Quotes on religion and the mythical Christian solar god Jesus's association with the Sun

general topics
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I want to believe that there was a lot of cross-pollination going on between regional pantheistic systems, all of which seem to have gods and goddesses that represented similar memes, give or take some localization for better integration with regional norms. With the 8th- and 6th-century BCE times of Jewish Diaspora to the Assyrian and Babylonian empires, could they not have been influenced by those pantheons and their Sumerian origins? Maybe it’s a little of D) All of the Above?

Would Christianity have arisen without the Jewish-Roman annexation, strife, and wars? Was Christianity ultimately an expression of political dissatisfaction or even nihilism with the Jewish establishment under Roman rule? Some other sort of opportunism? I can’t help but ponder whether it was one of mankind’s greatest tragedies that three or more millennia of pantheism were then stupefied, arbitrarily conflated, and subverted to the monotheism that followed.

Why shouldn’t we hit reset and return to early Sumerian pantheism? It founded its basis in the natural world, which mankind was a part of, rather than somehow above and master of. It seems likely to me that the Christian meme of humanity as ‘God’s stewards’ of the natural world (rather than equal participants in it who have relationships with ‘gods of natural reality’) paved the way for today’s ecological destruction and global-scale crimes of biocide… It isn’t working, time to turn a page and again create something new founded on the deeper past?

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1314

Careful you don’t confuse pantheism, panentheism, and polytheistic pantheons. Pantheism is implicitly monotheistic, although most monotheisms are not pantheistic.

That being said, nice post.

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Thank you, you’re absolutely right: I was confused. I should have written “influenced by those polytheistic pantheons” and then “millenia of pantheism abandoned or stupefied, polytheistic deities conflated and subverted to monotheism…”

I was over at the “Flood Destroys Home…” thread earlier, and I guess I wonder at all this. It’s a strange combination of ideas, not least because of its contradiction of Jesus Christ while simultaneously harkening back to some good old natural god wrath. I wonder what he would say the old wrathful god’s punishment should be for destroying their creation, fouling or ending their patterns and harmonies, paving and poisoning and pretending to care.

This is kind of what inspires me to yearn for polytheistic pantheons with elements of pantheism-- it’d make analysis of someone like that guy a little less like teasing apart a theological knot… And given the apparent internal contradictory polytheism within certain versions of the Christian God as professed by some, maybe splitting that apart would be the best way for them, and people generally, to make some better narrative sense about a complex human world and the ideas flowing through. The elements of pantheism seem important because, hey, we still need breathable air, drinkable water, uncontaminated food, and a shared natural garden of life.

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A nonviolent social movement in America, often centered in the Black Church, that resulted in meaningful and significant civic, social and political change for African-Americans, was–and continues to be–the ongoing Civil Rights Movement.

Twenty quotes about nonviolence from famous civic and religious leaders.:couple::two_women_holding_hands::two_men_holding_hands::family:

http://mobile.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/non-violence_2.html

“Non-violence, which is the quality of the heart, cannot come by an appeal to the brain.”–Mahatma Gandhi

“Gandhi once declared that it was his wife who unwittingly taught him the effectiveness of nonviolence. Who better than women should know that battles can be won without resorting to physical strength.”-- Barbara Deming

“Hatred is increased by being reciprocated, and can on the other hand be destroyed by love.”–Baruch Spinoza

"We must look towards societies that set a high value on nonaggression and noncompetitiveness, and therefore handle conflicts by nonviolent means. We can see how child rearing patterns produce nurturing adult behaviors.” – Elise Boulding

“Non-violence leads to the highest ethics, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages.”–Thomas A. Edison

“I always say that non-violence is not the weapon of the weak. It is the weapon of the strong.”–Betty Williams

“Violence sometimes may have cleared away obstructions quickly, but it never has proved itself creative.”-- Albert Einstein

“In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.”-- Cesar Chavez

“At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.”–Martin Luther King, Jr.

