Jonathan Roumie, hypocrite (i.e. actor)1 |
Some computer viruses propagate by invading a computer and using that computer to send more emails to additional unsuspecting recipients. They reproduce like a biological virus, hence the metaphor. In order for the virus to reproduce, the attacking email must look enough like a legitimate email from a legitimate source to fool the computer's user into allowing the contagion into their system. The more the email looks like the real thing, the more likely the contagion will be able to invade.
As I write this post, the world is experiencing something unprecedented. A new human virus is infecting people around the world, and many countries have advised their inhabitants to remain in their homes and to avoid being within six feet (two meters) of others when they are elsewhere. Epidemiologists advise this is the best way to slow and blunt the spread of the virus. Everybody is learning about contagions.
This means many people are not working right now and are looking for things to do. Watching television is one way to pass time. A number of my Christian friends have been praising a new television show called The Chosen, which can be watched over the Internet. The Holy Spirit advised me it was just another 'Jesus loves me' program, but when my sister expressed her enthusiasm for it and strongly encouraged us to watch it, I decided I needed to check it out. (She is the person who phoned to notify me something was happening on the morning of 9/11.)
This television series was produced through something called 'crowd funding'. Potential fans contribute small amounts of money through the Internet, and the total sum can be enough to produce a high-production-value product. Many Christians are probably excited about this concept because it can potentially bypass the ungodly Hollywood machine that taints most Bible-based works, or outright prevents them from existing.
I am always suspicious of things promoted by "the crowd." Crowds are fickle. They followed Jesus around when he taught them and gave them bread and fish, but when his message became difficult, most of them left. Remember, it was a crowd of people who demanded Jesus be crucified. Crowds will fund things as long as they like what they are funding. If the message gets too uncomfortable, the funding will dry up. This is the problem institutional churches always experience, and is the reason they always end up watering down the message. Pastors like to eat.
Anyway, my wife and I watched the first episode. It was well done, but it was what I expected. The first flag for me was the treatment of the woman. Her name was "Lili," which I assumed was short for Lilith. This person manifested demons and was tormented. She lived in the "red quarter," which I assumed meant she was a prostitute. That assumption was confirmed in a later episode, after it was revealed the woman's name was Mary Magdalene. I have seen this presumption many times, and I discussed it in a previous post.
In the third episode, Jesus spent his time alone with children. My wife and I both thought this was very creepy, and I do not believe Jesus would have done that. As I learn to walk more and more like Him, I cannot see myself doing it. I have certainly interacted with children and treated them kindly, but I always send them back to their parents, the ones responsible for them. In this episode, Jesus was shown teaching the children spiritual concepts they could not possibly be ready for. The children recited memorized passages from Torah, much like children are taught to do in modern Sunday Schools. There is nothing in Scripture to support any of this, but it does reinforce institutional church practices.
To be fair, this television series does convey truth. It has to, or people would immediately dismiss it. The treatment of the "woman at the well" story was pretty good, in my opinion. The dramatization stayed close to the biblical text. There were other biblically consistent segments, but some of them were grossly out of context.
For example, before Simon (Peter) joined the group, there was a miraculous catch of fish and Jesus talked about "end times" concepts. The Bible says those discussions happened much later, and context is always important. It reminded me of how pastors indiscriminately spray biblical stories and quotes out onto a very heterogeneous mix of people, as if hosing them down with "The Word" will somehow make them all holy. But Jesus didn't do that. He spoke in parables to the crowds so that those with 'ears to hear' might understand his message, and those who didn't would remain unprovoked. He spoke plainly in private to his intimate followers because they could understand, and he showed them how to do the things he did, like cast out demons and heal the sick. He rebuked the hardened religious leaders and warned about hell in order to dissuade people from following them, and to "pick a fight" with the Darkness. Jesus knew context mattered, and who he talked to mattered. Apparently the people who made this television series don't understand those things, probably because they are imitating what they see every week in the church services they attend.
The thing that bothered me the most was the "wine miracle" at the wedding. In the television program, Jesus kicked everybody out of the room when he did the miracle, and he called them all back in once it was done. That is not what the text says. The text says...
Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.According to the Bible, Jesus did the miracle while they were standing right there in his presence. He did not allow doubt to creep in. Had he actually sent them out of the room, skeptics and lying spirits (demons) would easily have claimed it was only a trick and that he had replaced the water with wine from somewhere else. Those lies destroy faith. Jesus wanted to teach his new followers to have faith. This was his first public miracle, and he made it easy and undeniable. There would be plenty of opportunities later to test their faith, once they actually had some. No, the account in the TV show was just wrong, and I actually sensed mocking from the Darkness as the episode played.
Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. (John 2, NIV)
This is the problem I have with dramatized Bible stories. Unless the text is strictly followed, error is introduced. When we take "artistic license" to develop characters, create drama and compress the story-line to conform to time constraints, we change the story. When we do those things with Biblical Truth, we end up corrupting it and creating a lie. It is impossible to do otherwise. Even the Visual Bible production of Matthew, which sticks rigidly to the 1984 NIV, introduces extra-biblical concepts and teachings through cinematic language, props and the actors' behaviors.
If we have discernment, we can see these things and guard against them. We can warn others, as I am trying to do here. And we can recognize what is really going on.
I am certain the people involved in making this television series are well-meaning and excited about Jesus. I am also certain those who recommended it to me are the same. But, I wonder who, and what, are really behind these productions. Actually, I don't wonder; I know.
The Darkness uses everything it can to trip up those who are trying to get into the Kingdom of Israel, and it uses those we love and trust to accomplish those schemes. Film and television are extremely effective ways to propagandize the masses. We may think we can use those tools to help Jesus expand his Kingdom, but God does not work that way. He sends the Holy Spirit to individual people, and there is no need for any mediators or middle-men. He does not need mass media. You don't need me to tell you what to do, provided you have the Holy Spirit and are listening to him. The Holy Spirit will tell you what you need to know and what to do. He will do things His way. This is how we have discernment, and it is why the people who live in the world do not understand. They do not see the Holy Spirit, nor do they know Him. They are lost, and hierarchical systems must be instituted to keep them controlled. There need to be bosses. There need to be "pyramid schemes." The legions of individuals must be infiltrated by legions of demons. That is how they are controlled by the 'god of this world', who knows his time is short.
What is the actual "message" of this television series? Is there a message? Is it the message Jesus proclaimed? Is it Peter's message? What about Paul's? What do you think? Here is what Paul said at the beginning of his letter to the Galatian, Spiritual Israelites (saints)...
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!Based on that, I don't think Paul would have been a fan of "crowd funding."
Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1 NIV)
Do you see the following things in "The Chosen", Season One? ...
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17 NIV)
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:36-41 NIV)
Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. (Ephesians 6:19-20 NIV)
I challenge my readers to watch the first season of "The Chosen" and count the number of times repentance is mentioned. I suspect you won't need to use more than the fingers on your left hand.
This Internet television program is a contagion. It invades a receptive host and reproduces itself to invade other hosts. This contagion is spiritual, and it is more dangerous than any biological virus or computer virus you will ever encounter. The lies it whispers and implies are a risk to your eternal health.
Delete it.
All glory to God.
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1Do you see the 'baphomet'? Over his heart?
UPDATE, February 2, 2023...
Do biological viruses actually exist?
What are "exosomes?" Are they 'bags of trash' expelled by cells? When cells are sick or poisoned, do those cells eliminate toxins by jettisoning little packets of material? Since those things contain toxins and other bad stuff, do they cause inflammation in the body? Does this, perhaps, explain why I had a sore throat early in my fast?
I had heard viruses are actually exosomes, and I have become quite skeptical of the established narrative about viruses. Anna von Reitz wrote an article about it recently and you can read it here: (AVR #4007, "Forwarding a Grenade"). It contains text from a report by journalist Jon Rappoport, and that report includes an interview with a Pharma insider.
This is probably a topic you need to explore on your own, and you may experience some cognitive dissonance.
This world is so full of lies...