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In his chef d'oevre, Anacalypsis, Masonic scholar Godfrey Higgins presents an interesting theory on the reason for the Crusades. He contends that Bernard of Clairvaux espoused a prediction of the Second Coming at the turn of the thirteenth century with Jesus appearing in Jerusalem and the Antichrist in Antioch. Higgins contends that this idea drove the Crusades above all other motivations. This pointer ties in with Mitt Romney's espousal of W. Cleon Skousen's idea that Jesus would appear at Jerusalem.
If there is any truth to this theory it demonstrates a self-fulfilling prophesy. The Crusaders who invaded Antioch were agents of a vicious and brutal power structure similar to the one that Jesus had spoken against during his brief career. The Roman occupation of Jerusalem paved the way for another "savior" to appear on the scene to challenge the power of Caesar.
You might wonder why 1200 CE was embraced by the Roman "saint." Higgins relates it to an ancient astrological period called a neros which is derived from the precession of the vernal equinox. It is a simple concept that can be grasped without a lot of math. It involves a number of alien terms that put off all but the serious scholar.
If Jesus were to show up during our lifetime, we would see fundamentalist Christians flocking to his location to nail his butt to a tree and pat themselves on the back for a job well done. What do you think he would say about the Vatican before the fundies got to him?
If there is any truth to this theory it demonstrates a self-fulfilling prophesy. The Crusaders who invaded Antioch were agents of a vicious and brutal power structure similar to the one that Jesus had spoken against during his brief career. The Roman occupation of Jerusalem paved the way for another "savior" to appear on the scene to challenge the power of Caesar.
You might wonder why 1200 CE was embraced by the Roman "saint." Higgins relates it to an ancient astrological period called a neros which is derived from the precession of the vernal equinox. It is a simple concept that can be grasped without a lot of math. It involves a number of alien terms that put off all but the serious scholar.
If Jesus were to show up during our lifetime, we would see fundamentalist Christians flocking to his location to nail his butt to a tree and pat themselves on the back for a job well done. What do you think he would say about the Vatican before the fundies got to him?
(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:09 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:13 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:14 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:15 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:16 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:18 (UTC)I love to...
Date: 11/7/11 16:22 (UTC)Re: I love to...
Date: 11/7/11 16:48 (UTC)Re: I love to...
Date: 11/7/11 16:49 (UTC)Re: I love to...
Date: 11/7/11 18:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:35 (UTC)Yes, yes, yes.
With Jesus being a strict Communist, and that suspiciously dark skin (an early Christian belief says that Jesus was dark-skinned for a Hebrew), so-called Fundamentalists would nail Jesus to a tree as soon as they saw Him.
(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:37 (UTC)Let's not forget...
Date: 11/7/11 16:41 (UTC)Re: Let's not forget...
Date: 11/7/11 19:12 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 16:39 (UTC)I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 16:46 (UTC)If the Roman "saint" believed the prediction, it is also possible that it existed back at the time of the first Crusade.
Re: I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 16:57 (UTC)The prediction that Christ would return to the Mt. of Olives is found in Zechariah 14. To the extent that Bernard believed the Bible, he believed Jesus would return there.
Re: I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 17:17 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 18:00 (UTC)You do realize that probably Bernard's most famous series of sermons is on that classic piece of Jewish literature, the Song of Songs, right?
Re: I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 20:26 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 11/7/11 20:41 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 12/7/11 00:06 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 12/7/11 00:52 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 13/7/11 00:18 (UTC)Edessa was quite far from Clairvaux. I doubt that Bernard feared that Zengi's troops would make it all the way to France.
Re: I do not...
Date: 13/7/11 00:52 (UTC)Bernard didn't need to fear for France to have empathy for other Christians who were under attack.
Re: I do not...
Date: 13/7/11 16:24 (UTC)He later regretted his actions. After all, he exhorted a huge number of Christians to hurry over the precipice of war into the maw of disease, enslavement, dismemberment and death.
Re: I do not...
Date: 13/7/11 16:30 (UTC)Re: I do not...
Date: 13/7/11 16:44 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 17:03 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 20:49 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 21:41 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 17:00 (UTC)Jesus would probably state the Vatican got more of His ideas right than Jerry Falwell did.
Jerry Foulwell...
Date: 11/7/11 17:19 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 17:36 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 11/7/11 18:04 (UTC)I hope...
Date: 11/7/11 20:27 (UTC)Re: I hope...
Date: 11/7/11 20:36 (UTC)Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων
Re: I hope...
Date: 12/7/11 00:08 (UTC)Re: I hope...
Date: 12/7/11 00:36 (UTC)Re: I hope...
Date: 13/7/11 00:03 (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 12/7/11 03:39 (UTC)I think life would go on as normal because people are REALLY dumb. Just like it did on Futurama.
Which reminds me of a song.
Date: 13/7/11 00:06 (UTC)