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The word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles;

Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.

Do you not see “Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles” Look, “Therefore hear, ye nations” these Words are for the unbelieving heathen Gentiles. The message is clear “I will bring evil upon this people” “they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it” Look “Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people” “shall perish” Is is a stumblingblock, the devils table of the Christians. “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Look the words are clear “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Look “whereunto also they were appointed.” The answer is clear in the prophecy “this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish.” Look at the words “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” Is it not clear to you “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” Look “the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient”

And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. And he said, The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob.

For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the Lord, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

Look “Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us?” It is very clear who the prophecy is for, “Jeremiah the prophet against the Gentiles” “Therefore hear, ye nations” It is for your holy communion with the serpent, the law of your mother. Is is a stumblingblock, the devils table of the Christians. “It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.” Is it not clear to you “Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” Look “the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient” It is for the churches of the gentiles.

The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant.

The prophecy is clear and it was fulfilled, “the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way”

The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I plead.

This is who stands behind the pulpit of the churches of the gentiles “pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal” Look “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Is not this an answer “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?” Christians are God’s chosen, “the world is the enemy of God.” “preach the gospel to every creature.” “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The missionary work of the gentiles is clear “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Look “ye therefore wise as serpents” Here is the kingdom for the Christians “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Look “Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.” The words are clear “pray for them which despitefully use you.” “ye therefore wise as serpents” “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” “how can ye escape the damnation of hell?”

O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they are no gods? Therefore, behold, I will this once cause them to know, I will cause them to know mine hand and my might; and they shall know that my name is The Lord.

The prophecy of Jeremiah is clear “I will this once cause them to know” “to know mine hand and my might” “he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand” Have not I revealed the name of the LORD, “they shall know that my name is The Lord.”

Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is his name: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. Thus saith the Lord; If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord. Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that the city shall be built to the Lord from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner.

It is very clear that there are few who know the name of the LORD “Know the Lord: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord:” My mission is clear “If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the Lord, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever.” My Prayers are for the seed of Israel first "greatest of them", all others next "the least of them", that they come to know the name of the LORD. Look here “And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” I have known since the beginning “he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the Lord.” The Words of David are clear “Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.” Here is the Strong’s Lexicons for Enos, 0583 'Enowsh {en-ohsh'} Enos = "man"

Does not anyone have understanding? Look and learn. There is God, Lord God, God Lord. God created man and woman in his image. This God is man and woman. The Lord God created Man, that is the work of the Lord the father. The Lord God created the serpent, that is the work of God the mother. The Lord God is man and woman. The God Lord created man and woman. It is God who created man, it is the Lord who created woman. Now you will see the difference between God, Almighty God, God Almighty. Understand the commandment of the Lord God (Almighty God), thou shall have no other gods before Me. Cut off God, Almighty God, the first God. The God Lord(God Almighty) said thou shall have no other gods before Me. Cut off the gods between the Almighty’s, Almighty God God Almighty. Now you are left with Almighty(Father) Almighty(Mother). Do you not understand, God is the God for those of born of the flesh, and the Almighty is the LORD of those born of spirit. The LORD is Holy, The Mother comes before the Father. You are taught to keep the Law of your Mother. Israel is born of the Spirit, Holy Holy, their Mother and Father are Spirits. They are BORN of Judgment. It is the Judgment of the Holy Spirit that they were created. Now look at the Words below and then look at the Words from Job. See the difference between, the Almighty (for the Spirit is ONE) and the Almighty God and God Almighty. Compare “I am the Almighty God” “I am God Almighty” Do you not see how the Word of the LORD has elvolved. Do you not understand the Law of Moses. Do you not see "Lord appeared to Abram" "I am the Almighty God" "And God said unto him, I am God Almighty"

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

And Jacob said unto Joseph, God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me,

Even by the God of thy father, who shall help thee; and by the Almighty, who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb:

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

I went out full and the Lord hath brought me home again empty: why then call ye me Naomi, seeing the Lord hath testified against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?

Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:

To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.

Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God.

For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?

His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days?

As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul;

Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?

I will teach you by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal. Behold, all ye yourselves have seen it; why then are ye thus altogether vain? This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.

When the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were about me;

For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a book.

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Therefore hearken unto me ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity.

Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out: he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict.

Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,
Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Was not this fulfilled with the Gospels and New Testament for the christians (the Romans dogs who came against Israel)“I will teach you by the hand of God” “This is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.” christians have God, God, God. that is their trinity.

They are not taught by the Hand of the LORD as Israel. The LORD is HOLY HOLY.

In "The Rabbi Who Believed In Good," Rabbi Greg Epstein's tribute to the late Rabbi Sherwin T. Wine is profound, eloquent, and inspirational. Like Rabbi Wine, Epstein "gets it." He understands and has passion for a new mentality which the human race must embrace if it is to survive, thrive, and at long last find the "good life" which all human beings seek.

This mentality is one of wisdom, understanding, and compassion. It is one of nonviolence and courage, with consistent demonstration of respect for oneself and for others. It is a mentality that looks straight into the face of reality, affirming what is working as well as naming and working to improve what is not. It is a mentality that builds bridges rather than walls among the people of our world. It is a mentality that is wholesome and humble rather than arrogant and proud.

Three cheers for Greg Epstein! I have every confidence that he will become a brighter and brighter light in the actualization of a more highly evolved human race which Rabbi Wine so wonderfully envisioned and modelled.

TO HAROLD A ZELLER: Are you trying to say something? If so, please do. Thank You. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Look Thomas Baum

"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."

"And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;"

Do you see "Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" Look at what you believe, " Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."
"And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." " And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection."
Look at Paul's words "But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned."
Look "Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee" who recieved the crown of thorns.

Look "and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;"

"And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so."

The words are clear "to every beast of the earth" "I have given every green herb for meat"

"Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:"

Who has "make coats of skins" "to every beast of the earth" "I have given every green herb for meat"

Who "the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil" who is the good God "And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good." Now try to understand,"and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself" Your God that you worship is the one who made the tree of knowledge. Not the Lord God. Look "And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Who is the evil God, look Lord God. That God. Good and evil. Do you not see "and good for food" "the tree of knowledge of good and evil." Look at what the God you believe in said, "And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Is it not clear "every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat." Look "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." This is the God who created you and your fore fathers.

Now look "And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." Do you not understand their sins were covered "they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons." "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Look "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Woman was made after this command by the Lord. "And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man." Now look "But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die." Who is the God that said that, the evil part of the Lord God.

Do you not understand the command of the LORD thou shall not have any other Gods before Me. And who are the gods, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." You Thomas are a son of god.

Look "And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me." Do you not see "from thy face shall I be hid" NOBODY KNOWS THE SECRET.

Now look, "And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." "And Jacob said, Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand: for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me. Take, I pray thee, my blessing that is brought to thee; because God hath dealt graciously with me, and because I have enough. And he urged him, and he took it."

Do you not see "for I have seen God face to face" What does Jacob say to Esau "for therefore I have seen thy face, as though I had seen the face of God" Now to ""In the beginning God created" This is the God you worship, Esau. It is a god you can see, just like the cross, it is what you see, good and evil.

"Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?"
"Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;"
"ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil."

The words of Paul "And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Good and Evil. You Thomas are a son of god. You worship God. Who are the sheep, Who has "make coats of skins" Look "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption" Who eats the flesh and blood.

Look at “And Jesus, when he was baptized” “the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” “, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."

Who is the light of the world?

Satan the evil of the Spirit of God is of beasts. “I send you forth as sheep” “ye therefore wise as serpents” “harmless as doves”

What does Moses say “I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments” Look at Job “What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?” Here is the answer “God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the almighty.” Look “God layeth up his iniquity for his children” who are the children of God. Look “he shall drink of the wrath of the almighty” Again Look at the Words of Job “Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?”

