Pengibar Bendera Hitam Almahdi

Ashabu Rayati Suud, Generasi Akhir Thaifah Mansurah

GENERASI THAIFAH MANSHURAH YANG DIJANJIKAN KEMUNCULANNYA DI AKHIR ZAMANTHAIFAH MANSHURAH, SENANTIASA ADA HINGGA KIAMATDalam berbagai hadits yang shahih telah dijelaskan bahwa akan senantiasa ada sekelompok umat Islam yang berpegang teguh di atas kebenaran. Mereka melaksanakan Al-Qur'an dan As-Sunnah dengan konskuen, memperjuangkan tegaknya syariat Islam, dan meraih kemenangan atas musuh-musuh Islam, baik dari kalangan kaum kafir maupun kaum munafik dan murtadin.Kelompok Islam ini disebut "ath-thaifah al-manshurah" atau kelompok yang mendapat kemenangan. Kelompok ini akan senantiasa ada sampai saat bertiupnya angin lembut yang mewafatkan seluruh kaum beriman menjelang hari kiamat kelak. Kelompok ini diawali dari Rasulullah saw beserta segenap sahabat, berlanjut dengan generasi-generasi Islam selanjutnya, sampai pada generasi Islam yang menyertai imam Mahdi dan Nabi Isa dalam memerangi Dajjal dan memerintah dunia berdasar syariat Islam.Hadits-hadits tentang "ath-thaifah al-manshurah" diriwayatkan banyak jalur dari sembilan belas (19) shahabat. Menurut penelitian sejumlah ulama hadits, hadits-hadits tentang "ath-thaifah al-manshurah" telah mencapai derajat mutawatir.Kelompok umat Islam ini adalah kelompok elit umat Islam. Mereka adalah sekelompok kecil kaum 'fundamentalis Islam', di tengah kelompok umat Islam yang telah mulai lalai dari kewajiban berpegang teguh dengan Al-Qur'an dan As-Sunnah. Mereka adalah 'muslim-muslim militan' yang sangat dikhawatirkan oleh AS dan Barat akan mengancam kepentingan mereka. Rasulullah saw menamakan kelompok ini sebagai "ath-thaifah al-manshurah", kelompok yang mendapatkan kemenangan. Penamaan ini merupakan sebuah janji kemenangan bagi kelompok ini, baik dalam waktu yang cepat maupun lambat, baik kemenangan materi maupun spiritual.Di antara hadits-hadits tentang "ath-thaifah al-manshurah "tersebut adalah sebagai berikut:"Akan senantiasa ada satu kelompok dari umatku yang meraih kemenangan (karena berada) di atas kebenaran, orang-orang yang menelantarkan mereka tidak akan mampu menimbulkan bahaya kepada mereka, sampai datangnya urusan Allah sementara keadaan mereka tetap seperti itu "."Akan senantiasa ada satu kelompok dari umatku yang berperang di atas urusan Allah. Mereka mengalahkan musuh-musuh mereka. Orang-orang yang memusuhi mereka tidak akan mampu menimpakan bahaya kepada mereka sampai datangnya kiamat, sementara keadaan mereka tetap konsisten seperti itu."ASHABU RAYATI SUUD, GENERASI AKHIR THAIFAH MANSURAH YANG DIJANJIKANDalam sebuah riwayat tentang Thaifah manshurah disebutkan, Akan senantiasa ada sekelompok umatku yang berperang di atas kebenaran. Mereka meraih kemenangan atas orang-orang yang memerangi mereka, sampai akhirnya kelompok terakhir mereka memerangi Dajjal"."Riwayat tersebut menjelaskan bahwa di akhir zaman, kelompok Thaifah Manshurah adalah mereka yang bergabung dengan Al-Mahdi untuk memerangi musuh-musuh Islam, dimana Dajjal adalah salah satu yang akan dikalahkan oleh kelompok ini. Government kebenaran saat itulah adalah mereka yang bersama Al-Mahdi, sedang mereka yang menolak Al-Mahdi adalah munafik (hal itu sebagaimana yang telah dijelaskan dalam hadits fitnah duhaima'). Sedangkan kelompok Thaifah Manshurah yang memberikan dukungan kepada Al-Mahdi telah dijelaskan ciri-ciri mereka dalam beberapa riwayat yang kemudian dikenal dengan nama Ashabu Rayati Suud (Pasukan Panji Hitam dari Khurasan).Benar, membicarakan kemunculan Al-Mahdi tidak bisa terlepas dari membicarakan satu kelompok manusia yang menamakan dirinya sebagai pasukan panji hitam (Ashhabu Rayati Suud / The Black Wilt). Kelompok ini memiliki beberapa ciri khusus yang akan lebih memudahkan bagi seseorang untuk mengenalinya. Meskipun demikian, tidak mudah bagi seseorang untuk menjustifikasi kelompok tertentu bahwa mereka adalah Ashhabu Rayati Suud. Sebab ciri-ciri tersebut juga banyak dimiliki