Posts filed under 'Religion On The Web'
RENEW International has revitalized followers faith in parishes and communities all over the world. It has helped more than 25 million American citizens and parishioners in 22 countries experience the miraculous transformation of living in Gods grace. RENEW International shows its ministry how to live according to Scripture and to strengthen their relationship with God.
RENEW International is a non-profit Catholic organization, which is based in the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ and reaches individuals in spiritual need all over the world. It originated from the compassionate vision of Msgr. Tom Kleissler and Msgr. Tom Ivory. They had the idea of a revitalized Church with laypersons deeply involved and committed to parish, civic, and global issues. The leadership of RENEW International believed people would be better supported if divided into small communities and this model became the base for many highly successful programs. Small groups furnish the chance for individuals to ascertain to live the gospel, as individuals and together as a community.
Through RENEW International, people discover to trust and support one another as they gather to study, reflect, and pray. Participants of RENEW International curricula experience a rejuvenated spirit. They become more committed, fulfilled Catholics with a stronger kinship with God.
March 13th, 2010
Which consequence is most likely as an account of the Star of Bethlehem counts on which year is granted as the year Jesus was born. Matthew wrote that Jesus was born during the time of Herod. According to Josephus, Herod passed away shortly after a lunar eclipse. This is ordinarily known as the eclipse of March 13, 4 BC. Coins released by Herod’s replacements record that they dated their reigns as beginning in 4 BC.
Corresponding to Matthew’s story, Jesus must have been born sometime between the beginning appearance of the Star of Bethlehem and the time the magi came in Herod’s court. As Herod prescribed the execution of boys age 2 and subordinate, the star must have caused its initial appearance within the previous two years. There was, however, no Roman census in 64 BC.
The Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, is a star in Christian custom that purportedly unveiled the birth of Jesus to the magi (or “wise men”) and later led them to Bethlehem. According to the Gospel of Matthew, the magi were gentlemen “from the east” who were inspired by the appearance of the star to journey to Jerusalem in search of a king of the Jews. There they touched King Herod of Judea, who educated them that the child they sought was in Bethlehem, a nearby village. While the magi traveled to Bethlehem, the star came along again. Following the star, it arrived this time above the place where Jesus was born. The magi acquired Jesus with his mother, consecrated him homage, revered him and gave gifts. They then returned to their “own country”.
The episode is especially appreciated at planetarium shows during the Christmas holiday season, although the Biblical account suggests that the visit of the magi took place at least several months after Jesus was born.
December 10th, 2009
Why do we differ on Passover and Pentecost? Is it because our
Father God left us in the dark? Has the God of law and order
left us in chaos and confusion? Are we unable to “prove all
things” from the Scriptures - as we’re commanded - because we’re
unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the correct dates to
observe God’s holy days? DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?
Since there are many questions on this holy subject, we must
start from the premise that God’s Word is true, consistent and
does not contradict itself (John 10:35) We must look for those
basic Scriptures that are black and white and build our biblical
case upon them. Such supportive Scriptures are actually
abundantly available and the biblical evidence is
overwhelming! Let us shine the Light of God’s Word on our
prayerful study with open minds, hearts and Bibles (Isa. 8:20;
John 3:19-21; Acts 17:11).
The apostle Paul was inspired to write for the record that “the
oracles of God” were committed to the Jews. The sacred
calendar is clearly a part of “the oracles of God” (Ex. 12:2;
Lev. 23:4). The purpose of the sacred calendar is for the
Jews to determine and declare when the holy days of God
are to be observed.
Jesus clearly revealed which Jews were responsible for these
holy matters. Jesus declared that “the scribes and the
PHARISEES sit in Moses’ seat” of AUTHORITY (Matt. 23:2).
God has ordained that the Jews preserve His Word on the Law,
Prophets and Writings - despite themselves (Rom. 3:2-3). God
will not renege on giving Judah this special calling and
precious gift (Gen. 49:10, Rom. 11:29).
