & 4 on the list do not qualify has 'god' in my own book.

But as I am not operating in your own book, then there's no valid argument here. Every man for his own book. It's allowed.

Chapter Nine

1. Isamu was a male homo-sapiens born in the 280,018th year of the homo sapiens era, which is called the 18CE. He was born in a land now found in Japan. The name of his father was Ikohito.
2. Isamu became a fierce hunter, going into the middle of the forest to kill wild beasts. Then he cut the wild animals to pieces and fed the poor people with their meat.
3. In those days, the ruler of that land, named Takashi began to get jealous of Isamu because the people of the land spoke about him more than they spoke about their rulers. So Takashi sought his downfall.
4. Now he sent four of his soldiers to go and waylay Isamu in the forest where he often went for hunting. Then Isamu was attacked while he was not prepared. Then they inflicted many injuries on him with daggers and other sharp objects.
5. Now they left Isamu when they thought that he had died. When rain fell and touched Isamu, he gained his consciousness back. Then he dragged himself into a bush to treat his wounds.
6. While he lay still, a big snake curled around him and eventually left him. Then Isamu settled it in his mind that he was made to acheive very great things. Now when the poor people of the land did not see Isamu anymore, they cried and went to the place of Takashi to lament.

7. Now when the poor people of the land continuously bored Takashi concerning their poor state, he regretted having sent for the death of Isamu, wondering how he had managed to feed them for years. However, he did not show compassion on them, rather, he sent them out of his face.
8. Now Isamu found a place and began to farm there. Then the people who moved from one place to another joined him until he had had a large village. Now some traders from his former land heard that Isamu headed the village.
9. Then they went and told it to the hears of Takashi. Then he said, as long as Isamu remains alive, then this land Oiko is not safe. Now let the horsemen and the footmen get ready.
10. The battle shall begin and the land of Isamu shall be brought low. When the traders heard this, they agreed to go ahead of the soldiers to make it known to Isamu, saying, what beneift have we in Oiko?
11. Everyone is left to do things anyhow in this land, but in Isamu, the ruler supports his people. He gives the harpoons, the fishing rod and even farm tools to the fishermen and the farmers.
12. The sculptures are supported, as well as the farmers. There are no abundance of thieves as they are in Oiko here.
13. So the traders of Oiko came in large number to the land of Isamu and told the king of Isamu the plot of the land of Oiko. Then Isamu said, see what the murderer is planning against me yet again.
14. What crime have I ever committed against him? The gods be our witness that I have lived all my lives to do only what is good. Ancestors, arise and fight for the powerless. The gods of the hunters, go and set confusion in their midst.
15. Let them not come near. Let them perish in their thoughts. We are not mighty but they are. We are not strong but they are. We are not great but they are. We are feeble. But we shall not fall.
16. Now the commander of the soldiers of Takashi whose name was Hiroki said, this is the best time to take power from Takashi. He is busy with petty things while the land remains poor and the people are not happy.
17. We know how this same Isamu fed the poor and relieved the burden of the government by his deeds. But for selfish and jealous reasons, he ordered his death, but the gods did not let him die after serious injuries.
18. Now I think that Isamu is deserving of help and we should help him. First, let us go and capture Takashi and bind him. Then let us humiliate him by bringing him before Isamu to beg for forgiveness.
19. So the soldiers of Oiko went back to their land and took hold of Takashi forcefully, binding him hands and foot. Then they brought him before Isamu in the village of Isamu. And they said to him, seek the forgiveness of this innocent hunter. So Takashi, being under pressure, bowed at the feet of Isamu to seek forgiveness.
20. Then they let him go with his family. And Takashi wept bitterly, saying, I have gotten the greatest humiliation of my life. I bowed at the feet of Isamu who is not even worth more than a pig in my farmyard.
21. The gods are asleep. They have neglected me. Today shall I join them. So Takashi poisoned himself and died. When Isamu heard of the death of Takashi, he wept. For he was moved with pity.
22. Then he declared, saying, whoever brings the corpse of Takashi to be given a befitting burial, the same person shall I make rich. Now when the poor people of Oiko heard this, they seek after the body of Takashi so they might take it to Isamu.
23. Now after searching for many days, Keiko, being one of the poor farmer of Oiko found the dead body of Takashi where it was hidden by his family members under a banana tree. Then he set fire on it, saying, I prefer the dead body of Takashi to be set aflame while I remain poor rather than for it to be given a befitting burial while I am made rich.
24. When Keiko had done this, he sent for Isamu to come and see what he had done. Then Isamu sent men and they saw what Keiko had done. For they saw the bracelets and the robes of Takashi, therefore they believed that what Keiko said was true.
25. Now Isamu expanded his territory and his land was united in purpose with the land of Oiko whose ruler was Hiroki. And until his death, he believed that Ebisu his god was responsible for his good fortune and for the favour he received from Hiroki.
26. The knowledge of Isamu was famed in those days, but by the passage of time, he was forgotten.

