The Birth Place of Jesus

The writer of that portion of the Gospel according to Matthew which treats of the place in which Jesus was born, implies, as we stated in our last chapter, that he was born in a house. His words are these:
"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east" to worship him. "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother."

The writer of the Luke version implies that he was born in a stable, as the following statement will show:

"The days being accomplished that she (Mary) should be delivered . . . she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, there being no room for him in the inn."

If these accounts were contained in these Gospels in the time of Eusebius, the first ecclesiastical historian, who flourished during the Council of Nice (A. D. 327), it is very strange that, in speaking of the birth of Jesus, he should have omitted even mentioning them, and should have given an altogether different version. He tells us that Jesus was neither born in a house, nor in a stable, but in a cave, and that at the time of Constantine a magnificent temple was erected on the spot, so that the Christians might worship in the place where their Saviour's feet had stood.

In the apocryphal Gospel called "Protevangelion," attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, we are informed that Mary and her husband, being away from their home in Nazareth, and when within three miles of Bethlehem, to which city they were going, Mary said to Joseph:

"Take me down from the ass, for that which is in me presses to come forth."

Joseph, replying, said:

"Whither shall I take thee, for the place is desert?"

Then said Mary again to Joseph:

"Take me down, for that which is within me mightily presses me."

Joseph then took her down from off the ass, and he found there a cave and put her into it.  Joseph then left Mary in the cave, and started toward Bethlehem for a midwife, whom he found and brought back with him. When they neared the spot a bright cloud overshadowed the cave.

"But on a sudden the cloud became a great light in the cave, so their eyes could not bear it. But the light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared and sucked the breast of his mother."

Tertullian (A. D. 200), Jerome (A. D. 375) and other Fathers of the Church, also state that Jesus was born in a cave, and that the heathen celebrated, in their day, the birth and Mysteries of their Lord and Saviour Adonis in this very cave near Bethlehem.

Canon Farrar says:

"That the actual place of Christ's birth was a cave, is a very ancient tradition, and this cave used to be shown as the scene of the event even so early as the time of Justin Martyr (A. D. 150)."

Mr. King says:

"The place yet shown as the scene of their (the Magi's) adoration at Bethlehem is a cave."

The Christian ceremonies in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem are celebrated to this day in a cave,  and are undoubtedly nearly the same as were celebrated, in the same place, in honor of Adonis, in the time of Tertullian and Jerome; and as are yet celebrated in Rome every Christmasday, very early in the morning.

We see, then, that there are three different accounts concerning the place in which Jesus was born. The first, and evidently true one, was that which is recorded by the Matthew narrator, namely, that he was born in a house. The stories about his being born in a stable or in a cave  were later inventions, caused from the desire to place him in as humble a position as possible in his infancy, and from the fact that the virgin-born Saviours who had preceded him had almost all been born in a position the most humiliating —such as a cave, a cow-shed, a sheep-fold, &c.—or had been placed there after birth. This was a part of the universal mythos. As illustrations we may mention the following:

Crishna, the Hindoo virgin-born Saviour, was born in a cave, fostered by an honest herdsman,  and, it is said, placed in a sheep-fold shortly after his birth.

How-Tseih, the Chinese "Son of Heaven," when an infant, was left unprotected by his mother, but the sheep and oxen protected him with loving care.

Abraham, the Father of Patriarchs, is said to have been born in a cave.

Bacchus, who was the son of God by the virgin Semele, is said to have been born in a cave, or placed in one shortly after his birth.

Philostratus, the Greek sophist and rhetorician, says, "the inhabitants of India had a tradition that Bacchus was born at Nisa, and was brought up in a cave on Mount Meros."

Æsculapius, who was the son of God by the virgin Coronis, was left exposed, when an infant, on a mountain, where he was found and cared for by a goatherd.

Romulus, who was the son of God by the virgin Rhea-Sylvia, was left exposed, when an infant, on the banks of the river Tiber, where he was found and cared for by a shepherd.

Adonis, the "Lord" and "Saviour," was placed in a cave shortly after his birth.

Apollo (Phoibos), son of the Almighty Zeus, was born in a cave at early dawn.

Mithras, the Persian Saviour, was born in a cave or grotto, at early dawn.

Hermes, the son of God by the mortal Maia, was born early in the morning, in a cave or grotto of the Kyllemian hill.

Attys, the god of the Phrygians,  was born in a cave or grotto.

The object is the same in all of these stories, however they may differ in detail, which is to place the heaven-born infant in the most humiliating position in infancy.
We have seen it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Jesus "there was a great light in the cave, so that the eyes of Joseph and the midwife could not bear it." This feature is also represented in early Christian art. "Early Christian painters have represented the infant Jesus as welcoming three Kings of the East, and shining as brilliantly as if covered with phosphuretted oil."

In all pictures of the Nativity, the light is made to arise from the body of the infant, and the father and mother are often depicted with glories round their heads. This too was a part of the old mythos, as we shall now see. The moment Crishna was born, his mother became beautiful, and her form brilliant. The whole cave was splendidly illuminated, being filled with a heavenly light, and the countenances of his father and his mother emitted rays of glory.

So likewise, it is recorded that, at the time of the birth of Buddha, "the Saviour of the World," which, according to one account, took place in an inn, "a divine light diffused around his person," so that "the Blessed One" was "heralded into the world by a supernatural light."

When Bacchus was born, a bright light shone round him,  so that, "there was a brilliant light in the cave."

When Apollo was born, a halo of serene light encircled his cradle, the nymphs of heaven attended, and bathed him in pure water, and girded a broad golden band around his form.

When the Saviour Æsculapius was born, his countenance shone like the sun, and he was surrounded by a fiery ray.

In the life of Zoroaster the common mythos is apparent. He was born in innocence of an immaculate conception of a Ray of the Divine Reason. As soon as he was born, the glory arising from his body enlightened the whole room, and he laughed at his mother.

It is stated in the legends of the Hebrew Patriarchs that, at the birth of Moses, a bright light appeared and shone around.

There is still another feature which we must notice in these narratives, that is, the contradictory statements concerning the time when Jesus was born. As we shall treat of this subject more fully in the chapter on "The Birthday of Christ Jesus," we shall allude to it here simply as far as necessary.

The Matthew narrator informs us that Jesus was born in the days of Herod the King, and the Luke narrator says he was born when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, or later. This is a very awkward and unfortunate statement, as Cyrenius was not Governor of Syria until some ten years after the time of Herod.

The cause of this dilemma is owing to the fact that the Luke narrator, after having interwoven into his story, of the birth of Jesus, the old myth of the tax or tribute, which is said to have taken place at the time of the birth of some previous virgin-born Saviours, looked among the records to see if a taxing had ever taken place in Judea, so that he might refer to it in support of his statement. He found the account of the taxing, referred to above, and without stopping to consider when this taxing took place, or whether or not it would conflict with the statement that Jesus was born in the days of Herod, he added to his narrative the words: "And this taxing was first made when
Cyrenius was governor of Syria."

We will now show the ancient myth of the taxing. According to the Vishnu Purana, when the infant Saviour Crishna was born, his foster father, Nanda, had come to the city to pay his tax or yearly tribute to the king. It distinctly speaks of Nanda, and other cowherds, "bringing tribute or tax to Kansa" the reigning monarch.

It also describes a scene which took place after the taxes had been paid. Vasudeva, an acquaintance of Nanda's, "went to the wagon of Nanda, and found Nanda there, rejoicing that a son (Crishna) had been born to him. "Vasudeva spoke to him kindly, and congratulated him on having a son in his old age.

"'Thy yearly tribute,' he added, 'has been paid to the king . . . why do you delay, now that your affairs are settled? Up, Nanda, quickly, and set off to your own pastures.' . . . Accordingly Nanda and the other cowherds returned to their village."

Now, in regard to Buddha, the same myth is found. Among the thirty-two signs which were to be fulfilled by the mother of the expected Messiah (Buddha), the fifth sign was recorded to be, "that she would be on a journey at the time of her child's birth." Therefore, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets," the virgin Maya, in the tenth month after her heavenly conception, was on a journey to her father, when lo, the birth of the Messiah took place under a tree. One account says that "she had alighted at an inn when Buddha was born."

The mother of Lao-tsze, the Virgin-born Chinese sage, was away from home when her child was born. She stopped to rest under a tree, and there, like the virgin Maya, gave birth to her son.

Pythagoras (B. C. 570), whose real father was the Holy Ghost, was also born at a time when his mother was away from home on a journey. She was travelling with her husband, who was about his mercantile concerns, from Samos to Sidon.

Apollo was born when his mother was away from home. The Ionian legend tells the simple tale that Leto, the mother of the unborn Apollo, could find no place to receive her in her hour of travail until she came to Delos. The child was born like Buddha and Lao-tsze—under a tree. The mother knew that he was destined to be a being of mighty power, ruling among the undying gods and mortal men.

Thus we see that the stories, one after another, relating to the birth and infancy of Jesus, are simply old myths, and are therefore not historical.
 

Alexandria Library

Alexandria library

The home of the world’s great conqueror Alexander the Great, in 331 BCE, was at one period of time the great focal center for religious speculation and propagandism, the great emporium for religious dogmas throughout the East, and a place of resort for the disciples of nearly every system of religious faith existing at that time.  Nearly all existing religions in the world today were transformed and remodeled in Alexandria.

This capital city of Egypt had five hundred thousand inhabitants which was a huge city for those times.  It had a very voluminous library.  Every faith and religious order had theological schools throughout the city.  It was the custom of the people to discuss religious ideas and to improve and remodel their religious systems and even change their long accepted creeds.

At the time of the Babylonian captivity the Essenian Jews fled to Egypt.  The Essenes were Jews that mixed their faith with the Pythagorean and Egyptian oriental theology, or Buddhism.  The doctrine of Pythagoras is intensely Buddhistic.  This is the beginnings of the Christian religion.  Their Jewish sect religion was totally changed by the intermixture of heathen doctrines.

