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originally posted by: Parazurvan
a reply to: SelectStart
Heiser is a bum and crackpot.
I quite clearly stated I used more than the Bible.
So go check with your guru if it is OK to read Apocrypha.
I have never needed to rely on another man to read a book for me and tell me what it means. Name dropping some paid lecturer who no doubt is financed by one church or another and will never tell you anything beyond the profane interpretation is not going to impress me.
But everything I said is correct based on the Bible, Books of Enoch and the Zohar so whatever you are saying that the Bible doesn't say is in one of those books. Use the link.
originally posted by: SelectStart
originally posted by: Parazurvan
a reply to: SelectStart
Heiser is a bum and crackpot.
I quite clearly stated I used more than the Bible.
So go check with your guru if it is OK to read Apocrypha.
I have never needed to rely on another man to read a book for me and tell me what it means. Name dropping some paid lecturer who no doubt is financed by one church or another and will never tell you anything beyond the profane interpretation is not going to impress me.
But everything I said is correct based on the Bible, Books of Enoch and the Zohar so whatever you are saying that the Bible doesn't say is in one of those books. Use the link.
Bum and a crackpot? I would have to argue this is a crackpot statement. Disagree with him? Yes that's a logical statement, many other experts in the field of ancient scripture and language do disagree with him. Again, bum and crackpot? This is ignorant. He IS an expert, much more than me or chances are you even. He is not the end all be all, but rather just another opinion and worth listening to, if for nothing more than understanding another viewpoint.
He uses much more than the Bible, all you would have to do is watch the 3 videos where he goes over his book, and you would understand he uses much more than the Bible. There is nothing wrong with using more than the Bible for understanding history and religion.
He is not my guru. I come to my own conclusions regarding the history and religions of the Levant. I use his research as a tool, just like anyone would use anyone else's work as a tool for their understanding. I have read, I cannot say all of, but many things from Albert Pike, to Manly P. Hall, to Joseph Smith, to Catholic doctrine, to the history of not only the "Holy" Roman Empire, to Protestants murdering other Protestants, to divisions in the modern American churchs, to Scientology, Aleister Crowley, Anton Lavey, I've read a portion of magical works from Henry Agrippa, I've read Gilgamesh, parts of the Secret Doctrine by Helen Blavatksky, the English translations of the religions of the Akkadians, Babylonians, Caananites, Assyrians, Egyptians, I've read Norse mythology and Hindu mythology. I am NOT an expert on ANY of the material whatsoever. I, like anyone else whether an expert or not, have a mind and an intellect, and I have come to my understanding, which I can discuss and argue logically. I admit at some junctures but not all, I have to connect dots that are missing. These connected dots may be only historical things, but they also may include matters of belief in supernatural things.
I only "name drop" Dr. Heiser because his research and conclusions are fascinating. They are mostly fascinating, because he actually gives a much more thorough teaching of scripture in it's original language than what modern mainstream churches teach. In fact most mainstream teaching of the Old Testament, and by default then the teachings of the New Testament, occludes much of the original meaning. Such as the word Elohim. If you just WATCH the videos he put on youtube, even just the 1st one alone, you will understand what I'm saying.
Elohim is used all over the old Testament to describe the sons of god, the counsel of god, the Angel of god, other angels, Samuel's spirit when the witch of Endor calls him out from Sheol, other gods of the other peoples of the world, and also YHWH. As such he logically concludes that Elohim does not only have to refer to YHWH. However whoever wrote the scriptures, recorded in them that the God YHWH held a different and unique position of being the highest of all these spiritual beings. So the modern Christian church has obscured this in modern English translations, at the fear that the word "God" might be wrongly thought of when any other god like Ba'al or when angels called literally "sons of god" as being recorded with the same term that YHWH is called. They are all Elohim. The difference comes in what the word "god" means to a person, whether that person was writing the Bible or a contemporary of the writer that worshipped other gods, whether that person was a Hebrew or any one else like a Babylonian or Caananite or an Egyptian.
This IS the crux of the discussion and you are not being very honest in my opinion OR you are not open minded enough to understand this concept if you just dismiss the other side of the argument as naïve, ignorant or foolish. I DO understand your view quite well, and I do not think it is garbage. I think your view is solid regarding that much of Jewish religion of ancient times WAS polytheistic. It's just that the description of the religion of the writers of the God YHWH of the Bible was extremely NOT polytheistic, he was the HIGHEST "Elohim" spirit that existed that created all other "Elohim" spirits that people wrongly worshipped as the highest Elohim. Basically yes other spirits did and do exist, but they are not deserving nor should they be worshipped. Whether this is true or a distortion, it can be argued. But the FACT remains that it is recorded in the Old Testament and has made it's way to our year 2016. The FACT remains that there is evidence of this as being a part of Jewish history and religion. It is my opinion BOTH views are historically accurate, because as a fact it is recorded in the Old Testament, that there are many instances the Jewish people did practice a lot of polytheism which was indeed mixed in with the worship of YHWH. This is not only a fact that this is recorded, but it is a fact that someone had the idea that YHWH was very angry that any other worship other than worship of him, made him upset.
I have not read all of Enoch or Zohar. I have read parts of Enoch (although I have it in print at home) and none of Zohar, or at least none directly myself have I read. I will study them based on what you are saying, read and become more informed of both to further my knowledge.
originally posted by: Parazurvan
a reply to: SelectStart
I wouldn't bet you're life on that it is a fact that no town named Nazareth existed at that time and it should read Jesus the Nazarene.
A Nazarene was a very old tradition going back to the Nazirites of the OT. It was a sub sect of Judaism and not a town.
The Nazarenes and Ebionites rejected Paul for obvious reasons and were persecuted into extinction by the heretics for being heretics.
So basically the church Jesus was a member of was destroyed by the church you think has preserved God's Word for 2000 years all the while murdering non believers and destroying the history of the ancient world.
But yeah I am sure Jesus would approve of his teaching being ignored and changed into a pile of dog crap by the classic "if you can't beat em, join 'em (infiltrate)" scenario by a guy that never met him.
But it is a myth anyway. Take it as history and the messages becomes impotent.
originally posted by: Parazurvan
a reply to: SelectStart
Again blah blah. I am not going to argue with a follower who doesn't care about anything but Christianity and thinks Nazareth was a town.
Other than that I have already said everything I want to say about Jewish demonology and the invented mythical Satan being of Catholicism and Christianity not being consistent with its ancestors and the OT.