THIS VOL 760B COMBINATION OF (1) INTERESTING VIDEOS AND TALKING SHOWING WONDERS OF ALMIGHTY GOD’S CREATION, AND ANOTHER INTERESTING TALKING VIDEO, [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A LINK TO A BIBLE STUDY, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF EZRA:  [3] COMMENTARY OF THE HACKBERRY TREE,  [4]  AN ARTICLE ON, COURAGE,  [5]  A TALKING VIDEO OF Is TRUTH IMPORTANT ANYMORE?

(1) TO VIEW WAS IT DESIGNED OR CREATED, VIEW THE SHORT VIDEO, CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER THE FOLLOWING,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleCreation/docid-502200134_1_VIDEO 

NOW VIEW A SHORT ARTICLE ON,WHEN WILL THE END COME? WHAT JESUS SAID,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-no2-2021-may-jun/what-jesus-said-about-the-end/


COMBINATION OF [2] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY, [3] VIDEO - One Man, One Woman,  AND [3] THE RARE FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES.   With the Scripture of the Day first.

[2]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [760B]

‘Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ‘  1 John 4:10  (Authorized King James Bible; AV)

Almighty God (YHWH) has already intervened in a remarkable way to help and comfort humans.   Everyone on earth today has inherited sin—a chronic failure to measure up perfectly to God’s requirements.   However, Through his Son, Jesus’ sacrificial death, God makes it possible for us to have forgiveness of sins, a clean conscience, and the hope of eternal life in a peaceful new world. * But is that sacrifice merely for the human race as a whole or does it reflect Almighty God’s (YHWH;s) interest in you personally?   Remember, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”  1 John 4:11,  [AV].



TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 
http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-forum-1.html&sid=3332d8b672c83f9abee033515e6f9698


TO VIEW INTRODUCTION TO THE OF BOOK OF EZRA, CLICK OR ENTER IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ezra-introduction/


TO ENJOY AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY CALLED “FOLLOW THE CHRIST”:  CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING.
https://religioustruths.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=645


[3]      COMMENTARY OF THE HACKBERRY TREE

Here is a Commentary on Bountiful Trees and Vegetables God (YHWH) has provided for mankind, specifically the Hackberry tree, which originally I was not planning to cover, but one reader expressed an interest in, so here is the data on this popular, but by no means rare fruiting tree.   However, the fruit of most Hackberry trees is only suitable for consumption by birds and NOT by humans.   The problem in covering the Hackberry tree is the term actually refers to over 70 different but related species of the genus Celtis.    So the term Hackberry is confusing and giving specifics on any particular member of this genus is impossible.

One source says, “Hackberry is a tree with an elm-like form and is, in fact, related to the elm. The wood of hackberry has never been used to any large extent due to its softness and an almost immediate propensity to rot when in contact with the elements. However, Celtis occidentalis is a forgiving urban tree and is considered tolerant of most soil and moisture conditions.

Hackberry forms a rounded vase reaching a height of 40 to 80 feet, is a rapid grower, and transplants easily. The mature bark is light gray, rough and corky and its small berry like fruit turns from orange red to purple and is relished by birds. The fruit temporarily stains walks.

Common Names: common hackberry, sugarberry, nettletree, beaverwood, northern hackberry.
Habitat: On good bottom-land soils it grows fast and may live to 20 years.

Description: Hackberry is planted as a street tree in midwestern cities because of its tolerance to a wide range of soil and moisture conditions.

Uses: used in inexpensive furniture where a light-colored wood is desired. 

Hackberry is widely distributed in the eastern United States from the southern New England States through central New York west in southern Ontario to North and South Dakota. Northern outliers are found in southern Quebec, western Ontario, southern Manitoba, and southeastern Wyoming. The range extends south from western Nebraska to northeastern Colorado and northwestern Texas, then east to Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina, with scattered occurrences in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. 

Hackberry grows naturally in moist bottomland soil but will grow rapidly in a variety of soil types from moist, fertile soils to hot, dry, rocky locations in the full sun. Hackberry is tolerant of highly alkaline soil whereas Sugarberry is not. It is wind, drought, salt and pollution tolerant once established and is considered a moderately tough, urban-tolerant tree. Skilled pruning is required several times during the first 15 years of life to prevent formation of weak branch crotches and weak multiple trunks.

It was extensively used in street plantings in parts of Texas and in other cities as it tolerates most soils except extremely alkaline, and grows in sun or partial shade but branches may break out from the trunk if proper pruning and training is not conducted early in the life of the tree. Even slight injury to the trunk and branches can initiate extensive decay inside the tree. If you use this tree, locate it where it will be protected from mechanical injury. Best for low-use areas such as along the edge of woods or in an open lawn, not for along streets. The tree is very susceptible to damage in an ice storm.

One especially nice cultivar is Prairie Pride, a quick-growing tree with a uniform, upright, compact crown. Prune and thin the canopy to prevent formation of weak, multi-trunk trees.

Pests: The most common insect on Hackberry causes the Hackberry nipple gall. A pouch or gall forms on the lower leaf surface in response to feeding. There are sprays available if you care to reduce this cosmetic problem. Scales of various types may be found on Hackberry. These may be partially controlled with horticultural oil sprays.

Diseases: Several fungi cause leaf spots on Hackberry. The disease is worse during wet weather but chemical controls are seldom needed. Witches broom is caused by a mite and powdery mildew. The main symptom is clusters of twigs scattered throughout the tree crown. Prune out the clusters of twigs when practical. It is most common on Celtis occidentalis. Powdery mildew may coat the leaves with white powder. The leaves may be uniformly coated or only in patches. Mistletoe is an effective colonizer of Hackberry, which can kill a tree over a period of time. It appears as evergreen masses several feet in diameter scattered about the crown.  http://forestry.about.com/od/hardwoods/ss/hackberry.htm   on  11/11/2013]”

In Genesis 1:11-13, "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after their kind: and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. (American Standard Version, ASV) [for more details, go to  www.jw.org].

Pictures and additional information on the Hackberry can be found at   http://forestry.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=forestry&cdn=education&tm=8&f=00&su=p284.13.342.ip_&tt=29&bt=2&bts=33&zu=http%3A//www.ag.ndsu.edu/trees/handbook/th-3-119.pdf

