Constantine wanted unity in his realm, and his call in 325 C.E. for a council of his bishops at Nicaea, located in the Eastern, Greek-speaking domain of his empire, across the Bosporus from the new city of Constantinople was in a certain way his goal to achieve some agreement by which many could live. Constantine … Continue reading Religion and believers #14 Church and state
Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred caused the Christians trouble for many generations, and governmental repression they had to suffer occasionally, as a result of popular disturbances. No systematic effort was made by the imperial authorities to put an end to the movement until the reign of the Roman emperor (249–251) who fought the Gothic invasion of … Continue reading Religion and believers #13 Superstition, misunderstanding and hatred leading up to the Nicene Creed
Self-enhancing When the apostles had died there came a time when those in charge of teaching and going around telling about the gospel, started coming to see themselves as special people. Some even started to consider themselves as 'clergy of the highest order'. After a time the organisation of the church was given only to … Continue reading Religion and believers #12 Ranking and days for days to holding worship in secret
A New Judaic movement The followers of Christ brought some new movement in action which spread quite naturally beyond the confines of Palestine. Their group found adherents among the Jews of the dispersion, and at an early day also among the Gentiles as well. Many of the latter had already come under the influence of … Continue reading Religion and believers #11 Prospect of a life without end in a peaceful kingdom
In the previous posting we saw already how the pupils of the disciples from the apostles searched in other classic writings to add some flavour to their teaching and to gain more popularity because some Greek philosophers were very popular. Certain members of the community found themselves too weak to present strong teachings and therefore … Continue reading Religion and believers #10 Infiltrating pagan teachings
By the passing of years it happened that some pupils came to take over teachings from other cultures and religions and as such became considered to be antichrists.
As the disciples of Christ spread and made new disciples different opinions made new groups with new leaders.
When talking about religions we particularly look at the independent and organised form of existence of a religion which one calls 'Church'.
In this chapter we look at the Roman-Greco influence of philosophers and at the 19th century terms henotheism and kathenotheism that were used to refer to the exalting of a particular god as exclusively the highest within the framework of a particular hymn or ritual—e.g., in the hymns of the Vedas (the ancient sacred texts of India).
We look at how personifications of truth, justice, and the cosmic order came to result in a search for one highest being.
We have a look at the father gods and mother gods or rulers of all the gods that people choose to worship.
Observation of nature; closer attention to its contrasts of life and death, or light and darkness, or male and female brought people to worship elements of nature.
In Christendom there are groups who find themselves exclusive, believing they are the holders of the absolute truth, while all others are heretics or even the work of the devil himself.
At the beginning of our contemporary age a son of man was hailed, by some triumphantly praised as a king entering Jerusalem, by others regarded as a dangerous person undermining their power. About 2 000 years later it are still religious leaders who do not want people to come to know that Nazarene man or to accept him as the son of God and future King of this world.
All Christians are commissioned and obligated to be evangelizers wherever they are, in that they preach the good news to all sorts of men.
These days, there is not much changed concerning opposition against the teachings of Jesus Christ and the preaching of Good News.
Not many obey the Word of God and even fewer people are prepared to speak about it. Real Christians as followers of Jesus have to follow up the task given by Christ to go out into the world, preaching the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.
2000 years ago Jesus spoke about such teachers who think they are the only ones who can explain the Bible. Today people should be aware that it is the Scriptures itself that can explain everything and that it is Jeshua, Jesus Christ, whom we should follow as the most perfect teacher.
It is not just of this present day that real followers of God and of Christ were not liked so much and that church leaders wanted people to have in control and being considered as important persons to be spoken to by their tittle.
Coming closer to the Latter days we should know about the necessity to proclaim the Gospel or to go out to preach the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God, even when we may encounter many who would like to do everything to discourage us and to put us in a bad light.
Unmasking anti Jehovah sites and people 