Foxy,

I also have a copy of Thiering's book. Overall I found it less than convincing but likewise a valuable read. I particular I found her explanations of how the Jews would have understood the virgin birth to be insightful and interesting.

Equally her exploration of the Essene practice of having multiple ways of understanding a particular text was important. (it was mainly this insight that I was thinking of when I wrote my earlier satirical piece to Op2 about 'Animal Farm' ).

However I think she went a little (a lot?) to far with her discoveries and when she started talking of Jesus being the Wicked Priest of the Dead Sea Scrolls, I think she lost a fair bit of credibility. Nonetheless, Australia was worse for her passing a few years back.

If you're interested in this type of thing, another book you might like to track down is The Secret Life Of Jesus by Robert Macklin written around the same time as Theiring's book. Again, an insightful reappraisal of what we know about Jesus from the Bible, the various gospels that didn't make the grade at Nicaea and other texts. To my way of thinking a more satisfying though less well-known book than Theiring's. In it he, for example, using the Talmud to speculate that Jesus was sired by a negro Roman soldier and that this (being mulatto) would explain why he was something of an outcast in Jewish society. Lots of similar things to ponder.

OK I have been away from news media and the internet for a while but have just had the chance to scour the news sights for the mass healings of disabled people due to your prayers NNS...

Nope not one!

So I thought that perhaps the media were in shock and couldn't cope so I went to see a disabled person in our lives...Nope still disabled!

I'm starting to worry that you guys are making Jesus sound like a liar when it is your lies about your faith that is sabotaging the healings..

Is your lack of real faith the problem?

Jesus said he will do anything and everything you ask...So what is stopping you.

Let me remind you

Jesus said

John 14:12-14 Very truly I tell you, WHOEVER BELIEVES IN ME (JESUS) will do the works I (JESUS) have been doing, and THEY (You guys) WILL DO EVEN GREATER THINGS THAN THESE, because I (JESUS) am going to the Father.

And WHATSOEVER YE (You believers) SHALL ASK IN MY (JESUS') NAME, THAT I (JESUS) WILL DO, that the Father (GOD) may be glorified in the Son (JESUS).

If ye (You believers) shall ask ANY THING IN MY (JESUS') NAME, I (JESUS) WILL DO IT.

Maybe Jesus is so ashamed of all of your lack of faith, all of your believing in the Trinity and all of the rubbish you guys say that he has given up on mankind and you believers have caused it!

Earlier you asked NNS is there truly any innocents in the world because you had difficulty believing your God would drown an innocent.

Babies are innocent NNS... Children are innocent NNS and the flood never happened so God drowned no-one!

Perhaps it is thoughts like you had there that shows that God has given up on humans!

Why do you hate God so much by believing the lies in the Bible against God!

The writers of the Bible were Psychopaths, Sociopaths and manically depressed individuals. Perhaps we should let Churches and Church goers have free board and lodgings in no longer used nutfarms...lmao

Happy Healings!

Op2.

Do you really have to shout so much?

//Do you really have to shout so much?//

Have you ever come across those people who shout on street corners? There's one that roams about near my TAFE. Sometimes she shouts at thin air, and sometimes she's sufficiently coherent to ask you for 'three dollars to catch the bus'. Which I always refuse (because I don't believe she intends to catch the bus at all), after which she shouts abuse at my receding back.

That's Opinionated2. He's the crazy guy that you cross to the other side of the street to avoid. Not so much because you're worried he'll take a funny turn and attack you, but more because you're worried that his flying specks of spittle will give you the pox.

Is...I type in capitals to highlight...Do you have to try and defend your churches coverup of child abuse so much?...Turn the other cheek like I do to you!...lmao

No healings on the news still...You believers aren't very good at what you are supposed to be able to do through your faith.

With all the lecturing you do, it seems you really don't have the faith of a grain of mustard seed!...lol

So what does Jesus, say regarding why you ALL failed?

Matthew 17:19-20 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

And Jesus said unto them, BECAUSE OF YOUR UNBELIEF: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE UNTO YOU.

So it is the believers lack of faith and belief that fails them,...BUT...they won't tell the truth and take responsibility themselves!

THE BIBLE ALWAYS PROVES THEM WRONG!

See the Bible always proves believers wrong...NNS referred to God as "the God I know"...so I guess he doesn't know him all that well, if at all...lol

Now let's address this "soon" word in NNS's name and in the Bible regarding Jesus' return...More BS dressed up as Bible fact!

Ask...Can you give me a timeline for that... Usually everyone says "soon"?

But doesn't that mean Jesus lied to us?

Revelation 3:11...I am coming SOON Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.

AND THEN IT IS REPEATED IN

Revelations 22:12...“Behold, I am coming SOON, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.

How long is soon? Using this verse and others has confused so many people. The Apostles expected Jesus' return in their lives...BUT that didn't happen.

Mark 13:30...Verily I say unto you, that THIS GENERATION shall not pass, till all these things be done.

Who could blame the disciples for believing this when Jesus said that.

Cont...Soon...lol

Dear mhaze,

Thank You for the book reference.

I shall definitely try to hold of it.

It is a subject in which I am very interested.