More information, Celtis, commonly known as hackberries, is a genus of about 60-70 species of deciduous trees widespread in warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, in southern Europe, southern and eastern Asia, and southern and central North America, south to central Africa, and northern and central South America. The genus is present in the fossil record at least since the Miocene of Europe.
Previously included either in the elm family (Ulmaceae) or a separate family, Celtidaceae, the APG III system places Celtis in an expanded hemp family (Cannabaceae).
The generic name originated in Latin and was applied by Pliny the Elder (23-79) to the unrelated Ziziphus lotus.
Celtis species are generally medium-sized trees, reaching 10–25 m (33–82 ft) tall, rarely up to 40 m (130 ft) tall. The leaves are alternate, simple, 3–15 cm (1.2–5.9 in) long, ovate-acuminate, and evenly serrated margins.
Small monoecious flowers appear in early spring while the leaves are still developing. Male flowers are longer and fuzzy. Female flowers are greenish and more rounded.
The fruit is a small drupe 6–10 mm (0.24–0.39 in) in diameter, edible in many species, with a dryish but sweet, sugary consistency, reminiscent of a date.
Selected species
* Celtis africana Burm.f. – White Stinkwood
* Celtis australis L. – European Hackberry, European Nettle Tree or Lote tree
* Celtis balansae Planch. (NEW CALEDONIA (AUSTRALIA))
* Celtis biondii
* Celtis brasiliensis Planch.
* Celtis bungeana L. – Bunge's Hackberry
* Celtis caucasica L. – Caucasian Hackberry
* Celtis cinnamonea
* Celtis conferta
* Celtis durandii Engl.
  [ syn. C. gomphophylla Bak. ]
* Celtis ehrenbergiana (Klotzsch) Liebm. – Spiny Hackberry, granjeno (Spanish) (SOUTHERN US, MEXICO, GREATER ANTILLES, NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA)
* Celtis glabrata
* Celtis hypoleuca Planch. (NEW CALEDONIA (AUSTRALIA))
* Celtis iguanaea (Jacq.) Sarg. – Iguana Hackberry (FLORIDA (USA), MEXICO, CARIBBEAN, C and SOUTH AMERICA)
* Celtis integrifolia L. – African Hackberry
* Celtis jessoensis Koidz. – Japanese Hackberry (JAPAN, KOREA)
* Celtis koraiensis L. – Korean Hackberry
* Celtis labilis L. – Hubei Hackberry
* Celtis laevigata Willd. – Southern Hackberry or Sugar Hackberry, (SOUTHERN US / TEXAS) Sugarberry (E USA, NE MEXICO)
* Celtis lindheimeri Engelm. ex K.Koch – Lindheimer's Hackberry (TEXAS (USA), COAHUILA (MEXICO))
* Celtis loxensis
* Celtis luzonica Warb. (PHILIPPINES)
* Celtis mildbraedii Engl.
* Celtis occidentalis L. – Common Hackberry, Northern Hackberry, False Elm (E NORTH AMERICA)
* Celtis pallida – Desert Hackberry, Shiny Hackberry (SOUTHWESTERN US / TEXAS, N MEXICO)
* Celtis paniculata (Endl.) Planch. (E MALESIA, E AUSTRALIA, MICRONESIA, W POLYNESIA)
* Celtis reticulata Torr. – Netleaf Hackberry (W North America)
* Celtis schippii
* Celtis sinensis Pers. – Chinese hackberry, Chinese nettle-tree or Japanese hackberry (CHINA, JAPAN)
[ syn. C. japonica Planch.; C. sinensis var. japonica (Planch.) Nakai; C. tetrandra ssp. sinensis (Roxb.) Y.C.Tang ]
* Celtis tala Gillet ex Planch. – Tala (SOUTH AMERICA)
* Celtis tenuifolia Nutt. – Dwarf Hackberry (E NORTH AMERICA)
* Celtis tetranda Roxb.
* Celtis timorensis Span.
* Celtis tournefortii L. – Oriental Hackberry
* Celtis triflora
* Celtis trinervia

Uses and ecology
Several species are grown as ornamental trees, valued for their drought tolerance. They are a regular feature of arboreta and botanical gardens, particularly in North America. Chinese Hackberry (C. sinensis) is suited for bonsai culture, while a magnificent specimen in Daegu-myeon is one of the natural monuments of South Korea. Some, including Common Hackberry (C. occidentalis) and C. brasiliensis, are honey plants and pollen source for honeybees of lesser importance. Hackberry wood is sometimes used in cabinetry and woodworking.
The berries are often eaten locally. The Korean tea gamro cha (???, ???) contains C. sinensis leaves.
Lepidoptera
* Celtis species are used as foodplants by the caterpillars of certain Lepidoptera. These include mainly brush-footed butterflies, most importantly the distinct genus Libythea (beak butterflies) and some Apaturinae (emperor butterflies)  )  [source - retrieved from    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis   on  11/11/2013


[4]  AN ARTICLE ON, AN ARTICLE ON, COURAGE.
https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/love-people-make-disciples/lesson-12/


5]  A TALKING VIDEO OF Is TRUTH IMPORTANT ANYMORE?
https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/is-truth-important/


LEARN  MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT   WWW.JW.ORG

THIS VOL 762B COMBINATION OF (1) INTERESTING VIDEOS AND TALKING SHOWING WONDERS OF ALMIGHTY GOD’S CREATION, AND ANOTHER INTERESTING TALKING VIDEO   [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A LINK TO A BIBLE STUDY, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF ESTHER:   [3]   DISCOURSE ON BAD ASSOCIATIONS:   [4]  DOES THE BIBLE PROMOTE TOLERANCE?     [5]  A TALKING VIDEO OF Is TRUTH IMPORTANT ANYMORE?

(1) TO VIEW WAS IT DESIGNED OR CREATED, VIEW THE SHORT VIDEO, CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER THE FOLLOWING,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleCreation/docid-502200134_1_VIDEO 

NOW VIEW A SHORT TALKING ARTICLE ON,  THE BIBLE CHANGES LIVESCAN LOVE CONQUER HATRED?https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/experiences/bible-changes-lives/can-love-conquer-hatred/

COMBINATION OF [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [3]    DISCOURSE ON BAD ASSOCIATIONS:

[2]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [762B]

for God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 1 Corinthians 14:33  [American Standard Version; ASV]

 Like the righteous spirit creatures in heaven, the physical heavens are superbly organized, per Isaiah 40:26, “Lift up your eyes on high, and see who hath created these, that bringeth out their host by number; he calleth them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and for that he is strong in power, not one is lacking.” [ASV].   Therefore, it is logical to conclude that Jehovah would organize his servants on earth. He wants them to maintain good order, and that is vitally important because they have so much important work to do. The splendid record of faithful service established by Jehovah’s worshippers past and present provides powerful evidence that he has been with them and that he is “a God not of disorder but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:40). 


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 
http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-forum-1.html&sid=3332d8b672c83f9abee033515e6f9698


TO VIEW INTRODUCTION TO THE OF BOOK OF ESTHER, CLICK OR ENTER IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/esther-introduction/

TO ENJOY AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY CALLED “FOLLOW THE CHRIST”:  CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING.
https://religioustruths.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=645



[3]       DISCOURSE ON BAD ASSOCIATIONS:

The Bible shows us that bad associations can spoil useful habits and cause problems at James 4:5-5, " Ye adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore would be a friend of the world maketh himself an enemy of God. 5 Or think ye that the scripture speaketh in vain? Doth the spirit which he made to dwell in us long unto envying?"(American Standard Version; ASV); and states that his true followers, would be per John 17:16, ' They are not of the world even as I am not of the world."(ASV).   This same point, that true Christians are no part of this world, yet in it is made at John 15:19, " If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."(ASV); clearly showing we must keep apart from the world's system of action and bad associates.