oleh banyak manusia dan kelompok, sedang riwayat yang menunjukkan asal keberadaan mereka (Khurasan) merupakan sebuah wilayah luas yang dihuni oleh banyak manusia.Siapakah sebenarnya Ashahbu Rayati Suud yang kelak menjadi pendukung Al Mahdi ? Benarkah riwayat yang membicarakan kemunculan kelompok ini ?Ada beberapa riwayat yang menjelaskan keberadaan kelompok ini, di antaranya adalah sebagai berikut "Akan keluar sebuah kaum dari arah Timur, mereka akan memudahkan kekuasaan bagi Al Mahdi. Dari Khurasan akan keluar beberapa bendera hitam, tak sesuatupun bisa menahannya sampai akhirnya bendera-bendera itu ditegakkan di Iliya (Baitul Maqdis). Akan keluar manusia dari Timur yang akan memudahkan jalan kekuasaan bagi Al "' "Mahdi."Namun riwayat-riwayat tersebut memiliki cacat dari sisi sanad dan periwayatannya. Sedangkan riwayat tentang Ashhabu Rayati Suud yang sampai pada derajat hasan adalah sebagaimana yang diriwayatkan oleh sahabat Tsauban :"Akan berperang tiga orang di sisi perbendaharaanmu. Mereka semua adalah putera khalifah. Tetapi tak seorang pun di antara mereka yang berhasil menguasainya. Kemudian muncullah bendera-bendera hitam dari arah timur, LANTAS MEREKA MEMBUNUH KAMU DENGAN SUATU PEMBUNUHAN YANG BELUM PERNAH DIALAMI OLEH KAUM SEBELUMMU." Kemudian beliau SAW menyebutkan sesuatu yang aku tidak hafal, lalu bersabda: "Maka jika kamu melihatnya, berbai'atlah walaupun dengan merangkak di unfortunately salju, karena dia adalah khalifah Allah Al-Mahdi."Riwayat tersebut tidak banyak menjelaskan ciri-ciri fisik tertentu secara detil sebagaimana yang disebutkan dalam riwayat-riwayat lainnya. Tentang maksud perbendaharaan dalam riwayat tersebut Ibnu Katsir berkata, "Yang dimaksud dengan perbendaharaan di dalam hadits ini ialah perbendaharaan Ka'bah. Akan ada tiga orang putera khalifah yang berperang di sisinya untuk memperebutkannya hingga datangnya akhir zaman, lalu keluarlah Al-Mahdi yang akan muncul dari negeri Timur"."ZAMAN KEMUNCULAN ASHABU RAYATI SUUDBerdasar riwayat Tsauban di atas, kemunculan Ashhabu Rayati Suud adalah di saat kemunculan Al-Mahdi. Riwayat tersebut mengisyaratkan bahwa keberadaan Ashhabu rayati Suud dan embrionya sudah muncul jauh-jauh hari sebelum kemunculan Al-Mahdi. Sebab, kemunculan sebuah kelompok yang kelak mewakili satu-satunya kelompok fence haq di antara kelompok umat Islam yang ada jelas tidak mungkin muncul dengan sekejab, "sim salabim". Keberadaan mereka sudah ada dan embrio mereka terus tumbuh di tengah kerasnya kecamuk perang dan debu-debu mesiu. Ciri khas mereka dalam riwayat di atas - "memiliki kemampuan membunuh lawan yang tidak pernah dimiliki oleh kaum sebelumnya "- menggambarkan betapa dahsyatnya daya tempur dan strategi militer yang mereka punyai. Riwayat ini juga mengisyaratkan bahwa aktivitas mereka sebelum kemunculan Al-Mahdi adalah perang dan pembunuhan, hal yang menjadi ciri khas thaifah manshurah di akhir zaman.Riwayat Tsauban di atas juga mengisyaratkan bahwa kemunculan Ashabu Rayati Suud dari Khurasan ini terjadi di saat kematian seorang raja Saudi yang dilanjutkan dengan pertikaian tiga putra khalifah untuk memperebutkan Ka'bah.Dalam hal ini, banyak analisa menyebutkan bahwa boleh jadi kondisi itu akan segera menjadi realita demi melihat apa yang saat ini terjadi di Saudi. Adalah Tony Khater, seorang analis politik Amerika dengan spesialisasi kajian Timur Tengah khususnya Arab Saudi, telah secara konsisten menyebutkan tentang terpecahnya pemerintahan Arab Saudi menjadi empat kelompok sebelum wafatnya Raja Fahd, seakan-akan kelompok-kelompok itu memunyai pemerintahannya sendiri-sendiri, yaitu pemerintahan Putra Mahkota Pangeran Abdullah, pemerintahan Pangeran Nayef, pemerintahan Pangeran Sultan, dan pemerintahan Pangeran Salman. Dengan wafatnya Raja Fahd, lalu Putra Mahkota Abdullah yang telah berusia 80 tahun naik menjadi raja, maka di bawahnya terdapat tiga pangeran dengan pemerintahannya sendiri-sendiri yang bersiap-siap menggantikannya