Nazareth- The Town Theology Built

[Immortal4life]

Nazareth- the town theology built

Video about it-

 

It would seem that recently here a debate has sprung up about whether Jesus was an historical person, and how much of his story is true and how much is made up. Here are some interesting links which talk about an interesting issue about Jesus. What if there was no Nazareth at that time, or, what if he wasn't really there? According to historical and archaeological evidence, it did not exist historically at the time period of Jesus or until after the 4th century. While human settlements have been found in the area dating back as far as 9000 years and hardcore "Christian" historians claim them as proof of Nazareth, nothing has been found to prove the existence of an actual city called Nazareth, or even a settlement called Nazareth, at the time of Jesus. No roads,villas, theatres, and especially noteworthy....no synagogues!

Modern Scholarship has found many instances where the modern bible contains bad translations from the original greek texts. One example is the mistranslation "Jesus of Nazareth". This became mistranslated into being understood as Jesus coming from the town of "Nazareth". However, modern archaeology shows that no such town existed at that time. We now know the proper translatation was "Jesus the Nazarene", meaning Jesus the Essene. The Essenes were a third group of Monastic Jews who would live in Monasteries near the Dead Sea in Jesus' day, who's teachings were at odds with those of the Saducees and Pharisees in the Jerusalem Temple of the time.-
Nazareth – The Town that Theology Built

 

However when we look for historical confirmation of this hometown of a god – surprise, surprise! – no other source confirms that the place even existed in the 1st century AD.

• Nazareth is not mentioned even once in the entire Old Testament. The Book of Joshua (19.10,16) – in what it claims is the process of settlement by the tribe of Zebulon in the area – records twelve towns and six villages and yet omits any 'Nazareth' from its list.

• The Talmud, although it names 63 Galilean towns, knows nothing of Nazareth, nor does early rabbinic literature.

• St Paul knows nothing of 'Nazareth'. Rabbi Solly's epistles (real and fake) mention Jesus 221 times, Nazareth not at all.

• No ancient historian or geographer mentions Nazareth. It is first noted at the beginning of the 4th century.

None of this would matter of course if, rather like at the nearby 'pagan' city of Sepphoris, we could stroll through the ruins of 1st century bath houses, villas, theatres etc. Yet no such ruins exist.

Textual Analysis-

 

 

The expression 'Jesus of Nazareth' is actually a bad translation of the original Greek 'Jesous o Nazoraios'. More accurately, we should speak of 'Jesus the Nazarene' where Nazarene has a meaning quite unrelated to a place name. But just what is that meaning and how did it get applied to a small village? The highly ambiguous Hebrew root of the name is NZR.

The 2nd century gnostic Gospel of Philip offers this explanation:

'The apostles that came before us called him Jesus Nazarene the Christ ..."Nazara" is the "Truth". Therefore 'Nazarene' is "The One of the Truth" ...'
(Gospel of Philip, 47)

What we do know is that 'Nazarene' was originally the name of an early Jewish-Christian sect – a faction, or off-shoot, of the Essenes. They had no particular relation to a city of Nazareth. The root of their name may have been 'Truth' or it may have been the Hebrew noun 'netser' ('netzor'), meaning 'branch' or 'flower.' The plural of 'Netzor' becomes 'Netzoreem.'

History-

 

 

The Town that Theology Built

In the 3rd century Church Father Origen knew the gospel story of the city of Nazareth – yet had no clear idea where it was – even though he lived at Caesarea, barely thirty miles from the present town! Even in Origen's day, as the Church became more institutionalised, intense rivalry was developing between the patriarchs of Caesarea and Jerusalem. This rivalry was only resolved (in Jerusalem's favour) at Chalcedon in 451. Part of the rivalry centred on control of 'Holy places'. Hence, 'finding' the lost city of Nazareth was a matter of major importance,

Perambulating to the rescue, in the early 4th century, came the 80-year-old dowager Empress Helena. Preparing the way for an imminent meeting with her maker with a program of 'Works', she made a conscience-salving pilgrimage to Palestine. In the area of Nazareth she could find nothing but an ancient well – in fact the only water source in the area (which in itself demolishes the idea there was ever a 'city' ). No doubt encouraged by canny locals, Helena promptly labelled the hole in the ground 'Mary's Well' and had a small basilica built over the spot. Conveniently, the gospels had failed to make clear exactly where Mary had been when the archangel Gabriel had come calling. Thus the Well site acquired local support for the divine visitation and Nazareth acquired its first church.

