(I know this question makes zero sense from a theological standpoint but hear me out, I swear it’s interesting)
In the times of Jesus, there were many Jewish prophets wandering the land. They managed to accumulate a following by performing miracles and preaching. These movements were based on the charisma of the leader, and so, when the leader died, the movement usually dissolved on its own.
A few years after starting his predication, Jesus was arrested in Jerusalem and crucified: it was the humiliating death of a criminal accused of rebellion. This would have been interpreted by many as a definite proof that Jesus was not, in fact, sent by God.
At this point, belief in Christ would have been very likely to disappear. But it didn’t. In the contrary, faith in Jesus grew (to about 7500 followers at the end of the 1st century).
So,why didn’t belief in Jesus disappear after Jesus’ death ?
- Jesus had recruted a group of close disciples, heavily motivated to spread his message, who were extremely intelligent and competent. Even after his death, they kept on preaching and recruted more believers.
- His death didn’t necessarily render his message obsolete. Many Jewish prophets preached the victory of a certain rebellion for example. When the rebellion was crushed by the Roman army, their message was evidently obsolete. Jesus didn’t preach political rebellion, but forgiveness and the imminent end of times. After his death, his followers could argue that his death was necessary (as prophesied in Jewish scriptures) and that his message of forgiveness remained valid until the end of times.
-A progressive opening firstly towards Hellenic Jews (Jews of the Diaspora, who didn’t live in Israel but in other countries around the Mediterranean world, and spoke Greek as their primary language)
-An even more radical opening towards Gentiles - non-Jews - who were thought by some (but not all) to be included in Jesus’ message
- The very tense alliance of two very distinct groups inside early Christianity: people who believed that only those following the Law of Moses could benefit from the forgiveness that Jesus promised, and those who believed that his message was also directed towards the Gentiles, who should not be asked to follow the Law upon conversion
This alliance was to be fundamental to Christianity’s success: thanks to this alliance, early Christianity didn’t cut ties with Judaism (and therefore benefitted from the legitimating influence of Jewish scriptures) while making itself incredibly more attractive to Gentiles (who didn’t have to follow the Law - and therefore didn’t have to completely abandon their previous social relationships due to Judaism’s heavy standards on purity).
- They managed to surmount the disappointment of the end of times not arriving. Complex phenomenon, but basically, the imminence of the Kingdom of God - a very important theme in the teaching of Jesus and the early Apostles - was progressively “spiritualised”, turned into metaphor of earthly spiritual life. The Kingdom of God wasn’t coming, so each and everyone had to enter the Kingdom of God on Earth, by converting and participating in the Church.
-The progressive marginalisation of heterodox groups challenging the authority of the proto-orthodoxy. Marcionites, Gnostics, and Montanists eventually saw their influence decline and eventually disappeared, not really because they lost on the theological side, but because their theological positions often inevitably lead them to marginalisation. For example, some Gnostics refused to have children, so no more of the divine being would be trapped in physical matter. Marcionites actively condemned Jewish scriptures, the Law of Moses and many texts which were very respected at the time, including many of the texts which would later be part of the official canon.
-The progressive rise of mono-bishops. Churches originally controlled by assemblies of important men of the community tended more and more to be controlled by only one bishop. This man had the authority to impose orthodoxy and turn belief in Jesus away from charismatic preaching into institutions that were made to last.
-The constitution of a canon of recognized texts, which became the New Testament. This wasn’t a simple process. Many different texts, and therefore many different “memories” of Jesus were excluded by this canon. Therefore, the image given of Jesus in the New Testament is far from being simple and univocal: for example, Matthew’s Jesus strongly advocates for strict adherence to the Law, while Paul’s Jesus considered that strict adherence to the Law was useless, and that it never granted anybody salvation. Still, early Church theologians, most notably Irénée de Lyon, worked to reconcile these texts, and managed to create a somewhat coherent picture of Jesus and his message - therefore setting down the basis for Christianity.
Source: Enrico Norelli, La nascità del cristianesimo, Bologna, 2014
The earliest depiction of the Crucifixion, a 2nd century graffiti meant as an insult towards Christians.The Greek text reads “Alexamenos worships God”.
Amar baccha! My children, listen, for I have a story to share with you.
In the beginning there was the Kund, the deep wellspring from where the first Ohm of the Universe flowed. Soon other sounds and utterances flowed through, forming brooks of syllables, joined into streams of words, joined into rivers of sentences, joined into seas of stories, joined into oceans of truth.
And each sound and syllable and word, each sentence and story and truth, each little drop carried with it the Power of Creation and Destruction, the Power of Language: together like the ebbs and flows of tidal waves, like drought and floods, like sunshine and rain.
