Religion Roast: "Divine Divide & Hypocrisy"
You ever notice how religion is supposed to bring people together, but somehow the Bible has more denominations than Starbucks has coffee flavors? Seriously, it's like God said, "Let there be light... and also, about 40,000 different opinions on what I meant."
And let's talk about how the Bible was found in a language nobody could read, write, or translate. Like, who was the first guy to say, "I think this says 'no shellfish,' but it could also say, 'start a crusade.'" And somehow, after all that confusion, it just happened to get translated into the perfect number of versions to keep everyone arguing for centuries. Coincidence? Or the world's longest-running political campaign?
Then they tell you, "Pick the one true religion!" Like it's a spiritual game show. "Behind door number one: eternal salvation! Behind door number two: eternal damnation! Choose wisely—no pressure!"
But don't you dare bring up witchcraft. Oh no, that's where they draw the line. Jesus can turn water into wine, walk on water, raise the dead, but if you so much as light a candle and say a chant, suddenly you're a witch and you're out. Vampires and witches are a no-go, but zombies and magic wine? Totally fine, as long as you call it a miracle.
And church is supposed to be a hospital for sinners, right? But show up with a tattoo and suddenly you're the Antichrist. "Oh, you have ink? Sorry, we only heal people who look like they just left a 1950s sock hop." Meanwhile, the Bible literally says no sin is greater than another. So whether you're disrespecting your parents or committing murder, it's all the same in God's eyes. But in church, it's like a carnival—"Step right up and throw your sins in someone's face! Winner gets a lifetime of judgment and a side of passive-aggressive prayer."
So yeah, context is everything. But if you ask me, the only thing more divided than religion is the Wi-Fi signal in a church basement.
Show me in your giant book of lies where it says Jesus has a penis and I'll show you a freaking liar it also does not say what he's going to look like when he comes back how do you know he wasn't always a b**** and you saw him wrong because he knew y'all weren't ready for this s***? Things are so f****** disgusting in this world today you think you'll throw your hands up at the homeless guy with f****** no shoes on told you he was Jesus if someone did that to me and I know who the f*** I am I would be like show me something what? When you start hearing the government and you know you're not f****** crazy and then you prove that you're hearing them and then you prove that they're targeting you after mind you you literally make a bomb that went through your window disappear in mid f****** air after your son flies from the ground to the f****** balcony tries to kill you not as himself and then jumps off and dies like six times and comes right back and does it again when you go to that alone you f****** then we can talk about me not being f****** legit I am trying to f****** sort this all out alone because you assholes literally want to sit there and judge of your f****** high horses you want to go to the wrong throne I'm going to let you know right now I'm flushing the pot!
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RESEARCH INTO PARANORMAL ABILITY TO BREAK THROUGH SPATIAL BARRIERS
Document Type:
CREST
Collection:
STARGATE
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2
Release Decision:
RIFPUB
Original Classification:
K
Document Page Count:
18
Document Creation Date:
November 4, 2016
Document Release Date:
April 6, 2000
Sequence Number:
1
Case Number:
Content Type:
RP
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PDF icon CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2.pdf 1.09 MB
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Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 LN190-91 RESEARCH INTO PARANORMAL ABILITY TO BREAK THROUGH Spatial BARRIERS BY: Song Kongzhi, Li Xianggao and Zhou Liangzhong SUBJECT WITH PARANORMAL ABILITIES: Zhang Baosheng (AEROSPACE MEDICINE ENGINEERING INSTITUTE) ABSTRACT This article uses strict scientific procedures, one of a kind test samples, videotape and high speed photography to demonstrate the objective existence of the paranormal ability of breaking through spatial barriers. rt also shows the physical process of this ability. It demonstrates that through the function of the paranormal ability, the macrobody was able to pass through the wall of a container and be removed, but no visible damage to the wall of the container was detected. Breaking through spatial harriers is one type of paranormal ability. The characteristics of this ability is that the person with this paranormal ability is able to remove an object placed in advance in a sealed container without damaging the seal of the container or damaging the container itself. In China, Li Shuhuang, Zhang Chonggi1 and eleven others discovered that persons with paranormal abilities were capable of removing such objects as M3 nuts, nails and bundles of matches from a sealed plastic 35 mm film canister. In the canister lid there was a 1.55 mm hole, but the lid was not opened. Following this, it was discovered by the All-China Paranormal Physical abilities Joint Testing Group2 that persons with paranormal abilities were able to remove the target stationary paper from a sealed kraft paper envelope. 1 Lin Shuhuang, Zhang Chongqi and others, NATURE MAGAZINE, 4,9(1981)652 2 Human Paranormal Abilities Joint Testing Group, RESEARCH IN HUMAN PARANORMAL ABILITIES, 1,1(1993)9 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792RO00300390001-2 Then, Liu Shuhuang, Zhou Binghuang and 17 others3 conducted special research testing on breaking through spatial barriers. They not only demonstrated that persons with paranormal abilities could extract stationery from sealed kraft paper envelopes, but they could also remove insects from glass tubes with sealed caps without any discernable effect on the life or actions of the insect. At the same time, in this experiment, they also conducted an experiment where the subjects removed a sponge which had been dipped in FeC13 from a double layer sealed KCNS type paper bag without any visible change of coloring of the test paper. This research opened the way for research into ability to break through spatial barriers and provided a number of preliminary bases of a physical nature for this phenomenon. On the basis of these experiments, we believed it was necessary to use even stricter methods to conduct further proof of the reality of this ability and that we should observe the process of this breakthrough and the point of penetration in order to demonstrate whether or not there was penetration of the walls of a physical object. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was: 1. To use a sample that once damaged could not be restored and to combine this with visual records to further demonstrate the reality of this ability. 