“…We have an historic opportunity for a great global healing and renewal. If we will accept the challenge of nonviolent activism with faith, courage, and determination, we can bring this great vision of a world united in peace and harmony from a distant ideal into glowing reality.”–Coretta Scott King

“We were raised with that discussion about violence and non-violence, and we all pretty much came up on the side of non-violence. That became my foundation with politics and my livelihood.”–Joan Baez

“Non-violence and truth are inseparable and presuppose one another.”-- Mahatma Gandhi

“Dr. King used Gandhi’s commitment to non-violence and to passive resistance.”–Al Sharpton

“Nonviolence is the answer for the questions of our time. Love will conquer evil every time.”-- James Twyman

“In a world struggling in violence and dishonesty, the further development of non-violence - not only as a philosophy but as a way of life, as a force on the streets, in the market squares, outside the missile bases, inside the chemical plants and inside the war industry - becomes one of the most urgent priorities.” – Petra Kelly

“Say what you want but you NEVER say it with violence!”–Gerard Way

" I think we brought to the world, the United States anyway, the whole idea of boycotting as a nonviolent tactic. I think we showed the world that nonviolence can work to make social change."-- Dolores Huerta

“If we want to reap the harvest of peace and justice in the future, we will have to sow seeds of nonviolence, here and now, in the present.” – Mairead Corrigan Maguire

"The survival of democracy depends on renunciation of violence and the development of nonviolent means to combat evil and advance the good. "-- A. J. Muste

“We do not have to think that human nature is perfect for us to still believe that the human condition can be perfected. We do not have to live in an idealized world to still reach for those ideals that will make it a better place. The non-violence practiced by men like Gandhi and King may not have been practical or possible in every circumstance, but the love that they preached — their fundamental faith in human progress — that must always be the North Star that guides us on our journey.”–Barack Obama, President of the United States of America

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Hinduism fits that description fairly well. And most* Hindu philosophy encourages identification with and protection of the shared commons of the earthly environment.

*except the sects which regard the physical world as illusory and promote detachment from earthly things.

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Today is the birthday of the internet. Seems appropriate to convey a soulful, spiritual, heavenly, celestial and extraterrestrial :space_invader:–Happy Birthday :alien:

Happy Birthday World Wide Web! :robot::nerd:

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Three Religious Jokes for So Happy It’s Thursday :innocent:

Joke 1

**An old preacher was dying. He sent a message for his banker and his lawyer, both church members, to come to his home.

When they arrived, they were ushered up to his bedroom. As they entered the room, the preacher held out his hands and motioned for them to sit on each side of the bed. The preacher grasped their hands, sighed contentedly, smiled, and stared at the ceiling. For a time, no one said anything.

Both the banker and lawyer were touched and flattered that the preacher would ask them to be with him during his final moments. They were also puzzled; the preacher had never given them any indication that he particularly liked either of them. They both remembered his many long, uncomfortable sermons about greed, covetousness, and avaricious behavior that made them squirm in their seats.

Finally, the banker said, “Preacher, why did you ask us to come?”

The old preacher mustered up his strength and then said weakly, “Jesus died between two thieves, and that’s how I want to go.”

Joke 2

**Jesus, Moses, and an old man go golfing.

The first one to tee off is Moses. He smashes the ball and it is heading right for the water hazard before the green. Moses raises his club, the water parts, and the ball makes it to the green.

Jesus gets up to swing, cranks it out, and it is headed for the water hazard. Jesus closes his eyes and prays. The ball skips across the water and lands on the green two feet from the hole.

The old man’s turn comes and he drives the ball. The ball looks like it is going to drop directly into the water. A fish jumps from the water hazard swallowing the ball, as an eagle drops from the sky, grabbing the fish. As the eagle flies over the green, a bolt of lightning strikes the eagle, making it drop the fish. As the fish hits the green, it spits out the ball and the ball falls into the hole, making a hole in one. Jesus looks at Moses and says, “I really think I’m leaving Dad at home next time!”

Joke 3

**An elderly lady was well-known for her faith and for her boldness in talking about it. She would stand on her front porch and shout “PRAISE THE LORD!”

Next door to her lived an atheist who would get so angry at her proclamations he would shout, “There ain’t no Lord!!”

Hard times set in on the elderly lady, and she prayed for GOD to send her some assistance. She stood on her porch and shouted “PRAISE THE LORD. GOD I NEED FOOD!! I AM HAVING A HARD TIME. PLEASE LORD, SEND ME SOME GROCERIES!!”

