On April 29, 1980, members of the Baha’is Under the Provisions of the Covenant (BUPC) entered fallout shelters to await a nuclear holocaust that they believed would fulfill the prophecies of Revelation. In the first hour, they expected a third of the world's population to perish, and they claimed that over the next twenty years, the planet would be ravaged by starvation, disease, revolutions, and natural disasters. They believed that by the year 2000 God's kingdom would be established on earth and a thousand years of peace would ensue.This prediction was only the first in a long series of failed prophecies that would test the faith of the BUPC. Between 1980 and 1995 the group’s leader, Dr. Leland Jensen, set twenty dates for the battle of Armageddon or lesser disasters that would lead up to the Apocalypse. In this paper we will examine the long-term effects of these failed prophecies on the BUPC.______________
The BUPC are a small Baha’i sect based in Missoula, Montana. Their founder, a chiropractor named Leland Jensen, was expelled from the mainstream Baha’is in 1960. During a doctrinal dispute following the death of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i faith, Jensen aligned himself with a schismatic leader named Mason Remey who claimed to be the second Guardian. However, Remey died a few years later and his followers split into rival factions, each proclaiming a different Guardian. In 1964, after becoming disillusioned with the infighting, Jensen and his wife, Opal, moved to Missoula where they opened a chiropractic clinic. Although Jensen once had been a highly acclaimed Baha’i missionary, he had stopped teaching the Faith by the time he got to Montana.______________
Then in 1969 Jensen was convicted of sexually molesting a fifteen-year-old patient. During the trial, several women testified against him, and he was sentenced to twenty years in the Montana State Prison.
After studying the Bible and Baha’i writings, Jensen understood that his mission was to establish the Baha’i Universal House of Justice after the world was cleansed of evil and apostasy by a nuclear holocaust.2Jensen immediately began tying together diverse strands of Bible prophecy, Baha’i teachings, and pyramidology to substantiatehis claims. He recruited many followers in prison, and after being paroled in 1973 he founded the BUPC in Missoula. By the end of the 1970s Jensen also had attracted followers in Wyoming, Colorado, and Arkansas______________
One of the most significant events in the history of the BUPC was the recruitment of Neal Chase, a spiritual seeker from Wisconsin who proved to be brilliant at synthesizing Jensen’s teachings with other prophetic beliefs. Chase’s most notable contribution was to bolster the “proofs” for Jensen’s mission byincorporating the prophecies of George Williams, leader of an obscure nineteenth-century Mormon sect known as the Morrisites (Anderson 1988; Chase 1990). According to Chase, Williams predicted that Christ would return in Montana’s Deer Lodge Valley where the Montana State Prison is located. The anticipated date of Christ’s return, August 9, 1969, happened to be the first full day that Jensen spent in the prison, which Chase claims bears a striking resemblance to Ezekiel’s temple described in the Bible.3By 1990, Jensen, then 76, had turned much of the responsibility for interpreting the scriptures over to Chase.______________
Jensen died unexpectedly on August 6, 1996. Chase has taken the helm and members seem to be taking the transition in stride. Neither the group’s apocalyptic rhetoric nor its routine activities appear to have changed. However, Jensen’s death is likely to have serious repercussions because Chase is disliked by some influential longtime members.___________
Jensen and Chase repeatedly claimed that the predictions were tests. After the 1980 prediction, Jensen pointed out that Matthew 24:37 says that the “coming of the Son of Man [Jensen] will repeat what happened in Noah’s time,” which according to Baha’i teachings is that Noah predicted the flood several times (Baha’u’llah 1931). Noah’s first predictions separated the “sheep from the goats” so that when the flood finally happened only the pure-of-heart remained. By the 1990s, Jensen was referring to the 1980 prediction of “God’s fire drill” and a “practice run."__________
During the first BUPC meeting after the prophecy failure, Jensen gave an emotional speech in which he exhorted his followers to capitalize on the reprieve: “Rise and Shine!” he shouted. “Establish the kingdom! Teach as you never have before!” Although he had brought a large box of books for members to distribute, not one was taken. The BUPC were extremely confused and demoralized, and attendance at meetings dropped precipitously.________________
In 1991, Jensen established a twelve-person governing body called the Second International Baha’i Council (IBC) whose stated purpose was to lay the foundation for the Universal House of Justice, whichJensen expected to govern the world after the apocalypse.5The IBC quickly came to dominate the lives of its members as its meetings steadily became longer and more frequent. IBC members engaged in endless wrangling over administrative details, writing projects, plans for establishing the world government, and discussions of other members’ personal affairs, including martial problems, homosexuality, and gambling._______________
In contrast to the informality of previous years, the BUPC took on increasingly bureaucratic character despite the fact that by 1990 the group probably had fewer than one hundred members nationwide. The IBC elected officers passed numerous “laws” governing the conduct of BUPC members, and conducted its meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order. To deal with more mundane matters, local BUPC “councils” were formed in Montana, Colorado, and Wisconsin. City and county councils were established in Missoula, each with its own officers and formal responsibilities.
The first IBC was established by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith. The BUPC’s IBC was an exact replica of the first._____________
Ever since the 1970s, Jensen had claimed that Mason Remey’s son, Pepe, was the Guardian, but Pepe steadfastly refused the title. After Pepe died in 1994, Jensen began hinting that Chase might be the next Guardian, but many members disagreed.____________
Jesus Christ was a Messiah, as the word Christ means Messiah, or specifically Messiah Ben David which, when translated, is 'The Anointed Son of David'. Jesus was a descendant of David who was anointed with the Holy Spirit and had the mission of proclaiming the coming of the Kingdom of God on Earth. Jesus also told us of the One who would actually bring this kingdom in the future, who would be the Second Coming of Christ, or another descendant of David anointed with the Holy Spirit. The 2nd Christ has come fulfilling prophecy by Name, Date, Address and Mission being seated on the Throne of David and bringing an everlasting dynasty of Davidic kings as promised by God in the book of Psalms.There is also:
I will not violate my covenant, or alter the word that went forth from my lips. Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness; I will not lie to David. His line shall endure for ever, his throne as long as the sun before me. (Psalms 89:34-36)
This Covenant of an everlasting dynasty of Davidic kings are the guardians of the Baha'i Faith seated at the head of the Universal House of Justice or House of the Lord as prophesied in the second chapter of Isaiah:
It shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, and many people shall come, and say: Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths. For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. (Isaiah 2:2-4)
Baha'u'llah is the founder of the Baha'i Faith. He fulfills prophecy as the Second Coming of Christ (Mark 8:38). Just as Jesus the Christ did not come fulfilling the peoples expectation, neither does the Second Christ, Baha'u'llah, appear as the people might imagine. Instead, He appears fulfilling detailed prophecies of all the worlds religions as to the promise of a great World Redeemer who is to appear in the end times and unite all the people of the earth.