2. To use larger and longer objects, and combine this with videotape and especially with high speed photography to observe just exactly where the three dimensional spatial barrier was broken through, and whether or not the penetration of the wall was achieved over a span of time. MATERIALS AND METHODS USED IN THE EXPERIMENT I. SAMPLES 1. In order to fully demonstrate the reality of the ability to break through spatial barriers, we designed the following two samples. A. TEST SAMPLE ONE: We used sealed transparent glass bottles. The bottles were four centimeters in diameter and 12 to 13 centimeters long. Inside these bottles we placed 30 medicine tablets which were colored either red, greed or purple. The tablets were 5.5 mm in diameter and three millimeters thick. Different ratios of the numbers of the different colored pills were placed in the different bottles. Each bottle was numbered individually. The numbers of each different colored tablets, the number of the sample, and the serial number of that sample bottle were all marked on the test 3 Lin Shuhuang, Zhou Binghui and others, RESEARCH IN HUMAN PARANORMAL ABILITIES, 1, 3(1983)110 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 labels using a binary system. The tablets were first placed in the sample bottles and then the top of the bottle was heated and closed to a small slit. Even if the tablets were broken in half there is no way they could be poured out. The sample on the right in illustration one is a sample one. Illustration 1: To the right is sample one: the sample label gives the type number, the bottle number and the different colors of tablets. The bottle on the right I sample five, the label gives the type number and the bottle number B. TEST SAMPLE FOUR: We use exactly the same type of sealed transparent test bottle as used in Sample one. However, inside were placed 15 plexiglass pieces which were red, yellow and green. The test pieces were 5 X 5 X 1.5 mm squares. The different test sample bottles contained different ratios of the different colored test pieces. Also, there was a Russian letter on each test piece. The fifteen letters formed three Russia words. Each color was a separate word. There was also a serial number on different places on the bottle indicating the serial number of the bottle. For example, four pieces of plexiglass had the Soviet letters S, 0, D ad A, meaning soda. On another location of S, 0, D and A were added 1, 2, 3 and 4. Each test sample bottle held different ratios of the different colored pieces of plexiglass. The test pieces were first placed in the bottles, and the tops of the bottles were heated to form a slit. The test piece could not be pored out through this slit. The sample on the left of illustration one is sample four. Each sample was one of a kind, so it could not be duplicated. The glass containers could not be put back together if they were broken and the glass was transparent which allowed for better observation. 2. In order to observe just where the objects, that is the objects which were placed into the containers beforehand, broke through the space barrier, and to see what happened to the objects and the container wall when the barrier was penetrated, we designed the following samples. A. We used unopened CIWUJIA [exact translation unknown. Probably a Chinese over the counter medicine] and XIAOYANLIDANYAO [another over the Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 counter medicine for reducing fever and to help the gallbladder] bottles. These two medicine bottles are both clear glass and have a cork stopper sealed with wax as well as a plastic screw-on lid. The tablets are disc shaped, one centimeter in diameter and 0.6 centimeter thick at most. The CIWUJIA tablets are yellow sugar coated tablets and the XIAOYANLIDANYAO are blue sugar coated tablets. EAch bottle contains 100 tablets. Illustration two shows the CIWUJIA unopened bottle. Illustration 2: Unopened ciwujia bottle with 100 disc shaped yellow sugar coated tablets. The bottle is sealed wit cork sealed with wax and a plastic screw on lid. B. One-hundred milliliter dropper bottles of GAOSENGPUTAOTANG [high ginseng content glucose]. These were 100 ml dropper bottles of GAOSENGPUTAOTANG after clinical use. After they were washed clean, five types of capsules and tablets were placed inside the bottles. Three types of tablets were round, being one centimeter in diameter and 0.6 centimeters at the thickest. These included yellow, red, and light brown tablets all which were sugar coated. In addition there were two types of plastic cased capsules 1.5 centimeters long and 0.5 centimeters in diameter. One capsule was half red and half blue and the other capsule was all blue. There were ten of each type, 50 tablets and capsules in all. Then, the bottle was stopped wit a rubber stopper, and an aluminum cap was put on with a capper (see illustration three). Illustration 3: GAOSENGPUTAOTANG dropper bottle with fifty tablets and capsules of five different types inside. It is sealed with a rubber stopper and aluminum cap Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 C. TEST SAMPLE FIVE: The test samples were made by heating and forming clear glass tubes. These tubes were four centimeters in diameter and 20 to 25 centimeters long. The two ends were heated and closed, and three millimeter holes in the side indicated the model number and one millimeter holes in the side indicated the bottle number. Inside the tubes was placed two meter lengths of spiraled enamel insulated wire one millimeter in diameter, the spirals were one centimeter in diameter. One end of the wire was sealed into one end of the glass tube, and the other end was free but welded to an M8 nut (see illustration four). Illustration 4: Test sample five: clear glass tube containing two meters of t2 mm enamel coated wire, one end of the wire sealed in an end of the tube D. SAMPLE SIX: This sample was also made by heating and forming clear glass tubes. The tubes were the same size as those in sample five. The two ends were heated and closed. At one end there was a one millimeter hole. There were no holes on the sides of the tubes. Inside the tubes were a 1.5 meter length of shielded wire one millimeter in diameter. One end of the shielded wire was sealed up int the closed end of the test tube (see illustration five). Illustration 5: Test tube 5: clear glass tube with 1.5 m length of shielded wire inside Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 E. a 500 ml clear glass dropper bottle with a packet of unexposed photograph paper inside. The packet of photograph paper was connected to a 30 cm length of string and a label with "TEAC" written on. The bottle was sealed with a rubber stopper (see illustration six). Similar to this sample was a 500 ml clear glass dropper bottle with a FUJIAN tea bag inside as well as an iron tea strainer with a packet of unexposed photography paper inside. In the experiments using these two types of samples, in addition to ordinary videotaping, we also conducted high speed photography. Thigh sped photography was 200 frames per second, 400 frames per second and 1000 frames per second. Illustration 6: A 500 ml clear glass bottle with a packet of unexposed photography paper inside A. Close uninterrupted observation and video recording of the entire process of the experiments was required. B. The test samples were not given to the paranormal ability subjects prior to the experiment. The samples being tested were not allowed to be taken away. When the experiments were over, whether the experiments succeeded or not, the test samples were all collected and were properly stored. C. Prior to the experiment and during the experiment, a double blind was maintained for both the person administering the test and the person being tested for the coded test label for the sample. Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Subject Z with paranormal abilities, male, 26 years old. History of tuberculosis, presently completely recovered. Normal physical development. 