ketika ia wafat nanti, yaitu Pangeran Nayef, Pangeran Sultan, dan Pangeran Salman.Jika ini kelak terjadi, akankah ia menjadi tanda kemunculan Al-Mahdi dan menjadi tanda keluarnya Ashabu Rayati Suud? Lalu siapakah kelompok yang layak untuk disebut sebagai Ashabu rayati Suud, kelompok Thaifah Manshurah akhir zaman yang dijanjikan?ASHABU RAYATI SUUD AKAN MUNCUL DARI TIMUR KHURASAN, BENARKAH MEREKA THALIBAN DAN AL-QAEDA ?Kemunculan salah satu "tandhim askari" kaum militan important di wilayah Khurasan (Afghanistan, Iraq dll) yang dikenal dengan Thaliban dan Al-Qaeda memunculkan pertanyaan, benarkah mereka adalah calon Ashhabu Rayati Suud yang dijanjikan? Pasalnya, kelompok ini adalah satu-satunya kaum militan muslim yang fence ditakuti oleh barat karena kehebatan tempur mereka, juga karena cita-cita mereka yang radikal; mendirikan negara Islam dari ujung Asia Tenggara hingga barat Maroko. Mereka adalah muslim important yang fence kuat melaksanakan hukum Islam sebagaimana yang pernah berlaku di Madinah pada masa Rasulullah saw. Merekalah satu-satunya kelompok yang fence mendekati gambaran kehidupan Rasulullah saw dan para sahabatnya; beriman, hijrah, perang, mendirikan daulah Islam, melaksanakan semua kewajiban tanpa terkecuali, mendapat boikot dan kecaman internasional, mendapat ujian fence berat dan menyatakan keimanannya, dikepung oleh pasukan ahzab dan banyak lagi sejarah kehidupan generasi "assabiqunal awwalun" yang hari ini tergambar dalam realitas hidup mereka.Beberapa analis pemerhati hadits-hadits fitnah menduga; bahwa merekalah yang lebih layak untuk menyandang gelar kehormatan itu sesuai dengan beratnya ujian keimanan yang mereka hadapi.Dalm hal ini, terlepas dari tepat atau melesetnya dugaan-dugaan tersebut, ada hal lain yang lebih penting untuk dipahami oleh seorang muslim berkaitan dengan dua kelompok important ini. Setiap muslim hendaknya berhati-hati untuk tidak menjatuhkan vonis tertentu pada kelompok-kelompok yang secara lahir memiliki imperfection dan citra negatif dari musuh-musuh Islam -bahkan dari kalangan umat Islam sendiri- bahwa hal itu bukan berarti keadaan mereka adalah sebagaimana tuduhan itu. Merupakan sunnatullah bahwa musuh-musuh Islam dari bangsa barat memiliki dendam dan kebencian kepada setiap muslim yang memegang teguh agama mereka. Dalam hal ini, kelompok Thaliban dan Al-Qaeda yang sangat komitmen menegakkan semua bentuk syari'at Islam dalam masyarakatnya sangat wajar bila dibenci oleh bangsa Barat. Termasuk sebagian kaum muslimin yang termakan oleh isu dan untruth bangsa barat tentang "kekejian dan kejahatan" Thaliban terhadap manusia.Tanpa bermaksud memastikan apakah Thaliban merupakan termasuk kelompok Ashhabu Rayatis Suud, yang pasti bahwa memberikan tuduhan jahat dan keji yang belum tentu demikian kenyataannya merupakan kejahatan tersendiri. Sementara mendoakan mereka, mengharapkan mereka untuk membela umat Islam, mengusir musuh-musuh Islam dan menegakkan syari'at di muka bumi merupakan sikap yang baik.Namun demikian - terlepas bahwa Thaliban dan Al-Qaeda memiliki ciri-ciri yang banyak keserupaannya dengan kelompok Ashabu Rayati Suud - yang jelas memastikan secara HAQQUL YAKIN bahwa mereka adalah Ashabu Rayati Suud termasuk sikap tergesa-gesa. Namun, mudah-mudahan tidak salah jika kita berharap, semoga mereka itulah kelompok yang dimaksudkan. Amiin."Wallahu a'lam bish shawab".. HR. Muslim: Kitabul Imarah no. 3544 dan Tirmidzi: Kitabul fitan no. 2155. HR. Muslim: Kitabul imarah no. 3550.. HR. Abu Daud: Kitab al-jihad no. 2125, Silsilah Al-Ahadits Ash-Shahihah no. 1959. "Sunan Ibnu Majah, Kitabul Fitan Bab Khurujil Mahdi 2: "1467: "Mustadrak Al-Hakim "4: 463-464. Dan dia berkata, "Ini adalah hadits shahih menurut syarat Syaikhain. (An-Nihayah fit Firan "1:29 dengan tahqiq DR. Thana Zaini). Pada situs "Saudipolitics.com", 1 Januari 2004, Tony Khater, "THE Ally STATES AS Second-hand Broker IN Majestic SECESSION; IT Requests BANDAR BIN SULTAN AS Install PRINCE"