Baha'u'llah made a strong Covenant passing the throne of King David to his son 'Abdu'l-Baha, making 'Abdu'l-Baha the CENTER of His Covenant. 'Abdu'l-Baha then delineated His Father's Covenant in the sacred Will and Testament of 'Abdu'l-Baha, which is the CHARTER for the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven (see page 144 of "The World Order of Baha'u'llah" for more).
In the Will and Testament, the line of Davidic Kings from Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha entitled AGHSAN (BRANCH: see Zech. 3:8 KJV) continues for ever as the presidents of Baha'u'llah's Universal House of Justice (UHJ) which is the "House of the Lord" prophesied by Isaiah and the other prophets. The purpose of the lineage and throne of David is so that we can recognize the true UHJ or true HOUSE of the Lord from fakes, frauds and imitations. Groups of people that claim to have organizations or administration, but have no descendant of King David as the 'sign of God' as the executive or chair, are therefore disqualified as being from God, and are only man-made institutions.
Saying that WeWork is just another coworking space is like saying Starbucks was just another coffeehouse. The environment is more hip hotel lobby than ho-hum open plan, and it offers its members favorable rates on ¬services such as payroll and health insurance—and, in New York, bento box lunches from Momofuku. (…)2016: WeWork raises $430M in a new round of financing from Legend Holdings and Hony Capital, valuing the company at $16B.
Like Ace before it, the coworking network is helping to transform the neighborhoods it lands in, bringing an influx of talented and energetic young entrepreneurs, and elevating property values in the process.
“The median earnings (in constant 2017 dollars)2 of young adults who worked full time, year round declined from 2000 to 2017 at all educational attainment levels, except for those who did not complete high school and those with a master’s or higher degree: neither of these groups had a measurable change in median earnings between these two years. During this period, the median earnings of young adult high school completers declined from $35,600 to $32,000 (a 10 percent decrease), and the median earnings of those with some college but no degree declined from $41,100 to $35,000 (a 15 percent decrease). Similarly, the median earnings of young adults with an associate’s degree declined from $42,700 to $38,900 (a 9 percent decrease), and the median earnings of young adults with a bachelor’s degree declined from $56,800 to $51,800 (a 9 percent decrease).Textbooks, college tuition and childcare were the top three categories for largest price increases from 1996 through 2016. Discharging student debt through bankruptcy is next to impossible, exceptions contingent on the notoriously difficult to prove “undue hardship” clause.
By 2017, the homeownership rate among the largest group of homeowners—those age 65 and over—has returned to within about 2 percentage points of 2006 levels. However, householders under age 35 and 35-44 years old had 2017 rates about 7 and 10 percentage points lower than in 2006.In 2017, suicide was the second leading cause of death among young Americans age 15 to 24.
“Between 2008 and 2017, the amount of adults that experienced serious psychological distress in the last month increased among most age groups, with the largest increases seen among younger adults aged 18-25 (71%). Notably, rates of serious psychological distress increased by 78% among adults aged 20-21 during the time period. Meanwhile, there was a decline among adults aged 65 and older. (...)Source
These findings were consistent across other measures, with the rate of adolescents and young adults experiencing depressive symptoms in the last year increasing by 52% and 63%, respectively, while rates remained stable adults aged 26 and older.
by Tom Slemen May 1999 from Admantium9000 Website submitted by CuteBananaMuffin to conspiracy [link] [comments] The gospel of St Matthew opens the New Testament with a frightening visit from a skyborne being who descends from the starry heavens to proclaim a sensational message to terrified shepherds attending their flocks: Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God is with us.This event - if it happened at all - would have occurred between four and eight years before the era which came to bear 'Christ''s name Anno Domini - which is Latin for 'in the year of our Lord.' Like his death and alleged resurrection, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is cloaked in mystery. Just as the pillar of light led the Israelites through the wilderness to the Promised Land in the Old Testament, another enigmatic object served to guide those with wisdom to the birthplace of a carpenter's son in the New Testament. The ufological angle certainly seems to fit the account of this guiding light in the sky which is depicted on millions of Christmas cards all over the world. It is sung about in carols, it shines down from the tops of Christmas trees, and foil imitations of it twinkle over Nativity scenes. But just what was the Star of Bethlehem? Is it just a myth or did the starry messenger really exist in the skies of Judaea?For centuries, theologians and scientists have argued over their interpretations of the celestial event, which was recorded only by the apostle Matthew. In the second chapter of his gospel, Matthew tells us: "When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the King, behold, there came wise men from the East to Jerusalem, saying, 'where is he who is born King of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East and have come to worship him.' "According to Matthew, Herod summons the mysterious Wise Men and tells them that if they should find the newborn king, they must divulge the child's whereabouts to him. Later, the Wise Men see the guiding star in the East and it leads him to the stable where the babe Jesus is sleeping. In the 17th century, the great German astronomer Kepler, sent shockwaves through the Christian world when he suggested that the star the Wise Men had followed might have been nothing more than a conjunction of the planets Saturn and Jupiter. However, it is now known that no such conjunctions were visible in the Holy Land during the period St Matthew mentions, which historical scholars reckon is around 4 or 5 BC. After Kepler's heretical attempts to explain away the Star of Bethlehem as a natural phenomenon, many other scientists also tried to formulate theories to rationalize the stellar oddity. Halley's Comet was blamed but astronomers have calculated that the comet had already visited and left the heavens before 'Christ''s birth. Another theory proposed that the star that hovered over the stable was actually a distant star that had exploded - or gone supernova, to use astronomers' jargon. Such explosions do occur from time to time and can remain visible in the sky for weeks, even during the daytime. Now, it is recorded in ancient Chinese texts that such a supernova explosion did occur - around 4 BC. Chinese astronomers of the time recorded that a star flared up in the constellation of Aquila the Eagle, just below the bright star Altair. What's more, it has been computed that, to anyone standing at the South Gate of Jerusalem, the brilliant star would appear to be over Bethlehem. The American scientist A.J. Morehouse, who discovered the Chinese record, therefore believes that the Star of Bethlehem is still in the sky, but it is very faint. Opponents of Morehouse's theory have pointed out that the exploding star of 4 BC occurred too late to be associated with the birth of 'Christ'. Also, such a bright spectacle in the night sky would hardly have gone unnoticed by Herod and the other inhabitants of Judaea. Moreover, a supernova cannot hover in the sky