Helena created the pilgrimage business which has never ceased.

The evidence for a 1st century town of Nazareth does not exist – not literary, not archaeological, and not historical. It is an imaginary city for an imaginary god-man.

 

 

Some have argued that the absence of textual references to Nazareth in the Old Testament and the Talmud, as well as the works of Josephus, suggest that a town called 'Nazareth' did not exist in Jesus' day. Proponents of this hypothesis, which was first raised in the nineteenth century, have also argued this on the basis of linguistic, literary and archaeological interpretations

Ancient Nazareth may have built on the hillside, as indicated in the Gospel of Luke: [And they led Jesus] to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw him down headlong.[Lk. 4:29] However, the hill in question (the Nebi Sa'in) is far too steep for ancient dwellings and averages a 14% grade in the venerated area.

Noteworthy is that all the post-Iron Age tombs in the Nazareth basin (approximately two dozen) are of the kokh (plural:kokhim) or later types; this type probably first appeared in Galilee in the middle of the first century AD.

Ever since the nineteenth century some scholars and writers have questioned the traditional view that Nazareth was the home of Jesus. They base this conclusion on several distinct grounds:

Linguistic: Some scholars including Rudolf Bultmann believe that the New Testament term "Nazoraios cannot be derived from Nazareth."

Literary. W. B. Smith wrote: "The 'city called Nazareth' seems to be a geographical imagination; it is unmentioned in the Old Testament, in the Talmud, in
Josephus, or in the Apocrypha." F. Zindler has noted that "No ancient historians or geographers mention before the beginning of the fourth century."

Religious. O. Cullmann wrote that "According to Acts 24:5 not only Jesus, but also the Christians were called NAZORAIOI; it would certainly be unusual if they were referred to as "people from Nazareth. This makes it probable that originally, prior to the connection with the name of the locality Nazareth, the term [Nazorean] was the name of a Jewish sect or heresy derived from the root "observe" [nun-tsade-resh], and meaning "observant," "devotee," a term later used of the Christians.

 

So to be sure, Jesus did exist as a real spiritual teacher. He was an Essene teacher. An Essene teacher who was to come out and teach a bit more publically to succeed and surpass Jon the Baptist who was also an Essene.

Video clips about their beliefs and life-

 

Jesus, Jon the Baptist, and their connections to the Essenes-

 

Information and introduction-

 

 

 

The Essenes were a third religious sect during the time of Christ that lived away from the towns. Instead they lived in simple communities. The Essenes practiced the seventh day sabbath, believed in reincarnation, non-violence to all living creatures and the sharing of all material possesions. They were uninvolved in the politics of the Sadducees and Pharisees and shunned publicity. Because of the discovery of dead sea scroll material, this ancient sect and their teachings are back alive. The dead sea scrolls were hidden by this ancient people long ago in the caves of Qumram. Josephus writing around 80 A.D. said that the Essenes were Jews by birth but seemed to have a greater affection for one another than they did for the Pharisees and Sadducees. Their piety toward God was extraordinary. They wore chitw garments. They used no profanity. They were ministers of peace and they spent a great deal of time studying the writings of the ancients.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1945, yet it took 50 years for the information to leak out about thes extraordinary people. What was so shocking to the scholars who examined the ancient documents was that there was a community of people practicing Christianity, or something very close to it, for at least 200 years before the time of Christ. Both the practice of baptism and of the sharing of the wine are recorded as part of their practices long before Jesus and John the Baptist popularized them.