True Christians should NOT seek out association with worldly people or share in their WAY OF LIFE as testified to at 1 John 2:12-17, " I write unto you, [my] little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. 13 I write unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the evil one. I have written unto you, little children, because ye know the Father. 14 I have written unto you, fathers, because ye know him who is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the evil one. 15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the vain glory of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." (ASV); and at 1 Peter 4:4-5, " wherein they think strange that ye run not with [them] into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of [of]: 5 who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the living and the dead."   (ASV).   And at Ephesians 4:17-20, " This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye no longer walk as the Gentiles also walk, in the vanity of their mind, 18 being darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart; 19 who being past feeling gave themselves up to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But ye did not so learn Christ; 21 if so be that ye heard him, and were taught in him, even as truth is in Jesus: 22 that ye put away, as concerning your former manner of life, the old man, that waxeth corrupt after the lusts of deceit; 23 and that ye be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and put on the new man, that after God hath been created in righteousness and holiness of truth.”(ASV), clearly showing we should not go along with their way of life; Of course that does NOT mean avoiding association with your own family who may not yet be true Christians and/or your other close friends.   However, it does mean not participating in their wrong ways, but setting an example for them to follow.  This point is made clear at Ephesians 5:6-12,]" Let no man deceive you with empty words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them; 8 For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), 10 proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; 11 and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them; 12 for the things which are done by them in secret it is a shame even to speak of.’”(ASV), which clearly shows we should not be partakers with them in unrighteousness and should not copy their bad habits.   This is reaffirmed at Psalms 119:115, " Depart from me, ye evil-doers, That I may keep the commandments of my God."(ASV).

Of course this clearly does not mean avoiding all contact with unbelievers as previously mentioned as some contact obviously is necessary in secular work and in preaching as brought out at 1 Corinthians 5:9-11, " I wrote unto you in my epistle to have no company with fornicators; 10 not at all [meaning] with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous and extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world: 11 but as it is, I wrote unto you not to keep company, if any man that is named a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no, not to eat."(ASV).  In fact Jesus (Yeshua) specifically requested his Father (YHWH) not to, per John 17:14-16, " I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil [one]. 16 They are not of the world even as I am not of the world" (ASV). Jesus (Yeshua) made it clear that we must assist these ones with respect learning about him and his Father (YHWH) and to do so, naturally requires contact with them, at Matthew 28:19-20, "  And Jesus came to them and spake unto them, saying, All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (ASV).  So it is the type of association that we have which is important.   We should NOT PARTICIPAGE WITH THEM WITH RESPECT WRONG DOING, BUT WE MUST SEEK TO SHOW THEM A BETTER WAY BY BOTH OUR WORD AND OUR ACTION.


[4]   A TALKING VIDEO ON,  GOOD RELIGION PROMOTES BROTHERLY LOVE,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/wp20090801/good-religion-promotes-brotherly-love/


5]  A TALKING VIDEO ON, DOES THE BIBLE PROMOTE TOLERANCE?
https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/tolerance-in-the-bible/


LEARN  MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT   WWW.JW.ORG

THIS VOL 764B COMBINATION OF (1) INTERESTING VIDEOS AND TALKING SHOWING WONDERS OF ALMIGHTY GOD’S CREATION, AND ANOTHER INTERESTING TALKING VIDEO   [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A LINK TO A BIBLE STUDY, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO  BOOK OF  PSALMS :   [3]  STRANGE, MANY DOUBT IF JESUS (YESHUA) REALLY EXISTED – PART 2 :   [4]  A TALKINGVIDEO OF, WHEN DISASTER STRIKES?—STEPS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES,   [5]  A TALKING VIDEO OF Is TRUTH IMPORTANT ANYMORE?

(1) TO VIEW WAS IT DESIGNED OR CREATED, VIEW THE SHORT VIDEO, CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER THE FOLLOWING,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleCreation/docid-502200134_1_VIDEO 

NOW VIEW A SHORT  VIDEO ON, MUST YOU BELONG TO AN ORGANIZED RELIGION TO WORSHIP GOD?,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/LatestVideos/pub-ebtv_11_VIDEO


COMBINATION OF [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [3]   (PART 2 OF)  STRANGE, MANY DOUBT IF JESUS (YESHUA) REALLY EXISTED.    THE AWAKE MAGAZINE NO. 5 OF 2016 HAD AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT THAT CAN BE READ AT,   https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no5-2016-october/ .    AN ARTICLE, THE HISTORIC JESUS (YESHUA) CHRIST GOES INTO CONSIDERABLE DETAIL AND PROOF THAT HE ACTUALLY EXISTED.

[2]  SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [764B] [A RETAKE OF 763B]

And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.  Matthew 10:1  [authorized King James Bible; AV]

Jesus (Yeshua) gave his Apostles the power to heal all manner of disease, and at Acts 3:1 – 9, [AV], we witness the Apostle Peter exercising this power as follows, “Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.  2  And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;  3  Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.  4  And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.  5  And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.  6  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.  7  And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  8  And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.  9  And all the people saw him walking and praising God:”  This was a powerful testimony to all in the temple. 


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 
http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-forum-1.html&sid=3332d8b672c83f9abee033515e6f9698


TO VIEW INTRODUCTION TO THE OF BOOK OF PSALMS, CLICK OR ENTER IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/psalms-introduction/


TO ENJOY AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY CALLED “FOLLOW THE CHRIST”:  CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING.
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[2]       PART 2 - OF  STRANGE, MANY DOUBT IF JESUS (YESHUA) REALLY EXISTED.


THE AWAKE MAGAZINE NO. 5 OF 2016 HAD AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT THAT CAN BE READ AT   https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no5-2016-october/ .    AN ARTICLE, THE HISTORIC JESUS (YESHUA) CHRIST GOES INTO CONSIDERABLE DETAIL AND PROOF THAT HE ACTUALLY EXISTED.
THIS IS STRANGE AS MANY OF THE HISTORIC PERSONAGES OF HIS TIME ON WHICH VERY LITTLE PROOF OF THEIR ACTUAL EXISTENCE ARE NEVER QUESTIONED WITH RESPECT WHETHER THEY ACTUALLY EXISTED.    NOW LET’S READ:
The Historic Jesus (Yeshua) Christ: (presented with detailed evidence and proofs: (PART 2, CONTINUANCE OF PART 1 WHICH WAS VOL 763B)

The later Jewish writings show traces of acquaintance with the murder of the Holy Innocents (Wagenseil, "Confut. Libr.Toldoth", 15; Eisenmenger op. cit., I, 116; Schottgen, op. cit., II, 667), with the flight into Egypt (cf. Josephus, "Ant." XIII, xiii), with the stay of Jesus in the Temple at the age of twelve (Schottgen, op. cit., II, 696), with the call of the disciples ("Sanhedrin", 43a; Wagenseil, op. cit., 17; Schottgen, loc. cit., 713), with His miracles (Origen, "Contra Cels", II, 48; Wagenseil, op. cit., 150; Gemara "Sanhedrin" fol. 17); "Schabbath", fol. 104b; Wagenseil, op.cit., 6, 7, 17), with His claim to be God (Origen, "Contra Cels.", I, 28; cf. Eisenmenger, op. cit., I, 152; Schottgen, loc. cit., 699) with His betrayal by Judas and His death (Origen, "Contra cels.", II, 9, 45, 68, 70; Buxtorf, op. cit., 1458; Lightfoot, "Hor. Heb.", 458, 490, 498; Eisenmenger, loc. cit., 185; Schottgen, loc. cit.,699 700; cf. "Sanhedrin", vi, vii). Celsus (Origen, "Contra Cels.", II, 55) tries to throw doubt on the Resurrection, while Toldoth (cf. Wagenseil, 19) repeats the Jewish fiction that the body of Jesus had been stolen from the sepulchre. "[source - The Catholic Encyclopedia]>>>.

