Archive for gemstones

Revelation, Fraudulent Prophecy

Posted in Astronomy, Atheism, Atheist, belief, Bible, Christianity, culture, enlightenment, faith, freethought, history, humanity, life, logic, random, religion with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 21, 2009 by chouck017894

The book of Revelation, the  canonically approved conclusion to New Testament myths, cannot truthfully be termed “revelation.”  It was fashioned upon cosmological teachings that were regarded as ancient even in the time when Revelation was edited for propagandist purpose, c. 135-138 CE.  The alleged author, John, did not have to rely on visions or divine insight for his imitative version: he needed only access to the myths and cosmological knowledge of older cultures, the use of well-known Pagan symbolism, and a familiarity with the revelatory style from Ezekiel to fashion an ecclesiastical deception.

This “judgement day” mishmash of godly retribution upon wicked humanity is the deliberate perversion of ancient teachings regarding the different energy aspects involved as the creative process responsible for matter manifestation.  These ancient cosmology lessons had once been taught by using imagined figures outlined upon various groups of stars, i.e. constellations.  Hence, in this propaganda for the young Christian faith, the source-clues pop up everywhere: the symbolism and the repeated use of the number seven, for example, are  common to all ancient Creation myths, not end-time prophecy.  Elsewhere, in chapter four, a “throne” is described with “…a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.”  But the “throne” that is referred to is not the seat of some divine being; it refers to green Earth, and the “rainbow” round about it refers to (gasp) the Zodiac!   In the verse prior to this, other gemstones were mentioned: jasper, sardine stone, and the emerald–the stones associated with the constellations Gemini (emerald), Pisces (jasper), and Cancer (sardonyx-alternated bands of brown and white).

With chapter five of Revelation the propaganda for the Christian version of faith really takes off with reference to a book that is sealed on the backside (prephysical conditions) with the usual seven seals.  The only one worthy to pop open the seals and read it is “…the Lion…” of Judah (the undisguised symbol of Leo), “the root of David,” and therein stood a Lamb (symbol of Aries).  Only this “lamb” had been slain (from the foundations of the world), “having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of  god sent forth into all the earth.”   In the ancient teachings from which these symbols were taken, the “lamb,” or  Aries lessons, had taught of the life principle that rises to preside in the four energy dimensions of matter and was explained in seven lessons on energy manifestation as matter.

Only one more example, out of many, of  “John’s” theft from ancient sources to be used as scare tactics to inspire conversion to Christianity. Chapter six of the twenty-two chapters of Revelation contains the well known “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”   The “lamb,” of course, opens the first of the seven seals and what is seen?—a white horse.  There is here an abrupt jump to symbols associated with Sagittarius, where Centaurus aims his arrow at the center of galaxy energy.  There are four horsemen rather than seven, for the ancient lessons on Creation and cosmology taught of  four energy planes that combine as matter.  The colors given the horses charging into John’s nightmare are given as, 1) white, 2) red, 3) black, and 4) pale.  These are intentionally mixed up to present a tale of calculated slaughter of non-Christians by the Prince of Peace.

In the ancient Creation lessons from which these images were taken, the four colors represent the amoral energies that involve in the process of matter manifestation, and so properly represented stages of energy amassment in which life arises as once taught with the contellation lessons Leo, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpius.  The original and proper order of the four colors was: 1) pale, 2) red, 3) black, and 4) white.

  • The word pale signifies no given color, which corresponds to the stage of Creation activity where energies are not fully defined as discernable form.  The closing lesson given with Leo concerned the pale framework of light that slowly manifests into matter forms.
  • Red, a primary color, represents the earlier matter-forms—mineral and plant life; this dimension of rising life was taught with the constellation Libra.  The reference in Revelation to wheat, barley, oil and wine clearly refer to Libra.
  • The color black results when every band of light is reflected back from a surface, and thus indicates the lessons of Virgo, which were concernd with dense matter.  In Revelation the rider on the black horse carried a balance and would seem to indicate Libra.  However, when Revelation was  penned, the constellation signs Virgo and Libra were commonly intermixed and regarded as reciprocal (inseparable) units.
  • White symbolizes purity striven for and attainable only through establishment of harmony with creation forces.  This inspiration for life continuance was in the lessons given with Scorpius.  Thus the use of the white horse in Revelation to symbolize the Life Principle “going forth conquering and to conquer” is an intentional defilement of more scientific, more honest understanding of the role of conscious life in the universe.