 

 

History page
1st Century Timeline (CE 1 to 100)

The Essenes were known to dress in White robes. And yet at times wore regular clothes.

Some sites with info about the Essenes
The Order of Nazorean Essenes
Dead Sea Scrolls, Essenes - Crystalinks
http://www.edgarcayce.org/are/ancient_mysteries.aspx
http://www.edgarcayceaustralia.com/soul07.html
http://essenes.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=310&Itemid=690
The Essenes - The Essene New Testament - The Gospel of The Holy Twelve (12) - The Gospel Of Perfect Life

Actual historical acount by a scholar from the time of the Essenes. It doesn't mean everything is exactly accurate, but these historians lived in the same time period
http://www.bib-arch.org/e-features/josephus-essenes.asp
http://www.religiousstudies.uncc.edu/JDTAB...OR/DSSEssay.htm

Some historical quotes-

 

 

 

 

They possess nothing of their own, not house, field, slave nor flocks, nor anything which feeds and procures wealth. They live together in brotherhoods, and eat in common together. Everything they do is for the common good of the group. They work at many different jobs and attack their work with amazing zeal and dedication, working from before sunrise to almost sunset without complaint, but in obvious exhilaration. Their exercise is their work. Indeed, they believe their own training to be more agreeable to body and soul, and more lasting, than athletic games, since their exercises remain fitted to their age, even when the body no longer possesses its full strength"

"They neither buy nor sell anything among themselves. They give to each other freely and feel no need to repay anything in exchange. Before sunrise they recite certain ancestral prayers to the sun as though entreating it to rise. They work until about 11 A.M. when they put on ritual loincloths and bathe for purification. Then they enter a communal hall,where no one else is allowed,and eat only one bowlful of food for each man, ! together with their loaves of bread. They eat in silence. Afterwards they lay aside their sacred garment and go back to work until the evening. At evening they partake dinner in the same manner. During meals they are sober and quiet and their silence seems a great mystery to people outside. Their food and drink are so measured out that they are satisfied but no more. They see bodily pleasure as sinful. On the whole they do nothing unless ordered by their superiors, but two things they are allowed to do on their own discretion: to help those 'worthy of help', and to offer food to the needy. They are not allowed, however, to help members of their own families without permission from superiors. They are very careful not to exhibit their anger, carefully controlling such outbursts. They are very loyal and are peacemakers. They refuse to swear oaths, believing every word they speak to be stronger than an oath. They are scrupulous students of the ancient literature. They are ardent students in the healing of diseases, of the roots offering protection, and of the properties of stones. Those desiring to enter the sect are not allowed immediate entrance. They are made to wait outside for a period of one year."

"They believe that their souls are immortal, but that their bodies are corruptible. They believe the soul is trapped in the body and is freed with death. "

"Some of the Essenes became expert in forecasting the future."

"When they enter the sect, they must surrender all of their money and possessions into the common fund, to be put at the disposal of everyone; one single property for the whole group. Therefore neither the humiliation of poverty nor the pride of possession is to be seen anywhere among them."

 

The first reference to the Essenes comes from Josephus, writing about the death of Antigonus in 103 B.C. Josephus relates that the Essenes had an uncanny ability to successfully predict future events, and that the death of Antigonus at the hands of his brother, Aristobulus, ruler of Judea, had been accurately forecast by an Essene named Judas. (2.)

Josephus states that 'Judas was an Essene born and bred, indicating that he had been born into the movement at least a few decades earlier.

Also, what we know from the Dead Sea Scrolls-

 

Their theology was dominated by apocalyptic ideas, in which there were confrontations between God (the power of light) and Belial (the power of the earth and darkness). The Essenes saw themselves as the soldiers of God, and they prepared for participation in battle.