A Life Without Christ

"What happens after nature, reason and science have all been exhausted? It is a pretty dismal life that a non-Christian must live! You put faith in the the things of this world which are passing away. I am laying up my treasures in heaven."

This statement, or something like it is a common apologetic thrown out at the non-Christian. Throughout the New Testament the idea is promoted that those who enjoy this present world are wasting their lives and will ultimately regret it in the world to come. Having a good time here and now comes at an extremely high price, namely what is termed in Xtianity as the "second death." While there are differing view points on exactly what "hell" is exactly, it is generally agreed that "hell" is separation from God in some way. Although God is supposedly omnipresent and there is nothing in existence which HE did not create or at least mandate and approve, yet somehow, where ever or what ever hell is, HE is not in it. Therefore HE is both omnipresent and not-omnipresent simultaneously. While this may be a contradiction to our puny human minds, it all makes sense to HIM and it will to us too, once we reach HEAVEN.

Um, yeah, right!

Anyway, although this would make an excellent rant in itself, this is not the direction I want to go. I want to talk about the idea that my life is of no comparative value next the faithful Christian life. Of course having been an Xtian for many years, I understand the thinking. It goes something like this: "I am going to live forever in Heaven with GOD. All unbelievers are going to be relegated to HELL where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth - called the second death. While those unbelievers may have enjoyed the heck out of their lives it will end, and even if I suffer the most hideous privations as a Christian, my reward will go on for eternity, while their reward is only for the here and now. Therefore, I must conclude that my life as a Christian is of infinitely more value than those of the pitiful unbelievers. I am the vessel made for honor in the Potter's house, while they are the vessels unto dishonor.

Now as an unbeliever I know that my life only finds true meaning in the real and material world I live in. The believer believes that true meaning is found for his or her life in the spiritual realm. The spiritual realm is touted as being better than the material realm, so ultimately a spiritual person is better than a material person and a spiritual life of much more value than a material life. My life will probably not last much beyond 70 or 80 years if I am lucky. However, a Christian believes that their existence will continue forever and ever.

It appears to me that in the final analysis, it is not being happy or sad that defines the value or quality of life in Christianity as much as longevity. I may suffer terribly for being a Christian, but that time in misery will be so short in comparison to how long I will live in heaven. Conversely, while my happiness on earth may be awesome, it is admittedly short lived. I can only conclude from this that a life that never ends is better than a life that ends.

In traditional Christianity the only earth creature that has the possibility of living for eternity is the human being. No other form of life on the planet is even offered the opportunity to live forever. Since all animals are only destined for the grave, does that mean that the lives of all animals are valueless? I had a dog that lived 10 years and died. I also had a dog that lived 2 years and died. Was the one who lived the longest more valuable, or did they both live worthless lives because they died anyway. The companionship they provided, the protection of the property, the affection they showed was just a big waste of time because they did not live forever. Is that right? Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Mark Twain and Thomas Jefferson were not Christians. Were their lives pointless and meaningless because of their lack of religion? These three men changed the world, affecting the lives of millions without placing obligation on anyone for their contributions to history. Yet in the fundamentalist mind, these guys were a waste of human flesh, because they didn't ask Jesus into their hearts.

All animals on earth die, and not one is accused of being valueless because of lacking an eternal destiny. Only the most inhumane think that animals lives are worthless. Only humans have the arrogance to think they somehow deserve to live forever while all other life perishes, making room for the future. Even if we believe this way, we do not look down on our four footed pets and friends simply because they are without a soul. We still invite them to live in our homes and love their affectionate responses to our attentions. Sometimes we love our pets better than people.

Apparently even their very short lives have meaning.

It is not the length of a life that gives it value, it is what that individual does with the life that gives it value. The person who is loved has extraordinary value in the eyes of the lover. The person who is hated has very little value in the eyes of the hater. Life finds meaning and value in a number of ways, but most would agree that love is the defining quality that makes it all worth while. Even the Christian speaks of love as if they alone have the real corner market on the emotion.

So where am I going with this?

Jesus hates most of the world. While claiming to having infinite love for all, the Bible is emphatic on explaining that those who grow up and live in non-Christian cultures, or in areas where the gospel has not penetrated, or lived in history before Christianity either existed or had been brought to them, or have been converted to a heretical version of Christianity, or just don't have the capacity to believe in it, and so on and so on and so on, are going to be tortured for all eternity while God and the angels look on smiling. God, the angels and even the human inhabitants of heaven would have to be happy about all those billions in hell, because there is no sadness in heaven, it is not allowed. Picture this: Here I am in heaven while my wife whom I loved as much as my own life and my only son are burning in agony forever in hell. Somehow this makes me really happy, because it is God's will for me to be happy. After all, I asked Jesus in my heart in life and though I prayed daily for my family, they did not believe, so..........

While I may live forever in heaven, my life there is valueless. I am there because I made a pact with a monster. I may go on forever, but I am happy and joyful in the presence of the same one who is torturing those I love. Forget all the bologna about my family choosing their fate by not believing. God says he loves us unconditionally. Unconditionally means unconditionally. Apparently there are conditions on His love and that condition is for you to obey His instructions or be tortured. And why is he torturing them? Just because they couldn't or didn't believe a bunch of stupid religious rhetoric and say the magic formula of (A): admit you are a sinner, (B): believe that Christ rose from the dead, and (C): confess with your mouth that Jesus is LORD, or some other silly formulated bullshit.

We humans are uncomfortable with our mortality and try to find someway, any way, to deny the reality that we will someday die and disappear. We are dust in the wind, tis true, but just going on and on forever does not make our lives any more worthwhile. In fact, really accepting that we only have a short time to live might actually encourage some of us to get off our butts and make the most of the lives we have.