The leading doctrines of the Essenes are the same that comprise the Christian doctrines of today exception the doctrine of divine incarnation.  The “God manifest in the flesh” was a doctrine well know from the Ganges to the Yellow Sea to the Ilissus.  It is the fundamental principle of the Indian Buddhists, the basis of Zoroasterism, and is pure Platonism.  This incarnation theology merged with the Essenes theology in Alexandria.  Christianity originated nothing.  It has no new doctrines or precepts.  It is incontrovertible that Christian theology grew out of Buddhism and Essenian theology.

Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, 26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.       Acts 11:25

The Essenian sect went out of history right around that time.  The Essenian sect must have changed their name to Christians.

Jesus' Birth

Uncertainty

1  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHAT YEAR JESUS WAS BORN.

A   4 B.C.E. or before.  

   (born during reign of King Herod who died 4 B.C.E.).  (Wikipedia: Herod the Great)

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod,      Matthew 2:1

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. ... After those days his wife Elisabeth conceived. ... And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said ... thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.     Luke 1:5-31

B   After 6 C.E.  

   (year of the Roman Census – Antiquities 18:1:1,  Jewish Wars 7:8:1) Josephus  The Census of Quirinus occurred in 6 C.E.  according to Historian Josephus.

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)    Luke 2:1-2

The Herod that is referred to here is Herod the Great, as is made clear in Luke 2:22, which refers to Herod’s son, Archalaus. Since Herod the Great died in 4 BCE, this dates Jesus’s birth to no later than that year. But the gospel of Luke (2:2) says that Cyrenius (Quirinius) was governor of Syria when Mary was pregnant with Jesus.  Quirinius was appointed governor in 6 CE.

We know then that Jesus was born sometime before 4 BCE and sometime after 6 CE – which makes his birth a truly miraculous event.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee,     Luke 2:22

Quirinius (Cyrenius) became governer of Syria in 6 CE, nine years after king Herod's death.
(Wikipedia: Quirinius)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) ... Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, in Judea ... To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. Luke 2:1-4

The Matthew narrator informs us that Jesus was born in the days of Herod the King, and the Luke narrator says he was born when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria, or later. This is an error in the "Word of God" as Cyrenius was not Governor of Syria until some ten years after the time of Herod

2  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHO AN ANGEL APPEARED TO WITH THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE BIRTH OF JESUS.

A   To shepherds in the flesh.

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”     Luke 2:15

B   To Joseph in a dream.

13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”     Matthew 2:13

3 THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO JESUS BEING BORN IN A HOUSE OR IN A MANGER

Manger

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.     Luke 2:7

16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.    Luke 2:16

House

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.     Matthew 2:11

Cave

Eusebius, the first ecclesiastical historian, who flourished during the Council of Nice (A. D. 327), it is very strange that, in speaking of the birth of Jesus, he should have omitted even mentioning them, and should have given an altogether different version. He tells us that Jesus was neither born in a house, nor in a stable, but in a cave, and that at the time of Constantine a magnificent temple was erected on the spot, so that the Christians might worship in the place where their Saviour's feet had stood.

In the apocryphal Gospel called "Protevangelion," attributed to James, the brother of Jesus, we are informed that Mary and her husband, being away from their home in Nazareth, and when within three miles of Bethlehem, to which city they were going, Mary said to Joseph: "Take me down from the ass, for that which is in me presses to come forth." Joseph, replying, said: "Whither shall I take thee, for the place is desert?"

."Then said Mary again to Joseph: "Take me down, for that which is within me mightily presses me." Joseph then took her down from off the ass, and he found there a cave and put her into it. Joseph then left Mary in the cave, and started toward Bethlehem for a midwife, whom he found and brought back with him. When they neared the spot a bright cloud overshadowed the cave.

"But on a sudden the cloud became a great light in the cave, so their eyes could not bear it. But the light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared and sucked the breast of his mother." 

Tertullian (A. D. 200), Jerome (A. D. 375) and other Fathers of the Church, also state that Jesus was born in a cave, and that the heathen celebrated, in their day, the birth and Mysteries of their Lord and Saviour Adonis in this very cave near Bethlehem.  

Canon Farrar says: "That the actual place of Christ's birth was a cave, is a very ancient tradition, and this cave used to be shown as the scene of the event even so early as the time of Justin Martyr (A. D. 150)   "The place yet shown as the scene of their (the Magi's) adoration at Bethlehem is a cave."

The Christian ceremonies in the Church of the Nativity at Bethlehem are celebrated to this day in a cave,

Celebrated, in the same cave is the honoring of Adonis, in the time of Tertullian and Jerome; and as are still celebrated in Rome every Christmasday, very early in the morning.

The virgin-born Saviours wheom preceded Jesus almost all been born in a place of the most humble possible —such as a cave, a cow-shed, a sheep-fold, &c.—or had been placed there after birth. This was a part of the universal mythos.

Crishna, the Hindoo virgin-born Saviour, was born in a cave

How-Tseih, the Chinese "Son of Heaven," when an infant, was left unprotected by his mother, but the sheep and oxen protected him.

Abraham, the Jewish Patriarch, is said to have been born in a cave.

Bacchus, who was the son of God by the virgin Semele, is said to have been born in a cave,  The inhabitants of India had a tradition that Bacchus was born at Nisa, and was brought up in a cave.

Æsculapius, who was the son of God by the virgin Coronis, was left exposed, when an infant, on a mountain.

Romulus, who was the son of God by the virgin Rhea-Sylvia, was left exposed, when an infant, on the banks of the river Tiber.

Adonis, the "Lord" and "Saviour," was placed in a cave shortly after his birth.

Apollo (Phoibos), son of the Almighty Zeus, was born in a cave at early dawn. [

Mithras, the Persian Saviour, was born in a cave or grotto.

Hermes, the son of God by the mortal Maia, was born early in the morning, in a cave or grotto.

Attys, the god of the Phrygians, was born in a cave or grotto.

Light

"There was a great light in the cave, so that the eyes of Joseph and the midwife could not bear it."  In all early Christian painters of the Nativity, the light is made to arise from the body of the infant, and the father and mother are often depicted with glories round their heads.

The moment Crishna was born, his mother became beautiful, and her form brilliant. The whole cave was splendidly illuminated, being filled with a heavenly light, and the countenances of his father and his mother emitted rays of glory

At the birth of Buddha, "the Saviour of the World," which, according to one account, took place in an inn, "a divine light diffused around his person,"  He was "heralded into the world by a supernatural light."

When Bacchus was born, a bright light shone round him, "there was a brilliant light in the cave."

When Apollo was born, a halo of serene light encircled his cradle,and girded a broad golden band around his form. 

When Saviour Æsculapius was born, his countenance shone like the sun, and he was surrounded by a fiery ray.

When Moses was born, a bright light appeared and shone around.

4  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHAT CITY MARY AND JOSEPH WERE LIVING BEFORE JESUS WAS BORN.

A   Nazareth.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.      Luke 1:26

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.     Luke 2:4

B  Bethlehem

2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,     Matthew 2:1

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.    Matthew 2:16

5  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO IF A ROMAN CENSUS AFFECTED JOSEPH AND MARY.

A   Yes. 

   Had to leave their home in Nazareth and go to Bethlehem.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.)

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.     Luke 2:2-4

B   No.  

   Already living in Bethlehem.  The wise men came to Bethlehem (the “star” led them).

2 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,      Matthew 2:1

Yet Matthew also says “he shall be a Nazarene.” Matthew 2:23.

56 THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO HOW LONG MARY & JOSEPH LIVED IN BETHLEHEM.

A   Two years. 

   Herod gave orders to kill all boys in Bethlehem under the age of two because of what he had learned from the Magi.  They had to flee to Egypt.

16 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.     Matthew 2:16

B   Forty days. 

   Mary & Joseph were living in Nazareth and went to Bethlehem for the Roman census.

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, their own city, Nazareth.   Luke 2:39

7  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER MARY WAS REQUIRED TO TRAVEL TO JERUSALEM TO REGISTER FOR THE ROMAN CENSUS.

A   Yes.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.

5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.      Luke 2:4-5

B   No.

According to Roman Law. Joachem Heremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus, pg 87

The deaf, insane, minors, neuters, hemaphrodites, women, slaves, the lame, the blind, the sick, the very old, and those who cannot walk up to the Temple Mount with their own feet, were exempt from the Roman census.

8  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER JOSEPH WAS REQUIRED TO REGISTER FOR THE ROMAN CENSUS.

A   Yes.

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.

2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.     Luke 2:1-3

B   No.

According to Roman Law, the Roman census only applied to Roman provinces.  Nazareth was not in a Roman province.  It was a kingdom ruled by King Herod.  Further Roman censuses only applied to those who owned property.  Mary and Joseph had to stay in a manger.

9  THE “WORD OF GOD” IS UNCERTAIN AS TO JESUS WHETHER JESUS WENT TO EGYPT OR NOT.

A  Yes.

When he arose he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod. . . .

But when Herod was dead, . . . he took the young child and his mother and came . . . and dwelt in a city called Nazareth. (Matt. 2:14, 15, 19, 21, 23.)

B  No.

And when the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord. . . . And when they had performed all things, according to the law of the Lord they returned . . . to their own city, Nazareth. (Luke 2:22, 39.)

    ---Prior Saviors Born of a virgin---

Osiris and Horus of Egypt 2300 BCE –  born of a virgin, born Dec 25

Khrishna of Hindostan  1200 BCE born of a virgin, Son of God, crucified.  almost identical to the Jesus CON but 1200 years before it.

Dionysus/Bacchus of Greece  1200 BCE –  born of a virgin, born Dec 25

Attis of Phrygia  1170 BCE –  born of a virgin, crucified

Quexalcoatl of Mexico 587 BCE –  born of a virgin, crucified, resurrected

India Buddha Sakia of India  563 BCE - born of a virgin, Son of God

Ixion and Quirinus of Rome 506 BCE –  born of a virgin, crucified, resurrected

Issa/Isa of Arabia 400 BCE –  born of a virgin (named Mary)

Serapis of Egypt  300 BCE    –  born of a virgin, Son of God, second coming

Hermes of Egypt/Greece –   born of a virgin

Adonis of Greece –  born of a virgin

Alcides of Thebes –  born of a virgin

Salivahana of southern India –  born of a virgin

Romulus  –  born of a virgin

Adonis –  born of a virgin

Holy Ghost

Holy Ghost’s Many Varied Characteristics

The Holy Ghost,  the third member of the tri-union God,  appears to be anything anyone wants it to be.