 

Jesus the Nazarene








Jesus Christ Teacher of Righteousness


Buddha

Mudras & Hand Symbolism--the Power of Mudras Part 1: What Are Mudras?

Real Taoists incorporate Mudra


An article talking about those types of portraits a little bit-
The Human Energy Field in Relation to Science, Consciousness, and Health

 

 

 

5000 years ago, ancient spiritual tradition of India spoke of a universal source of all life. The energy called prana. This universal energy is the breath of life moves through all forms to give them life. Yogis work with this energy with breathing techniques, meditation, and physical exercise to produce altered states of consciousness and longevity
3,000 years ago, the ancient Qigong masters in China were practicing their meditative discipline to balance and invigorate the human energy field. They called this vital energy that pervades all forms, both animate and inanimate, Qi. The Qi is the vital energy of the body; while gong means the skill of moving this Qi and working with it. Practitioners use mind control to move and control the Qi to not only improve health and longevity, but also to enhance awareness, psychic powers, and spiritual development. The ancient Qigong masters also developed Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and the martial arts. In addition, they made the first model for acupuncture. Acupuncturists insert needles, or use moxa, or put magnets at specific acupuncture points to balance the yin and yang of the human energy field. When the Qi is balanced, the entity has good health. When the Qi is unbalanced, the entity has poor or impaired health.
The Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical teachings written about 538 B.C., calls these energies the astral light. Later on, Christian paintings and sculptures show a halo around the head of Christ and other spiritual leaders. Similarly, we see this halo on statues and paintings of Buddha, and also see energy or light coming from the fingers of many of the gods of India.

 

Edited January 18, 2013 by Immortal4life

[Immortal4life]

Jesus in India

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvGXsHsFRlc&eur

 

Some stuff on the "Tomb of Jesus" in Kashmir-

http://www.tombofjesus.com/home.htm

 

Another article-

http://www.forteantimes.com/articles/183_j...esuseast1.shtml

 

So basically what it says, is that high level scholars are saying there is a Jewish grave in Kashmir India, about 1900 to 2000 years old, about the right time period. It has carved feet imprints at the grave, but the carved imprints have crucifix wounds. It is certainly feasable since we know that Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, made it to India. Paul made it very far as well in the opposite direction.

 

And that there are legitimate eastern historical texts which tell of stories of a teacher from the west who was tortured by his people but then came east at that time.

 

The wise men came from the east, which is extremely interesting since when a great Buddhist, or Lama, dies, those of his order consult the stars to find out where he will be reincarnated. Jesus spent time in Egypt perhaps as well.

 

Of course there will be many stories and rumors about the "lost years" of Jesus' life, most point to the east

ATMA JYOTI ASHRAM - Unknown Life of Christ - Nicholas Notovitch

The Unknown Life of Jesus Christ

Nicholas Notovich

 

Editor's Introduction

 

In 1887, a Russian, Nicholas Notovich, journeyed to India to study Hindu culture. (Today we would call him an anthropologist.) Eventually Notovich arrived in Ladakh on the northern border of India, from whence he intended to return to Russia through Karakorum and Chinese Turkestan. While in Ladakh he was told by the abbot of a Buddhist monastery that manuscripts recording the life of Jesus were to be found in Lhasa-at that time absolutely closed to any "white" man, as was the entire country of Tibet. Despite this prohibition, Notovich determined to force his way to Lhasa in search of the rumored records. While still in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, Notovich visited the monastery of Himis and spoke with its abbot. When he asked the abbot if he knew anything of Isha, was amazed to receive this reply:

 

"The name of Isha is held in great respect by the Buddhists, But little is known about him save by the chief lamas, who have read the scrolls relative to his life....Among [the manuscripts of our monastery library] are to be found descriptions of the life and acts of the Buddha Isha, who preached the holy doctrine in India and among the children of Israel and who was put to death by the pagans, whose descendants have since embraced the tenets he then propagated,....

