In Reply To Donvan

Submitted by Seamus MacNemi (United States), Jun 15, 2007 at 15:36

Well Mr. Donvan, if you prefer the vaccuous notions of theologians rather than the truth that is your privilege. I do not believe in theology and I know of few folk who do in my community. We govern our lives by facts and living tradition and not by the silly notions of dreamers and wishful thinking. We know by historical experience what has worked for us and what has not and we endeavour not to repeat history's mistakes in our community. You may, if you choose, go on beating a dead horse for what ever good you think it might do you, but we do not choose to do the same.

We do not believe in the divinity of any man though our tradition holds that each individual may hold some spark of the divine. Thus we do not elevate any one person to a place of unlimited power over us in our community. In that way we avoid the pitfalls of dictatorship and the misuse of power in our community. I think that Christians make a great mistake in elevating charismatic individuals to positions of power because they will too often take it upon themselves to reorder the society in their own image and that is one thing we will not have amongst us. We are not a theocracy or a theocratic state. We are a republic whos leaders are democratically elected and serve for limited terms.

I know the society that Jesus was born into and grew up in. I know all of their customs, norms and beliefs and none of it portends or even hints what what you claim. What's more I know the political climate of the times of Jesus and I know of the schemes and intrigues of the men who played for power. I know why Jesus was murdered by the Romans and it was not to save anyone from the sin of Adam. Such ideas as you present were definately not part of their lives at any point nor would have any one even considered them.

As for Paul, he was not even who or what he claimed to be. He clcaimed to be a Pharisee but it would have been impossible for him to have been a pharisee in the service of the false priest Chiaphas who was a priest only at the whim of Herod and had had no true valid place as a priest of the Temple. The men who ruled in that time had no love for G-d but only the love and lust for power and they corrupted everything they touched. Jesus saw this and he was justly appalled and ofended that such men should rule over Israel and so he said as much to all who would listen and there were many who heeded his words and followed him. It was for that reason that he was murdered. None of Jesus accusers were Pharisees. They were all the lackys of Herod and Chiaphas and the Romans.

Moderns either forget or the do not know of those who were the contemporary greats of Jesus time. Jesus certainly knew of Rabbi Hillel and he would have been familiar with Rabbi Gamaliel for he spoke in the same spirit as did those two. The church pretends it knows nothing of Jesus' early years but if one studys the customs of the times it would become very clear as to how Jesus lived and was educated. Jewish children were not allowed to roam about like arab street urchins such as they are portrayed in your books and movies. A boy began his studys at the age of seven years and the study of Torah was central to the life of every Jewish male regardless of his social station in life. Every boy learned to read and to write and to repeat verses of the Torah during weekly worship services and for worship at home. It was the responsibility of every father to see to the education in the Torah of his sons. The women had their own mystery to learn and it is not my position to discuss that here.

It was not unusual for a young man of exceptional intelligence to argue and dispute before the elders of the Synagogue. Such things were encouraged in the community. It is called PILPUL and it was and is the mode and method of teaching amongst the Jews and also amongst my own folk. I myself have been disputing the law amongst my own folk since I was ten years of age. Today I am a spokesman for the council of our elders.

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