1. In John 14:26, the Holy Ghost is spoken of as a person or personal God.

2. In Luke 3:22, the Holy Ghost changes, and assumes the form of a dove.

3. In Matt. 8:16, the Holy Ghost becomes a spirit.

4. In John 1:32, the Holy Ghost is presented as an inanimate, senseless object.

5. In John 5:7, the Holy Ghost becomes a God – the third member of the Trinity.

6. In Acts 2:1, the Holy Ghost is averred to be “a mighty, rushing wind.”

7· In Acts 10:38, the Holy Ghost, we infer, from its mode of application, is an ointment.

8. In John 20:22, the Holy Ghost is the breath, as we legitimately infer ‘by its being breathed into the mouth of the recipient after the ancient oriental custom.

9. In Acts 2:3, we learn the Holy Ghost “sat upon each of them,” probably in the form of a bird, as at Jesus’ baptism.

10. In Acts 2:1, the Holy Ghost appears as “cloven tongues of fire.”

11. In Luke 2:26, the Holy Ghost is the author of a revelation or inspiration.

12. In ACts 8:17, the Holy Ghost is a magnetic aura imparted by the “laying on of hands.”

13. In Mark 1:8, the Holy Ghost is a medium or element for baptism.

14. In Acts 28:25, the Holy Ghost appears with vocal organs, and speaks.

15. In Heb. 6:4, the Holy Ghost is dealt out or imparted by measure.

16. In Luke 3:22, the Holy Ghost appears with a tangible body.

17. In Luke 1:5, and many other texts, we are taught people are filled with the Holy Ghost.

18. In Matt. 6:15, the Holy Ghost falls upon the people as a ponderable substance.

19. In Luke 4:1, the Holy Ghost is a God within a God -”Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost.” ‘

20. In Acts 21:1 I, the Holy Ghost is a being of the masculine or feminine gender-·’ Thus saith the Holy Ghost,” etc.

21. In John 1:32, the Holy Ghost is of the neuter gender – ”It (the Holy Ghost) abode upon him.”

22. In Matt. 1:18, the Holy Ghost becomes a vicarious agent in the procreation of another God, that is, this third member of the Trinity aids the first member (the Father) in the creation or generation of the second member of the triad of bachelor Gods-the Lord, or Savior, or Son of God.

The Ghost Teaches & Reminds

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (NIV)    John 14:26

The Ghost Testifies of Christ:

When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. (NIV)   John 15:26

The Ghost Convicts:

When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt [Or will expose the guilt of the world] in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: (NIV)   John 16:8

The Ghost Leads:

Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (NIV)     Romans 8:14

The Ghost  Reveals Truth:

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (NIV)    John 16:13

The Ghost  Strengthens and Encourages:

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord. (NIV)    Acts 9:31

The Ghost Comforts:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (KJV)    John 14:16

The Ghost Helps Us in our Weakness:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (NIV)    Romans 8:26

The Ghost Intercedes:

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (NIV)   Romans 8:26

The Ghost Searches the Deep Things of God:

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. (NIV)   1 Corinthians 2:11

The Ghost Sanctifies:

To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (NIV)    Romans 15:16

The Ghost Bears Witness or Testifies:

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (KJV)    Romans 8:16

The Ghost Forbids:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. (NIV)    Acts 16:6-7

The Ghost Can be Lied to:

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? (NIV)    Acts 5:3

The Ghost Can be Resisted:

“You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!” (NIV)    Acts 7:51

The Ghost Can be Blasphemed:

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. (NIV)   Matthew 12:31-32

The Ghost Can be Quenched:

1 Thessalonians 5:19

The Holy Spirit has a Mind:

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (NIV)   Romans 8:27

The Holy Spirit has a Will:

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (NASB)   1 Corinthians 12:11

The Holy Spirit has Emotions:

The Holy Spirit grieves:

Yet they rebelled and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he turned and became their enemy and he himself fought against them. (NIV)   Isaiah 63:10

The Holy Ghost gives Joy:

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.” (NIV)    Luke 10: 21

You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.    1 Thessalonians 1:6

Holy Ghost Smoke

The Dove

1. The Holy Ghost in the shape of a bird, a dove or a pigeon. This is proven to be a very ancient pagan tradition, as it is found incorporated in several of the oriental religious systems. In ancient India, whose prolific spiritual fancies constitute the primary parentage of nearly all the doctrines, dogmas and superstitions found incorporated in the Christian Scriptures, a dove was uniformly the emblem of the Holy Spirit, or Spirit of God. Confirmatory of this statement, we find the declaration in the Anacalypsis, that a “dove stood for or represented a third member of the Trinity, and was the regenerator or regeneratory power.”

This meets the Christian idea of “ regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).  A person being baptized under the Brahminical theocracy was said to be regenerated and “born again,” or, as the above-quoted writer expresses it, “They were born into the spirit, or the spirit into them” — that is, the “dove into or upon them,” as is the case of the Christian’s “Holy Ghost descending in bodily shape like a dove,” and alighting on Christ’s head at baptism, as related in Luke 3:22.  In ancient Rome a dove or pigeon was the emblem of the female procreative energy, and frequently a legendary spirit, the accompaniment of Venus.  And hence, as a writer remarks, “It is very appropriately represented as descending at baptism in the character of the third member of the Trinity.”  The same writer tells us, “The dove fills the Grecian oracles with their spirit and power.”  We find the dove, also, in the romantic eclogues of ancient Syria.  In the time-chiseled Syrian temple of Hierapolis, Semiramis is represented with a dove on her head, thus constituting the prototype of the dove on the head of the Christian Savior at baptism.

And a dove was in more than one of the ancient religious systems- “ The Spirit of God (Holy Ghost) moving on the face of the waters” at creation, as implied in Gen. 1:2, though a pigeon, was often indiscriminately substituted.  In Howe’s “Ancient Mysteries” it is related that “in St. Paul’s Cathedral, at the feast of Whitesuntide, the descent of the Holy Ghost was performed by a white pigeon being let fly out of a hole in the midst of the roof of the great aisle.”  The dove and the pigeon, being but slight variations of the same species of the feathered tribe, were used indiscriminately.

Dove

Among birds the dove was specially sacred to her [Ishtar (ISTAR): Mesopotamian. "Goddess of fertility and war. " Known period of worship = 2500 B.C.E.  to  200 C.E.

 It is figured with her on seals.

The Third Person

2. The Holy Ghost was the third member of the Trinity in several of the oriental systems.  Father, Son and Holy Ghost, or Father, Word and Holy Ghost (1 John 5:7), are familiar Christian terms to express the divine triad, which shows the Holy Ghost to be the acknowledged third member of the Christian Trinity.

And, as already suggested, the same is· true of the more ancient systems.  “The Holy Spirit and the Evil Spirit were, each in their turn (says Mr. Higgins), third member of the Trinity.”  In these triads (says Mr. Hillell) the third member was not of equal rank with the other two.”  And hence, in the Theban Trinity, Khonso was inferior to Arion and Mant.  In the Hindoo triad, Siva was subordinate to Brahma and Vishnu.  And a score of similar examples might be adduced from the fancy-constructed trinities of other and older oriental religious systems (but for the inflexible rule of brevity which forbids their presentation here), with all of which the more modern Holy Ghost conception of the Christian world is an exact correspondence, as this imaginary, fabulous being is less conspicuous than and has always stood third in rank with the Father and second to the Son, AKA as the Word, and is now seldom addressed in practical Christian devotion ; and thus the analogy is complete. Mr. Maurice says, “This notion of a third person in the Deity (the Holy Ghost) was diffused among all the nations of the earth.” See Ind. Antiq. vol. iv. p. 750.) And Mr. Worseley, in his “Voyage” (vol. i. p. 259), avers this doctrine to be “of very great antiquity, and generally received by all the Gothic and Celtic nations.”

The Holy Breath

3· The Holy Ghost was the Holy Breath which, in· the Hindoo traditions, moved on the face of the waters at creation, and imparted life and vitality into everything created. A similar conception is recognized in .the Christian Scriptures. In Psalms 33:6, we read, “By the Word of the Lord were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Here is the Brahminical conception of the act of creation by the Divine Breath, which is the Holy Ghost, the same, also, which was breathed into Adam, by which be became “a living soul.”  M. Dubois observes,  The Prana, or principle of life, of the Hindoos is the breath of life by which “the Creator (Brahma) animates the clay, and man became a living soul.” (Page 293.)

The Holy Wind

4· Holy Ghost, Holy Breath and Holy Wind appear to have been synonymous and convertible terms for the living vocal emanations from the mouth of the Supreme God, as memorialized in’ several of the pagan traditions. The last term (Holy Wind) is suggested by” the mighty rushing wind from heaven” which filled the house, or church, on the day of Pentecost (See Acts 2:2).  Several of the old religious systems recognize “ the Holy Wind “ as a term for the Holy Ghost. The doxology (reported by a missionary) in the religious service of the Syrian worship runs thus:

“ Praise to the Holy Spiritual Wind, which is the Holy Ghost; Praise to the three persons which are one true God.”

Some writers maintain that the Hebrew Ruah Elohim translated “Spirit of God” (Gen. 1:2) in our version, should read, “Wind of the Gods.” And we find that the word pneuma, of our Greek New Testament, is sometimes translated “Ghost “ and sometimes “Wind,” as best suited the fancy of the translators. In John 3:5, we find the word Spirit, and . in verse eight both Wind and Spirit are found; and in Luke 1:35, we observe the term Holy Ghost -all translated from the same word.  Let it be specially noted that in the Greek Testament the word pneuma is used in all these cases, thus proving that Spirit, Holy Ghost and Wind are used in the Christian Scriptures as synonymous terms; and proving, also, that an unwarranted license has been assumed by translators in rendering the same word three different ways.  M. Auvaroff, in his “Essays on the Eleusinian Mysteries,” speaks of “the torch being ignited at the command of Hermes of Egypt, the spiritual agent in the workshop of creation; ”relative to which statement a writer remarks, cc Hermes appears in this instance as a personification of Wind or Spirit, as in the bible (meaning the Christian bible), God, Wind and Spirit are often interchangeable terms, and the Word appears to be from the same windy source.”

