URI:
   DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       <
       form action=&amp
       ;amp;amp;quot;https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; method=&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;p
       ost&
       quot; target=&am
       p;amp;amp;quot;_top&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;input type=&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hidden&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; name=&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;cmd&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; value=&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot
       ;_s-xclick&a
       mp;amp;quot;&amp
       ;amp;amp;gt; &am
       p;amp;amp;lt;input type=&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hidden&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; name=&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;hosted_button_id&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; val
       ue=&
       quot;DKL7ADEKRVUBL&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;input type=&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;image&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; src=&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;https://www.payp
       alobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; border=&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;0&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; nam
       e=&q
       uot;submit&a
       mp;amp;quot; alt=&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;quot;PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!
       &quo
       t;&g
       t; &
       lt;img alt=&
       amp;amp;quot;&am
       p;amp;amp;quot; border=&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;0&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; src=&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;https://www.paypalobjects.com
       /en_US/i/scr/pixel.gif&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; width=&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;1&a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; height=&amp
       ;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;1&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;&am
       p;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &a
       mp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/form&
       amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
  HTML https://3169.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Christian Theology
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 33562--------------------------------------------------
       The Star of Bethlehem
       By: patrick jane Date: July 18, 2021, 12:28 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       The Star of Bethlehem
       1 hour
  HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exmbuX1NffU
  HTML https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_Bethlehem
       Attorney Frederick Larson examined the biblical account in the
       Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2[59] and found the following nine
       qualities of Bethlehem's Star:[60][61] It signified birth, it
       signified kingship, it was related to the Jewish nation, and it
       rose "in the East";[62] King Herod had not been aware of it;[63]
       it appeared at an exact time;[64] it endured over time;[65] and,
       according to Matthew,[66] it was in front of the Magi when they
       traveled south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and then stopped
       over Bethlehem.[67]
       Using the Starry Night astronomy software, and an article[68]
       written by astronomer Craig Chester[69] based on the work of
       archeologist and historian Ernest Martin,[70][71] Larson thinks
       all nine characteristics of the Star of Bethlehem are found in
       events that took place in the skies of 3–2 BC.[61][72]
       Highlights[73] include a triple conjunction of Jupiter, called
       the king planet, with the fixed star Regulus, called the king
       star, starting in September 3 BC.[74][75] Larson believes that
       may be the time of Jesus' conception.[72]
       By June of 2 BC, nine months later, the human gestation
       period,[76] Jupiter had continued moving in its orbit around the
       sun and appeared in close conjunction with Venus[75] in June of
       2 BC.[77] In Hebrew Jupiter is called "Sedeq", meaning
       "righteousness", a term also used for the Messiah, and suggested
       that because the planet Venus represents love and fertility, so
       Chester had suggested astrologers would have viewed the close
       conjunction of Jupiter and Venus as indicating a coming new king
       of Israel, and Herod would have taken them seriously.[70]
       Astronomer Dave Reneke independently found the June 2 BC
       planetary conjunction, and noted it would have appeared as a
       "bright beacon of light".[78] According to Chester, the disks of
       Jupiter and Venus would have appeared to touch[68] and there has
       not been as close a Venus-Jupiter conjunction since then.[70]
       Jupiter next continued to move and then stopped in its apparent
       retrograde motion on December 25 of 2 BC over the town of
       Bethlehem.[75] Since planets in their orbits have a "stationary
       point",[68][70] a planet moves eastward through the stars but,
       "As it approaches the opposite point in the sky from the sun, it
       appears to slow, come to a full stop, and move backward
       (westward) through the sky for some weeks. Again it slows,
       stops, and resumes its eastward course," said Chester.[68] The
       date of December 25 that Jupiter appeared to stop while in
       retrograde took place in the season of Hanukkah,[68] and is the
       date later chosen to celebrate Christmas
       #Post#: 35728--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Star of Bethlehem
       By: patrick jane Date: November 16, 2021, 4:25 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       It’s an astronomical mystery. A strange star is claimed to have
       appeared at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. This site is an
       investigation of the story found in the Biblical Gospel of
       Matthew, a story often called the ‘Star of Bethlehem.’ It brings
       the words of Roman and Jewish historians alongside the visions
       of ancient prophets. It mixes “modern” mathematicians with
       murderous turmoil in the Roman imperial court. It combines all
       these with astronomical facts which no one disputes. And it
       concludes that the star was a real event. Come solve this
       age-old mystery for yourself…
       Part 1: Setting the Stage
       JOHANNES KEPLER paved the way for rediscovery of the Star. He
       puzzled out the math which drives the heavens. He even used his
       formulae to search for the Star we seek. But unlike we, Kepler
       had no computer. With software incorporating Kepler’s equations,
       we can animate ancient skies over the Mid East with great
       precision. When we do that, the sky comes alive…
       THE BIBLE blasts worship of the stars. It even declares the
       death penalty for star-abuse! So, by seeking the Star of
       Bethlehem, are we doing something the Bible itself forbids?
