Merry Christmas to All!

Merry Christmas to All!

Christmas Message on Unifying the Faith

https://unifyingthefaith.blogspot.com/2018/12/presiding-bishop-michael-curry.html?m=1

The Transfiguration: a Moment in the Space Time Continuum?

I'm sure you’re all familiar with the Transfiguration of Our Lord, so you will most likely understand where I'm probably going with this title. Even if an idea is predictable, it is always worth mentioning. I think I came up with this idea during a eulogy that my father was giving recently for a close friend of our family. Of course, my Dad's idea came from a scriptural/theological foundation, but once I insert the phrase space time continuum, science is being referenced. So, let’s see where we go with this.

The Transfiguration is found in the New Testament in the Synoptic Gospels and in the Second Epistle of Peter it is also mentioned. In this post I will simply use the reference from Luke’s Gospel 9: 28-36, which reads as follows:

“28 Now about eight days after these sayings Jesus[a] took with him Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white. 30 Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. 31 They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake,[b] they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 Just as they were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three dwellings,[c] one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 While he was saying this, a cloud came and overshadowed them; and they were terrified as they entered the cloud. 35 Then from the cloud came a voice that said, “This is my Son, my Chosen;[d] listen to him!” 36 When the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and in those days told no one any of the things they had seen (NRSV).”

Well, what is so unusual about this passage? Suddenly, they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to Jesus. Why is it unusual? That’s simple to say, but not so simple to comprehend using our logic, perhaps. Tapping briefly into biblical chronology, Moses lived about 16 centuries before Jesus, and Elijah about 9. However, in this event both Moses and Elijah are seen by witnesses talking to Jesus in their present time, although all three were supposedly from different time periods. By faith, one can simply say that in heaven (perhaps another dimension) time does not exist; therefore, this sort of interaction like the transfiguration is possible. The problem is that Jesus wasn’t in heaven at the time, he was alive on Earth, but something happened to him for this to take place, seemingly. The verse said: “the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.” What happened? I have no idea. Can science explain what took place during the Transfiguration? Maybe, maybe not!

The space time continuum idea was developed in 1906 by Hermann Minkowski, Einsten’s former college professor. The following excerpt which briefly explains the idea may perhaps be helpful in explaining or not explaining how the Transfiguration could have taken place.

"space and time, as physical constructs, have to be combined into a new mathematical/physical entity called 'space-time', because the equations of relativity show that both the space and time coordinates of any event must get mixed together by the mathematics, in order to accurately describe what we see. Because space consists of 3 dimensions, and time is 1-dimensional, space-time must, therefore, be a 4-dimensional object. It is believed to be a 'continuum' because so far as we know, there are no missing points in space or instants in time, and both can be subdivided without any apparent limit in size or duration. So, physicists now routinely consider our world to be embedded in this 4-dimensional Space-Time continuum, and all events, places, moments in history, actions and so on are described in terms of their location in Space-Time (einstein.stanford.edu).”

The reality is that I am probably still just as perplexed. The excerpt does say that “physicists now routinely consider our world to be embedded in this 4-dimensional Space-Time continuum, and all events, places, moments in history, actions and so on are described in terms of their location in Space-Time.” The Transfiguration was a moment in history, according to the New Testament, and during this event 3 individuals from different moments in history converged at the same moment in time. How did this happen? I have no idea, perhaps Jesus had a time machine. Since I have no explanation for the event, I simply must conclude by saying: Merriam-Webster's defines a Miracle as "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs." Blessings, and I hope you enjoyed reading!

Reference:

https://einstein.stanford.edu/content/relativity/q411.html

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/miracle

NRSV Bible

Hebrews 9, Earthly and the Heavenly Sanctuaries

The Earthly and the Heavenly Sanctuaries 9 Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tent[a] was constructed, the first one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of the Presence;[b] this is called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a tent[c] called the Holy of Holies. 4 In it stood the golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which there were a golden urn holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat.[d] Of these things we cannot speak now in detail. 6 Such preparations having been made, the priests go continually into the first tent[e] to carry out their ritual duties; 7 but only the high priest goes into the second, and he but once a year, and not without taking the blood that he offers for himself and for the sins committed unintentionally by the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the sanctuary has not yet been disclosed as long as the first tent[f] is still standing. 9 This is a symbol[g] of the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various baptisms, regulations for the body imposed until the time comes to set things right. 11 But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come,[h] then through the greater and perfect[i] tent[j] (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit[k] offered himself without blemish to God, purify our[l] conscience from dead works to worship the living God! 15 For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.[m] 16 Where a will[n] is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will[o] takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Hence not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment had been told to all the people by Moses in accordance with the law, he took the blood of calves and goats,[p] with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent[q] and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. Christ’s Sacrifice Takes Away Sin 23 Thus it was necessary for the sketches of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves need better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; 26 for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. Footnotes: Hebrews 9:2 Or tabernacle Hebrews 9:2 Gk the presentation of the loaves Hebrews 9:3 Or tabernacle Hebrews 9:5 Or the place of atonement Hebrews 9:6 Or tabernacle Hebrews 9:8 Or tabernacle Hebrews 9:9 Gk parable Hebrews 9:11 Other ancient authorities read good things to come Hebrews 9:11 Gk more perfect Hebrews 9:11 Or tabernacle Hebrews 9:14 Other ancient authorities read Holy Spirit Hebrews 9:14 Other ancient authorities read your Hebrews 9:15 The Greek word used here means both covenant and will Hebrews 9:16 The Greek word used here means both covenant and will Hebrews 9:17 The Greek word used here means both covenant and will Hebrews 9:19 Other ancient authorities lack and goats Hebrews 9:21 Or tabernacle New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Source: https://www.biblegateway.com

Evidence for Jesus in Ancient Chinese Writings

Happy Fall to everyone! It’s still slightly warm here in South Florida. Thank God for AC! We are back on Standard Time, which I personally love. I even promote a page on Facebook which is titled Abolish Daylight Savings Time. I know persons living north of us in places like Canada would probably prefer to stay on Daylight Savings during the winter, which is understandable since sunset comes rather early for them this time of year. Anyhow, I wasn’t planning on writing or posting anything today. In fact, I was telling someone yesterday that today I was going to relax and perhaps cast videos from YouTube and such on the big screen…maybe go out to lunch and have some delicious Cuban food, which I did. Speaking of Cuban food, I wonder if many people know that many Cuban recipes are heavily influenced by Canary Islands cuisine due to heavy migrations to Cuba in the past from there. Just thought I would share this, but enough sidetracking for now…lol.

While in the middle of doing mostly resting today, I ran into this video on YouTube, and I had to share it because it is a form of apologetics. Best of all, it is apologetics for Christianity found in non-Christian writings. I will share the source, and I will admit that I have not done research into what the person in the video is stating; however, if factual, the evidence is fascinating. I encourage everyone to watch, and research for yourselves. Enjoy the video!

Source:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgi_RW8wDTc&feature=youtu.be

Happy 10th Birthday!

As the saying goes, time flies! I am not sure if that saying is true, but in retrospect it definitely always seems that it moves quickly. Either way, today marks 10 years since the first post ever on this blog. Many changes have taken place in our world as these 10 years have gone by. Time will continue to elapse, and tomorrow hopefully will be 10 years and a day, and hopefully I will continue to write my thoughts on here. Moreover, hopefully more and more readers pass by and continue to read. Thank you all for stopping by this blog and reading my posts. Blessings!

When the Son of Man Comes, Will He Find Faith on Earth?

"And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The preceding quote is from Jesus and it is taken out of context from the Gospel of Luke 18: 8 (NRSV). Often it is good to read the entire passage to really understand what or why Jesus follows a statement with a question; however, even in context this question seems a bit puzzling, as if Jesus was saying that the future is confusing and uncertain when it comes to the existence of faith on our planet. Yet, if we break up the question we may get varying results with more questions. For instance, what exactly is faith? One can use Hebrews 11:1 as a definition and say: it is “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Moreover, the Book of Hebrews elaborates more on the subject by presenting a history of it using many Bible characters for illustrations. But still, in the end, faith means something different to everyone simply because we all understand things differently in a personal way, although we can associate with many similarities. I still want to share the entire passage where the question is found, it is from The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge. Before the parable, Jesus was making emphasis on always praying and not losing heart. But, another good question is what did faith mean to Jesus? I will stop here and let you answer the questions to yourself. The full passage is below, but what do you think Jesus meant when he said: "And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

‘"The Parable of the Widow and the Unjust Judge

18 Then Jesus[a] told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. 3 In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’ 4 For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, ‘Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.’”[b] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? 8 I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth (NRSV)?”’