Death is a part of life. None of us want to go there, but we will. Before I was born, I did not exist. I suppose one could say that I was not alive before I was born. When I die, I will return to the same status I had previous to my life - I will not be alive. From what I remember of being "not alive," it was not unpleasant or the slightest bit inconvenient. From a non-religious perspective, death is not something to be overly afraid of. Death is simply the way of nature. It is a part of evolution and change.

In the Christian view, death is something to fear greatly. If you don't get the right religion, and even the right version of the right religion, you have the very real threat of eternal damnation.

In so many ways, losing Christ has been the most freeing and encouraging thing that ever happened to me.

Credit: pagan-space.blogspot.com

Whatever Happened To Thanatos

Many pagans and magicians these days are used to invoking the lovely deities of love and sex, Eros, Aphrodite and the like, but how many have tried to invoke Thanatos?Firstly, who is Thanatos?In Greek mythology, Thanatos was the personification of Death, often seen either as an angel, who came to take mortals from their earthly existence, or he was seen as a cold hearted deity who cared not about men, but simply sought the death of mortal men. Thanatos was the son of Nyx (night) and Erebos (darkness). Thanatos was also originally associated with Hermes, and may have been at one point a part of Hermes. There are many tales of his exploits, and whether he is the cold hearted "grim reaper" or simply the angel of death that comes to deliver men from their suffering has probably been hotly debated. Either way, Thanatos is the personificatiom of death, in the same way Eros can be seen as the personification of sex.Thanatos in Pop CutureGone, but not forgotten! Thanatos has appeared in many role playing games, and other media (film, tv, comics/animation) often as the grim reaper, or the angel of death. Most recently he has been portrayed as the powerful force that cannot be escaped in the "Final Destination" series of films.Invocation of ThanatosThere are very few references that I could find from actual magical working, ironically, the first reference I came to when doing a google search on the invocation of Thanatos was in an RPG game! There are however some sources which can be found below. This is my next magical project, to invoke Thanatos.Sources/ReferencesWikipediaKenneth Anger Blog (mentions Thanatos)Invocations:At a Samhain ritualWitch Cult of Zos vel Thanatos

What Are The Sources Of Anti Semitism

In general, people feel more comfortable with similarities than they do with differences. People who refuse to accept the norms and ways of their neighbors are often rejected by those neighbors. Throughout history the Jews adhered to their beliefs and way of life even in the face of persecution, and many felt resentful or threatened by the Jews' refusal to conform to the practices of the larger society. Jewish identity can be traced all the way back to Abraham, who rejected the idolatry of his fellow Mesopotamians in favor of monotheism, the belief in one God. The Hebrew slaves in Egypt maintained that monotheistic difference from their polytheistic (i.e., multiple-god worshipping) Egyptian masters up until Moses led the Hebrew exodus from slavery to freedom, as celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Passover. In Persia, a Jew named Mordechai rejected Prime Minister Haman's order for all subjects to bow down to him, refusing to bow down to anyone but God, as celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Purim. When the land of Israel was ruled bythe empirAlexander the Great, a band of Jews rebelled against the forced imposition of Greek religion and culture, as celebrated in the Jewish holiday of Chanukah. Later, when Jews refused to obey the anti-Jewish rules of the Roman Empire, the Roman army destroyed the Second Temple in Jerusalem, slaughtered thousands of Jews, and banished most of the survivors to live in exile, as commemorated by the Jewish holiday of Tisha B'av. As this list demonstrates, not only haveJews been singled out for thousands of years, but Judaism actually celebrates and commemorates its historical challenges. For the last 2000 years, Jews have refused to accept Jesus as the messiah. Couple that refusal with the traditional accusation that Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus and the result has been centuries of Christian European anti-Semitism. In the Muslim world, Jewish refusal to accept Mohammed as a prophet of God has resulted in Jews (along with Christians) being considered as dhimmis (second-class citizens), with fewer rights and privileges than their Muslim neighbors. This coupled with the existence of Israel has resulted in decades of rising and ever-more virulent anti-Semitism across the Arab and Muslim worlds.Subscribe to IsraelNJudaism, get the new posts everyday.http://israelnjudaism.blogspot.com

Can We Really Learn To Love People Who Arent Like Us

"Decent on the ball and humane article by Jonathan Sacks. I think that people intend Michael Secret, and Stephen Jay Gould, on the atheist/agnostic front would be the cover to subscribe to. Sacks sees the star of the "GOD FALSE IMPRESSION" books as addressing a blockage which people see with religions, but he sees also that the deep blockage is far deeper than that: "The real struggle, and it applies to worldly and devout likewise, is: can we love, not revulsion, the people not intend us?"

