Choosing a faith

I know you're replying to Taq, but I wasn't sure how to interpret this. Do you just mean that you don't accept that Jesus may have been a real person who led a religious movement?My own view is that there is no way to know whether Paul based his Jesus upon a real person or a composite of real people, or just made him up out of whole cloth.--Percy

I do not accept that Jesus was a real person. But I do not find that insignificant. Christianity hinges on the fact that it was founded by a real person called Jesus who was executed by the Romans around 30 CE.We need to treat this as we do all science. History needs to be investigated with a scientific vigor. Feelings of woo just don't cut it anymore. Until there is evidence for a Jesus, we can make the reasonable and factual inference that there was no Jesus of the bible. Why should we give credence to any idea that has absolute no factual evidence?
Alos looking at the Taq post. Yes, we have contemporary, historical evidence for John Smith. But not John Frum or Ned Ludd.
Pythagoras? No.
Homer? No.
The Buddha? No.
Sun Tzu? No.

Yep. If the question is whether the Jesus of the gospels was a real person, then for me the answer is no.But if the question is whether a real person lies at the core of the Jesus myth, someone who did none of the things described in the gospels but who was a religious person of some sort, then for me that is unanswerable.--Percy

Paulk, you stated:"The final head of the HRE would be Francis II up to his
abdication in 1806. I don’t know why you are using the
future tense about somebody who died the best part of
200 years ago."***The HRE consisted of 10 to 12 or so nations in Europe,
aligned themselves with the RCC. There is nothing that
would prevent this from happening again.The leadership consisted of oth Church and state leaders.
The secular ruler most often controlled most of the power,
but not always.It is called the HRE, but the Germanic people were the main
nationality that controlled it. Four of the first six emperors
were Germanic.Italy was not even an united country until the 1860's. The
same is true for the nation of Germany. It is not the Italian
Catholic Church or the Holy Italian Empire.The main force and power behind the HRE has been Germany.The end time resurrection will consist of ten of these nations,
led by Germany. The RCC will also exercise great power. The
false prophet (Pope) will be able to perform miracles by the
power of Satan.A careful reading of Daniel 7 and 8 reveals that the fourth
beast is the same as the beast in Revelation. The fourth
beast is destroyed by Christ at His comingDaniel did not even comprehend the true meaning of his
visions (Dan 12:8). The interpretation was sealed until the
"time of the end."The RCC is the harlot that rides the Scarlet colored beast.
The beast consists of the ten kings (nations).Beast can refer to the secular leader, or 10 nations, or Satan,
depending on the context.It is important to note than the fourth beast in Daniel 7 and 8,
as well as the harlot and Scarlet colored beast in Revelation
will be destroyed at the return of Christ.My Church understands who the Germanic people descended
from. We also understand who the Israelites are.In Revelation 17:8 the beast is described as the "beast that
was, and is not, and yet is." These are the seven resurrections
of the beast.Talking about the seven headed beast verse 10 states "There
are also seven kings. Five had fallen, ONE IS, and the other is
not yet come."The Church understood that Hitler was the one that is. He
was the sixth head. The Church understood this while WW2
was happeningKnowing that Germans are the descendants of Assyria, we
also understood that East and West Germany would be
reunited, even when the Berlin Wall was erected.According to the Bible, the ruler of the next head will be more
Intelligent and more ruthless that Hitler.The beast will ascend out of the bottomless pit verse 8.
Many of Germany's best and brightest went underground
after WW2.The GE man leaders were well aware that Germany would lose
the war as early as 1941. They went into hiding, preparing for
their reemergence.

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***The HRE consisted of 10 to 12 or so nations in Europe,
aligned themselves with the RCC. There is nothing that
would prevent this from happening again.

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Not really and a new set of nations wouldn’t be the Holy Roman Empire. So you’ve still got nothing.

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The end time resurrection will consist of ten of these nations,
led by Germany. The RCC will also exercise great power. The
false prophet (Pope) will be able to perform miracles by the
power of Satan.

