I think they call this deconstructing

I have assumed today’s religious and political leaders are different than the ones who killed past voices for good…

Now, I cannot unsee how wrong I have been. Religious Nationalism is exposed as the primary identity of the most vocal white American Evangelical churches. Fox News has replaced Jesus’ teaching as the Evangelical Christian’s source for good, right, and truth. 

** Jesus’ words to religious and political leaders **


History’s voices are consistent and unchanging.

Every life has value. True greatness (lasting beyond this life) grows from selfless service to the poor, oppressed, and powerless who are objectified by the powerful, political, rich, and religious rulers.

** Historical statements applicable today **

(click the pic to read the quote)


This is my search for history’s trends, trajectories, and forces that lead to systematic injustices… across the long story of time.  

To navigate truth we must consider all history from science to religion… from evolution, cosmology, and archaeology to religious scriptures and other ancient and modern thought leaders… from lining up political boasting to accounting for mythologies that form the foundation of the worldview these scriptures were written within – just like our mythologies do today. All truth is God’s truth, but there’s a lot to listen to in this information age.

SOMEONE ELSE’S BIG-PICTURE VIEW OF WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES IN TIME:

 


A couple of thoughts: 

Blog perspective:

Since this information age demands we consider the source… 

I grew up in (and spent decades as a leader in) a cult whose primary idol looked like money and certain “approved” English translations of the Bible, with plenty of Pastor Worship thrown in. Being a cult, people were silenced, or dismissed, for talking about the wrong parts of that book or questioning the wrong leader(s). Previous to committing my life to this cult and even as I am stumbling out of it, I was and continue to be a follower of Jesus. I now see that his English name is actually “Joshua” and that the leaders I tried to emulate are the same individuals and societal forces who killed Jesus/Joshua. The wolves are wearing the sheep’s names, and that makes some of this confusing for me. I’m hoping to use this journal to line up a few things. I still spend a lot of time with the four stories about Jesus, and I’m an armchair ancient history student.

I am a follower of Jesus. 

As I watched the foundation of almost everything I gave my life to crumble over the last few years, I turned to the stories of Jesus and completed “Meet Jesus” which includes the four Gospels arranged chronologically (copy/paste style). Jesus’ recorded public life ended up totaling 99 days and took place in one year (from Passover to Passover), and even that detail of a one-year timespan of Jesus’ public life was something that took me months to accept as possible. It was counter to the cult teaching, so it couldn’t be true. I guess that type of confusion is an asset to those who demand to be considered experts on God.

I know this:

Jesus is obscenely misrepresented by many religious leaders. I also know that is nothing new. I know that Scripture is the greatest idol of my time, and the people in those scriptures were worthy of knowing (and it will likely be somewhat offensive today as much as it was in their day). This is my journal the god named, “I am” through time using my experience.

 

Visit a post of perspective: 

https://navigatetruth.com/0-perspective/

Thoughts on Time and Language

Our mechanism for tracking linear time grew out of this one person's life, teaching, and his followers claim his resurrection from the dead... That's a lot to take in, but whether you track time using BCE/CE or BC/AD, this one person is the fulcrum on which we tell time. So... if you think getting his story without all the other stuff which his story is sandwiched inside of - here's your chance.

I recognize that this still has creative punctuation and questionable meshing of stories, but all the details from each of the four "gospels" (stories about Jesus) are included (or that was at least the effort), there are typos, and an incorrect combo of text on the back cover and a reference to "yellow highlighting" on the inside of a b/w book - but it's the only format where you can get Jesus without all the other shit. It's in desperate need of a 2nd Edition, but this is what we got.

Jesus' life happened to take place during 99 days. I used copy/paste from a copyright-free version of the Bible (WEB). Every detail from Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John is included in this book, and there's only one place where two stories are out of order. Truly incredible for four stories date stamped at 331 AD!  Plenty of details are different, but reading this man's story in a modern chronological "day-by-day" style helps me to understand who he was and what he taught. 

 

Check out a working page of translations of some of the most misunderstood religious words used today:

https://navigatetruth.com/9-word-translations/