Archive for July, 2009

G-d is one

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

When attempting to discuss or define the concept of G-d we realize that He is a complex being that eludes the natural mind’s ability to fully comprehend His person.  G-d knows us intimately whether it be the number of hairs on our head or the discerning of our thoughts. He knows when we lay down and when we rise. There is no place that we can escape or hide from His presence because He is G-d.

We are just clay and He is the potter that has shaped and fashioned us and yet can we make bold assumptions that G-d can be observed by placing Him under the lens of our theological microscope? We don’t even fully understand the complexity of His creation let alone the one who created it. Doesn’t it sound a little arrogant or obstinate to say that a person can know G-d as fully as He knows them?

How can we confine G-d to a full definition when theologians are often left grasping for terms and methods of interpretation in order to help make G-d more knowable? No man has ever seen G-d and what G-d gave Moses was only a sneak preview of His hind parts.

The bible goes on to describe our limited knowledge of the creator in stating that His thoughts are not our thoughts nor are His ways our ways.

Even the bible which contains His revelation does not contain the full revelation of His being, as if we could understand it anyway even if it were described to us. We get a feel for this just from reading apocalyptic literature which leaves us with a sense of awe and bewilderment beyond description.

We would like to confine G-d to the box of an earthly temple. Yet even the heavens can not contain Him. We are finite beings yet He is infinite in His person and character. We are learning to know while He is omniscient or all knowing.

What understanding we can gain from G-d comes from the frailty of human language and expression. Whatever view we can see of G-d is likened to the obscurity of looking through an opaque lens.

Simply what we know of G-d is what He has determined to make known. We can know G-d but only under the inspiration that He chooses to make Himself known or disclosed. He is the moderator and therefore by attempting to take control of the moderation we find ourselves as a speculator which is a dangerous position of belief.

Even with the fuller sense of human capacity which results from the next covenant process of regeneration we are still left with a diminished view within the realm of our human experience. Though we are transformed through the renewing of our minds and hearts in being born anew we are still limited in our knowledge which longs for a future enlightment which only comes when we depart the confines of this world for the next.

We even see a limitation to those who have had the special divine privilege of knowing G-d through the prophetic gift of uttering His very words and yet they desired to know more fully the mystery’s whereby they spoke and even the angels, to whom we are inferior too and made a little lower than, are left without full illumination concerning matters of which they long to look into likewise.

We see that people have constantly wrestled with ideas as related to G-d’s existence and these concepts sometimes are so lofty that schools of theologians have fought in hammering out an image of G-d that gives Him a face. We use such words as anthromorphic, theophany, incarnation, shekinah, and triunity to help explain conceptual images of G-d.

Yet are we trying to bring G-d down to our level by pinning Him down for an existential definition within the confines of our understanding or is there a point that we have to accept the reality of G-d’s existence without looking towards mystical applications concerning the obscurity of His person.

Much of our human experiences are relegated through the channel of human perception whether it be the basic instincts of our five senses extending to more complex behaviors as related to our social and cultural values.

We see these limitations even when trying to understand human agency as comparing contemporary man  to a biblical culture. Take for instance someone who may know modern Hebrew but lacks the skill to understand biblical Hebrew with all of its ancient meanings and nuances. Even if a person can achieve a sense of mastery concerning these biblical concepts they are still left with a modern mindset.

I also  see a distinction between cultures which I have experienced from dialoging with my Muslim friends about the sonship of the Messiah which to them means the consummation of the physical act of sexual experience. The biblical concept of sonship is not limited to just the procreative act of begetting but rather it extends its application to be analogous with a relational term of endurance based on a intimate personal relationship independent of just a mere physical component.

If we as humans have difficulties in relating to each other based on the limited sphere of time and space then how much more are we removed from understanding the “One” to whom created time and space.

Perhaps it’s enough to know that He exists and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Yet I realize that this is an over simplified view and therefore is not enough in approaching this great difficulty and dilemma in understanding the nature of G-d’s existence.

The concept of G-d requires more than just a general revelation otherwise our worship could be misdirected or misapplied. It requires a special revelation but only to the degree that G-d reveals versus the likes of human invention or revelation which can be distorted through the process of imagination and speculation. In other words there is point where G-d sets a boundary stone to our doctrinal beliefs and our problem is that we are trying to move it by extending its limits. I believe we see this through the supplemental writings of rabbinic literature as well as other cults or religions who feel a need to increase their plot of knowledge resulting in a Gnostic view as having a special knowledge.

I don’t believe that are inability to fully grasp and comprehend G-d’s existence limits us in our relationship with him. He is still our G-d whether we lack the intimate details of our “Abba” who is infinite and immortal. Even if I did fully understand G-d’s being would it then change anything? Is it ok to say that some things were meant to remain a mystery without it sounding intellectually suicidal? We as humans have this innate sense of pushing the limits of our existential experiences and once again we find ourselves going back to the garden scene of becoming wise like G-d by partaking of the proverbial forbidden fruit of knowledge which when consumed leaves us dumber than dirt.

G-d is more preoccupied in us properly relating to Him versus making Him into an obtainable image within our minds.

We only have a caricature of G-d through the biblical portrait anything added or taken away from this is presumptuous at best and blasphemous at worst. It should suffice for us to say that G-d’s person is shrouded with a degree of mystery.

I am sorry that I have taken so long in my introduction but I thought it would be  helpful in transitioning to our next stage of discussion which is the triune existence of G-d.

To begin with I would like to say that as a Christian I am in agreement that G-d is one and this is supported by the New Testament writings as well as Christian creeds.

I affirm the confession of the Shema as found in Deuteronomy 6:4 which establishes G-d as being one.

