Lives 1st

  This is a Jewish parable, taught by a Jewish teacher to a Jewish audience – and they all attended synagogues every Shabbat. It was recorded over 100 years before the Mishnah was written – and 400 years before the Talmud. The teacher was a member of Late Second Temple Period Judaism. The Great Day of Judgment and the Kingdom of God are linked together by Jesus in this famous parable (Matthew 25:31-46). His sacred writings were separate Hebrew scrolls, not writings in one book. He spoke Hebrew, not English. His lived in Galilee, not the United States. He never taught any Christian salvation doctrine. He is the reason that Jewish Scriptures are read by over 2.4 billion people around the world and tourism is a major economic factor in Israel. Continue reading - http://mailchi.mp/2d49347474f9/salvation-and-the-great-day-of-judgment-parable

  Soon after sending my previous email, I became aware of new information regarding the October 7 th attack on Israel by Hamas. I could not believe that I haven’t heard anything about it on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, or PBS. If I hadn’t been involved in celebrating Hanukkah, writing these Exploring Jesus emails, and exploring biblical heritages since 1999 -- I might have missed it too! Hanukkah is the beginning of a demonstration on the part of the Jewish people that they would not go down without a fight. It is the first recorded instance in the history of a war conducted purely and solely in defense of religious freedom. On October 7, 2023 Israel was challenged once again by multiple groups at the same time. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/74029fc09204/making-the-invisible-drivers-of-human-behaviors-visible

  In my previous email I asked you to consider the differences between cave dwellers and smartphone users separated by 191,700 years. I pointed out that their DNA would be the same and it would produce identical bodies and organs, including brains. Anything that you can name has a corresponding belief model in your brain. A belief model is like an app on a smartphone. When something that a person can name catches their brain’s attention, the belief model is activated. Their actions were driven by instincts. We are immersed in an invisible Infosphere full of misinformation, propaganda, and weaponized information produced by nations, religions, corporations, criminals, and other individual users. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/9319603e04fd/empowered-to-change-our-crazy-and-conflicting-world

  I want to apologize for not sending emails lately, but after my previous email a longtime friend called. He told me how crazy the current situation looked and how confusing everything had gotten. Then he said something that caught me completely off guard: “ I am sure you know what’s going on. Tell me! ” I told him that I didn’t have that answer, but if I found it, I would let him know. He responded, “I know you know, but if you do want to tell me now, I will wait.” He sounded so sure that I knew, I stopped and reviewed all of the information I had -- using the Exploring the Bible and Biblical Heritages guidelines and models . Two pictures popped into my mind – cavemen and smartphones! Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/a1bd98285aee/what-do-cavemen-and-smartphone-users-have-in-common

  October 7, 2023 is a day that will be remembered in Israel like September 11, 2001 is remembered in America. Interesting, there is a link between the events that most Americans are not aware of. On October 7, 2001 airstrikes targeting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban had begun in Afghanistan. For Hamas and other Islamic terrorists’ groups, it has another meaning – it was the beginning of the war they won against America. By October 30, 2023 pro-Palestinian anti-Israel protests were taking place around the world. Find out what Earth Day 1970, John Rawls, and a Supreme Court Justice have to do with those protests. Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/448e43d19053/rights-without-morals-are-killing-our-democracy

  Reporters use the modern generic English word “God,” instead of the names Jews, Christians, and Muslims use -- Yahweh, the Trinity, and Allah. If reporters used the correct names, their reports would place the credit or blame on identifiable groups. The differences in their “gods” have been a primary factor in many of the wars that Jews, Christians, and Muslims have fought against each other for many centuries. There is a way to resolve this problem! Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/6b7fc9d639a7/a-new-way-to-protect-lives-and-strengthen-societies

  One day after the attacks people around the world were trying to process what happened. one week later, American college campuses had students protesting against Israel’s response to the attacks -- “Israel is committing genocide! Israel is violating human rights.” This is a situation in which the skills we use Exploring the Bible and Biblical Heritages come in handy. A very important skill is identifying and tracking “ unintended cascading factual consequences ” ( UCFC ). There are always multiple versions of an event and endless speculations . Continue reading at - http://mailchi.mp/e778431d0c80/using-ucfcs-to-accurately-explore-the-bible-and-the-attack-on-israel