I saw the movie a few weekends ago and i slept through more than half of it. I actually tried to stay awake but i thought it was very boring. I don't really know what my beliefs are at the moment and the movie didn't really move me that much, i guess if i had seen more than the last 30 min. of it i would be saying something else but i don't know. But on the ride home my mom claimed that i was "being defiant and taking the atheist aproach to religion"...but hey, i caught up on the sleep i lost the night before getting wasted...okay not really, i was watching tv, but oh well.

To reply to post I have not seen till now:
Here is what i had to say about the discussion of Jews in relation to the claim of anti-semitism in the movie, "The Passion...":


Wahkonta on "The Passion..."
An Invite to Controversy

By Wahkonta Anathema
Posted Thursday, February 26, 2004 on conspiracy-history-news
Discussion: Religion


I have read a lot of posts and reviews on the “Passion..” movie and the controversy it is causing. I think this is a great thing and is causing people to re-examine their relationship with their God and Savior. I too have gone back and opened my dusty ‘Holy Bible’ to review and ask some questions raised by the movie and th discussion in the ‘controlled-media’. One such question is: Is the death of Jesus in any way attributable to the Jews of Jesus time? Here I will, with purposeful brevity (relying on but one gospel, that of the Book of Matthew), provide my understanding based upon a source many of us agree is relevant to the issue, The Holy Bible.

We should start things off with the scripture as to the very birth of Jesus to put his life in perspective. Let’s go to Matthew Chapter 2:

We find the ‘wise men’ asking, “Where is the child who has been born to be king of the Jews?...Now we have come to worship him.”3.) “When King Herod (King of Judea) heard about it he was very upset. Everyone in Jerusalem was troubled too. So Herod called together all the Chief Priests of the people (Jews). He also called the teachers of the law. He asked them where the Christ child was to be born. In Bethlehem in Judea.” They replied. “This is what the prophet has written. He said, ‘But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are certainly not the least important among the towns of Judah. A ruler will come out of you. He will be the shepherd of my people Israel.” (Micah 5:2)
Herod then attempts to secretly trick those who know into telling him when they find Jesus saying, …”I can go and worship him too”.(verse8) God subsequently tells the wise men to not return to Herod to tell him Jesus whereabouts when they find him and Jesus and his family escape the Jewish leader and go to Egypt.

When Herod finds out, …”He became very angry. He gave orders concerning Bethlehem and the area around it . All the boys two years old and under were to be killed. …In this way, the words the prophet Jeremiah spoke came true. He said, “{a voice is heard in Ramah, It’s the sound of crying and deep sadness. Rachel is crying over her children. She refuses to be comforted because they are gone.” (Jeremiah 31:15)
Even after Herod dies to fulfill another prophecy, his Son, Archelaus, was King of Judea. So Joseph goes to Nazareth, fulfilling yet another prophecy that, “He will be called a Nazarene”.

In Matthew Chapter 5, Jesus gives his re-interpretation of the Commandments of the Jews, which are at odds with the practice of the rabbis of his day. He does not hold them changed, but says they are not enough as practiced. That contrary to “Do not commit murder” he says “Anyone who is angry with his brother will be judged, for example.

Now comes John the Baptist, a hermit dressed in camel’s hair. He is the one who will prophecy the birth of Jesus as the event of the messianic birth Jews have awaited. John, a godly man first, “Saw many Pharisees and Saducees coming to where he was baptizing. He said to them, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! (emphasis in the book I cite from) Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? Produce fruit that shows you have turned away from your sins. Don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. The axe is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will bet thrown into the fire. I baptize with water,…after me, one will come who is more powerful than I am. And I’m not fit to carry his sandals. (3:11).

Subsequent to this, Herod has John arrested and then beheads him for a birthday present for his wife (Mark 6:14-29)

Jesus draws more ire of the Jewish leaders when he says, “When you pray, do not be like those who only pretend to be holy. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners. They want to be seen by others….They have received their reward.” Matthew 6:5) He also says those leaders who fast in public also, “received their complete reward.” (6:16) Throughout this time, Jesus is gaining quite a following in Judea, healing and assisting many Jews.