Look "And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly." Who does Abram walk before "the Almighty"

Now Look "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Do you know the Lord Almighty. Holy Holy Who by the way serves the LORD. Who has the Spirit.

Look at the words of Paul "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."
"If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." "For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

The words are clear "but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." "he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

TO JD and the rest of the world: You wrote, " Other than that I have no idea what your talking about except you agree with the likes of Arminius and Wiccan about who God is. How odd for one who is such a profound believer." What I have said, at least tried to say, here and on other postings is that I know God is real and that God is a Trinity, that God is a Being of Pure Love. Jesus is exactly Who He said that He is, and that is God-Incarnate. I am also saying that God has a Plan and has had that Plan since before creation and His Plan is for All of Humanity to be with Him in the Kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth. I am not saying that hell and death, spiritual death, are not real on the contrary, I know that they are real. Jesus won the keys to both hell and spiritual death, Jesus, Himself, went to the uttermost depths of hell, God did more for all of us than most of us even care to think about. There is not "a hell", some monolithic place so to speak, but everyone that goes to hell will know that they built it themselves. Some people seem to think that knowing that Jesus is Who He is, is the ticket so to speak, well it does matter what you do and why you do it and also what you know. There is a lot of pride and arrogance in this world and it comes in all kinds of packaging. There is only one true religion and that is, "taking care of widows and orphans", and that is basically everyone looking out for everyone else, not trying to cram things down other people's throats, so to speak. Jesus said a lot of things and it seems like some people like to conveniently overlook the parts that they are uncomfortable with, there is no way anyone could do everything that Jesus said, but what speaks to your heart maybe you should try and listen. God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof. God wins, satan loses, a tie is unacceptable. At the beginning of the bible it says, "Let Us make man in our Image and Likeness", man is mankind, ALL OF HUMANITY, Image and Likeness is Love since God is a being of Pure Love. In Timothy and other places it says that it is God's will that ALL BE SAVED AND COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. In Revelations, it refers to the mysterious Plan of God, well God's Plan is for God's Will as in THY WILL BE DONE, does that sound familiar. I am just a messenger and sometimes people let so many of the details get in the way of the simple message of the bible. We are all God's children which means that we are all brothers and sisters to each other whether we like it or not, to say otherwise is the heigth of arrogance, remember when Jesus said to become sons and daughters of God, Come follow Me, does that mean that we are to spit in humanity's face or to do whatever job that God has given to us as in pick up your cross and follow me and take my yoke upon you. We are still members of the fallen human race but with a new purpose. Take Care. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