Footnotes:

1. Luke 18:1 Gk he
2. Luke 18:5 Or so that she may not finally come and slap me in the face

Reference:

New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A Short Defense of Joseph Smith

Sharing again this post from May 1, 2018. Seems to be popular!


http://arangoapologeticspage.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-short-defense-of-joseph-smith.html?m=0






Source:

http://arangoapologeticspage.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-short-defense-of-joseph-smith.html?m=0

Shanah Tovah to All!

Shanah Tovah to all!

Bible and Archaeology Fest Denver 2018

"...hear about the latest discoveries from 20 world-renowned Bible and archaeology scholars at our 21st annual Bible and Archaeology Fest this fall. Ask questions..."

Denver, Colorado from November 16 – November 18, 2018

Get the details at the following link:

21st Annual Bible and Archaeology Fest 2018 · BAS Travel/Study Events: Visit Biblical archaeology sites, discover ancient Bible history, and hear top Biblical archaeologists and Bible scholars share their latest research and findings at the Biblical Archaeology Society's international programs, cruises and U.S. seminars.






Source:

https://travelstudy.bib-arch.org/seminars/21st-annual-bible-and-archaeology-fest

Ecclesiastes 1: 1-11

THE WORDs OF the Koheleth, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Vanity of vanities, saith Koheleth;

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.

What profit hath man of all his labour

Wherein he laboureth under the sun?

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh;

And the earth abideth for ever.

The sun also ariseth,

And the sun goeth down,

And hasteth to his place where he ariseth.

The wind goeth toward the south,

And turneth about unto the north;

It turneth about continually in its circuit,

And the wind returneth again to its circuits.

All the rivers run into the sea,

Yet the sea is not full;

Unto the place whither the rivers go,

Thither they go again.

All things toil to weariness;

Man cannot utter it,

The eye is not satisfied with seeing,

Nor the ear filled with hearing.

That which hath been is that which shall be,

And that which hath been done is that which shall be done;

And there is nothing new under the sun.

Is there a thing whereof it is said: ‘See, this is new’?—it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.

There is no remembrance of them of former times; neither shall there be any remembrance of them of latter times that are to come, among those that shall come after.









Source:

JPS Tanakh 1917

Not Seen

"...the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.[b]"

Footnotes:Hebrews 11:3 Or was not made out of visible things

- Hebrews 11:1-3 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

"For our[a] struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

Footnotes:Ephesians 6:12 Other ancient authorities read your

- Ephesians 6:12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Reference:

NRSV Bible

Two Quotes

What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.

-Ecclesiastes 1:9, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.

-Robert Oppenheimer quoting from the Bhagavad-Gita


Current final thought: we probably haven't even begun to imagine time or dimensional spans.





















References:

NRSV Bible

Note: Oppenheimer, after he had witnessed  the detonation of the first atomic bomb.

Mary Magdalene Article

There’s no good evidence to suggest that Mary and Jesus were married, but recent scholarly research suggests that there was a conspiracy to diminish her status and memory (thedailybeast.com).

The above excerpt is from an article by Candida Moss for the Daily Beast about Mary Magdalene. Being that today is the feast which remembers her, I thought this would be a timely article to share. Well, that’s all I have to say. I hope you enjoy reading. Just follow the link below for the full article. Blessings!

A Conspiracy to Suppress Mary Magdalene? No Longer Just a Dan Brown Plotline.




Source:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-conspiracy-to-suppress-mary-magdalene-no-longer-just-a-dan-brown-plotline.

Can God Change His Mind?

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. Here in South Florida it is hot and muggy, as usual. This post is basically a question geared towards all the readers, and especially you "Sola Scriptura" readers, so feel free to respond as elaborately as you desire. The question is the following.


If God is God, can God change his mind about anything and everything?