Not all Christian representative were supportive of Revelation, being outright suspicious of its origin and connection to “pagan” teachings.  In the General Council of the Church of Nicaea, 324, there was considerable argument over whether or not Revelation should be included in Christian canon.  Bishop Cyril of Jerusalem in 340 omitted the book from his canon.  The Synod of Bishops in 364 elected not to include Revelation from the New Testament.  In 370, however, Bishop Epiphanius of Salamis of the Island  of Cyprus reinstated Revelation.  But then in 375 Bishop Gregory Nazianze in S.W. Cappadocia struck Revelation from his canon.  And in 380 Bishop Philastrius of Brescia also chose to omit Revelation.

It is notable that over 1200 years later (16th century) there was still rational objection to Revelation as not harmonious with Christ’s teachings. Luther, for example, advocated the removal of the book as well as three other books closing the New Testament; James, Jude, and Hebrews–all deemed as “inferior.”

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Gemstones in the Bible

Posted in Atheist, Bible, Christianity, culture, history, random, religion with tags , , , , , on June 13, 2009 by chouck017894

The Pentateuch (first five books of the Bible), attributed to Moses, presents the oldest known record in western writings to have itemized twelve different precious stones.  Twelve mounted gems are recorded as being a feature of the breastplate said to have been worn by the High Priest Aaron, and each gemstone allegedly represented one of the Israelite tribes.

In the list was sardius, a red colored stone upon which was engraved the name of Rueben.  It is likely this stone, sardius, became known as ruby because of that association with Rueben.

The second stone, topaz, may have signified peridot (olivine), which was described as having a color like an unripe olive.  Or it may well have been in reference to chrysolite which are various yellow or greenish-yellow stones.  But it was known as topaz in the list, and allegedly bore the name of Simeon upon it. 

The stone that supposedly designated the Levites was called baraqah in Hebrew, was described as shining like burning fire or lightning (from barqa, meaning lightning).   This is thought to be the stone known today as carbuncle, an almandine garnet with deep red, violet-red or black coloring.  From the biblical description of color the garnet nearest the described color suggests either pyrope or spessartite.

Judah is said to have been represented with the emerald, being pure green without any other color in its makeup.  Emeralds were mined in ancient Egypt, and the authors of the Pentateuch would have been well acquainted with the stone.

The stone associated with the tribe Issachar is ill-defined, but was apparently deep blue and somewhat translucent.  Tradition has favored the impression that the stone referred to sapphire.  (The sapphire associated with the Ten Commandments was quite another thing.)

Dimond (not diamond) is mentioned in the Pentateuch, and said to be perfectly white and “beautifully sparkling;” so sparkling in fact that it was said to be able to induce sleep and dreams.  The tribe of Zebulon was said to be inscribed upon it.

In the Middle East the stone ligure was known as “Dam stone,” dull green in color with dark red reflections.  This bore the name of Dan–from which the name “Dam stone” probably arose. 

Possibly the oldest precious stone known to man is the agate, chiefly brown, red, or sometimes bluish, gray or black with clouded translucency.  This was the stone of the tribe of Naphtali. 

The transparent stone amethyst, described in ancient times as purple with a strong bluish hue, was the stone apparently assigned to the tribe of Gad. 

The stone spoken of  as beryl in the breastplate description is traditionally held to be the bluish-green aquamarine.  The Semitic name for this stone was “Tarshish,” which suggests its origin was Tartesus, a region in southern Spain that was known for mineral and ore riches.  The stone represented the tribe of Asher.

Onyx, the chalcedony variety, a translucent stone of parallel layers of different colors, was the stone apparently assigned to the tribe of Joseph (who happened to have a coat of many colors).

Jasper is the last stone mentioned in the breastplate description, said to be green-clouded with either white or red and yellow–not quite the jasper we think of today.  In parts of the Middle East, however, nephrite or jadeite were to be found and was probably the stone that represented Benjamin.

With these stones together with the Urim and Thummin (Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8), the High Priest Aaron supposedly could communicate with and divine the will of “The Most High.”  Being stoned was clearly to his advantage.

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