When considering the oneness of G-d we often think in terms as related to a numerical value or an absolute unity. The word used in the Shema is “echad” which simply means one and this word can also be used to denote a compound unity unlike the word “yachid” which is used when referring to an absolute unity. No where in the scripture is there reference to G-d being “yachid”.

The word “echad” is used in Genesis 2:24 when referring to the husband and wife being joined together as one(echad) flesh, 2 Samuel 7:23 calls Israel as being one(echad) nation. What is understood is that the use of the word wasn’t meant to have a philosophical view about the essential nature of G-d but rather a declaration that He is G-d alone. This is even supported by the New Jewish Publication Society Version which translates the Shema after this manner and this is also supported by the medieval commentators Abraham Ibn Ezra and Rashbam. In other words we find exclusivity in G-d alone in which Israel was not to worship any other gods Isaiah 45: 5 “I am the Lord and there is no other; apart from me there is no G-d.”

The Hebrew name for G-d “Elohim” is a masculine plural noun which specifies G-d’s power. This is not to be confused in defining the very essence of G-d’s existence but rather it appears to refer to the majestic plurality of G-d’s being which would describe someone of great importance and significance based on the study of ancient Semitic language and culture.

There is also the biblical texts in which G-d speaks saying “let us make man after our own image and likeness,” “let us go down and confuse the languages”, “man has become like one of us knowing good and evil.” The pluralistic usage of these nouns is probably just another expression of Hebraic thought since these nouns are followed with the singular verb form. The only plausibility I see to this whole scenario concerning G-d’s nature as being more than just  a majestic plural form is that the rest of the bible, except for a couple of other references, doesn’t support this type of verbiage and yet God’s name is mentioned voluminously throughout the Tanakh.

When referring to the triunity of G-d as being one, it is with a complete sense of unity while maintaining an individual personhood. This term by no means is plainly represented in a clean cut fashion or in a short and definable manner according to the biblical text. Actually it is quite a mystery much like some of the other Jewish references  to the view of G-d such as the mystical notion of the ”Ten Seferot”, “ Shekinah”, and the concept of the Aramaic Targums which speak of the divine “Memra” or word. If this isn’t enough to get you to wonder about the magnificence of G-d’s being then just ponder about his omnipresence in that He fills the entire universe at once.

The conceptual word as related to a ”Trinity” or “Triunity” was just a means to help define G-d much like these other terms have tried to do. We have to remember that it was the first century Jews that wrote the majority of the New Testament scriptures and that their position and confession concerning a G-d concept was founded on a monotheistic view of G-d . The term “Trinity” wasn’t coined until about 150 AD when it was used by Tertullian mainly as a reactionary or as an apologetic statement of belief.

I have wrote on a previous blog about the “Divinity of the Messiah” in which the New Testament has no problem building a case for yet this is a vague concept in the Tankah except for the unique and exalted sense of King Messiah who would bring forth a restoration  through His glorious reign.

One of the most grandiose pictures of this Messiah figure is given in the prophet Daniel 7:13-14 where one liken unto the son of man is coming with the clouds of heaven and approaches the Ancient of Days. What’s interesting is that this Messianic figure was given worship from all peoples of every language with all nations rallying to the banner of his rule and reign. We see this already in Messiah Yeshua or Jesus who has reconciled to G-d both Jew and Gentile in fulfillment to this prophetic vision.

No other Messianic figure in all of human history has had such an influence and impact as Jesus nor is their any competition from any other formidable candidate for the title of Messiah except Yeshua.

Worship is only to be given to G-d and therefore through the association of worship and his exalted state as coming on the clouds of heaven this isn’t just another angelic being.

Isaiah 9:6-7 which is another messianic scripture relates one that was to be born as a son and is given such elevated names  as “everlasting Father” and “mighty G-d”. This description goes beyond merely describing any ordinary man.

You may think that perhaps this is plausible but you are still left with wondering  about the divinity of the Holy Spirit or the Spirit of G-d which on many occasions is spoken of as being synonymous with G-d? Why does the bible necessitate a definition of G-d as being Spirit and is this expression just another term of personification for G-d himself?

We see that in Genesis that the Spirit of G-d was hovering over the waters. In Psalms 104:30 it speaks of G-d sending his Spirit in bringing forth a renovation upon the earth in establishing His created order as we see in the Genesis account.

We also see mysteriously how the Spirit of G-d is sent and how His glory was deposited with men in a dynamic fashion of creativity. These men were artisans, prophets, kings, and priests who throughout the course of Israel’s history displayed the power of G-d based on the Spirit’s enablement. The prophet Joel states in 2:28 that the Spirit will no longer be sent or poured out only on a few elect people but rather a deluge would occur on all flesh.

When you think about the mechanics of such a divine impartation or act this goes beyond mere human comprehension. How can G-d impart his divine being on men? This is a mystery in and of itself let alone trying to understand the nature of G-d’s existence.

In closing this doesn’t answer every question related to the being of G-d nor does it explain every facet to His wondrous and mysterious person and yet even though the understanding of Christians and Jews differ in their pragmatic application to the existence of God there still remains a common belief in the one true G-d of the scriptures as described in the Tanakh.

No matter how we try to equate with mathematical precision the calculated concept of His being we are still left with an infinite inability to formulate a conceptual doctrine that adequately confines Him to the realm of our earthly experience.

Finally G-d is mysteriously expressed through his complex realities of being through the persons who bear the titles as “The Ancient of Days”, “The son of man,” and the “Spirit.”