EARLY CHRISTIAN SOURCES INCLUDING THE BIBLE:

<<<"Among the Christian sources of the life of Jesus we need hardly mention the so called Agrapha and Apocrypha. For whether the Agrapha contain Logia of Jesus, or refer to incidents in His life, they are either highly uncertain or present only variations of the Gospel story. The chief value of the Apocrypha consists in their showing the infinite superiority of the Inspired Writings by contrasting the coarse and erroneous productions of the human mind with the simple and sublime truths written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

Among the Sacred Books of the New Testament, it is especially the four Gospels and the four great Epistles of St. Paul that are of the highest importance for the construction of the life of Jesus.

The four great Pauline Epistles (Romans, Galatians, and First and Second Corinthinas) can hardly be overestimated by the student of Christ's life; they have at times been called the "fifth gospel"; their authenticity has never been assailed by serious critics; their testimony is also earlier than that of the Gospels, at least most of the Gospels; it is the more valuable because it is incidental and undesigned; it is the testimony of a highly intellectual and cultured writer, who had been the greatest enemy of Jesus, who writes within twenty-five years of the events which he relates. At the same time, these four great Epistles bear witness to all the most important facts in the life of Christ: His Davidic dscent, His poverty, His Messiahship, His moral teaching, His preaching of the kingdom of God, His calling of the apostles, His miraculous power, His claims to be God, His betrayal, His institution of the Holy Eucharist, His passion, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, His repeated appearances (Romans 1:3-4; 5:11; 8:2-3; 8:32; 9:5; 15:8; Galatians 2:17; 3:13; 4:4; 5:21; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 13:4; etc.). However important the four great Epistles may be, the gospels are still more so. Not that any one of them offers a complete biography of Jesus, but they account for the origin of Christianity by the life of its Founder. Questions like the authenticity of the Gospels, the relation between the Synoptic Gospels, and the Fourth, the Synoptic problem, must be studied in the articles referring to these respective subjects." [source - The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. Published 1910. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York]>>>.

THE HISTORIC RECORD AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Historic Record:

Roman historian Cornelius Tacitus recorded information pertaining to Jesus, thus removing the only supporting source for His existence as being in the New Testament. In 115 A.D., Tactius wrote about the great fire in Rome, "Consequently, to get rid of the report, Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberious at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths, Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed."
It is believed by some scholars that Tactius gained his information about Christ from official records, perhaps actual reports written by Pilate. Tactius also wrote about the burning of the Jerusalem temple by the Romans in 70 A.D. The Christians are mentioned as a group that were connected with these events. "All we can gather from this reference is that Tactius was also aware of the existence of Christians other than in the context of their presence in Rome," states Habermas. Gaius Suetonius Tranquillas, chief secretary of Emperor Hadrian, wrote, "Because the Jews at Rome caused continuous disturbances at the instigation of Chrestus, he expelled them from the City." Chrestus is a variant spelling of Christ. Suetonius refers to a wave of riots that broke out in a large Jewish community in Rome during the year 49 A.D. As a result, the Jews were banished from the city.[source - Proving the historic Jesus by By Harry V. Martin, http://sonic.net/sentinel/naij3.html ].>>>.

And,

<<<"F.F. Bruce ("Christian Origins" pp. 29,30) draws attention to the fact that there are references to a history of the Eastern Mediterranean written by a historian called Thallus about 52 AD. Bruce shows elsewhere ("The New Testament Documents", p. 113) that a scholar named Julius Africanus quoted from Thallus, mocking his description of the darkness at the crucifixion of Jesus as due to the eclipse of the sun. This suggests that Thallus wrote an account of the crucifixion of Jesus which occurred some years before he wrote his history in 52 AD.[source - The Historical Christ, http://www.baptistchapel.net/pages.asp?pageid=20651 on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"Tacitus was a Roman historian writing early in the 2nd century A.D. His Annals provide us with a single reference to Jesus of considerable value. Rather frustratingly, much of his work has been lost, including a work which covers the years 29-32, where the trial of Jesus would have been had he recorded it. [Meie.MarJ, 89]
Here is a full quote of the cite of our concern, from Annals 15.44. Jesus and the Christians are mentioned in an account of how the Emperor Nero went after Christians in order to draw attention away from himself after Rome's fire of 64 AD:

But not all the relief that could come from man, not all the bounties that the prince could bestow, nor all the atonements which could be presented to the gods, availed to relieve Nero from the infamy of being believed to have ordered the conflagration, the fire of Rome. Hence to suppress the rumor, he falsely charged with the guilt, and punished Christians, who were hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of the name, was put to death by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea in the reign of Tiberius: but the pernicious superstition, repressed for a time broke out again, not only through Judea, where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their center and become popular. Accordingly, an arrest was first made of all who pleaded guilty; then, upon their information, an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind
[source - Jesus Nero's Scapegoats: by Cornelius Tacitus, The Reliability of the Secular References to Jesus, by J. P. Holding, http://www.tektonics.org/tekton_01_01_01_TC.html on 03/19/2008]

And,

<<<"On the eve of Passover Jesus was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried, "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Anyone who can say anything in his favor let him come forward and plead on his behalf." But since nothing was brought forward in his favor, he was hanged on the eve of Passover. Ulla retorted: Do you suppose he was one for whom a defense could be made? Was he not a mesith (enticer), concerning whom Scripture says, "Neither shall thou spare nor shall thou conceal him?" With Jesus, however, it was different, for he was connected with the government. (Sanhedrin 43a)[source - Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a as provided by September 24, 2003 Steven Bayme, National Director, Contemporary Jewish Life Department , http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/997317/posts on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"[And first century slanders of Jesus (Yeshua) prove he existed] ""... Scholars have debated at length how Jesus came to have this name (i.e., ben Pandira) attached to his. Strauss thought it was from the Greek word pentheros, meaning 'son-in-law.' Klausner and Bruce accept the position that panthera is a corruption of the Greek parthenos meaning 'virgin.' Klausner says, 'The Jews constantly heard that the Christians (the majority of whom spoke Greek from the earliest times) called Jesus by the name "Son of the Virgin"... and so, in mockery, they called him Ben ha-Pantera, i.e., "son of the leopard."'... The theory most sensational but least accepted by serious scholars was dramatized by the discovery of a first century tombstone at Bingerbruck, Germany. The inscription read, 'Tiberius Julius Abdes Pantera, an archer, native of Sidon, Phoenicia, who in 9 c.e. was transferred to service in Germany.'... This discovery fueled the fire of the theory that Jesus was the illegitimate son of Mary and the soldier, Panthera. Even Origen writes that his opponent, Celsus, in circa A.D. 178, said that he heard from a Jew that 'Miriam' had become pregnant by 'Pantheras,' a Roman soldier; was divorced by her husband, and bore Jesus in secret." [source - III.Ancient Secular Historians, I.Talmudic Sources, DOXA, http://www.doxa.ws/Jesus_pages/Talmud_JC.html on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"Celsus, a late second-century critic of Christianity, accused Jesus of being a bastard child and a sorcerer.[67] He is quoted as saying that Jesus was a "mere man".[68]
The Acts of Pilate is purportedly an official document from Pilate reporting events in Judea to the Emperor Tiberius (thus, it would have been among the commentaii principis). It was mentioned by Justin Martyr, in his First Apology (c. 150) to Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius, and Lucius Verus, who said that his claims concerning Jesus' crucifixion, and some miracles, could be verified by referencing the official record, the "Acts of Pontius Pilate".[69] With the exception of Tertullian, no other writer is known to have mentioned the work, and Tertullian's reference says that Tiberius debated the details of Jesus' life before the Roman Senate, an event that is almost universally considered absurd.[70] There is a later apocryphal text, undoubtedly fanciful, by the same name, and though it is generally thought to have been inspired by Justin's reference (and thus to post-date his Apology), it is possible that Justin actually mentioned this text, though that would give the work an unusually early date and therefore is not a straightforward identification.[71]" [source - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"[Pliny the Younger (c. 62 - c.113 AD) was the Roman Governor of Bithynia (present-day northwestern Turkey). Around 111 or 112 AD, he wrote the following letter to Emperor Trajan of Rome asking for advice on how to deal with Christians. - quite a letter preserved from antiquity, and this is only one of ten .]
It is a rule, Sir, which I inviolably observe, to refer myself to you in all my doubts; for who is more capable of guiding my uncertainty or informing my ignorance? Having never been present at any trials of the Christians, I am unacquainted with the method and limits to be observed either in examining or punishing them. Whether any difference is to be allowed between the youngest and the adult; whether repentance admits to a pardon, or if a man has been once a Christian it avails him nothing to recant; whether the mere profession of Christianity, albeit without crimes, or only the crimes associated therewith are punishable -- in all these points I am greatly doubtful.