1. A total of 50 experiments in the ability to break through of spatial obstacles were conducted. The results are condensed in table one. We can see that of the 50 experiments, 25 were successful, 17 were videotaped and high speed photography was used in six. Practice runs Formal experiments Total. Total number 2 48 50 Successes 1 24 25 Number videotaped 17 17 Number photographed with high speed photography 6 6 Number of successful samples stored 0 21 21 2. EXPERIMENTS DEMONSTRATING VALIDITY SAMPLE ONE EXPERIMENTS: There were successful results with two bottles which were also videotaped. The results are listed in table two. During both experiments the phenomenon of removal of one half a tablet occurred. This was because when the subject with paranormal abilities was exercising his abilities and exerting energy to shake the bottles, the tablets were broken in two. It should be pointed out that even though they were broken in half, they were still 1.5 mm thick, and could not come out through the slot. Furthermore, the number of tablets outside the bottle added to the number of tablets inside the bottle equalled the number of tablets started with inside the bottle, that is, 30 tablets. The number of tablets of each color outside the bottle plus the number of each color tablet inside the bottle after the experiment came to the corresponding number of each color prior to the experiment. There was no damage to the bottles. Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 LN190-91 TABLE 2: SUCCESSFUL RESULTS SAMPLE ONE EXPERIMENT 18 Originally Number removed 1 Originally Number removed Purple 9 30 1.5 1.5 10 10 10 10 1 2 0.5 3.5 Date the experiment concluded Nov. 16, 1983 Nov. 18, 1983 There were three experiments with sample five. The detailed results are shown in table three. We find from the table that five pieces, D, T, G, Y and T were removed from bottle one. From bottle four, three pieces, 0, E, and E were removed. From bottle eight, three pieces, D, 0 and L were removed. The test pieces removed were the same pieces found missing from the bottles after the experiment, matching the missing pieces' number, color, letter and code. However, the glass bottle was not damaged. See illustration seven. Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792ROO0300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Illustration 7: First from left is sample bottle one with 15 pieces of plexiglass. Second from left is same bottle but five pieces have been removed. Bottle still contains ten pieces. Third from left is sample bottle eight containing 15 pieces of plexiglass. Fourth from left is the same bottle but three pieces have ben removed and the bottle still contains 12 pieces. In the experiment described above, the test pieces, coding and double blind as well as the samples, were not given to the subject prior to the experiment, therefore, the test samples could not be prepared beforehand. At the experiment location, the main person administering the test and other testing personnel continuously watched, and also the videotape methods eliminated the possibility of switching bottles. Furthermore, if the bottles were destroyed, it would be impossible to put them back together, eliminating the possibility of taking the container apart. The transparency of the glass ensured that the objects inside could be seen. Under the assurances of these conditions, the results described above completely proves the objects were actually removed from the bottle by the subject using paranormal abilities. This is the ability of breaking through spatial obstacles. Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Plexiglass pieces Serial No. of Date number Red Yellow Green pieces experiment completed 1. Letter and code 15 10 Dec 83 of piece removed 5 2. Letter and code 15 28 Dec 83 of piece removed 3 3. Letter and code 15 30 Dec 83 of piece removed 3 A. The unopened tablet bottle experiment results are shown in table four. Some of the results of the videotaping are shown in illustration eight. These demonstrate that tablets were actually removed from the unopened bottle with its original seal without breaking the bottle. What is especially clear is the CIWUJIA medicine bottle experiment seen with high speed photography of 400 frames per second. (See photographs inside front cover) the photographs show this result. It is a group of continuous frames. In the first frame, there is no tablet visible outside the bottom or side of the glass. In the second frame, slightly outside the bottom of the glass, two-thirds of a tablet is sticking outside the glass. The tablet interfaced with the glass along the side of the bottom of the bottle which can be diagrammed as follow: Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 LN190-91 TABLE FOUR: RESULTS OF SUCCESSFUL TABLET EXPERIMENTS Name of medicine Seal Site of tablets Number in unopened Number Number container removed remaining Date completed CIWUJIA Unopened original container, Disk shaped 10 as 100 62 29 Apr 84 cork stopper sealed with wax in diameter and and plastic screw on lid 6 mm thick XIAOYAHLI- Original unopened container, Disk shaped, 10 at 100 44 4 May 84 DAHPIAN cork stopper sealed with wax in diameter and and plastic screw on lid. 6 mm thick FIVE A 100 ml high ginseng content Yellow, red and light 10 5 5 DIFFERENT glucose dropper bottle with brown tablets were 10mm 10 1 9 TYPES NIXED a rubber and an aluminum cap, diameter and six mm thick; 10 3 7 TOGETHER the blue and red/blue gel capsules were 15 as 10 5 5 long and 5mm in diameter 10 2 8 Frame three, this tablet is already three at from the bottom of the bottle. The tablet is one centimeter in diameter. Similar to this was the removal of unexposed photograph paper from the 500 ml dropper bottle and the removal of removal of unexposed photograph paper from the iron tea leaf tube. The unexposed photograph paper was all unexposed. Illustration 11 shows the removal of unexposed photograph paper from a 500 ml bottle as captured on videotape. It is a continuous process, with each frame 40 milliseconds. Beginning with frame four, the photograph paper appears outside the bottle. In frame five it is half in and half out, and the 2.5 X 3.5 cm flat packet is parallel to the surface of the table, cutting through the side of the bottle horizontally. In the sixth frame it is completely removed. This demonstrates the entire process of a solid object breaking through the wall of a container and shows the object half in and half out of the container. 7 May 84 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Illustration 11: Videotaped continuous process of removal of unexposed photograph paper through a 500 ml dropper bottle. Each frame is 40 ms. 4: This is fourth frame. Small portion of unexposed paper appears outside of glass 5: Fifth frame: half of unexposed 6: sixth frame: most of unexposed paper appears outside of glass. paper is outside of glass other half is inside the glass, darker portion above packet. The 2.5 x 3.5 Packet canes out flat. Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 Approved For Release 2000/08/11: CIA-RDP96-00792R000300390001-2 7: Seventh frame: unexposed packet of paper already totally outside the glass.... Fu
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Search formSearch Query for FOIA ERR:
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INVESTIGATING THE PARANORMAL
Document Type:
CREST
Collection:
STARGATE
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST):
CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090024-7
Release Decision:
RIPPUB
Original Classification:
U
Document Page Count:
26
Document Creation Date:
November 4, 2016
Document Release Date:
June 17, 1998
Sequence Number:
24
Case Number:
Publication Date:
October 18, 1974
Content Type:
MAGAZINE
File:
Attachment Size
PDF icon CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090024-7.pdf 3.62 MB
Body:
Approy,, pare r. We publish this week a paper by Drs R. Targ and H. Puthofl' (page 602) which is bound to create something of a stir in the scientific community. The claim is made that information can be transferred by some channel whose characteristics appear to fall "outside the ranee of known perceptual modalities". Or, more bluntly, some people can read thoughts or see things remotely. Such a claim is, of course, hound to be greeted with a preconditioned reaction amongst many scientists. To some it simply confirms what they have always known or believed. To others it is beyond the laws of science and therefore necessarily unacceptable. But to a few--though perhaps to more than is realised-the questions are still unanswered, and any evidence of high quality is worth a critical exarr,ination. The issue, then, is whether the evidence is of sufficient quality to he taken s,,:rie;usly. In trying to answer this, we have been fortt:nate in having the help of three indepen- dent referees who have done their utmost to see the paper as a potentially important scientific communication and not as a challenge to or confirmation of prejudices. We thank theist for the considerable effort they have put in to helping us, and we also thank Dr Christopher Evans of the National Physical Laboratory whose continued advice on the subject is reflected in the content of this leading article. A general indication of the referees' comments may be helpful to readers in reaching their own assessment of the paper. Of the three, one believed we should not publish, one did not feel strongly either way and the third was guardedly in favour of publication. We first summarise the arguments against the paper. (1) There was agreement that the paper was weak in design and presentation, to the extent that details given as to the precise way in which the experiment was carried out were disconcertingly vague. The referees felt that insuf- ficient account had been taken of the established method- ology of experimental psychology and that in the form originally submitted the paper would be unlikely to he accepted for publication in a psychological journal on these grounds alone. Two referees also felt that the authors had not taken into account the lessons learnt in the past b) parapsychologists researching this tricky and complicated area. (2) The three referees were particularly critical of the method of target selection used, pointing out that the choice of a target by "opening a dictionary at random" is a naive, vague and unnecessarily controversial approach to iandomisation. Parapsychologiss have long rejected such methods of target selection and, as one referee put it, weaknesses of this kind reseal "a lack of skill in their experiments, whicli might hate caused them to make some (:ther mistake which is less evident from their writing? (3) All the referees felt that the details given of various safeguards and precautions introduced against the po.- sihifity or `0 @f yr . pfC'Lot ` t.nof e?r,:.: u:' ot'?`trot the sti I;FWRO 5Tf~l,rTl ! !r r~L FRS" ,Rele 2QODlQ8 0 : CIA-RDP96-00787R000200090024-7 (to use one phrase). This in itself might he sufficien" to raise doubt that the experiments have de nonstrated the existence of a new channel of communication which does not involve the use of the senses. (4) Two of the referees felt that it was a pity that the paper, instead of concentrating in detail and with meti- culous care on one particular approach to extra-s;en:sory phenomena, produced a mixture of different experirneuts, using different subjects in unconnected circumstances and with only a tenuous overall theme. At the best these were more "a series of pilot studies . . . than a report of a completed experiment". On their own these highly critical comments could be grounds for rejection of the paper, but it was felt that other points needed to be taken into account before a final decision could he made. I) Despite its shortcomings, the paper is presented as a scientific document by two qualified scientists, ~sthing from a major research establishment a LC~LIiy'_ ~'?itlr" t'?c unqualified backing of the research institut itself. (2) The authors have cl a,ly attempte to insestieante: under laboratory conditions pl-;.,t:,rirena which ch to highly. implausible to many scientists, would netertheless seem to be worthy of insestigation even if, in the final analysis, negative findings are revc lecl. if scientists dispute and debate the reality of extra-sensory l perccpuon, then the subject is clearly a matter for scientific Ste.", and reportage. (3) Very considerable advance publicity it ? I it +o sae not generated by the authors or their institute--has preceded the presentation of this. report. As a result many scientists and very large number, of non-scientists bcliesc, as the result of anecdote and hearsay, that the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) was engaged in a major research programme into parapsyehologicil matters and had even been the scene of tr remarkable breakthrough in this field. The publication of this paper, with its muted claims, sug- d ata, gestior?s of a limited research prograninc, and modest is, we believe. likely to nut the whole matter in more reason- able perspective. - (4) The claims that have been made by. or on behalf of, one of the subjects, NIT. Lri Cieiler, have been hailed pub- licly as indicating total acceptance by the SRI of allegedly sensational powers and nay also perhaps now he seen in true perspective, it must be a matter of interest to scientists to note that, contrary to very widespread rumour, the paper does not present any evidence whatsoever for Geller's alleged abilities to bend metal rods by stroNing them, influence magnets at a distance, make watches stop or start by some psychokinetic force and so on. The publi- cation of the paper would he justified on the ,grounds of allowing scientists the opportunity to discriminate bct'aeen the cautious, limited and still highly debatable experi- mental data, and e travagant rumour, fed in reccat da'.s bs inaccurate attempts in s:;me newspapers at precopritfon of the contents of the i-.aper. (5) I'so of the referees also felt that the paper should he published because it would allow parapsychoi'agust?, and all oilier scientists interested in researching this, arguable t os n tRO0Dr2tfi}Q08t?~} 4LC~lolo }' and Nature Vol. 251 October 18 1974 760 'Approved For, Release 0W8 11,9,: CI . -t tRAPP?6QQ7t$7tR,QQ0e20009lOQ24@,7re amongst most respected journals cannot afford to live on respect- ability. We believe that our readers expect us to be a home for the ocr,x:.ionat `high-risk' type of paper. This is hardly to assert that we regularly fly in the face of referees' recom- mendations (we always consider the possibility of publishing, as in this case, a summary of their objections). It is to say that the unusual must now and then be allowed a toe-hold in the' literature, sometimes to flourish, more often to be forgotten within a year or two. The critical comments above were sent to the authors who have modified their manuscript in response to them. We have also corresponded informally with the authors on one or two issues such as whether the targets could have been forced by standard magical tricks, and are convinced that this is not the case. As a result of these exchanges and the above considerations we have decided to publish in the belief' that, however flawed the experimental pro- cedure and however difficult the process of distilling the essence of a complex series of events into a scientific manuscript, it was on balance preferable to publish and maybe stimulate and advance the controversy rather than keep it out of circulation for a further period. Publishing in a scientific journal is not a process of receiving a seal of approval from the establishment: rather it is the serving of notice on the community that there is something worthy of their attention and scrutiny. And this To this end the New Scientist does a service by publishing this week the results of Dr Joe Hanlon's own investiga- tions into a wide range of phenomena surrounding Mr Geller. If the subject is to be investigated further-and no scientist is likely to accept more than that the SRI experi- ments provide a prima facie case for more investigations- the experimental