0temSapien:
But as I am not operating in your own book, then there's no valid argument here. Every man for his own book. It's allowed.

lol!

0temSapien:
A god is a maker, according to one of its definition. That's the kind of god I'm talking about. Scientists are makers/inventors/creators, so they are gods in such respect. Now don't get it mixed up, the kind of gods we have in science are not the religious gods you humans worship.

@bold, then that would make welders, potters etc. gods too, funny

@underline, otem you are again trying to make out that you are not human,
i suppose you have to try and do something to get followers, because your postings are getting sillier and sillier each day: dead scientist are gods etc.etc.etc.

even you must be a god otem, well you are not human anyway, as you are trying to make believe,
in fact otem make believe is what you are all about

johnw47:


ha ha to the bolded, many subjects concerning the dead are not related to reincarnation

and it's strange that you would use Bible verses which you claim are tainted to try and prove your point, ha ha to that as well

chat with otem he is on about the same level of understanding-intell' as you

Yeah, with mounting evidence against, you just can't debate against it can you. So run away with your tail in between your legs. Lolz.....

Your understanding-intell ain't up yet. In other words your consciousness has not yet expanded. BTW take note of the Bible verses on reincarnation that I dropped ok.

johnw47:


@bold, then that would make welders, potters etc. gods too, funny

@underline, otem you are again trying to make out that you are not human,
i suppose you have to try and do something to get followers, because your postings are getting sillier and sillier each day: dead scientist are gods etc.etc.etc.

even you must be a god otem, well you are not human anyway, as you are trying to make believe,
in fact otem make believe is what you are all about

Even Paul the apostle recognizes the fact that EVERYBODY IS A god. Even a roadside mechanic is a god and that's the purpose of creation. God Almighty made us so that we can make something. I'll refer you to a wonderful song in the worldly music collection titled, I AM MADE TO MAKE SOMETHING.


Worldly Music 10: 1,2
A song of Tahima: I'm Made To Make Something
1. It's a world of creativity, the major activity. It's a reality we've come to the earth to make something. I'm not dying till I make something the world would see and say Ah! I'm actually making something, something good.
2. I'm made to make something, an imagination of someone else is whom I am. So I'm imagined to imagine something, I'm dreamt of to dream of something. I'm making my something upon the earth.

eterisan:
Yeah, with mounting evidence against, you just can't debate against it can you. So run away with your tail in between your legs. Lolz.....

Your understanding-intell ain't up yet. In other words your consciousness has not yet expanded. BTW take note of the Bible verses on reincarnation that I dropped ok.

@bold, yet another copy cat

bye now ete, don't slam the door on your way out, you hear

0temSapien:
Even Paul the apostle recognizes the fact that EVERYBODY IS A god. Even a roadside mechanic is a god and that's the purpose of creation. God Almighty made us so that we can make something. I'll refer you to a wonderful song in the worldly music collection titled, I AM MADE TO MAKE SOMETHING.

otem, you continue to have your little gods,
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 1Co_8:6

0temSapien:
the kind of gods we have in science are not the religious gods you humans worship.

ha ha, such delusion

otem the great pretender

johnw47:


otem, you continue to have your little gods,
But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 1Co_8:6



ha ha, such delusion

otem the great pretender

To them, there is one god called Yahweh. It shows that they are limited in knowledge not to know that there are billions of gods who are all created by God Almighty. Read the book of MCC 1:14, you will see some of these gods' name, including the name of Yahweh your own god. Peace.

MCC 1:14
14. Now the names of some of these beings/gods( creatures of God) are Knoliud, Miklas, Urim, Chimides, Chaleb, Eartum who is also called Atum, Lar.gas, who is also called Allah, Nymphidis who is also called Yahweh, Wanyioyi,...Abassi, Nzame, Nyame;

OtemAtum:


To them, there is one god called Yahweh. It shows that they are limited in knowledge not to know that there are billions of gods who are all created by God Almighty. Read the book of MCC 1:14, you will see some of these gods' name, including the name of Yahweh your own god. Peace.

