Religion

     Prema povijesnim istrazivanjima Isus Krist nije rodjen u noci s 24. na 25. prosinac 1. godine prije Krista. Bozic koji slavimo tog datuma vjerojatno je samo simbolicno sjecanje na konkretni povijesni dogodjaj koji se odigrao nekog drugog datuma i neke druge godine. O cemu je zapravo rijec?
     Rani krscani uopce nisu slavili praznik rodjenja Isusa Krista. Za njih je puno vece znacenje imao njegov cin uskrsnuca. Zbog toga se praznik Bozica kao 25. prosinca po prvi put pojavio tek 354. poslije Krista u rimskom kalendaru Chronographus Anni. Poznato je kako se od davne proslosti 25-og prosinca slavio praznik Sol invictus (nepobjedivog sunca) i da se taj datum ujedno smatrao zimskim solsticijem. Krscanski Bozic je nedvojbeno zamijenio spomenuti praznik u nastojanju da se u krscanstvo kao globalnu religiju integriraju brojni vjernici pridosli sa svih strana. Radilo se, kako stvari stoje, o uspjesnom kompromisu s vec postojecim religijama i ukorijenjenim narodnim obicajima. U stvarnosti je bilo tesko moguce da se Isus rodio upravo na taj dan jer Luka u svom evandjelju spominje pastire koji su tada na otvorenom cuvali svoju stoku. To se nikako ne bi moglo odigrati 25. prosinca zbog prevelikih hladnoca u Judeji. Zimi je stoka bila zatvarana u torove i cekao se dolazak proljeca za njezino ponovno pustanje.
     I godina rodjenja Isusa Krista vise je nego upitna. Postojeca varijanta nastala je 525. godine kada je papa Ivan I naredio da se formulira kalendar crkvenih praznika. Istrazivanje koje je tada poduzeto oslonilo se na neprovjerene podatke, pa je i konacni odabir godine Isusovog rodjenja bio kriv. Vecina modernih povijesnicara rodjenje Isusa ogranicava na razdoblje do 4. godine prije Krista. Razlog tome je sto se uzima da upravo 4. godine prije Krista umire kralj Herod, za cijeg je zivota rodjen Isus. Opcenito gledajuci Matejeva i Lukina evandjelja doimlju se poprilicno neuskladjenim. Podaci koji se u njima navode o rodjenju Isusa su proturjecni, pa se ponekad moze pomisliti da ona biljeze dvije medjusobno razlicite mesijanske tradicije.
     U potrazi za relevantnim podacima o Isusovom rodjenju nalazimo da se u Matejevom evandjelju spominju tri maga koji su s Istoka dosli u Judeju potaknuti pojavom nepoznate zvijezde na nebu. Najpopularnija interpretacija te Isusove zvijezde je ona da se radi o trostrukoj konjunkciji Jupitera i Saturna u zvijezdju Riba 7. godine prije Krista. Nju je zabiljezio Kepler u 16. stoljecu i potaknuo stvaranje jedne velike mitologije.  O toj trostrukoj konjunkciji sirile su se svakojake netocne price. Jedna od njih je da su  Jupiter i Saturn prilikom zdruzivanja sjajili vrlo jakom svjetloscu. To jednostavno nije tocno jer su uvijek bili na razdaljini od dva lunarna dijametra. Ista takva, samo jos egzaktnija, trostruka konjunkcija Jupitera i Saturna zbila se unutar zvijezdja Riba 59 godina ranije. Premda je na nebu ostavila jos upecatljiviji dojam, ipak magovima s Istoka nije palo na pamet da krenu na put do Jeruzalema.