The next morning the lady went out on her porch and noted a large bag of groceries and shouted, “PRAISE THE LORD.”

The neighbor jumped from behind a bush and said, “Aha! I told you there was no Lord. I bought those groceries, God didn’t.”

The lady started jumping up and down and clapping her hands and said, “PRAISE THE LORD. He not only sent me groceries, but He made the devil pay for them. Praise the Lord!”

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Not often that I come across an Akhenaten joke, so thought that I would share…

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Arguably one of the most famous, influential and controversial pharonic royal families of ancient Kemet: Amenhotep III and his wife Queen Tiye, their son Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti–and the grandson of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, the son and stepson of Akhenaten and Nefertiti respectively, Tutankhamen (King Tut). It was a joy to view the 1992 Amenhotep III exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

http://www.nytimes.com/1992/07/12/arts/art-view-remembering-the-good-times-in-ancient-egypt.html?pagewanted=all

Note: in the below video about Queen Tiye, It can be debated if Tiye was elevated to the status of a goddess during the reign of her son Akhenaten, especially since Akhenaten banned the worship of multiple gods and goddesses–and decreed the worship of one god, Aten. However the video presentation is interesting, informative and educational.

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The following older article about the religious preference of Jesus :innocent: is prophetic, given the newer article from Gallup also seen below.

http://www.forwardprogressives.com/if-jesus-were-alive-he-might-not-be-a-democrat-but-he-damn-sure-wouldnt-be-a-republican/

Republicans like to champion themselves the party of “Christian values.” When I hear them make this claim, I can’t help but laugh. A party which brags about the death penalty, condemns the poor, cuts programs that help the needy and values guns—claims to be the party that represents Jesus Christ. That’s a joke, right? Whether or not you believe Jesus Christ was real is irrelevant—what he symbolizes isn’t really debatable. He’s someone who stood for love, compassion, acceptance, forgiveness, hope and giving…

Jewish voters in the U.S. support Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump by more than two-to-one, according to a survey released Tuesday by research consultancy Gallup…

…The only religious group showing greater support in the polls for Clinton over Trump is Muslims, who favored Clinton 64 percent to Trump’s 9 percent…

…Catholic also viewed Clinton more favorably than Trump, by 45 percent to 33 percent and atheists or agnostics preferred Clinton to Trump by 44 percent to 19 percent…

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1324

Follow up on Queen Tiye from previous post.

You would think in 2016, that if someone desecrated a corpse and burial site, and robbed that corpse and burial site of its priceless artifacts, it would be prosecuted as a crime.

…Since vandalism by definition originates from the deliberate acts of the offenders, penalties should be sufficiently severe to serve as a deterrent. Yet many states have virtually no statutory provisions addressing cemetery vandalism or desecration, which makes prosecution difficult. As an initial deterrent to reduce the incidences of vandalism, an unauthorized individual trespassing on cemetery property when the cemetery is closed should be subject to criminal prosecution.

The various types of misconduct should be classified as either felony or misdemeanor offenses with clearly-defined mandatory, minimum penalties. Further, it should be clarified that certain necessary activities performed by a cemetery authority are exempted from the definitions of misconduct…

PRINCIPLES

It should be a criminal offense for a person to knowingly vandalize or desecrate an interment space including the removal of any portion of human remains.

It should be a criminal offense for a person to act without proper legal authority in the removal or alteration of any memorial, plant, tree, shrub, flower, fence, rail, curb, or other structure of a similar character intended for the protection or ornamentation of any interment space or other area clearly designed to preserve and perpetuate the memory of a deceased person or group of persons, whether located within or outside a cemetery…

More on Queen Tiye: Note: 1:12-3:00.

Homes of the rich elite who collect stolen artifacts–as well as museums like the British Museum, should be labeled crime scenes.

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1325

An Islamic cleric in the Middle East calling for followers of Islam to refrain from engaging in violence against members of the LGBTQ community, may seem belated and insignificant. However, given the extreme violence the LGBTQ community faces in the Middle East, the following article is welcome and significant.