TO JD and the rest of the world: You wrote, " Other than that I have no idea what your talking about except you agree with the likes of Arminius and Wiccan about who God is. How odd for one who is such a profound believer." What I have said, at least tried to say, here and on other postings is that I know God is real and that God is a Trinity, that God is a Being of Pure Love. Jesus is exactly Who He said that He is, and that is God-Incarnate. I am also saying that God has a Plan and has had that Plan since before creation and His Plan is for All of Humanity to be with Him in the Kingdom, the new heavens and the new earth. I am not saying that hell and death, spiritual death, are not real on the contrary, I know that they are real. Jesus won the keys to both hell and spiritual death, Jesus, Himself, went to the uttermost depths of hell, God did more for all of us than most of us even care to think about. There is not "a hell", some monolithic place so to speak, but everyone that goes to hell will know that they built it themselves. Some people seem to think that knowing that Jesus is Who He is, is the ticket so to speak, well it does matter what you do and why you do it and also what you know. There is a lot of pride and arrogance in this world and it comes in all kinds of packaging. There is only one true religion and that is, "taking care of widows and orphans", and that is basically everyone looking out for everyone else, not trying to cram things down other people's throats, so to speak. Jesus said a lot of things and it seems like some people like to conveniently overlook the parts that they are uncomfortable with, there is no way anyone could do everything that Jesus said, but what speaks to your heart maybe you should try and listen. God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof. God wins, satan loses, a tie is unacceptable. At the beginning of the bible it says, "Let Us make man in our Image and Likeness", man is mankind, ALL OF HUMANITY, Image and Likeness is Love since God is a being of Pure Love. In Timothy and other places it says that it is God's will that ALL BE SAVED AND COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. In Revelations, it refers to the mysterious Plan of God, well God's Plan is for God's Will as in THY WILL BE DONE, does that sound familiar. I am just a messenger and sometimes people let so many of the details get in the way of the simple message of the bible. We are all God's children which means that we are all brothers and sisters to each other whether we like it or not, to say otherwise is the heigth of arrogance, remember when Jesus said to become sons and daughters of God, Come follow Me, does that mean that we are to spit in humanity's face or to do whatever job that God has given to us as in pick up your cross and follow me and take my yoke upon you. We are still members of the fallen human race but with a new purpose. Take Care. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Rabbi Epstein, thanks for your excellent essay on Humanism and Rabbi Sherwin Wine.
Florien Wineriter, Hamanist Celebrant
Humanists of Utah, a Chapter of the American Humanist Association.

Your headline on this article, "The Rabbi Who Believed in Good," really sums it up.

I have to agree with the highest praises you can lavish on this marvelous and beautiful atheist. His great mind and oratorical talents literally thrilled the overflow crowd priviledged to hear and discuss with him at the 2007 General Assembly in Portland, OR.

The challenge now becomes finding someone (or group) who can work at filling his shoes and continuing the loving, humanistic works he began. Perhaps the Harvard Chaplaincy, if it can absorb the deepest and most logical aspects of Sherwin's atheistic/humanistic soul, could contribute effectively to this important and urgent goal.

I hope so,
Stephen Uhl, Ph.D., Author Imagine No Superstition.

I have to agree with the highest praises you can lavish on this marvelous and beautiful atheist. His great mind and oratorical talents literally thrilled the overflow crowd priviledged to hear and discuss with him at the 2007 General Assembly in Portland, OR.

The challenge now becomes finding someone (or group) who can work at filling his shoes and continuing the loving, humanistic works he began. Perhaps the Harvard Chaplaincy, if it can absorb the deepest and most logical aspects of Sherwin's atheistic/humanistic soul, could contribute effectively to this important and urgent goal.

I hope so,
Stephen Uhl, Ph.D., Author Imagine No Superstition.

Congratulations on describing Sherwin and his beliefs so well!
You concentrated on what he believed and taught rather than what he did not believe. We used the term Ignostic in the early days which disappointed those that thought they would hear denunciations of beleivers or diatribes against God. Sherwin concentrated on human beings and wasted little time arguing about the existence or non existence of those things we could never prove.The religous guest that attended our Friday night services might have missed the familiar but could not find fault with what was said.
Good luck and thanks.
Bob Poris

Having attended the New Humanism conference that was held at Harvard this past April, I can attest that Sherwin Wine was easily the best speaker there, surpassing even Salman Rushdie. I had heard Wine speak at least a couple of other times at Harvard on previous occasions. As good as he was on those occasions, he really outdid himself at the conference. I guess having a large audience really energized him. He had a combination of both style and substance that is all too rare in today's world. He was truly one of the best amabassadors that the humanist movement has had in quite a long time.

Having attended the New Humanism conference that was held at Harvard this past April, I can attest that Sherwin Wine was easily the best speaker there, surpassing even Salman Rushdie. I had heard Wine speak at least a couple of other times at Harvard on previous occasions. As good as he was on those occasions, he really outdid himself at the conference. I guess having a large audience really energized him. He had a combination of both style and substance that is all too rare in today's world. He was truly one of the best amabassadors that the humanist movement has had in quite a long time.

Thanks you for writing such a moving tribute to Rabbi Sherwin Wine, Humanism, and Humanistic Judaism. Guiding our lives with the values of compassion and reason is such an important concept. I recently came across a beautiful poem by Sherwin Wine about courage.

Courage

Death needs courage. It is so overwhelmingly final that it fills our lives with dread and anxious fear. When it arrives at the end of a long and happy life it is never welcome, yet not deeply resented. But when it comes too soon, invading young lives, disrupting hopes and dreams, it adds anger to our fear. We cry out at the injustice of destiny and wait for answers that never seem to come.

Courage is the power to confront a world that is not always fair. It is the refusal to beg for what will never be given. It is the willingness to accept what cannot be changed.

Courage is loving life even in the face of death. It is sharing our strength with others even when we feel weak. It is embracing our family and friends even when we fear to lose them. It is opening ourselves to love, even for the last time.

Courage is self-esteem. It prefers quiet
determination to whining. It prefers doing to
waiting. It affirms that exits, like entrances, have their own dignity.

Rabbi Sherwin Wine, in Celebration

"Reason, compassion and creativity". By whose values?
By the Nazi compassion for the mentally disturbed, euthanasia? By the Nazi reasoning that survival of the fittest and the moral vacuum in Nature, allows Man to subjugate Man?
By Nazi creativity that allowed books and human beings burned?

Without God there are no ultimate values and everything becomes a matter of personal opinion. Get enough personal opinions and you get a majority. Get a majority and you can create or destroy any value you want.

It's sad that so many Jews seem to delight in destroying their own and others religious beliefs while falling back on their ethnicity as a means to feel superior to others. The Nazis did that also.

Then Thomas, you and Arminius and Wiccan are in agreement. Well isn't that special. Other than that I have no idea what your talking about except you agree with the likes of Arminius and Wiccan about who God is. How odd for one who is such a profound believer.

Wiccan, you said:

"When you have Mr. Baum chiding you, it's time to open your heart. He passes the Corinthians test. His posts reveal a learned man with a gentle and humble heart. You both claim to be Christian, but when you shine the Divine light thru each of you, it displays two very different colors. Have you ever read Rumi?"

Profound, and well said. I was trying to think up a reply to these so different people, but you did it better.

Thomas Baum, I am Christian. I do not agree with you totally, but I respect your honesty and compassion.

JD, try reading the Gospels. About a guy name of Jesus. Remember Him? He said something about love.

Hey, Wiccan!

You said,
"Arminius and I are gathering a horde to do battle on behalf of real Christians. But I think our weapons will be singing and dancing and joy, not steel or iron. Wanna come? ;-)

And right you are, with one bone to pick. Our 'battle' will be on behalf of Christians, Wiccans, Pagans, Moslems, and whatever good people who want to show up and celebrate Creation. With music, dancing, beer, wine, and whatever!

As we say in the South, 'YEE-HAH!'.

JD-

When you have Mr. Baum chiding you, it's time to open your heart. He passes the Corinthians test. His posts reveal a learned man with a gentle and humble heart. You both claim to be Christian, but when you shine the Divine light thru each of you, it displays two very different colors. Have you ever read Rumi?

http://www.flatmajic.com/spirituality/Meditations/MosesandtheShepherd.htm

Judging others can be a perilous business.

TO JD: What I wrote was: "If God was the hateful, piece of garbage that you seem to think that He is, then there is no way I could have said Yes with a Thankful heart." Not only did I write this, but I stake my eternal and everlasting destiny on it. God is Love, Pure Love. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

I was a member of the Birmingham Temple for over 20 years until I moved to Sarasota Florida I joined the Temple in 1983 The Services were extremely important for me at a very difficult time in my life.I had just lost my husband and was running a family business that I had never been active in before. "My Power is in me and you" got me thru since I was an Agnostic. Sherwin's courage set a very important example for me.

