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And even then got his premises wrong in assuming a God who is so petty as to condemn on the trivial basis of holding conviction in the face of an absence of evidence.

Raspy pushing Pascal's Wager and Antlers propping up Jesus
with Sampson, a Hebrew version of Mythical Greek Heracles.

IN SEARCH OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS
THE REAL JOURNEY OF THE MAGI

BY PAUL WILLIAM ROBERTS
RELEASE DATE: DEC. 5, 1995

“Vivid travelogue combines with a polemic that Christianity was originally a Gnostic offshoot of Zoroastrianism in this intriguing, but highly partisan, attempt to discover the significance of the mysterious Wise Men. Fascinated by Marco Polo's statement that he saw the tombs of the Magi in the Persian city of Sava, screenwriter and journalist Roberts (A River in the Desert, not reviewed, etc.) traces their footsteps in an adventure that begins in Khamenei's Tehran and ends, after several twists and turns, in Bethlehem. Accompanied by Reza, his scatologically loquacious Iranian guide, our author's first surprise is to discover in Sava ruins that actually correspond with Polo's wondrous description. Roberts balances the narrative of his journey to Bethlehem with uncensored accounts of Reza's vulgarities—he learned English on an American campus in the '60s. En route, Roberts also takes gratuitous swipes at Jesus Christ, the New Testament, and “the Church of Rome,” declaring that the Magi at Christ's birth were Zoroastrians and that Roman orthodoxy, based on Paul's replacing gnosis with faith, headed a conspiracy that obliterated all record of gnostic Christianity until the discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls. Our author hears of links between Christianity and Zoroastrianism in his encounters in the Islamic holy city of Qom, among Zoroastrians at Yazd, and in Iraq, where he discovers some Mandaeans, a Gnostic sect that he believes was the missing link between Zoroastrianism and true Christianity. We hear of their worship of (a pardoned) Satan and of how Jesus escaped crucifixion to spend his subsequent life with the Magi. Roberts produces no real evidence for his thesis, and even when he speaks of the Dead Sea scrolls, he is offering us simply his interpretation, with very few references, of highly esoteric material. Frequently hilarious, Roberts, as he himself admits, is presenting a history that fits his own needs.”

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/paul-william-roberts/in-search-of-the-birth-of-jesus/

The author of the above book has quite frankly admitted, "I make no apology for presenting a history that fits my own needs."

Jesus says the Holy Spirit will bare witness of Jesus. I know folks who put their "spiritual" experience above God's Word, even if it is contrary to God's Word. They tell me they prayed and this is God's answer.

They prayed alright and got the answer from their mind or Satan.

Do you hold your experience or opinion above the Bible?

So?

And Captain Ace is popular with his like minded friends, who love him deeply, I am told....therefore he is right and sceptics are wrong.

Both Jesus and Apostle Paul say the spirit goes to be with God at death.

Agreed, but He says A LOT more about what the Holy Spirit will do besides just that.Ringman, how do ‘you’ determine that ‘they’ got the answer from their mind or Satan…instead of from the Holy Spirit…?I have trust and confidence that the Holy Spirit…who is clearly powerful enough to raise Jesus from the dead…is powerful enough to guide Jesus’ followers in such a way that there is no doubt that the guidance that they are receiving from the Holy Spirit is actually coming from the Holy Spirit, and not from their own mind, or Satan, or the constant bombardment of thoughts and impulses from a variety of other sources.

I have absolute trust and confidence that Jesus does what He says He does, whether it’s pertaining to salvation, or whether it’s pertaining to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. I don’t doubt my salvation. At all. And I don’t doubt the guidance of the Holy Spirit either. At all.

What’s the point of having a Holy Spirit if you convince yourself that you have to filter all of the guidance of the Holy Spirit…described by Jesus Himself as a comforter and an advocate and a teacher and a helper and a counselor and a guide “to all of the truth”…through a book that didn’t even exist when the Holy Spirit first started providing guidance to Jesus’ Apostles…? Do you not think that God wants you to be led individually and personally by what the Holy Spirit is telling you specifically about ‘your’ life, right now…? And, do you doubt and question your salvation as much as you ‘seem’ to doubt and question the guidance of the Holy Spirit…?

Antlers has no resurrection experience. An ancient
unsubstantiated tall story claim of resurrection by
anonymous authors is the only assurance(?) he has
of receiving a real deal holy spirit.

Antlers is about as convincing as Hinn and Copeland
audiences 'receiving the spirit'.

No worse that you using a mythical Sampson
character for your holy spirit claims.

You interpret it that way, but it can’t be so, or there would be no reason for judgement, millennium or resurrection…

That statement your interpretation.

God says every one's ways are right to themselves. That's why you think I'm wrong and I know you are.

You are very argumentative.

Kent

The Holy Spirit is our spiritual link/communication with God/Christ, the only way to have a personal relationship with Christ. Also we can join that spirit with each other for strength.

Kent

[img]https://www.wallquotes.com/sites/de...ull/public/relg0031-01.png?itok=-APctg_6[/img]

The first example that came to mind was a young couple who started coming to our church. They
moved to our little town. They were Mennonites. The wife dressed very modestly due to
obeying God’s Word about women dressing modestly. An older couple, who were a retired
Mennonite pastor and his wife talked to them about her attire. When they met resistance the
older couple suggested, “Well, take some time and pray about it. The Holy Spirit will guide you.”
The next time I saw the young wife she was wearing a sleeveless, low cut blouse. I guess a
prostitute might see it as modest.

There’s no way the Holy Spirit would “lead” this couple in this direction. This example gives you
the idea.

Now I would like to ask you, where did you hear or learn about the Holy Spirit? Maybe some here
have not achieved your level of communication and sincerely would like to have better
insights into what God would have us do.

I guess that's your interpretation.

But what if there is less than two or more than three? All bets off?

So who's right then?

Let's all get along good folks. Will Rogers never met a man he did not like. We can be like will.