 

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* Of special note regarding the title and term ‘Son of God’ , it is used in its most unique and supreme sense as a reference to the divinity of Jesus as the Christ in Mathew 28:16-20, John 5:16-27, and Hebrews 1. Is Jesus divine?

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What are the chances for life on this planet?

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Is life a product of chance? A random act or a cosmic accident? Have you ever wondered about the complexities about life in which humans, who tip the evolutionary scale, are only now beginning to discover? Do you find it fascinating given all the technological advances of man that they can only reorder,mimic and manipulate life? I’ve not seen a scientist yet make a cow from scratch.

Somehow have we become so sophisticated that we limit our beliefs to think that through the gigantic test tube of planet earth that somehow science and nature has created us from a state of nothingness which then resulted in evolving us into the complexity of structures whereby we exist?

What do you think is the potential for life to just appear on its own and then somehow evolve and sustain itself? I  don’t believe there is a numerical value high enough to support this possibility.

It would be like taking a disassembled clock throwing it into a tumbler and expecting it to come out perfectly assembled while keeping the right time. Or it would be like randomly wandering into a junk yard and taking an untrained or unskilled laborer and asking him to assemble and fly a fully functional plane from the remnants left over from your trash receptacle.

If you are struggling to conceptualize this idea then let me up the anny again by giving you the same scenarios but this time they are not provided any raw materials but are still expected to produce the same results. I’m sure by now you have made a firm decision in stating the inevitable that this is impossible and with that logic I would concur.

I believe in a intelligent design model which supports a creator, namely God, who best fits the criteria as the first and sustaining cause for creation.

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The prophet Joseph Smith

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Joseph Smith who is the founder of Mormonism was inspired to begin a new religion. After consulting God in prayer over the truthfulness of different denominational beliefs he claimed that God the Father and Jesus appeared to him and told him that all churches were wrong and not to join any of them.

Three years later an angel called Moroni appeared to him and indicated that he was chosen to translate the book of Mormon and like buried treasure he was directed by Moroni in locating these golden plates that were unearthed in a hill near his home. These golden plates were supposedly inscribed in reformed Egyptian hieroglyphics , which would require the use of specialized glasses or crystals to translate the text into English.

During this translation period supposedly John the Baptist appears to Smith telling him to preach the true gospel and restore the true church. Once the book of Mormon was completed Smith claimed it to be the most correct book on the face of the planet.

I am going to stop here with this brief introduction to Mormonism and from this point on we will look at the credibility of Joseph Smith as a person who was supposedly given the privilege as the repository of God’s revelation.

I believe to a degree that a person can be strongly influenced through the cultural experience of “Family” or “Community”. To give an example of this we can see by  studying various religious movements that they often have an association based on geographical location. For instance the likelihood of someone being a Muslim in Saudi Arabia would be quite high given the statistics that about 93% of the population supports this view. This belief system has influenced the Saudi’s entire worldview from the family all the way up to the governmental institutions.

Again I do not want to be overly dogmatic on this point but I would encourage you to be mindful of the dynamics of what may have developed from Smith’s childhood experiences.

Now to give you a little bit of family background his father Joseph Smith, Sr  had the reputation of being a money digger and was seeking the buried treasure of Captain Kidd and his mother Lucy was a highly superstitious woman. These characteristics seem to be played out in the imaginative and adventurous spirit of Joseph Smith, Jr whether through self deception or a deceiver par excellence.

If the credibility of the movement comes down to the origin of the book of Mormon then perhaps upon observation we might find it less than credible or believable.

This blog is not intended to discuss content at this point and this post only gives a brief overview concerning the starting point of revelation working towards its compilation and completion as well as a biographical sketch concerning Mr. Smith’s character.

So how did Joseph Smith, after miraculously finding these golden tablets, begin the arduous task of translation?

To begin with when Joseph Smith Jr. was in his early twenties he participated in the “craze of treasure hunting” for profit by utilizing seer stones in an attempt to locate lost items and buried treasure. Smith would put a stone in a white stovepipe hat and would then see the required information in reflections given off by the stone. This all took place before he had his heavenly visitation and then afterwards Mr. Smith employed these stones as a means of translation for the book of Mormon.

Other early Mormons also had seer stones such as Hiram Page, David and Jacob  Whitmer, as well as James Strang who claimed to be Joseph’s Smith designated successor.

Later after his movement was formed he received a revelation that there was much treasure in Salem, Massachusetts and by using the seer stone he left and returned empty handed.

Early nineteenth-century Americans used the seer stones to gain revelations from God and for treasure hunting. The likes of which Mr. Smith was employing. However, many of his treasure hunts were mostly unsuccessful but nevertheless he never denied their power to find treasure and this magical culture stayed with him until the end.

One other thing I might add is that Oliver Cowdery who helped with the dictation of the Book of Mormon also came from a similar upbringing in treasure seeking and other magical practices likewise.

I guess its nor hard to miss the overtones of his parental influence. When I first heard of this and began to research this concept of the seer stone I found information related to it by doing a google search and found an association with the seer stone and the art of witchcraft. So from this perspective it appears that Joseph Smith was incorporating occultish practices in establishing the alleged “Book of Mormon”

In Old Testament times the validity of the prophet was very simple. If what the prophet said came to pass then he was considered a true prophet.

If you look at many of the prophecies of Smith you will see that he is proved to be a false prophet based on this criteria.

One of his prophecies included an incident when Smith tried to organize a military response after his group had been persecuted and forced to move to another location. Its at this point that he had another revelation that “the redemption of Zion must needs come by power” but the trek of what came to be called Zion’s camp ended without anything being accomplished.

Also another one of his failed prophecies would come when he had a revelation to build a temple in Independence Missouri during his lifetime which until this day has never happened.