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You do have some silly fantasies.

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A careful reading of Daniel 7 and 8 reveals that the fourth
beast is the same as the beast in Revelation. The fourth
beast is destroyed by Christ at His coming

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A careful reading would not make such a silly mistake. Daniel 7 and 8 are referring to events that either happened or were supposed to happen more than 200 years before the Revelation was even written. Daniel 8 is particularly clear on the matter.

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Knowing that Germans are the descendants of Assyria, we
also understood that East and West Germany would be
reunited, even when the Berlin Wall was erected.

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So Germanic people are Israelites except when they aren’t. Your churches fantasies aren’t very consistent, are they?

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The GE man leaders were well aware that Germany would lose
the war as early as 1941. They went into hiding, preparing for
their reemergence.

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I think that fantasy is just a little out of date, don’t you? Aren’t they all going to be dead by now - of old age, if nothing else.Really you do preach ridiculous nonsense.

Paulk, you stated:"So Germanic people are Israelites except when they aren’t.
Your churches fantasies aren’t very consistent, are they?
​
***I don't recall anyone ever saying that the Germanic people
and the Israelites are the same people. The Germanic people
have always been a thorn in the side of Israel.Ancient Assyria, whose descendants make up the bulk of
Germany today, conquered the northern ten tribes of Israel
in 721 B.C.The Assyrians removed the Israelites from Samaria, which
was the custom at the time, and replaced them with Gentiles.The southern tribe of Judah (the Jews) was never conquered
by Assyria. It was conquered by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.The ten northern tribes of Israel had been removed from their
homeland 135 years before.All Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites are Jews. Kind of
like all Canadians are North Americans, but not all North
Americans are Canadians.When one does not understand what is so easily understood,
they will never grasp what is right in front of them.The fourth beast in Daniel 7 and the seven headed beast in
Revelation are one and the sameThe Bible is a book primarily about Israel. Other nations are
mentioned when they come into contact with Israel. They
Bible tells of their influence on Israel.The ten Israelitish tribes are primarily in northern and western
Europe, as well as the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand,
England, Scotland, and a few more.It is these tribes that the beast exerted great influence over.
WW1 and WW2 cost these nations, as well as the Jews, dearly.The Bible foretell that the Assyrians (Germany) will conquer
Israel and Judah one final time. This is how the Church knew
beyond any shadow of a doubt that East and West Germany
would be reunited.

Paulk, you wrote:A careful reading would not make such a silly mistake. Daniel
7 and 8 are referring to events that either happened or were
supposed to happen more than 200 years before the Revelation
was even written. Daniel 8 is particularly clear on the matter.***You 're living in the past. You have been taught a certain
concept and you refuse to see it.Antiochus was terrible to the Jews. Everyone knows this, but
he said is not the end time beast.The Apostles asked Jesus what would be thee sign of His
coming, and the end of this age. Jesus describes events of the
End time. Matthew 24.Jesus clearly stated in Matthew 24:15 "Therefore when you see
the "abomination of desolation," spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, standing in the Holy place" (whoever reads, let him
understand),Did you read this! Jesus said that the abomination of
desolations would not occur for another 2000 years.It occurs roughly 2200 years after the death of AntiochusWhomever reads this is encourag d to understand.Daniel 8: 23-26 describes the end time ruler of the the
seventh head of the beast, with the ten kings.Notice carefully: the end time beast will fight against the
Prince of princes (This is Jesus, in His return to set up His
Kingdom.Verse 25 informs us that this man and the beast will be
broken without human means.This is also true of the beast in Revelations,​

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***I don't recall anyone ever saying that the Germanic people
and the Israelites are the same people. The Germanic people
have always been a thorn in the side of Israel.

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The English are a Germanic people - isn’t the whole point of the Anglo-Israelite nonsense to try to pretend that the English are Israelite? It’s even in the name.

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When one does not understand what is so easily understood,
they will never grasp what is right in front of them.