God has also ordained that Church officials can make binding
decisions based upon biblical legal precedents, affecting
Church issues (such as discussed in Acts 15 at the
Jerusalem council of elders), that do not undermine the
foundation of the Church - the Law and the Prophets (Rom. 11;18;
Eph. 2:20). God has not given Church leaders a license to “kill”
the brethren by destroying them doctrinally, uprooting and
overturning foundational truths, or “playing God” by stealing
divine prerogatives! (Matt. 5:17, 19; 2 Thess. 2:3-4).
The correct dates to observe God’s holy days should not be a
Church issue, having been settled by God thousands of years ago
and preserved throughout the ages by faithful Jews.
So why do we differ on Passover and Pentecost? Because some have
refused, rejected, denied and attempted to dismiss the
biblical testimony! (Rom. 1:18; 3 John 9-10). We don’t
differ because God’s forgotten or neglected to properly instruct
His children in His ways (Deut. 6:7). We don’t differ because
we’re unable to prove from the Scriptures, beyond a reasonable
doubt, what’s right and what’s wrong.
“Come now and let us reason together, saith the LORD” (Isa.
1:18), “for the LORD has a controversy with His people, and He
will plead with Israel” (Micah 6:2).
We differ because some have questioned God’s right to choose the
Jews to preserve the Bible and doubt God’s ability to see that
they fulfill their serious responsibility (Ex. 4:11; Isa. 45:9).
We differ because some won’t submit to the biblical fact
that Jesus clearly decreed that the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat
and attempt to usurp that authority by forcibly installing the
Sadducees in that position instead. God destroyed the power-base
of the Sadducees when the Temple was destroyed but preserved the
Pharisees. The Sadducees are history! We must make sure that we
support God’s chosen and not find ourselves in the enemy camp.
(I Kgs. 2:27,35; Acts 5:39).
God’s Church, as a general rule, has stubbornly followed the
blind Sadducean dates for Passover and Pentecost. That is to our
shame! We must reject the rebellious traditions of men for the
commandments of God, otherwise God will reject us as His
Priest-King (Mark 7:7-9; 1 Sam. 15:23). It’s that serious!
Some, knowing better, continue to enjoy bitter strife and
envying, getting caught up in proud personality clashes rather
than humbling themselves before the Word of God ( 2 Tim.
2:23-26; Jas. 3:13-18). Truth is truth. It shouldn’t be a matter
of “I’m right and you’re wrong,” but what does God’s Word say?
God is truth. None of us owns the truth, only God does. Any
truth that we might have God’s revealed it to us (1 Cor. 4:6-7).
We’re not to take credit for it - all credit goes to God (2 Cor.
4:7).
Thankfully, a growing number of the brethren are beginning to
see that the Bible does prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, which
holy dates God would have us to observe. Therefore, may we
celebrate God’s holy days as He would have us to - “in spirit
and in truth” - and praise Him for restoring this truth
to His Church!
May 25th, 2008
Sharia (Islamic) Law has been a hot topic of debate for Canadians. Many Canadians are opposed to the implementation of Sharia because of misperceptions about flogging, decapitations and potential abuse towards women. However few have discussed the where if any in Canada a lending institute must certify their mortgages as Islamic.
Currently there is no Sharia board that represents all Muslims in the Canadian banking system. Each Islamic bank may or may not have their own Sharia board which gives their collective opinion as to the Sharia compliance of a particular home purchasing program. Furthermore, different schools of thought exist in determination if some act is in accordance with Sharia or not.
Lending institutions have to determine exactly what Sharia compliant is and what is not. Canadian law does not recognize Sharia law except in the case of false advertisement or mutually agreed upon marriage arbitration. False advertisement claims are typically brought against restraints that advertise that their food is Halal when in fact it isn’t. Arbitration by an elder or learned person in the case of divorce has only recently been recognized by courts but must be willing engaged in by both parties.
International banks may have a Sharia compliance board which overviews the compliance of lending practices but these do not hold any legal precedence in Canada. Furthermore, such boards are typically on the payroll of the lending institution and their opinion may be suspect in matters of detail.