       Actually, the Bible encourages attention to the stars, but only
       attention of a very specific type…
       NEARLY EVERYTHING in the sky has been proposed as the Star of
       Bethlehem at one time or another. Why? Because investigators
       often grant surprisingly little regard to clues found in the
       Bible. But, a close reading of the Book of Matthew uncovers nine
       specific features of the Star. These qualifications become
       primary tools in our investigation…
       THE NINE CHARACTERISTICS of the Star eliminate most celestial
       objects as candidates. They just don’t measure up. We quickly
       see what the Star cannot have been. These ancient clues narrow
       our search dramatically and yield an hypothesis we can test…
       Part 2: The Starry Dance
       OUR INVESTIGATION KNOCKS OUT most celestial objects as
       candidates for the Star. But there is one class of stars that
       might still match the rigorous tests we’ve extracted from the
       Book of Matthew: “wandering stars.” That will be our hypothesis…
       THE BOOK OF REVELATION is a puzzle. An enchanting puzzle, to be
       sure. And a tantalizing puzzle to one conducting an astronomical
       investigation, because John’s book is full of star imagery.
       While some of John’s vision is enigmatic, some of what he writes
       unfolds to us with the help of Kepler’s Laws…
       HUNDREDS OF PLANETARIA worldwide present “Star of Bethlehem”
       Christmas shows. Most don’t feel comfortable using the Bible as
       the center of their performances, so they miss much of what we
       are finding. But one celestial event they nearly always include
       is a show stopper from an astronomer’s perspective. The
       brightest event of our Magus’ career occurred in 2 BC…
       CAN A STAR STOP? Can and did. In the Southern sky, over the
       little town of Bethlehem…
       Explore Part 2: The Starry Dance
       Part 3: The Day of the Cross
       SOME ARE OBVIOUS, SOME OBSCURE. But there are many clues to the
       date of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth: violent Roman
       history, the Jewish calendar, startling ancient prophecies, a
       somber night sky. Each adds data for our investigation. We can
       deduce an important clue from the gospel records: Jesus must
       have died in a year when the 14th day of the Jewish month of
       Nisan fell on a Friday…
       IT WAS DANGEROUS to be Roman if you knew the wrong people.
       Tiberius Caesar ruled the Empire during the time of Christ. He
       was not a hesitant or forgiving man. A plot to take his throne
       was discovered—the plot bathed Italy in blood—and it appears to
       have had a role in the execution of Jesus…
       FAR FROM JERUSALEM a Jewish exile remained true. True to his
       people. True to his god. True to the land of his birth. The
       Bible records his mysterious vision: an angel speaking of the
       death of Messiah. And this vision, which at first seems obscure,
       can be gently pressed to reveal secrets—the timing of an
       execution to occur centuries later…
       PETER WAS UP–it was time to speak. He had to address the rowdy
       crowd. A strange scene was unfolding. It was less than two
       months after the crucifixion. Worshipers from dozens of nations
       were in Jerusalem for a Jewish holiday. Suddenly, the disciples
       of Jesus began praising God, but in out-of-towners’ languages!
       Peter stood, and he used the sky as he explained…
       STARS ARE ANCHORS for historians. Scholars dance when ancient
       texts describe the sky. The heavens are so predictable that a
       description of the sky in a text often enables precise dating of
       ancient events. Our last clue for the day when Jesus of Nazareth
       was crucified comes from the sky. And it’s the clincher…
       Conclusion: What Does This Mean?
       IF THE BIBLE IS TRUE, God has given signs to men throughout
       history. There is a common response by those who see wondrous
       things. We often draw near to understand more fully. That is
       what the Magi did when they saw the Star. The rediscovered Star
       is a sign to us today. So, we draw near to learn its meaning…
       IF THE STAR was a natural event, does that mean it was not a
       miracle? Perhaps just the opposite. For, if the stars were
       arranged to create a sign, that arrangement is as old as time. A
       Star which is part of the orderly natural universe is a
       Clockwork Star. A sign put in place before men walked the Earth…
       #Post#: 36025--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Star of Bethlehem
       By: patrick jane Date: December 5, 2021, 12:26 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Who Were the Magi
       1 hour 15 minutes
  HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irWL-jHE-Tw&list=WL&index=18
       The Gospel of Matthew tells us that "magi" from the East brought
       gifts to the infant Jesus following a mysterious star. Western
       Christianity commemorates this event with the feast of Epiphany,
       on January 6. What do we know about these wise men? Where did
       they come? Were they kings or Zoroastrian priests? Is there any
       evidence of a new star? We'll look at all these and other
       questions to reveal the meaning of this story from a
       mythological and theological view point.
       #Post#: 39910--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Star of Bethlehem
       By: patrick jane Date: June 1, 2022, 11:53 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Who Was King Herod?
       According to the gospels, Jesus of Nazareth was born during the
       reign of Herod the Great, King of Judea.  Herod was a great
       builder who reconstructed the Jerusalem Temple where Jesus
       taught as well as fortresses including Masada. Who was Herod and
       how did he acquire his throne? John Hamer of Toronto Centre
       Place will look at the history Herodian dynasty and its
       predecessor, the Hasmoneans and their short-lived, independent
       Jewish kingdom, placing them into the context of the larger
       Hellenistic and Roman worlds.
       1 hour 19 minutes
  HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUe_eQUhV1o
       #Post#: 42016--------------------------------------------------
       Re: The Star of Bethlehem
       By: patrick jane Date: August 29, 2022, 3:10 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
  HTML https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2PZg5mxADc
       *****************************************************