Creation comes from Destruction comes from Creation.
And this Power, the Power of Language, this exists for all those who speak, listen, write, read. For all those that carry Language in their heads and in their hearts. For it is Language that is your birthright and it is Language that is your responsibility.
And Language is not to be restricted, to be hoarded as though it is some precious and rare gold or silver. No, Language is to be shared by all, for it is everyone’s birthright, and everyone’s responsibility, to partake in the ebbs and flows of Creation and Destruction.
You are not the Master of Language, much like you are not the Master of Water or Air. You, all of you, are in Service to Language, much like you are in Service to Water or Air - Powers that create you, Powers that sustain you, Powers that destroy you.
There are some of you that will be entrusted to ensure the safety, sanctity, sanctuary of Language. You will be known as the Compassionate Ones, the Shafiqs, caretakers and custodians of Language and all those that wield it. It is your responsibility to care for the hearts and heads of those you serve, to ensure that their needs and desires are met, that they remain safe and protected and well. It is your responsibility to ensure that Language is shared freely, that Language is served for the greater good, that all hold access to Language and that your Language does not die before it is time.
And oh how its time will threaten to come! For there will be forces that claim to be Masters of Earth and Fire, claim their right to ravage your lands and control your people with ever-changing boundaries and restrictions. Forces that claim to be Masters of Water and Air and destroy all which you build in symbiosis to create that which dominates. Forces that claim to be Masters of Language, their own Language, while denigrating yours as lesser-than, impure, powerless.
And then there will be forces of your own. You claiming responsibility as privilege and using your custodianship as cruelty. You forgetting your own birthright and believing those that say your power can only be accessed by a select few through specific means foreign to you. You letting go of your Language, that which gives you Life, and forgetting all the syllables and stories and truths that it carries.
Destruction comes from Creation comes from Destruction.
The Power will still manifest, still create and destroy, even without your wielding of Language, even without those who speak and listen and write and read. It is Power that has existed before there was Humanity and will exist after there is Humanity, for it is Power that has created the Universe and will destroy the Universe.
Learn to approach Language with respect and responsibility, and you will gain strength, fortitude, prosperity, livelihood. But treat Language as though it is something you can control, restrict, deny, destroy, and you will find that it will control, restrict, deny, and destroy you.
And if you ever find that you are close to the brink of no return, return to the Waters: the oceans, the seas, the rivers, the streams, the brooks. Return to the wellspring, to the Kund, and call out for a new Ohm.
Remember this, baccha, for forgetting is the first step to Destruction without Creation.
[[source:Belinda Meggit So thepostmodernpottercompendium is hosting this really interesting series on the origins of magic which is now becoming an interesting story in progress. I have been meaning to write this story for a long time, ever since I found this picture in researching the bede, or gypsy boat people of Bangladesh:she’s one of them. I knew she was the face of thedainee that mysteriously guides the Bideshis as soon as I saw her picture, and now I want to write her story. The line about the kund and the first ohm is from a piece by Minal Hajratwala, about being a kinky queer femme Indian woman. In the piece she plays a lot with language and draws the connection between “cunt” and “kund” - as in “kundalini”. The name of the piece escapes me right now but it was performed in this year’s Yoni Ki Baat in SF.]]
I am so excited for Furyborn! I was ever since I read the plot on Goodreads. Two queens in prophecy, but a 1000 years apart? I’m calling that a unique idea in YA fantasy. The book also looks pretty amazing, and after reading it I am still just as enthusiastic about Claire Legrand’s Furyborn. I wonder what’s going to happen in the next books, and even though we got some answers now, there is still…
the inescapable structure of tragedy, the lines of causality
matthew stover, star wars episode III: revenge of the sith novelization/prophetic perfect tense/ louise glück, the triumph of achilles/hadestown, “road to hell” /sunnyscenegenerator/ joanna newsom, “waltz of the 101st lightborne”
With tonight’s blood red moon, what better song than Luna roja.. Feels like you just got blood drained… #SodaStereo #LunaRoja #Dynamo #BloodRedMoon #RockEnEspañol #GustavoCerati #ZetaBosio #CharlyAlberti #VivaCerati #Soothing #Dizzy #Eclipse #LunarEclipse #Prophecy #Beautiful #Music #Guitar #Guitarra #Drums #Bateria #Bass #Bajo #QuietIntro #TheBastard #ZeBastard
“Oh you had a plague? Come back to us when you had a World War, brand new unconventional weapons, and a new international order.”
I apologize.
insert that YOU chihuahua post where theyre being pinned down i cant for the life of me find it
This one?