…HRW has documented “serious abuses” by various Iraqi groups, including Sadrists, against LGBT people, who have become a social community in the country. The human rights organization said, “We hope this [new stance by Sadr] will change behavior in successors to the Mahdi Army and other ranks and spur the government to hold accountable those who commit these crimes.”…

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Hey @khepra, these aren’t kemetic, but I thought you might like them:

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1327

Bonhoeffer was a real dude?

Name one blog post by the guy. I’ve looked all over the Internet Archive and…

We can’t expect the same evidence in the 1st century as in the 21st century. Paper-making hadn’t been invented yet. Many papyrus documents survive from Aegyptus, maybe 1 document out of every 1,000,000, but not nearly as many survive from the rest of the Roman world. Most people don’t have that kind of documentation. Even Spartacus, who led an armed revolt in the middle of the Roman world, doesn’t have the kind of documentation you’re asking for. Cicero gives a speech, against Verres, insisting that Verres made up the threat. Sallust covered the revolt in his histories, but they’re lost, and only excepts in later works survive.

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Interesting, :hushed:

Hey, the mythical female deity looks like Vivica A. Fox.

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In celebration of the Sun, :sunglasses: our life giving force on Earth–"Happy Fall (Autumnal) Equinox.:slight_smile:

Today as during the Spring (Vernal) Equinox, the Sun will rise and set, centered in the middle of the horizon–forming a celestial cross, as it appears to crucify the horizon.

As mentioned in the original post to this topic, the crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus is interestingly similar to what happens during the Summer Solstice, Spring (Vernal) Equinox, Fall (Autumnal) Equinox and Winter Solstice.

Another interesting similarity with the equinoxes and solstices is the years that separate the chosen dates for the existence of the great religious figures: Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad.

As the late educator, historian and author Ivan Van Sertima pointed out–the world’s great religious figures previously mentioned–all are born or die approximately, at or around 600 years apart, similar to the equinoxes and solstices being 6 months apart.

Unlike some other Afrocentic scholars, Dr. Van Sertima believed in the existence of Jesus, and offered some interesting hypotheses. Was the creator sending his message to earth in different forms approximately, at or around every 600 years?

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Sekhmet, Isis and Hillary :princess::no_good::woman: vs Trump. :mask:

No coughing, wobbling or collapsing on the part of Hillary Clinton last night.

Could it be the African-Kemetc/Anu goddesses of nature, protection, retribution and spells, the protectors of pharaohs like the beloved, respected and revered Queen Hetshepsut, used incantations to instead inflict Donald Trump last night?

Could these female goddesses be attempting to sway the election, thus allowing Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton to become a modern day female pharoah–as the 45th President of the United States?

May the goddesses continue to intervene and watch over Hillary.

…Isis was worshipped as the ideal mother and wife as well as the patroness of nature and magic… Isis is also known as protector of…and goddess of children…

The name Isis means “Throne”. Her headdress is a throne. As the personification of the throne, she was an important representation of the pharaoh’s power.

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This world would be better without religion. Below is a current example.

Separation of church and state is under attack in this 2016 presidential election–and is being grossly under-reported and ignored by the mainstream media.

In a statement, Trump confirmed he would sign the so-called First Amendment Defence Act, which bans the government from taking any “action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognised as the union of one man and one woman, or that sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”

The broadly written law would effectively legalise all discrimination against LGBT people in all sectors – from employment to retail to healthcare – as long as the person discriminating claims it was due to their religion.

Thank goodness for the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Section 1.

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

14th Amendment

The Fourteenth Amendment addresses many aspects of citizenship and the rights of citizens. The most commonly used – and frequently litigated – phrase in the amendment is “equal protection of the laws”, which figures prominently in a wide variety of landmark cases, including Brown v. Board of Education (racial discrimination), Roe v. Wade (reproductive rights), Bush v. Gore (election recounts), Reed v. Reed (gender discrimination), and University of California v. Bakke (racial quotas in education).

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Here is an interesting website that allows people to play along, and answer questions to find out what mythical African-Kemetic (Egyptian) god or goddess they are.

What Kemetic god or goddess are you?

Are you a reincarnation of a Kemetic deity? :scream: