Ecce signum!: Titus Flavius Josephus and other historical truths:

Titus Flavius Josephus (AD 37 – c. 100)

I recently read this interesting conversation between a believer and a skeptical individual in regards to the existence of Christ. The skeptic said: “On what basis would Christianity be if the bones of Jesus were suddenly found? And going through history books, one notices there is no mention of Jesus except in the Bible...hmm!”

And the response: “This is perhaps one of the most irrational arguments used by those who try to discredit Jesus and the Christian Faith. To believe that even a small group of people (the 12 disciples) would fabricate a ‘mythical’ person and claim him to be God, then promptly lay there own worldly desires aside, remain in poverty the rest of their lives, be continuously punished and tortured for holding on to their claim that this ‘Jesus’ was God, even to the point of death (all of them were either killed or imprisoned until death), takes a far larger leap of faith than simply believing that Jesus existed in the first place. Not to mention the fact that when these disciples went about “preaching the gospel” of Jesus to the people, these people could and would have easily been able to refute their “ridiculous” claims of some man named Jesus going around healing the blind, being put to death on a cross, and even the “far fetched” notion of resurrection.”

Furthermore, “The Jewish historian Josephus, writing for the Roman government in the ‘70's A.D. records some incidental things regarding Christ and the church. He confirms that John the Baptist died at the hand of Herod (this same incident is recorded in the gospels) as well as the death of, “The brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James. . .he delivered them to be stoned” (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, ch. V, p. 20; Book XX, ch. IX, p. 140). Again, there are many sources external to the Bible that demonstrate the historical reliability of the text. Josephus, who was probably alive during the time of Christ, is attesting to the reality of his existence. What this also tells us is that within 40 years of Christ’s death, the knowledge of who he was widespread enough that Josephus could reference him and expect his readers to know exactly who he was talking about. Roman records of the time indicate that there not only was a Jesus, but that He was crucified. Many other writings at the time support that Jesus existed as a historical figure — thousands of people saw him. The Jewish opponents during the rise of the Christian faith would have the most to gain by denying Jesus ever lived, but guess what, they DON’T! In fact, in several Jewish writings, His opponents don’t deny Him at all, and they speak of Jesus as a real person, though an opponent to their Jewish beliefs. Both Gemaras of the Jewish Talmud refer to Jesus, although they are quite bitter against Him. They speak of Him as having really existed, but of course to only deny His deity and slander His name. There is just a drop of proof for you out of many of them that Jesus walked this earth.

Also, one of antiquity’s greatest historians affirmed that Jesus had suffered under Pilate. That historian’s name is Cornelius Tacitus. Tacitus was born around 20-25 years after Jesus died and he had seen the spread of Christianity just begin to impact Rome. He wrote negatively of Christ and Christians identifying them in 115 AD as “a race of men...detested for their evil practices.” If compelling claims existed that Jesus was never a real person, Tacitus would have naturally hit Christianity with this claim...not that He really existed.”

And from Return to Biblicism: “One of the more popular accusations brought against Biblical Christianity is that there are no external sources that confirm the Biblical record of Jesus of Nazareth. Most simply deny the accuracy of the New Testament in details of the life of Jesus, but others boldly deny that He existed at all. Either way, the accusation is based on a supposed lack of written historical evidence outside of the Bible referring to the existence of Jesus.

However, there are numerous sources that yield historical confirmation of the Biblical record, such as in the field of archeology. The fact is, whether it is simply the result of misinformation or plain ignorance of the facts, denying that there are extra-biblical sources that confirm the existence of Jesus simply has no credible basis. But, far be it from me to make such a claim without giving any supporting information.

The question is, are there sources outside of the Bible that give historical evidence of the existence of Jesus of Nazareth? The answer is a resounding yes. There are actually twelve known non-Christian sources consisting of historians, government officials and documents that give historical accounts of Jesus. The following is a list of those sources:

1. Cornelius Tacitus
2. Suetonius
3. Flavius Josephus
4. Thallus
5. Pliny the Younger
6. Trajan
7. Hadrian
8. the Babylonian Talmud
9. Toledoth Jesu
10. Lucian
11. Mara Bar-Serapion
12. Phlegon.

I would like to discuss what each of these sources have to say, but for sake of time and attention span I will save that for the next post. For now, suffice it to say that what this non-Christian evidence suggests about the existence of Jesus may be summarized as follows:

* Every witness confirms that a man named Jesus actually existed, most by statement, only two by inference.
* Two witnesses explicitly state that Jesus was considered a virtuous man.
* Six of the witnesses explicitly state that Jesus was worshiped by His followers.
* Seven of the witnesses explicitly state that Jesus had life long disciples that took preeminence as leaders of His other followers (Apostles, perhaps).
* Four of the witnesses explicitly state that Jesus was a renowned teacher.
* Seven of the witnesses refer to the fact that Jesus was crucified. Only one of those seven were by inference.
* Seven of the witnesses refer to the discovery of an empty tomb. Three of those are very specific.
* Two of the witnesses explicitly refer to Jesus’ followers’ belief in His resurrection.
* Six of the witnesses explicitly refer to the rapid spread of Christian belief.
* Seven of the witnesses explicitly refer to the persecution that Jesus’ followers faced because of their belief.

All twelve of these witnesses do nothing but confirm the Biblical record of Jesus and His followers. So why are these twelve so important? To appreciate their importance more fully, three things must be understood about these sources.

The Time Span

First, they are all confirmed to be within 150 years of the ministry of Jesus, some living during same time as Jesus. Though 150 years may seem like a long time for us, we can put things into perspective by comparing how people wrote of other progenitors of various religions after the religion took hold.

Although the Gathas of Zoroaster have been authenticated to date back to 1200 BC, most of the Zoroastrian scriptures were not put into writing until after the third century AD. That’s a span of over 1,500 years. The first biography written about Zoroaster was written in AD 1278. That’s a span of over 2,200 years.

Buddha is believed to have lived in the sixth century BC. However, the Buddhist scriptures were not put into writing until after Christianity took hold as a religion. That’s a span of about 800 years. The first biography of Buddha was written in the first century AD. That’s another span of about 800 years.

We have the sayings of Muhammad in the Koran, but his first biography was not written until a full century later.

By comparison, all of the New Testament was completed in less than 70 years after the life of Jesus. As for these extra-biblical sources, Thallus wrote of Jesus within 20 years of His crucifixion. The very latest of the twelve sources, Mara Bar-Serapion, stretches the time period to within 150 years.

The Number of Sources

Also, we are prone to look at twelve sources as being a small number to confirm someone that has had as much influence as Jesus. Surely, more would have been written outside of the Biblical record, or so it seems. However, we must compare the fact that Tiberius Caesar, the Roman Emperor of Jesus’ day, is only mentioned in nine other places outside of the Bible within 150 years of his lifetime. Those who assume that there is not enough if any historical evidence for the existence of Jesus must also write off the Emperor of Rome to be a myth as well! The truth is, this Jewish Teacher and His followers got more coverage than the Emperor.

The Nature of the Sources

The next thing to understand about the twelve sources is that their record is secular in nature, and that they are all markedly anti-Christian. In the field of law enforcement, a good witness is priceless. There are, however, types of witnesses whose testimony is more telling than others. For example, there are “friendly” witnesses who are likely to be partial to the one on trial. These, of course, are not very valuable. Then, there are “impartial” witnesses. These are strong witnesses because they have no incentive to help out or hurt the one on trial. Finally, there are “hostile witnesses. These are evidently opposed to the defendant. If a hostile witness admits to any good about the accused or testify to the viability of the defendant’s story, this will carry the most weight with any jury.

All of the twelve sources, falling under the “hostile” category, offer a most valuable testimony. The wealth of historical corroboration is undeniable.

I’d like to make a couple of final points in closing. It is obvious from both this evidence and other later writings on the subject that not even Jesus’ enemies thought to challenge His historicity until centuries after His death. The fact is, with these twelve non-Christian sources confirming His existence we cannot make that challenge either.

Obviously, there are no references to the miraculous events spoken of in the New Testament other than the Christians’ belief in them. But, you could not honestly expect that from hostile witnesses. Nevertheless, the fact that these non-Christian sources only confirm the basic outline of the life of Jesus and the acts of His followers as presented by the New Testament gives credible evidence as to the reliability of the Biblical record. It only follows that this evidences gives a sound basis for trusting the One to whom these twelve witnesses point.”

Publius Cornelius Tacitus (ca. 56 – ca. 117)

19th-century Pregnant Dolls:

In the 18th and 19th centuries, sideshow carnivals known as misemono were a popular form of entertainment for the sophisticated residents of Edo (present-day Tokyo). The sideshows featured a myriad of educational and entertaining attractions designed to evoke a sense of wonder and satisfy a deep curiosity for the mysteries of life. One popular attraction was the pregnant doll.

Although it is commonly believed that these dolls were created primarily to teach midwives how to deliver babies, evidence suggests they were also used for entertainment purposes.





For example, records from 1864 describe a popular show in Tokyo’s Asakusa entertainment district that educated audiences about the human body. The show featured a pregnant doll whose abdomen could be opened to reveal fetal models depicting the various stages of prenatal development.

Similarly, records of Japan’s first national industrial exhibition in 1877 indicate a Yamagata prefecture hospital doctor named Motoyoshi Hasegawa showed off an elaborate set of fetus models illustrating seven different stages of growth, from embryo to birth.

Although it is unclear whether the fetus model set pictured here is the same one Hasegawa showed in 1877, records suggest his model was a hit at the exhibition.



From Here.

Philosophy, Non-believers, Prophecy, &c.

Plotinus, the famous Greek philosopher, once stated that “If life and soul exist after death, then death is good, all the more so in that the soul is better able to carry out her proper activities without the body.” — and if one is a Christian, there is no “if” here, because life does indeed exist after death (one’s body dies, but one’s soul lives on), and those that have that “spiritual understanding” (through the love and knowledge of the Word of God) all realize that death is not something one should fear or be concerned about.

2 Corinthians 5: 6-11 states:

6 Now we look forward with confidence to our heavenly bodies, realizing that every moment we spend in these earthly bodies is time spent away from our eternal home in heaven with Jesus. 7 We know all these things are true by believing, not by seeing. 8 And we are not afraid, but quite content to die, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So our aim is to please him always in everything we do, whether we are here in this body and with him in heaven. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged and have our lives laid bare—before him. Each of us will receive whatever he deserves for the good or bad things he has done in his earthly body. 11 It is because of this solemn fear of the Lord, which is ever present in our minds, that we work so hard to win others. God knows our hearts, that they are pure in this matter, and I hope that, deep within, you really know it too.

Plotinus goes on to ask, “If she becomes a part of the universal Soul, what kind of evil could affect her there? — and then: “...In general . . . there is no evil for the soul who has maintained her purity; and if she has maintained it, then it is not death that is an evil for her, but rather life. Even if there are punishments in Hades, then once again, it is life that is an evil for her, for it is not life and nothing but.” — and to answer his question, no evil of any degree can affect anyone whom has become saved and has become “one with Christ,” because all of evil flees and trembles in the name of God, which brings me to something else in which is interconnected with what I have written thus far:

A frequently-typical quote one may hear from a non-believer in God is “What kind of God creates man and then damns them?” In Ezekiel 33:2, this particular scriptures meets this common complaint by enlightening us and showing us that God has absolutely no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires their welfare and that the wicked bring damnation upon themselves by their stubborn refusal to repent. 1 Timothy 2: 3-4 shows that God, 'so far from creating man to damn him, desires that all men be saved.' 2 Peter 3:9 teaches that 'God is not willing that any should perish and is delaying His purposes in order that all may come to repentance.' John 5:40 and Matthew 23:37 shows that the entire cause of man’s damnation is his own willful and persistent refusal to come to Christ. And, of course, then there are those that complain about the bible, labeling it as contradictory and absurd, or perhaps, “The Bible just seems foolish to me.” However, in 1 Corinthians 1: 18-31, the Word of God says:

18 I know very well how foolish it sounds to those who are lost, when they hear that Jesus died to save them. But we who are saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 For God says, “I will destroy all human plans of salvation no matter how wise they seem to be, and ignore the best ideas of men, even the most brilliant of them.” 20 So what about these wise men, the scholars, these brilliant debaters of this world’s great affairs? God has made them all look foolish, and shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 For God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find God through human brilliance, and then he stepped in and saved all those who believed his message, which the world calls foolish and silly. 22 It seems foolish to the Jews because they want a sign from heaven as proof that what is preached is true; and it is foolish to the Gentiles, because they believe only what agrees with their philosophy and seems wise to them. 23 So when we preach about Christ dying to save them, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. 24 But God has opened the eyes of those called to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, to see that Christ is the mighty power of God to save them; Christ himself is the center of God’s wise plan for their salvation. 25 This so-called “foolish” plan of God is far wiser than the wisest plan of the wisest man, and God in his weakness—Christ dying on the cross—is far stronger than any man. 26 Notice among yourselves, dear brothers, that few of you who follow Christ have big names or power or wealth. 27 Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use ideas the world considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame these people considered by the world as wise and great. 28 He has chosen a plan despised by the world, counted as nothing at all, and used it to bring down to nothing those the world considers great, 29 so that no one anywhere can ever brag in the presence of God. 30 For it is from God alone that you have your life through Christ Jesus. He showed us God’s plan of salvation; he was the one who made acceptable to God; he made us pure and holy and gave himself to purchase our salvation. 31 As it says in the Scriptures, “If anyone is going to boast, let him boast only of what the Lord has done.”

And then in 2 Corinthians 4: 3-4, it states:

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden to anyone, it is hidden from the one who is on the road to eternal death. 4 Satan, who is the god of this evil world, has made him blind, unable to see the glorious light of the Gospel that is shining upon him, or to understand the amazing message we preach about the glory of Christ, who is God.

With that said, I am waiting for the Rapture to take place, because when it does eventually occur (and it is on the way!), everything else that was predicted will unfold according to what the Bible has stated would happen. I believe that the first rider of the white horse of the Anti-Christ is already walking the earth, but hasn’t risen to power just yet. The UN, NAU and European Union will all play a major role in fulfilling prophecy. After the leader of this new global government signs a 7-year peace treaty with Israel, the Tribulation Period will begin and prophecy will be fulfilled. I truly believe that we are in the last days, because everything that the Bible stated would occur has already been fulfilled (I can’t stress this enough!), and there is much more to come. The falsitivities of man’s desire to learn about what “science” says about everything is also a part of the deceptions that many people would fall under. What people have to come to understand is that science was originally based off of Biblical terms. It is when people not of faith began “experimenting” with things that went amiss. John 8:31-42 says: “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” I truly grieve for those whom speak against or “mock” Christianity. However, it is perfectly-evident and proves another prophecy in the Bible in which clearly says that God’s people would go through much humiliation and persecution.

Something else that I want to quote in regards to Bible prophecy, and it is what the wonderful Joel Rosenberg recently stated last month:

“...the prime minister of Israel, Netanyahu, understands that there is an apocalyptic, genocidal death cult running Iran right now. They are determined to get the nuclear weapons and destroy Israel. (...) [To them] Israel is only the little Satan. The United States is the great Satan. And (...) the president of Iran and top leaders of Iran want to annihilate the United States. And the idea that we will drop this pre-condition and not force Iran to stop enriching uranium before we sit down and talk is a huge mistake. I would describe it as appeasement. The leaders of Iran believe that the end of the world is here. They believe that the Islamic Messiah, the Mahdi, or Thelfth Imam, is coming imminently, and they believe that their mission in life is to hasten, or speed up, the coming of the Islamic Messiah, by destroying Judeo-Christian civilization as we know it. We’ve never had any nation, ever, to have the ‘death cult’ features that Iran has now. The United States Administration does not realize this, and I believe that a train wreck is coming between the United States and Israel over how to handle Iran. This is the worst moment in U.S.-Israeli relations in 61 years. I’m an evangelical Christian and I believe in end times prophecy, but Jesus’s end time prophecy is that we’re supposed to go out and try and share the gospel and try to save tens of millions of people, whereas apocalyptic Shi’a Muslim end times theology says to kill all of the Jews and Christians or convert them to Islam, and that’s the danger, is that the current administration doesn’t understand it. (...) The American Government has to understand who is across the table, and they have to make a choice. The top experts believe that Iran will have nuclear weapons within a year or year and a half tops, so if you’re going to talk to them, you better understand who you’re dealing with, but personally, I believe we’re out of time, and North Korea is the evidence. We’ve been talking to North Korea, in six party talks, for ten years, and where are we? They have their first nuclear weapon tested. They have an intercontinental ballistic missile that they’ve tested. Fifteen Iranian Military advisors were at that launch last weekend, and now they’re starting their nuclear wars program. When you’re talking with two genocidal maniacs, talking won’t work, and unfortunately we are headed into war with Iran, and either the United States will launch it to protect western civilization or Israel will. Unless there’s an act of God, there's a crisis coming of Biblical proportions.”

And this insane maniac, Ahmadinejad, states that by creating an enormous war and killing as many Jews and Christians as possible (and whomever doesn't practice their religion) that that will suddenly spark the return of their "messiah" to come down and "finish the job" and then take the remaining individuals to the "after life." They believe that there has to be a vast array of blood-shed before their 'messiah' returns. So, if there are certain people out there that don't believe that these "genocidal maniacs" won't attempt to try and murder and destroy millions of people, then they have another thing coming. For those that are ready, however, do not have anything to worry about, because God has this all in the palms of his hands (he soothes all worries). The signs are all there. As one source states, "The Global Age is right upon us. It is on the horizon of our lifetime." Also:

"This New World Order" is not some prophetically speculative or futuristic fairy tale, but a real world reality. It is not some "wacko conspiracy theory" advanced by the fringe of society like the powers that be would have us believe. It is not a "conspiracy," rather it's an agenda. Anybody that will end their soma induced "holiday" and unplug from the delusional "matrix" will see the evidence all around them. It has been a long time in the making, its pieces fitting into place from divergent realms and different players. Gears and levers of history have been moved and adjusted, and a large-scale game of Monopoly has been played, with real currency and real assets shifting hands - a game with very real winners and losers. The players in this grand deception understand it is a dangerous and risky undertaking, for they are vastly outnumbered. If average Americans woke up and understood their true agenda, there would be an uprising of revolutionary proportions. Therefore, demonizing the opposition and controlling people through disinformation and fear is critical as they conceal their true agenda. Published government documents characterize patriots as terrorists and a threat to law enforcement. World economic systems are threatened with catastrophic consequences unless the international banksters are allowed to consolidate their power into a global banking system.

"It is well the people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning." - Henry Ford

Even though the power of a small group of International banksters is colossal today according to Harvard and Princeton professor emeritus, Carroll Quigley, they are finding it increasingly difficult to conceal their true nature. He said of this group:

"Their aim is nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. The system was to be controlled in a feudalistic fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences." (Carroll Quigley, Tragedy and Hope (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1966)

Alas, a New World Order.

While it is nearly impossible to accurately trace the interlocking agendas of these organizations, the supernatural dimension is the one that gives the puzzle meaning. While some may ascribe leadership of the New World Order to elitists's in the Bilderbergers, Trilateral Commission or Council of Foreign Relations, the truth is these people are mere pawns in a much grander agenda of the Antichrist.

He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark of his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. [Revelation 13:16-17]

Scripture tells us of the establishment of a New World Order by the Antichrist in the last days. Indeed, the devil must have a dictatorial form of government if he is to rule the world. It is being slowly implemented in our governments through legislation and in our churches with a new spirituality until ultimately it will be in the hands of an elite of intelligent politically-connected religious-minded people in league with the Antichrist.

As mentioned, this is nothing to worry about if you follow Christ, because this is God's work, and he has given us these "warning signs" of prophecy to help us become more eager for his eventual return!

The clock is ticking!

Interventions: Ruth Claxton

Proof That We Were Made By A Creator (God), “A Question of Origins” (Completely Debunking/Destroying the Theory of Evolution):

If one watches this particular video with an open mind, then one will find that the proof is here that Evolution (Darwinism) is completely false. Being a believer of Creationism, one can believe in Creation and Science, because the Bible already provides details into our world (scientifically) before Scientists ever began experimenting with theories, &c.

For example:

Atomic Fission is mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10. Oceanic Currents are mentioned in Psalsm 8:8 and Isaiah 43:16. The Hydrologic Cycle is mentioned in Job 36:27 and Amos 9:6. The Jet Stream is mentioned in Ecclesiastes 1: 6, 7. Dinosaurs are versed in Job 40-41 and Psalms 74:14 and Innumerable Stars are versed in Jeremiah 33:22.

xxrrxnz & interconnections:

“Babe Ruth’s Legs”

When Babe Ruth got to be an older player in the latter years of his illustrious career, the managers would naturally have players pitch-run for The Bambino after he got on base, and the two most “famous” names that would often run for him were Myril Hoag and Sammy Byrd, and their nicknames became “Babe Ruth’s Legs.”

Birgit Jürgenssen

Many More Here.

DREAM

from The Vampyr (1932) by Carl Dreyer

I was at my Grandparents’ house (although it was as if it were a cross between being at my Grandparents’ house and somewhere else [obviously influenced by the subconsciousness of imagination]) and there was a film that being “worked on” in the area, although I wasn’t aware of exactly “where,” I just knew that it was close-by. I was in the living room, sitting on the couch, and the milkman that would often come into the store that I used to work at was standing directly above me, holding a manual-lighting candle (similar to a long-nozzled lighter). I was looking up at him, and suddenly he strikes the lighter and then holds the flame to my mouth, inches away from my lips, and says, “Blow it out.” So, I blow the flame out as he says. It is at this time that I have quite a peculiar feeling that he is the director of the film that is being made somewhere in the area, and then I began wondering if perhaps I am going to be involved in this film somehow.

CUT.

I follow the milkman into the kitchen. As he walks along, I continue to follow his lead until we make our way onto the back porch. As I walk out onto the back porch, I see my Grandmother standing in the kitchen watching me as I leave the vicinity. It is at this time when I think to myself that she is probably thinking to herself where I am going and what the milkman and I are up to. Alas, I continue out of the back door.

CUT.

I’m standing in the backyard with the milkman, facing towards the house. He is still holding the long-nozzled lighter (in his right hand). I continue to stand there silently in awe, watching as he strikes the lighter several times. As I continue to watch, I realize that he is now motioning for me to come closer to where he is (as if I weren’t already beside him). He says, “look over there” while pointing towards the right-side of the house where a hill is obscuring the body of an animal so that I can only see the animal’s tail (which appears to be a cat’s tail). He then blurts, “that’s the tail of a black bear.” Confused, I ponder it for a moment and then realize that it couldn’t be a bear’s tail, in which, at that time, a sudden fear washes over me; a wave of horrific emotions flooding my entire being. I kept thinking about how strange the situation was, considering the fact that black bears wouldn’t ever been seen in “these parts.” I really didn’t know what to do, but I was definitely certain that I had to see if indeed there was a black bear lurking about the front yard. At this time, the milkman had metamorphed into a yellow cat and was acting completely paranoid, his body low to the ground. I watched him as he bolted towards the left-side of the house, disappearing from my viewpoint. I then decided that I also needed to go into that same direction, while thinking that the bear would perhaps be walking towards that direction. With fear and desperation upon me, I began walking around towards the left-side of the house, and began making my way closer to the front yard. I slowed down as soon as I got to the corner of the house, in which I stopped and then peaked around into the front yard. Not to my amazement, there was indeed a large, black bear walking across the front yard and into my direction. At this time, I became even more horrified and I quickly turned around and ran back towards the opposite direction and back into the back yard. I thought to myself that I needed to get inside of the house as quickly as possible. As I entered the back yard, I quickly turned and ran up the stairs. As I made my way up the stairs, I noticed that the door was open and my Grandmother was sitting on the very top step, while a child was standing behind her saying something to her. When I made my way up to the top step where she was located, I told her what was going on, and at first she seemed perplexed by the way that I was acting, but I told her that there was absolutely no time to talk about anything because there was a large black bear in the area and we needed to get inside the house as soon as possible before the bear made its way into the back yard. As I was telling her all of this information, I kept imagining what would happen if the bear eventually got a hold of us, and the many horrible scenarios that would cost us our lives.

American Black Bear

Onésipe Aguado's "Woman Seen From Back"

In regards to the existence of God, atheism, birth pains, prophecy and more:

The Gate of Heaven by Mark Lawrence

One is either a person that claims to have “experienced” God and states that atheism is false because of that particular experience, or one is a person that claims to have had no experience of God, but says that “theism” (which is the belief in God) is ‘false’ because of their lack of experience. Now, one has to really ponder that for a moment, because is the “lack of experience” an excellent way to form a world view? — and in regards to atheism: this is nothing more than ignorance. Atheism/Evolution is something that Satan created to help steer people from God’s word and the reality of God, because Satan knows that God is real and he trembles when he even hears the word “God” or “Jesus” or anything in regards to it. Excellent quote: “Atheists try to make belief in God seem like something just to help people cope, but it is the exact opposite! They deny God to help them cope with the coming judgment. If you reject the supernatural, do not be surprised when the supernatural rejects you.” Basically, atheists believe that “in the beginning there was nothing, and nothing happened to nothing, until nothing exploded, and created everything. Then, the nothing that became everything magically rearranged itself for no reason into self-replicating complex life forms, that became intelligent beings that believed in God” — Makes enormous amounts of sense! (not). Satan believes his own lies (ouch), and is nothing more than a lying, cheating, evil presence in this world. However, the Word of God states that if we resist Satan, then he will flee from us! The bible states that if you seek God with the entirety of your being/existence (with an open mind and ready to learn), you will find him!

The following is a fabulous text that was written beautifully by a wonderful fellow on Youtube by the name of Shawn (a highly-knowledgable Christian), and someone asked him to explain “how” God has always ‘existed’ and this was his amazing response:

“Surely you can appreciate the difference between infinite, and eternal. Time may very well be infinite, but it can not be eternal. I will explain why. Eternal means without beginning, and without end. The implications of something being eternal is; it has always existed, and always will exist. Infinite means with beginning, but without end. The implications of something being infinite is; it began to exist, and then continues for infinity without end. Time can be infinite, but it can not be eternal, because time must have had a beginning, according to all forms of logic. We can go into this in depth if you wish. However, claiming God is infinite, but not eternal, is both heresy and illogical. The God of The Bible claims to be Eternal, without beginning or end. You asked where did God come from? Who created God? To be able to create something, you must exist inside of time. The act of creating itself is an act of time; something doesn’t exist, time passes, then it does. So it is an error placing God within time, because God exists outside of time. Time is a creation of God’s, and He is not restricted by it. In fact, you could say God exists without time, to be more accurate. Time is the measure of change, so that means God can not change, because He exists outside of time. This also means God can not be created, because creation is the result of time. If God exists outside of time, that means He always has existed, and always will exist. He is eternal, because timelessness dictates that no change is possible. However, scientists agree that before this universe, there was nothing. No matter, no time, no space. So the only way for ‘something’ to happen from a changeless, timeless reality, is for something to exist that is an uncaused cause, an unmovable mover, a creationless creator. God, never changing, always existing, created everything. There is no ‘before’ God, for God is the very Creator of the fabric of existence.”

I recently wrote and sent a letter (a message) to many, many people via email (some were family, some were friends, some were people that I had corresponded with years ago [gmail recognizing these things!] and some I do not know) and the letter was in regards to comments by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his proclaiming that Israel must be wiped off of the map and how these events are leading up to Ezekiel 38 (Ezekiel 37 has already been fulfilled) and many other things. Within four hours I received a kind response from Mia Moreno, which read:

Hi Derrick,

I read your message, and I appreciate being included in your mailing...
Also, I forwarded it to a few people who I care about, and included the following:

Hi there!

First of all, I’d like to say that this person Derrick, the fellow who sent me this email, is a fellow I have know through the net for going on about 4 years. He has always been very respectful and articulate, consistently communicating with me and others via visual medium juxtaposed with his words, based not only on his own imagery, but on the imagery and art from many mutual friends and colleagues. I have become familiar enough with him as a person to know that I respect him and his intelligence and have always felt he has important and relevant things to say.

Even if I am not into the Bible and it’s prophecies, something about this message which I just received brings fear into my heart, and suddenly I feel like I must share what I have just read with you.

Even if I have been floating around in the realm of my spirituality, my connection with God has not been severed, and I am still a believer.

One way or another, I think the following will be an interesting read. Feel free to pass it on. Awareness is strength, and can lead to peace.

Love,
Mia

This letter, of course, truly showed me how great the power of God is. I also received another two other emails which also mentioned my letter, which also filled me with joy. This was basically my response:

Now, to speak more in regards to the nucleus of my letter (prophecy), let me initially state that my message was most certainly not to “strike fear” into anyone’s hearts, nor to scare anyone! The reason why I say this is because God has already mapped out what is going to occur during these “last days” (which are truly shaping up precisely as is stated in the Bible!), so we, as Christians, can follow along with what is happening in the world today and see how it perfectly-aligns with the events that will be taking place and – not to make us FEAR or be FRIGHTENED by it – but to make us more EAGER for Christ’s return! God has it all in the palms of his hands, and he says not to worry about it whatsoever. Jesus is on the throne and everything will be alright! As said, the prophecies are there for us to become over-joyed by them (and not afraid of them!), because the quicker these things occur, the more we can see, know and realize that Christ’s return is right around the corner!

It’s interesting because many people will say, “Well, people have been saying that Jesus would be returning for 50+ years now!” or something to this effect (the objections are endless). However, at that time, the signs weren’t as supreme as they are now. At that time, say 50 years ago, there were “signs” (like wars [WWII had just passed if we’re speaking of the year 1949 here] and rumors of wars, which still exist today) and all of those signs were fulfilled. However, if one looks at today’s world, one can just ‘sense’ that there is something about to happen; that there is something that is about to take place! If one is familiar with the Bible speaking about how there will be a “one world government” (“new world order”) taking place in the ‘last days,’ this has already come to fruition, because it wasn’t long ago that Obama and others tossed this into the air (something of which will eventually occur). If you look at the American Military service, it is basically being used as a tool for globalists to force an international world government. This is just one of many signs that point towards the return of Christ, and I’m not afraid whatsoever, because God has it all in the palms of his hands, so why even worry? If one knows that they will be raptured up during that time, then I say, “Bring it on!” – take me away from this chaos, this sin-filled world! Just think, once you get to heaven, you will have a “glorified body” and you will be free of worry, frustration, pains of every dimension, heartache, confusion, loss of all kinds, &c., &c. ... and I say the quicker it happens, the better!

*

Also, in regards to the sudden outbreak of “swine flu,” this is yet another example of the “birth pains” that the world is going through at the moment, and is another “sign” that one cannot ignore, which also fits with bible prophecy. This article speaks brilliantly about swine flu and bible prophecy ... Here.

Notice what it says there at the end:

There is reason to anticipate even more serious pandemics in the future.

God has promised blessings, including protection, for those who love and obey Him. But Bible prophecy predicts eventual punishment for nations that turn their backs on God and His Word—a trend that is becoming all too common in our modern society.

Those divine punishments for not keeping “all the words of this law that are written in this book” will include “extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses” (Deuteronomy 28:58-59).

But the most important thing you can do is to have faith in God and rely on Him to be your Protector and Savior. Consider the reassuring words of Psalm 91 that describe how God is able to protect those who obey Him from the heart in all circumstances:

“Surely He shall deliver you...from the perilous pestilence… You shall not be afraid...of the pestilence... A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you… No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (Psalm 91:3-10).

R.A. Torrey

The Obama Deception

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T (1953)

If you’re like moi, there are those certain films that are incredibly-strange in an incredibly-absurd way, and then there are those certain films that are incredibly-strange in a darkly-comical way (ie: often referred to as a “dark comedy” per se), and then there are those incredibly-strange films that have a bit of weirdness, absurdity, dark comedy mixed into them, with also a child-like adventure-story intertwined, with also a bit of surrealistic-juice just waiting to be “chugged down” one’s visual and mental esophagus. Chalk up one for the “musical-fantasy,” as well, and you have the incredibly-delightful film, “The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.”

Tommy Rettig as Bart

To be wiki’d or not to be wiki’d, but here is the basic ‘elements’: The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. is a 1953 musical fantasy film. It is best known for being the only feature film ever written by Theodor Seuss Geisel (“Dr. Seuss”), who was responsible for the story, screenplay, and lyrics. It was directed by Roy Rowland. The film was re-released in 1958 under the title Crazy Music. And the Wiki’d plot: “(...) revolves around young Bart Collins, who lives with his widowed mother Heloise. The major blight on Bart’s existence is the hated piano lessons he is forced to endure under the tutelage of the autocratic Dr. Terwilliker. Bart feels that his mother has fallen under Terwilliker's sinister influence, and gripes to visiting plumber August Zabladowski, without much result. While grimly hammering away at his lessons, Bart dozes off and enters a fantastical musical dream, in much the same fashion as Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz. (This film differs from the The Wizard, however, in that the audience is certain from the outset that the story is a dream.)

Beautifully-designed, Surreal sets

In the dream, Bart is trapped at the surreal Terwilliker Institute, where the piano teacher is now a madman dictator who has locked up all non-piano-playing musicians in a dungeon and constructed a piano so large that it requires Bart and 499 other enslaved boys (the aforementioned 5,000 fingers) in order to play it. Bart's mother has been turned into Terwilliker’s hypnotized assistant and bride-to-be, and Bart must dodge the Institute’s guards (including the dungeon’s singing elevator operator and a pair of roller-skating Siamese twins joined at their beards) as he scrambles to save both his mother and himself. He tries to recruit Mr. Zabladowski, who has been hired to install all of the Institute’s sinks ahead of a vital inspection, but only after much skepticism and foot-dragging is the plumber finally convinced to help. The two of them empty their pockets and construct a noise-sucking contraption which ruins the mega-piano’s opening concert. The enslaved boys cheerfully run riot, and the “VERY atomic” noise-sucker explodes in spectacular fashion, bringing Bart out of his dream.

The movie ends on a hopeful note for Bart, when the real-life Mr. Zabladowski finally notices Heloise, and offers to drive her into town in his jeep. Bart escapes from the piano, and triumphantly runs off to play.”

I recall seeing this film for the first time several years ago and falling in love with it. The surrealism of it is quite fabulous, and the dreamy-settings and peculiarisms are all manifested perfectly within the “plot.” I’ve never particularly been a fan of musicals (although I do adore the wonderful “Umbrellas of Cherbourg” for it’s dynamically-unique scenes and vibrant colorscapes!), but this isn’t a hatching cliche’-egg by any means.

Dr. T

Montage theory: Eisenstein, Vertov, & Hitchcock 1: Eisenstein & montage

from North by Northwest by Hitchcock,
the United Nations sequence

Theories in film has always fascinated me. I recently came across this interesting site which discusses three montage theories. Here is the first:

“Montage--juxtaposing images by editing--is unique to film (and now video). During the 1920s, the pioneering Russian film directors and theorists Sergei Eisenstein and Dziga Vertov demonstrated the technical, aesthetic, and ideological potentials of montage. The ‘new media’ theorist Lev Manovich has pointed out how much these experiments of the 1920s underlie the aesthetics of contemporary video.

Eisenstein believed that film montage could create ideas or have an impact beyond the individual images. Two or more images edited together create a “tertium quid” (third thing) that makes the whole greater than the sum of its individual parts.

Eisenstein’s greatest demonstration of the power of montage comes in the “Odessa Steps” sequence of his 1925 film Battleship Potemkin. On the simplest level, montage allows Eisenstein to manipulate the audience’s perception of time by stretching out the crowd’s flight down the steps for seven minutes, several times longer than it would take in real time:”

The rapid progression and alternation of images gives a sensational event even greater visceral impact:

More of this first page Here. The other two pages, Here and Here.

Benny Hinn in Israel discussing Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Bible Prophecy, &c.

“The Israeli Declaration of Independence, made 61 years ago was the official announcement that the new Jewish state named the State of Israel had been formally established on land where historically the Kingdoms of Israel, Judah and Judea had once been. That declaration of statehood unified the Jewish people, both in Israel and in the entire world, and every other nation that supported the idea of Jewish state. This statehood helped us win the War of Independence and establish the state of Israel. On this this historic telecast from the Holy Land as Israel continues to celebrate the anniversary of its independence, Pastor Benny Hinn shares seasoned insight into both today’s headlines and God’s Word!”

The Kuleshov Effect

“Kuleshov edited a short film in which shots of the face of Ivan Mozzhukhin (a Tsarist matinee idol) are alternated with various other shots (a plate of soup, a girl, an old woman’s coffin). The film was shown to an audience who believed that the expression on Mozzhukhin’s face was different each time he appeared, depending on whether he was “... Read Morelooking at” the plate of soup, the girl, or the coffin, showing an expression of hunger, desire or grief respectively. Actually the footage of Mozzhukhin was identical, and rather expressionless, every time it appeared. Vsevolod Pudovkin (who later claimed to have been the co-creator of the experiment) described in 1929 how the audience “raved about the acting.... the heavy pensiveness of his mood over the forgotten soup, were touched and moved by the deep sorrow with which he looked on the dead woman, and admired the light, happy smile with which he surveyed the girl at play. But we knew that in all three cases the face was exactly the same.””

The afternoon of May 2, 2009 (and others):

Levan Tchogoschvili, Mischtechnik

I love pin-pointing my “living space” on a weather radar map and viewing where rain exists or doesn’t exist during a thunderstorm, and as of this moment, the ground is silver, or the concrete, rather, and clear-sky is hiding behind ominous-cloudscapes, and the stars are shuffling their feet, a “touching tale,” a “particularly memorable” non-cynical season of May (Actionscope!) — and the rain tumbles and mumbles and slips and slides (water parks of nature — I miss swimming) and in the meantime, my glasses slip off of my nose; my head peels with dead skin, sun-burn has ceased, skin browner, tanner, obscure conglomerates, probably slept in a puddle of my own dead skin. I say a prayer of thanksgiving every morning as soon as I wake. Nothing is ever vivid anymore (thunder growls in the distance). Nothing to worry about (thunder moans, as if echoing, in the distance). Coffee has traveled to deepest core (BM already pleasure’d) and Hmm, the hum of a ‘calling’ and my soul, spirit and body has been loosened up, like a tie of a man who has come home from a hard day’s work. Every day is an Eisenstein feature. The animated fruit of my existence sings with joy; an indescribable sensation. Inexplicit film-action, this is. No describing words, nothing. Nothing, no, nothing. Unique segments identified only by the riches of my eagerness. I sing and sing and sing.


Interesting quotes:

“Since our awareness of others is considered our duty, the price we pay when things go wrong is guilt and self-hatred. And things always go wrong. We respond with apologies; we continue to apologize long after the event is forgotten — and even if it had no casual relation to anything we did to begin with.” (Nancy Chodorow)

“I shatter everyone who hates you.” “Train your mind to confess what you see as poetry.” Obsession over one’s body is a dead end. “The Word of God is offensive to the world.” “Integrity has no rules.”

* “Do you see anything outrageous?”
* “I wouldn’t say outrageous. It’s more like ironic.”

Woman on the Moon about to be swept off her feet by a Flying Bald Man
By F. Lennox Campello

Convolvulus sepium is said be poisonous to swine:

Random found images:

Vitto Acconci

Socius mens mentis:

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou playing delicately. “Le Petite Fille de la mer” from THEMES.

Mr. Uncle recently said: “Hang on, let me get my tongue to do right. My thought is there, but I can't get it to come out!”

“Her eyes are so blue ... like when you look at the earth from space.” [said by Mother, speaking of Bella, Miss Siamese Angel).

Derrida asked: “What comes before the question?” My answer: The thought. And then after the thought, the ‘will’ to ask it. And now I ask: If one questions what comes before the question, what actually comes after the answer? To question anything is to expect an answer, or a response of some kind. Unless, of course, one is merely questioning for the sake of questioning (blank walls). There must be emotional-varieties: knowledge? opinions? ... laughter? &c. As differentiating human beings, there is never one “secure” question or answer (the unexpected) in this regard.

A genuine thesis, like hallways repaired, hugging the shimmer of furblungen light for genuine cacoethes. Windows masticating as romantic visuals like Japanese gardens. The home (a vice) . Windows are romantic visuals. I awake in an olive drab, treating a nurture like ephemeral aethers; our image, truest magma when we wake, sizzle-feeling, truest miagma when awoken, strict doubt and an all too-human propensity. There is silence in everything if you keep your eyes closed.

Unmask yourself, not in what or where your eyes meet, but where your heart speaks. It will descend from the effect like gripping remorse without body language, implicating that this exhibits our visionarial scrutiny and smoothes the progress upon the cascade that drives these alleviations.

FILM IDEAS: a person attempts to focus more on his fears, watches a spider crawl quickly towards his bare foot, clinches face, toes mumble with a peculiar anxiety with a combination of pleasure and pain.

Camera shows the viewer of the back of someone sitting down, half-composed. Maybe: a random scene shot through his glasses as he looks out of his window. The reflection from an unknown object (but an object nontheless) that is received in the camera (from the viewer’s point of view) appears as though someone or something glides quickly (as if flying) across the window from the outside. He nervously-jumps thinking he sees something move. Close (and fast jumps and close-ups and cut-backs) images of his face within a 5-10 second span show his shocking and hesitant external composition.

Once, thought about how to give attention to one second. To be able to share it, to share what no one else can see. In the future we may need to think again, so says the beginning. Today is promised if you are able to complete Time’s questions without having to hesitate to answer.

Aperture, 2008 by Philip Gurrey

Random thoughts: Prophecy, the emptying of a documentful of text, wonderful quotationables , &c. ---

St. John The Baptist Preaching
In The Wilderness, by Kazuya Akimoto

Excellent quote:

“As I have learned, the Bible has about 10,000 prophecies. Nearly one-third of the Bible is directly or indirectly related to prophecy. This endeavour led me into far more research than I could have suspected. One thing needed, was to determine when the Bible was actually written. Because of this, a study of biblical history and archaeology was necessary. I found the Old Testament was indeed written before the coming of Jesus, as the Dead Sea Scrolls (containing parts of the book of Isaiah) were proven to have been written before Jesus came. The book of Isaiah includes forecasts of Jesus. Thousands of clay tablets have also been found, which confirm many accounts in the Bible. Later, there were people who would show me what appeared to be contradictions in the Bible, yet these were not contradictions at all, but only a lack of research on the part of those that said these things.”

The Bible states that the Anti-Christ will come out of the region of Europe (perhaps Rome or in this area), and that he will make a covenant with Israel (Fake Israel-Palestinian ‘peace’ treaty) and break it, that he will re-build The Temple Mount (Plans are already been reviewed), that he will be gay (bisexual?) (Daniel 11:37), and that he will be satan incarnate.

“There have been hundreds of books written on the subject of the evidences of the divine inspiration of the Bible, and these evidences are many and varied. Most people today, unfortunately, have not read any of these books. In fact, few have even read the Bible itself! Thus, many people tend to go along with the popular delusion that the Bible is full of mistakes and is no longer relevant to our modern world. Nevertheless the Bible writers claimed repeatedly that they were transmitting the very Word of God, infallible and authoritative in the highest degree. This is an amazing thing for any writer to say, and if the forty or so men who wrote the Scriptures were wrong in these claims, then they must have been lying, or insane, or both. But, on the other hand, if the greatest and most influential book of the ages, containing the most beautiful literature and the most perfect moral code ever devised, was written by deceiving fanatics, then what hope is there for ever finding meaning and purpose in this world? If one will seriously investigate these Biblical evidences, he will find that their claims of divine inspiration (stated over 3,000 times, in various ways) were amply justified. The remarkable evidence of fulfilled prophecy is just one case in point. Hundreds of Bible prophecies have been fulfilled, specifically and meticulously, often long after the prophetic writer had passed away.

For example, Daniel the prophet predicted in about 538 BC (Daniel 9:24-27) that Christ would come as Israel’s promised Savior and Prince 483 years after the Persian emperor would give the Jews authority to rebuild Jerusalem, which was then in ruins. This was clearly and definitely fulfilled, hundreds of years later.”

“There are extensive prophecies dealing with individual nations and cities and with the course of history in general, all of which have been literally fulfilled. More than 300 prophecies were fulfilled by Christ Himself at His first coming. Other prophecies deal with the spread of Christianity, as well as various false religions, and many other subjects. There is no other book, ancient or modern, like this. The vague, and usually erroneous, prophecies of people like Jeanne Dixon, Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, and others like them are not in the same category at all, and neither are other religious books such as the Koran, the Confucian Analects, and similar religious writings. Only the Bible manifests this remarkable prophetic evidence, and it does so on such a tremendous scale as to render completely absurd any explanation other than divine revelation. The historical accuracy of the Scriptures is likewise in a class by itself, far superior to the written records of Egypt, Assyria, and other early nations. Archeological confirmations of the Biblical record have been almost innumerable in the last century. Dr. Nelson Glueck, probably the greatest modern authority on Israeli archeology, has said:

‘No archeological discovery has ever controverted a Biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or in exact detail historical statements in the Bible. And, by the same token, proper evaluation of Biblical descriptions has often led to amazing discoveries.’”

“Another striking evidence of divine inspiration is found in the fact that many of the principles of modern science were recorded as facts of nature in the Bible long before scientist confirmed them experimentally. A sampling of these would include:

* Roundness of the earth (Isaiah 40:22)
* Almost infinite extent of the sidereal universe (Isaiah 55:9)
* Law of conservation of mass and energy (II Peter 3:7)
* Hydrologic cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:7)
* Vast number of stars (Jeremiah 33:22)
* Law of increasing entropy (Psalm 102:25-27)
* Paramount importance of blood in life processes (Leviticus 17:11)
* Atmospheric circulation (Ecclesiastes 1:6)
* Gravitational field (Job 26:7)
* and many others.”

(this being, of course, many, many years before scientists began “experimenting” with theory, &c.) — “The purpose of education today is man's welfare; the purpose of science is man's pleasure; the goal of entertainment is the good life for man. Hedonism says it all. The world is crowded with Antichrists presently.” — ‘Some of the greatest minds in history were “self-taught” men and women’ which explains my own “education,” I suppose. It just takes an open-mind!

God is also has a great sense of humor. Once, Mother Teresa was telling a story (an example of God’s excellent sense of humor) about how she needed the money to fix this HUGE hole in the ground so that she could (I believe) build something in that particular spot (for her organization, or something such as this), and she prayed to God to send her/them the money to have it fixed, because they would have never had enough. So, she prayed to God, and of course, God always answers prayers. So, the next day (or a couple days later — wasn’t long afterwards) a man came walking along this path where the hole was located (obviously an angel) and he stopped, looked at the hole and said: “Ah! Looks like you’ve got a hole here, don’t ya?!” (said in a funny way, of course). Come to find out, this man (angel) came up with the money to get the hole filled.

That said, another excellent quote [written sometime in 2007]: “We are living in a time where prophecy is being fulfilled every day. 9-11 was prophecy. It was the first thunder of the sixth seal of revelation which started the “labor pains” of revelation. Natural disasters, war, pestilence, famine, and many other things of revelation are being fulfilled as “labor pains” right now. Only when the 7th seal is opened will the labor pains turn to birth pains. The final 3 1/2 years is going to be here soon. Start counting months, or weeks. Not years anymore. World War 3 is upon us. Just wait ‘til the great world stock market crash and the fight for oil against Iran. America is doomed and don’t think we’ll get a new president. (...) wars on terror have created a domino effect in the way other nations see us. Instead of leading the fight for democracy by example through our own prosperity, we are leading by preemptive war which is what the dictators and communists did to spread their way of governing. The death of Saddam Hussein was predicted in the bible as the “King of New Babylon.” The first seal of revelation was opened on Dec. 17, 1994 and the sixth seal was opened on Sept. 11, 2001. Once the 7 thunders of the sixth seal are completed, the seventh seal will be opened which will trigger the final 1260 days of man’s reign on earth.”

Notice that this was written in 2007, and notice that he said “just wait ‘til the great world stock market crash” (which, at THAT time [2007] hadn’t happened yet, but was predicted in the bible would occur), and of course, it came to pass.

Found this excellent too:

“It’s that it’s maddening to spend hours or even days and weeks (yes that is literally how long it will take to explain it all) only to hear things like ‘It doesn’t matter because the Bible is fake’ or ‘It’s all just self fulfilled.’ I know you didn’t do that but those are the two most common objections. The thing is, most students of Bible prophecy have been studying this for 30, 40, 50 years. I myself have been studying it for 5 years and know enough that it would take me a couple of weeks to type out. — The European Union, Israel as a Nation, the Islamic coalition, etc., are all precise Biblical predictions mentioned for the end times. Not only that, but there was a specific way for them to be fulfilled – not the fact that they would simply exist. Then there are about 100 prophecies that have been fulfilled during the last century that no other generation has ever witnessed in the history of man. This isn’t even considering the prophecies fulfilled in antiquity. So, you can see it is an exhausting process to type it all out only to hear things like ‘It was self fulfilled.’ — ** In order for it to be self fulfilled, we would have to assume Europeans, the Jews, Muslims, international associations, inventors (due to the prophecies regarding technology), and even society (due to the prophecies regarding society) were all in cahoots with each other to make it happen. And let’s be honest, can you really get the Jews, Muslims, and Christians to agree on anything? No! (...) They all have their own end time prophecies that differ greatly so it makes no sense that these people (not to mention regular citizens, scientists, and inventors) have all been a part of the conspiracy. — There is a book called Every Prophecy of the Bible that collects, dissects, and explains over 1,000 Bible prophecies fulfilled past, present, and future. It uses plain English and breaks everything down into very easily understood terms. Here are a few:

A). Israel would be reborn in one day (this happened).

B). The Jew would slowly trickle in (this happened).

C). Israel would immediately be surrounded by enemies (this happened).

D). The precise names of the countries who would be Israel’s enemies were given by name (this coalition now exists).

E). Israel would regain Jerusalem (this happened).

F). There would be no king (this happened- and a prophecy stating a country without a king was preposterous in the age of monarchies when this prophecy was given).

G). The land would blossom (since its occupation the desert has become a type of oasis in the ME).

H). There would be attempts to divide the land (this is currently happening with the Palestine issue).”

Rembrant Harmensz. van Rijn (Holland, Leiden, 1606-1669)
The Raising of Lazarus (1630)

The eyes and ears of necessive capacities:

Robert Flynt, Smother (2004)

I keep both hands in front of my face carefully observing the placement of fingers. I do not move them, and for a moment I wondered what could I be doing. No movement, not to think of a crowded street. Confections of indigo; clothing stores on the street of the slope, does not dare to move. I will say that it is also true that during occasions of despair, I rest balancing to never repeat, lying on a sidewalk, between alleyways, observing how people were standing—the way one walks and circumvents their haste carrying them throughout weekdays. Oscar Wilde’s “Art never expresses anything but itself.” Imagine if it were nutritional, like how a sneeze can “move” us. Our heads, anyhow. Anyhow, I love the four “i’s” in the word “minimalistically.” The word itself looks like a textual-train moving west. Whenever I travel west, even if taking a walk down the road, in my own neighborhood, I will make certain that I travel minimalistically. I will go east the same way; “y l l a c i t s i l a m i n i m.”

Whenever I sneeze, Lola-pop the lovely feline always rushes to me, mewing, mewing, mewing, as if she were checking on me. Whenever I walk up to her, whether purposely or if I am heading toward her direction to by-pass her, she nods her head, mewing, expecting a piece of lint from my pocket or a small, rolled-up piece of paper. Thought: ice pick where it slips, drips at the tips, and when I pick up a pen with fingertips, it melts and ink drips. Listening to Klaus Schulze’s “Bayreuth Return.” Wow’d. Has this piece ever been played by Steven Hill on “Hearts of Space”? — Inadvertently touched organs, // we are blessed // with ears, // fingers that brush // sound. Loud will typically win // like children quarreling. Sometime in late 2008, Grandmother said: “Well, I’m going to miss makin’ coffee for you every evening.” Evening is often “eren,” even so, the lemon meringue pie was as sweet as ever, as was the kitchen-windows where light produced angels that ate my angel food, but did not lay a halo on the cookie dough until they were warm. Hand through the fridge, so hungry, so hungry that even a beer commercial was starving the television-set-outta-me, but Benjamin Franklin had it right!: one has to learn to eat to live versus living to eat. I remember the bruise on Auntie L’s left arm, seemingly more “alive” and dramatic in color when she sat on the front porch. Grape-colored darkness approached (storm-clouds in the distance) as in-depth as Belafonte-flesh. Marsalis-y moody evenings that were capable of moving mountains into me.

LA CHUTE DE LA MAISON USHER
(France 1928, dir: Jean Epstein)

Jacques Gautier d’Agoty -- Beautiful Dense Anatomy

Graciela Iturbide

Posts becoming more like thought-patterns these days:

William Dyce, Omnia Vanitas (1848)

It’s all about “being comfortable” is it not? Thunderstorm watches are always like some ‘leafy bay’, ‘rushes’, baby birds and Mayflies, ‘pure diversion’ and early William Carlos Williams poems intertwined in them, southward. I could “cry wolf” right here. Tonsils, unreluctant to ‘let go’ of the sound? I love to observe flowers. Lately, I have been mesmerized by the purple wisteria blossoms dangling from a trellis. Observations are often collaborative, like screenings, exhibitions, spaces to run to and back from and anatomical pathology has also been on my mind as well. Oedema, hyperinflation, haemorrhage, mental deficiencies, (poison arrows of ... ) — anyhow — red bubbles, red balloons, acrylic things, calenders, poetry, photography, animals, animals, animals, “flowers are the poetry of reproduction” — yellow will always pop well against green — I have eight new ideas, none of them will start a revolution, but perhaps so during the darkest hours of night? New seasons, fish spawning in spring, worms emerging (oh the wrinkliness) — what happens to the speaker of the poem? What happens to all of the glowing things? — life and death combined into “one” — After all, I didn’t want her to think of some bacteria-laden entity — I remember Nina in 1998 saying to me: “My Mama isn’t motivated by malice or profit.”

Lola Alvarez Bravo, Frida Kahlo and her Itzcuintli dogs (1944)

Miwa Yanagi

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Observations, Randomisms:

Colette Calasciones, Dream of the Hungry Ghost

The older we become, the words “girl” and “boy” are often used as jokes or as greetings between adults. At what point do these words suffer? At what point, amidst being a teenager and becoming an “adult,” do these words disappear? Certain individuals use the words to degrade others. As I have also noticed, the words can be used negatively towards someone (usually the “male”) in a hostile environment. Often times, too, the word is used by an elderly man towards a young man (ie: 70 year-old versus 20 year-old) in regards to his ‘working status’ or whether the young man is ‘on his own.’ Then again, there are some elderly men who fancy the term “boy” towards anyone whom is younger than he (usually 20+ years younger as I have studied). I believe that “ageist language” can be used in a reversal-mode for the young versus that which is solely used towards the elderly. Youthist language, perhaps?

Some people would rather have individual anatomy rather than individual autonomy.

Recently, I’ve been studying morbid anatomy. Baroque Polonaise-esque Neck (possible title). The study of The Positioning of the Sternocleidomastoid, Part 1. (Another possible title).

Klaus Kinski (playfully) threatening Herzog
with a sword during the making of Cobra Verde.

Aleksei Pechnikov

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Ponderances, Thoughts:

Jean Cocteau

I could be a Huxtable. I could be delusional, like someone that thought that John Wayne was the “greatest white male” that “saved the world.”

How’s that for delusion? Illusion. Conclusion. Quoting a text, particularly several words or sentences at a time, tends to hold a kind of

comfort inside of me. Quotes, like two claws, like some kind of security-blanket, putting more emphasis on the text in-between. A ‘guardian,’

perhaps, lighting up the phrase like hands holding candelabras at the entrance hallway of a castle (ala Cocteau’s Beauty and The Beast).

The ‘unquote’ is not, and never will be, a dead end. I would like to suggest sentences in Ghost-bustering references to the pack of fools

that become hen-pecked by guilt after taking a road trip vacation with one’s parents and “calling out” their countless mistakes to them afterwards

in ways that would’ve made one wonder if it were practiced before-hand. “Dad, this path you lead makes me feel awkward,

and it surprises me that it doesn’t make you feel awkward too. Your repetitive insight and complaints about gold-hoop earrings

that Mom wears makes me feel annoyed, like a swimmer’s ear infection.” “Mom, why does your lipstick have to look hooker-glaucus?

If you whisper throatily to another stranger again, I am going to absolutely scream. By the way, tea and muffins don’t really go that well together, do they?”

I stood looking out of the dining-room window, Doritos in hand, counted thirteen trees while the neighbor’s actions appeared to be

‘possibly violent’ against the dog that was frolicking in the yard. Just as anger can blow out the lamp of the mind, so can heavy drinking.

Nature, today, as green as “original” Palmolive. Liquidambar styraciflua blooms, reminds me of cauliflower, falls heavily to the ground.

I never see them fall, but witness them in many locations. A small white Hentzia palmarum jumps upon a bloom that has fallen

on the back of my car. I watch as it watches me. I sneeze three times. I had a dream last night that I found a tiny turtle.

It was only about a half of a pinky’s size. I remember seeing its eyes open and close, very weakly. It was lethargic-acting, but I

tried not to worry, thinking that perhaps it had just been born, and this is how all turtle’s act when they are born. I kept thinking about

what to do with it. I thought of water, a tank to put it in and food to feed it. I heard someone around me, although unseen, say: “...they also eat mashed potatoes.”

Making Model Embryos

Daido Moriyama

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Manabu Yamanaka

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Ran-dom "thaw"ts:

Poprishchin (protagonist of the novel by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol
“Diary of a Madman” by Ilya Yefimovich Repin)

“Words are ‘things’, too, but that’s another dimension.” (C. Faville)

A mother tames us, not with her psychic private-eye (although that is ‘in’ for mothers of the 21st c.) but instead with her indigo—transforming this filthy world into another—not taming my language when I say a “big word” unintentionally because had I just read an Anthony Burgess novel and my brain’s tongue isn’t quite on-cue, but perhaps laughing when I say that I can say “California” much easier than I can say “Schwarzenegger.” Not really. A father often excels differently: his eyes fleeing to avoid all eyes, will question his knowledge, will squat in his office or in his shop, saying, “Let’s have a little music,” when, in turn, translates to: “To lose blood slowly, and why am I afraid of the truth?” This is what I know, what I’ve learned. My mother has bailed me out of these questioning-loopholes. I see everything differently. Those same parks, the same factory-smoke in my face, all renewed with a die-for-you love; the way events can make you or break you, the way love can arrange a life for you in any place.

Where does the Peak go when it increases through the axis of the tongue composed primarily of natural resources unknown to the ‘role’ of speech that is broken but gluable? Is every poem a bio-degradable solvent that enhances the image that we sculpt? Simplicity is timeless. Difficulty is the excuse. Warped like a war. Bombs, decisive consequence (a love for hatred). A war is a flower given to a child; it’s thorns ripped off secretly, then planted into the child’s back when turning around to show it off. A worldwide defunct, like the unpleasant fragrances of silence. Quiet isn’t the message, but the sound is broken. My spine, the “Willans Line,” on this cold night. What could firmly bring me to this unquieted calm? There are no accidents. The toxic-waste transforms the sweetest aromas into the scents of the dead, of limbless trees, the unwilling Flap against Complex animals versus Indirect animals—Indirect individuals versus The Terrestrial Body of being bodiless. Alternating the absolute engine of necessity. Embodying all dynamically-materialized pulses in Maps that are pouring out of the face. Behavior is Unintentional for the most part. Subtracting a representation—dramatic articulations slipping through the ears like an arrow through fruit contrasted through silhouette; the chance that it could be associated with my heart is possible. Possibility is richer than reality. An applause. Illusions determined by the distance between the difficulty of what is sown is like the painted still-lives of plant-life that will never grow—that will never crisply-wither & die.

Captain Beefheart, the first to coin “Korn” in the musical titled atmosphere? (“Kandy Korn”) ...The rarity of originality always clucks like a chicken. Hm, I wonder if Mr. Davis (or, from the same clique (‘cluck’)) is a Captain Beefheart fan? And, if so, would he ever admit it?

Unclenched thirst, quenched, winced out of sour milk, unexpected expiration. The problem with poets is poems. Music from the computer, Le Mépris, makes me want to visit France. A brown thrasher peeks in the window, expecting decorations for its nest, my movement instills fright. I watch it fly away to the next tree where the processed-vocals of the music synchronizes with the swaying of the tree’s limbs, branches, dancing as if promising a tomorrow.

Slack is busted by jean-wearers. Columbus wrote to Diego’s son: “I would like to receive a letter from you each hour. Reason must tell you that I now have no other repose. Many couriers come each day, and the news is of such a nature and so abundant that in hearing it, all my hair stands on end, it is so contrary to what my soul desires.”My hair stands on ends and beginnings.

Artificial hills may expire, summer sweat perspire, repeated patterns never tire, repeated patterns never tire. Doggerelish rhymes in these Times are no surprise.

Last summer: The old man up the street who is always smoking a pipe, who says “my ol’ friendly dog” as if he wish the dog were something other than friendly, who would rather it never rain because he hates to mow the lawn, saw me walking up to him. He stopped, I stopped. We began talking. His dog began barking at me, came close to my leg. He pulled the dog away from my leg, cursing. I asked him how he was doing. “Not worth a flip. It’s hot out here.” I laughed, fakingly. He carried on, “Ninety-three today, you know?” I agreed (nodding), started walking. He said, “I just told the woman up the road how hot it must be in Vietnam right now. One-hundred and fifteen I’d betcha with the humidity and all.” I walked further down the road. He walked up his driveway. “Have you always lived here?” I asked, pointing at his house. “Ehh, about three years,” he said annoyingly. As we parted, I followed with a "take it easy"—He said nothing in response, just mumbling about the heat, the grass, how he had just mowed it three days ago, before it had rained, unable to believe the length the grass had already gotten.

Tonight, I feel like a poet. Tomorrow, I am not so sure. If yesterday was, at this time, Now, then the poet in me would be like a head hanging lowly. I’d divide, like violence, a silence to spread across a blank face. In my head, I am whatever I want to be. My outlook appears to be shortening. Shortening bread, remembering the song sung as a child in chorus with other children, feeling grey for the most, acting out the part just to get by. It sounded like shortnen, shortnen. I could relate to the Mama part. I went home one evening, in my mind, before the bell, as I sat in class imagining the song, thinking of fresh chess pie cut perfectly by my second mother’s skin-thinning hands, of which I never noticed until I became older. I snapped out of it, almost getting slapped by my “friend girl” with strawberry-blond hair, yelling at me, “Come on, come on!” Rubbed my eyes for an x-amount of seconds before getting my right shoulder nearly snatched out of the socket.

One afternoon, in 1998, Robert poured sour milk on Nina’s Mother’s head who was sleeping comfortably on a dusty couch next to an opened window in the living room. Later in the week, while visiting Nina, he poured their sour milk into the sink and urinated inside of the carton and he giggled and snickered to make Nina suspicious, but she was always accustomed to his antics, and she didn’t particularly like her Mother, so she was always quite thrilled about his heedless headless activities. I was always suspicious that Nina and Robert were a couple, because they were always flirting with one another, and she would never hesitate to entertain him with her flatulence. I was always suspicious, until one day Robert took a leak on Nina’s head and called her a slut repeatedly. I meant to ask him if he knew what a toilet was, but I never did, because I wanted to keep my head as clean as possible.

If the soul is a reflection of man, I consider everything edible.

Botanical print of Nepenthes Rajah, a type of pitcher plant
with a strange-looking purple and pink flower. (1901)

Shadi Ghadirian

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Lieko Shiga

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More Random Thoughts:

James Mason in Bigger Than Life

from The Garden of CYRUS by Sir Thomas Browne:

“Nor will the sweetest delight of Gardens afford much comfort in sleep; wherein the dulnesse of that sense shakes hands with delectable odours; and though in the Bed* of Cleopatra, can hardly with any delight raise up the ghost of a Rose.”

[*Strewed with roses.]

My twenties are sweating. Photographic frontal eye-lid. Abstract’s compassion. Pilot of sound. The outrage of it. Tiny bird attached to a mirror. Reach, grab, cut yourself. Possible name-change: Pinkham Aizawa. ¹ - Whining sea urchins turning cartwheels in the deepest sea. ² - Marilyn Monroe, like Elvis, is everywhere we go. ³ - Earthworms harden like bayonets in the blistering sun. 4 - Mother, repeating herself, grows ill. The children, wincing.

I see digital as a two-sided phenomenon. The fact that pictures are free can lead to greater spontaneity. As I watch people photograph (with film), I often see a hesitation, an inhibition, in their process. I don't see this as much with digital. There seems to be a greater freedom and lack of restraint. This is analogous to how word processing affects writing: one can put thoughts down in writing, even tangential thoughts, with a minimum of inner censorship, knowing that the piece can be edited later. The other side of this lack of restraint is greater indiscriminancy. Here's a tautology: as one considers one's pictures less, one produces fewer truly considered pictures. [Stephen Shore]

Light enters the room to disappear. Particles of dust peeks in, peeks out of sight; the immeasurable and altogether forgotten wing we are created from, the dust; corpses of teeth, and I assumed that it was only I who was failing to see myself as if I had no sense in which to bury my head in the nearest heater as if to melt, Molten, preserved. I recognize poems as what they aren’t which reminds me of Sandy Dennis’s smile, or a chasm passing through nobody, straightforwardly, like meddlesome representation. Value in a poem is considered clumsy, a resurgence of the unforgettable populace. At what point should the notion be a notation of allowing all words to sink into the ciphered-eye of the mind? As distinguished as an antenna, as unstable as a contentious issue.

Is “action” unknown unless we partake in it? We are born into action, therefore human consumption, through action, is in the reaction. To think God-like, free and colourless. She found it shocking that I had cursed. She made it sound prolifically-apocalyptic, as if her life-long cat had just died...all because of me. While she was talking, I accidentally clawed over the small mole on my back, making me cringe, which then produced thoughts of cancer. To uproot a mole is like tampering with nature. Cloud seeding.

Stars blink conversely, a chatting nonsense – hiccups of the universe.

To state “I’m Other” is an attempt at being different, which is too transparent and overdone, thus there is no originality (no such anyhow!), nor justice, but instead is a faulty motivation, or desire, to get the viewer to tread through thorns as if there were a pursuit on unhappy hunting-grounds for a kind of madness in this individual. Perception of character needn’t be ‘visual.’

Writers are pathetic. Writers aren’t writers. Writers should never write a thing.

I’m a poet with a tongue of sharp blades, word-spikes directly into your soul the way that Ty Cobb played. As sterling as Rod Serling, I recreate my own script, endless wordplay, in a lyrical Twilight Zone is where I stay. God shook himself and mankind; a great roar in the sky – A great nation still awaiting, in history, with all its power.

To free-will excitedly, joyously, down a slippery street, writing poems, reciting poems, ducking paint-balls, physical firework to the body.

I believe that there are three levels of the subconscious mind. Example: Last night I went to bed with the thought that I had previously took the time to extract a piece of food from in-between my teeth, taking much longer than the normal procedure. This thought was “anew” as I ventured to bed, thus producing horrible dreams of my teeth loosening and eventually falling out (no one caring in the dream, as per usual). This particular alley of the brain was stuck. Is still stuck. I can’t locate it again. Drifts to sleep in the deepest core, the deepest valley, darkest cave, lightless areas “unknown to man,” the portion of the brain that “never gets used.” I think I’ve used that part of my brain once, but it’s vague.

I think of the fruits of thought with no avail. The peaches have molded. The Kennedy Curse is upon them. Who? [shrug] – Why do people want their own personal “world domination”? I have never really been able to understand this thought-process. Why would you give up running free-willingly through a beautiful meadow to want to “conquer the world”? Power is in politics. Don’t be fooled. Government is itching; they throw their rashes onto everyone else and pretend that they can’t see how pinkly-red everything has become. World Domination? Nah! I am a little more subterranean – just give me the fishes and the deep blue sea.

August Sander, Architect Hans Heinz Lüttgen and his Wife Dora, 1926

Sedmikrasky (Daisies) - 1966

Czech New Wave