Small cooperatives that purchase homes and sell ownership do not have a Sharia compliance board and function within the confines of Canadian law. These programs function within a small community setting and with limited financial capital. Such programs were developed during the beginning stages of Islam in Canada and are still prevalent today.
Therefore, approval by a Sharia board is not a mandatory requirement of an Islamic mortgage. However, simply because a Sharia board is not necessary doesn’t mean that any mortgage is Islamic. In order for a mortgage to be considered Islamic it still needs to adhere to the basic principles of Sharia that prohibit the use of Riba (interest).
Murad Ali is a two -time published author on Islam, business, economics and third world reform. Murad is also the publisher of The Muslim Times at www.muradenterprises.org He also runs a consulting business related to helping organization/corporations understand Muslims, human resources, and special projects. For more articles and information about Murad please visit www.muradenterprises.org
May 23rd, 2008
I believe the word “love” is thrown around just a bit too nonchalantly. Don’t you think? People say they love but do nothing to SHOW that love. Love needs action to complete its purpose. So when I say “love who you married” that means to provide of your self in the marriage. That IS what love is!
Let’s take a look at 6 biblically based principles that make up several areas of loving.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
1. Love Is Patient! Are you patient with your spouse? Patience is a virtue. It is a wonderful character trait to have and practice patience. Are you utilizing all of the potential that God has given you? Are you patient, or are you easily irritated and annoyed?
Do you listen to what your spouse has to say? Are you considerate and understanding of their needs and desires? Being patient with your spouse is one way you furnish love to them.
2. Love Does Not Envy! Are you jealous of who you married? Do you ever envy or resent your spouse?
Resentment runs rampant in marriages today, and it is literally tearing couples apart! You don’t want resentment to tear apart your marriage, do you?
So often I hear couples tell me how resentful they are of their spouse for one reason or another, but mostly over petty little things that only need to be discussed! Instead what are they doing? Getting even! Have you talked to your spouse today?
3. Love Is Not Self-Seeking!! This is a biggy! I talk quite a bit about selfishness in my book, “Journey on the Roads Less Traveled”, and in many of my articles. Why? I believe that it is a major issue with couples even though it doesn’t always seem apparent.
I know how a selfish spouse can tear the other down with them. I’ve been there and done that one. I wasn’t taught how to give of myself, being the spoiled little brat that I was growing up. I was so into “myself”, and so out in left field for my marriage, that is, until I found the love of Jesus for my life.
We all have some selfish abilities that we shine intensely on occasion. But some of us are so selfish in marriage that we don’t KNOW how to give of our self at all!! Many issues cause selfish behavior, but mostly it is lack of the spiritual Christ intervening in our psyche. What we allow into our mind is what we will output to others, mainly the person we married.
This is why I stress in previous articles that for a healthy and sound marriage couples need to take care of them selves FIRST, then and only then, can they help the marriage.
4. Love Is Not Easily Angered! Do you get angry with your spouse over nothing! Do you ever think that you might be behaving impatient and intolerable with your spouse?
What underlining problem might be charging your anger? If you are quick to anger, something deeper is bothering you. Until you get to the root of that, the anger will remain within your inner psyche ready to abuse whoever gets in the way. If you are abusing your spouse with your angry feelings, leave the house if you have to. It is wrong to berate your spouse with bad feelings of anger, and it hurts them terribly.
“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1:19-20
“A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man, calms a quarrel.” Proverbs 15:18
6. Love Does Not Delight In Evil but Rejoices In Truth! This has to be the champion of all the aspects of love because if we followed this one simple principle we would not need any other standards to tell us how to love, or what love is. This straightforward verse speaks for itself, but for some of you, maybe you are not sure what the TRUTH is.
The truth is what will set you free from all of the above unpleasant aspects of your character, such as anger, resentment, envy, jealousy and strife. After all, these are only feelings that you carry around inside your head. You can either make them your life or find a new way of life.