MCC 1:14
14. Now the names of some of these beings/gods( creatures of God) are Knoliud, Miklas, Urim, Chimides, Chaleb, Eartum who is also called Atum, Lar.gas, who is also called Allah, Nymphidis who is also called Yahweh, Wanyioyi,...Abassi, Nzame, Nyame;

oh otem of no understanding, all things come from God Almighty including your gods of dead scientists and science lovers
they are weak and they die just like you, some gods your gods, laugh:

1Co 8:5 For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)
1Co 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

otem, your writings made up from mere men like yourself, are fables and old witch tales:

2Ti 4:3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2Ti 4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Chapter Ten

1. Aboki was a male homo-sapiens born in the 280,019th year of the homo sapiens era, in a land now found in Togo. His eyeballs were turned inward and he behaved very slowly. Now Aboki loved to go to the places where the dead were buried to sleep there.
2. Now the people hated Aboki and treated him badly, because they said that he was possessed. But he loved them all and called them his friends.
3. Now a day came that one of the people who hated Aboki fell into a ditch. Then while Aboki was passing by, he cried for help. Then Aboki pulled him out. He went without saying a word of thanks.
4. Aboki continued to be kind to everyone, even though his kindness was not reciprocated. Now a princess fled her father's house because she had been forced to marry a prince of another village.
5. When the princess got to a place, it became dark and she fell asleep there. While she was asleep, Aboki found her and covered her with wide banana leaves to make her warm a bit.
6. In the morning, Aboki brought fruits for her. When she saw what Aboki had done, she fell in love immediately. She was shocked to discover that she had slept in the graveyard overnight.
7. And she asked Aboki what he was doing there at night. Then Aboki said, I cannot explain why I often find myself having pleasure in sleeping in the graveyards. The people said that it was a demon occupying my body.
8. Now Adjoa said, I will take you to my clan and we will get married there. When Aboki went with Adjoa, she told her parents that it was Aboki she had chosen to marry. At first her parents were opposed to it, because they did not like the eyeballs of Aboki and because they wanted someone of high reputation as the husband of their daughter.
9. Eventually, they agreed that she should get married to Aboki who was the only person who had been able to make her smile and feel healthy again. When they asked Aboki for the meaning of his name, he said that he did not know, but he guessed that he was named such because of the manner his eyeballs were turned inwards.
10. Now they said, we know you as our friend who has put smiles in the faces of many of us, so we shall name the word 'friend' after your name. So the people began to call the word 'friend' aboki and it soon overshadowed the word which they used initially to mean friend.
11. Now Aboki became the husband of the princess and proceeded to become the ruler of the land after the death of the king. He encouraged friendship an cried against violence all the days of his life.
12. Then those who spoke the language called Hausa were very friendly to people in those days and they were called after the name of Aboki. And the reared cattle and spread to many lands, including the lands around the Niger river.
13. Now Aboki was forgotten at the passage of time, but the word for friendship which was derived from his name continued to be used over many generations till these days.

^^^
1Ti 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.

