In the Bible we're told of groups that were just not quite human. Vicious and evil by their very intent and were blood thirsty by their very nature. But what of those after the battles took place. All the battles God called for to happen where these giant people lived. Being demigods I think they are what we battle these days in our hearts and minds. By researching other beliefs of those days most wars were fought against a separate race of bipedal creatures. Now if one peoples thought this so and fabricated it would be just a myth possibly, but people who had no known connections and differing religions and beliefs systems all give accounts. Suffice to say, it is so as they were and are so. That doesn't mean that all that was done was approved of by God. Many if not most key figures were removed from power by God when He had enough. God is slow to anger so I'm assuming they must have done things leading up to their dismissal. This even included the famed King Solomon and King David themselves. And now we quote their deeds, even the questionable?
During many of America's earliest years, too often many American Indian Nations were slaughtered out of misunderstanding and fear. They too worship one God, that is He who is the Creator of all things. They lived by pretty much the same laws and rules imposed by God and prayed to Him, just not the added laws over the years that man came up with. Rather than rule and be ruled, they sought only to live in peace with all. But new settlers couldn't quite grasp God's name being called in a native tongue and slaughtered many to the act of genocide took place. Mostly it was an ignorance of ways between settlers and the American Indian, but that wasn't only nations of Indians, sometimes it was their own people that some groups of earlier times went after, such as the witch hunts and people who owned Bibles, especially in their own language. We are taught and told what we are expected to believe and yet historical records shine the truth out if sought, a hidden truth that begs to be known inside. It was either Hitler or one of his officers that said within two generations history could be changed and known as one wished it to be known. He who controls the past (information) controls the present, and he who controls the present controls the future. Knowing that, what if most of what we thought was true was a lie.
Bible research is much the same way. The thing is that unless it conforms to that exact word in that exact spot, or perhaps we hear someone say that only this way is possibly, then we attack it as we are taught only a sound byte in the whole book. An excellent example of this is where we plant by the signs and moon phases. We also place rock on top of the ground that way, dig holes, weed, etc... Now some that claim Christianity as their faith look upon this as Pagan while others read in the Bible where there is a sign unto everything. While some say you can do anything as a Christian and it's ok, some follow a strict set of old rules, and then others see the religion for what it is. I think anything can be taken way too far and to excess. Judaism and Islamic, as well as some Christian beliefs still hold to certain animals not being "clean" food and therefore not to be eaten. In the New Testament those laws have clearly been changed. I do find it funny that things that were considered unclean are the same foods that clog arteries, raise blood pressure, and can make one's health poor. Perhaps it wasn't so much as what is right and wrong as it was a health issue. Fish without scales are usually scavengers and shrimp, crabs, and such you can't drain the blood from and scavenge as well. Pork is well known to raise blood pressure, and I eat them all in moderation. We trip over foul languages while calling someone "useless", which is not a forgivable sin. We'd we miss that? It angers us when we see women dressed in heavy clothing with their heads covered yet we have no anger when women are paraded around naked to almost naked on a stage like dogs or ponies. Another example is how we picture the animals going into the Ark two by two. Without going too much in detail that isn't all there was nor were only two of every kind of animal in that Ark.
There are those who swear the KJV is perfect, and it is closer than the newer versions are. I have to throw this in though. The NIV is written on a 6th grade reading level, not to mention changes way too much. There are errors in the KJV translation be it by mistake or colorful purpose. There are words to which no word translates to and sayings that only someone who speaks in metaphors would understand. Example. Why did Jesus talk in Parables? Evil cannot understand parables or any metaphors. That doesn't mean one that does not understand it all is evil, just that evil can't. Notice that I could have easily said the word satan, and that is a descriptive term rather than a name. Satan simply means adversary. Try reading some of those verses again with adversary used.
So as far as one studies Christianity, one needs really only the New Testament to understand it because that is where it all starts. I like reading it both New and Old as it does all tie in together, but I also read other historical literature. I do believe the Bible was inspired by God but I also believe that there are many loose ends I like to have tied up. Why were we created? I'd heard years ago because God was lonely and for years believed that man was created to tend the earth and woman to be a partner to man. Pretty simple really and I guess why we see farmers attacked by those who rule and ridiculed by many they rule. In part the Bible teaches some farming skills and partnerships and in part it goes against farming. Perhaps it is the work of some that were farmers and some that were city people. There are two different worlds that each live in. The Old Testament is the birthing of civilization while the New Testament is the birthing of a new religion. There are many things we should as well know in addition to the birthing, our own civilization division birthing. Did you know that the oldest 10 Commandments we have actually on hand is in the USA? Older than any tangible 10 Commandments in Semitic regions and the same Commandments.
But in the end if one only gets of Christianity a set of rules that we should see others live by besides ourselves, it was failed. If we see hate, despise, harshly judgmental towards each other, it was a waste. If we see however deep inside ourselves to what we each need to work on inside, then we have well received. If we see kindness and contentment, forgiveness and love, then it was well taken and learned. Not the one though where we allow evil people and deeds go by unmarked. If all we see is a certain day set aside for good and for God, then we've missed the point. If all we see are repetitions of the same way and the same thing, then we've misunderstood. If all we see is fear or superiority to another, then we have failed. If all we respect is our way, then we have not. None of the issues we face today are new and there is nothing new, discovered or under the sun that can be made, thought, bought, sold, or stole is actually new. None. Christianity is an attempt to break the vicious cycle and transcend and climb higher and farther than has been since the beginning of time. Rework connections, great connections, that we have allowed to be broken with everything here and All that Is, Created to the Creator.