If you want to be free of these feelings you need to find the truth, right? You need to KNOW the truth, right?
Deeply put, the truth not only sets us free from our weaknesses, but also makes us new people within that truth. Once we start applying THE truth into our life is when we can easily stop carrying around any bitter feelings, and negative attitudes that we may have.
Simply said, truth is God’s words of wisdom. We will be walking in truth when we apply God’s truth into our life.
Bottom line, the person who has wisdom is loving towards their spouse, faithful, honest, trustworthy, committed, trusts in God, puts God first, turns away from evil, knows right from wrong, listens and learns, and applies wisdom into their life and marriage.
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.” Proverbs 3:13-18
And that is the truth! Do you have the wisdom to love who you married?
Angie Lewis offers spiritual enlightenment tips for couples in marriage, and is the author of new release book JOURNEY ON THE ROADS LESS TRAVELED.
This unique book is about love, life, marriage, addiction, temptation, and understanding the power of spiritual awareness for your marriage.
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http://www.heavenministries.com
May 20th, 2008
Humans pray to God for many and various outcomes good and bad but among the most frequent petitionary prayers are surely those for the recovery of someone else from illness.
But, as everyone knows, most illnesses follow a largely predictable course, apparently independently of this stream of prayer. Theodicy provides good explanations of why God sometimes for some or all of the short period of our earthly lives allows us to suffer pain and disability.
Although intrinsically bad states, these difficult times often serve good purposes for the sufferers and for others. My suffering provides me with the opportunity to show courage and patience. It provides you with the opportunity to show sympathy and to help alleviate my suffering. And it provides society with the opportunity to choose whether or not to invest a lot of money in trying to find a cure for this or that particular kind of suffering.
A good God gives us a deep responsibility for ourselves, each other and the world, for whether and how we flourish, and for the free choice of how to exercise that responsibility. And it is good for us to have this responsibility. Although a good God regrets our suffering, his greatest concern is surely that each of us shall show patience, sympathy and generosity and, thereby, form a holy character. Some people badly need to be ill for their own sake, and some people badly need to be ill to provide important choices for others. Only in that way can some people be encouraged to make serious choices about the sort of person they are to be. For other people, illness is not so valuable.
A Christian view of intercessory prayer
In Christian doctrine God hears our prayers and answers them if it is good for us in a way that is best for us. Yet when we pray for another person, God knows far better than we do whether it will be best for that person and others affected by him that he should recover immediately or later or not at all.
Many Christians are aware of this when they pray for those in need that God would answer the prayer “as may be most expedient.” A well-known prayer adds to this the clause “granting them in this world knowledge of thy truth, and in the world to come life everlasting.” No sign of all that in the secular orientation of the prayer in the STEP research project, which states verbatim “for a successful surgery with a quick, healthy recovery and no complications.”
God seeks better goals for all of us, and he may well provide them for those prayed for, despite the poverty of the petitionary prayer. After all, Christians believe that the salvation of the world was brought about partly by God’s failure to answer the prayer of his Son in the Garden of Gethsemane.
But, the point about Jesus having been made, a quick healthy recovery without complications is clearly a good thing, even if there are better things. If the former can be provided without loss of the latter, God would surely provide it anyway, whether we pray or not.
So what is the point of petitionary prayer? The answer must be that sometimes, perhaps often, it is equally good that what we should pray for should occur as it should not occur, and that God wants to interact with us by answering our requests so long as we ask for right reasons. Of course God wants to do for the person praying what that person wants just because that person wants it for a right reason.
One right reason is that he prays for a particular sufferer out of love and compassion. In the STEP prayer study, the people praying were not praying out of love and compassion for the particular sufferer. Although the form of their prayer might dishonestly suggest that they wanted the well-being of the patient for its own sake, that was not why they were praying. They were praying to test a scientific hypothesis.
Why should a good God pay any attention to these prayers? One might say: “In order to show us more evidentially that he exists.” But if there is a God, he does not need to answer such prayers to do this. If he wanted to do that, he could fill the world with “super miracles.”
There is quite a lot of evidence anyway of God’s existence, and too much might not be good for us. The negative result of the STEP study is entirely predictable based on the hypothesis of a loving God who sometimes answers prayers of genuine compassion.
Why should I care?
An analogy will show that what I have written is not an ad hoc hypothesis postulated to save theism from disconfirmation.
Suppose that I am a rich man who sometimes gives sums of money to worthy causes and that I know just how useful or not different gifts would be. I receive many letters asking me to give such gifts. Some research organization wants to know if there is any point in people writing such letters to me. Do they make any difference to whether I give money to this cause or that?
So the research organization commissions a study. Many people write letters to me on behalf of several causes to see whether I will give more to those causes than to the other causes. In fact, let us suppose, I am normally moved by such letters because the writers took the trouble to write to me on behalf of some cause about which they care a lot.
But I now discover why I am suddenly bombarded with a stream of letters on behalf of certain causes, and I realize that on this occasion, unlike on other occasions, the letter writers have no deep concern for the causes for which they write. Therefore, I pay no attention to their letters.
Richard Swinburne is Emeritus Nolloth Professor of the Philosophy of the Christian Religion at the University of Oxford and author of The Existence of God, Is There a God? and The Resurrection of God Incarnate. This article was written for Science & Theology News.
May 17th, 2008
We are never far from the time of the year when the world celebrates the supposed birth of Jesus Christ. The jingles on the radio and television invade our sanity earlier every year, and the decorations now go up before Halloween! Anywhere we go, Christmas “cheer” is inescapable. For most of us, this is a season we struggle through, wishing it would rush by and be over.
Yet it is also a season that requires us to be on our guard. Those of us who do not celebrate Christmas often stick out in a crowd. Such a difference piques the curiosity of some, and they may ask why we do not keep it. If we respond, “Christ was not born on December 25,” can we prove it? If He was not born on that date, then when was He born? What are the facts?
When this subject is broached, many Protestants and Catholics become quite emotional, often becoming firmly entrenched concerning the December 25 date in spite of the facts. Many simply enjoy the season and feel that the actual day of Christ’s birth is irrelevant. Biblical and historical scholars are equally divided over this question as well. Christmas, however, is founded on the premise that Jesus was born on December 25, and a person who is truly striving to follow the Bible will see that the celebration of Christmas is based upon falsehood.
The Clues in Luke’s Gospel
On the surface, the accounts of Matthew and Luke reveal little about the time of Jesus’ birth. No dates are given, no season of the year is named. As a well-regarded historian, Luke, however, provides a sound, orderly account of the events that removes any doubt as to the general time of Jesus’ birth. All the clues are there, and all that is required is to dig them out and put them in order to discover the truth.
In a long section covering Luke 1:5 through 2:8, Luke writes of a specific series of events in chronological order. He begins by telling the story of Zacharias, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth, who were childless. While administering his priestly duties during the course of Abijah, Zacharias was visited by the angel Gabriel, who told him that his prayers had been answered and that he and Elizabeth would have a son. They were to name him John.
Because Zacharias doubted that this would happen, Gabriel informed him that he would not be able to speak until the birth of his son. As soon as his service in the Temple was completed, he returned to his own house. Elizabeth soon conceived and hid herself five months, unsure of how her pregnancy would be viewed.
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel visited Mary and informed her, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus” (verse 31). Soon thereafter, Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth and stayed with her until the latter’s ninth month, leaving just prior to John’s birth. Jesus, then, was born approximately six months after John.
What information do we have up to this point?
- Zacharias, a priest, performed his duties during the course of Abijah.
- After he returned home from Jerusalem, Elizabeth conceived.
- Mary conceived in the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.
- John was born approximately six months before Jesus.
The Course of Abijah
To date Jesus’ birth, we need a starting point. Fortunately, Luke supplies one in mentioning “the course of Abijah” (Luke 1:5). Is it possible to know if this course existed then, when it fell during the year, and how long it lasted?
Indeed it is!
I Chronicles 24 lists the courses, divisions or shifts of the priesthood that served in the Temple throughout the year. Verse 1 states, “These are the divisions of the sons of Aaron.” Among the sons of Eleazar were sixteen heads of their father’s house, while among the sons of Ithamar were eight additional heads of house, making twenty-four courses (verse 4).
These courses of priests were divided by lot to be officials of the sanctuary and of the house of God (verse 5). Beginning on Nisan 1, these courses rotated throughout the year, serving in the Temple for one week apiece. The course of Abijah, the course during which Zacharias was responsible to work, was the eighth shift (verse 10).
Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian–who was, by the way, of the priestly lineage of the course of Jehoiarib, the first course–supplies further information about the priestly courses.
“He [David] divided them also into courses: and when he had separated the priests from them, he found of these priests twenty-four courses, sixteen of the house of Eleazar and eight of that of Ithamar; and he ordained that one course should minister to God [during] eight days, from [noon] Sabbath to [noon on the following] Sabbath. And thus were the courses distributed by lot, in the presence of David, and Zadok and Abiathar the high priest, and of all the rulers: and that course which came up first was written down as the first, and accordingly the second, and so on to the twenty-fourth; and this partition hath remained to this day” (Antiquities of the Jews, 7:14.7).
These courses were strictly followed until the Temple was destroyed in ad 70.
The Talmud describes the details of the rotation of courses, beginning on Nisan 1. With only twenty-four courses, obviously each course was required to work twice a year, leaving three extra weeks. (The Hebrew year normally has fifty-one weeks. Intercalary, or leap, years have an additional four weeks.) The three holy day seasons, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, during which all the courses were required to serve, made up these three extra weeks. Thus, each of the courses worked five weeks out of the year: two in their specific courses and three during the holy day seasons.
John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for Messiah (Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:13-17). The gospel accounts make it very clear that he was born about half a year before Jesus was born. From historical details in Luke’s account especially, as well as the accuracy of the Seventy Weeks prophecy, it is clear that Jesus was born sometime in 4 BC. This means, counting back the nine months of gestation and the six-month difference in age, John must have been conceived in the first half of 5 BC.
This fact forces us to choose the first shift of the course of Abijah as the time when Gabriel visited Zacharias in the Temple. Frederick R. Coulter, in his A Harmony of the Gospels (p. 9), computes it this way:
In the year 5 BC, the first day of the first month, the month of Nisan, according to the Hebrew Calendar, was a Sabbath. According to computer calculation synchronizing the Hebrew Calendar and the stylized Julian Calendar, it was April 8. Projecting forward, the assignments course by course, and week by week, were: Course 1, the first week; Course 2, the second week; all Courses for the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, the third week; Course 3, the fourth week; Course 4, the fifth week; Course 5, the sixth week; Course 6, the seventh week; Course 7, the eighth week; Course 8, the ninth week; and all courses [sic] the tenth week, which was the week of Pentecost.
Zacharias of the course of Abijah worked the ninth week in his assigned course and the tenth week in the Pentecost course, and this period ran from Iyar 27 through Sivan 12 (Hebrew calendar) or June 3 through 17 (Julian calendar). He probably returned home immediately after his shifts were completed, and Elizabeth most likely conceived in the following two-week period, June 18 through July 1, 5 BC.
With this information we can calculate Elizabeth’s sixth month as December, during which Mary also conceived (Luke 1:26-38). It is probable, because of the circumstances shown in Luke 1, that Mary conceived during the last two weeks of Elizabeth’s sixth month. Thus, John was born in the spring of 4 BC, probably between March 18 and 31. By projecting forward another six months to Jesus’ birth, the most probable time for His birth occurred between September 16 and 29. It is an interesting sidelight that Tishri 1, the Feast of Trumpets, is one of the two middle days of this time period.
