Friday, May 30, 2008

Ahnsahnghong...just a mere mortal.




So for those who think Ahnsahnghong is God... here is a picture of his grave in Korea.


**ghostly image added to grave picture for fun




Yes, I know this is a bit morbid, but there is a very valid reason for showing it.





Buddah....has a grave and resides in it.


Muhammad...has a grave and resides in it.



Ahnsahnghong...has a grave and resides in it.



Only Jesus Christ has risen from the dead and is no longer in his grave/tomb.



Need we say more???

Monday, May 26, 2008

Does Genesis Testify of a Mother Jerusalem?

Genesis 1:26: “And God said, Let US make man in OUR image after our likeness.”
__

The Church of God uses this verse in Genesis to rationalise the divinity of Mother Jerusalem.
According to the cult, in Genesis, God is speaking to a female incarnation of God (aka Mother Jerusalem). They therefore believe that God makes man in his image, and woman in the image of Mother.
Trinitarians and others claim that the Hebrew noun ‘Elohim’ (rendered ‘God’ in the first clause of Genesis 1:26) denotes more than one God Person (ie “3 in 1” or “2 in 1” or 2 separate entities). In support they point to the second clause of verse 26, “Let us make man in our image”, being plural.
It is true that in both English and Hebrew this second clause contains the plural subject ‘us’ and that this governs the plural verb ‘make’- But these are not governed by ‘Elohim’ (God) of the first clause. What is not realized, or otherwise mentioned in this issue is that in the first clause, “And God said”, the word ‘Elohim’ governs the singular Hebrew verb ‘’amer’, which is rendered ‘said’ in English. So linguistically there is no basis for claiming that ‘Elohim’ denotes, represents, or contains more than one God Person (entity).
It is also claimed that the Hebrew ‘Elohim’ is a uniplural or collective noun and that such nouns (e.g. the English noun ‘crowd’) often govern singular verbs. This claim contradicts leading Hebrew grammars, which claim that throughout the Old Testament and when referring to God, the Hebrew noun ‘Elohim’ behaves as a singular noun, and governs only singular verbs, singular adjectives and singular pronouns. And only when ‘elohim’ refers to a number of pagan gods or humans (e.g. judges), that it behaves as a plural noun; and then governs plural verbs, plural adjectives and plural pronouns. So grammatically ‘Elohim’ is never a collective (uniplural) noun. That in reference to the true God, the noun ‘Elohim’ is singular, is well illustrated in Genesis 1:29, where this noun governs the singular pronoun ‘I’.
Here are a selection of Hebrew grammars from which these claims may be further verified:
Gesenius’ Hebrew Grammar edited and enlarged by E. Kautzsch, 2nd English edition by A.E. Cowley, paragraph 124 (g); Weingreen’s Hebrew Grammar under ‘God’ in its English-Hebrew vocabulary; C.L Seow’s A Grammar for Biblical Hebrew, 1992 printing, the vocabulary on page 19; James D Martin’s Davidson’s Introductory Grammar, 27th edition, 1995 reprint, page 52.
So grammatically, too, all theologians and scholars agree that there is no justification for claiming that in Genesis 1:26 ‘God’ (Elohim) denotes more than one God Person. Indeed throughout the Old Testament, ‘Elohim’ always denotes just one God Person.
Let’s now examine the claim that in Genesis 1:26 ‘Elohim’ denotes more than one God Person from a biblical basis.
From the Hebrew for verse 27 it may be seen that the Hebrew noun ‘Elohim’ (God) again governs a singular Hebrew verb (’created’). But even more importantly, ‘Elohim’ also governs the Hebrew singular pronouns ‘His’ and ‘He’. Note that verse 27 does not say that ‘they’ created Adam in ‘their’ image, but that ‘He’ created Adam in His image! So verse 27 declares that one God created Adam and that He did so in His image. Not two or more Gods but only one God created Adam.
Verse 27, through the two singular clauses, “So God created man in His own image” and “in the image of God created He him”, twice states that one God created Adam. From Genesis 41:32 it may be inferred that this repetition emphasizes certainty.
That only one God Person spoke in verse 26 and created Adam in verse 27, is further confirmed by verse 29. In verse 29 ‘God’ (Elohim) uses the first person singular personal pronoun “I”, in the phrase, “And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb…’ “.
Had two or more God Persons created Adam, they might have said: “We have given you every herb”. Ignoring the necessities of language rules of grammar some still say that this “God” is a family of two and that as such only “one” of the two Gods actually did the hands on creating, but at the bequest of the other. Therefore, it is reasoned, the use of a singular pronoun simply reflects the overall view that there is still only “one” God, but with two distinct entities within the one (aka Mother Jerusalem and Ahnsahnghong).
The tragedy of this is the denial of the proper use of the language- and specifically here in Genesis, along with the assumption that everything else in scripture that does not lend itself to this premise must somehow bend and be forced into compliance with this premise. There is no grammatical basis that can be produced to support this premise, which nevertheless seems to flourish in the minds of the adherents to this tenet of which I was once one, too. Without scriptural basis, other than- that is the way it must be for this premise to exist, the very premise is left to be nothing more than conjecture.
If the premise is true, then the “proof” must come from elsewhere, as nothing in Genesis can provide this “proof.” Equivocation may be the most culpable in the creation of this tenet, and yet be the least recognized as such.