     Najzanimljivije astrolosko tumacenje rodjenja Isusa Krista dolazi  nam od muslimanskog astrologa Masa Alaha. U jednom od svojih djela on opisuje dolazak Krista kao pocetak jednog vaznog razdoblja svjetske povijesti. On se nije upustio u izracunavanje tocnog Isusovog rodjenja, ali je zato nagovjestaj dolaska Krista sveo na tri konkretne astroloske situacije. Po njemu izuzetno su vazni proljetni ekvinocij prije konjunkcije Jupitera i Saturna 46. godine prije Krista, koji je oznacio stvaranje Krista, proljetni ekvinocij prije konjunkcije Jupitera i Saturna 26. godine prije Krista, koji je oznacio konkretnu Kristovu osobnost, te proljetni ekvinocij za 12. godinu prije Krista, koji je oznacio Isusovo rodjenje. Ostaje nejasnim zasto nije ostao dosljednim i za rodjenje Isusa uzeo proljetni ekvinocij neposredno prije konjunkcije Jupitera i Saturna godine 7. prije Krista. 
     Po staroj zidovskoj tradiciji Mesiju nagovjestva njegova zvijezda na nebu nakon cega treba pricekati dvije godine do njegovog konkretnog fizickog rodjenja. Ukoliko uzmemo da je proljetni ekvinocij 7. godine prije Krista najavio Isusov dolazak, onda postaje normalni potraziti njegovo rodjenje u Betlehemu tijekom 5. godine prije Krista. Kineski astronomi biljeze tijekom 5. godine prije Krista nebesku pojavu u podrucju zvijezdja Jarca, najvjerojatnije kometu koju su promatrali 70 dana. Djeluje logicnim da su magi nakon dvije godina cekanja uocili novi znak i zaputili se prema Judeji. Po kineskim zapisima kometa se pojavila izmedju 9. ozujka i 6. travnja, pa bi u tom razdoblju trebali potraziti i aktuelno rodjenje Isusa. Nakon sto su dosli do Heroda on ih pita kada su uocili Kristovu zvijezdu, na sto mu oni spominju najavu iz 7. godine prije Krista, najavu od prije dvije godine. Herod zbog toga naredjuje pokolj sve djece rodjene unutar te dvije godine.
     Da li je moguce odrediti i tocan dan Isusovog rodjenja? Sigurno da nije, ali postujuci karte koje nam donosi Masa Alah u kojima se inzistira na proljetnim ekvinocijima i prvim stupnjevima kardinalnih znakova koji se izdizu na ascendentu, mogli bi pretpostaviti da slicna situacija treba vrijediti i za konkretno Isusovo rodjenje. Za vrijeme pojavljivanja komete koju biljeze Kinezi dogodio se i proljetni ekvinocij, pa bi mozda bilo zgodno taj dan odabrati kao kljucni. Tim vise sto se tada na nebu dogodilo i pomracenje mjeseca, sto se lijepo poklapa sa Isusovom smrcu na krizu, kada tijekom dana nastaje mrak, to jest iz Judeje se vidi potpuno pomracenje sunca. Isus bi tako bio rodjen za vrijeme pomracenja mjeseca, dok bi umro pri pomracenju sunca
     Uz ovogodisnji Bozic veze se i vrlo zanimljiva koincidencija. Naime, posljednji Bozic ovoga milenija ispratit cemo uz pomracenje sunca koje ce se vidjeti s prostora Amerike. Gotovo da ne pamtimo kada se dogodila slicna situacija. Unutar astrologije pomracenja sunca oduvijek se vezu uz znacajne promjene na nivou citavog svijeta. Stapanje njihove simbolike s praznikom katolickog Bozica mozda najavljuje  neka vazna duhovna previranja koja nas mogu ocekivati u nadolazecim vremenima. Biti ce zanimljivo pratiti koju ce ulogu pri tome odigrati zvanicni Vatikan.