How Romans Would Have Crucified Jesus, an Article by Candida Moss

In a recently published article in the Journal of Archaeological and Anthropologica Sciences, a team of scientists led by Emanuela Gualdi and Ursula Thun Hohenstein of the University of Ferrara revealed that they had excavated a 2,000-year-old corpse from an isolated tomb in Gavello, near Venice, in Northern Italy, that showed signs of having been crucified.


The foregoing excerpt is from an article by Candida Moss for the Daily Beast. I personally always find most articles by Candida very fascinating, and this is one of them. Read the full article at the link below. Blessings and enjoy!


New Evidence of How Romans Would Have Crucified Jesus: The Romans normally tied victims to the cross—but a grave in Italy provides new archaeological evidence that the Biblical account of the Crucifixion may have been right all along.









Source:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-evidence-of-how-romans-would-have-crucified-jesus?ref=author.

John 1:1-14

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being
4 in him was life,[a] and the life was the light of all people.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
8 He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.
9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.[b]
10 He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to what was his own,[c] and his own people did not accept him.
12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[d] full of grace and truth....

Footnotes:

John 1:4 Or 3 through him. And without him not one thing came into being that has come into being. 4 In him was life
John 1:9 Or He was the true light that enlightens everyone coming into the world
John 1:11 Or to his own home
John 1:14 Or the Father’s only Son













Source:

John 1: 1-14, New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

A Short Defense of Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith was born in 1805, and he was killed in 1844. My assumption is that he was 38 years old at the time of his earthly death. Smith died in Illinois when a mob stormed the facility in which he was imprisoned. Joseph Smith Jr. was the founder of Mormonism. Yes, he published the Book of Mormon, and he attracted many followers then and until the present day. In fact, a very well known gentleman that ran for president recently is a Mormon. The Book of Mormon is supposedly based on an apparition or revelation in which he had involving an angelic type being named Moroni. The Book of Mormon, according to Moroni, was written on golden plates. Moroni revealed to Smith the place where they were hidden from ancient times. I don’t know if it is of any significance, but the day in which the revelation came was on September 21, 1823. Including himself, there were 11 men who witnessed the plates in total. However, Smith wasn’t supposed to reveal them to anyone other than those commanded. I am basically summarizing the story; it is a little more detailed. My question for many years has been: is this story credible? Obviously, many people seem to think it is, and I am not more knowledgeable than many.

Twenty years ago, if you mentioned Smith, I would have probably laughed and asked you to tell me more about the planet Kolov? Of course, today we know that that stars normally have planets that orbit them; therefore, the existence of strange planets isn’t a farfetched idea. Smith wrote many texts about cosmology, family, and God…. The fact is that some of these crazy things he may have written about probably aren’t so crazy based on today’s knowledge of things like archeology and DNA, for instance. Okay (Oll Korrect), here is where we take off into the unknown. Hopefully, Smith will seem more convincing than you ever imagined at the end of this post.

I am not sure how I am developing the post. I will be asking questions, and if you do not know what it is I am referencing, I hope you do the research to learn more about…; however, I strongly suggest that you put any fundamentalist thoughts aside for a while. Here we go!

Did you know that we recently discovered more than 60,000 archeological ruins under the jungle in Tikal, Guatemala? Those ruin were only seen because of a new laser scanning technology. Although, these ruins have only been buried for about a thousand years, perhaps, they tell us that the Mayan empire was much bigger, and populated by millions more people than previously believed. Fascinating! But, you are probably wondering, what does this have to do with Smith?

The Titanic sank on April 15, 1912. Basically, this happened 106 years ago. In just about a century there is very little remaining of this once biggest ship of the time. Why? Well, it is under the North Atlantic waters and metal rusts. Basically, this once 882 foot long vessel that had a tonnage of about 46,000 GRT is almost completely rusted away. Again, fascinating! But, you are probably wondering, what does this have to do with Smith?