 

"The great Buddha, Soul of the Universe is the incarnation of Brahma. He remains almost always in passivity, preserving within himself all things from the beginning of time, and his breath vivifies the world. Having abandoned man to his own resources, he yet at certain epochs comes forth from his inertia, taking upon himself a human form to save his creatures from irremediable ruin.

 

"During his earthly existence, Buddha crates a new world among his scattered people. And after having fulfilled his task, he leaves the earth to reassume his invisible condition and his life of perfect bliss.

 

"Three thousand years ago, the great Buddha became incarnate in the celebrated prince Sakyamuni, thus continuing the scheme of his twenty incarnations....Simultaneously with the advent of Buddhism in China, its tenets were diffused amongst the Israelites [by Isha].

 

"Nearly two thousand years ago the perfect Being, again breaking through his state of inaction, became incarnate in the newborn infant of a poor family. It was his will that a child in simple words should enlighten the ignorant as to the life eternal-by his own example, bringing men back to the ways of truth in setting before them the paths most surely leading to the attainment of moral purity.

 

"When the holy child was still a boy, he was taken to India, where until manhood he studied the laws of the great Buddha who dwells eternally in heaven....

 

"The documents [about Isha] brought from India to Nepal and from Nepal to Tibet concerning his existence are written in the Pali language and are now in Lhasa. But a copy in our language-that is, the Tibetan-exists in this monastery."

 

More info about Jesus and his knowledge-

http://www.atlantisrising.com/backissues/issue3/ar3dsscroll.html

Other evidence tells us that Jesus taught the initiatic mysteries, the science of immortality, like the great Eastern mystics. In 1958 at a Greek Orthodox monastery in the Judaean desert, Morton Smith discovered a letter written in A.D. 200 by Clement of Alexandria. The letter speaks of a secret gospel of Mark, a more spiritual gospel, Clement writes ... read only to those who are being initiated into the great mysteries. This intriguing letter, written long before Eusebius, speaks of a secret mystical tradition without nationalistic borders. That Jesus taught and participated in this tradition is more than likely. So doing, he, in all likelihood, was no slave to regional agendas, rising beyond symbols of relative good and evil, Jew and Gentile, while fiercely opposed to spiritual evil embodied in corrupt priests.

 

 

There have been found Gospels of other Disciples, not just the ones in the modern Bible. Ultimately the teacher of it all is Jesus, and the first copy ever of the NT Bible was written by Jesus. It is not surpirsing that he would write about all his disciples, or that his disciples would also translate them and write down their notes on his teachings and pass them down. Even other simple texts like dietary teachings were once included.

 

Gospel of Mary Magdalene- Banned from the Bible

Gospels banned from the bible 10 of 14 (by TRB)

 

Video about the Gospel of Judas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6x0IWw1-74E&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ufnag3YeoM&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTSPm_dWqIU&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC5t0DfK5NU&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6XYJLUXqtc&mode=related&search=

 

Gospels of Judas and Mary Magdalene

The Gospel According to Mary Magdalene

?Gospel of Judas? offers contrarian view of Jesus - Science- msnbc.com

Edited December 5, 2011 by Immortal4life

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

Two poles to address.

 

Positive, let's say yang pole :

 

Good to let people know how much truth there is to it, and how much is misrepresented, or misconstrued, or mistranslated. Keep the truth true.

 

 

Negative, or yin:

 

Oversensationalization of anything is a bad and harmful means of presentation. easy to lose your audience, easy to convey the wrong message, easy to create zealots.

 

 

So... let's just slow your roll. you're on to a lot of things, but maybe... too much so.

[Immortal4life]

Negative, or yin:

 

Oversensationalization of anything is a bad and harmful means of presentation. easy to lose your audience, easy to convey the wrong message, easy to create zealots.

 

 

So... let's just slow your roll. you're on to a lot of things, but maybe... too much so.

 

The key word here is oversensationalization.