It has now been established through the rules of language that just one God Person spoke in Gen 1:26, and that this one God Person created Adam in His own image in verse 27 and that this one God Person then spoke to Adam using the singular pronoun “I” in verse 29.
So why does it say, “us” and “our”?
The Cohortative Mood of Genesis 1:26.
From Gesenius’ ‘Hebrew Grammar’ and from Owens’ ‘Analytical Key to the Old Testament’ with James D. Martin’s ‘Davidson’s Introductory Hebrew Grammar’ page 76, it may be seen that the Genesis 1:26 verbal phrase, “Let us make” is, in both Hebrew and English, the Cohortative or Voluntative mood.
This mood appears not understood by commentators to Genesis 1:26; and readers unfamiliar with the grammatical concept of the Cohortative Mood, are referred to the explanation given at the end of this paper. (Could this be due to preconceived notions in the minds of the translators, commentators, and the affected readers?)
Suffice to say that the Cohortative mood is a verbal mood for expressing a command from the 1st person (the speaker) to the 1st person singular or plural. It is a mood related to the Imperative mood, which is the more common command mood for expressing commands from the 1st person to the 2nd person singular or plural – as in Sit down!, or Present arms!.
In the Cohortative mood found in Genesis 1:26, the singular speaker, God, addresses Himself jointly with those present at the time. Therefore in Genesis 1:26 God, and those present with Him, jointly make up the plurality expressed by the pronoun ‘us’ in, “Let us make”.
In particular the plurality of ‘us’ may not be taken to infer plurality to the speaker God, or even to those God spoke to.
It has now been shown in several different ways that linguistically there is no justification for inferring from “And God said, Let us make…”, that the plurality of ‘us’ extends back to God. Rather the Cohortative mood demands that God, as the speaker issuing a command, is singular. This is also attested to by the singular Hebrew verb for ‘said’ (And God said) and the singular pronouns and singular verbs in subsequent verses, which refer back to God of Genesis 1:26.
This should help clarify past confusion resulting from ungrammatical and unbiblical claims that the Hebrew ‘Elohim’ of Genesis 1:26 is a uniplural or is a collective noun or in some other way points to there existing or not existing more than one God Person. In truth nothing may be concluded from Genesis 1:26 regarding the existence of multiple God Persons.
CONCLUSION:
The book of Genesis does not support the existence of Mother Jerusalem. Using verse 1:26 to suggest that “us” and “our” refers to Mother is a distortion of the truth and displays a complete lack of Biblical knowledge.
Cults favour simplistic explanations and simple minded doctrines because they are easier to teach. Accessible beliefs can be quickly and efficiently explained to the uneducated recruit, but upon close inspection these beliefs all disintegrate.
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End note - Explanation of Cohortative Verb Mood
The reader needs to be first familiar with the grammatical terms: 1st person, 2nd person and 3rd person. The 1st person refers to the speaker(s) (I, we). The 2nd person refers to the person(s) spoken to (you singular, you plural) by the 1st person. And the 3rd person refers to the person(s) spoken about (he, she, it, and they) by the 1st person to the 2nd person. As an example: I (1st person) tell you (2nd person.) that he (3rd person) is tall.
The 1st, 2nd and 3rd person may be singular (I, you, he) or plural (we, you, they). The 1st person can only speak to the 2nd person. In particular the 1st person can not speak to the 3rd person: but can only speak about the 3rd person to the 2nd person. This last point is important for understanding the Jussive command mood. The 1st person can speak to the 1st person singular, namely, when he speaks to himself. But when the 1st person speaks to the 1st person plural, he addresses himself and the one(s) with him. This last point is important for understanding the Cohortative mood.
There are three verbal moods for expressing commands or strongly held wishes or intentions. The Imperative mood is the most commonly-used of the three command moods. All three command moods are used by the 1st person (speaker); but he may address them: (a) to the 1st person by using the Cohortative mood; or (b) to the 2nd person by using the Imperative mood; and (c) to the 3rd person(s) by using the Jussive mood.
The Imperative mood is usually used by a superior to an subordinate; as in: Stand!, and Present arms! In the Jussive mood the 1st person gives a command for the 3rd person to the 2nd person; as in: Don’t let him go!, and Make him stay! Note that grammatically it is impossible for the 1st person to address directly the 3rd person; because the 3rd person is the one spoken about to the 2nd person.
In the Cohortative mood the 1st person commands the 1st person singular or plural. When the 1st person commands the 1st person singular, the command is to self, as in I shall guard. But when the 1st person commands the 1st person plural, the commands (1) himself and (2) the one(s) with him, as in Let us make…. . For this last case note in particular that the subject is singular. That is the plurality of the ones commanded (us) does not transfer backwards to the subject. This point is generally overlooked by commentators to Genesis 1:26, “Ánd God (singular) said, Let us (plural) make man in our image…”
Note that the English Jussive and Cohortative moods require auxiliary verbs (e.g. shall, make and let). Also that in neither the Imperative, nor the Jussive mood, nor the Cohortative mood a subject (speaker) is expressed. So these commands are usually brief, as in: Sit!, Don’t let him go!, and Let us make. The Subject is simply understood.

