Posted on 12/26/2009 6:09:29 AM PST by markomalley
Each Christmas, Christians tell stories about the poor baby Jesus born in a lowly manger because there was no room in the inn.
But the Rev. C. Thomas Anderson, senior pastor of the Living Word Bible Church in Mesa, Arizona, preaches a version of the Christmas story that says baby Jesus wasn't so poor after all.
Anderson says Jesus couldn't have been poor because he received lucrative gifts -- gold, frankincense and myrrh -- at birth. Jesus had to be wealthy because the Roman soldiers who crucified him gambled for his expensive undergarments. Even Jesus' parents, Mary and Joseph, lived and traveled in style, he says.
"Mary and Joseph took a Cadillac to get to Bethlehem because the finest transportation of their day was a donkey," says Anderson. "Poor people ate their donkey. Only the wealthy used it as transportation."
Many Christians see Jesus as the poor, itinerant preacher who had "no place to lay his head." But as Christians gather around the globe this year to celebrate the birth of Jesus, another group of Christians are insisting that Jesus' beginnings weren't so humble.
They say that Jesus was never poor -- and neither should his followers be. Their claim is embedded in the doctrine known as the prosperity gospel, which holds that God rewards the faithful with financial prosperity and spiritual gifts.
A clash of gospels?
The prosperity gospel has attracted plenty of critics. But popular televangelists such as the late Oral Roberts, Kenneth Hagin and, today, Creflo Dollar have built megachurches and a global audience by equating piety with prosperity.
(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...
Namecalling...how intellectual of you.
Here's a few questions for you:
Where was the land of the Phoenicians?
When did the Phoenicians run their trade routes?
How far did they go in their ships?
Ah, so that's your hangup.
Excuse me?
The story about Joseph of Aramathea has no biblical support, and no credible extra-biblical support. Amateur crackpot websites are not credible evidence. We simply do not know much about the man.
One has to ask what believing this silly story gets one.
My personal observation that I have seen it associated with British-Israelism (another odd belief that's hard to see what the point of holding it is) is an observation others have made as well.
Ah, so that's your hangup.
You might want to review the Religion Moderator's guidelines, specifically:
" On all threads, but particularly 'open' threads, posters must never 'make it personal'. Reading minds and attributing motives are forms of 'making it personal'.” "
Gosh! Next you’ll be saying that the holy grail and the kingdom of Prester John were just medieval legends/literary creations!
When wrapped up in a MYTH, yes.
Only IF you consider yourself associated with the links and those who espouse those beliefs.
For your questions to be valid, there needs to be reality between them. Other Myths about Jesus have him living a normal life in India
Where is India
How far did Indian trades go?
Was the tomb empty.
The Weekly World News had a photo of ET shaking hands with Prester John - its gotta be true.
A man immediately claims the body of Jesus and you say there's no evidence they were related? Do you often claim expired bodies that aren't related to you?
You might want to review the Religion Moderator's guidelines, specifically: " On all threads, but particularly 'open' threads, posters must never 'make it personal'. Reading minds and attributing motives are forms of 'making it personal'.” "
That's a laugh...you're the guilty one there saying I belong to prosperity gospel just because I recognize that Jesus had a rich uncle.
Amazing here in 2009 you knew better than the people that lived at the time exactly what was going on around them.
Speaking of flasely reading minds, attributing motives and making it personal...you're the first to mention these subjects. I guess it's OK with you, eh GZ, as long as he's one of your buddies.
I said to do a search and discern what you find. There you go again, saying I approve of everything on the internet...attributing motives, making it personal, namecalling, and falsely reading minds.
yes and there are still people who believe in the tooth fairy. You need to go back and study your history - middle ages wasn't at that time either.
You know damn well what the history of the Phoenicians has to do with Joseph of Arimathea and you know how strong that evidence is and so you refuse to discuss it.
You know, for a 'gunslinger' your shooting blanks. Poe's comment was to me, I am capable of recognizing sarcasm - whats your problem, unless you believe in the 'holy grail' (perhaps unicorns and dragons too - they were written of in the middle ages)
Now go away or I will taunt you again.
You attributed the stories of Joseph to middle age historians from England. I'll say again it's amazing you know more about their land here in America in 2009 than they did about their own homeland.
Must I taunt you again. The history of the Phoenicians has nothing to do with JoA. One does not address fiction as fact - didn't you learn anything in schools?
Where did they sail? Tell me that. (I know you're afraid of this discussion)
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