The Holy Tongue

5· The Holy Ghost as “a tongue of fire, which sat upon each of them” (the apostles)(See Acts. 2:3).  Even this conception is an orientalism. Mr. Higgins tells us that” Budha, an incarnate God of the Hindoos (three thousand years ago), is often seen with a glory or tongue of fire upon his head.” And the tradition of the visible manifestation of the Holy Ghost by fire was prevalent among the ancient Budhisls, Celts, Druids and Etrurians. In fact, as our author truly remarks, “The Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, when visible, was always in the form of fire (or a bird), and was always accompanied with wisdom and power.”

Hence, is disclosed the origin of the ancient custom amongst the Hindoos, Persians and Chaldeans of making offerings to the solar fire, emblem of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit.

The Holy Inspiration

6. Inspiration by the Holy Ghost. (Luke 2:26.) “Holy men of God,” including some of the prophets, are claimed to have been inspired by the Holy Ghost. (See 2 Peter 1:21; Acts 28:25). In like manner, as we are informed by Mr. Cleland in his “Specimens” the ancient Celts were not only “moved by the Holy Ghost” in their divine decrees and prophetic utterances, but they claimed that their Salic laws (seventy-two in number) were inspired by the ”Salo Ghost” (Holy Ghost), known also as “the Wisdom of the Spirit, or the Voice of the Spirit.”

This author several times alludes to the fact, and exhibits the proof, that the doctrine of the Holy Ghost was known to this ancient people.

The Laying on of Hands

7. The Holy Ghost imparted by “the laying on of hands.’’  This, too, is an ancient oriental custom. “And by the imposition of hands’ on the head of the candidate,” says Mr. Cleland, speaking of the Celts, “the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, was conveyed.” And thus was the Holy Spirit, Ghost, Gas, Wind, Electrical Fire or Spirit of Authority imparted to the hierophant or gospel novitiate. “ And their public assemblies,” continues our author, “were always opened by an invocation to the Holy Ghost.”

The Ghost Baptism

8. Baptism by or into the Holy Ghost accompanied with fire (Matt. 3:11).  This rite, too, is traceable to a very ancient period, and was practiced by several of the old symbolical and mythological systems. The Tuscans, or Etrurians, baptized with fire, wind (ghost) and water. Baptism into the first member of the Trinity (the Father) was with fire; baptism into the second member of the Trinity (the Word) was with water; while baptism into the third member of the Trinity (the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit) consisted of the initiatory spiritual or symbolical application of gas, gust, ghost, wind, or spirit. It appears from “ Herbert’s Travels,” that, in “ancient countries, the child was taken to the priest, who named him (christened him) before the sacred fire:” after which ceremony he was sprinkled with “holy water” from a vessel made of the Sacred tree known as ”The Holme.’’

The Breathing

9. The Holy Ghost imparted by breathing (John 20:22).  “Sometimes,” says scholar writer Mr. Higgins, relative to this custom among the ancient heathen, “the priest blew his breath upon the child, which was then considered baptized by air, spiritus sanctus, or holy ghost -i.e., baptism by the Holy Ghost!’

In case of baptism, a portion of the Holy Ghost was supposed to be transferred from the priest to the candidate. “The practice of breathing in or upon,” says Higgins, “was quite common among the ancient heathen.”

The Holy Conception

10. The Holy Ghost as the agent in divine conception, or  the procreation of other Gods.  Jesus is said to have been conceived by the Holy Ghost (see Matt. 1:18); and we find similar claims instituted still more anciently for other incarnate demigods.  In the Mexican Trinity, Y, Zona was the father, Bacal the Word, and Echvah the Holy Ghost, by the last of whom Chimalman conceived and brought forth the in the flesh God Quexalcote. (Mex. Ant., vol. vi. pg 165o.)  In the Hindoo mythos, Sakia was conceived by the Holy Ghost Nara-an.

When was the “Holy Spirit” bestowed???

THE HOLY SPIRIT (GOD):

FIRST APPEARANCE AFTER RESURRECTION

God said in his word – Jesus gave the Holy Spirit (Holy Spirit-God) to the disciples in his first appearance to them after the resurrection

 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.     John 20:22

AFTER JESUS LEFT

God said – It did not come to them until after Jesus left

By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.     John 7:39

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.     John 16:7

After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”     Acts 1:3-5

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.     Acts 2:1-4

BEFORE

God said – But some had it before:

John the Baptist

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.     Luke 1:15

David

For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.     Mark 12:36

… which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake….      Acts 1:16

Elizabeth

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.    Luke 1:41

Zechariah

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:    Luke 1:67

Simeon

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.     Luke 2:25

Gideon

Then the Spirit of the Lord came on Gideon, and he blew a trumpet,summoning the Abiezrites to follow him.    Judg 6:34

Samson

and the Spirit of the Lord began to stir him while he was in Mahaneh Dan, between Zorah and

Eshtaol

     Judg 13:25

Isaiah

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners       Isa 61:1

HOW DO YOU ACQUIRE THE HOLY SPIRIT?

WHENEVER YOU ASK IT

God said – It is had for the asking at any time

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”    Luke 11:13

Jesus-God praying to the Holy Ghost-God

EVERYONE HAS IT

God said – All flesh has it
Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.    Prov 1:23

“And afterward,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your old men will dream dreams,
your young men will see visions.Joel 2:28

Unpardonable Sin

28  “I promise you that any of the sinful things you say or do can be forgiven, no matter how terrible those things are.

29  But if you speak against the Holy Spirit, you can never be forgiven. That sin will be held against you forever.”    Mark 3:28-29

“And I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”   Matthew 12:31-32.

But then this?

Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything . . .    Acts 13:39

Just speaking “against the Holy Spirit” and your sin will be held against you “forever.”    Seems lacking as to what act constitutes the ultimate sin.  This edict is very vague yet has such a grave and condemned punishment of being unforgiveable.  The Holy Ghost is associated with baptism and a renewal of the person.  To sin against this God is to have no way available to retry.  With the first God the Father and the Second God the Son there is forgiveness available to try again.  But with the third God there is no avenue of forgiveness.  The Holy Ghost is the scaffold that reaches to heaven.  So even if the first and second Gods forgave you and even if you were baptized, because you committed the unpardonable sin the third God would be against you blocking your way to heaven.

I’m sure there are countless Christians who have agonized about this unforgivable sin because it is undefined and unexplained.  This is the ultimate fear tactic to gain control of the followers mind through their vivid imagination of what bad thing will happen to them at their death.

Election of Pope 3

Voting

Cardinals formerly used these intricate ballot papers, one of which is shown folded above. Currently, theballots are simple cards, folded once (like a note card), with the words “I elect as Supreme Pontiff …..” printed on them.

Cardinal electors receive copies of ballot cards, scrutiny ballots, and a copy of Ordo Rituum Conclavis (Order for Rites in a Conclave). Shown above are the ballot papers of Cardinal RogerMahony used in the 2013 conclave.

On the afternoon of the first day, one ballot may be held. If a ballot takes place on the afternoon of the first day and no-one is elected, or no ballot had taken place, four ballots are held on each successive day: two in each morning and two in each afternoon. Before voting in the morning and again before voting in the afternoon, the electors take an oath to obey the rules of the conclave. If no result is obtained after three vote days of balloting, the process is suspended for a maximum of one day for prayer and an address by the senior Cardinal Deacon. After seven further ballots, the process may again be similarly suspended, with the address now being delivered by the senior Cardinal Priest. If, after another seven ballots, no result is achieved, voting is suspended once more, the address being delivered by the senior Cardinal Bishop. After a further seven ballots, there shall be a day of prayer, reflection and dialogue. In the following ballots, only the two names who received the most votes in the last ballot shall be eligible in a runoff election. However, the two people who are being voted on, if Cardinal electors, shall not themselves have the right to vote.[8]

The process of voting comprises three phases: the “pre-scrutiny”, the “scrutiny”, and the “post-scrutiny.”

Pre-scrutiny

During the pre-scrutiny, the Masters of the Ceremonies prepare ballot papers bearing the words Eligo in Summum Pontificem (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”) and provide at least two to each cardinal elector. As the cardinals begin to write down their votes, the Secretary of the College of Cardinals, the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations and the Masters of Ceremonies exit; the junior Cardinal Deacon then closes the door. The junior Cardinal Deacon then draws by lot nine names; the first three become Scrutineers, the second three Infirmarii and the last three Revisers. New Scrutineers, Infirmarii and Revisers are not selected again after the first scrutiny; the same nine cardinals perform the same task for the second scrutiny. After lunch, the election resumes with the oath to obey the rules of the conclave taken anew when the cardinals again assemble in the Sistine Chapel. Nine names are chosen for new scrutineers, infirmarii, and revisers. The third scrutiny then commences, and if necessary, a fourth immediately follows.[78] No changes in these rules were made by Benedict XVI in 2007. These rules were followed, so far as is known, given the secrecy of a conclave, in electing Pope Francis in March 2013.