When, in Chapter 15, some Pharisees and teachers come to Jerusalem to quiz Jesus ( to learn or teach him, NO to trick him so they can have him imprisoned or killed), “They asked, ‘ why don’t your disciples obey what the leaders teach? Your disciples don’t wash their hands before they eat!’ Jesus replied, ‘ and why don’t you obey God’s command? You would rather follow your own teachings!...You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings. You pretenders! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. He said, ‘These people honor me by what they say. But their hearts are far away from me. Their worship doesn’t mean anything to me. They teach nothing but human rules.’ (Isaiah 29:13)

Jesus then goes on to say, in response to his disciples question, “Do you know that the Pharisees were angry when they heard this?

“There are plants that my father in heaven has not planted. They will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them. The Pharisees are blind guides. If a blind person leads another who is blind, both of them will fall into a pit.(Matthew 15:1-14) Jesus later explains to them, it is not the clean hands god cares about, only man. Adultery, murder, sexual sins, stealing, false witness, are the things that come out of a person and make them unclean.
Speaking on the Jewish leadership later, Jesus warned his disciples to, “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”(Matt 16:5-12)

Then comes the ‘great confession, in which Jesus asks the question, “Who do men say that I am?” Then, “Who do YOU say that I am?” To which Simon Barjona says, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Note: it is at this verse, Matt.16:18 that the entire Catholic Church finds its origin, using a play on translation and altering their own version of the Holy Bible to achieve the end of making a Pope of Simon Barjona. Hint, it is found in the words Petra and Petros)

Now for anyone who says I am anti-semitic or wrongly interpret scripture let’s see what Jesus himself had to say on this subject of his impending death.
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples what would happen to him…There (Jerusalem) he must suffer many things from the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law. He must be killed and on the third day rise to life again. (Matt 16:21 Jesus is transfigured with Moses and Elijah before his disciples with the voice of God speaking of his favor for Jesus in chapter 17. Another event Jews do not believe happened) Jesus tells them that John the Baptist was actually a re-incarnation of Elijah, and he will be made to suffer as John was.

In another attempt to trick Jesus with scripture riddles, so they can have him arrested and killed, the Pharisees return to quiz Jesus as to marriage, again failing in chapter 19.
In yet another truth of the Holy Bible at Matthew 20:18, he tells his disciples, “We are going up to Jerusalem, the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. THEY WILL SENTENCE HIM TO DEATH. THEN THEY WILL TURN HIM OVER TO PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT JEWS.” (Jesus words not mine)

In chapter 21 Jesus enters Jerusalem again fulfilling prophecy as he enters on an ass. “See, your King comes to you. He is gentle and riding on an ass.” (Zecheriah 9:9). Jesus is a popular man to those who encounter him and they travel with him shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”. This fulfills another old testament prophecy of the Jewish holy book, at Psalm 118:26.

At this time Jesus enters the temple area of the Jews and overturns the tables of the money exchangers. “It is written that the Lord said, ‘My house will be called a house where people can pray’. (Isaiah 56:7) But you are making it a ‘den for robbers.” Jeremiah 7:11 The chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did. They also saw the children in the temple area shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ But when they saw all this, they became angry.” (Matthew 21:15
When asked about this, Jesus replies, “Haven’t you read about it in scripture? It says, ‘ You have made sure that children and infants praise you’. (Psalm 8:2)

Being every bit as versed in scripture as they, Jesus then answers a Jewish leader question with his own, asking, “Where did John’s baptism come from? Was it from heaven? Or did it come from men?” (matt 21:25) Realizing they cannot answer and win the day, they say they don’t know, whereupon Jesus declines to answer their question of who gave him authority to perform miracles, another trick they failed in.

Now Jesus tells of how, “ The stone the builders didn’t accept has become the most important stone of all (the cornerstone)…The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to people who will produce its fruit….The chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus stories. They knew he was talking about them. So they looked for a way to arrest him. But they were afraid of the crowd. The people believed Jesus was a prophet.” Matthew 21:45,46).