Flocks in the Fields
There is additional proof that Jesus was born in the fall of the year. The census of Quirinius that required Joseph to travel from Galilee to Bethlehem would most probably have taken place after the fall harvest when people were more able to return to their ancestral homes (Luke 2:1-5). Besides, it was customary in Judea to do their tax collecting during this period, as the bulk of a farmer’s income came at this time.
Another point is that Joseph and Mary had to find shelter in a barn or some other kind of animal shelter like a cave or grotto because the inns were full (verse 7). This indicates that the pilgrims from around the world had begun to arrive in Jerusalem and surrounding towns. Thus, the fall festival season had already commenced. There would have been no similar influx of pilgrims in December.
Also, as the shepherds were still in the fields with their flocks (verse 8), Jesus’ birth could not have occurred during the cold-weather months of winter. Sheep were normally brought into centrally located pens or corrals as the weather turned colder and the rainy season began, especially at night. If this were not significant, it begs the question, “Why would Luke have mentioned it in such detail if not to convey a time reference?”
Notice what commentator Adam Clarke writes regarding this:
It was a custom among the Jews to send out their sheep to the deserts [wilderness], about the passover [sic], and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain: during the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As the passover [sic] occurred in the spring, and the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November, we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole of the summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact, which casts considerable light on this disputed point. (Clarke’s Commentary, vol. V, p. 370)
Why is it important that we know when Jesus was born? We certainly do not use this knowledge to celebrate His birthday–He tells us to commemorate His death, not His birth (I Corinthians 11:23-26). The true date, however, destroys the entire foundation of the Christmas holiday. It also points to the proper time of His ministry, crucifixion and resurrection, helping to disprove the Good Friday-Easter Sunday tradition also. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, it renews our faith in God’s Word–that it is true, verifiable and historically accurate.
In addition, we should know even these details so that we can provide common-sense reasons for our beliefs. We live in a world of compromise and confusion–especially in the realm of religion–and thus we must study and follow what is true so we will not be fooled by what is counterfeit. The Christmas season promotes a lie concerning the date of the birth of Jesus Christ. We need to do more than reject the world’s explanation; we need to know, prove and follow what is true.
John Reid is a contributing writer to the Forerunner magazine , and an elder of the Church of the Great God. The original article is available at When Was Jesus Born?
May 16th, 2008
How Do You Write Poetry? by A K Whitehead
The very short answer is: don’t write at all unless you have to.
The short answer is: in numerous different ways. A somewhat
longer answer is: find the way that best suits you - that comes
only from experience.
But, one might reasonably ask, what different methods are there
which can be tried in order to get started? Well…
Don’t Wait For Inspiration But don’t take that as an
absolute which suggests that one should not be inspired at all.
Of course, we all want inspiration. Yet if we wait to be
inspired for the whole poem, most of us will have taken the very
short answer given above and we shall write very little and very
infrequently.
You probably know the old adage about any form of art being ten
percent inspiration and ninety percent perspiration. It’s mostly
like that with poetry. The very short answer above is saying:
write only when you feel moved to write and have something
urgent to communicate. But don’t expect the inspiration to carry
you through the whole poem. On some occasions it will but, at
least in my experience, that will not happen all that often.
Inspiration can come in various ways. At one end it can
come as a complete poem; at the other, it comes simply as an
idea, a concept or a way of looking at something. Then the poem
has to be built around that in some way.
How To Build A Poem This is getting to the
nitty gritty of the question. The answer to How do I
build or write a poem depends to some extent on what you are
starting with. Suppose you have just had an idea, a concept, a
way of looking at something. One might, for example, have a
sudden flash of inspiration that a person’s life could be
summarised by the array of cups they have in the kitchen. Okay,
how might one approach the development of that?
First is to have some idea of the probable length of the poem.
The cups/life idea might be interesting but it’s not going to
stretch to the length of The Rhyme of the Ancient
Mariner. It’s going to be quite a short poem. In fact, with
an idea of this kind short becomes very important. Trying to
stretch it out will probably result in loosing any potential for
impact.