I didn't write this. My fingers didn't type these words, I cut and paste what YOU typed, these are YOUR words:

"If God was the hateful, piece of garbage that you seem to think that He is"

TO JD: You wrote, "Beware when all men speak well of YOU for so they spoke to the false prophets. Beware!", I don't seem to have that problem. Did you read what I wrote? If God was the hateful, piece of garbage that you seem to think that He is, then there is no way I could have said Yes with a Thankful heart. satan created no one, he was also created. All Human Beings are God's Children whether you like it or not, page 1. As I asked in another post: Do you think that God asked us to be better than God? Forgive All, Judge no one, vengence is Mine says the Lord, it doesn't say revenge and all it means is that we are responsible for what we do and why we do it. Take care. Thank You Dad for Your Plan, thank You Jesus for Your Obedience to the Plan and thank You Knitting Buddy, the Holy Spirit, for bringing the Plan to Fruition. The True, Living, Triune, Triumphant God wins Total Victory, satan loses, a tie is absolutely unacceptable. I repeat: God is a searcher of hearts and minds, not of religious affiliations or lack thereof, it is important what you do and why you do it and also what you know. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Dear Thomas Paul Moses Baum,

Beware when all men speak well of YOU for so they spoke to the false prophets. Beware!

The Lord Jesus said that. Your gospel is grey Thomas Paul Moses Baum. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has two sides. The Apostle Paul said,"

Romans
1:16
For I am not ashamed of THE GOSPEL, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who BELIEVES, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
1:17
For in it the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD (NOT your righteousness Thomas Paul Moses Baum which is as a menstral rag) is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS (one whom God makes rightous with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS by believing in HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS) man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."
1:18
For the WRATH OF GOD is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
1:19"

TO JD: You wrote, "confirming Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind", would you actually read those words and take them to heart. It doesn't say some of them, does it? Jesus, Himself went to hell, like it says in the bible, "if I go to sheol, You are there", that is how He won the keys to hell and spiritual death by going to the uttermost depths of hell and also experiencing spiritual death. Were you not taught that Jesus took all of the sins of mankind upon Himself? Jesus said, "Come follow Me", but it is actually an invitation, have you accepted the invitation? What do you think that it means? Jesus said, "Pick up your cross and follow me", did He not? Jesus also said, "Take my yoke upon you", a yoke is that contraption that hooks two together to work as one. God is the Just Judge, Jesus said, "Judge not, lest ye be judged", I believe He meant what He said, do you? Jesus also said, "The measure that you judge with will be the measure that you are judged with", I would say that this statement is definitely something to think about. Seems to me that christianity is carrying on Jesus's work, considering that is what He told us, it is not condemning others, judging others, trying to cram God down other's throats, what do you think christianity is? By the way God's Plan is for ALL OF HUMANITY to be in His Kingdom, the mysterious Plan of God is referred to in the book of revelations. Just because the bible has been sliced and diced and distorted beyond recognition by so many people that call themselves christian and bible-believing christians does not mean that it isn't true. At the announcement of Jesus's birth the angels said two things, "This is Good News for all people" and "Peace to whom God's favor rests". Both are true. Gospel means "Good News". See you in the Kingdom. Take care. Sincerely, Thomas Paul Moses Baum.

Wiccan, I forgot a two year old would be reading my post. And I have read Corinthians. Paul was a wonderful Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, confirming Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind. Oh, Wiccan, thats generic for Men and women. Yes Jesus died for you too Wiccan. God wants to redeem even you from the power of sin and the devil...IF YOU let Him. Its your choice though He knows beforehand who will accept or deny His truth found in the Gospel of His Son. Choose wisely Wiccan. That old axiom, "Misery LOVES company," is NOT a truism in hell. Hell is a very LONELY place. The Lord Jesus made that plain.