Oh, Charles. The hubris. Honey. You had to know this was a possibility. Why would you tempt Apollo like that.
I love how we don’t even need Apollo to be captioned, it’s just “he’s holding a dodgeball and looks Greek statue, of COURSE it’s Apollo delivering the gift of prophecy unto unsuspecting tumblr users”
This post is sheer chaos from start to finish, I love this website
An illustration I wanted to do since almost two years now : young Merlin watching the epic, prophetic fight between the red and the white dragon that were sleeping under the hill on top of which King Vortigern wanted to build his tower. Arthurian legends and Britain’s mythology are an awesome source of inspiration. AND a great excuse to paint over-the-top dragon fights.
A Christmas Eve Prayer Lord, please heal my loved one Walking now with Thee On a narrow, thorny path Dark and shadowy…
A Christmas Eve Prayer
Lord, please heal my loved oneWalking now with TheeOn a narrow, thorny pathDark and shadowy…
Lord, please heal my loved oneHold, I pray her hand,Fill her mind with peaceGive her strength to standIn faith upon Thy promisesRenew her hope in Thee,May she feel Thy Presence,Around her like a seal.
Sing to her, Lord, in her heartLike angels long agoSang to the shepherds in the…
Oracle? So there is a God within you that speaks? You claim to channel messengers of God? What a living JOKE you all are!!
Every last one of you who have ignorantly, including purposely lied about your abilities and your own importance are about to feel the heat.
Only Christians are Oracles. Period, this is non-contested.
If you claim it prove it. I have been sitting here this whole time waiting. Not a single one of your fake spirit friends, demon overlords, or fake gods or goddesses have shown up to the fight! I spit on your whole community. What a joke you all have proven to be!
Only Christian can be witches, because we are the only ones who can manifest from a REAL source, learn to read in context you morons!
Only Gods people who have knowledgeably accepted and followed Jesus Christ can regularly speak to messengers of God.
As of 2 years ago God stopped any and all communication across the board, even with the demons and fallen angels you worshipped and called by other names.
There is no communication other than prophecy and through the Holy Ghost.
If any of you have claimed otherwise. You are a liar. Unable to prove the silly things you claim.
You have been cursed, your very faces show your sickness. Ugly. Look at yourselves in the mirror. Fat, gluttons like pigs in mire. Liars, bird brain twits who think people actually believe them? The people who hand clap you are just like you, ugly and not seeking truth.
Any and all people, no matter who you claim, even if you claimed Jesus, but have stood with the pigs, wallowing with the fake angel worshippers and the racist bigots are about to feel the heat. Every last one of you will know Gods anger. You’re an idiot to think He did not see all and hear every last one of you.
You have made support groups for people cursed by me, Witch Penelope, congregating online like a bunch of birdbrain twits. What a laugh. Every last one of you have proved me to be what I claim. Who are you? Nothing. You are dust in the wind. You had your chance.
By the hand of Witch Penelope, the only person God gave specific instructions to prophesy about the coming things.
To the fakers who claim Gods name, those who claimed Jesus Christ, but have ignored Gods voice, about who you should be associating yourselves with and about who you are serving.
The places you go, the places you bring your innocent children to are fortresses of the enemy. You have purposely placed your and Gods people in danger out of pure pride, you hold on to your fake beliefs. God turns His face away from your prayers. You are to Him a clashing of symbols with no rhythm.
The Morrígan also known as the Phantom Queen, the Irish Goddess of war and death, member of the Tuatha Dé Danann. She is the jealous wife to the Dagda, and is associated with the Banshee. As is the case with many Irish deities, she is one of the first expressions of what Christians refer to now as “the Trinity,” to Pagans she is a “Triple Goddess.” She is displayed here as having three heads; she is a shape-shifter, sometimes explained as three sisters all manifesting as the same entity. In Irish myth, she can also shift into the shape of a raven and her appearance on the battlefield would signal who would reign as victor. Other stories indicate that she would shift into any shape that would allow her to meet her ends. She is also the Goddess of prophecy and fate who knows exactly how the end of the world will occur, she will share it with you, for a price.
The prophecy wasn’t wrong,the show couldn’t have made such a stupid mistake. Cercei mentioned her baratheon son not once,but Twice and the second time it was with Robert who confirmed that it was not a lie.Their son wasborn alive
The prophecy only mentioned the children that would die. It said 3 DEAD children for cercei,and 16 bastards for Robert(that would die at the hand of Joffrey).
It should have said 4 children because Cercei had 4 children, but she said 3 DEAD children. The prophecy was only about the dead children for both of them.
Maggie,when cercei asked “will I and the king have chidren” The answer is YES, but then she only talks about their dead ones.