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article1906580.ece

From The TimesJune 9, 2007

CAN WE Genuinely Do faster TO Sensation Zip WHO AREN'T Ornamental US?

Jonathan Sacks: Ideas

The comic Alan Coren was told by his publisher that if he desired to cage a bestseller it neediness be about compete or pets. So he wrote a book called Golfing for Cats. In this day and age I scandal his publisher would contract him to wound religion. Non-belief sells.

Opening The End of Acknowledgment by Sam Harris was a accomplishment in the US. Next came Daniel Dennett's Rupture the Have space for, Richard Dawkins's The God False impression and A. C. Grayling's Not keen all Gods. And now Christopher Hitchens's God is not In height is high in the charts each one sides of the Atlantic.

Impart manipulate been, of course, approximately ecclesiastical ripostes, habitually that skepticism is itself a care and you can manipulate worldly fundamentalists as well as devout ones. This is fine if we exploit knockabout polemics, but if we are control, it's not good sufficient.

Impart is a story told about the 1st-century Jewish bookish Yochanan ben Zakkai. A Roman challenged him about a Jewish ritual. Straight-talking superstition, he thought. Not so, thought the rabbi, and gave him an respond that finished initiative in lexis of his questioner's beliefs. The Roman went pass packed. But the rabbi's disciples said: "YOU ANSWERED HIM. EQUALLY DRIVE YOU RESPOND US?"

That is the real ultimatum. Non-belief does not come from nowhere. Skepticism and iciness do; people trail off, religion ceases to inculcate, acquaint with are other bits and pieces to do. Non-belief is like. It is a form of protest. No matter which goes hardly vague in devout life, and people go through encouraged to cage books saying, necessarily, "NOT IN MY NAME". To the same degree that happens, mere apologetics is not sufficient. To the same degree the right mind is beyond, whatever thing secret the believer's spirit refuses to remain handy. "YOU ANSWERED HIM. EQUALLY DRIVE YOU RESPOND US?"

Secularisation, the extreme movement of the European tension that began in the 17th century, did not begin at the same time as people smoldering believing in God. The movement's learned heroes, Newton and Descartes, supposed in God very a lot trusty.

Equally they lost care in was the post of devout people to board peaceably together. Catholics and Protestants had been conflict one different agilely Europe in what Hobbes called "THE WAR OF EVERY MAN ON TOP OF EVERY MAN". Impart had to be different way. So, cover science, then philosophy, politics and culture were rebuilt on foundations that did not depend on belief or standard but somewhat on march and regard, pencil case and work out.

As then, so now. Sunni and Shia fight in the Hub East, as do Muslims and Hindus in Kashmir, Buddhists and Hindus in Sri Lanka, and Muslims and Jews in Israel. Two bits and pieces manipulate happened in our postmodern, postCold War constellation. Theology, normally as the exterior clothing of mores, has returned to the following take. And religions docile do not know how to board together in sequence.

In one initiative, then, we manipulate been acquaint with sooner than. But in different, we haven't. That's not cleanly at the same time as our powers of ending manipulate strong-smelling, but at the same time as total communications equipment income that wear out where can be publicize somewhere. Battles time fought thousands of miles pass are transmitted just about the world, creating tensions in researcher campuses, charities and churches, polarising pause, wrecking friendships and separating societies.

That's formerly people start draft books about skepticism and they become bestsellers. For the extreme violence of religion is that it creates communities, and its extreme penchant is that it divides communities. The two go hand in hand. For every "US" acquaint with is a "THEM", and the stronger the togetherness within, the deeper the separation short. Equally binds the same separates. It increasingly did.