Have you ever heard of Gobekli Tepe? In case you have never heard of it, I strongly suggest learning more about what it is. Either way, I will brief you on it, regardless. Gobekli Tepe is an archeological site in Turkey that is believed to be the oldest megalithic site on the planet, by our current understanding. It possibly dates to the 10thmillennium BC. It consists of more than 200 pillars in 20 circles. The pillars weigh up to ten tons and are 20 feet tall. The question many people have with relevance to this place is how did hunter gatherers make something like it using primitive tools when it is difficult for us to assemble something like it with our own modern technology today? Oh, I also want to add that the site is almost 2,500 feet above sea level. Again, fascinating! But, you are probably wondering, what does this have to do with Smith? Let’s move on, and I will get to explain the reason.

Everyone has heard about Atlantis. I won’t talk much about it. I will simply reference what Plato said. In Timaeus, Plato said that Solon travelled to Egypt, and in Sais he spoke to a priest, who told him a story about how 9,000 years before a very advanced nation named Atlantis existed. Solon lived 600 years before Plato. My apologies, I meant around 600 BC, around 200 years before Plato. If Atlantis actually existed along the timeline in the story, it must have existed almost 12000 years ago. This might not have anything to do with Joseph Smith, yet, but it sure sounds like Atlantis may have existed around the time Gobekli Tepe was built if we do the math. Moving along; I will introduce something about Joseph Smith, at this point in the story.

In the Book of Mormon there is a book titled: The Book of Ether. The Book of Ether contains the story of the Jaredites. The book says that the language of the Jaredites was not confounded during the Tower of Babel. The book provides the genealogy of Jared. The Tower of Babel in the Bible does not seem to predate the flood in which Noah survived by building an Ark. The story of Noah is in Chapter 6 of Genesis, and The Tower is in chapter 11. Either way, both of these stories seem to be included in Sumerian texts, and also predate the story of Abraham which starts in chapter 12 of the Book of Genesis. In the Book of Ether, Jared’s brother is told by the Lord to build 8 barges. Skipping some details, in “the floods” the Jaredites spend 344 days on these barges, and eventually reach the Promised Land which seemingly was, you guessed it, what is the present day United States, but in ancient times. Was the time of the Jaredites about 12,000 years ago, if they actually existed? I have no clue, but I can tell you a little about some recent studies in DNA that may be mind boggling. Moreover, these studies make this story somewhat believable.

Before I talk about DNA, I want to recommend doing a little reading and research with relevance to Graham Hancock and his work. Many claim that Hancock’s ideas are about pseudoscience and pseudo-archeology; however, I think some of his ideas about ancient civilizations may have a great deal of credibility based on simple logic alone. It is said that his work has never been peer reviewed nor published in academic journals, but I have my own opinions with relevance to peer reviewed anything. Peer reviewed does not necessarily make something accurate or true. Peer reviewed can sometimes very well mean that all are in on the deception to try to save themselves because perhaps they have all agreed on wrong information, and most don't want to lose the status of recognition. Of course, collective complicity isn't a new thing. "Et tu, Brute?" I am done with this point, so please allow me to move on to DNA, although I am sure I just made a few enemies, unintentionally.

DNA is a genetic code in us, it is hereditary material. These days most people know exactly what it is, so I really don’t have to go into details explaining it, not that I actually could if I tried…lol. What I really want to write about is based a recent article in The Epoch Times titled: Anomalous Native American DNA: New Tests Show Middle East Origins? The article reads that Geneticist Dr. Donald Yates has been studying Cherokee DNA. The article says:

"He found what he sees as strong evidence that Cherokee Native Americans have Middle Eastern ancestry—ancestry that cannot be accounted for by modern admixture, but which is rooted in the ancient origins of the people (theepochtimes.com)."

Fascinating! One can read the full article at the following link.

https://m.theepochtimes.com/anomalous-dna-found-in-cherokee-native-american-genetic-research_1021858.html

My thoughts with relevance to this article and Joseph Smith is that I wonder if this DNA in Cherokees somehow could be relevant to that of the Jaredites. Does it really matter? I don’t know, but 20 years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to make the connection. Well, there you have it, this is my short defense of Joseph Smith.