as the star of Bethlehem did over the manger. Just as enigmatic as the Star are the Wise men who followed it. Matthew simply states that they were from the East without specifying what countries they came from, and, contrary to popular belief, St Matthew does not actually say there were three of them. In fact, according to the early versions of the Nativity in Medieval times, there were twelve Wise Men! Whatever their number, most Biblical scholars agree that the Wise Men were students of astrology, which was very popular among the Jewish community at the time. This theory was strengthened by the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947. Among the timeworn Hebrew and Aramaic texts - some of which date back to the birth of 'Christ' there are astrological charts depicting signs of the Zodiac and mystical texts referring to the influence of the stars and the planets on the newly-born. The Scrolls also mention an unnamed individual who lived at the time of the Jesus who was known as the Teacher of Righteousness. In the end, despite all the conjecture and historical research, we are still no nearer to uncovering the truth about the most mysterious herald in history - the Star of Bethlehem. If it wasn't a comet, nor a planetary conjunction, then surely there is only one logical hypothesis which can explain a light in the sky which behaves as if it is controlled by an intelligence: the Star of Bethlehem was a spacecraft; and if we can accept this explanation, we must ask: what was it doing hovering over the stable where Jesus was born?The Christians have longed claimed that the arrival of 'Christ' at Bethlehem had been predicted centuries before. In the Book of Micah 5:2 (written in the 8th Century BC), it states that the Messiah - Hebrew for "the anointed one" - would be born in Bethlehem, and in the Book of Isaiah 7:14 (also written in the 8th century BC) scripture specifically asserts that the person who will come as God's representative in the flesh would be born of a virgin. In the Book of Malachi 3:1 it is foretold that someone would go ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way. Most Christians have interpreted this as being John the Baptist. In Isaiah 9:1-2 it predicts that the Messiah would live and work around Galilee in a northern province remote from the centers of power, and that he would heal people. The Book of Zechariah foretells that the long-awaited Messiah who would restore his people to a position of power and prosperity which they enjoyed under David and Solomon would ride into Jerusalem humbly, on a donkey, and not on the war-horse of a military conqueror. In that same book a passage eerily maintains that the Messiah will be betrayed to his enemies for thirty pieces of silver. This prophecy seems to have been fulfilled by one Judas Iscariot. There are more amazingly accurate predictions in Psalms, the 19th book of the Old Testament. Crucifixion - execution by nailing the condemned to a cross - was unknown to the Hebrews until the Romans came to power, yet in Psalm 22 there is a graphic description of the way the Messiah will be put to death, hundreds of years before Jesus of Nazareth was crucified. The passages say his hands and feet will be pierced, and that his executioners would mock him and gamble for his clothes. All of the incidents foretold by the Jewish scriptures, if applied to the life of Jesus, are astoundingly more accurate than the prophecies of Nostradamus. Little is known about the early days of Jesus, especially the circumstances of his conception and birth. Traditionally, March 25 is held as the Day of the Annunciation, when the angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. Curiously, in May 1999, Israeli historians researching ancient copies of the Apocrypha told the newspaper National Midnight Star that one translation of the Virgin Mary's conception after a visitation from God described a chilling tale which sounded very similar to the accounts of people who had undergone gynecological examinations in UFO abduction experiences. When reporters pressed the codex researchers to comment further on their intriguing claims, but the historians were evidently advised by the religious authorities to withhold further interpretations of the timeworn texts. Even the hardened scientific skeptic, philosopher and historian H.G. Wells - who was not at all impressed by Christianity - once wrote of Jesus: 'Christ' is the most unique person in history. No one can write a history of the human race without giving first and foremost place to the penniless teacher from Nazareth.In this age of scientific and medical marvels, it is possible through the techniques of artificial insemination to produce a child in the womb of a woman who is a virgin. In Japan and America, scientists are making rapid progress with the development of artificial wombs which will allow the development of a fertilized egg into an embryo and finally a nine-month-old baby. These 'baby hatcheries' were described in 1932 within the pages of Aldous Huxley's far-sighted novel Brave New World, although Huxley confidently assured his shocked readers that cloning and mechanical wombs were three centuries away. In 1962, the year before Huxley died, the English physicist Francis Crick and American biochemist James Watson, shared the Nobel Prize in medicine and physiology for discovering the double-helix structure of DNA - the genetic code of the human body. Five years later, the British biologist John B. Gurdon cloned a South African clawed frog. Eleven years after that, British Doctor Patrick Steptoe and his colleagues overcame the problem of sterility in women by producing the first test-tube baby outside the womb in July, 1978. Twenty years after that, scientists had cloned sheep and higher mammals, and it was recently claimed that cloned humans in America and Korea had been allowed to develop to an embryonic stage before being destroyed. Envisage then, a superior race from another world steering the affairs of mankind. This higher race implants the embryo of Jesus into a peasant woman's womb so she becomes a surrogate mother. Jesus is born in an obscure village, and as he grows he probably becomes aware of the psychic superhuman talents he possesses. He works in a carpenter's shop in Nazareth until he his thirty, then embarks on a three-year mission which will sow the seeds for the most momentous sociological and philosophical revolution in world history. Immediately the authorities realize that he is not an average prophet, for he raises three dead people: a young girl (Matthew 9:1819), a young man (Luke 7: 11-15), and a man named Lazarus (John 11: 1-44).The Jews believed that only God could control the weather to induce storms and stop them, so they were amazed when Jesus stopped a storm (Matthew 8:23-27). There are also accounts of Jesus - or Yeshua - as he was known - walking on water, exorcising evil spirits from possessed people, healing the sick and crippled, restoring the sight of blind people, turning water into wine, and feeding the multitudes (on two different occasions). All of these supernatural acts proved Jesus was no ordinary human being, and he himself said the Kingdom or realm he came from was 'not of this world'. He also maintained that his father was in the heavens, and he spent many lengthy periods in the vast isolation of the Sinai Desert, where he may have received the instructions for his revolutionary program to change civilization. Perhaps this was the rendezvous point for meeting his extraterrestrial kin. There are many instances of luminous objects descending onto Jesus and shining rays at him. All of these incidents are interpreted as religious omens among the primitive people of the time, but what can we make of them? For example, in Luke 3: 21-22, it is recorded: Now, when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus was also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened. And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him.What was this thing which resembled a luminous dove? We are none the wiser now. Nor can we explain the significance of the following episode, mentioned in detail in Matthew 17: 6-9: Jesus too Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his rainment was white and glistening. And behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias; who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. While thus he spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, 'This is my beloved Son: hear him.' And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were sore afraid, And Jesus came and touched them and said Arise and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead. And they kept it close, and told not man in those days of the things which they had seen. Why did Jesus ask the disciples to keep quiet about the incident? How did Peter, John And James know the figures with Jesus were Moses and Elias, who lived a thousand years before they were born? And what mysterious process was going on during the miraculous transformation of Jesus, which made his face and clothes 'brighter than the sun'? What mysterious forces were at work on the summit of that mountain? Was Jesus being 'recharged' by some energy source hidden in the cloud which hovered overhead? So many intriguing, but alas, unanswered questions. Of course, the ultimate proof that Jesus was no ordinary Earthman came with his physical resurrection, which was mentioned in all four gospels and referred to in Corinthians 15: 3-7. Mark relates that Jesus of Nazareth was scourged and treated brutally by the Roman guards, who crowned him with thorns, mocked him, then crucified him at the ninth hour (3 p.m.) of the day. Jesus had to be buried before the Sabbath began at 6 p.m., so that his corpse should not profane the holy day. A secret disciple of Jesus named Joseph of Arimathea, bravely asked the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate if he could bury 'Christ'. Pilate was surprised that Jesus had died so quickly, and after checking with his centurion to see if 'Christ' had indeed passed away, he allowed Joseph to take charge of the preacher's body. Joseph wrapped the corpse of 'Christ' in a fine linen; this cloth was afterwards rumored to feature a miraculous imprint of the body of 'Christ', and some think the burial cloth is still around as the famous Turin Shroud. The shrouded body of Jesus was hurriedly laid in a sepulchre hewn out of a rock, and the entrance to this tomb was sealed with an enormous stone. There can be no doubt that at this point, Jesus was not faking death, although some researchers have claimed that he had not died on the cross, but had only swooned. But the facts say that was not possible, for a Roman scourging was so terrible and traumatic, many victims died before being crucified. Then there is the graphic account of John, who says a soldier named Longinius thrust a spear into Jesus's side while he was on the cross and that 'blood and water' came out. This is a medically accurate description of what happens when the pericardium is pierced, and such a wound is always fatal. Shortly before dawn on the Sunday morning following the Jewish Sabbath (which is a Saturday), Mary Magdalene went to visit the tomb where Jesus was laid to rest, and noticed that the heavy stone had been rolled back. In John 20: 1-9 it states: The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he, stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which first came unto the sepulchre, and he saw, and believe. For as yet they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead. The events of that first Easter morning soon came together like a mystical jigsaw puzzle. The Jewish Council, the Sanhedrin, trembled when they heard the news of the empty tomb. They heard strange accounts of how, in the early hours of that Sunday morning a being in 'snow-white clothes' with a light on its head as bright as lightning had descended from the low oppressive clouds and terrified the Roman soldiers guarding the tomb of 'Christ' into stupefaction. This strange figure - assumed by the Jewish priests to be a heavenly being - an angel of some order - proceeded to push away the stone blocking the tomb's entrance with superhuman might. It was later revealed that two unearthly-looking men dressed in white clothes had been seen at the entrance of the tomb by Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. The three women said one of the eerie figures said: 'Be not affrighted; ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is not here... he is risen. But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.'The enigmatic men in white later vanished into the skies as mysteriously as they had appeared. Did they return to some mothership in Earth orbit? The ship that had been interpreted as the Star of Bethlehem? The doubter, Thomas inspects the wounds of the resurrected Jesus The resurrected Jesus later reappeared to his faithful disciples, but seems to have undergone a 'transfiguration'. Although he was apparently solid and tangible enough to eat food and to allow the disciples to touch his wounds, doors did not have to be opened before he could enter a room full of people. He bilocated on several occasions (allowed himself to be seen in several places at once simultaneously), and seemed slightly different. Some people who had been familiar with him prior to the crucifixion did not recognize him immediately; in fact even Mary Magdalene mistook him for a gardener. Luke mention this intriguing facial metamorphoses when he relates the two disciples' walk to Emmaus, seven miles outside Jerusalem. 'Christ' joins them but says 'there eyes were holden that they should not know him'. The disciples told the bemused Jesus about the crucifixion and of the empty tomb he had been laid in. Jesus then revealed his identity be expounding the scriptures concerning himself. The overawed disciples shared their evening meal with him, and he blessed them and broke the bread. He subsequently performed a vanishing act, and the disciples hurried back to Jerusalem to tell of their emotional and heart-lifting encounter with the risen 'Christ'. The eleven Apostles, meanwhile were giving their accounts of meetings with the returned Jesus, when their Lord suddenly appeared in their midst. After the ghostlike 'Christ' had instilled faith into his followers, he is said to have 'ascended' into heaven. The Christian Bible doesn't go into any detail about what this ascension was like, but we possess thought-provoking accounts of the event in the Apocryphon Jacobi, and the Epistle of the Apostles. These books, which were suppressed by the Church for centuries, give us a full description of the Ascension. They tell us that at the ridge, east of Jerusalem, known as the Mount of Olives, where Jesus often prayed and meditated in the evenings, there was a great stir. The resurrected Jesus of Nazareth was talking to his followers, when his words were interrupted by a clap of thunder and lightning. The roll of rumbling thunder shook the entire mountain, and a chariot descended through the clouds. The Jews of old called this chariot a Merkaba - a celestial vehicle of the angels which is mentioned in the ancient Kabbals. The texts describe how Jesus entered the Merkaba and was welcomed by the angels within who were dressed in 'white apparel'. One of these heavenly beings said to the apostles: Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go to heaven.And the Apostles watched in wonderment as Jesus rose higher and higher into the heavens until he and his angels in the Merkaba were lost to sight. Today, the Christians assert