So one is thinking of a few lines, and probably quite short
ones. Next is the syllabic or the rhythmic structure of the
lines. A great deal can be said about these aspects and so we
can say very little in this short article. The way the lines are
constructed should be contributing to the overall impact or
impression made by the poem. Lines may have the same number of
syllables, or some lines may be long and other short. Verses,
like lines may be all of the same or of differing lengths. These
aspects may be part of a deliberate overall scheme, or they may
be due to the way you feel the poem should evolve.
Experience will usually contribute to the development of these
kinds of instincts.
The poem may also be one without thyme, or with rhyme at the end
of each line, or with rhyming lines alternating or rhyming every
third line and so forth. Alternatively, the lines may have
internal rhyming in that two words rhyme within the same line.
Consider the following poem as an example.
CUPS Used to buy the cups in tied sets,
batched identical or
matching.
But that’s a now flawed memory
and for a long
time we rhymed them
into pairs, merging his and hers,
protocol of shape and colour.
Now I buy only one-by-one,
each detached and unmatchable,
self-chosen oddments on a
shelf.
Note that: there are eight syllables in each of nine lines.
There are no end rhymes but each line has an internal rhyme,
though some are less obvious than others. In the first line
buy and tie in tied rhyme. Due to the
d in tied the echo of the rhyme is subdued
or more subtle than otherwise. (Note also that there are
different kinds of syllables, which we do not have space to
discuss here)
Compare this poem with an alternative approach, albeit little
different in length:
THE MUG-STAND On the mug-stand (a)
handles once hung (b)
cups of pristine sameness (c)
beautiful and aimless (c)
in the song they sung (b)
at secondhand. (a)
Mugs are still hung (d)
but different (e)
shapes and
colours, chipped, cracked - (f)
and spaces from the fact
(f)
of life. Refluent (e)
the song now sung. (d)
Now The Mug Stand has a much more complicated structure.
There is no internal rhyming but the end-rhymes are arranged to
give sometimes stronger, sometimes more subtle echoes.
The letters at the end of the lines (a, b, etc.) indicate those
which rhyme with each other. The pattern is the same in each
verse so that, for example, the first and last lines in both are
seen to rhyme.
Notice also that the syllabic length of lines vary within each
verse but have the same pattern for each verse (i.e.
4,4,6,6,5,4,). The end of any line should not be chosen in an
arbitrary way, but should add something to the overall effect.
Discipline In Writing Every poem you write should have
its own form of discipline. Some people think that so-called
free verse is easy to write and that one can do anything
in such a poem. All this is untrue.These are ideas that
contribute to a lot of bad verse.Good free verse is in
many ways the most difficult to write, precisely because there
is no obvious discipline enjoined on the writer by which the
poem might be made to work. Yet somehow it does have to
create a desired effect. Writing to a defininte pattern or rule
imposes a discipline which, with some practice, will initially
help one to produce rather better verse.
If you are just starting out to write poetry, do begin with
rhymed verse. But try not to make the rhymes too heavy and
obvious. Look for different words to create an effect rather
than use the first that come to mind. Try an abab or abcabc type
of structure rather than aabb.
Make every effort to avoid cliches. Using them is so easy a trap
to fall into simply because they are phrases we have heard so
often that they just creep or spring into our mind. A good poem
has to have some degree of originality. Cliches are as
irratating as fleas on a dog. Combe through the poem to discover
any cliches - looking for phrases like Combe through! Are
there any more in this paragraph?
When the poem is finished, it is good practice to put it away
for some weeks. Then take it out and re-read it. Be severe with
yourself! Remove anything which is not right (cliches, repeats
of the same word, clumsy phrasing etc.) and re-work the poem
until you feel you can do no better.
Then submit it to some publication which uses poetry. There is
little point in writing poetry purely for oneself. Don’t be put
off by rejections. Some editors may offer suggestions for
improvement. Accept them if they seem valid. But keep
submitting. Not every one will like what you have written. But
you must like it.
April 1st, 2008