Now Saducees come to try to trick Jesus and have him imprisoned or killed yet again. In Matthew chapter 22, we read, “..They do not believe that people rise from the dead.” After a protracted trick question, Jesus replied, “You are mistaken, because you do not know the scriptures. And you do not know the power of God. When the dead rise, they won’t get married. And their parents won’t give them to be married. They will be like angels in heaven. What about the dead rising? Haven’t you read what God said to you? He said, ‘I am the God of Abraham. I am the God of Isaac. And I am the God of Jacob (exodus3:6) He is not the god of the dead. He is the god of the living.” We further read, “When the crowds heard this, they were amazed by what he taught.” (Matthew22:23-33).
It goes on and on with the Jewish leaders constantly attempting to trick Jesus and have him imprisoned or killed. How much do you want to hear? Okay, some more then.
“The Pharisees heard that the Sadducees weren’t able to answer Jesus. So the Pharisees got together. One of them was an authority on the law. So he tested Jesus with a question. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘ Which is the most important commandment in the law?’ Jesus replies correctly to Love God and your neighbor. Then he poses one of his own to them. He asks, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” The son of David.” they replied. He said to them, “Then why does David call him Lord? The Holy Spirit spoke through David himself….So if David calls him Lord, How can he be David’s son? No one could answer him with a single word. From that day on, no one dared to ask him any more questions.”(Matthew 22:41-46)

Jesus then JUDGES THE PHARISEES AND THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW:

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses seat….don’t do what they do. They don’t practice what they preach. They tie up heavy loads and put them on other peoples’ shoulders. But they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for others to see. On their foreheads and arms they wear little boxes that hold Scripture verses. They make the boxes very wide. And they make the tassels on their coats very long.

I won’t post the entire chapter though it is a scathing judgement that makes the American Declaration of Independence seem trifling by comparison. He lays into the Jewish leadership like no one before or since (not even Mel Gibson). It’s no surprise the Rabbis to this day try to dissuade the Jews from even opening the New Testament, for inside is this truthful recounting of the Jewish leadership and rabbinic practices.

Those who are saying I am a racist or extremist, remember these are the words of the Holy Bible, Jesus (who was a Jew) and that I am not a Christian. These are just the historical facts people. Read it and weep.

He says, “They love it when people call them ‘rabbi.’ But you shouldn’t be called ‘rabbi.’…Do not call anyone on earth ‘father’(as in father jones of the Catholics)…How terrible it will be for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter….How terrible for you, teachers of the law and Pharisees! You pretenders! You travel everywhere to win one person to your faith. Then you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are….You are blind and foolish! Which is more important? Is it the gold? Or is it the temple that makes the gold Holy?...You blind men! Which is more important? Is it the gift? Or is it the altar that makes the gift Holy?...You pretenders!...you have not practiced the more important things of the law, like fairness, mercy, and fathfulness…You blind guides! You remove the smallest insect from your food. But you swallow a whole camel!...You clean the outside of the cup and dish. But on the inside you are full of greed. You only want to satisfy yourselves. Blind Pharisee! How terrible for you…You are like tombs that are painted white. They look beautiful on the outside. Buton the inside they are full of the bones of the dead….It is the same with you. On the outside you seem to be doing what is right. But on the inside you are full of what is wrong. You pretend to be what you are not.

In a relishing and severe slam Jesus finishes with, :” You nest of poisonous snakes! How will you escape from being sentenced to Hell? So I am sending you prophets, wise men, and teachers. You will kill some of them. You will nail some to a cross. Others you will whip in your synagogues. You will chase them from town to town. So you will pay for all the godly people’s blood spilled on earth. I mean from the blood of Zecheriah, the son of Berekiah. Zecheriah was the one you murdered between the temple and the altar. …Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together….But you would not let me! Look, your house is left empty. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.’[Psalm 118:26]