In the meanwhile, the method I have observed towards those who have denounced to me as Christians is this: I interrogated them whether they were Christians; if they confessed it I repeated the question twice again, adding the threat of capital punishment; if they still persevered, I ordered them to be executed. For whatever the nature of their creed might be, I could at least feel not doubt that contumacy and inflexible obstinacy deserved chastisement. There were others also possessed with the same infatuation, but being citizens of Rome, I directed them to be carried thither.

These accusations spread (as is usually the case) from the mere fact of the matter being investigated and several forms of the mischief came to light. A placard was put up, without any signature, accusing a large number of persons by name. Those who denied they were, or had ever been, Christians, who repeated after me an invocation to the gods, and offered adoration, with wine and frankincense, to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for that purpose, together with those of the gods, and who finally cursed Christ -- none of which acts, it is into performing -- these I thought it proper to discharge. Others who were named by that informer at first confessed themselves Christians, and then denied it; true, they had been of that persuasion but they had quitted it, some three years, others many years, and a few as much as twenty-five years ago. They all worshipped your statue and the images of the gods, and cursed Christ.

They affirmed, however, the whole of their guilt, or their error, was, that they were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food -- but food of an ordinary and innocent kind. Even this practice, however, they had abandoned after the publication of my edict, by which, according to your orders, I had forbidden political associations. I judged it so much the more necessary to extract the real truth, with the assistance of torture, from two female slaves, who were styled deaconesses: but I could discover nothing more than depraved and excessive superstition.

I therefore adjourned the proceedings, and betook myself at once to your counsel. For the matter seemed to me well worth referring to you, especially considering the numbers endangered. Persons of all ranks and ages, and of both sexes are, and will be, involved in the prosecution. For this contagious superstition is not confined to the cities only, but has spread through the villages and rural districts; it seems possible, however, to check and cure it." [source - http://www.allaboutthejourney.org/pliny-the-younger.htm on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"Pliny the Younger, the provincial governor of Pontus and Bithynia, wrote to Emperor Trajan c. 112 concerning how to deal with Christians, who refused to worship the emperor, and instead worshiped "Christus".
Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ - none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do - these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.

They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food-but ordinary and innocent food. Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations." [source - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"[The ancient Roman historian Suetonius, he was court official under the Roman Emperor Hadrian,
made two interesting historical notes about the followers of Jesus Christ ] "Suetonius provides more insight into how and why "Chrestus" would cause such disturbances among the Jews in Rome when he tells of Nero's campaign of persecution against the Christians, launched in A.D. 64. (Scholars believe this was the persecution that claimed, among others, Peter and Paul - both believed to have died in Rome). Suetonius describes these "Christians" as a "class of men given to a new and mischevious superstition."
[source - Suetonius on Christians in Rome, Ancient Roman Historian Writes of Jesus' Followers, by Brian Tubbs, http://protestantism.suite101.com/blog.cfm/suetonius_on_christians_in_rome on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"There are passages relevant to Christianity in the works of four major non-Christian writers of the late 1st and early 2nd centuries - Josephus, Tacitus, Suetonius, and Pliny the Younger. However, these are generally references to early Christians rather than a historical Jesus. Of the four, Josephus' writings, which document John the Baptist, James the Just, and possibly also Jesus, are of the most interest to scholars dealing with the historicity of Jesus (see below). Tacitus, in his Annals written c. 115, mentions popular opinion about Christus, without historical details (see also: Tacitus on Jesus). There is an obscure reference to a Jewish leader called "Chrestus" in Suetonius. Pliny condemned Christians as easily-led fools." [source - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"The Talmud Sanhedrin 43a, which dates to the earliest period of composition (Tannaitic period) contains the following:
On the eve of the Passover, Yeshu was hanged. Forty days before the execution took place, a herald went forth and cried: "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy. Any one who can say anything in his favour, let him come forward and plead on his behalf." But since nothing was brought forward in his favour he was hanged on the eve of the Passover.[72] [source - From The Babylonian Talmud, translated I. Epstein (London: Soncio, 1935), vol. 3, Sanhedrin 43a, p. 281, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<"Michael Grant stated (in 1977) that the view is derived from a lack of application of historical methods:
...if we apply to the New Testament, as we should, the same sort of criteria as we should apply to other ancient writings containing historical material, we can no more reject Jesus' existence than we can reject the existence of a mass of pagan personages whose reality as historical figures is never questioned. ... To sum up, modern critical methods fail to support the Christ myth theory. It has 'again and again been answered and annihilated by first rank scholars.' In recent years, 'no serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non historicity of Jesus' or at any rate very few, and they have not succeeded in disposing of the much stronger, indeed very abundant, evidence to the contrary." [source - M. Grant, Jesus: An Historian's Review, pp. 199-200 , as provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<" In The Historical Figure of Jesus, E.P. Sanders used Alexander the Great as a paradigm-the available sources tell us much about Alexander's deeds, but nothing about his thoughts. "The sources for Jesus are better, however, than those that deal with Alexander" and "the superiority of evidence for Jesus is seen when we ask what he thought."[74] Thus, Sanders considers the quest for the Historical Jesus to be much closer to a search for historical details on Alexander than to those historical figures with adequate documentation.
Consequently, scholars like Sanders, Geza Vermes, John P. Meier, David Flusser, James H. Charlesworth, Raymond E. Brown, Paula Fredriksen and John Dominic Crossan argue that, although many readers are accustomed to thinking of Jesus solely as a theological figure whose existence is a matter only of religious debate, the four canonical Gospel accounts are based on source documents written within decades of Jesus' lifetime, and therefore provide a basis for the study of the "historical" Jesus. These historians also draw on other historical sources and archaeological evidence to reconstruct the life of Jesus in his historical and cultural context." [source - Sanders 1993:3 as provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<" Lucian, a second century Romano-Syrian satirist, who wrote in Greek, wrote:
The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day - the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account... You see, these misguided creatures start with the general conviction that they are immortal for all time, which explains the contempt of death and voluntary self-devotion which are so common among them; and then it was impressed on them by their original lawgiver that they are all brothers, from the moment that they are converted, and deny the gods of Greece, and worship the crucified sage, and live after his laws.[66]" [source - Lucian, The Death of Peregrine, 11-13 in The Works of Lucian of Samosata, translated by H. W. Fowler (Oxford: Clarendon, 1949) vol. 4 as provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<" Thallus, of whom very little is known, wrote a history from the Trojan War to, according to Eusebius, 109 AD. No work of Thallus survives. There is one reference to Thallus having written about events beyond 109 AD. Julius Africanus, writing c. 221, while writing about the crucifixion of Jesus, mentioned Thallus. Thus:
On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in his third book of History, calls (as appears to me without reason) an eclipse of the sun.[65]" [source - Julius Africanus, Extant Writings XVIII in Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. A. Roberts and J. Donaldson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973) vol. VI, p. 130 as provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