that Jesus was God incarnate, while the Jews maintain that he was merely a prophet. Whoever Jesus was, there can be no doubt that he was a most extraordinary, and possibly extraterrestrial being. How else can we explain the miracles he performed, the transfiguration, and eventually regeneration after being executed on the cross? Then there is the futuristic philosophy Jesus propounded which predates the doctrines of Communism formulated by Marx and Engels by centuries. Jesus said that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven, and he also said that in his kingdom, the underdog and the wretched would be put first (which enraged the self-righteous Pharisees). He told his astonished followers that pacifism was the only way to live; if their enemy should strike them them, they must turn the other cheek, ready to be hit again. This seemed to be the exact opposite of the Old Testament's suggestion of 'an eye for an eye' and more in keeping with Ghandi's philosophy of non-violence which lay nine centuries in the future. Jesus also preached that those who wished to follow him would have to love their enemies and pray for them, and abandon all worldly wealth. The strange philosophy of 'Christ' seems so alien to the selfish nature of the human race; was this because 'Christ' was an alien? Because the whole subject of Jesus and his teachings is still surrounded with so many blind dogmas and taboos, it is difficult to see beyond the religion and analyze just who or what the carpenter from Nazareth really was. The extraterrestrial interpretation does not denigrate 'Christ' in any way, but shows him in another, wider role in the cosmos. The next time you gaze up into the night sky at the stars, consider that somewhere out there, for all we know, an interstellar 'Christ' may be preaching the word of Yahveh to the multitudes of some alien world. A Renaissance painting of the Magi visiting the manger; the UFO-like object in the background has never been explained. |
WHO IS JEFF MCBRIDE? submitted by EndersGame_Reviewer to playingcards [link] [comments] Chances are you are reading this article because you already have some interest in playing cards. So maybe you've already heard of the name Jeff McBride. If you have, you'll already be familiar with his credentials, so you'll be itching to get straight the good stuff and read what he's got to say, because you know it's going to be worth reading. But if you haven't heard of Jeff McBride before, let me tell you why this interview is a must-read: ● Are you into card magic? Jeff has been doing card magic his whole life, and is one of the very best in the world at card manipulation and sleight of hand. He has also been running his famous Magic & Mystery School for over 30 years. ● Are you into cardistry? Jeff's instructional Art of Card Manipulation videos were some of the foundational materials that shaped fathers of the cardistry movement like Dan and Dave Buck. Card manipulation is his speciality, and if there's anyone that we can learn a thing or two about card handling from, it's him. ● Are you into card collecting? Jeff's entire career has been built with a deck of cards in his hands, and he also collects some playing card memorabilia himself. So if you are a playing card enthusiast in any way, this is a wonderful opportunity to learn from one of the greatest living card men. We were delighted when Jeff agreed to do this interview with us, and couldn't wait to hear some of his thoughts about various topics relating to his own career with playing cards. We even got opportunity to visit him at his own place, and take some photos of his memorabilia and more, which we have permission to show our readers for the first time! But first let's share some of his credentials, so that we can appreciate what he has to say in the context of his own accomplishments and achievements. https://preview.redd.it/98b4v7a3n8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4a8188ce59843ea29e4820f458cbd3f5c094fa04 Jeff McBride the Performer Jeff McBride has had a love for magic that goes back to his childhood in New York's Catskill mountains, where he grew up. As a young boy he stumbled across The Golden Book of Magic in a library, which quickly became his first magic Bible. He performed gigs locally, did street performances, and eventually moved to Las Vegas, where he successfully built a career in magic, and performs his award-winning stage magic and runs a magic school. His performance style is highly praised for its unique blend of traditional magic with a form of Japanese theater called kabuki. Drawing on an unusual mix of skills that includes martial arts, philosophy, and more, Jeff's stage act combines an unorthodox blend of sleight of hand with masks and mime, to create a unique show like no other. Besides his "home" stage in Las Vegas, he's performed on stages and in theaters around the world, including touring with The Illusionists. A Jeff McBride show never fails to showcase his dynamic, innovative, and creative personality, from someone who has proven himself over time to be a master entertainer, showman, and sleight-of-hand artist. Jeff McBride's list of awards is too lengthy to cover all of them. But to mention just a few, he's received recognition from exclusive and respected organizations, including "Magician of the Year" by The Magic Castle's The Academy of Magic Arts and "Magician of the Year" by the Society of American Magicians. In 2018 the International F?d?ration Internationale des Societes Magiques (FISM) gave him their "Theory & Philosophy Special Award", in tribute for his lifetime contribution to magic from a viewpoint that is analytical and academic. This illustrious award has previously been given only to Tommy Wonder, Juan Tamariz, Eugene Burger, and Roberto Giobbi. Most recently in January 2020 he was inducted into the prestigious Hall of Fame by the Society of American Magicians. He is part of a very small group of living magicians that are part of this exclusive club, which includes David Copperfield and Siegfried and Roy. He's even the holder of three world records - don't worry, we'll be sure to ask him about that in our interview! And of course he has appeared on television many times, already back in 1995 as part of the "World's Greatest Magic, and more recently on shows like Masters of Illusion, Criss Angel's Mindfreak, and Penn & Teller's Fool Us. But he's not just "another magician", as his selection as a judge for the 2008 reality celebrity-magic show Celebradabra confirms. Already more than ten years ago filmmakers produced a documentary about him, entitled Jeff McBride: A Magickal Life. This has been highly praised by magicians and viewers for how it shows his journey from a boy magician to a headline act in Las Vegas, and also his personal spiritual journey and development from a brash young man into a mature and caring magician who is keen to pass on the art of magic to the next generation. He really is one of the best. Jeff McBride the Teacher While the first part of his career was all about performing in his inimitable style, as the years have passed Jeff McBride has more and more mellowed into a highly respected teacher, with a keen interest in sharing his wisdom with others, and helping young magicians develop their skills in magic. Besides many written works, he's produced best-selling and highly influential instructional videos on the art of card manipulation, and on stage magic. His current passion is to serve as a sage that helps other magicians make their dreams as performers come true. Perhaps his crowning achievement and lasting legacy is the McBride Magic & Mystery School, which he established in 1991. This is a world-renowned training ground for stage magic, and is generally regarded as the very best and most prestigious institution in the world