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Well that explains your problem.

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The fourth beast in Daniel 7 and the seven headed beast in
Revelation are one and the same

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Wrong again.

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***You 're living in the past. You have been taught a certain
concept and you refuse to see it.

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Unsurprisingly you are reversing the truth. My ideas come from reading the Book of Daniel while you are just repeating what you’ve been taught.Daniel 8:20-23 clearly point to the Hellenistic era. If you relied on carefully reading Daniel 7-8 you would see it - it is undeniable. For anyone who disagrees I can only echo your words: Because that is exactly what is happening.

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The Apostles asked Jesus what would be thee sign of His
coming, and the end of this age. Jesus describes events of the
End time. Matthew 24.

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And yet the time indicated by Daniel 8:20-23 was already past before Jesus was born.

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Daniel 8: 23-26 describes the end time ruler of the the
seventh head of the beast, with the ten kings.
​
Notice carefully: the end time beast will fight against the
Prince of princes (This is Jesus, in His return to set up His
Kingdom.
​

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That would be rather difficult with Jesus yet to be born.
Again, read Daniel 8 carefully and maybe you shall manage to see what is right before your eyes.

Oh, you mean like this (from my Message 269: The old-school/New-Age "true Christians" (AKA Jesus Freaks circa 1970) would eagerly seek out the identity of the AntiChrist based on the slimmest of correlations, and yet here He is plain as day right in front of them and they trample each other in the rush to worship Him. Go figure.That's at least one fulfilled prophesy they would constantly intone, that even Christians would be deceived and seduced by the AntiChrist. Too bad it's a self-fulfilled prophesy.

Dwise, only God can increase one's understanding of the Bible.
He does not reveal it to fools who are only trying to find fault
with it.Spiritual matters are nothing but foolishness to those who do
not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.I was taught from a young age that sinners will burn in a lake
of fire for eternity. I was taught that Sunday had replaced
the 7th day Sabbath.I was taught that the Holy Spirit was a person, that he was the
member of a Trinity,I was taught that God was going full force in trying to save the
world during this present age.I was taught these lies, as well as others.It was not easy for me to change my thinking. It did not happen
overnight. I prayed long and hard for God to help me find the
truth.God led me to study and to prove everything. I did not like to
admit that I had been deceived for all those years.I never just accepted what the Church taught. I still had to
prove it myself. And, I always trusted in the Lord to guide meYears ago God put a man in my path that challenged
everything that I thought I knew about God and His plan
for usI was arrogant, and I tried to prove him wrong. But the more
I searched the more my mind changed.When someone seeks God they must do it with absolute
respect and great humility. One must be patient.

OK, so you have not learned anything and you're back to blathering bullshit. OK, same old, same old.Just please try to refrain from returning to spouting those stupid creationist bullshit lies again.Which reminds me that I should complete that topic I created for you, Radiocarbon Dating Discussion with candle2. Even though you will just continue to refuse to even look at it, let alone read it, but others can learn from it.

That's straight out of the cult playbook. If you disagree with the cult leader it's because you haven't had the right information magicked into your head. The only way to know if you have the right information is if you agree with the cult leader.

AND you completely avoided replying to my Message 3835. Deflect and divert. How disgustingly dishonest and typical of you!Anyone who actually believed what the Bible says (such as the Jesus Freaks of 1970) would immediately see a connection between Rev 13:3-4 and Trumpian farce about his injured ear and its "miraculous healing". And yet you, who claims to believe the Bible and all that, go out of your way to avoid seeing it, not even for explaining it away.Why have you forsaken your belief in the Bible? Because you have joined the Cult of Trump? Because you now worship Trump instead of the Bible? Because Trump has replaced God in your eyes?What is wrong with you?

Dwise, you state:"Just please try to refrain from returning to spouting those
stupid creationist bullshit lies again."***Don't worry. I have outgrown that ridiculous and sophomoric
postulation of evolution.