 

The problem with that word is who decides what is "over" sensationalized, and what is the proper amount? The truth is I like things to be somewhat sensational. I have no patience for boring, textbook, or uncontroversial conversations. Way too many people these days expect information to be written in a bland, technical, cold, and dry fashion with no passion or excitement involved. This is not my way.

 

I like things to be open ended, I like there to be a wide range of directions a discussion might go. I like people to take the things that particularly interest them, and that is going to be different for each individual person.

 

Yes, too much information can lose people, but I believe it is better than giving too little. There is also something to be said for information, can there really be too much? Again, each person decides themselves what to focus on.

 

What is the wrong message? If I made people think, made them happy, gave people validation, made them upset, made them uncomfortable, it doesn't matter. That's all good to me.

 

While the word "zealot" is often written with a negative connotation, it is not necessarily a bad thing. it can be a good thing. For example, if I watch a football game, I want those guys to go out there, and attack the opponents with Zeal. I like to have zeal in my life.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Immortal4life

[Vanir Thunder Dojo Tan]

I personally think intentional sensation is overdone.

 

If you're trying to grab people's attention, sensation does the trick, but what is the necessity of it?

 

Sensation isnt unnecessary, but intentional sensation, to me, is oversensational.

 

Stick with what is, naturally, dont worry about the fictious. If it's political, sometimes, i agree, things need to gain attention, but the better way to do that, in my opinion, is not to sensationalize the good bit, but to desensationalize the unnecessary bit.

In the case of jesus...?

 

*YAWWWWN*

 

lemelone.

[Dainin]

Especially noteworthy for the pre-Frampton use of the voice-box thing and the massive COWBELL!

 

 

[Immortal4life]

I personally think intentional sensation is overdone.

 

If you're trying to grab people's attention, sensation does the trick, but what is the necessity of it?

 

To me the necessity is to put the information in the frame and context that is memorable.

 

 

Sensation isnt unnecessary, but intentional sensation, to me, is oversensational.

 

Stick with what is, naturally, dont worry about the fictious. If it's political, sometimes, i agree, things need to gain attention, but the better way to do that, in my opinion, is not to sensationalize the good bit, but to desensationalize the unnecessary bit.

 

Maybe you are right. But I don't think you are. Instead of tearing down what we don't like, why not build up what we do like?

 

In the case of jesus...?

 

*YAWWWWN*

 

lemelone.

 

That is your opinion, and yes, others may share this opinion. However, I have found that the subject of religion is actually far from boring for a lot of people. In fact, it can create some of the strongest reactions in people.

 

A lot of people are interested in Jesus, especially around this time of year.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Immortal4life

[Immortal4life]

Hot Nirvana Judo trend, after thinking about what you said a bit more, I think there is soemthing to it.

 

When it comes to Spirituality or Religion, I actually agree, you must be very careful not to sensationalize too much, or make it too much into a show. Spirituality is different than most subjects, and it shold not be oversensationalized.

Edited December 6, 2011 by Immortal4life

[Shizukanako]

 

While human settlements have been found in the area dating back as far as 9000 years and hardcore "Christian" historians claim them as proof of Nazareth, nothing has been found to prove the existence of an actual city called Nazareth, or even a settlement called Nazareth, at the time of Jesus. No roads,villas, theatres, and especially noteworthy....no synagogues!

 

 

Nazareth would not have had any major ammenities, because it was pretty much a slum, from what I've learned. John 1:45-46 kind of corroborates this: "45Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." 46Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."

 

静かな子

[michael245]

Check this funny video of a christian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STFT0C5Hu8M

Edited December 7, 2011 by michael245

[Immortal4life]

We have to be very, very, careful when attempting to use biblical texts as historical references. The bible is not a history book, and seperating historical events from mythology in the bible is a difficult task.

 

In many cases modern scholars have found that accounts of Jesus' life in the bible were added in much later, perhaps sometimes even hundreds of years after the text was first written. For example, the story of the woman who Jesus saved from being stoned to death, it has been proven that was added in later and never actually happened.