Angels are everywhere in today's society. They are depicted frequently in television shows, movies and books. They are pinned to our lapels and hang from our rear-view mirrors. They are traditionally viewed as "guardians" that protect our homes and children. But what is myth and what is reality? Where do angels come from?

Angels: Servants of God

Angels are servants of God that help carry out His commands. Angels are real spiritual beings that are documented throughout the Bible. They are documented in both the Old and New Testaments. While God's angels carry out His commands, the Bible also tells us that there is a supreme, fallen angel who is against God (Matthew 25:41) and other angels that are evil and face God's punishment (Jude 1:6). Angels are also messengers of God. For example, after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb, "the angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified'" (Matthew 28:5). The physical descriptions of angels have also been documented in the Bible and history: "His appearance was like lightening, and his clothes were white as snow" (Matthew 28:3). "I looked up and there before me was a man dressed in linen, with a belt of the finest gold around his waist. His body was like Chrysolite, his face like lightening, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and his voice like the sound of multitude" (Daniel 10:5,6). The Bible also describes angels with wings that can fly. "Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two wings they covered their feet and with two they were flying" (Isaiah 6:2).

Angels: Do they really exist?

Actual accounts of angels have been witnessed and recorded by many people throughout the Bible. Beginning in Genesis 16:7, "The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert…and he said; 'Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?'" Again, in Genesis 22:11, an angel communicates with Abraham, "But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, Abraham! Abraham!" Angels continue to appear throughout the entire Bible, ending with the last book, Revelation. "Then the angel said to me, 'Write: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the lamb!' and he added, 'These are the true words of God'" (Revelation19:9).

Angels: What are their Powers and Authority?

Angels communicate messages of God to His people. Angels also have powers to perform works for God that are beyond the ability of humans. "But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out" (Acts 5:19). "There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it" (Matthew 28:2). Angels have the power to minister to God's people. "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14). As we can observe, the powers of angels are to minister and serve God. Angels, like people, are to worship God, not replace Him. "And they were calling to one another: 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory'" (Isaiah 6:3). In addition, God calls on the angels to worship His Son, Jesus. "…Let all God's angels worship Him" (Hebrews 1:6). The Bible tells us specifically to worship God and not angels. "At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, 'Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God!'" Revelation 19:10

Angels: A Blessing From God

Angels are depicted in many ways throughout popular culture. They are identified as chubby babies with little wings, beautiful women with feathered wings, and men of military strength with flowing robes of white. We have just seen that the reality of angels is grounded in the Bible. Although angels take on different visual representations, missions and powers, the one constant is that angels are a blessing from God that He uses to communicate, protect and minister to you with His power.

A definition of sin is doing what is wrong or not doing what is right according to God's rules (1 John 3:4). If God says "Do not lie" and you lie, then you have sinned. If God says "Do not steal" and you steal, then you have sinned. According to God, sin separates you from Him (Isaiah 59:2).

The Bible says, "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools. . ." (Romans 1:18-22).

God has a moral law and has given every man a conscience. The conscience acts to accuse or excuse us, compelling us to remain within the bounds of God's moral standards of conduct. Nevertheless, the conscience, much like a human muscle, though it remains strong if exercised, it atrophies with disuse. At one point, while morality still exists, one no longer feels constrained by it. After continually ignoring the urging of the conscience for a period of time, the conscience no longer functions as it should.

Definition of Sin - What are God's rules?

If a definition of sin is breaking God's rules, then what are His rules? What are God's moral standards of conduct? There are ten basic rules:

1. "I am the LORD your God. . .You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:2-3).

God - your Creator - commands that He be the focal point of your affection. If you love your life, possessions, spouse, children, or vocation more than your Father in heaven, you love the gift more than the Giver.

2. "You shall not make for yourself a graven image" (Exodus 20:4).

You shall not make a god that suits yourself, either with your hands or your mind. One might say, "My god is not a god of wrath and judgment, my god is a god of love and mercy. He would never create hell." Well, that person has shaped a god to suit his sins. That's called idolatry.

3. "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain" (Exodus 20:7).

You shall not use God's name as a curse word, or use it lightly, or fail to give it honor. When a man or woman uses God's name to curse, they are taking His name and substituting it in place of a four-letter filth word to express disgust. They equate God's name with that filth word. That's called blasphemy.

4. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8).

The Bible says, "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God." Most people break this law once every seven days. It doesn't matter which day you choose. The Bible says one man esteems one day, someone else another day. It's a matter of conscience, not a matter of legalism.

5. "Honor your father and your mother" (Exodus 20:12).

God doesn't command us to honor our parents because they deserve it. We're all sinners. We are to honor them out of obedience to God.

To find the origin of Lucifer, we turn to the Old Testament. In the Hebrew, the name Lucifer is translated from the Hebrew word "helel," which means brightness. This designation, referring to Lucifer, is the rendering of the "morning star" or "star of the morning" or "bright star" which is presented in Isaiah. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High’" (Isaiah 14:12-14, NIV).

The context of this passage is a referral to the king of Babylon as presented in his pride, splendor and fall. However, it is to the power behind the evil Babylonian king that this is actually addressed. No mortal king would claim that his throne was above that of God or that he was like the Most High. The power behind the evil Babylonian king is Lucifer, Son of the Morning.

Story of Lucifer – His History

Lucifer is just another name for Satan, who as head of the evil world-system is the real, though invisible, power behind the successive rulers of Tyre, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and all of those evil rulers that we have seen come and go in the history of the world. This passage goes beyond human history and marks the beginning of sin in the universe and the very fall of Satan in the pristine, sinless spheres before the creation of man.

We also see this same motif in Ezekial: "Moreover the word of the LORD came to me: Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald; and worked in gold were your settings and your engravings. On the day that you were created they were prepared. With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the stones of fire. You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created, until iniquity was found in you. In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned; so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God, and the guardian cherub drove you out from among the stones of fire. Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings, to feast their eyes on you. By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trade, you profaned your sanctuaries. So I brought out fire from within you; it consumed you, and I turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all who saw you. All who know you among the peoples are appalled at you; you have come to a dreadful end and shall be no more forever" (Ezekiel 28:11-19, NIV).

This passage seems to be addressed to the "king of Tyre." In reality, it goes beyond the king to the one who is behind the evil king of Tyre. This passage also has near and far prophecy about Lucifer/Satan because although his final end is already sure, it has not happened yet and it occurs after the final judgment (Revelation 20:7-10). In both the Isaiah passage and the Ezekiel passage, the representation is not of Lucifer/Satan as confined to his own person but his working in and the consummating of his plans through earthly kings and rulers who take to themselves divine honors and who, whether they actually know this or not, rule in the spirit and under the aims of Satan. "For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, NIV). Satan is the principality behind the powers of this corrupt world system.

Notice the statement that is given in the passage in Ezekiel, "the anointed cherub." These statements could never apply to a human king but, they do apply to Lucifer/Satan who is behind the human king. This angel is the highest creature the LORD ever created. The LORD says of him, "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty." Satan was the wisest creature God ever created. No other angel, no other being was created with the intelligence that God gave to this creature. God says that this creation is "perfect in beauty." Apart from the Holy Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, this creature is today the highest being.

In verse Ezekiel 28:14 it says, "You were the anointed Cherub." This tells us we are not talking about a human king. The word cherub is singular for cherubim. The cherubim are symbolic of God's Holy presence and His unapproachable majesty. These cherubim occupy a unique position. The "anointed cherub who covers" is the picture given to us in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had been sent out and God had placed cherubim to guard the way of the tree of life. Also, when Moses made the mercy seat and placed it into the tabernacle's Holy of Holies, God's glory came and dwelt between the cherubim. They "covered" the mercy seat with their wings. So we now see that Satan was a cherub and his position was to guard the very throne of God. His position was that of protecting the holiness of God. Satan had the highest of all positions, a position which he despised and lost. We have here in Ezekiel a picture of the highest of God's creatures, perfect in wisdom, beautiful beyond description, a musician and on top of all that, he was given this high, exalted position. But, this creation, with all of these wonderful attributes also had a free will. One day, God says to this marvelous creature, "Iniquity was found in you."

Story of Lucifer – His Status

What kind of iniquity was found of him? In the book of Ezekiel, God has let us stand with Him at the very beginning, to see the origin and the creation of Satan. But, why does God say this? What is this iniquity? We must look back to Isaiah 14:12, which tells us of Lucifer/Satan's choice. "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of assembly on the heights of Zaphon; I will ascend to the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High." Did you notice in this passage all of the "I wills. " He said he would exalt his throne above the stars of God. The word "stars" here does not refer to what we see in the night sky. It refers to the angels of God. In other words, "I will take over heaven, I will be God." That is Lucifer/Satan's sin and that is the iniquity that was found in him. He does not want to be God's servant. He does not want to do what he was created to do. He wants to be served and there are millions who have chosen to do just that; serve him. They have listened to his lies and chosen to follow him. Eve believed the lie that she would be like God. The reason Lucifer/Satan tempted her with that was because it is the very thing that he wants -- to be God.

Fallen angels are followers of Satan. However, they didn't begin as his followers. They were God's created spiritual beings who were meant to serve Him and act as messengers to His people. As with humans, fallen angels were given free will. Their choice led them to their fall from heaven and God's grace.

Just as Christians take on the nature of their leader, who is Christ, the fallen angels have taken on the nature of their leader. Satan is known by many names that are used to describe different aspects of his character. The name Satan means "accuser." He is also called Beelzebub (lord of flies), devil, the dragon, serpent, tempter, Lucifer, and the father of lies (Revelation12:9 and 20:2).

God created Satan as one of Heaven's most beautiful angels. Lucifer means "light-bearer" and was referred to as the "morning star." However, the devil was jealous and rebelled against God. Isaiah 14:12 says, "How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!" The devil's prideful revolt and greed for power turned him into a self-proclaimed enemy of God. He wanted to replace God in every way. Regardless of what name he is called, he is not on equal footing with God.

So Lucifer was cast down from heaven to earth, and some of the angels followed him by resisting God's omniscient power and authority. Revelation 12:7-8 says, "And there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven."

Satan, with his army of fallen angels and demons, are determined to corrupt and destroy all that is good and godly. We are warned, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8). But God gives us authority over the evil of this enemy as Jesus tells us in Luke 10:19-20.

All created beings have two choices, to accept this authority over the evil enemy or to follow Satan into "everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41).

Aztec gods and goddesses are numerous. There was a god for almost every purpose and aspect of life in the Aztec culture. Religion was a very important part of the civilization and it was woven into their daily practices, beliefs, ceremonies, and dress. Many sources list more than a hundred different gods or goddesses, while others list dozens more.

Aztec gods – The role of gods

Aztec rulers were considered to be the embodiment of their gods and were thought to know the disposition and will of the Aztec gods. Among the many, their three main gods were Huitzilopochtli, Tlaloc, and Tezcatlipoca. Huitzilopochtli, as with others, could only be appeased by the blood of human sacrifice. His great temple was on atop the pyramid in Tenochtitlan.

Victims (many captured in battle) were beheaded and the heads were displayed as trophies on what is called a great rack or wall. Others sacrificed thought it a great honor and volunteered. It is thought that more than 20,000 were ritualistically killed in a 4 day celebration of the temple’s completion.

Other gods and goddesses include:

    * Atlacoya -- goddess of drought
    * Chiconahui – a domestic fertility goddess
    * Citlalicue – a creator of the stars
    * Cipactonal – god of astrology, sorcery (witchcraft)
    * Oxomoco – goddess of astrology
    * Xochiquezal – goddess of female sexuality, prostitutes, pleasure
    * Patecatl – god of healing and creator of peyote (a hallucinogenic)

Tezcatlipoca was the god of darkness, deceit, and sorcery. Much of the Aztec beliefs and religion were centered on the dark side. Their pagan practices led them into what are actually satanic rituals and customs.

Aztec gods – The comparison

Unlike the God of Judaism and Christianity, who is a God of love, grace and redemption, many Aztec gods were about brutal violence and war. Also in contrast to Aztec gods, the Christian God created all things and saw the need for a one-time only sacrifice.

Because all have sinned (through original sin in the Garden of Eden), God came to earth in the human form of His Son, Jesus Christ. He was the sacrificial Lamb, atoning for the sins of the whole human race. Through His sacrifice, we all are offered this free gift if we turn away from our dark pagan ways; we can reap the promise of spending eternity with the sole deity who created and controls all that the Aztecs thought their gods did. Below, view a few of the biblical verses that address some of the Aztec beliefs and the Christian counterpoints.

    * Genesis 1 (creation of all things, stars, water, wind, etc.)
    * Jeremiah 17:8 (drought)
    * Isaiah 47:8-15, Galatians 5:19-21 (sorcery and astrology)
    * Proverbs 6:25-26, 1 Corinthians 6:9, 18 (sexual pleasure, prostitutes)
    * Matthew 4:23 and Luke 9:11 (healing)

The origin of religion can generally be traced to the ancient Near East and classified in three basic categories: polytheistic, pantheistic and monotheistic. Atheism is really a modern belief that resulted from the "Enlightenment" period of the 18th century.

Origin of Religion - Polytheism

The origin of religion and polytheistic systems: Polytheism (a belief in many gods) is thought to have originated with Hinduism in about 2500 BC. Hindu beliefs were recorded in the Bhagavad Gita, which revealed that many gods were subject to a supreme Brahman god. Polytheism was also the religion of many other ancient cultures, including Assyria, Babylonia, Egypt, Greece and Rome. The ancient polytheistic belief systems viewed gods as being in control of all natural events such as rainfall, harvests and fertility. Generally, polytheistic cultures believed in sacrifices to appease their gods. For instance, the Canaanites sacrificed to the male god, Baal, and his female counterpart, Ashteroth. Baal controlled the rain and the harvest, while Ashteroth controlled fertility and reproduction. The Greeks and Romans developed polytheism to a highly structured pantheon of gods and goddesses.

Origin of Religion - Pantheism

The origin of religions and pantheistic systems: Pantheism (a belief that all is God) prevailed in numerous ancient cultures. The belief that the universe itself was divine was typified in the Animism beliefs of the African and American Indian cultures, the later Egyptian religion under the Pharoahs, and Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism in the cultures of the Far East. Pantheistic beliefs are also finding resurgence among various New Age movements. Generally, pantheism is the principle that god is everything, and everything is god. Therefore, nature is also part of god. We must be in harmony with nature. We must nurture it and be nurtured by it. Mankind is no different than any other animal. We must live in harmony with them, understand them, and learn from them, focusing on the relationship between mankind and the elements of nature.

Origin of Religion - Monotheism

The origin of religion and monotheistic systems: Monotheism (a belief in one God) is the foundation of the Judeo-christian-muslim line of religions, which began with a man named Abraham in about 2000 BC. From this point in history, God began revealing Himself to the world through the nation of Israel. The Jewish Scriptures record the journey of the Israelites from slaves in Egypt to the "promised land" in Canaan under the leadership of Moses. During a period of about 1500 years, God revealed what became the Old Testament of the Bible, relating the history of Israel with the character and laws of God. During the period of the Roman Empire, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem as the long-awaited Messiah. The ministry of Jesus ended in about 32 AD with His crucifixion and resurrection. After Christ's ascension into heaven, the Christian church grew in His name and the New Testament was written. About 600 years later, Muhammad began preaching in Mecca. Muhammad believed he was the ultimate prophet of God, and his teachings became the precepts of Islam as recorded in the Qur'an.

Origin of Religion - Important Dates in History:

    * c. 2000 BC: Time of Abraham, the patriarch of Israel.
    * c. 1200 BC: Time of Moses, the Hebrew leader of the Exodus.
    * c. 1100 - 500 BC: Hindus compile their holy texts, the Vedas.
    * c. 563 - 483 BC: Time of Buddha, founder of Buddhism.
    * c. 551 - 479 BC: Time of Confucius, founder of Confucianism.
    * c. 200 BC: The Hindu book, Bhagavad Gita, is written.
    * c. 2 to 4 BC - 32 AD: Time of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and founder of Christianity.
    * c. 32 AD: The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
    * c. 40 - 90 AD: The New Testament is written by the followers of Jesus Christ.
    * c. 570 - 632 AD: Time of Muhammad, who records the Qur'an as the basis of Islam.