2Ti_4:4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Chapter Eleven

1. Iyo was a female homo sapiens born in the 280,024th year of the homo sapiens era, the same is the 24CE. Iyo loved the languages which were spoken in all the provinces of Japan. She carefully meditated on them until she began to feel that some of the words in the languages were not properly presented.
2. Then Iyo successfully made a revolution to the languages and then came the dialect which was is now called Iyo.
3. Now Iyo composed three hundred and fifteen poems in her made dialect. She also taught many people how to speak the dialect correctly. Iyo began to be loved by a man named Nagasaki, one who was highly respected in those days.
4. Now in those days, the people who could use words well in the matter of songs and stories were highly respected. So Iyo gained much respect from the men of the land called Wa, who hd begun to admire her.
5. Now a man named Wa Mang, who was a chief in the land, admired Iyo and came to her at dusk. Then he said, I have heard of your fame and the power wielded through the use of words.
6. I have fallen in love with you already. Therefore let me be your lover.
7. Now Iyo said, give me something worth my heart and I will be yours. When Wa Mang heard it, he went and brought twenty bags of rice upon horses. Then he said, I believe all these should be enough to woe you, my beauty.
8. When Iyo saw them, she said, rice is for the body. It does not develop or add riches to the soul. I will not go with you.
9. When a chief from Han came to seek the hand of Iyo in marriage, he came with bronze and said, have the bronze and I will give you more when you become mine fully. Then Iyo said, money or minerals cannot buy a precious heart.
10. I have riches that suffices me. Go and fetch what my soul yearns after.
11. Now a young noble man named Nagasaki sat down and thought deeply. Then he said, for age, she has it more than me. For fame she has spread wide. For riches she is not lacking in it.
12. What shall I present to her to have her heart?
13. Now when he had reasoned deep for a week, he got an idea.
14. Now Nagasaki went to Iyo and said, one thing I have determined to acquire from you and I request that you grant me. Give me your heart.
15. Now Iyo said, with what substance will you acquire my heart? Then Nagasaki said, there is no worth of iron or bronze that can acquire your heart. Therefore I have made up my mind not to purchase you with money, but with the words of mouth have I determined to get into your heart and shut myself in.
16. Now Nagasaki began to recite a poem of rhymes which he had prepared from the dialect of Iyo. The poem had two hundred and twelve lines and they were filled with all sorts of wooing words. Now before Nagasaki could get to half of the whole poem, Iyo had begun to shed emotional tears.
17. And she said, never in Wa has anyone wooed me successfully. They woo me with material things: jewelries, money, wealth, bronze, iron, vessels, cloth and all manner of things which are materialistic.
18. They reach only the needs of my body and my superficial appearance, but they do not think about wooing me with what I hold dearly. Give me a dish of words and serve me a cup of poems to digest them. Then you have my heart.
19. So Nagasaki married Iyo and his fame spread quickly for being the one who eventually won the heart of Iyo. The poem which he used were written down by many people and recited from far and near.
20. Now the fame of both Iyo and Nagasaki continued for over a century even after their death. Even the dialect of Iyo went far into many lands and other dialects came into existence because of its mixture with other languages.

otem, the doctrine of the UFO's is about anything but UFO's
that title was just a dishonest way to get people to view fairytales

johnw47:
otem, the doctrine of the UFO's is about anything but UFO's
that title was just a dishonest way to get people to view fairytales