Later, speaking of the Jewish faith under the present leadership Jesus says, (an ex. Of a servant left to tend the stead while master away who abuses it) “But suppose that servant is evil…suppose he begins to beat the other servants. …The master of that servant will come back on a day the servant doesn’t expect him. He will return at and hour the servant does not know. Then the master will cut him to pieces. He will send him to the place where pretenders go. There people will sob and grind their teeth.” (Matthew 24:48-51)

The rest I’ll not cover extensively, as it makes me a bit emotional to read and admit. It does not matter to me if Jesus was a Jew or a man or a god. He was the world’s greatest revolutionary to ever, ever live. He is model to the likes of Ghandi, King, Jr. and the very calling of his name evokes powers greater than a 500 year old rattle of a shaman. It is packed with dense spiritual power. The very sounding of his name is as a note of synchronized harmonic that rings through the spheres of the heavens and resonates with all that is good and just in the universe. His is a metaphorical power even if one does not accept Christianity or any religion at all.

Jesus was betrayed by a Jew, Judas, known as Iscariot, who was actually of a sect of Jewish revolutionary that wanted all out war and death to Romans and the liberation of Jews. Judas became disillusioned with Jesus refusal to fight with swords and so betrayed him. Of course, God decide when he made the universe it would happen so Judas could no more NOT do so than he could control his own birth. As it says in the Bible. “Who will judge God?” His reasonings are his and we have no sense of right in respect to his judgement.

Well, we’ve reached that point and if I don’t put up I guess I have to shut up. So here it is:
Contrary to popular belief, as fed by film depictions, Jesus was not arrested by Romans, but Jews of the Jewish High Priest, Ciaphas, at Gethsemane . Appearing before Ciaphas, Jesus is asked, “Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” (Matthew 26:63). “Yes..” said Jesus.
[MATTHEW CHAPTER 26 VERSES 65 AND 66]
to wit:
65. Then the High Priest tore his clothes. He said, ‘ He has spoken a very evil thing against God! Why do we need any more witnesses? You have heard him say this evil thing. What do you think?’
66. HE MUST DIE! They answered.

It goes on to recount how these High Priests and Jewish leaders then: spit on his face, hit him with their fists, slapped him.
68. They said, “ Prophecy to us, Christ!! Who hit you?”

In chapter 27 we read: “All the chief priests and the elders of the people decided to put Jesus to death.”

You can read chapter 27 for yourself and see how the choice of releasing Barabbas or Jesus was manipulated by the Jewish leaders into making it Barabbas and to kill Jesus. Pilates wife said to have nothing to do with this man Jesus as “he is not guilty”(Matt 27:19) Pilate then asks, “ Then what do I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” …They all answered, “CRUCIFY HIM!”(Matthew27:22).

Folks, it is plain as day. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what the Jews themselves said of Jesus being murdered at their demand:
“WE AND OUR CHILDREN WILL ACCEPT THE GUILT FOR HIS DEATH!” (Matthew chapter 27 verse 25).

So what am I saying? Folks, you can’t have it both ways. Either Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God; or he is just a guy the Jews rightfully had murdered for violation of Jewish law. You are either a Christian who sees what the Holy Bible says and believes it, or a Jew who believes the Messiah has not yet come and Jesus was just a trouble maker who got what he deserved. You can’t be both and the two religions are directly UNreconcilable, and opposite to each other precisely because of the death of Jesus and how it occurred.
For thousands of years Jews have been persecuted for the Holy Bible pronouncements exactly as I’ve recounted them here. Is the scripture a lie? Is the word of the Christian God false?

Having said all of this, I feel called to report that I do not believe that the Holy Bible is correct in its recounting. I do think Jesus lived. I do think he was THE revolutionary to end all, and his example is a study of revolutionary thought that is approached only by Mao for breadth of scope and effectiveness. I think there is much more to the story of Jesus and it is contained in the gospel of Thomas, the Dead Sea Scrolls ,Nag Hammadi, and in the life of Paul, and Jesus’ brother; the head of the revolutionary movement in Judea, James. Given a chance, I can even show to you the reason for the whole epoch of Jesus life, and that Paul (not a Jew)murdered the head Jewish revolutionary leader, James, by hitting him in the head with a rock.