Yet another failed prophetic revelation occurred  when the federal government  pressured the movements position on polygamy which resulted in the Mormon president to revise this model of marriage for the world to come.

In addition to failed prophecies other things that may indicate his questionable character was the printing and circulation of notes referred to as wildcat banking which after a month had failed which resulted in a warrant being issued for Smith’s arrest because of bank fraud which led to him fleeing Ohio for Missouri.

Another incident was around 1840 when Smith published the “Book of Abraham” and his translation turned out to be an “Egyptian Book of the Dead” that he had purchased from a traveling exhibitor in 1835. From this book came the doctrines concerning the plurality of gods, pre-mortal existence, and the concept that the earth had been organized out of preexisting matter.

Another questionable activity was Smith’s involvement as a “Free Mason” which is a whole other subject in and of it self relating to cultish activities. Many of the temple rites resemble his masonic influence.

One of Smith’s most controversial actions was the undertaking of polygamy or plural marriages. In 1841 he secretly wed Louisa Beaman as a plural wife and during the next two and a half years he may have married around thirty additional women, ten of them already married to other men. About a third of his wives were teenagers including two fourteen year old girls.

Smith allegedly told one prospective wife that submitting to plural marriage would ensure her of eternal salvation and exaltation as well as her fathers household.

In conclusion this is just a brief description to the character and ministry of Joseph Smith. Much of this information was obtained through Wikipedia as well as referring to or consulting  other source documents. I tried to be as fair as I could in my presentation and as a  matter of fact I left out some things that seemed questionable or would need further proof or clarification before validating. Some of these quotes and information came from Richard Bushman who is active member in Mormonism and who was a graduate from Harvard and has outstanding credentials as a reference, that is if he was quoted properly.

Anyway this blog doesn’t show the favorable side to Mormonism. However, the movement does have a positive influence based on their emphasis in supporting family values as well as upholding a high standard of morals. I was first introduced to Mormonism as a young Christian living in Wyoming as there are many  Mormons living in this particular area of the country. At this time I also viewed the video called the “Godmakers” which is a must see and a eye opener whether you are a practicing Mormon or a seeker. This may help you to perceive the organization for what it really is by giving you a  behind the scenes look.

One other thing I appreciate about Mormon culture is their zeal in their missionary endeavors yet my challenge to them is what good is zeal if it is misdirected. You can be sincere and yet be sincerely wrong and that is why I have wrote this post in order to  challenge the truth claims behind Mormon belief. No to maliciously slander but to expose error.

Finally, in all fairness when considering the character of Joseph Smith I am not looking for infallibility in an individual the likes of which only God can obtain. We understand that men are merely human agents and therefore have shortcomings in which the bible fully supports this view as is indictated to us through the many scriptural examples that are contained therein. I am not writing this blog with the intention to defame Mr. Smith or his successors yet upon doing my research I find his person to be strongly questionable and fraudulent.

After all he appears to have a questionable history and background which should warn you to seek further counsel beyond the sanctuary and the court room of the LDS rulings.

We do this everyday in a civil court of law in determining whether a person is a credible witness. My conclusion is that the testimony is only as credible as the person who has conceptualized it. Through this examination I would ask you to further seek for evidence as related to this matter and then let it direct your path towards a verdict.

In closing do not seek as your primary source of confirmation the emotional experience  of having a burning in your bosom but rather seek for objective truth that can be obtained through research. Finally ask the “Father” who is the source of truth and revelation to give you guidance versus trusting in the fallibility of human agency or an organization. This is a pivotal point whereby your eternal destiny hangs on and it would behoove you not to haphazardly dismiss these charges by stating “I don’t believe that” or worse yet “I don’t care.” I encourage and implore you to do otherwise out of a critical sense of necessity.

To sum all of this up I leave you with a new testament quote taken from Galatians 1:6-9 which reads 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!

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Is the Ka’ba sacred?

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

Though the Arab religion has embraced the worship of Allah as the one true God of Islam it still hasn’t separated itself from its devotion to its polytheistic past.

The Ka’ba which is a cube like building located in Mecca is the most sacred site of Islam yet before the advent of Islam it was used as a pagan shrine.

The cornerstone of this structure is a black meteorite that was said to have fallen from heaven and its blackness was associated with the darkness of human sin. Today Muslims kiss this stone as an act of veneration or worship during the Hajj.

In preislamic culture ancient Arabs were under the influence of a cultish rock fetishism  which valued these black stones as a part of their own ritualistic practices.

The Arabs were stone worshipers in which their tribal groups had their own Ka’ba sanctuary which housed their own black rock in which they worshipped.

One of the rituals associated with the Ka’ba is the encircling or circumambulation of the shrine. A theory on how this pagan practice originated was that these tribal groups would circle the Ka’ba which was likened to the movement  of the heavenly objects with regards to the worship of the moon,sun, and stars. This practice would also include these tribes kissing the stone which was believed to be inhabited by a god or spirits. This kissing of the rock and touching of this stone was thought to bring a blessing.

Also in connection with the black rock of the Ka’ba was the worship of the moon god Hubal.

Other aspects of Arab culture that are associated with their ancient pagan past regarding Arab society is “The stone throw” at Mina, “The Run” Safa and Marwa which is just a reenactment of the pagans that used to run in between two idols, and lastly “The Praise” which mimics the ancient ritual of  praising their dead ancestors and now this act has been redirected with praise towards Allah.