Scrutiny

The scrutiny phase of the election is as follows: The cardinal electors proceed, in order of precedence, to take their completed ballots (which bear only the name of the individual voted for) to the altar, where the Scrutineers stand. Before casting the ballot, each cardinal elector takes a Latin oath, which translates to: “I call as my witness Christ the Lord who will be myjudge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.” If any cardinal elector is in the Chapel, but cannot proceed to the altar due to infirmity, the lastScrutineer may go to him and take his ballot after the oath is recited. If any cardinal elector is by reason of infirmity confined to his room, the Infirmarii go to their rooms with ballot papers and a box. Any such sick cardinals take the oath and then complete the ballot papers. When the Infirmarii return to the Chapel, the ballots are counted to ensure that their number matches with the number of ill cardinals; thereafter, they are deposited in the appropriate receptacle. This oath is taken by all cardinals as they cast their ballots. If no one is chosen on the first scrutiny, then a second scrutiny immediately follows. A total of four scrutinies are taken each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

The oath when casting one’s vote is therefore anonymous, since the name of the elector is no longer signed on the ballot with that of the candidate. (Previously, the ballot was also signed by the elector and then folded over to cover the signature of the elector and then sealed to result in a semi-secret ballot. See example above.) This was the procedure prior to 1945. Above is a copy of the old three section semi-secret ballot, which was last used in the conclave of 1939. There was no oath taken when actually casting ballots, prior to 1621.[79] Completely secret ballots (at the option of the cardinals present and voting) were sometimes used prior to 1621, but these secret ballots had no oath taken when the vote was actually cast. At some conclaves prior to 1621, the cardinals verbally voted and sometimes stood in groups to facilitate counting the votes cast. The signature of the elector covered by a folded-over part of the ballot paper was added by Gregory XV in 1621, to prevent anyone from casting the deciding vote for himself. Cardinal Pole of England refused to cast the deciding vote for himself in 1549 (and was not elected), but in 1492 Cardinal Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) did cast the deciding vote for himself.[80] Faced by the mortal challenge to the papacy emanating from Protestantism, and fearing schism due to several stormy conclaves in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Gregory XV established this procedure to prevent any cardinal from casting the deciding vote for himself.[81] Since 1945, a cardinal can again cast the deciding vote for himself, though the 2/3 majority rule has always been continued, except when John Paul II had modified that rule in 1996 (after 33 ballots, a simple majority was sufficient), with the 2/3 majority rule restored in 2007 by Benedict XVI.[82]

Prior to 1621, the only oath taken was that of obedience to the rules of the conclave in force at that time, when the cardinals entered the conclave and the doors were locked, and each morning and afternoon as they entered the Sistine Chapel to vote. Gregory XV added the additional oath, taken when each cardinal casts his ballot, to prevent cardinals wasting time in casting “courtesy votes” and instead narrowing the number of realistic candidates for the papal throne to perhaps only two or three. Speed in electing a pope was important, and that meant using an oath so as to get the cardinals down to the serious business of electing a new pope and narrowing the number of potentially electable candidates. The reforms of Gregory XV in 1621 and reaffirmed in 1622 created the written detailed step-by-step procedure used in choosing a pope; a procedure that was essentially the same as that which was used in 2013 to elect Pope Francis. The biggest change since 1621 was the elimination of the rule that required the electors to sign their ballots resulting in the detailed voting procedure of scrutiny making use of anonymous oaths. This was perhaps the most significant change in the modern era. It was a significant change to the step-by-step voting procedure, since that detailed voting procedure was first created in 1621. It was Pius XII who made this change in 1945.[83][84]

Once all votes have been cast, the first Scrutineer chosen shakes the container, and the last Scrutineer removes and counts the ballots. If the number of ballots does not correspond to the number of cardinal electors present, the ballots are burnt, unread, and the vote is repeated. If, however, no irregularities are observed, the ballots may be opened and the votes counted. Each ballot is unfolded by the first Scrutineer; all three Scrutineers separately write down the name indicated on the ballot. The last of the Scrutineers reads the name aloud.

Once all of the ballots have been opened, the final post-scrutiny phase begins.

Post-scrutiny

Fumata nera in the Sistine Chapel, indicating that there was not a two-thirds majority in the papal election at the Conclave.[85]

Fumata bianca in Sistine Chapel, indicating that a pope has been elected by the College of Cardinals.[85]

The Scrutineers add up all of the votes, and the Revisers check the ballots and the names on the Scrutineers’ lists to ensure that no error was made. The ballots are then all burned by the Scrutineers with the assistance of the Secretary of the College and the Masters of Ceremonies. If the first scrutiny held in any given morning or afternoon does not result in an election, the cardinals proceed to the next scrutiny immediately. The papers from both scrutinies are then burned together at the end of the second scrutiny.

Fumata nera and fumata bianca

The color of the smoke indicates the results to the people assembled in St Peter’s Square. Dark smoke (fumata nera) indicates that the ballot did not result in an election, while white smoke (fumata bianca) announces that a new pope was chosen.[85] Originally, in the event a pope was not elected, damp straw was added to the fire to create dark smoke. In the event a new pope was elected, the ballots were burned alone, creating white smoke.

Prior to 1945 (when Pius XII changed the form of ballot to use anonymous oaths, first carried out in 1958), the sealing wax on the complex type ballots illustrated above had the effect of making the smoke from burning the ballots either black or white, depending on whether or not damp straw was added. This explains the confusion over the color of the smoke in the 1958 Papal conclave, caused by the lack of sealing wax on the ballots. The Siri Thesis was based on the confusion over the smoke color on the first day of that conclave.

Since 1963, chemicals have been added to the burning process, and beginning in 2005, bells ring after a successful election to augment the white smoke.[86]

During the 2013 conclave, the Vatican disclosed the chemicals used to color the smoke:[87][88][89]

·       Fumata nera:

·       Potassium perchlorate

·       Anthracene

·       Sulphur

·       Fumata bianca:

·       Potassium chlorate

·       Lactose / milk sugar

·       Colophony / pine rosin

Acceptance and proclamation

Once the election concludes, the Cardinal Dean summons the Secretary of the College of Cardinals and the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations into the hall. The Cardinal Dean then asks the pope-elect if he assents to the election, saying in Latin: “Acceptasne electionem de te canonice factam in Summum Pontificem? (Do you accept your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?)” There is no requirement that the pope-elect do so and he is free to respond “Non accepto” (I don’t accept).

In practise, any cardinal who intends not to accept will explicitly state this before he receives a sufficient number of votes to become pope, asGiovanni Colombo did in October 1978.[90]

If he accepts, and is already a bishop, he immediately takes office. If he is not a bishop, however, he must be first consecrated as one before he can assume office. If a priest is elected, the Cardinal Dean consecrates him bishop; if a layman is elected, then the Cardinal Dean first ordains him deacon, then priest, and only then consecrates him as bishop. Only after becoming a bishop does the pope-elect take office. These functions of the Dean are assumed, if necessary, by the sub-Dean, and if the sub-Dean is also impeded, they are assumed by the senior cardinal-bishop in attendance. In 2005 the Dean himself—Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger—was elected pope. In 2013, the Dean and sub-Dean were not in attendance (over the age limit), and these functions were assumed by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.

Since 533,[citation needed] the new pope has also decided on his regnal name. Pope John II was the first to adopt a new papal name; he felt that his original name, Mercurius, was inappropriate, as it was also the name of a Roman god. In most cases, even if such considerations are absent, popes tend to choose papal names different from their baptismal names; the last pope to reign under his baptismal name was Pope Marcellus II (1555). After the newly elected pope accepts his election, the Cardinal Dean asks him about his papal name, saying in Latin: “Quo nomine vis vocari? (By what name do you wish to be called?)” After the papal name is chosen, the officials are readmitted to the conclave, and the Master of Pontifical Liturgical Ceremonies writes a document recording the acceptance and the new name of the pope.

In the past, when the cardinals were voting during the conclave, they sat on canopied thrones symbolizing the cardinals’ collective governance of the church during the period of sedevacante.[91] Upon the acceptance by the new pope of his election, all other cardinals in attendance would each pull a cord and lower the canopies above their respective thrones signifying an end to the period of collective governance and only the newly elected pope’s canopy remained unlowered.[91] The last time canopied thrones were used was during the 1963 conclave.[92] Beginning with the 1978 August conclave canopied thrones were no longer used due to the lack of space resulting from the large increase in the number of cardinal electors.

At the end of the conclave, the new pope if he so chose, would give his cardinalitial zucchetto or skull cap to the secretary of the conclave, indicating the secretary would be made cardinal at the next consistory to create cardinals. Prior to the 2013 conclave, this tradition was last followed at the 1958 conclave by the newly elected Pope John XXIII, who bestowed his cardinal’s skull cap on Alberto di Jorio and created him a cardinal at the consistory on December of that year. In 2013 the Portuguese section of Vatican Radio reported that at the conclusion of the 2013 conclave, the newly elected Pope Francis bestowed his cardinalitial zucchetto on Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri the secretary of that conclave[93] and on February 22, 2014 at Pope Francis’ first consistory, Baldisseri was formally made a cardinal with the title of Cardinal-Deacon of Sant’Anselmo all’Aventino.[94]

Later, the new pope goes to the “Room of Tears”, a small red room next to the Sistine Chapel; the room has the nickname because of the strong emotions experienced by the new pope. The new pope dresses by himself, choosing a set of pontifical choir robes—consisting of a white cassock,rochet, and red mozzetta—from three sizes provided. He then wears a gold corded pectoral cross, a red and gold embroidered stole, and then dons the white papal zucchetto on his head. In 2013, Pope Francis dispensed with the red mozzetta, rochet, and gold pectoral cross, wearing only the white cassock and his own pectoral cross when he appeared on the central balcony. He also did not emerge wearing the stole, vesting in it only to impart the Apostolic Blessing and removing it shortly after.

Next, the Cardinal Protodeacon (the senior Cardinal Deacon) appears at the loggia of the Basilica to proclaim the new pope. He usually proceeds with the traditional Latin formula (assuming the new Pope was a cardinal):

During the announcement for Pope Benedict XVI’s election, the cardinal protodeacon Jorge Arturo Medina Estévez greeted the crowds first in several different languages “Dear brothers and sisters” before proceeding to the Latin announcement. This was not done when Pope Francis was elected.

It has happened in the past that the Cardinal Protodeacon has himself been the person elected pope. In such an event, the announcement is made by the next senior Deacon, who has thus succeeded as Protodeacon. The last time the cardinal protodeacon was elected was in 1513 when Giovanni de Medici was elected as Pope Leo X and the next senior cardinal deacon Alessandro Farnese (the future Pope Paul III) made the announcement. During the election of Pope Leo XIII in 1878 Protodeacon Prospero Caterini appeared and started to make the announcement but was physically incapable of completing it, so another made it for him.[a]

Following the announcement, the senior Cardinal Deacon retreats, and papal aides unfurl a large, maroon banner that out of practicality often bears the late pope’s arms in the centre, draping it onto the railing of the Basilica’s loggia. During Pope Francis’ announcement, there was no image of his predecessor’s arms (indicating that the previous pope was still alive), and during Pope Pius XI‘s first appearance following his election at the 1922 conclave, the banner showed the arms of Pope Pius IX instead of the arms of his immediate predecessor Pope Benedict XV.[95] The new pope then emerges onto the balcony to the adulation of the crowd, while a brass band in the forecourt below plays the Pontifical Anthem. He then imparts theUrbi et Orbi blessing. The Pope may on this occasion choose to give the shorter episcopal blessing as his first Apostolic Blessing instead of the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing, this happened most recently with Pope Paul VI after his election at the 1963 conclave[96] Beginning with Pope John Paul II, the last three popes elected including Pope Francis, have chosen to address the crowds first before imparting the Urbi et Orbi blessing. Also, at Pope Francis’ first appearance, he led the faithful first in prayers for his predecessor and asked them for prayers for himself before imparting the Urbi et Orbi blessing.