The real struggle, and it applies to worldly and devout likewise, is: can we love, not revulsion, the people not intend us? We are tribal plants. We are hardwired for wear out. Sociobiologists drop a dime on this genetic coding, Christians, home-grown sin, Jews, the evil keenness. The belief that unites us is that determination is not the pure word. Cold genes can start magnanimous people. Is that marvel or mere chance? Keen designer or canopy watchmaker? That is an perilous ultimatum. But the direct one is: can we, believer and nonbeliever, secure hands to become agents for sequence on top of family who endeavor to globalise war?

RABBI SIR JONATHAN SACKS IS THE Clue RABBI OF THE Affiliated HEBREW CONGREGATIONS OF THE COMMONWEALTH

The Devil Elect

"Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil"?"- The Gospel of John 6: 70

The drama around the Last Supper details a Great Mystery, because here we see the cosmic necessity for the Devil, as the one who affirms the design. The role of Devil can be one given according to Fate's dictate or being caused by one being appointed to uphold this dignity. In all instances, the Devil is the one who marks the outer limits of possibility, the contraction of the worlds in pain or delight as it affirms beauty and bliss. In its more profane activities, the appointed Devil is merely perceived as a troublemaker, a nuance, a slanderer, a liar - a wayward son of Mercury by all measure. Still, by being appointed as the Devil a tension is established that affirms the agenda of him or her who has appointed their accuser - the accuser will then affirm the truth and the lie by mere existence.

Commonly 'devil' and 'demon' are used interchangeable, but it is important to make a distinction here. If we follow the earliest Greek transcript of the Holy Bible, the Vatican Manuscript no 1209, also known as the Emphatic Diaglott it is interesting to note that in the Gospel of John chapter 6 where Jesus appoints Judas to be his devil the original Greek word is diabolos. In other passages where KJV uses devil, such as throughout the 11th Chapter of the Gospel of Luke we find the Greek daimone/demon being used. In KJV this distinction is absent and devil is the translation both of diabolos and daimone. Diaglott makes clear to us that the chief of the demons is Baelzebubth/Baelzebub - and it was by the aid of Baelzebub that Jesus the Christ was accused of controlling the demonic host. There is no connection here with demons always being diabolos.

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Credit: wizard-notes.blogspot.com

The Call Of The Fox

For those of you who've been following my artistic journey, you know about my Trickster series. Paintings featuring Loki, Raven, and Fox. Fox... He's shown up in both paintings so far. And, now he's started to take over my decorating. As you can see from above, my household altar - the one with the candles always lit and all the daily goings on happening - used to be a Fortuna altar. Then I was given an owl. And then I found another owl. And a jade frog happened. And after a trip to the Big Red Dot...Fox. Finally. Fox has made his way to my household altar.

And my feet. Yes, those are Fox socks. (You can get those, as well, at the Big Red Dot.)

Conveniently available here

Available here

Fox shows up in my art, and he's got plans to show up in some more.

Now, I've never had a patron deity. I've never had anyone (should that be anyOne if I'm talking about gods?) express any kind of interest in me. Honestly, I've always thought all the talk of having deities call to you was more a way to say "I really like Deity X, and I would like to subscribe to their newsletter". But, I think it's time to admit that Fox might be saying Howdy.

Here's where the skeptical side of my head pops in. What, exactly, do I think is going on? Maybe I am just enjoying Fox iconography. Maybe my tastes are evolving to include fuzzy, red fur balls. Maybe there's an element of the traditional Trickster archetype that's speaking to me on a subconscious and spiritual level through the voice or face or whatnot of Fox.

And what does it say if the Trickster element is speaking to me right now? What does it say if cute, cuddly red dog-cousins are roaming my dreams? Who in the world knows... But, I think it's safe to say...

ARE YOU THERE, FOX? IT'S ME... FIRE LYTE.

I'd be interested in hearing about YOUR experiences with attention from an unexpected or unlikely deity. When have you felt a pull towards a specific God, Goddess, Spirit, Pantheon, etc.? How did you recognize that pull? Did the deity's images start popping up everywhere, or was it in dreams? Or, did you come home one day to find the Morrighan in your kitchen making paella?

Love and Lyte,

Fire Lyte

Credit: religion-events.blogspot.com