Oh, before closing I have a question that one might think is irrelevant. Here is the question: If all the ice in Antarctica was to melt because it was hit by a comet, did you know that sea levels would probably rise about 190 feet? Well, they most likely would. Did you know that most humans live in coastal areas? Yes, they do! I did mention earlier that the Titanic has almost completely rusted away under water in about 100 years. Do you think that if all the ice in Antarctica melted, and most cities went under water that they would completely rust away and vanish in 200 years time? I don’t know, but it is a huge possibility. I remember seeing the construction of the Twin Towers from a distance overlooking the Hudson, as a child living in New Jersey. It took years to build them. On September 11, 2001, it took about a couple of hours for the steel structure within them to melt, and in disbelief I saw them come down very quickly. I will leave you with that thought. In very little time things can often change drastically. Being arrogant about anything is not a good attribute. Humility is often the best road to follow. But, please don't get me wrong, what Jesus is quoted as saying in Matthew 10:16 is also very significant. That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed reading. Blessings!




References:

https://m.theepochtimes.com/anomalous-dna-found-in-cherokee-native-american-genetic-research_1021858.html

The Book of Mormon

An Announcement

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend. Well, I usually don't make announcements on here, but I wanted to say that I plan on posting an article titled: A Short Defense of Joseph Smith. This will be next week or early next month. I plan on covering some ideas that I've had bouncing in my mind recently. Take care everyone!

The Leningrad Codex

"Behind locked doors in St. Petersburg, Russia is the Leningrad Codex, the world's oldest complete text of the Hebrew Bible. Because of its ancient origins, it is a purer version of the Bible–containing words and characters lost in later translations. Timothy Smith, an antiquities expert, believes he's found an intricate code hidden within its text (History.com)."

The foregoing excerpt is about the two hour special on the History channel. Learn more at the link below!

http://www.history.com/specials/god-code/preview-god-code

Source:

http://www.history.com/specials/god-code/preview-god-code

Christos Anesti to Those of Us on the Julian Calendar!

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Happy Easter to Those of Us on the Gregorian Calendar

Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

- St. Paul

Source:

NRSV

Dead Sea Scrolls Research?

Whether one knows a great deal about the Dead Sea Scrolls or simply wants to learn more, I am sharing a website on this blog that I believe is a wonderful resource for personal research or just reading about the subject. Regardless, of what type of research one does, this is definitely one of the best websites to get informed on the subject matter. The website I am referencing is from the Biblical Archeology Society. One can find much information in it, including scholarly relevant articles. Well, I think I have said enough. Simply, follow the link below to learn more. Blessings!

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/category/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/

Reference:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/category/daily/biblical-artifacts/dead-sea-scrolls/

Thoughts on the High School Shooting in Parkland

Two years ago Nikolas Cruz was not considered an adult, but fastfoward to today, and he is one, supposedly. Although, if you ask me, many adults that are considered adults are nowhere near the status.

My thoughts on guns: I don't think we need an assault rifle, unless we are in the millitary or law enforcement, but I am not against having a gun for protection or hunting. However, I have a huge problem with trophy hunting. If you are not hunting for food, I have a problem with your hunting...capiche?

Back to Nikolas Cruz, obviously as adults we failed him. Seemingly, he was not taught about loving our neighbors. Moreover, he apparently had a deficiency in the love department. Do we need more gun control? Sure, we can improve on it! Do we need to love kids and show them to love others? Yes, yes, yes, but it is just my opinion!

In conclusion, many parents at that high school in Parkland will no longer be able to hug their children and have plans for their future because Nikolas Cruz stopped that opportunity. Is it too late to teach Mr. Cruz about love? No! What's the solution to the gun and school shooting problem? I think we all know, but we prefer blaming others instead of taking responsibility. What the world needs now is love! Let's be the solution before pointing fingers. 

Adam and Eve Traced?

"Almost every man alive can trace his origins to one man who lived about 135,000 years ago, new research suggests. And that ancient man likely shared the planet with the mother of all women (www.livescience.com)."

The foregoing is an excerpt from a Live Science article from 2013. The latest scientific research seems to almost be evidence for the existence of Adam and Eve. Anyhow, I think it is very informative, and hope you all enjoy reading it as well. Blessing, and read the full article following the link below. 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/38613-genetic-adam-and-eve-uncovered.html

Reference:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.livescience.com/38613-genetic-adam-and-eve-uncovered.html

Happy 2018 to all!