SUNDAY EDITORIAL

Every time we set out to do a project like this we have no idea were all the paths will lead, what we will find out or sometimes just where we will end up. Sometimes one path will lead to others and others. It has been an amazing journey.

We are sending e-mails across the miles—did you see this—I can’t believe—I never knew that. The notes and research that did not end up on the cutting floor, but were not included, were filed away and kept for references. LJG keeps everything I write, and I keep pages of documents that I only used one or two thoughts from. It was writing and rewriting, revising and then oops that was the wrong thing.

I have said this before but it bears repeating, keeping my personal feelings out of it, which was the biggest challenge to me. I would be writing something and knowing it did not line up with the Word of God, that it was only in man adding to it that view came about, that was hard.

Now to the really hard part, taking what we wrote and going back and showing you where it in fact does not line up. To prove that the Bible does not change, that it is man that adds to and deletes from it to twist it into what they would have man believe.

For that reason we will first trace the origins of the Bible. We will tell you why we use the Bible we use, and also show you some of the differences in some of the different Bible’s that are out there.

Once that is done we will take the Bible that we chose for this project and use it to show you where some of the teachings just flat do not line up.

I want to share a little story I tell sometimes about the Bible. It is a story I made up. It’s origins come from my heart.

Jesus had died and all of the original disciples and believers had also passed away. There was no one living who could say I was there when they crucified my Lord.

A group of men sat around a big table talking amongst themselves. No one outside this group knew of their meeting.

“What shall we do, I am losing to much money?” Said Ahaziah

“Well, if we don’t do something soon it will only get worst. There is a new group of these believers and they are bigger then the originals” interjected Japheth

Samuel spoke up, “I can sell no idols, and my family is suffering. I have lost more money since this all started.”

“There has be something we can do, people will always spend money on what they believe in. But these believers have no use for idols of stone, they have no need to pay anyone for what they say they can get free” this was spoken by Joseph.

“You speak of what you think, but there are ways, people especially these Israelites, look at their history they love their Lord and then they turn from Him, how much more so it will be to do to these believers”

They all turned to look at the one that sat there in his priestly robes. He certainly knew more of the history of the Israelites then any of them. Could he have a plan that would work? Could he get the people to turn back to the idols of old and put money back into their pockets?

Phillip spoke, “What do you think we can do to turn the people back to the old way, even the Jews would buy from us. How say you, can we turn them back to that”

He spoke again, and as he did they all wondered from where did he gather so much knowledge. “You do not take their beliefs from them”

They gasped, if they didn’t take their beliefs from them, then how could they make money from the people.

“You take the truth that they believe and you twist it to suit your needs, he said. You take their love of knowing the truth and you distort it in untruth. Let them believe in their Jesus, if anything lift Him higher then they do, but you take some things and add to their belief,” he said.

“How sir do you think this can be done?” Joseph asked.

“They are so tight in what they believe, they will only listen to those inside their own groups, and we are outsiders”. Korah said.

“Yes they are tight, and will not listen to unbelievers. They have to be tempted by what they cannot refuse,” the man spoke again.

“Okay but how?” Again they asked.

“Simply we give them what they do not have, their believes in writing, only we have learned scholars, rewrite their beliefs to include ways for us to make money.”

And with that they put a plan into action, to let the believers keep their belief in Jesus, but allow them to make money.

As I close for today we both pray that God will open your eyes to what you do not see, and give you more knowledge of that you are already aware of.

God Bless
rECj/LJG