A MODERN PROPHET:
Rabbi Wine, who practically single-handedly founded a new strain of Judaism, deserves in my opinion to be called a "Modern Prophet." Although coming from the cultural, progressive side of secular Judaism, I greatly admired Rabbi Wine's accomplishment in starting and developing Secular Humanistic Judaism.
His merging of the liberal, cultural Jewish tradition with the modern Humanism is a tour-de-force which seems to me to be a logical development in the evolving changes in Jewish strains that started with the Reform and Conservative strains, then proceeded with the Reconstruction strain and now has culminated, due to Rabbi Wine's efforts, in Humanistic Judaism.
However much I agree with Rabbi Wine's Philosophy of Humanistic Judaism, I still feel uncomfortable with the congregational form of his Humanistic Judaism, and with the ongoing discussion of whether it is a religion or not.
Most organized secular, cultural and humanistic Jews are now affiliated with the International Federation of Secular Humanistic Jews, but with their different traditions and organizational structures, will probably maintain their separate identities for the near future.

Ooh boy!

Sounds great! I'll bring my new drum.. and cookies. :)

Merry Meet, PriveR!

Arminius and I are gathering a horde to do battle on behalf of real Christians. But I think our weapons will be singing and dancing and joy, not steel or iron. Wanna come? ;-)

Someone's making gods out of someone?
I didn't know alchemy was able to do that yet. Can I watch? :)

Wine's liturgical song is beautifully true. I hope to see a flourishing of humanist liturgical songs in the future :)

JD-

Here you are, my dear. Are people making gods out of you? I'm sure you'll teach them how to be better Christians. "Judge not lest ye be judged", you know, that sort of thing. How's your work on Corinthians coming?

@ ANONYMOUS,

Mother Theresa didn't help many people, contrary to popular opinion. She basically sat with people while they died and collected donations. There have been ex nuns that were in her order who have stated that at the time of her death her order had millions in their coffers. If she was really interested in helping people, she could have taken that money and built the finest teaching hospital in India that could have cured thousands of people annually, been outfitted with the latest cutting edge equipment, staffed by the best medical professionals the country had to offer and could of at the same time helped train future medical professionals. A hospital like that would have cured many of the people she comforted in their final hours.

Church father, Origen, argued that without the Holy Spirit, a person was likely to be confused by scripture as it was with an Epicurian named Celsus.

This principal of Doctrine is called "Biblical Hermeneutics".

In reading scripture, Origen was filled with the holy spirit and castrated himself.

I've read that same verse in Matthew and came to same conclusion, only I became a Gnostic and Origen became a Eunuch.

Greg M. Epstein, you prove that a person either believes in God or makes gods out of me. It goes back to the sourse of origional sin. Genesis chapter 3.

So the good life is helping others, eh? So why did so many secularists jump on the "hate Mother Theresa" bandwagon recently?

Bravissimo! I am so, so sad that I did not know about Rabbi Wine until he died, recently. And this morning, I am grieving the cruelty of horribly misguided Orthodox Jewish practices that cannot logically have any basis in ethics or "divine" inspiration, such as the flinging of terrified live birds about (shlugging Kapporos), in order to expiate human sin. When religion can be used to invent and defend such atrocities, we have reached the point of mindlessness, and a blinding, by religion, to the difference between simple good and obvious evil. In Rabbi Wine, there was more "God" than can be found among generations of thoughtless organized ritualists who claim "God" for their own. . .

Bravissimo! I am so, so sad that I did not know about Rabbi Wine until he died, recently. And this morning, I am grieving the cruelty of horribly misguided Orthodox Jewish practices that cannot logically have any basis in ethics or "divine" inspiration, such as the flinging of terrified live birds about (shlugging Kapporos), in order to expiate human sin. When religion can be used to invent and defend such atrocities, we have reached the point of mindlessness, and a blinding, by religion, to the difference between simple good and obvious evil. In Rabbi Wine, there was more "God" than can be found among generations of thoughtless organized ritualists who claim "God" for their own. . .