Formerly, the pope would later be crowned by the triregnum or Triple Tiara at the Papal Coronation. All popes since John Paul I have refused an elaborate coronation, choosing instead to have a simpler papal inauguration ceremony.[97]

Historical voting patterns

The newly elected pope often contrasts dramatically with his predecessor, a tendency expressed by the Italian saying “After a fat pope, a lean pope”. Past cardinals have often voted for someone radically different from the pope who appointed them. The controversial one-time populist-turned-conservative, long-lived Pope Pius IX (1846–1878) was succeeded by the aristocratic and diplomatic Pope Leo XIII (1878–1903). He in turn was succeeded by the lower-class, bluntly outspoken Pope Pius X (1903–1914). Pius X’s rugged ultra-conservatism contrasted with the low-key moderatism of Pope Benedict XV (1914–1922), which again contrasted with the former librarian and mountain climber Pope Pius XI (1922–1939), who led Roman Catholicism with an authoritarianism more akin to Pius X, who also shared his temperament.

Pius XI was succeeded in 1939 by his Secretary of State, the aristocratic ultra-insider Curialist Pope Pius XII (1939–1958). Pius XII was seen as one of the great thinkers to assume the papacy in the 20th century and was also the ultimate insider; his grandfather, father, cousin and brother have been Vatican high-ranking officials. Pius was succeeded by the lower-class, elderly, popular, and informal Pope John XXIII (1958–1963). The contrast between the diffident, intellectual and distant Pius XII and the humble—in his own words “ordinary”—”Good Pope John” was dramatic, with none more surprised at the election than Pope John himself. He reportedly already had his return rail ticket in his pocket when he was elected.

John proved to be a radical break with the two previous popes, and indeed with most of the popes of the 20th century. After a short but dramatic pontificate during which he convoked the Second Vatican Council, John XXIII was replaced by the widely-expected Giovanni Batista Montini, who many believed would have been elected in 1958 had he been a cardinal then. Pope Paul VI (1963–1978) was a curialist like Pius XII, whom he had worked with in the curia during the 1930s and 1940s. Paul VI himself was briefly succeeded by non-curialist Pope John Paul I (1978), who in turn was succeeded by Karol Wojtyła as Pope John Paul II (1978–2005). Wojtyła, the first non-Italian since 1523, spoke many languages and was originally from the Eastern Bloc, an important consideration given contemporary Cold War politics and the Church’s repression there. After a relatively long reign, he was succeeded in 2005 by the German Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and Cardinal Dean, Joseph Ratzinger, as Pope Benedict XVI. A more reserved and conservative pontiff than his predecessor, he reigned until his resignation in 2013, when he was succeeded by the simpler and less formal Argentinian Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Bergoglio as Pope Francis.[98]

Pagan Jesus

MAN’S DESIRE TO IDOL WORSHIP HAS A PATTERN —

KRISHNA   Birth July 19, 3228 BCE

Just like Jesus – Krishna was born of a virgin (Devaki)

Just like Jesus – Krishna was born December 25

Just like Jesus – Krishna father was a carpenter

Just like Jesus – Krishna birth was foreshadowed by a star in the east.

Just like Jesus – Krishna at birth was attended by angels and shepherds who gave gifts of spices

Just like Jesus – Krishna the angels danced and sang at his birth

Just like Jesus – Krishna Declared divine at birth

Just like Jesus – Krishna Forerunner person preceded

Just like Jesus – Krishna Born in distant city from their home

Just like Jesus – Krishna was persecuted by a tyrant who ordered thousands of male babies killed.

Just like Jesus – Krishna healed a woman who anointed him with oil on the head.

Just like Jesus – Krishna healed the lepers, the deaf, and the blind

Just like Jesus – Krishna rose people from the dead and restored these people to life

Just like Jesus – Krishna had a beloved disciple named Ar-jouan (John)

Just like Jesus – Krishna taught in parables about charity and love

Just like Jesus – Krishna lived poor and loved the poor

Just like Jesus – Krishna was transfigured in front of his disciples

Just like Jesus – Krishna Washed the feet of his disciples

Just like Jesus – Krishna gave his disciples the ability to work miracles

Just like Jesus – Krishna when he walked people would stew his path with branches

Just like Jesus – Krishna died on a tree crucified between two thieves (some traditions)

Just like Jesus – Krishna died around the age of 30

Just like Jesus – Krishna Was pierced and crucified

Just like Jesus – Krishna Deaths resulted in a Sun darkening at noon.

Just like Jesus – Krishna “resurrected” from the dead

Just like Jesus – Krishna Descended to hell

Just like Jesus – Krishna ascended to heaven “in the sight of all men”

Just like Jesus – Krishna depicted on a cross with nail holes in his feet and a heart emblem on his clothes

Just like Jesus – Krishna is the “lion” (tribe of Saki)

Just like Jesus – Krishna relieved others of their sins

Just like Jesus – Krishna was called “the Shepherd God”, “Redeemer”, “the First Born”, “Sin bearer”, “Liberator”, “universal Word.”

Just like Jesus – Krishna was deemed “Son of God”, “Our Lord and Savior”,

Just like Jesus – Krishna came earth to die for the salvation of man.

Just like Jesus – Krishna disciples gave him the title of “Jezeus” or “Jeseus” which means pure essence

Just like Jesus – Krishna Sentenced to death by king fearful of his throne

Just like Jesus – Krishna Part of a trinity, the second person

Just like Jesus – Krishna claim they are the creator “God incarnate” (God in the flesh)

Just like Jesus – Krishna will return at the end of days.

Just like Jesus – Krishna will judge the dead

HORUS   3200 BCE

Just like Jesus – Horus baptized by Anep, Jesus baptized by John.

Just like Jesus – Horus born in Annu, meaning place of bread. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, meaning house of bread.

Just like Jesus – Horus the good shepherd w/ crook on shoulder

Just like Jesus – 7 aboard the boat with Horus, 7 on boat with Jesus

Just like Jesus – Horus as the lamb

Just like Jesus – Horus the lion, Jesus as the lion

Just like Jesus – Horus identified with tat or cross, Jesus identified with cross

Just like Jesus – Horus at 12 years of age showed his special intellect, Jesus also at 12 years

Just like Jesus – Horus at 30 years was baptized

Just like Jesus – Horus the Krst, Jesus the Christ

Just like Jesus – Horus son of God, Jesus son of God

Just like Jesus – Two mothers of Horus were sisters, two mothers in Jesus story sisters

Just like Jesus – Horus adversary Seth, Jesus adversary Satan

Just like Jesus – Horus the sower, Seth the destroyer in harvest field, Jesus the sower of the good seed, Satan the sower of tares

Just like Jesus – Horus and Seth contending on the mount, same with Jesus & Satan

Just like Jesus – Star announced birth of Horus

Just like Jesus – Horus afflicted one, same with Jesus Horus as type of life eternal

Just like Jesus – Horus comes to fulfil the law, same with Jesus Horus came by water, blood, spirit

Just like Jesus – Horus of two horizons, Jesus of two lands

Just like Jesus – Horus walking on water

Just like Jesus – Children around Horus

Just like Jesus – Horus entering in mount to have conversation with his father

Just like Jesus – Horus transfigured on the mount

Just like Jesus – Seven loafs of Horus feeding multitude reclining in fields of Annu

Just like Jesus – 12 followers of Horus called Har-Khutti (disciples)

Just like Jesus – Secret mysteries make known by Taht-Aan, secrets made known by John

Just like Jesus – Anup and Aan as witnesses for Horus, two Johns witness for Jesus

Just like Jesus – Horus the morning star, Jesus the morning star

Just like Jesus – Horus gives morning start to followers

ISIS   2465–2323 BCE

• Goddess Isis and (Osiris’ son) Aion had a child.

Just like Jesus – the child’s birthday was celebrated on December Twenty-Fifth.

Isis, a God woman, is seen of Egyptian wall paintings back in 1360 B.C.  This goddess was popular because

Just like Jesus – she could be appealed to for personal salvation.

Just like Jesus – People would confess their sins and forgiveness was given through immersion in water.  Personal salvation is stressed through repentance accomplished through a priest who preaches monogamy and family unity.

Isis united with Aion and had a son named Horus whose birthday is January 6, the day the Greek orthodox Christians celebrate their Christmas on.  Europe celebrates January 6 as the “Three Kings Day” where everyone exchanges presents on that day instead on Christmas day.

Just like Jesus – The Madonna & child paintings of Mary and baby Jesus are almost identical to Isis & baby Horus.

BAAL   around 2300 BCE

Just like Jesus – BAAL was killed by Mot, he resurrected and came back to life.

HERCULES / HERACLES   around 1300–1280 BCE

Just like Jesus – born December 25

Just like Jesus – born of a virgin (Alcmene (means moon woman))

Just like Jesus – his father refrained from sexual relations until God impregnated the virgin mother.

Just like Jesus – He was known as the “only Begotten”, the “Universal Word”

Just like Jesus – He had 12 labors which demonstrated him as the Savior

Just like Jesus – called the “Prince of peace”

Just like Jesus – called the “Sun of righteousness”, ‘light of the world”

Just like Jesus – killed, then resurrected as his own divine father

Just like Jesus – ascended to Heaven

ATTIS   around 1250 BCE

He was afflicted when God infected him with madness.  He killed himself by castration, then came back to life and danced around.

Just like Jesus – The birthday of Attis is December 25.