technique will have to take account of Dr Ifanlon's strictures, those of our own referees and those, doubtless, of others who will be looking for alternative explanations. Perhaps the most important issue raised by the circum- stances surrounding the publication of this paper is whether science has yet developed the competence to confront claims of the paranormal. Supposedly paranormal events frequently cannot be investigated in the calm, controlled and meticulous way that scientists are expected to work, and so there is always a danger that the investigator, swept up in the confusion that surrounds many experiments, abandons his initial intentions in order to go along with his subject's desires. It may be that all experiments of this sort should he exactly prescribed beforehand by one group, done by another unassociated group and evaluated in terms of performance by the first group. Only by increasing austerity of approach by scientists will there be any major progress in this field. or those peril nun the factory floor In tli the title hints, the object of Socialist article Peter J. Smith argues Worker is nothing less than the com- ater commitment (in deed plcte overthrow of the capitalist system; that a g as well c science by t word) to community and one of the ways of achieving this to Scientific Establish- aim, it seems, is to give strident publi- ment might help regain some of fit has lost. ublic respect it trial system. Fortunately, one can easily THE question of who speak or should speak, on behalf of the scien ' c com- munity has been debated on ma oc- casions, most often without result. Nil the face of it, such lack of resolutio is hardly unexpected, for scientists and avoid a sharp turn to the left and still admit that what some British workers have been subjected to in the name of asbestos production is beyond the limit of acceptability in a humani- tarian society. For what clearly emerges fro the hetoric of the pamphlet in A estion is icture of men and swgr en reacting their ready ability to achieve con- in s2xne bewilderrnen can put up a pretty collective front The chie~co when they feel so moved. The one asbestosis famous occasion on which a near con- by bre .to the long-term tnological activity. quence is, of course, killing disease acquired tphlet is devoted to scientific community saw itself put at se histories of shock after a posals. Then individuals and instil x'r decade or so in the in stry. But more Lions miraculously found a con -ion instructively, there is als cause of self-preservation. ccount of the fight for sa y put up But when it comes to theidefence of by a small group of the 7/162 ferent story; the voi -c'of the British Transport and General Workers Union h b tr ctio,, of the ashesu3s --. - ?- --'-'- e o u m be t heard, wheihe,r,,~~1 tking a moral stance, companies, the indifference of politi- exerting huggxdnitarian pressure, supply- cians, the weakness of the Factory inn expo tfse or even simply providing Inspectorate, the silence of much of And there is certainly somcttiing to fight about. According t9,/I'atrick Kinnersly (The Hazards of to Fight Them, Nut 64 are known 107 in 1970 Press, 1973), increasing toll: have died in 1965, number frnew cases diagnosed rose from/ ..82 in 1965 to 153 in 1970. ,L ofeover, asbestosis is only one of e asbestos-induced diseases. Lung cancer appears to require a smaller exposure to asbestos. There is also another form of cancer known as mesothclioma which involves growths in the linings of the lungs and stomach. Almost all mesotheliomas are caused by asbestos: but no one knows how many workers in Britain are killed by them, partly because they take so long to develop and partly because they are not always identified. The TUC Cen- tenary Institute of Occupational Health has suggested that, 30 years after first exposure, about one in 200 will be found to have died of mesothclioma: but Dr lasing J. Selikoff of Mount Sinai Hospital in New York is ap- parently more pessimistic. He fi.is recently been quoted as saying that, for every 100,000 workers entering the dards obtaining in the United inforiwttion. A good case in point is the press, the impotence of health Staid damp! t~1 ---a- u t ~~ i~}~ t}~ t c 1, r s but not 7,000 of that ~t ntroPz~As20L'aKt',"t`~Y 4o7~7~,oao~ as recently as 1971, he. v%ould 20,000 to die of lunet_ "sneer. 0024 7tt,~,,5. Nature Vol. 251 October
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EXPERIMENTS WITH GOD. ESSAY REVIEW OF CORNELIS W. RIETDIJK'S 'EXPERIMENTEN MET GOD' (JOOP M. HOUTKOOPER)
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CIA-RDP96-00792R000700830001-9
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3
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Journal of the Society for Psychical Res pproved For Releaselidb05/b&P5$ IA-RDP96-0QJ 2Re0W6b830001-9 chology. In addition, there is much philosophical discussion on its possible participation in the constitution and operation of consciousness. However, this Note deals with a completely non-technical aspect of the relationship and consequently an understanding of quantum th ory is quite unnecessary, providing the conclusions drawn from quantum ex riments are accepted. Some of these conclusions might seem to a layman eve more preposterous than the claims of parapsychology appear to a physicist, ut there is no escaping their veracity. Quantum physics is one of the most rmly established branches of science and its validity has been confirmed by th work done on it, which ranges from sub-atomic experi nts to many types of ndustrial application. The main types of para ormal mental act ity are telepathy and PK and included in the former are enomena suc as crisis apparitions which are probably visual 3-dimensional anifestatio of it. The materialist maintains there is no indisputable evidence suggest hat there can be any communica- tion, apart from the established hysica means, between two individuals separated by hundreds of miles. (Of ur , even Sir Isaac Newton in his day, would have agreed it was utterly impo si le for somebody in Europe to hold a conversation with a person in the Ne World!). Little attention is paid to anecdotal accounts or the results of no repeatable experiments. There is no answer to questions asking how a sign e anating from an agent in Brighton knows how to locate a recipient in Bir ing am, and yet disregard every other possible recipient. Distance between gent nd percipient does not appear to affect the signal's effectiveness, there sugges 'ng that telepathy must break one of the fundamental laws of science- he invers square law. Again, nothing has ever been discovered in the brain ich could related to telepathy, and one cannot have an informatory radia on without so e means of transmitting it. The scientific attitude is rather rprising in vie of the fact that there exist in the physical world virtual duplic tes of these `impo ible' criteria. If an atomic particle explodes into two fragm ts, A and B, which re allowed to travel apart for a great distance, then an tion, such as a mea rement of one particle, immediately produces a reac on in the second par .cle, irrespective of its distance away. (A detailed ex ple of a particular form f interference with the first particle A, and the react* of the second B, is describe by Davies, I but only the principle involved is rel vant here.) There therefore xists in physics the equivalent of the basis of lepathy. The first particle A orresponds to the telepathic agent, and is abl to locate and communicate with article B without regard to the inverse squa e law and without affecting any other particles in its sphere of influence. In ad ition, the disturbance created in particle A induces a configuration in B whit is dependent on the type of influence exerted on A, thereby