for receiving magic instruction. There's simply no better place for aspiring magicians to go, in order to take seminars, classes, and workshops, to help raise their magic to a higher level, and to learn the true secrets of the craft. Highly respected magician and lecturer Eugene Burger (pictured below with Jeff McBride) served as Dean of this school until his sad passing in 2017. It was from him that Jeff learned the importance of burning one end of your own candle in order to light someone else's candle. Many leading magicians have served on the faculty or as guest instructors, including big names like Lance Burton, Johnny Thompson, and Max Maven. Jeff McBride is a wonderful entertainer himself, but his current passion is to be a mentor to others, and he will leave a lasting stamp in the lives of many magicians of the future. But now it's time for us to sit at his feet, and learn a thing or two from his life, and about his experiences with playing cards in particular. https://preview.redd.it/h2fe9512n8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=02912d8dd6f9a84c51b79e2854b3dd31ab8baa5d THE INTERVIEW GENERAL BACKGROUND For those who don't know anything about you, what can you tell us about yourself and your background? I started my career with a pack of playing cards. Now I headline Las Vegas shows, and theaters and festivals all over the world. I also run a very successful magic school in Las Vegas, and I teach online. I am one of the first magic teachers to create a video series, and my breakthrough videos on card manipulation taught the world how to perform flourishes and card manipulation, which happened to grow into a new cardistry movement. I was fortunate enough to train with great old-school masters and I put out The Art of Card Manipulation which caught on in Asia. The material contained within those DVDs - they were VHS videos at that time - did not need words to understand how to perform the magic, so they had international appeal. Many people like An Ha Lim and leading Asian manipulators found these, and my videos were their original training tools. What would be some of the highlights in your career in magic? Performing at Radio City Music Hall, the largest theater in the world with no screen support, no image magnification, and performing my card manipulation routine. The only other person that had that experience was Cardini. That was one of the highlights. And of course, being inducted into the Society of American Magicians Hall of Fame. Also winning the FISM Special Award for Theory and Philosophy was a highlight. That's an award I share with Tommy Wonder, Juan Tamariz, and Eugene Burger. How would you describe the style of the amazing act that you are known for? I call it "sorcerer" style, which is very fiery and dynamic. There are many types of card routines, and mine is very explosive and dynamic. In fact during my touring seasons with the hit show The Illusionists, the closing number of the show was my card routine, just before the snow storm sequence. So my card routine can fill a giant theater. At that time of The Illusionists we were working a 7,000 seat theater. So my motto was "pack small, play big." What were your major influences for this style of performance? My influences came from many directions. I realized early on that performing standard magic was not a path to success. It was a path to working weddings, bar mitzvahs and birthday parties. In order to break out, I had to become a much more dynamic performer and I added other skillsets I had studied, like classic pantomime theater, which I'd studied at the American Mime Theater. I combined martial arts and my passion for masks and quick change, and dance. And it was this fusion of all of these different theatrical elements that made a huge difference. It was much more than magic, it was a total theatrical experience. Where can people go to see you perform today? I teach magic on a platform called MagicFlix. There's performances and tutorials. It's the world's leading streaming platform for magic. So you can immediately see me there. If you want to trial it, all you have to do is go to MagicFlix's website, enter your information, and put in the code MCBRIDE, and you can get 30 days for free. You can see not only myself, but the great masters of magic, and some of the great card magicians in history, as well as learn my card manipulation sequences. Also if you want to see my live shows, I perform in Las Vegas at Wonderground, which is the longest running independent variety magic show in the history of Las Vegas. It is not attached to a casino, so we can do some pretty wild stuff! That's been running 11 years, and has hosted more variety entertainers on its stage than any other stage in Las Vegas. What should we know about the McBride Magic & Mystery School, which has now been running for around 30 years? It's now over 30 years. The McBride Magic and Mystery School came out of a great desire to study with masters. The challenge I see these days is that most people are learning magic from their peers, from people in their own age group. And not necessarily looking up the ladder at masters that have achieved great amounts of success. So what I did 30 years ago, is I decided to host a retreat for masters to come and teach hungry students, mostly professionals, that were willing to empty their cup and fill up on wisdom and on the experience of great masters. And over the years we've had Eugene Burger, Johnny Thompson, Max Maven and many, many other masters come to the school to help our students understand the path to mastery. So not just learning from your pals online or at magic class, but really top-down training from experts in the field. What are some of your interests outside of magic? I spend a lot of time going to other conferences learning more skills on how to facilitate life-transforming experiences. So I spend a lot of time still studying how to teach more effectively, both in person and online. https://preview.redd.it/cialrv70n8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fddf909118882731a58313d48dd2353b6894b09e PLAYING CARDS & CARD MANIPULATION You have set several Guinness World Records. What can you tell us about these? I have three Guinness World Records, two of them for coin rolling, and one of them for card spinning. My Guinness World Record certificate states that I was able to "single handedly spin or scale a record of 106 playing cards within 60 seconds." That was set in 2004 for speed, for card throwing. You are known for your skill in card manipulation. How would you distinguish magic from cardistry? When they're fused together, they're indistinguishable, because of the flow state. Here are some flourishes, here are some card tricks - I think it can be seamlessly blended together. When I watch young cardists out there, I'm just amazed by the things that I see them doing these days. I'm totally delighted, and it's magical for me. Magicians that call cardistry "juggling" are just not getting what it's about. It's about entering a flow state, mastering these series of moves, and then pushing the envelope, until you have many of these different flourishes that you can string together seamlessly. That's the elegance of it. What is one piece of work you have released that you'd like to be remembered by, or which might be of interest to the playing card enthusiast? Anybody that watches Jeff McBride The Art of Card Manipulation will see how I researched all of the old school material and the stuff that I'd learned in my generation, and put it all together in one place. Those are the videos that the Buck twins - Dave and Dan - saw. Many of the people that first started card manipulation and cardistry saw me on those World's Greatest Magic specials back in the '90s that were filmed at Caesar's Palace. This was one of the