Chapter Twelve

1. Josephus was a male homo sapiens born in the 280,037th year of the homo sapiens era, the same is the 37CE. Now Josepehus was the son of Matthias, a wealthy priest of Iudaea.
2. The name of his mother was Phasaelis, who was a former wife of Herod Antipater. Now when Phasaelis had been divorced by Herod, she met Matthias and he loved her and married her.
3. Now Josephus and his elder brother schooled in a very good school in Jerusalem. Then they learnt so much concerning the Torah and the Greek philosophies. Now on the sabbath day, Josephus was found in the field of his father.
4. Then the Sanhendrin judged him guilty, commanding that he should be beaten with forty-nine lashes of the whip. Then Josephus cried out and said, let none of you Saducees lay hands on me. You know who my father is.
5. Now one of the teachers of the law, who was a member of the Saducees said, keep quiet you little boy. You have gone to school and we have taught you the Torah how that no one should pollute the sabbath day of Yahweh, but you have deliberately polluted it by working in the field of your father on this day of rest.
6. You should rejoice that we have not pronounced a judgement of death upon you, according to that which is written in the Torah concerning a man who worked on the sabbath day and Yahweh our god declared that he should be stoned to death.
7. Then according to the Torah, he was stoned to death.
8. Therefore there is no way you will escape punishment. I counsel you that you should take this minor punishment in good faith, for forty-nine lashes of the whip will not kill you.
9. Now when the whipper raised his whip to flog Josephus, he cried out and said, you are a whipper in the sanhendrin. This is your work. Will you perform this work in the sabbath day by whipping me?
10. If you do so, you shall receive even a greater judgement.
11. When Josephus had said this, the whipper dropped his raised hand and looked at the little boy in shock. Then another asked the boy, saying, how old are you? Then he said, I am eleven years old.
12. Then the head of the Sanhendrin said, you speak more intelligently than an eleven year old child. Now we have no power to handle your case. Therefore we shall direct the case to the higher council.
13. Now when the case had reached the higher council, Matthias the father of Josephus bribed the members of the higher council, who were all almost Saducees. Then they did not carry the case further.
14. Now for the bribe which the Saducees collected, Josephus began to hate them, saying, they are all hypocrites and liars. Since then, Josephus began to think concerning his religion. Soon, he realised that all religions were man-made.
15. However, he pretended as if he was not aware of the secret behind religion. He defended all the wrong actions of Yahweh his god as recorded in the Torah.
16. Now when Josephus was growing into a youth, he was dissatisfied with the infiltration of the Romans. He hated anything Roman so much that he went to a pace called Gischala to join himself to a rebel named Johanan.
17. Now Johanan said to Josephus, you have come at the right time, young boy. You are but a teenager but you will be useful in the fight against these Romans who trouble us day and night.
18. We zealots are not as evil as even some submissive Jews had painted us. We fight to protect our land from being totally taken by the Romans. We do not fight with ourselves but with our oppressors.
19. But the priests of our land, fearing not to lose their priesthood to an emergence of violence by our acts, have cursed us by the name of Yahweh our god. They have declared us as the enemy of both the nation Israel as a whole and of the Romans.
20. Therefore we could be attacked from both sides. Because of this, we are ready and fully prepared all the time.
21. We have one great enemy in the name of Ananus the high priest. He has spoilt the minds of the people of Galilee and all its villages against us. The people of Yodfat watch carefully to see that their children do not join our force. They warned them, saying, it is against the laws of our god to become a zealot.
22. And Ananus had predicted that five years from now, the zealot would have been cut off the face of the earth, because no one in Judea or even Samaria will join our force.
23. Now Josephus, you are a young man and well learned. And if you can campaign for we zealots, then we shall havea population which shall surpass even the population of those who come to worship in the temple during the feasts.
24. Now Josephus who already hated the high priest Ananus and anything called Judaism for its hypocrisy did accept the offer of Johanan and his hatred for Ananus became even greater than that which Johanan himself had for Ananus.
25. When Matthias the father of Josephus had heard how Josephus had become a zealot, he disowned him and did not seek after him anymore.
26. Now Josephus went to speak intelligently with the young ones. And because of his mastery of words and his education, the young ones joined themselves to the zealots in multitude.
27. Then the zealots went and took over the temple of Jerusalem, driving out the priests and all the old ones in it. And from then, the zealots took over the temple, handling all the functions in it.
28. Now Josephus and Johanan appointed young priests to function in the temple. Then the priests and many other officials in the temple dealt corruptly with the worshippers. They raped young children, played gambling and drank to stupor in the temple.
29. They also kept stolen items in the temple and sold them to the people who came to worship there. Now the corruption in the temple was so great that Nero, being the emperor of the Romans sent soldiers to the temple, saying, go and find out the level of corruption with the people of our province Iudaea.
30. For I have heard that the place which they called a temple is only a hideout for thieves and rebels. See that you bring the priests who are found guilty to me here, for I do not tolerate dirty religious activities.
31. The prisons are filled with the religious ones who cause uproar and riots everywhere and I still am not tired of capturing them. For they are to blame for all manner of ugly occurences as a result of their negligence.
32. So the soldiers of Rome went and took fifteen priests from the temple an brought them to Nero. Then they were all imprisoned.
33. When Johanan heard this, he sent Josephus to go and speak with the cruel emperor for their release. Now Johanan did so, thinking that by doing so, Josephus would be killed by Nero.
34. For already, Josephus had gained much name among the zealots and Johanan feared that he would be surpassed by Josephus with time. So he sent him to Nero, thinking that he(Josephus) being only twenty-two years would have no experience to stand before Nero.
35. Now Josephus secretly gathered a large multitude in Galilee and said, I have been sent on a mission to bring back some preists imprisoned by Nero. You know how Nero does all things for himself alone, regarding no one, not even our god.
36. But I know that by the grace of our god, his heart shall be touched and he will release the priests to us. Now fast and pray for me in the name of Yahweh that I may find grace and favour in the sight of Nero.
37. Now Josephus had done this in order to win the hearts of the people of Galilee to himself, for he had desired to become the governor of that land. For the people of Galilee would now think of him as a devout worshipper of Yahweh their god because he had said to them, fast and pray for me in the name of Yahweh our god.
38. So Josephus went to Nero and spoke intelligently with him. And Nero loved the manner of his speech. And he said to him, I will release them to you on one condition: you will continously pay me a half of the proceedings of the temple monthly.
39. Then I will not trouble the temple anymore. Only pay me what I have asked for.
40. So Josephus agreed to do as Nero had said. Then he was led to see the priests who were held in prison. But one of them had died already.
41. Now while Josephus was seeing his priests in their wards, he saw a bald man of about fifty years in the prison also. And he said, who are you and why are you here? Then the man said, I am Paul of Tarsus, the preacher of Iesus Christus, the saviour.
42. When Josephus heard what Paul had said, he became interested immediately. And he asked the warden to permit him go in to Paul and speak at length with him. Then he was granted his request.