suggesting the transmission of an informatory signal. All this is indisputable, yet it rats is exactly the same questions which it is claimed render telepathy an impossibility. By what means does the first particle A communicate with B? How does it know where to find it and avoid extraneous particles? Particle A can be influ ed in various ways and B always makes the appropriate response, which suggests an informatory signal from A to B. The parallel with telepathy is obvious. One of the most extraordinary characteristics of the quantum factor is that the act of conscious observation can affect the properties of the observed particles, Approved For Release 2000/08/15: CIA-R~ being able, for example, to convert what is referred to as a `ghost' electron into a concrete reality. It is sometimes claimed that this is confirmation of PK on the grounds that if consciousness can affect hysical matters in one set of circumstances, then it can operate in PK xperiments, although it does not necessarily follow that the behaviour of a ingle atom will be duplicated in the case of the imm sely larger molecular rouping of a dice. More important y, wever, is the i lication of this situation for dualism and accordingly for parapsyc . N -Cartesian dualism presumes there is an interaction between a possibly physical consciousness and a material brain. This hypothesis has been unacc pt le to many scientists for several reasons: it is impossible to conceive the ture o non-physical entity, it is impossible to comprehend how anything insubstanti could modify a physical system, it is impossible to suggest the urce of the nec ary energy and how it is utilised, and so on. In short, th whole situation is terly impossible, yet quantum experiments show it do s take place. .r ',, The quantum facto does not suggest that the min ' not physica9, nor does it indicate how the m' d might interact with the brain, o ven if it does so, but what it clearly pro es is that it could, and thus makes it impossible for responsible scientists to dismis ualism and parapsychology out of hand on the grounds that mental influence on a physical body at a distance cannot exist in nature. Ashford, Kindlestown Hill. Delgany, Co. Wicklow, IRELAND REFERENCE 1. Davies, P. (1983). God and the New Physics. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd. EXPERIMENTS WITH GOD. ESSAY REVIEW OF CORNELIS W. RIETDIJK'S EXPERIMENTEN MET GOD* by Joo M. HOUTKOOPER There may be as many as a few dozen SPR members that know the Dutch language, but this review is intended to be of interest, not only for them, but also for the general reader of the JSPR. We no longer live in a classical world. Like a hundred years ago, apples fall down, cannonballs follow parabolic trajectories, and planets move in a predictable way in the sky, but this no longer reflects natural law in a fundamental manner. Though we may not be aware of it, our daily lives are more and more shaped by the applications of quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity. We also live in an age which may be characterized as moral. The limits on pollution, natural resources are visible on a global scale. Economy develops on a global scale, and, as some say, the Third World War has just ended, having been fought by economic means. The most prominent question society has to deal * BRT Press. Brussels 1989 (In Dutch) 269pp. Dft. 41.50. P96-00792R000700830001-9 361 Approved For Release 2000/08/15 : CIA-RDP96-00792R000700830001-9 Journal of the Society, for Psychical Research [Vol. 57, No. 822 with may be: What to do if we want humanity to stay on its feet? That is, for those who have a hang for morality. `Experiments with God' carries as its motto the well known citation from Einstein: `God doesn't play dice' (1), to which Rietdijk has added `with the world', thereby indicating a tendency in his thinking. A few words from the biographical note the book contains: Rietdijk is a physicist and a mathematician. During and following his long career as a physics teacher, he has published, first, books and journal articles about social and cultural philosophy, and second, articles and conference contributions on theoretical physics. About the first, Rietdijk shows concern about the fate of society in its broadest sense, often expressing rather libertarian and controversial views. (At the end of the sixties he wrote that we should, in the interest of human happiness, spend ten per cent of our GNP on parapsychological research!) About his, over a dozen, publications in physics: since 1966 he has written on retro-active effects (in a.o. Philosophy of Science and Foundations of Physics), and on matter-wave interference. I have heard his publications been described as `controversial, but technically sound'. In `Experiments with God', Rietdijk bridges the gap between these two aspects of his writing. He certainly succeeds in being controversial, and we shall see to what extent he is technically sound. `Experiments with God' consists of three parts, entitled: `1. The new physics', `2. Are there laws in human destiny? Parapsychology comes of age', and `3. The new science and religion'. Each part consists of five chapters, each chapter being preceded by an abstract. Part 1 may be compared to Zukav's well-known `The dancing Wu-li masters'. Rietdijk doesn't dance however, he sets a brisk pace. So he succeeds in the first twelve-page chapter to give a very clear picture of the Bohr-Einstein controversy, the EPR-paradox, the Bell-inequalities and Aspect's experiments validating the strange non-local character of quantum mechanics. To me, Zukav's dance suddenly seemed to be a sluggish meandering. The second chapter of Part 1 gives an expose of relativity theory. Rietdijk gives a note on the existence of the four-dimensional space-time continuum, implying that the future already exists. (Very sensibly he adds a remark on the problem of the free will.) In chapter 3, he gives an account of his proof of the retro-active effect in quantum mechanics, underpinning the above implication. In chapter 4, the non-locality of quantum mechanical systems is viewed from a new angle, showing the significance of the concept of `action-distance' of events in the four-dimensional space-time continuum. The action-distance of non- locally related events is shown to be zero. Planck's quantum of action is the yardstick of action-distance. At this stage we have all the elements at hand of the idea how distant events may physically (!) interact, other than through the known physical forces such as the gravitational and electromagnetic. Moreover, we are introduced to the possibility that the non-local interactions may take the form of feed-back relations and this allows the formation of patterns of events, otherwise separated i i l i nteract ons in space and time. This formation o~fpatterns throu h non-loca s f coincidences termed the `super-local co-ordinatiG 'pr41YectiFgF Wisgf~QAPI08/15 : CIA-RDPI96-00792 0001 @?890'E li'F January 19911 In chapter 5 Rietdijk localizes his ideas with respect to others. He tackles on the one hand, the proponents of Eastern-intuitive and holistic approaches, exemplified by Capra's `The Tao of Physics' and, on the other hand, the positivists who maintain that everything in physics is said by measurement results and the formulas to predict them, foregoing understanding and model-formation. Both groups are dealt with, fairly but severely. Rietdijk most extensively treats the view of the positivists, including the historical development of a conservative trend and, finally, its self-defeating nature. Rietdijk returns' to the Bohr-Einstein controversy and concludes that both were right to a large extent. Both the dependency on the observation (Bohr) and the objective reality (Einstein) can be maintained about quantum