The case against Christian public holidays!

[Citizen X]

Now here is where I demonstrate something in real time! WORK! It's 18:19 on my watch and I work for my boss, HE wants me to at the very least say a little something here, PROBLEM..memory, I realise that I haven't visited the Book of Revelation for some 3 years. I was very familiar with it, now I simply have to revisit and come back in real time! This is the work aspect of it!!!

[Citizen X]

http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/m/mondex.htm

What I would like to know is the translation(english) of the mark of the beast in the bible correct. The fact is most people are already chipped not a chip in the body but an external chip, every cell phone is a chipped device. A cellphone is a tracker that allows one to make phone calls. This fear of the end of days has been around for ages, in world war one people called it the end of days, same with world war too. If one is so busy planning for the afterlife, how can one live this life that GOD has given them now. I am not sure the work of GOD is to create fear in peoples lifes.

I think this is my final post on this thread! The reality is that I sincerely respect all human beings regardless of their race, religion or political opinion!
A little perspective please?? The perspective is who am I in this matter??? It’s really quite simple, I’m part of the weak, foolish and lowly and despised things of this world. As such I’m allowed a little latitude!
Prophetically there’s a great number of prophecies that still need to be fulfilled before we even reach this time!!!
Work, that’s what comes to mind! I work for the boss! This is work, you see, this exercise made me realise how infallible human memory is. I have not visited the Book of Revelation for about 3 years. I was very familiar with it but to provide some form of a decent response, I’ve had to revisit it. WORK. A servant works and this is part of my common law duties really. “Five days to go: working for the next day; Four days to go: working for the next day; Say we got: three days to go now: working for the next day; Two days to go (ooh): working for the next day, yeah. Say we got: one day to go: working for the -Every day is work - work - work - work!”
You see I see no celebrity pastor or Bible school student coming right here to work, this takes time and effort! They leave this task to a nobody like me! I envy them in that they actually are wise and prudent!!!!
Let me impress upon you that a certain unmentionable villain in this story has taken on the face of logic, reason, philosophy, science, mathematics and all cognitive ability. He’s a villain, about that, I have no doubt; to reason with him will be a futile and senseless task as he will use your very own mind and how your cognitive ability operates, your very own logical process to out reason you.
I admire Saint Augistine, as his task was not an easy one, he had to take on the philosophers of his day and he was privy to what I just said, he was acutely aware of this problem and challenge so he simply said, “ Faith precedes understanding!”
“The name of the book, Revelation, is a translation of the title inthe original New Testament Greek, Apocalypsis—the origin of the other name by which the book is now known, the Apocalypse. The Greek term denotes an unveiling or uncovering—thus, a revelation. It here signifies an opening up of hidden knowledge to understanding. This book has perplexed readers for almost 2,000 years. Over the centuries it has been one of the world’s most misunderstood and misinterpretedbooks. Yet it need not be so.”[1]
This elusive ‘mark of this elusive beast,’ actually appears only 8 times in the Book of Revelation!
Revelation 13:16-18, basically says that it doesn’t really matter who you are but that when this time comes everyone who need to buy and sell will be required to have this mark either in their forehead or in their right hand.
Revelation 14:9, basically you damned if you accept the mark and you also damned if you don’t
Revelation 15:2 “And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his MARK, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.”
Revelation 16:2, basically some affliction of the skin occurs to those who have this mark
Revelation 19:20“And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.”
Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

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[1] Vide: The Book of Revelation Unveiled: United Church of God: 2007. Page 1

[Darkangelyaya]

If one wants to debate about religion, one needs to take a step back, and investigate EVERYTHING; question EVERYTHING.
Yes, even the Bible.
But that leaves us with a kind of despair - because most of us would regard it as blasphemous to even question such a revered writing.
And if one cannot refer to the Bible as the only source of truth in debate - then what do we base our own truth on?
Scary stuff, this 'starting to think for yourself' - business, isn't it?

[vieome]

Vanash I understand where you coming from. But for me every time I see the mark of fear, I know it is about human control. Goverments have used fear to control the masses for years, and so have the many churches. The bible can be interpreted in so many ways, and for the sake of ones own health and sanity it will do well for one not to fall for the control that fear imposes on ones life. For me the bible is about the battle between Go(o)D and (D)evil. When I see Christians peddling the mark of fear by dangling the whip of the fires of hell to guide to me GOD, I see something Un GODLY in that. If we accept that the mark of the beast is an exact translation of the original Greek script, then we have to accept that the first man and women on earth were Jewish. We have to then accept other trues like that makes the Jewish the chosen people, and all others second in line after the Jews, and then there is the Irony of it all, that the very chosen people(the people God spoke to directly) do not believe in the book of revelation. I know discussing religion and Politics can get very messy, and that is where free will comes into play, we can simply choose to face our fears head on, or forever be controled by them.