Author Unknown, but much appreciated!!!

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Law of Love

The Law Of Love Fulfills All Of God's Law
The "Law Of Love" fulfills all of God's law for mankind.
If we truly love others as we love ourself, we have met all of God's requirements for us.
"LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." The Law Of Love
"LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF"
_____________________________________________________________

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14 RSV)
_____________________________________________________________

The Law Of Love is derived from The Great Commandment, given by Jesus in three different places in the Bible: in Matthew, in Mark, and in Luke. The Great Commandment, In Three Different Places

MATTHEW 22:34-40 (RSV)


34
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the
Sad'ducees, they came together.
35
And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him.
36
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38
This is the great and first commandment.
39
And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.
40
On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."
MARK 12:28-31 (RSV)

28
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with
one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him,
"Which commandment is the first of all?"
29
Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our
God, the Lord is one;
30
and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your
strength.'
31
The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no other commandment greater than these."

LUKE 10:25-28 (RSV)


25
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test,
saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal
life?"
26
He said to him, "What is written in the law? How do you
read?"
27
And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your
strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as
yourself."
28
And he said to him, "You have answered right; do this, and
you will live."
The Great Commandment was based on two earlier commandments given in the Old Testament. Old Testament Roots Of The Great Commandment
DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5 (RSV)

4
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD;
5
and you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and
with all your soul, and with all your might.

LEVITICUS 19:18 (RSV)


"You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons
of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself:
I am the LORD."
Jesus broadened the Old Testament concept of "neighbor" to include all people, not just "the sons of your own people." When He did this, He opened up God's Kingdom to all people, not just the people of Israel. Jesus Answers The Question, "Who Is My Neighbor?"
LUKE 10:29-37
29
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And
who is my neighbor?"
30
Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and
beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31
Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when
he saw him he passed by on the other side.
32
So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw
him, passed by on the other side.
33
But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was;
and when he saw him, he had compassion,
34
and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil
and wine; then he set him on his own beast and brought him
to an inn, and took care of him.
35
And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to
the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him; and whatever
more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'
36
Which of these three, do you think, proved neighbor to the
man who fell among the robbers?"
37
He said, "The one who showed mercy on him." And Jesus said
to him, "Go and do likewise."

God accepts our love for others as if it were love for Himself. So when we give love to other people, we are giving it to God, Himself. Thus the Great Commandment requirement to love God is fulfilled when we love our neighbor.
This is the meaning of the Parable Of The Sheep And The Goats.
MATTHEW 25:31-46 (RSV)
The Sheep And The Goats
_____________________________________________________________
31
"When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the
angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32
Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will
separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the
sheep from the goats,
33
and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the
goats at the left.
34
Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come,
O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for
you from the foundation of the world;
35
for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and
you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36
I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited
me, I was in prison and you came to me.'
37
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see
thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?
38
And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or
naked and clothe thee?
39
And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit
thee?'
40
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as
you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you
did it to me.'
41
Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'Depart from
me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the
devil and his angels;
42
for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty
and you gave me no drink,
43
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you
did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not
visit me.'
44
Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see thee
hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in
prison, and did not minister to thee?'
45
Then he will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did
it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to
me.'
46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the
righteous into eternal life."
_____________________________________________________________

So now we have shown The Great Commandment and its roots in the Old Testament. We have seen how Jesus expanded the definition of "neighbor" to include all people. And we have seen how God accepts our love for other people as if it were love for Himself.
Thus we arrive at The Law Of Love, which is LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF. And we see that The Law Of Love fulfills all of God's law, as stated directly in Galatians 5:14. _____________________________________________________________

For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14 RSV)
_____________________________________________________________

Other Scriptures confirm that the The Law Of Love fulfills all of God's law. Romans 13:8 (RSV)
Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves
his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:9 (RSV)
The commandments, "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not
kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other
commandment, are summed up in this sentence, "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself."
Romans 13:10 (RSV)
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling
of the law.
James 2:8 (RSV)
If you really fulfil the royal law, according to the scripture,
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well.
Proverbs 10:12 (RSV)
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
1 Peter 4:8 (RSV)
Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love
covers a multitude of sins.


as found on http://patriot.net/~bmcgin/pearl-lawoflove.html