And,

<<<" Tacitus (c. 56-c. 117), writing c. 116, included in his Annals a mention of Christianity and "Christus", the Latinized Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Messiah". In describing Nero's persecution of Christians following the Great Fire of Rome c. 64, he wrote:
Nero fastened the guilt of starting the blaze and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius 14-37 at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome, where all things hideous and shameful from every part of the world find their centre and become popular.[53]
R. E. Van Voorst noted the improbability that later Christians would have interpolated "such disparaging remarks about Christianity".[54] For this reason the authenticity of the passage is rarely doubted, but there is disagreement about what it proves. It has been controversially speculated that Tacitus may have used one of Pilate's reports to the emperor as the source for his statement that "Christus" had been crucified by Pilate.[55] Biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman wrote that: "Tacitus's report confirms what we know from other sources, that Jesus was executed by order of the Roman governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, sometime during Tiberius's reign."[56] Others would say it tells us only what the Christians in the year 116 believed, and is not therefore an independent confirmation of the Gospel reports. For example, historian Richard Carrier writes "it is inconceivable that there were any records of Jesus for Tacitus to consult in Rome (for many reasons, not the least of which being that Rome's capitol had burned to the ground more than once in the interim), and even less conceivable that he would have dug through them even if they existed ... It would simply be too easy to just ask a Christian--or a colleague who had done so ... there can be no doubt that what Pliny discovered from Christians he had interrogated was passed on to Tacitus."[57]" [sources - ^ Tacitus, Annals 15.44 (Latin, English and also here) ^ Robert E. Van Voorst (2000). Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence. Wm. B. Eerdmans, p. 43. See also the criterion of embarrassment. ^ F.F. Bruce, Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974) p. 23 ^ Ehrman, p. [212 INSERT TITLE]. as provided by Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historicity_of_Jesus on 03/19/2008]>>>.

CONCLUSION AND ADDITIONAL REFERENCES:

As can be readily seen, it is totally unreasonable to assert that Jesus (Yeshua) Christ is not a genuine historic figure as do some unreasonable ones.  And to reiterate what was said in the introduction,

<<<"Interestingly, the first type of records comes from what are known commonly as "hostile" sources-writers who mentioned Jesus in a negative light or derogatory fashion. Such penmen certainly were not predisposed to further the cause of Christ or otherwise to add credence to His existence. In fact, quite the opposite is true. They rejected His teachings and often reviled Him as well. Thus, one can appeal to them without the charge of built-in bias. " [source - Apologetics Press :: Reason & Revelation, The Historical Christ-Fact or Fiction? by Kyle Butt, M.A., sub-part HOSTILE TESTIMONY]>>>.

But for those wanting to do additional research and/or checking, here are some resources not previously mentioned:

REFERENCES

Anderson, J.N.D. (1969), Christianity: The Witness of History (London: Tyndale).

Anderson, Norman (1985), Jesus Christ: The Witness of History (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press), second edition.

Barker, Dan (1992), Losing Faith in Faith (Minneapolis, MN: Freedom From Religion Foundation).

Beare, Francis Wright (1962), The Earliest Records of Jesus (New York: Abingdon).

Blomberg, Craig L. (1987), The Historical Reliability of the Gospels (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press).

Bruce, F.F. (1953), The New Testament Documents-Are They Reliable? (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), fourth edition.

Bruce, F.F. (1967), The New Testament Documents-Are They Reliable? (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans), fifth edition.

Chapman, Colin (1981), The Case for Christianity (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).

Daniel-Rops, Henri, (1969), "Silence of Jesus' Contemporaries," The Sources for the Life of Christ, ed. Henri Daniel-Rops (New York: Hawthorn).

Durant, Will, ed. (1932), On the Meaning of Life (New York: Long and Smith).

Geisler, Norman L. and Ronald M. Brooks (1990), When Skeptics Ask (Wheaton, IL: Victor).

Guthrie, Donald (1990), New Testament Introduction (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press).

Habermas, Gary R. (1996), The Historical Jesus (Joplin, MO: College Press).

Harvey, A.E. (1982), Jesus and the Constraints of History (Philadelphia, PA: Westminster).

Horne, Thomas H. (1841), An Introduction to the Critical Study and Knowledge of the Holy Scriptures (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), 1970 reprint.

Jackson, Wayne (1991), "Josephus and the Bible [Part II]" Reason & Revelation, 11:29-32, August.

Josephus, Flavius (1957 reprint), The Life and Works of Flavius Josephus, trans. William Whitson (Philadelphia, PA: John Whitson).

Josephus, Flavius (1988 reprint), Josephus: The Essential Writings, trans. Paul L Maier (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel).

Kähler, Martin (1896), The So-called Historical Jesus and the Historic, Biblical Christ, trans. Carl E. Braaten (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress), 1964 reprint.

Key, Howard Clark (1970), Jesus in History (New York: Harcourt, Brace and World).

Linton, Irwin H. (1943), A Lawyer Examines the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), sixth edition.

Meier, John P. (1990), "Jesus in Josephus: A Modest Proposal." The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 52:76-99.

Metzger, Bruce M. (1968), The Text of the New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press).

Monser, J.W. (1961), An Encyclopedia on the Evidences; or Masterpieces of Many Minds (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Rajak, Tessa (1984), Josephus: The Historian and His Society (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress).

Sanders, E.P. (1993), The Historical Figure of Jesus (New York: Lane-Penguin).

Schweitzer, Albert. (1964), The Quest for the Historical Jesus (New York: Macmillan).

Suetonius (1957 reprint), The Twelve Caesars, trans. Robert Graves (London: Penguin).

Schaff, Philip & N.M. Roussel (1868), The Romance of M. Renan and the Christ of the Gospels (New York: Carlton & Lanahan).

Tacitus, Cornelius P. (1952 reprint), The Annals and the Histories, trans. Michael Grant (Chicago, IL: William Benton), Great Books of the Western World Series, vol. 15.

Thompson, Bert (1994), "Famous Enemies of Christ-Ancient and Modern," Reason & Revelation, 14:1-7, January.

Wells, H.G. (1931), Outline of History, Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind (Garden City, NY: Garden City Publishing).

Wilken, Robert L. (1990), "The Piety of the Persecutors," Christian History, 9:16.