first modern versions of card manipulation on TV. So I think my series on The Art of Card Manipulation imprinted a lot of young magicians, young card handlers, and then the cardistry movement. I was not singularly responsible for that, but The Art of Card Manipulation was definitely essential fuel for it, because it was the most comprehensive card manipulation series ever put out. https://preview.redd.it/5ash99izm8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52c31807a991f4e9e1243fa288d3e9453c0265e3 What advice would you give to a young person just starting to learn card magic or card manipulation? Learn from your pals, but study in person with a great master. It will shave years off your learning curve. Do you have any thoughts about the current boom in cardistry, and how this has become immensely popular in recent years? The deck of cards is a great equalizer, isn't it? Here you have 52 objects, and now all you have to do is add your creativity and countless hours of practice and commitment to perfection. It's not like you can buy it. Acquiring the next magic illusion is quite different than acquiring the next impossible flourish with cards. You just can't do it, it has to come from the heart and soul. That's why I think cardistry became such a phenomenon. It doesn't have any language barriers, cultural barriers, or status barriers. All that separates one from being average or great is the commitment to perfection, artistry, and beauty. What brand/type playing cards did you first use when you started magic and card manipulation? I used every card I could get my hands on. There were bridge-size decks for card fanning that would have four different colors or four different patterns, so you could get the different color fans out of them. Really good fanning decks are sorely lacking today; I very rarely see any of these new decks being good fanning decks. But I would collect every thin card I could possibly find at that time. Very few people at that time were making flesh colored cards. Sometimes you had to strip cards down, and then paint them flesh colored, and use lots of powder to make them fan again. Early on I used Crusaders, because in my teens that's what Jeff Sheridan was using, so I used Crusaders that you could get at Woolworth's. Bee cards are okay, but when they reach a certain age they just crack. A lot of the `old school' used and swore by the old Denver Plaids and the old Steamboats. So when I was in my tens and early teens (11-15 years old), there was a lot of Steamboats, and in my later teens I used Crusaders. What brand/type playing cards do you mostly use today? I switched over to my own brand, when I had my own cards printed by Phoenix (my cards are available on my site here). Phoenix really pays attention to their cutting and I'm very fond of Phoenix brand cards published by Christian Schenk from Card-Shark. What do you think are the essential qualities of a good deck of playing cards? The ability to fan them out of the pack, and their ability to faro shuffle. Those are the two prime ingredients. That they don't need fanning powder. That they're not too slippery, so you don't have to work with them too long to get the finish off, and that they faro well. I'm mostly a stage performer, and I do close up as well. I love some of the decks that you have, with the very whimsical face designs. But for me it's the way the cards handle more than the way they look. Has the quality of playing cards has improved over the years? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely the quality has improved over the years. The finishes these days and the deck designs are just incredible. https://preview.redd.it/id4atnfzm8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf896d04ba78224e254e20a37041bbbc1b589d74 What are your thoughts on the explosion of custom playing cards that we are seeing today? For me personally, I don't see enough nice fanning decks. I would collect them, but they're not out there. I think the next step for card collectors is: how do you store and display them? The serious person will start to make floor to ceiling displays for walls of cards with a giant ladder, like a library so you can have these decks on display. I've seen some people have little wall panels that will hold 20 decks or so, but how about something like a turning rack, like the racks for displaying CDs or a turning poster rack? If somebody could come up with some sort of system. And now we have some place to display them and take them out, then the great question is: do I take them out of the box, or are they just sealed? Or do I always have to buy two decks - one to play with, one to keep sealed? I see people doing both. However I have yet to see a really beautiful card collection display that goes beyond `decks in a drawer', or `decks on a wall', or `decks on a tabletop'. If you consider these cards art (and they are - the back designs and the front designs are art), how do you display this art? How do you put it in a frame, and how do you appreciate it? Do you put it in a shoebox and say "Here's my card collection"? Do you have it in a little wall display of 20 decks and say "Here are my 20 decks"? What impact has crowdfunding like Kickstarter had on the custom playing card industry and collecting? People feel part of the creation, and feel like they can be patrons of the art. It's like: "Oh, I can be part of this, I can be part of this creative process, I can be a co-collaborator." So that's a good thing that I'll say about it. People support what they help create, and people feel like they're helping create art. I think we need more people that are patrons of the arts. And playing cards is a very good way to share your wealth, and support other people's creative enterprises. Do you recommend performing magicians get their own branded custom deck of playing cards? Absolutely. But it depends on what impression you want to make. Some people like to use regular cards because they look very normal. I use my own cards because they're very special, and they have my name on them. If somebody looks at my cards, they'll say, "Wow, Jeff has his own brand of playing cards, he must be very good." You can drive a car, but you can design and manufacture your own car. Who do you deem more magical? Probably the person that's designed their own car. And when I throw my cards into the audience, it's not the end of my show. It's the beginning of an adventure, because on the back the card it says: "Every card has a special meaning. To discover this card's secret, you have to go to my website." So now they have to go on this mysterious quest to find out the meaning of their card. It's a tarot information site. And when they get to my website after they catch one of my special cards, now they have an opportunity to pick an email address of a friend, and throw that card around the world to them. So I'm continuing the tradition that got me into magic; I'm throwing a card out and saying, "Here, pick this card." And they pick up that card in the audience, and hopefully it will take them on a magical adventure for the rest of their lives. How many decks or cards have I gone through throughout the years? Tens of thousands. I go through at least two decks a show, for tens of thousands of shows. Do you personally collect playing cards? I'm not manic about it, but I collect good fanning decks. If a particular design of a more standard deck hits my radar, I'll pick it up. I like some of your decks, they're very beautiful. Sometimes it's the box - it makes a statement. Sometimes the card box is the tuxedo for the cards. So the card box in my opinion has a lot to do with matching the performer's style and creating an aesthetic for the magical performance. And it's even how you take the cards out of the box. If you read Roberto Giobbi's books, he's got very