Arab culture seems not to have made a clean break from its pagan past even though it lays claims to this  under their new banner of monotheism. This syncretistic practice of incorporating Arab culture into the religion of Islam has created a mixture rather than purity to its religious component and for the Ka’ba to be a prominent fixture as a pillar of Islam reveals that there are some cracks to the edifice of this religious structure.

So how far has Islam really come in bringing about its own unique identity as being the one true faith? It is obvious that it has borrowed its structure from Judeo Christian beliefs and has decorated and filled its interior from the likes of its pagan past.

Is this really the true faith or just a borrowing of a conglomeration of various ideas uniting the practice of local religion alongside of incorporating other religious world views?

Are you willing to swear  allegiance and submit towards a religion that has not purified its association with its cultic past? Has Islam just remodeled and reorganized the same structure of idolatry by covering it with a thin venner and marketing it as a new religion based on a  revelation given from an angelic being? Perhaps what is hidden behind the veil of Islam is simply just a one headed idol versus a totem pole of gods.

In writing this blog I  have pooled together many different resources concerning this matter and I have tried to make an honest and fair assessment of this information while compiling the data.

I  would just ask you not to merely dismiss the content of this blog as just a smear campaign of defamation. I would encourage you to do your own research regarding this matter while keeping an open mind.

Through this blog I have offered a challenge to Islamic belief while attempting to avoid needless slander and false accusations towards Muslims and what they hold to be sacred. I recognize many of my Muslim friends are zealous in their devotion and sincere to their conception of God and I respect that. Yet what I am asking them to do is to allow factual information to guide  them in making better decisions regarding their allegiance and submission.

In closing if you are a Muslim  I would encourage you through prayer to  ask God regarding the truth behind  Islamic faith and practice.

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Are you a good Jew

Friday, July 17th, 2009

Your first response to this question may be yes as you compare yourself to all of the evil Hitler’s of this world but how would measure up to a Holy G-d?

Perhaps you are a traditional Jew who attends synagogue twice a year on Yom Kippur and Passover and occasionally performs mitzvot as well as abstaining from pork. Does this make you closer to G-d?

Perhaps you are an observant Jew who has done everything within your power to uphold the requirements of Judaism so does this mean that you have obtained righteousness?

Are you righteous enough to secure a heavenly home in the afterlife such as what is written in Daniel 12:2 which says that some will awake to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt?

Perhaps you are thinking that you are kind of a moral person and even though you have not kept the 613 commandments you are comfortable about your viewpoints on G-d and how you generally treat people.

In light of all these viewpoints let’s take a simple test by looking at just a few of the requirements of the Ten Commandments which form the moral basis of the law alone as found in Exodus 20.

The commandments state that you should have no other gods before me and that you should not make an idol nor misuse His name in any way. A deeper application to this law may be found in Deuteronomy 6:5 in which G-d commands covenant Israel to “Love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart and with all your soul and all your strength.”

The next requirement was to keep the Sabbath day holy which was a covenant law that pertained specifically to Israel. This was such a serious matter that those who violated this law were put to death, Exodus 31:15.

The fifth commandment requires you to honor your father and mother. Have you always done this? According to Leviticus 20:9 this too was a serious violation that was punishable by death for those who cursed their parents.

The sixth commandment was a prohibition against murder. You might be thinking I’m off the hook here. Yet murder is a companion to hatred and in Leviticus 19:15-18 the law speaks out about slander, hatred, revenge, and bearing a grudge with the added requirement of loving your neighbor as yourself which brings about the true nature of this law.

The seventh commandment is not to commit adultery. Leviticus 20:10 states that those who commit this act are to be put to death. Yet is it all right to look at pornography or to view someone else as an object of lust? Psalms 51:6 says that “G-d desires truth even in our inward parts.” David understood this and He was also inspired to write in Psalms 139:23 saying “search me O G-d and know my heart and to see if there is any offensive way in me.”

The eighth commandment says do not to steal. This commandment is not quantifiable so to steal anything no matter how small or insignificant it is would make you a thief. What if you thought you could get away with stealing would you still be restrained from this course of action?

How about the ninth commandment which says not to give a false testimony against your neighbor? You may be thinking this would just apply to being a truthful witness in a court of law. Yet outside of the courthouse have you ever told a harmful rumor, joke, lie, or any unfounded and slanderous accusations that would hurt or defame someone which in turn would be an act of injustice then read Leviticus 19:15-18.

Lastly have you ever coveted or desired what someone else had? This scripture shows you that G-d is not just concerned with the outward keeping of His laws but He is also looking at the heart as well.

So by taking all of this in account would G-d find you guilty or innocent on the Day of Judgment?

You may say guilty on all accounts. Then by your own admission you are a godless person who is a dishonorable child who lies, steals, covets, who is an adulterer and murderer at heart and who likewise desecrates the Sabbath. So when God judges you will you be found guilty or innocent before the court of heaven?

Perhaps you are thinking I have overstated my case and that I am being unfair in my presentation. Yet everyone sins and no one is exempt from its influence.

We see the patriarch Jacob who was a father of the Jewish nation who coveted and deceived Esau by gaining his brothers birthright and blessing.

Later we see Moses who was acclaimed to be the humblest in the land coming under the judgment of G-d because of his angry outburst which kept him from stepping foot into the Promised Land even though He was Israel’s law giver.

We see the likes of David who is the standard for Israel’s kings and the forerunner to the Messiah and even though he was given the honorary reputation of having a heart after G-d, he still committed adultery and murder.

We also see his son Solomon who was the model for wisdom yet he disobeyed G-d by marrying foreign women and therefore he was carried away by deception in becoming an idolater through the worship of false gods.