Yamauchi, Edwin M. (1995), "Jesus Outside the New Testament: What is the Evidence?," Jesus Under Fire, ed. Michael J. Wilkins and J.P. Moreland (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan).

[source - Apologetics Press :: Reason & Revelation, The Historical Christ-Fact or Fiction? by Kyle Butt, M.A., sub-part HOSTILE TESTIMONY]


SECOND PART OF STRANGE, MANY DOUBT IF JESUS (YESHUA) REALLY EXISTED.    THE AWAKE MAGAZINE NO. 5 OF 2016 HAD AN ENTIRE ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT THAT CAN BE READ AT   https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/awake-no5-2016-october/ .    AN ARTICLE, THE HISTORIC JESUS (YESHUA) CHRIST GOES INTO CONSIDERABLE DETAIL AND PROOF THAT HE ACTUALLY EXISTED.  (763B)   (PART 2 IS VOL 764B; WHEREAS, PART 1 WAS VOL 763B).


[4]   A TALKING VIDEO ON,  A TALKINGVIDEO OF, WHEN DISASTER STRIKES?—STEPS THAT CAN SAVE LIVES
https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/awake-no5-2017-october/disaster-steps-that-can-save-lives/


5]  A TALKING VIDEO ON, DOES THE BIBLE PROMOTE TOLERANCE?
https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/tolerance-in-the-bible/


LEARN  MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT   WWW.JW.ORG

VOL 766B COMBINATION OF (1) INTERESTING VIDEOS AND TALKING SHOWING WONDERS OF ALMIGHTY GOD’S CREATION, AND ANOTHER INTERESTING TALKING VIDEO [2] THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND A LINK TO A BIBLE STUDY, AND AN INTRODUCTION TO BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES: [3] GENESIS 1:26 USED AS AN UNUSUAL FALSE PREMISE OF THREE-IN-ONE GOD:: [4] A READING VIDEO ON, WHEN WILL THE FIGHTING STOP?—⁠WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?  [5] A TALKING VIDEO OF Is TRUTH IMPORTANT ANYMORE?(1) TO VIEW WAS IT DESIGNED OR CREATED, VIEW THE SHORT VIDEO, CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER THE FOLLOWING,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleCreation/docid-502200134_1_VIDEO 

NOW VIEW A SHORT  VIDEO ON, When Was Jesus Born?
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/when-was-jesus-born/



COMBINATION OF [2]  THE SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY AND [3]    GENESIS 1:26 USED AS AN UNUSUAL FALSE PREMISE OF THREE-IN-ONE GOD:

[2]       SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [766B]

What is right, what is right, shalt thou pursue,––that thou mayest live, and possess the land, which, Yahweh thy God, is giving unto thee.  Deuteronomy 16:20  (Rotherham Bible)

Since such travesties can arise in any legal system, the Bible urges judges to pursue true justice.   Where judges follow that injunction, citizens benefit.   God’s Law gave ancient Israel a legal system based on impartiality and fairness. Let us look at that Law to see whether “A Rock! faultless his work, For, all his ways, are just,––A GOD of faithfulness and without perversity, Right and fair, is he!” (Deuteronomy 32:4  (Rotherham Bible))

People’s interests are served when jurists are competent, fair, and above corruption. God’s Law to Israel placed a high value on judges of that caliber. Early in the wilderness trek, Moses was told to look for “Thou thyself, therefore, shalt look out, from among all the people––men of ability, reverers of God, men of fidelity, haters of extortion,––and place them over them as rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.   So shall they judge the people at any time, and it shall be, all the great matters, shall they bring in unto thee, but, all the small matters, shall, they themselves, judge,––so, lighten thou the burden for thyself, and let them bear it with thee.” to serve as judges. (Exodus 18:21, 22,  (Rotherham Bible) )   Forty years later, he reemphasized the need for “Set forth, for you––men wise and discerning, and known to your tribes,––that I may appoint them to be heads over you.”  (Deuteronomy 1:13-17.,  (Rotherham Bible) ) 


TO LEARN MORE ABOUT RELIGION AND THE BIBLE, GO TO, 
http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-forum-1.html&sid=3332d8b672c83f9abee033515e6f9698


TO VIEW INTRODUCTION TO THE OF BOOK OF ECCLESIASTES, CLICK OR ENTER IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/ecclesiastes-introduction/


TO ENJOY AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY CALLED “FOLLOW THE CHRIST”:  CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING.
https://religioustruths.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=645


[2] SCRIPTURE OF THE DAY [702B]

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9 – 11  [authorized King James Bible; AV]

It is imperative if anyone is practicing these Almighty God (YHWH) disapproved things that they immediately start working to turn their life around.  All need to put on a new personality and way of life per Colossians 3:10 – 11, [AV] “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:  11  Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.” We need to due according to Colossians 3:12 – 15, [AV] “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;  13  Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.  14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.  15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”   


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http://religioustruths.forumsland.com/religioustruths-forum-1.html&sid=3332d8b672c83f9abee033515e6f9698


TO VIEW INTRODUCTION TO THE OF BOOK OF PROVERBS, CLICK OR ENTER IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING:
https://www.jw.org/en/library/bible/study-bible/books/proverbs-introduction/


TO ENJOY AN ONLINE BIBLE STUDY CALLED “FOLLOW THE CHRIST”:  CLICK OR POST IN BROWSER, THE FOLLOWING.
https://religioustruths.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=645



[3]       GENESIS 1:26 USED AS AN UNUSUAL FALSE PREMISE OF THREE-IN-ONE GOD:

Some partially quote Genesis 1:26 as an unusual false premise to try and support the false doctrine of the Three-In-One god.  Let's look at an example and see their error:

One supporter partially quoted Genesis 1:26 to support this false doctrine,
<<<""Let US make man in our image, after OUR likeness..." Gen 1:26">>>.

Now let's look at that scripture in a little more detail and in its entirety,

Genesis 1:26, "And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth." (Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible; DRCB).

Interestingly it completely disproves what I believe is your entire premise since it clearly shows a conversation between two heavenly spirit beings; to wit, Almighty God (YHWH) and his only begotten Son, Jesus (Yeshua).    Now let's rev forward to Proverbs 8:22-31 to get a clearer picture of this Son, whom his Father used as his master worker,

Proverbs 8:22-31, "The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23  I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24  When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25  Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26  While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27  When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:
28  When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29  When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30  Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." (American Standard Version; ASV).

As can be seen, they are two separate and distinct spirit beings, one subservient to the other.   This is clearly shown also in Jesus' (Yeshua's), the subservient one's prayer to the superior one, his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) given at John 17:1-26,

John 17:1-26, "These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven, he said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee:
2  even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life.
3  And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ.
4  I glorified thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which thou hast given me to do.
5  And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 ¶  I manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them to me; and they have kept thy word.
7  Now they know that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are from thee:
8  for the words which thou gavest me I have given unto them; and they received them, and knew of a truth that I came forth from thee, and they believed that thou didst send me.
9  I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine:
10  and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them.
11 ¶  And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we are.
12  While I was with them, I kept them in thy name which thou hast given me: and I guarded them, and not one of them perished, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13  But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves.
14  I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15  I pray not that thou shouldest take them from the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil one.
16  They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
17 ¶  Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.
18  As thou didst send me into the world, even so sent I them into the world.
19  And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
20 ¶  Neither for these only do I pray, but for them also that believe on me through their word;
21  that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us: that the world may believe that thou didst send me.
22  And the glory which thou hast given me I have given unto them; that they may be one, even as we are one;
23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be perfected into one; that the world may know that thou didst send me, and lovedst them, even as thou lovedst me.
24 ¶  Father, I desire that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25  O righteous Father, the world knew thee not, but I knew thee; and these knew that thou didst send me;
26 and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them." (ASV).