Just like Jesus – born of a virgin (Cybele)

Just like Jesus – was considered the “Savior”

Just like Jesus – was slain for the salvation of mankind

Just like Jesus – his body represented by bread is eaten by his worshipers

Just like Jesus – the priests become “eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven”

Just like Jesus – he is both the divine Son and the divine Father

Just like Jesus – he was crucified on a tree on “black Friday”

Just like Jesus – his holy blood ran down to the ground and redeemed the earth

Just like Jesus – he descended to the underworld (Hell)

Just like Jesus –3 days after his death he resurrected on March 25.  The first day after his death is a day of mourning.  The second day is a day of fasting and physical suffering and deprivation similar to the Christian Lent and Christian Passion Week.

Just like Jesus – after his resurrection he was considered “God most high”

Just like Jesus – A cult was formed around his virgin mother

ZOROASTER/Zarathustra   between 1400 and 1000 BCE also 7th and 6th centuries BCE

Just like Jesus – his mother had an “immaculate conception” by a ray of divine reason

Just like Jesus – he was born of a virgin

Just like Jesus – was baptized in a river

Just like Jesus – he was baptized also with the “holy” wind and fire

Just like Jesus – in his youth astounded wise men with his incredible wisdom

Just like Jesus – he was tempted in the wilderness by the devil

Just like Jesus – he began his ministry at the age of 30

Just like Jesus – he cast out demons

Just like Jesus – he restored sight to the blind

Just like Jesus – he taught about heaven and hell

Just like Jesus – revealed mysteries of the resurrection

Just like Jesus – revealed mysteries of judgment and salvation

Just like Jesus – taught of an apocalypse

Just like Jesus – he had a sacred cup or grail

Just like Jesus – he was slain

Just like Jesus – his religion had a Eucharist

Just like Jesus – he was “the Word made flesh”

Just like Jesus – his followers expect a second coming, to occur in the year 2341.  This will usher in a “golden age”

ADONIS   around the 6th century BCE

– was gored to death by a boar sent by God.

Just like Jesus – he was raised from the dead on the third day.

Just like Jesus – also born of a virgin mother named Myrrh.

PROMETHEUS - 5th Century BCE

Events occurred in the Caucasus Mountains.

Just like Jesus – He descended from Heaven as “God incarnate” to save mankind.

Just like Jesus – He had a especially close friend named Petraeus (Peter) who was a fisherman and later deserted him.

Just like Jesus – he suffered and was crucified.

Just like Jesus – he rose from the dead

Just like Jesus – he is called Logos or “the Word.”

BUDDAH   between 480 BCE and 400 BCE

Just like Jesus – Buddha Baptized in presence of God’s “spirit.”

Just like Jesus – Buddha astounded the elders at the temple at the age of 12 with their infinite wisdom

Just like Jesus – Buddha Was tempted by the devil.

Just like Jesus – Buddha Followers required a sign

Just like Jesus – Buddha Tried to establish the kingdom of heaven here on earth

Just like Jesus – Buddha Made statements of wisdom similar to those made by Jesus

Just like Jesus – Buddha Healed a blind man

Just like Jesus – Buddha A constant preacher with an inner group and an outer group of followers

Just like Jesus – Buddha Wanted followers to renounce all worldly possessions

Just like Jesus – Buddha Had a disciple that walked on water Just like Jesus – Buddha After death there was a supernatural event

Just like Jesus – Buddha Disciples were miracle workers

Just like Jesus – Buddha Born of a virgin

Just like Jesus – Buddha Declared divine at birth Just like Jesus – Buddha Stars in the sky announced their birth

Just like Jesus – Buddha When born angels sang in heaven

Just like Jesus – Buddha had miracle workers

Just like Jesus – Buddha transfigured before witnesses

Just like Jesus – Buddha Part of a trinity

Just like Jesus – Buddha Relieved others of their sins

Just like Jesus – Others claim Buddha was the creator

Just like Jesus – Buddha Will judge the dead Just like Jesus – Buddha Had similar divine titles.

OSIRIS-DIONYSUS –   circa 3rd century BCE to 2nd century CE

Dates back to 1250 B.C. and is seen on wall painting in Egypt.  In the 5th century Osiris and Dionysus had merged into the god Dionysus.  When Jesus came along Dionysus had been worshiped for centuries.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was a savior of mankind, a “god” made into man, the “son of God” equal with the “Father.”

Just like Jesus – Dionysus claimed his father was God.

Just like Jesus – the mother of Dionysus was a mortal virgin, called Semele.  Semele wanted to see Zeus, King of gods, in all his glory and was impregnated by one of his lightning bolts.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus’ mother didn’t die but ascended to heaven and became an honored divine being.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was born on December 25, and to some January 6.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was born in a humble environment in nature.

Just like Jesus – the Magi (visited Jesus) were followers of Dionysus.

Just like Jesus – The Pagans way of worshiping God was to give gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (6th cent BCE).

Just like Jesus – a prophesied star represented the birth of Dionysus.  The alleged grove where Jesus was born was an area sacred to Osiris-Dionysus.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus initiates can be “born again” through baptism with water (into the mysteries) for centuries BCE.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus turned water into wine at a marriage ceremony.  Coincidentally it was the same known date when Jesus did his same miracle.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus’ disciples did not recognize him as a God, but then he transfigured before them.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus had twelve disciples.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was portrayed as a quiet man with long hair and a beard.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus healed the sick.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus exorcised demons.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus provided spectacular miraculous meals.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus helped fishermen make miraculous catches of fish.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was .not honored in his home town but was a wanderer.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus accused of licentious behavior.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus accused of heresy, stands up to hypocrites and to tyranny.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus accused of bringing a new religion.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (same as the motif of the Socrates story).

Just like Jesus – Dionysus is equated to bread and wine (body and blood of Jesus)

Just like Jesus – Dionysus the bread and wine are taken to communicate with him.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus rode into town on a donkey and people waved palm leaves at him.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was hung on a tree and crucified.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was hung on a tree at Easter time as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus died and was resurrected on exactly the same dates.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was wrapped in linen and was anointed with myrrh.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus descended to hell after his death, then three days later rose from the dead.  He then ascended to heaven.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was enthroned in heaven by God.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus was visited by three women at his tomb

Just like Jesus – Dionysus’ followers await his reappearance and his divine judgment in the last days.

Just like Jesus – Dionysus’ death and resurrection is celebrated by a meal of bread and wine signifying his body and blood.

MITHRAS   1st Century - 4th Century CE

The most popular and widely spread religion of the ancient world.  – He was worshiped in Persia 1400 B.C. E.  It dates back to before the Iranian race split into two tribes; Persian and Indian. This cult was widely known to be in Asia Minor around the first century C.E.  Mithra religion spread rapidly among the Romans and was protected by the Emperors.  This cult Mithraism was a major competitor to Christianity until around the year 300 C.E. when Constantine created the Christian religion which squashed any competing religion. The papacy of Mithra became the Vatican papacy with the identical hierarchy structure.  The Catholic Encyclopedia states that the priests were called fathers, and the chief father pope was called “pater patratus.”  The Mithratic pope was known as “Pontimus Maximus”, or simply Papa.

Paul said, “They drank from that spiritual rock and that rock was Christ.” 1 cor 10:4.  These are the identical words found in the Mithra scriptures with the word Mithra instead of Christ.  The home of Paul was the site of Mithratic worship.  Vatican hill was sacred to the Mithra priests.  Mithraic remains have been found there.  The merging of Mithaic worship to Christ worship was without interruption.  The Vatican cave belonged to Mithra until 376 C.E. when it was seized by the Vatican in the name of Christ (on December 25).  All of the Vatican rituals of the headresses, altar, host, liturgical formula is all taken from the Mithra mystery rituals.

Just like Jesus – Born December 25, originally recognized to be the winter solstice.

Just like Jesus – Born of a virgin.

Just like Jesus – Born in a cave with shepherds giving gifts.

Just like Jesus – Mithras was born on the darkest day of the year, and they were considered the “light” to the world.

Just like Jesus – Had 12 companions.

Just like Jesus – Promised immortality.

Just like Jesus – Sacrificed himself for world peace (the great bull of the Sun).

Just like Jesus – Rose again 3 days after being buried in a tomb.

Just like Jesus – He is called “the way”, “the truth”, “the light.”

Just like Jesus – He is called “Redeemer”, “Savior”, “Messiah.”

Just like Jesus – His sacred day of the week was Sunday and it was called “the Lord’s day.”

Just like Jesus – He had a Eucharist which was eaten at the Lord’s Supper. (“He who shall not eat of my body and drink of my blood so that he may be one with me and I with him, shall not be saved.)

Just like Jesus – His resurrection is celebrated every year. His principal day for his festival became what today is called Easter.

Just like Jesus – His annual sacrifice is the “Passover of the Magi.”  It is a symbolic atonement for spiritual regeneration.

Just like Jesus – Mithras was regarded as a mediator between God and humans.  The name of the Persian high god that Mithras mediated between was Ajura-Mazda.

Just like Jesus – Mithras aided the souls of humans to heaven.

Just like Jesus – Mithras performed miracles.

Just like Jesus – Mithras killed a “holy bull” and by eating this bull’s body and blood it provides life.  The meal eaten was exactly like the Christian host wafer that is given in communion.

Just like Jesus – Mithras held a “last supper” with his disciples before he returned to Heaven. Just like Jesus – Mithras initiates had to be purified by a baptism.

Just like Jesus – Mithras will have a victory over evil and will sit in judgment of humans. Just like Jesus – Mithras will lead the “saved ones” over a river of fire to become immortal.

QUETZALCOATL   first century BC or first century AD   Toltec (800s–1100s AD) and Aztec (1300s–1500s AD) civilizations.

This God is from Mexico.  The religion had monasteries and nunneries that called their high priests Papes.  Cortes saw the ceremonies were virtually the same as the Catholic’s that he stated, “The Devil had positively taught to the Mexicans the same things that God has taught to Christendom.”  This Devil view of Quetzalcoatl compelled the Spanish to destroy as much of the artifacts as possible.  Few remain today.