Its no wonder that David said in Psalms 14:3 that “there is no one who does good no not one.” Also Solomon chimes in with Ecclesiastes 7:20 stating that “there is not a righteous man upon the earth who does what is right and never sins.”

Sin is all encompassing and that is why on Yom Kippur that everybody had to have a sacrifice given on behalf of the covenant community from the high priest all the way down to the common Israelite.

Sin is a serious violation between G-d and mankind which has resulted in causing death and separation with his creation. Ezekiel 18: 4 states that “it is the soul who sins that will surely die.” Isaiah 59:2 says “your iniquities have separated you from your G-d: your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.

You might say well what about my righteous acts? Isaiah 64:6 says “all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

Whether it is the Garden of Eden, the flood, the dispersing of the nations, and finally the exiling of Israel, sin has and continues to leave its indelible mark upon mankind.

The good news is that G-d made a provision for sin that was central to the Mosaic covenant which involved the sacrificial and ceremonial rites of the temple.

In Leviticus 17:11 it says “for the life of the flesh is in the blood and I have given it upon the alter to make atonement for your souls.”

The innocent life was exchanged on behalf of the worshipper and was therefore substitutionary in nature. Even some religious Jews today on Yom Kippur will perform kaparah by cutting a chicken and swinging it around their head covering themselves with blood because they intrinsically know that something essential and vital is missing from their faith.

You might wonder where this leaves you since the Jewish people haven’t had a temple for 2000 years. You may say that you believe what the Rabbis teach in that through prayer, good deeds, and fasting that these are our sacrifices now. These things might be an essential part of worship but this does not annul the requirements of the Mosaic covenant with its regulations.

The Mosaic covenant cannot be fulfilled because much of the covenant requirements revolve around the temple rituals therefore the 613 commandments can not be fully upheld. Is it possible that G-d could be doing a new thing? In Jeremiah 31:31 G-d says that He will make a new covenant (testament) with the house of Israel and it will not be like the Mosaic covenant.

So if the Mosaic covenant was to be completely sufficient in how people were to relate to G-d then why does Jeremiah speak of a new covenant therefore making the Mosaic covenant obsolete?

Deuteronomy 28:64 shows that upon proclaiming the curses on mount Ebal one of the consequences of sin was that they would be scattered among all peoples from one end of the earth to the other. If this covenant was truly effectual then why did it lead to the exiles and the Diaspora?

The centerpiece to the Mosaic covenant was the temple and if the temple plays an essential part to the fulfillment of G-d’s will then why does a Mosque occupy its very location?

The reality is that G-d provided an eternal atonement that was given once and for all therefore eliminating the need for the temple regulations. The prophet Isaiah gives us a snapshot view concerning  a servant to whom G-d would raise up who would be the sacrifice and He was described as being despised, rejected, stricken, smitten, afflicted, pierced, crushed, punished, wounded, oppressed, and finally having suffered all of this He was slaughtered and cut off.

The prophet clues us in by telling us why this act of love and justice was committed. The reason states that He bore the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors in taking upon himself their iniquities therefore his life was given as a guilt offering with  the benefactors of this action receiving peace, healing, and justification in their relationship with G-d.

Many Jews have come to see the person of Yeshua or Jesus as this suffering servant who is portrayed in this text as found in Isaiah 52:13 -53:12.

I ask you today that you would prayerfully read this scripture and ask G-d to reveal to you the truth behind this prophetic utterance of Isaiah.

After reading the moral requirements of the law can you still say that you are a good Jew or do you feeling naked and bare attempting to hide your sinful acts from a Holy God who sees through the thin veiled cover-up of your filthy rags which represent your human efforts in achieving righteousness or goodness.

Lastly we can only cloth ourselves with the righteousness that has resulted from the   provisional grace of the “Righteous Servant” who will justify many having poured out His life for you and me.

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Islamic view of Women

Thursday, July 9th, 2009

There are perhaps different rules on the rights of women in Islamic societies yet based on the testimony of the Quran and the Hadith women to some degree have a subservient and diminished role in life.

The Islamic view is primary patriarchal and it allows for the unnecessary exploitation and treatment of women in some cases.

In Quran 4:34 there are allowances given towards the beating of women.

The very basis of human instinct in achieving an intimate relationship of love with a spouse is by providing an environment that is conducive to trust which centers on the protection and care for ones partner. So how can this corrective action lead to a legitimate expression of love? If this is the situation then how is the husband to be corrected when He is at fault. Wouldn’t this necessitate a need for reciprocation as a counter response unless of course He is never at fault or in need of discipline/ correction because of his moral supremacy?

Perhaps there is a moral glitch of inferiority in women which might explain why the Hadith sees a need for disciplinary action towards the feminine gender. After all the Hadith tends to provide a viewpoint of women as being spiritually  and morally depraved having a predisposition towards evil. The Hadith states that women are the majority of those who take up residence in hell with only a minority occupying a heavenly home. Muslim, vol. 4, hadith 6597, p. 1432 and Muslim, vol. 4, hadith 6600, p.1432

Also Islamic ideals are centered on hedonistic values that revolve around the expression of male sexuality. The god fearing Muslim male is given the pleasures of intercourse in paradise with as many as a 100 virgins in a single day Surah 55. Will the minority of women who make it to their heavenly home be equally rewarded? How is a wife that is committed to a life long marriage able to view herself with dignity knowing that her husband will one day be groping strange women in a heavenly palace filled with the pleasures of  ecstasy and eroticism as found in this conceptual idea of eternal bliss. If this is his future goal in making it to paradise then what is his short term goal in relationship to you his wife? If he is willing to be entertained by the likes of physical pleasure in eternity then are you for sure that this doesn’t help serve his purpose now in your relationship with Him. Perhaps once He is finished and satisfied with you in this life there will be no purpose for you to follow Him into his  paradise since his needs will now be administered and fulfilled by others.