Clearly one does not pray to a subservient one but only to a superior one as shown in this prayer, and in fact at Matthew 4:9-10, Jesus (Yeshua) made it clear that we were only to worship his Father, Almighty God (YHWH) as follows:

Matthew 4:9-10, "and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (ASV).

And the relative position of each is made clear at 1 Corinthians 15:22-28,

1 Corinthians 15:23-28, "But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming.
24  Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and all authority and power.
25  For he must reign, till he hath put all his enemies under his feet.
26  The last enemy that shall be abolished is death.
27 For, He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him.
28  And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all." (ASV).

Now note, that in verse 27 it clearly says, "He put all things in subjection under his feet. But when he saith, All things are put in subjection, It is evident that he is excepted who did subject all things unto him.
]" where it makes the point that Jesus (Yeshua) Father, Almighty God (YHWH) put all things except himself under him for a period of time.   Only a superior has the power and authority to assign tasks and here clearly Jesus (Yeshua) was receiving a task from his Father, Almighty God (YHWH).

Quite possibly this point was misunderstood because of a failure to correctly understand what the term "god" and "deity" really mean and how they can be assigned to spirit individuals and even humans at different levels, but here is some assistance with regard to understanding.

When discussing the question on whether use of "Deity" for John's use of "theos" within the third clause is proper, might there be something else to consider? de·i·ty noun [-ties pl{ural}.] 1. A god, goddess, or divine person. 2. Divine nature or status; godhead; divinity. - the Deity, God. [<F{rench}. déité <L{atin}. deus, god]. "Funk & Wagnalls New Practical Standard Dictionary of the English Language; Britannica World Language Edition, Compiled Under the Direction of the Editorial Staff of Encyclopaedia Britannica; 'Em-ha-type Method of Pronunciation.'" Funk, Charles Earle (b.1881- d.?), Editor. 2 vols. vol. 1 - A-P. vol. 2 - Q-Z. [source - (New York, New York; Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1955), vol. 2 (braces ours). PE1625 .S712 1955 / 56001830].

- <*> - de*i*ty (de'-te) n....1. A god or goddess. 2. Divinity. 3. Deity. God. ?< Lat{tin}. deus.?. [source - "The American Heritage Dictionary." 3rd Edition. (New York, New York: Dell Publishing, A Division of Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.; Houghton Mifflin Company, 1992), p. 227 (braces ours). PE1628 .A623 1992 / 92-851].

- <*> - de*i*ty / de'eitee,...1 a god or goddess. 2 divine status, quality or nature. 3 (the Deity) God. [source - "The Oxford American Dictionary of Current English." (New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999), p. 205 (bold theirs). PE1628 .O8617 1999 / 99-39972].

- <*> - de*i¦ty (de'? te) n....1. the state of being a god; divine nature; godhood. 2....[3.] - the Deity God. [source - "Webster's New World Dictionary of American English." 3rd College Edition. Neufeldt, Victoria (b.?-d.?), Editor-in-Chief. Guralnik, David B. (b.1920-d.2000), Editor-in-Chief Emeritus. (New York, New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1994), p. 363. PE1628 .W5633 1993 / 93-2961].

- <*> - de*i*ty (de' i te)...1. a god or goddess. 2. divine character or nature; divinity: Her deity is manifest in her actions. 3. the estate or rank of a god: The king attained deity after his death. 4. the character or nature of the Supreme Being: the deity of Christ. 5. a person or thing revered as a god or goddess: a society in which money is the only deity. 6. the Deity, God; Supreme Being. [source - "The Random House College Dictionary, Based on the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, the Unabridged Edition." Urdang, Laurance (b.?-d.?), Editor-in-Chief; Flexner, Stuart Berg (b.?-d.?), Managing Editor. (New York, New York: Rand McNally and Company, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973), p. 350. PE1625 .R29 / 73-175504].

- <*> - Deity (di * ti)...1. the state or rank of a god; godhood; the personality of a god; godship; esp[ecially] with poss[ive] pron[oun]. b. The divine quality, character, or nature of God; Godhood, divinity; the divine nature and attributes, the Godhead. c. The condition or state in which the Divine Being exists. Obs. 2. A divinity, a divine being, a god; one of the gods worshiped by a people or a tribe. b. An object of worship; a thing or person deified. 3. (with capital) A supreme being as creator of the universe; the Deity, the Supreme Being, God. (Especially as a term of National Theology, and without explicit predication of personality.) [source - "The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, Complete Text Reproduced Micrographically." 2 vols. (Oxford, Great Britain: Oxford University Press, 1971), vol. i - a-o, p. 675 (152) (parenthesis theirs). PE1625 .N53 1971 / 72-177361].

- <*> - Although this approach to the subject may seem to some to be a bit too simplistic, does anyone else see what I am seeing? Please take note that, although "Deity" has the meaning of "God" (with capitals for both), "deity" means "a god." Therefore, when it is that Bowman (or, for that matter, any others) attempt to use "Deity" for John's second use of "theos," they are, in fact, just substituting another term which, when spelled with a capital "D", means the same thing as "God." If, on the other hand, they wish to be utilizing a term to somehow convey something different than this, they must either use "deity" or "a deity" instead. Whereas, each of these dictionaries give "a god" as the first meaning to use of the term (with all but one spelling it in all lower case), it should be noted that it is not untill the later definitions do we find its use (when capitalized) to mean "God", 'the Supreme being.' Furthermore, there is this: "[The Biblical use of the term] 'God' does not connote a 'divine essence' that can be shared by a number of beings, even though there may be a number of beings who are called 'god.' In this sense, theos functions slightly differently than does the English term 'deity.' Although we use 'deity' to refer both to God ("the Deity") and to a property (as in the "deity of Christ"), 'god' does not refer to a characteristic or property the possession of which renders one 'divine.' Rather, 'God' in biblical texts and Jewish thought either refers to the one and only God or, when used of a human figure, relates that figure to God by the exercise of some divine prerogative that is further exercised by God's authority." [source - Taken from: Thompson, Marianne Meye (b.?-d.?), Professor of New Testament Interpretation, Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. "The God of the Gospel of John." (Grand Rapids, Michigan: W.B. Eerdmans, c2001), Chapter 1, "The Meaning of 'God,'" p. 46. BT102 .T525 2001 / 2001-040379].

So as can readily be seen, there are different things called "god" and "deity" and levels to be considered that one should always bare in mind when reading and studying, and therefore, conclusions should NOT be jumped to as many do.


[4]   A TALKING VIDEO ON,  A READING VIDEO ON,  WHEN WILL THE FIGHTING STOP?—⁠WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?,
https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/FeaturedLibraryVideos/pub-jwb-110_4_VIDEO


5]  A TALKING VIDEO ON, DOES THE BIBLE PROMOTE TOLERANCE?
https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/tolerance-in-the-bible/


LEARN  MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE AND RELIGION – BOTH TRUE AND FALSE – AT   WWW.JW.ORG