Saturday, February 26, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
My son, remember!
Proverbs 3:1
My son, do not forget my teaching: As in Proverbs 2 the teacher of wisdom is speaking to the learner. For My son see Proverbs 1.8. Do not forget is a negative way of saying “Remember!” What is to be remembered is the content of the instruction: “Do not forget all that I have taught you.” Teaching renders the Hebrew word torah, as used in Proverbs 1:8 where the learner was advised not to forsake his mother’s “teaching.” The term should not be translated as “law” in these contexts, even though the law lies behind and supports the teaching given by the wise ones.
But let your heart keep my commandments: Heart, as in Proverbs 2:2, 10, refers to the mind. My commandments was used in Proverbs 2:1 to refer to the instruction given by the teacher of wisdom. The two lines of this verse are parallel, with the same meaning expressed in a negative way in the first line and then in a positive way in the second line. Keep is equivalent to do not forget, that is, it means “remember.” The Hebrew term basically means “guard” or “preserve.” Other translations have “remember,” or "treasure." In other parts of the Old Testament to keep … commandments (in mind) often has the sense of “practice,” “obey,” “put [them] to use,” and some take that to be the meaning here also (“and obey them”).
Reyburn, W. D., & Fry, E. M. (2000). A handbook on Proverbs. UBS handbook series; Helps for translators (70). New York: United Bible Societies.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Ancient moon god!
The name Sinai is probably related to Sin (wilderness of) and may even be an alternate spelling (cf. Exodus 16.1; 17.1; Numbers 33.11–12). Sin is one name of the ancient moon god that desert dwellers worshiped. The mountain is also called Horeb, mostly in Deuteronomy (see also 1 Kings 8.9; 19.8; 2 Chronicles 5.10; Psalm 106.19; Malachi 4.4).
Elwell, W. A., & Comfort, P. W. (2001). Tyndale Bible dictionary.
Picture: St. Catherine's Monastery @ the base of Mt.Sinai
Note: The worship of the Moon god " Sin" was widespread and common during the time of Abraham. Contrary to Muslim claims, Abraham was asked to leave Ur of the Chaldees where the moon god Sin was worshipped and migrate to Canaan and worship Jehovah. The Ur of Chaldees is in the region of Babylon. The names of the moon god in Arabia were Wadd, `Amm, Sin, Il Mukah, Hubal and Allah.
YHWH
Exodus 3.14-15
The most important name for God in the OT is the tetragrammaton YHWH (occurs about 6,800 times), usually pronounced ‘Yahweh,’ though the known pronunciation was lost in the postexilic period. Due to the increasing sanctity attached to the name and the consequent desire to avoid misuse, the title Adonai (Heb., ‘My Great Lord’) was pronounced in place of the tetragrammaton. In written texts the vowels of Adonai were combined with the consonants YHWH to remind readers to pronounce Adonai instead of Yahweh. The incorrect hybrid, ‘Jehovah,’ arose from Christian misunderstanding in the late Middle Ages. The respect for the sanctity of the personal name of God is reflected in modern Judaism.
Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary (1st ed.) (p 685). San Francisco.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
To the Moderate Muslim: Infidel Observations of islam
I was alerted to this youtube by a professed infidel (atheist).
Translating Jihad: Fatwa: "The People of the Book Disgraced (Themselv...
Justin Bieber - Pray
"I believe that Jesus died on a cross for my sins," Bieber told Billboard last November. "He's the reason that I'm here."
On his November single Pray, a departure from his typical pop oeuvre, Bieber sings, "I close my eyes and pray / I close my eyes and I can see a better day." The music video, seen more than 21 million times on YouTube, ends with the written message, "God speaks in the silence of the heart. Listening is the beginning of prayer."
Pray!
Wednesday, February 09, 2011
Bolshevism & Islam
"Bolshevism combines the characteristics of the French Revolution with those of the rise of Islam .... Marx has taught that Communism is fatally predestined to come about; this produces a state of mind not unlike that of the early successors of Mahommet .... Among religions, Bolshevism is to be reckoned with Mohammedanism rather than with Christianity and Buddhism. Christianity and Buddhism are primarily personal religions, with mystical doctrines and a love of contemplation. Mohammedanism and Bolshevism are practical, social, unspiritual, concerned to win the empire of this world". (Bertrand Russell, The Practice and Theory of Bolshevism: London: George Allen and Unwin, 1920 pp. 5, 29, 114).
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Taqiyya
Thursday, February 03, 2011
God or god?
"...regarding ‘God’ as the proper name of the Deity, rather than as essentially a common noun, implies that all users of the word are monotheists and, within that, that all monotheists believe in the same god. Both these propositions seem to me self-evidently untrue. It may or may not be true that any worship of any god is translated by some mysterious grace into worship of one god who actually exists, and who happens to be the only god. That is believed by some students of religion. It is not, however, believed by very many practitioners of the mainline monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) or of the non-monotheistic ones (Hinduism, Buddhism and their cognates). Certainly the Jews and Christians of the first century did not believe it." - Volume One
The New Testament: And The People Of God. N.T. Wright (p. XV).