Also the Quran and Hadith hold a somewhat demanding view on the sexual gratification for the  husband without regard for the wife Quran 2:223, Mishkat Al-Masabih p.691: Tirmidhi, Bukhari vol. 7, hadith 121, p.93.

In addition to this there are variant and sexual aberrations that are found in various Islamic cultures which includes the practice of genital mutilation by circumcising girls in order to help maintain chastity by means of  restraining   their sexual drives. There is some debate to whether or not Muhammad mandated this act of violence nevertheless it is still practiced in several countries.

Secondly some Muslims have a legalized  form of prostitution or Muta which is permitted under the charade of it being a temporary marriage in order to satisfy the need for the sexual impulses among Muslim men.

One other thing that  perhaps is more subtle in form yet can create some cultural dysfunctions is the practice of  polygamy which can cause social problems within the network of the family.

It doesn’t take an expert sociologist or anthropologist to realize the degenerative effects to humanity based on these cultural experiences. One might argue against establishing ethical norms for any given society yet we are talking about the basic needs which define human existence universally.

Perhaps you are caught up in the cultural web of Islam where you feel trapped or isolated or sadly enough maybe you dont know any differently. Don’t you see that some women are being victimized due to the crimes of Islam by means of emotional and physical abuses. Perhaps if you aren’t willing to face these realities then perhaps you have developed a codependency with Islamic culture. Maybe you have been taught to submit to the point that  you are mindless on these issues which brings me to the next objection.

According to the Hadith women have a limited or diminished intellectual capacity. Women from this viewpoint are seen as  half wits who are limited in making judgments.  When people are led to believe they are inferior then they are easier to manipulate and control. This is what you get from a male dominated religion where physical prowess rules rather than integrity

Bukhari, vol.3, hadith 826, p.502

I know this blog seems harsh and pointed and I hope that I have not over stated my case through my direct approach. In all fairness I do appreciate the modesty of Islamic culture yet the ends doesn’t justify the means of taking women captive to a pattern of life that reduces their humanity.

Men I would like to challenge you to critically look at the claims of Islam and their treatment and attitude towards women. Even if you do not practice these forms of oppression it is  still  supported and upheld by the practitioners of Islam who justify it by means of what is considered sacred texts. Remember these women are our mothers who brought us into this life and nurtured us when we were helpless. They deserve the respect that God has rightfully given them in their elevated role as the stewards of our personal care and development as men.

I want you to know that Islam has created their god and though I respect your devotion I do challenge the truth claims that are founded under a religion that has left a path of destruction in its wake.

The basic definition to the character of God in the bible is love and Islam has stood as the antithesis to this godview. God is just but He is likewise merciful, kind, gentle, compassionate, long suffering, and peaceful. These might be traits that you have attributed to Allah yet where is the proof among his disciples. Even though a small portion of funds is contributed to the poor yet you generally do not see Islamic humanitarian agencies especially towards other societies that would be considered of the nature of being infidels. Islam is not about divine inspiration but rather terror filled violence and domination using force and coercion in facilitating and imposing their worldly influence. It doesn’t care about you but rather its real interest is world domination. You might claim to be a moderate Muslim which in and of itself is a oxymoron in comparison to Islamic faith and practice. It is  Islam that  dictates and moderates your behavior independent of your self serving opinions.  If you claim that you do not follow this kind of Islamic viewpoint  then perhaps you are nominal Muslim and subconsciously you are rejecting submission to Allah. Perhaps you  know somewhere deep in your heart that something is amiss and I believe this could be an open door to experiencing God’s real love.

For God so loved the world that He gave Jesus that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Now ladies I believe that you have the mental faculties and capacity to make a fair judgment in this case by discerning the truthfulness regarding a loving God versus a counterfeit religion.

Lastly again I pray that I have not violated you in such a way as to lose your respect for what I am saying. I didn’t do this to  attack you or hurt you and even though my presentation is confrontational I have not offered it in hatred. I do have a genuine concern for your spiritual well being and sometimes when you are landlocked in a society you are unable to peer beyond the boundaries of cultural attitudes.

Finally all I am asking of you is to be open and honest before God.  I know at first that it might be scary because devoted people do not want to be undevoted to their cause yet I challenge you to ask God to reveal His love to you in a tangible and real way in the person of Jesus.

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The divinity of the Messiah

Saturday, July 4th, 2009

This blog is about the divinity of the Messiah. I am attempting to discuss this matter without getting into the subject on the tri-unity of G-d in which I will address at a future time.

When discussing about the nature of G-d I think we have about as much of a grasp on this concept as an ant does with nuclear science.

We can formulate and indoctrinate conceptual ideas as related to G-d and still be found lacking concerning the preeminence of His being.

Many of us don’t even understand some of the complexities of life let alone the one who is the author of creation.

In looking at Isaiah 9:6-7 this scripture is clearly seen as being Messianic in nature even among Jewish sources.

If you look at the simplicity of the text it is interesting to note both a human and a divine element to His mysterious being which supports the concept of the incarnation whereby G-d himself inhabits flesh and blood. Even though G-d is not merely a man His person is not limited or confined to merely a heavenly existence and being. Many times in the scripture we see descriptions of G-d as he revealed himself personally such as when the L-rd appears to Abraham in the form of a man  as described in Genesis 18. Many times these short term encounters are referred to as theophanies where G-d appears in an intermediate form or as a physical sign whereby he intercepts mankind in a veiled sense where the fullness of G-d’s glory is inhibited.

