From The Ramparts

Can You Count?

Can You Count?

“Good Friday, the anniversary of Jesus' death on the cross. According to the Gospels, Jesus was put to death on the Friday before Easter Day. Since the early church Good Friday has been observed by fasting and penance. In the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican traditions, the celebration of the Eucharist is suspended; liturgical service involves veneration of the cross, the Passion narrative from the Gospel of St. John, and communion using bread and wine consecrated the previous day, Maundy Thursday. Other forms of observance include prayer and meditation at the Stations of the Cross, a succession of 14 images, usually on wooden crosses, depicting Christ's crucifixion and the events leading up to it.” http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0821267.html

Many people who follow the Western (European) Christian traditions celebrated Good Friday yesterday and they will observe Easter services tomorrow. If you do some research about the development of the Christianity and its main tenents, you will find most of the dogma and rituals were developed centuries after Yeshua Ben Joseph (if such a person ever existed at all) passed from the scene. The Encyclopedia of Religion edited by Vergilus Ferm published by the Philosophical Library Inc. in 1945 says this about the celebration of Easter, “Today Easter is observed among us on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox. Pagan practices were introduced into the Christian observance of Easter at an early age on account of the fact that the feast coincided with the beginning of Spring (the word Easter is derived from the name Eastre the Spring-Goddess; the French word Paques (Italian Pasqua) comes from the Greek pascha The Passover!). At that season of the year, the New Year and the Creation of the World were celebrated in ancient times by the exchange of gifts (Easter eggs) and by generous hospitality to friends to the poor etc.” Page 240.
Most people follow the cultural habits and traditions of their parents and ancestors, unless a new cultural paradigm is foisted upon them or they decide to change on their own, of their own volition. I grew up in a “Christian” home. Christianity had been foisted upon my African ancestors sometime after they were transported to this hemisphere. Somewhere along the line folks on both sides of my family acquiesced to the predominant cultural pattern and became “Christians.” But even as a young child I always had questions about what Christianity taught and after I grew into adulthood when I didn’t get satisfactory answers to my questions I moved on. For me the basic Christ teachings (once understood and viewed from a mystical perspective) are extremely practical and valid, while the dogma and practice of many organized religions leaves much to be desired.
If you are into organized religion, don’t allow the priests and religious hierarchy to make a fool out of you, at least think for yourself. For example, this is Easter Season in the Western Christian tradition. According to this tradition Yeshua ben Joseph was captured tried and sentenced to hang on a Thursday, hanged on a cross and died on Friday. Well for starters the Roman practice of crucifixion was a long, slow, painful torturous way to execute a human being. It usually took days for the poor man to die, usually of suffocation, dehydration, starvation and depending on the brutality of the Romans, shock and trauma from loss of blood, broken bones or wounds. Of course the Christian traditions claim Yeshua’s death followed “Biblical” prophecy so none of his bones were broken that way broken bones weren’t a factor enabling him to “rise from the dead” whole with no major defects or deformities. But even if you accept all that, even if you say a couple of hours on the cross was enough to make him “give up the ghost,” the rest of the story falls completely apart. Church doctrine says Yeshua was in the tomb (or in hell depending on which story you believe/subscribe to) three days. Well by my count Friday afternoon to Sunday morning is not three days! Friday afternoon or evening to Saturday afternoon or evening is one full day, twenty-four hours. Saturday afternoon or evening to Sunday morning is not a full day, it is not twenty-four hours and even if it were that would only be two days! So where did the notion of him being dead and buried for three days come originate? Don’t be afraid, do the math yourself and correct me if I’m wrong.
How do they explain this obvious error other than by saying, hush keep quiet and accept what we tell you on faith?! My question is, if the math is wrong and doesn’t add up, what else about the Christ myth is false and doesn’t add up? A paper entitled Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (No. 159) put out by the Christian Churches of God says, “It is physically impossible for Christ to have been crucified on a Friday and been resurrected on a Sunday and fulfil the sign of Jonah and the Messianic prophecies. He could not have been placed in the tomb until Friday at dark and thus he could only have spent two evenings (one incomplete) and one day in the tomb. The requirement was to spend three days and three nights in the earth. This could only have happened from a Wednesday crucifixion. From the dates this could only have happened in 30 CE. 31 CE has a Sunday crucifixion, 32 CE requires a Saturday preparation day and crucifixion and thus a Sunday crucifixion (postponed from the Sabbath). Only 33 CE has a Thursday preparation day and crucifixion (postponed from the Wednesday). 33 CE is however far too late to be accommodated by the gospels and is completely at odds with the sequence of events in the gospels. Only 30 CE accords with all aspects. It is thus concluded that the crucifixion was on Wednesday 5 April 30 CE.” http://www.logon.org and http://www.ccg.org
Keep in mind the writer’s objections to the orthodox dogma are based upon reexamining Jewish (the real inhabitants of Palestine not the Khazars), various Roman calendars and cross referencing them with past lunar cycles. He comes to the exact same conclusion I do, it is impossible for the man Yeshua ben Joseph to have been crucified on Friday and “rise” the following Sunday and say he was in the grave three days! The writer however accepts the other pillars of Christian dogma while I do not.
Black folks will turn out big time tomorrow to observe Easter Sunday, many after going deep in debt to buy clothes and food especially to "celebrate" this occasion. If you choose to follow suit that’s your choice. But at least make sure you make your choice based upon sound and solid information not out of mere habit or conformity. Today organized religion is a major business. The leaders weld a great deal of influence and power over their congregations and followers. To survive and keep the cash and influence, religious leaders often prey upon and manipulate the ignorance and superstition of the masses. The clergy purports to speak for their god(s) and they often exhort their followers to disobey the very commandments their god supposedly gave to them to obey. Look at all the wars going on around the world. Religious bigotry, fundamentalism, manipulation and covetousness play a major role in many of them. If you choose to belong to a particular religion and choose to support their dogma, rituals and canons, please do so based upon knowledge of the facts and common sense! Don’t allow anyone to make you their chump or sucker.

-30

posted by Junious Ricardo Stanton @ 9:59 AM