I do go on, and this is the ultimate invite to controversy I know. My study in this area is not shallow though. I’ve read the Holy Byblos (that is what it is properly called. I know because I’ve studied it that much) cover to cover several times and studied on this as thoroughly as Spirit has decided I should. I do love Jesus as a brother and always will. It is through his name and with aid of Spirit I communicate with my God. For me, He is the greatest of the greats in known human history. I also believe in God. I do not put money on anyone’s plate who sells religion for a living. I am no respector of men. Am I a fool or wise? I don’t decide. I only say that when I pray, I first thank my God for the wisdom to fear him.

Feel free to comment or e-mail: wahkonta@graffiti.net

It is a long post true. It places the view in historical context of that time (I know it is in dispute the legitimacy of the Byblos as a whole, but this is not for that discussion) and shows how Jews felt then, as opposed to now. Note how Jews are dissuaded from even reading the 'New Testament' to this day. The story is not popular amongst the Rabbinic sect or Jewish leadership of the 'zionist' influence (as in God's chosen race, possessing the God-given right to dis-possess a people of their land to this day.

Before we go and say the land is given by God, thus demonizing the Palestinian and making their land holdings a theft from God the Jews are correcting, recall that there was a time when the Jews were given sanctuary from the European by these Palestinians in that land in dispute today. Fine way to pay back such merciful kindness.

I have a friend studying to be a Rabbi. He and I discuss the events in that region whenever we talk. I find him much more informed on this matter than anyone else I know. Still, his knowledge his not is wisdom in my opinion. For he has immersed himself in the matter too subjectively and can't see the trees for the forest.

To him, no Jew has done wrong to a Moslem at anytime. I have yet to find an instance in which a murder or death occurs to a Palestinian in which he will say it was wrong. This is ilogical and repugnant to my own sense of justice. It is indicative of the paradigm that allows for such clearly un-civilized behavior being shown by both parties to the actions. Someone has got to stand up and say both are wrong. Believe it or not there are Jews who are like this but they are arrested, moved forcibly, and silenced by the 'zionists' who run Israel today.

I believe the problem of the Jew with Palestine today is spoken of in the Old Testament when God tells the Jews to go against the Palestinian peoples and kill them and tear down their buildings until stone doesn't stand on stone. If they do not do this, then he will make them suffer the fate he intended for them. Thus we have the stuation of today for theological thinkers in search of explanation.

This aside, the situation is not in keeping with our, 'evolving standards of decency in a maturing society'. We in America would be hard pressed to act toward the Aboriginals of this America were we to come today. We are, for the most part, more evolved than then, and see the morality of fanaticism in a different llight than in the 1500's. I believe that predominantly, we would reject a religion that holds God said take it or Kill in his name. These combatants in the Middle-East have not reached this level of civilization yet and so are trapped in their paradigm, unable to extricate themselves from the situation.

Given this understanding , we should be reviewing our annual donation of 25 billion to Israel. we should deal with the use of our tax dollars being used to carry out a genocidal slaughter, the Jews condemn in the European when done to them. I support a system of fines and penalties for every act of violence that prolongs the suffering in the region. If Israel knows every body costs money, they will re-consider their trigger finger itch and get some civil-salve for it.

This is about the longest reply I've ever seen or written - and I make some long ones, along with Brad - and anyone still here I thank for the patience and read. Blog ON.

your quote....

Didn't like the part where he was holding that naked child devil, or whatever that was; seemed unnecessary.

That is to symbolize Original sin. A critical Christian doctrine.

Psalm 51:5
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

Job 15:14

14 "What is man, that he could be pure,
or one born of woman, that he could be righteous?

Job 25:4

4 How then can a man be righteous before God?
How can one born of woman be pure?

Gen. 8:21

21 The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though [1] every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

The first thing that I thought of when I saw Satan walk by with the demon child is that he was blaspheming God and Christ. As God was giving His Only Begotten Son for the sins of the world, it seemed like Satan was mocking God and in effect stating that God's plan had failed. I believe that Satan really thought he had defeated God and was rubbing this in His face. It seems that in the Bible it has always been Satan's "M.O." to think he is more powerful than God, and will win the world over to himself.
Imagine his surprise when Jesus rose again on the third day, as He had said that He would when He stated "I shall tear down the temple and raise it up again on the third day."
Whether or not one is a Christian, it's a compelling turn of events to see the stone roll away and Jesus alive!