In Exodus 33:20 Moses is told that a man can not see G-d and live and Moses was only allowed to peer at His hind parts. G-d’s voice was permitted to be heard yet He would not allow for Himself to be fully viewed. Even in apocalyptic literature G-d is described to a limited point. One of the reasons G-d prohibits His identity to be seen is so that His form cannot be copied as an idol to be viewed and worshipped.

G-d’s presence was resident within the camp of Israel yet He still maintained His exclusivity. The Cherubim in the inner portion of the temple was to hide or conceal G-d’s person. God had limited mankind’s approach towards Him based on proximities due to the holiness of His nature. Mankind because of sin was not able to approach G-d except by blood and even then the worshipper was still not granted free access to His presence whereby his faith was partitioned off by the temple precincts or by the boundaries of a mountain.

You may be asking yourselves at this point which is it then, can G-d  be seen or not and my response to this question would be both. It may appear that I am vacillating in my viewpoints on this  and what I have proposed may appear to be incomprehensible at best and contradictory at worst by stating that G-d can not be viewed and yet be seen. Again this concept makes a little more sense when we consider the complex nature of G-d as displayed in His triune existence whereby in one person He is hidden while the other He is revealed or disclosed.

Even though G-d would not allow for the intimacy of viewing Him face to face He did provide other means of mediation. One of these ways  G-d’s presence was displayed was through the shekinah glory where  G-d’s presence is visibly seen while eluding full human view.

Also we see many examples where we see a strong identify with G-d and the angel of the L-rd. Jewish commentators have struggled with this concept and when there is a difficult passage to interpret they either refer to the Shekinah or a powerful angel called Metatron meaning ”Whose name is as his Masters”  the likes of whom is not found in the bible.

We see several scriptures that allows for people to view G-d and yet live. Genesis 32:24-30 describes Jacob wrestling with a man who was actually an angel ( Hosea 12:4) yet He claims to seeing G-d face to face.  In Judges 13: 19-23 Manoah sees the angel of the L-rd by exclaiming that He has seen G-d.  In Exodus 3:1-6 we see an association of the angel of the L-rd with God stating that Moses was afraid to look at G-d. In Judges 6:11-23 Gideon is distressed in seeing the angel of the L-rd face to face and then the text refers to the L-rd Himself speaking to Him.

We must remember too that the word angel means messenger in the Hebrew and this messenger wasn’t just any emissary but rather it appears to be the L-rd Himself.  G-d of course is not merely an angelic being or a man yet mysteriously G-d reveals Himself in the form of a man and as a messenger who could be visibly seen.

Also you might find it interesting to study the messianic figure in Daniel 7:13-14 who is portrayed as the “son of man” and yet is given worship.

These scriptures may not answer all of our questions but perhaps it opens you up to see other possibilities that perhaps you have never considered before.

Here are some scriptural references taken from the Jewish New Testament that may shed further light on this problem.

Hebrews 1:1-3 The Son is the radiance of G-d’s glory and the exact representation of his being.

Colossians 1:15-19, 2:9 He (Jesus) is the image of the invisible G-d. For G-d was pleased to have the fullness dwell in him…For in the Messiah all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.

Philippians 2:5-11 Who, being in very nature G-d, did not consider equality with G-d something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man.

Jesus or Yeshua the Messiah was literally a walking Shekinah .

Now having said all this then perhaps we can begin to catch a glimpse of the exalted and divine nature of the one who is described in Isaiah 9:6-7

6For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7Of the increase of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

This child was to be born and He is a son who is given bearing the exalted name and title as being a Wonderful Counselor, Mighty G-d, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Another thing that sets apart the Messiah as being more than just a man is his eternality or previous existence.  One scripture that describes the eternal aspect of the Messiah is seen in Micah 5:2 which according to Rashi depicts the preexistence of the Messiah or at least his name as describing the Messiah’s origin as being “from of old”

Can you think of anyone else who was born in Bethlehem that was a messianic figure? It would  nearly be an impossibility for the  the Messiah to be born in Bethlehem today unless he was a  Palestinian.

Anyway Jesus speaks  of his previous existence stating before Abraham was I am and that He had come down from heaven in making his abode with man.

I said all that to say this that Jesus is divine and yet He was viewed in a real and tangible way. These scriptures help depict the nature of the messianic figure as being more than merely human. We have seen a glimpse of the nature of the  Messiah in the Tanakh which strongly correlates divinity with his being whether through  “Title” or “Homage”.

Is it possible that you have overlooked the significance of Yeshua as the Messiah because you didn’t have a full understanding or a limited view of the scriptures? Perhaps your vision was blurred by the traditions of your people and the rabbis who through their nearsightedness struggled with some of these same scriptures.

Jesus is L-rd and is fully divine whereby He has tabernacled among us in a real and tangible way. He is both the unique “son of G-d” as in Psalms 2 and yet the “son of man” in Daniel 7 as well as being the “mighty G-d” in Isaiah 9.

This concept may seem bewildering yet we must remember that G-d’s divine person is mysterious. Mankind can not ultimately understand every facet and angle to his nature and being because on one hand  G-d has determined not to disclose it fully and also it goes beyond our human capacity and experience in which we fail to fully comprehend. For instance we get a sense of this just from reading apocalyptic materials. If the nature of G-d could so easily be apprehended then why the need for all the extra-biblical sources from Jewish commentators including the mystical writings about G-d.

Lastly G-d can manifest himself in what ever form or being He so desires. If we limit ourselves to making a God that fits our understanding or values  then what we have done is committed idolatry in our hearts by making an image that misrepresents His being.

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