special ideas on how to remove the cards from the box, and how the box is put away. The Dean of the Mystery School teaches what he feels is the proper way to present a pack of cards out of your pocket, remove it from the deck gracefully, and place the box away. There are more refined ways to present a deck of cards to people than just tossing a box of cards on the table. A deck of cards is a wonderful, mysterious, enchanting object. Fortunes are won and lost, and lives have come and gone on the turn of a single playing card. I live in Las Vegas, which is a town that was built on playing cards, divination systems, dice, and spinning wheels of fortune. Cards have an incredibly deep history and connection to mystery, and they're inherently very mysterious. So it's no wonder how people are attracted to their many different manifestations these days, whether it's a special box, or a back design, or a limited edition. https://preview.redd.it/yzazn0cxm8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7c20a6255b342c2c0353eb4deea7ea8789891e63 Do you use playing cards for anything besides card magic and card manipulation? I give very extensive workshops on the history of Tarot. We have an extraordinary collection of Tarot decks here, and also Tarot books. We also collected the greatest Tarot teachers from around the world to come and teach every year at the Las Vegas Tarot Summit. Is there anything else you'd like to share? I did an entire performance based on two cards. I did an off-Broadway show called Mask of the Mystic, and it was about two playing cards: the Magician card and the Fool card of the Tarot. I had originally designed an entire show around the Major Arcana of the Tarot cards back in the '80s, with a performance piece for each and every card. But the show was so dense with symbolism and meaning and complex, that I decided to keep it to just the first two cards. I played the Magician card, and a juggler named Michael Marlon played the Fool card, the innocent. There was a great dynamic between a trickster and an all too serious mage wizard character, and it was about the relationship between being blissfully ignorant, and being overly-fixated on the symbolism and meaning of magic. That really sums up the experience with playing cards. Playing cards can be used for gambling. They can be used as a pastime to pass the time and play solitaire. They can be used for card magic. They can be used for cardistry. And for me, a deck of playing cards is a magic carpet that has taken me all over the world and has introduced me to incredible experiences, taken me to incredible places, and introduced me to all of the people I love most dearly in life. So whether you're a fool just beginning your journey through the playing card story, or if you're at the end of your story as a wizard counting down your days, remember that there is a deck of playing cards - and perhaps a single playing card - that can change a person's life. So next time a person says "Pick a card," remember that this moment can change a life forever. https://preview.redd.it/ge0tfpkum8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5c23006649f1ff66ac5d9c62f4aeaf161907c30b CONCLUSION It takes a lot for the Society of American Magicians to vote you into their Hall of Fame, especially when you're still active performing and teaching. Jeff McBride is one of the few in the world who can lay claim to being part of that select group. Jeff is first and foremost a performer with a love for entertaining people, and the unique combination of elements that helps make his stage act stand out from other performers will always be a memorable trademark style that people associate with his name. But perhaps his lasting legacy will be the new role he has taken on as a sage and mentor to others. His Magic & Mystery School has been instrumental in producing new magicians who will continue to entertain us in years to come. With this interview we've had a wonderful opportunity to have a glimpse of his thinking and learn about some of his experiences. Thank you Mr McBride for all that you've given to magic! May this inspire all of us to turn that pack of playing cards in our hands as a tool to develop our own skills, and to share our love for the arts with those around us! Where to learn more? Check out Jeff McBride's resources here: - McBride Magic: Official site, promo video - Performance videos: Fool Us (2017), Masters of Illusion (2009), Masters of Illusion (2017) - Card manipulation: "Shaman Cards" performance, "King of Cards" performance - Magic & Mystery School: Official site, shop, Facebook - Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube - Teaching resources: MagicFlix (code: MCBRIDE), Art of Card Manipulation DVDs, Essential Card Manipulation video https://preview.redd.it/nuur4m2um8751.jpg?width=500&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6c641d3e357a95331a9f1b8b7a9d7ef7f0038302 Author's note: I first published this article at PlayingCardDecks here. |
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS. The Bible warns that “those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction and ruin.” (1 Timothy 6:9) Gambling is rooted in greed, and greed is so corrosive that the Bible lists “greediness” among several behaviors that should be strongly avoided. Bible verses about gambling Many people wonder is gambling a sin? Although there might not be a clear cut verse from what we learn in Scripture I strongly believe it is a sin and all Christians should stay away from it. It is terrible to see that some churches are bringing gambling in the house […] So what does the Bible say about gambling? It all depends upon your perspective and interpretation. The Bible doesn't directly address gambling and such silence provides the fertile ground for ... Gambling Christian Ethics Vicente Acsay III Gambling has been part of human civilization for thousands of years, and continues to thrive in the vast Preliminary Legal gambling is a more than $300-billion-a-year business and estimated trillions of dollar business in majority of countries worldwide. The Bible and Gambling Most religious authorities generally have disapproved of gambling because of the widely recognized social consequences associated with it. However, since the Bible contains no explicit statements condemning gambling 19 , it is often categorized among the adiaphora, “matters of indifference” in religion since they are not expressly forbidden by the Scriptures. Bible Verses About Gambling Bible verses related to Gambling from the King James Version (KJV) by Relevance - Sort By Book Order . Proverbs 13:11 - Wealth [gotten] by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase. What does the Bible say about gambling? Is gambling a sin according to Scripture? "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many ... Although the words "gambling" and "gamble" do not appear in the Bible, we cannot assume that an activity is not a sin simply because it is not mentioned. Looking at pornography on the Internet and using illegal drugs are not mentioned either, but both violate God's laws. The Bible’s answer. Although the Bible does not discuss gambling in detail, we can discern from Bible principles that God views gambling as a sin. — Ephesians 5: 17. *. Gambling is driven by greed, which God hates. ( 1 Corinthians 6: 9, 10; Ephesians 5: 3, 5) Gamblers hope to gain money through the losses of others, but the Bible condemns coveting ... What the Bible Says About Luck and Gambling Text 3 of 4 [compulsive] gambling strikes, it rarely affects just one person. Family savings are lost, college education or retirement funds disappear, home mortgages are foreclosed. And under the stress of losing everything, many problem gamblers commit domestic violence
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