As for the raven scene, I really could have gone the rest of my life without seeing that! However, it was an excellent literary moment for foreshadowing , just as the scene in which Judas committed suicide after his being chased by demon children yelling, "cursed, cursed!" and seeing the dead animal. I believe that Gibson was using these dramatic foreshadowing images to allude to the horrors of the Christian belief that those that reject/betray Christ will be cursed to suffer in hell. Gibson being Catholic, of course this would be in there!

I just had a friend see the movie who has no religious background at all. The impression she had was that the Romans were evil and responsible for the death of Jesus. The room was silent and still at the end she reported, and the gore was so severe it is etched on her mind.
A teen, who attended with her, and who also had no previous reading of the a Holy Bible, may well have had a conversion of sorts. She swore she would seriously read the book and take the words as having import to her own life.

Every post of yours makes you look more and more like an ignorant idiot. Keep 'em coming!

This, coming from the mouth (er, keyboard) of Bulby. Clear example of the pot calling the kettle black LOL
Have not heard much Bulb in awhile, I guess he has realized no one cares.

Wahkonta Anathema,
You wrote a very wonderful post. Jesus certainly did make the religious leaders hate him. Judahism and Christianity are incompatible. But I think when you compare, Christianity, Judahism and Islam with other religions, they have a lot in common.

As for the movie, the Jews condemned him to death, but the Romans gleefully carried it out.

yup
same sentiment here.

Sherye Hanson: Just a note to your reply to mine(stupid sentence but I'm tired). The commonality of the 3 is in the creation of ONE god.

We all read of the variant on, "There are only two types of people in the world..." I heard one that has intrigued me for some time. The person said, "There is only one true battle that has ever occured in human history and that is between the believers in ONE god, and those who believe in more than one." A strange statement that may have truth greater than most.

Summer reading list! Lee Strobel's books ARE amazing! here here!

The Day Christ Died by Jim Bishop (He also wrote The Day Lincoln was Shot -- both are phenomenal).

The fact is beatings were mandatory before crucifictions. Jews only gave forty lashes with the cat of nine tails. The Romans gave unlimited. Many didn't survive the beatings.

Remember Christ's words, "My God My God, why have you forsaken me?" He often said a part of a scripture to call the Jew's minds to the rest of the scripture. Pharisees espeically knew what came next. The Psalm he references (I believe 22) is about the crucifiction. This was a rabbinical tool, to say a part of a verse so that the rest hangs heavy in the air.

BTW, the gospels were written in the lifetimes of the apostles. Apostles were those who SAW Christ.

After researching, I found I don't have enough faith to be an atheist... check out www.equip.org if you want to find resources for well-referenced facts. (Evolution fails to explain the giraffe... the platypus... and a myriad animals. Anyone want reliable, researched info on creationism, check out
Link

Wow...I'm replying to an article that hasn't been touched for a while. I guess I just sort of stumbled in and I have something to say. Hope you don't mind.

The Passion...I haven't seen it since March, but....when I think back on it, I guess the part that really hit home for me were Jesus' relationship with His mom. Can you imagine knowing your son is the Son of God, yet still having to relate to Him on a human level and take care of his needs like that? I think the most touching part was when they were talking about the table, and Jesus was kind of kidding around with her.

It made me wonder what it will be like to have that kind of relationship with Jesus one day. I mean, I'm able to have it now by reading His word and talking with Him daily, and fellowshipping with other believers, but...what about Heaven? What will it be like to welcomed into His arms? What will it be like to actually be taught from His lips? What will it be like to praise Him and see His face?

I read the entire "Left Behind" series this summer and read the final one with much anticipation. It was interesting to read Jenkins' and LaHaye's view of what Heaven might be like...or what being in the presence of Jesus might be like.