[Citizen X]

I know discussing religion and Politics can get very messy, and that is where free will comes into play, we can simply choose to face our fears head on, or forever be controled by them.

It is for this very reason that I stated "I think this is my final post on this thread! The reality is that I sincerely respect all human beings regardless of their race, religion or political opinion!"

[Martinco]

It is for this very reason that I stated "I think this is my final post on this thread! The reality is that I sincerely respect all human beings regardless of their race, religion or political opinion!"

Vanash,

Thank you for your views but I must say as a Christian that I was getting very on edge with some of the views/statements made and although I still belong to the old school I can also think for myself.
My religion is important to me and as you said above, this thread is now "worn out".
I respect other people/cultures religious beliefs and in turn would expect them to respect mine.

[Blurock]

Funny that so many people are concerned about the "end times".

They consult gypsies and horoscopes and refer to Revelations as if it will reveal how the world will end. Many people have made predictions and we are now even referring to the Mayan calender and Nostradamus as proof of when the world would end.

Truth is - nobody knows. Even so, the signs are there, just as the blossoms on a fruit tree in spring. When you see the blossoms, you know that summer is near...

We don't know how long the summer will last. That's why I agree with Darkangelyaya - we have to live every day as if it is our last. Carpe diem!

[wynn]

Despite its appearances, the Book of Revelation is not describing supernatural events. It is giving a factual, down to earth history. All its “angels” are men, ministers of a powerful religious organization, who wore white vestments. They ministered in “Heaven”, which at Qumran was a platform open to the sky where prayers were offered at the high points of the sun. When the organization moved to Ephesus and Rome, “Heaven” was the upper floor of a cathedral.

An assumption that all events are governed by numbers and systems was a product of the Pythagorean education of Essenes, stated by Josephus (Antiquities 15, 371). Although they were in the process of discovering its fallacy, it gave a useful means of recording events in a disguised way that was understood only by their insiders. The whole book is very cleverly and accurately coded by these means.

See Dr Barbara Thiering's work at http://www.peshertechnique.infinitesoulutions.com/

If you read this it may cause you to look at the New Testament in a different light???? possibly with your eyes and mind open.
Or you can carry on mindlessly believing in the 'Flying Spaghetti Monster'

[Willie0100]

Hi Vanash, so what you actually saying to me is that I don't "HAVE" to spend money this "Christmas" buying loads of presents? IF SO WHOOOOHOOOOO

[Citizen X]

Hi Vanash, so what you actually saying to me is that I don't "HAVE" to spend money this "Christmas" buying loads of presents? IF SO WHOOOOHOOOOO

A very good afternoon to you Willie,
Nice to ‘see,’ you again at TFSA! Willie, here's the thing: 1: Christmas 25 December was a Roman pagan public holiday. Christianity was initially against the Roman law and Christians were persecuted. Emperor Constantine in the 4^th century becomes a Christian and he decides to make Christianity the official religion. The 300 years before this no Christmas was celebrated!!!
I don’t dispute the birth of the Christ! For me there is no doubt that he was born!!! He was not born on 25 December, that’s impossible for many reasons, I’ll just give you 1 here:- 1. In Israel it’s Winter in December, the Romans would never have ordered a census in Winter, it would defeat their very own purpose and shepherds would never tend sheep out in the night of Winter. The sacrificial lambs had to be fat and healthy not thin or dead which is what would have happened had they tendered their flocks in Winter! The Apostle Paul and all the disciples never observed Christmas and Easter and in fact you will find no reference to Christmas and Easter in the Bible from the book of Genesis up to and including the Book of Revelation!!!
PROBLEM ”Certain pastors” know that Christmas and Easter is very big business for them, for some of them, their luxury overseas holiday comes straight from the church offering at Christmas so they going to be reluctant to tell their congregations the truth even they themselves do know the truth!!Secondly, certain pastors are acutely aware that if they do tell their congregation the truth about Christmas and Easter, the vast majority of the congregation is going to say: ‘No, this doesn’t sound right, we know the Bible says you must observe Christmas and Easter, and we going to leave this evil church and continue the way we have for generations!!’
All the leading Biblical scholars across our world will confirm every single fine detail I’ve shared in this entire thread as what I say is irrevocable and irrefutable!! But PEACE brothers and sisters. I just think that we should celebrate the birth of the Lord every single day and that we should commemorate Calvary every single day!!! Nothing wrong if you chose 25 December as a special day to commerate the birth but don't say that it's Biblical, becuase then I'm going to ask you a very easy question Where in the Bible???