If Jesus is God, the Father, the Lord Almighty, and people also claim God never changes, how to explain the 180 degrees change of direction?
The Lord Almighty from the Old Testament:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not panic, and do not lose heart. This day the Lord will give you your enemies, the Hittites, the Kings of Arzawa, the Zannim, the Ammonites, the Tunisians, the Egyptians and the Libyans, so that you will gain a reputation for yourself, as you have heard. Seven nations you will destroy in seven days—the Hittites, the Kings of Arzawa, the Zannim, the Ammonites, the Tunisians, the Egyptians and the Libyans—and you will become renowned. Then you will settle down in their place, and until now you have lived in tents. Thus the LORD, whom you praised, has kept you from so doing. Now, kill them! Do not let any survive. Hittite, Arzawite, Zannite, Ammonite, Libyan or Egyptian—no male must live. But you may plunder their livestock and sheep, and you may take captive their women and children, and you may seize their goods as plunder.
Jesus (as part of the Trinity): the same divine essence (Godhead) as referenced in the New Testament:
You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Give to everyone who asks you, and if someone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
@pettytalk saidDo not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Give to everyone who asks you, and if someone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
If Jesus is God, the Father, the Lord Almighty, and people also claim God never changes, how to explain the 180 degrees change of direction?
The Lord Almighty from the Old Testament:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not panic, and do not lose heart. This day the Lord will give you your enemies, the Hittites, the Kings of ...[text shortened]... l men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ml05Ty5Ao
This is an example of textural evidence ~ and there's plenty more ~ supporting the hypothesis that the setting up of Christianity decades after Jesus's death, largely at the hands of Roman operative Paul who wrote most of the New Testament, was a kind of psyop-writ-large by the imperial regime in Rome in order to undermine and de-fang the militant and rebellious Hebrews in that eastern province.
@pettytalk saidYour OT quote starts with Joshua 1:9. and then it devolves. The Egyptians are allowed to remain in Egypt and there is no conquest of Egypt. The wars of the Israelites are about self-preservation and the conquest of Canaan is about acquiring land that has been promised to them by God. Many would say this is about displacing the Nephilim, which are clasically understood as tyrannical hierarchical tribes that took slaves en masse and practiced human sacrifice.
If Jesus is God, the Father, the Lord Almighty, and people also claim God never changes, how to explain the 180 degrees change of direction?
The Lord Almighty from the Old Testament:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not panic, and do not lose heart. This day the Lord will give you your enemies, the Hittites, the Kings of ...[text shortened]... l men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1ml05Ty5Ao
The OT also talks about the Babylonian captivity, the return to Israel, the other politicl struggles of the nation.... But these things were largely for the old world to function as a sort of cradle for Christianity.
When the time came, the world was blessed through Christ, who is not a political leader to create some extensive political dominion for Jews, but rather, to be the savor of the world who also blesses the whole of the earth.
I think it's not that hard if you want to understand - you are just being uncharitable to the Bible there.
@fmf saidSo your evidence that Christianity was a psyop was that it was pacifistic?
Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. Give to everyone who asks you, and if someone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
This is an example of textural ...[text shortened]... Rome in order to undermine and de-fang the militant and rebellious Hebrews in that eastern province.
Not a very strong argument.
Christianity is better thought of as the fulfillment of all of the old, religious laws of Judaism. It has nothing to do with the contemporary politics in the sense that it does not attempt to reconcile Jews and Gentiles politically.
I'd also point out that the book of Revelation and many other prophecies are thought to be speaking extensively about the Roman Empire and Nero. This is also just not a good psyop since the Christians are hardly burning incense to Caesar.
But people will believe unflattering things about Christ whenever they can because it justifies a lifetime of their poor decisions.
@philokalia saidEvidence that it was seen as an opportunity to make [Jews who converted to] Christianity more accepting of, deferential to, and compliant with Roman power ~ in contrast to the Jews.
So your evidence that Christianity was a psyop was that it was pacifistic?
@philokalia saidI haven't said any "unflattering things about Christ". And I don't know whose "poor decisions" you are talking about.
But people will believe unflattering things about Christ whenever they can because it justifies a lifetime of their poor decisions.
@philokalia saidSo your reading of Roman history and politics is that its leadership and policies were homogenous and monolithic over the decades and centuries?
I'd also point out that the book of Revelation and many other prophecies are thought to be speaking extensively about the Roman Empire and Nero. This is also just not a good psyop since the Christians are hardly burning incense to Caesar.
@philokalia saidWho has said anything about "burning incense to Caesar"?
This is also just not a good psyop since the Christians are hardly burning incense to Caesar.
@fmf saidNo.
So your reading of Roman history and politics is that its leadership and policies were homogenous and monolithic over the decades and centuries?
@fmf saidOK, I am not surprised you do not know more about the relevance of this statement.
Who has said anything about "burning incense to Caesar"?
@philokalia saidI don't "hate Christ". Don't be so silly.
But it is not evidence - it is a plausible narrative to you and people who hate Christ.
@philokalia saidIt doesn't have anything to do with what you are responding to.
OK, I am not surprised you do not know more about the relevance of this statement.
@philokalia saidIt is just as much evidence of the narrative I am talking about as it is evidence of the narrative you are talking about.
But it is not evidence - it is a plausible narrative to you and people who hate Christ.
@philokalia saidI am sure the writers who created Christianity decades after Jesus was executed by the Romans were acutely aware of how they needed to link the texts they were producing to the pre-existing ideas of Judaism.
Christianity is better thought of as the fulfillment of all of the old, religious laws of Judaism.