Just like Jesus – was called Savior

Just like Jesus – was born of a pure virgin (Sochiquetzal)

Just like Jesus – messenger announced to his mother her son with be without connection with man

Just like Jesus – his mother was portrayed as “Queen of Heaven” (hieroglyph)

Just like Jesus – was designated “the morning star”

Just like Jesus – was tempted and fasted for 40 days

Just like Jesus – shown bending under the weight of a cross

Just like Jesus – called Redeemer who died for the people’s sins

The Crucifixion

Cruci-Fiction

------> Crucifiction Timeline ----->

Pilate starts Crucifixion 

14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover (Friday). It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”   John 19:14

16 Then Pilate handed him over to be crucified, and they took Jesus away.    John 19:16

Jesus was crowned with thorns, Jesus walked a long way to skull hill carrying his cross, the Roman soldiers nailed him to the cross, cross was raised, Jesus was on the cross for three?? hours .... and he died before sunset.

34 At three o’clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eloi, eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)    Mark 15:34

46 About three o’clock, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Eli, eli, lema sabachthani?”, which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”     Matt 27:46

Jesus was God ... he should have known why he forsakened himself !!!

Jesus died before sunset Friday afternoon (before start of Sabbath)

31 Since it was the Preparation Day, the Jewish leaders did not want to leave the bodies on the crosses during the Sabbath, because that was a particularly important Sabbath.  John 19:31

Wait ... Didn't Jesus Eat the Passover Meal with his Disciples on Passover Day???

12 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”   Mark 14:12

17 On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover meal?”     Matt 26:17

7 Then the day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread came, on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover meal.”     Luke 22:7-8

19 The disciples did as Jesus had told them and prepared the Passover meal. 20 When it was evening, Jesus and the twelve disciples sat down to eat. 21 During the meal Jesus said, “I tell you, one of you will betray me.”      Matt 26:19-21

What??? The Clock Rolls Back to get the Crucifixion Events In ???

God's word says Jesus was crucified Friday mid-morning (9 AM);

25 And it was the third hour when they crucified him.      Mark 15:25

Jesus was crowned with thorns, Jesus walked a long way to skull hill carrying his cross, the Roman soldiers nailed him to the cross, cross was raised ... all this before 9 AM

Evidently Jesus hung on the cross from the third hour (9 AM) to 12 noon (three hours) then the darkness started and lasted another 3 hours to the 9th hour or 3 PM when he "gave up his spirit" (to himself-god).

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.    Matt 27:50

Jesus-god-in-the-flesh Can’t Count

In Matthew Chapter 12 the Pharisees asked Jesus for a sign. He answered that like Jonah being in the stomach of a whale, so shall he be in the earth three days and three nights.

As for Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the son of man (Didn't God write that Jesus was the Son of God) be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.     Matthew 12:30-4

Dankness fell from sixth hour to the ninth hour.  Jesus died around the 9th hour or 3PM.

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.    Matt 27:45

44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour,    Luke 23:44

33 And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.     Mark 15:33

Dead Jesus was taken off the cross Friday afternoon before sunset.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.       Matthew 28:1

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary(???) rested on the Sabbath as seen above in Matthew 28:1

Jesus was allegedly resurrected Sunday morning at dawn.

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. Matthew 28:1

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. John 20:1

   Conclusion = NOT "three" days ...  and NOT "three" nights.

John says; Not even Two full days and not even Two complete nights!!!

Early on the first day of the week [Sunday], while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. John 20:1.

Matthew, Mark, & Luke say not even two full days; dawn after the Sabbath

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.   Matthew 28:1

2 Very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had just come up, they were going to the tomb.     Mark 16:2

24 But at early dawn on the first day of the week, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.     Luke 24:1

With Jesus eating the Passover meal with his disciples at the start of the Sabbath ... this whole story gets to the level of a miracle to believe it ....

HOW​?

Christians state the the PROOF of Jesus being the “son of god”, a deity, is the story about his resurrection from the dead.  The Christian credibility and veracity is based on the facts of the story of Jesus having “risen.”  In their New Testament, which they claim is the  “Word of God”, they even refer to the resurrection in a verse saying,

“For as yet they did not know the Scripture that he [Jesus] must again rise from the dead,”  John 20:9.

However there is NO such Scripture in the Torah (the Old Testament), the Books of the Prophets, or anything anywhere else even closely resembling that statement.  But it sure sounds good to people who blindly believe.

Was Jesus taken to Caiaphas or Annas first?

Caiaphas

And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.       Matthew 26:57

And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.      Mark 14:53

Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest's house.       Luke 22:54

Annas

And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.       John 18:13

When did Jesus receive his beating?

Before Pilate ordered his crucifixion.

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands.
...
Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.     John 19:2-3, 16

After Pilate ordered his crucifixion.

Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified.      Matthew 27:26

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.      Mark 15:15

1  The “Word of God” is uncertain as to which day Jesus was crucified on.

A  Day Before Passover

On the day before Passover, the fourteenth day of Nissan.  John 13:1, 13:29, 18:28, 19:14

B  First Day of Passover

On the first day of Passover, the fifteenth day of Nissan  Mark 14:17-25, Luke 22:14-23, Matthew 26:20-30

2  The “Word of Go​d” is uncertain as to what time Jesus was crucified.

A  The Third hour, 9 AM

 It was nine in the morning when they crucified him.     Mark 15:25  NIV

B  The Sixth hour, 12 PM Noon

And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour; and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your king. . . . Shall I crucify your king?     John 19:14, 15

C.  The Nineth hour, 3 PM

34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).     Mark 15:33

The “Word of God” is uncertain as to who carried the cross to Golgatha prior to the crucifixion.

A  Jesus himself

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).   John 19:17

B  Simon, a Cyrenian

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.    Mark 15:21

 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.    Matthew 27:32

As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.     Luke 23:26

4  The “Word of God” is uncertain as to whether the two crucified with Jesus believed in Jesus.

A  One did.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him. . . . But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?    Luke 23:39-41

B  Neither believed in him.

In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.  Matthew 27:44

5  The “Word of God” is uncertain as to what were the last words of Jesus.

A  “It is finished”

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.     John 19:30

B  “Eloi, Eloi, lama shabachthani

   (translated is “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?”)

And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)     Mark 15:34

About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a]lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).     Matthew 27:46

C  “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit.”

 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[a] When he had said this, he breathed his last.     Luke 23:46

Blood and Water from a Dead Body???

But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.     John 19:34

and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."      John 19:37

Not Possible!!!

ICC New Testament Commentary says that a flow of blood from a dead body, when pierced with a spear, is abnormal and for that reason, various physical explanations have been offered. One suggestion (W. Stroud) is that the death of Jesus had been caused by rupture of the heart, and that the “blood and water” were the separated clot and serum of the escaped blood in the pericardial sac, which the lance had pierced. The commentary says this assumes that the wound was on the left side, of which there is no evidence, tradition (whatever it be worth) indicating the right side. Furthermore, Stroud’s arguments have not approved themselves to all physicians. Dr. C. Creighton (and others) object that “the blood escaping into a serum cavity from rupture of a great organ” does not show any tendency to separate into clot and serum, “but remains thick dark-red blood.” On the basis of expert advice, this does not seem a plausible explanation for what John describes.

It was Only Symbolic???

Michael R. Cosby (Portraits of Jesus, page 185) says that the attempts by some modern doctors to provide physiological explanations for how water could be separated from the blood in Jesus' heart are no doubt sincere, but they fail to recognize the symbolic nature of the witness in John 19:34-37.

Another "Gnostic" Explanation

Elizabeth Danna (From Gethsemane to Pentecost, page 95) believes that this account was included by John's author to counter an emerging Gnostic tradition that Jesus was not crucified in the flesh, it being only a phantom of Jesus that appeared to be on the cross. An alternative theological explanation is also provided in this answer.

What Did the Sign that was put on the Cross Say?

THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS

And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.       Matthew 27:37

THE KING OF THE JEWS

And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.       Mark 15:26

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.       Luke 23:38

JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS

And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.            John 19:19

My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? ... Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. Matthew 27:46-50

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Luke 23:46

It is finished.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. John 19:30

What did the Soldiers give Jesus to Drink?

Vinegar and gall

They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall.    Matthew 27:34

Wine and myrrh

They gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh.    Mark 15:23

Vinegar

And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.     Mark 15:36

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar.     Luke 23:36

Vinegar and hyssop

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.     John 19:29

Who Carried  Jesus' Cross?

Jesus carried his own cross.

And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull.    John 19:17

Simon the Cyrenian carried Jesus's cross.

And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.    Matthew 27:32

And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross.     Mark 15:21

And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.     Luke 23:26

Did Both Thieves Revile Jesus? 

Both thieves reviled Jesus.

And they that were crucified with him reviled him.     Mark 15:32

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth.      Matthew 27:44

Only one thief reviled Jesus.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.       Luke 23:39-42

What Color was Jesus' Robe

Scarlet

And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.     Matthew 27:28

Purple

And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head.      Mark 15:17

And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe.     John 19:2

Who Put the Robe on Jesus

Herod's soldiers

And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. Luke 23:11

Pilate's soldiers

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.       Matthew 27:27-28

And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And they clothed him with purple.        Mark 15:15-17

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe.        John 19:1-2

What did the Centurion call Jesus when he died?

The Son of God.

And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God.      Mark 15:39

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.     Matthew 27:54

A righteous man.

Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.      Luke 23:47

 Where did the women watching the crucifixion stand?

They stood far away.

And many women were there beholding afar off.     Matthew 27:55

There were also women looking on afar off.      Mark 15:40

And the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.      Luke 23:49

They stood near the cross.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.      John 19:25

Who Buried Jesus? 

Joseph of Arimathaea

When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathaea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.     Matthew 27:57-60

Joseph of Arimathaea ... took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre.      Mark 15:43-46

Joseph ... of Arimathaea ... took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre.      Luke 23:50-53

Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus

Joseph of Arimathaea ... took the body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus.... Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus....      John 19:38-42

The Jews and their rulers

For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.       Acts 13:27-29

When did the Temple curtain tear?

Before Jesus died.

And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.     Luke 23:45-46

After Jesus died.

Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent.      Matthew 27:50-51

And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.       Mark 15:37-38

 Did Jesus drink on the cross?

Yes

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.       John 19:29-30

No

And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.      Mark 15:23

They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink.      Matthew 27:34