During many of America's earliest years, too often many American Indian Nations were slaughtered out of misunderstanding and fear. They too worship one God, that is He who is the Creator of all things. They lived by pretty much the same laws and rules imposed by God and prayed to Him, just not the added laws over the years that man came up with. Rather than rule and be ruled, they sought only to live in peace with all. But new settlers couldn't quite grasp God's name being called in a native tongue and slaughtered many to the act of genocide took place. Mostly it was an ignorance of ways between settlers and the American Indian, but that wasn't only nations of Indians, sometimes it was their own people that some groups of earlier times went after, such as the witch hunts and people who owned Bibles, especially in their own language. We are taught and told what we are expected to believe and yet historical records shine the truth out if sought, a hidden truth that begs to be known inside. It was either Hitler or one of his officers that said within two generations history could be changed and known as one wished it to be known. He who controls the past (information) controls the present, and he who controls the present controls the future. Knowing that, what if most of what we thought was true was a lie.
Bible research is much the same way. The thing is that unless it conforms to that exact word in that exact spot, or perhaps we hear someone say that only this way is possibly, then we attack it as we are taught only a sound byte in the whole book. An excellent example of this is where we plant by the signs and moon phases. We also place rock on top of the ground that way, dig holes, weed, etc... Now some that claim Christianity as their faith look upon this as Pagan while others read in the Bible where there is a sign unto everything. While some say you can do anything as a Christian and it's ok, some follow a strict set of old rules, and then others see the religion for what it is. I think anything can be taken way too far and to excess. Judaism and Islamic, as well as some Christian beliefs still hold to certain animals not being "clean" food and therefore not to be eaten. In the New Testament those laws have clearly been changed. I do find it funny that things that were considered unclean are the same foods that clog arteries, raise blood pressure, and can make one's health poor. Perhaps it wasn't so much as what is right and wrong as it was a health issue. Fish without scales are usually scavengers and shrimp, crabs, and such you can't drain the blood from and scavenge as well. Pork is well known to raise blood pressure, and I eat them all in moderation. We trip over foul languages while calling someone "useless", which is not a forgivable sin. We'd we miss that? It angers us when we see women dressed in heavy clothing with their heads covered yet we have no anger when women are paraded around naked to almost naked on a stage like dogs or ponies. Another example is how we picture the animals going into the Ark two by two. Without going too much in detail that isn't all there was nor were only two of every kind of animal in that Ark.
There are those who swear the KJV is perfect, and it is closer than the newer versions are. I have to throw this in though. The NIV is written on a 6th grade reading level, not to mention changes way too much. There are errors in the KJV translation be it by mistake or colorful purpose. There are words to which no word translates to and sayings that only someone who speaks in metaphors would understand. Example. Why did Jesus talk in Parables? Evil cannot understand parables or any metaphors. That doesn't mean one that does not understand it all is evil, just that evil can't. Notice that I could have easily said the word satan, and that is a descriptive term rather than a name. Satan simply means adversary. Try reading some of those verses again with adversary used.
So as far as one studies Christianity, one needs really only the New Testament to understand it because that is where it all starts. I like reading it both New and Old as it does all tie in together, but I also read other historical literature. I do believe the Bible was inspired by God but I also believe that there are many loose ends I like to have tied up. Why were we created? I'd heard years ago because God was lonely and for years believed that man was created to tend the earth and woman to be a partner to man. Pretty simple really and I guess why we see farmers attacked by those who rule and ridiculed by many they rule. In part the Bible teaches some farming skills and partnerships and in part it goes against farming. Perhaps it is the work of some that were farmers and some that were city people. There are two different worlds that each live in. The Old Testament is the birthing of civilization while the New Testament is the birthing of a new religion. There are many things we should as well know in addition to the birthing, our own civilization division birthing. Did you know that the oldest 10 Commandments we have actually on hand is in the USA? Older than any tangible 10 Commandments in Semitic regions and the same Commandments.
But in the end if one only gets of Christianity a set of rules that we should see others live by besides ourselves, it was failed. If we see hate, despise, harshly judgmental towards each other, it was a waste. If we see however deep inside ourselves to what we each need to work on inside, then we have well received. If we see kindness and contentment, forgiveness and love, then it was well taken and learned. Not the one though where we allow evil people and deeds go by unmarked. If all we see is a certain day set aside for good and for God, then we've missed the point. If all we see are repetitions of the same way and the same thing, then we've misunderstood. If all we see is fear or superiority to another, then we have failed. If all we respect is our way, then we have not. None of the issues we face today are new and there is nothing new, discovered or under the sun that can be made, thought, bought, sold, or stole is actually new. None. Christianity is an attempt to break the vicious cycle and transcend and climb higher and farther than has been since the beginning of time. Rework connections, great connections, that we have allowed to be broken with everything here and All that Is, Created to the Creator.
Nice job! Especially the last paragraph.
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