phenomena. Retro-active effects allow pattern formation and `orchestration' of events. While he admits that he cannot bring the role of the observer to very much,.elarity, Rietdijk hypothesizes that the retro-active effects play the role oC the `hidden variables' that describe the randomness in quantum mechanical events. To what extent this very fundamental randomness is determined by the retro- active effects, Rietdijk cannot say, bit `it cannot be excluded that God plays dice with the world to an even lesser extent than as implied by the local causal laws of classical physics'! At the end-of chapter 5 Rietdijk puts forward the idea that the `orchestration' of events, as allowed by physics, may connect with aspects of nature usually termed psychical, to integrative forces, tendencies and, purposes. This form of holism, Rietdijk emphasizes, this occurrence of integrating aspects of nature, is not a paradigm, but a phenomenon, that can be revealed by the normal scientific method. There is nothing vague here, like the term `complementarity' for instance, but a real improvement of our world-picture, which becomes more consistent and better explainable. In this way, the gap between rational thought and `integral' or religious thought can be bridged. There is a perspective that this can be achieved without `water in the scientific wine', discovering by scientific means a `deeper, lawful consistency' of events, showing that `something we could name Arch-Cause or God does not play dice with the fate of the world and that of mankind'. This is at the end of Part 1, still under the heading `the new physics'. My opinion is that this can all be called `technically sound', as Rietdijk care- fully distinguishes fact and inference from hypothesis and speculation, but the latter always as allowed by the facts. There is one exception, and that is the hypothesis of realism, implicit in his proof of retro-active effects, to which I will return later. Part 2 starts with an account of parapsychology. In view of the preceding chapters it is not surprising that Walker's version of observational theory is adopted as a theoretical approach. Rietdijk sees the tendency for coincidences to occur as most fundamental. In the case of PK the coincidence is between the goal pursued by the agent and the actual outcome. With clairvoyance it is between the impression of the percipient and the actual situation. Super-local pattern formation is put forward as the possible mechanism to achieve this. th d b l se e o y aye While Rietdijk acknowledges the special role p nhauer. Von ,Journal of the Society for Psychical Research 822 January 19911 Scholz and Koestler to argue that there are integrative forces working to achieve meaningful coincidences. The integrative forces run from the simple `like attracts like'-hypothesis of Kammerer, to a more teleological version. For many years, Rietdijk has collected meaningful coincidences in his own experience. To facilitate their explanation he puts forward three further hypotheses: The first is introducing a dualistic element, namely that consciousness is just as primary as matter and playing a role in super-local pattern formation. The second is about God as pattern forming agent with the whole universe as a body and human beings possibly playing the role of cells. The third hypothesis is building upon Jung's collective unconscious, stating that cultures, nations or other smaller or larger groups of human beings may act to some extent as integrated `supersouls'. In the following chapters of Part 2, the role of super-local pattern formation is related to parapsychological concepts, like goal-orientedness, the psychical inductor, voodoo, experimenter effects, psi-missing and the cross-correspon- dences described by W. H. Salter. The main thrust is that quantum mechanical randomness propagates into real-life events and this provides room for the `orchestration' of events. The findings of parapsychology support this view. Coincidences can be seen as exemplary to the fact that the integrative forces produce events that show likenesses, often of a meaningful character. Moreover, Rietdijk sees a sense of purpose in all this, at the level of the individual, the group and the universe. When Rietcijk introduces religiosity, morality and the Grand Pattern of events in which we all take part, this reviewer is subject to mixed feelings. Of course, religious experiences and feelings are known to exist widely and morality may be founded as I suggested in the introduction of this review. Nevertheless, moral judgments cannot logically be derived from existential judgments. Here Rietdijk is not clear. His religious notions are of a general Christian nature and bear some similarity to Einstein's. However, as he tries to convince the reader that scientific and religious world views are part of the same pattern, apparently it becomes difficult to stick to his own `No water in the scientific wine'. In the last part of the book Rietdijk gives his view on trends in society and how this relates to his view on religion. Of course, he turns against nihilism, relativism and the like, but nowhere does he become dull. His ideas bear much resemblance to the Enlightenment, but with an underlying religious foundation which implies a continuing `creation' and an increasing degree of integration and organization. He is wise enough to see that the `orchestration' of events may well play a role in less beneficent developments, like, for instance, that of Nazism. Such might be seen as a consequence of operating within the limits of quantum uncertainty and the course of development from primitive to more integrated forms of matter. I have to criticize the book on a few points: Unlike other assumptions made, there is implicit in the proof of the retro-active effect the hypothesis of realism, namely of unobserved quantum mechanically random events. I take issue with this hypothesis. In its place, I have advocated the hypothesis of indefinite reality (2), from which a very different world-view might be developed. Most valuable is the fact that we have an unobvious choice between two alternatives which might be settled by experiment. Furthermore, about the Grand Pattern, it might be asked what it has to say about humanity that is different than could be said about the dodo. But that's mere uneasiness with the result, not an argument against it. More problematic are the introduction of consciousness as a primary concept, which is in my opinion unnecessary, and the introduction of morality which is shaky. Concluding, I cannot resist to borrow from the book a citation of Giordano Bruno: `Si non e veto, e bene trovato.' That is to say, Rietdijk's choice of hypotheses is not necessarily that of the reader. The book argues for an enlightened form of Christian belief, which is maybe nothing new, but it is applaudable that the assumptions needed are so clearly distinguished as such. This makes the book a pleasure to read, even while disagreeing with it. The arguments, primarily developed from modern physics, are such that they are understandable to the interested lay-person. For parapsychologists, the book contains interesting connotations to., events, like meaningful coincidences, but also to observational theory, such as the above-mentioned hypothesis of realism. Rietdijk suggests all" his assumptions are experimentally testable. The crucial experiment, determining whether there is an omniscient observer looking over our shoulder, still
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GOD AND MAN AT
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General CIA Records
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CIA-RDP90-01208R000100050007-1
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RIPPUB
Original Classification:
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Document Page Count:
1
Document Creation Date:
December 22, 2016
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;STAY-- I !II I I I I -1 H'ASHINGTONIAN December 1983 God and Man at Religion? .The CIA Has Thought a Lot About It, and Has Concluded How Does an Intelligence Agent Reconcile espionage; it once encouraged its em? chats, author of The Marriage of Figaro ployees to lie to Congress; and it has and The Barber of Seville. enshrined slippery former director Rich- It was Beaumarchais who persuaded and Helms as the CIA soldier most wor- a reluctant King Louis XVI to aid the thy of emulation. That so many CIA em- American Revolution by making it ap- ployees miss the irony of the Biblical pear that the French funding came from inscription is testimony to the capacity private citizen Beaumarchais, not from of human beings to disregard a moral the French government. In a persuasive code when they're in the service of a letter to the king, which is in the CIA's cause or of a state. Historical Intelligence Collection, the Most CIA employee recruits hear the dramatist presented the moral case for "basic speech," during which instruc? covert action: tors, describing espionage as a worthy "Generally speaking there is no doubt calling, proclaim that to be patriots they that any idea or project that violates jus- must work in silence and without ac- lice must be rejected by a man of integ- claim. The speech calls spying the world's ~ riry. But, Sire, State policy is not the second-oldest profession ("and just as same as private morality... . honorable as the first"), adding that God "If men were angels, we ought no Himself founded thecalling when Moses 'doubt to despise or even detest politics. seat leaders of the twelve tribes to "spy But if men were angels, they would havc out the land, of Canaan." no need for religion to enlighten them, In a less well-known reference, CIA or laws to govern them,. or soldiers to. officials like to note that America may subdue -them, and the' earth, instead of owe her existence to the covert action of being a living image_of hell, would itself Pierre-Augustin Caron de Besumar- be a region of heaven. But in the end we bate Van A~ is a )ack Anderson associate must take them as they are ...and a a gin natioaal?axtuity issues, including king who alone wished to be absolutely just among the wicked and to remain Tl~,at the Bible and God Are on T ~re~ir Side. _ _._. By Dale Van Alta fur the cornerstone of the Cen- tral Intelligence Agency's head- quarters in Langley, Virginia, had been laid in 1959, CIA DirectorAl- len Dulles cast about for a suitable inscription. What message, he won- dered, would be most apropos to grace the foyer of this $46 million monument to spying? Eventually Dulles settled on the Biblical quotation now carved in marble on one side of the entrance hall; "And ve shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you -free. John VIII- ?IXJ~." Ironic words, given that the CIA is the ..one American institution whose mission often demands distortion of the truth. The agency plants misinformation in newspapers, magazines, and books throughout the world; routinely its agents misrepresent themselves to gather the in- fomiationa] gold that is the currency of good among the wolves would soon be devoured along with his flock." The Frenchman's -point that covert ac- tion- and intelligence itself-is a "nec- essary evil" is further emphasized by CIA instructors who eulogize one of his American contemporaries, Nathan Hale, the Revolutionary Waz hero who, posing as a Dutch schoolteacher behind British lines, was captured and hanged for spying. His statue stands outside CIA headquar- tens today, and his words have been so inspirational to some agents that one for- mersenior official carried this Hak speech in his wallet: "I wish to be useful, and . every kind of service; necessary to the public good, becomes honorable by being necessary. If the exigencies of my coun- try demand a peculiar service, its claims to perform that service are imperious." From Hale's day until the founding of the CIA in 1947, this country had re- sisted establishing afull-time intelli- gence organization. Pearl Harbor and World War II, however, overcame America's reluctance. Though public ap- prove] of the CIA has never been whole- -II, Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/02/25 :CIA-RDP90-012088000100050007-1
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WAS JESUS CRUCIFIED FOR OUR ATTONMENT?
(٥)
Thus, we can see clearly the importance of this event in the Christian
belief, as Christians believe that it is the mainstay of human life in
this world.
Jesus' crucifixion in Islam
The Islamic opinion of Jesus' (PBUH) crucifixion is that he (PBUH)
was never crucified, as the Jews and Christians claim. Muslims
derive their opinion, which oppose what the Gospels mention, from
the Quranic verses, which confirm this opinion.
The Quranic verses mention the conspiracy that happened to Jesus
(PBUH). They mention many other things, which the reader could
notice them. It mentioned Jesus' (PBUH) rescue from his enemies'
conspiracy.
Allah (S.W.), while listing His blessings and graces to Jesus (PBUH)
says, "And behold! I did restrain the Children of Israel from
(violence to) thee" (Alma'ida: 110)
This response from Allah (S.W) was on that crucial day, on which the
Romans and the Jews conspired in order to kill and crucify Jesus
(PBUH). However, Allah (S.W) turned their conspiracy down. "And
(the unbelievers) plotted and planned, and Allah too
planned, and the best of planners is Allah." (Al Imran: 54), Allah
(S.W) saved His prophet –Jesus (PBUH) - from their conspiracy and
deception.
The Quranic verses mention some accounts of this Jewish
conspiracy. "That they said (in boast), "We killed Christ Jesus
the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.;- but they killed him
not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them,
and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain)
knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they
killed him not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto Himself; and Allah
is Exalted in Power, Wise". (An NiSA':157-158)
Another verse pointed to Jesus' (PBUH) rescue and his ascending to
heaven. "Behold! Allah said: "O Jesus! I will take thee and raise
thee to Myself and clear thee (of the falsehoods) of those who
blaspheme; I will make those who follow thee superior to those
who reject faith, to the Day of Resurrection." (Al Imran: 55)
True Guidance and Light series (4)
(٦)
The verses also pointed at his rescue. Allah (S.W) says, "He shall
speak to the people in childhood and in maturity." (Al Imran: 46)
It is known that Jesus (PBUH) was ascended to heaven in his
thirties. Elderliness, in language, is coupled with old age. Means,
after Jesus passing the first stage of his life he will live and reach the
elderliness and he will talk to people. There is no other meaning;
otherwise, it is not necessary to mention elderliness and his ability to
talk when talking about Jesus' (PBUH) miracles, because every one
is able to talk in his old age, and no miracle in that.
The Holy Quran mentions, in another verse, that Jesus (PBUH) will
descend to earth in the last days and before the Judgment Day.
Allah (S.W) says, "And (Jesus) shall be a Sign (for the coming of)
the Hour (of Judgment): therefore have no doubt about the
(Hour)." (Az Zukhruf: 61)
Allah (S.W) also says, "And there is none of the People of the
Book but must believe in him before his death; and on the Day
of Judgment he will be a witness against them." (An Nisa': 159)
Neither the Quranic verses nor Prophet Mohammad's (PBUH)
sayings mentioned any details of Jesus' (PBUH) rescue. Therefore,
Muslim scholars had to search for the truth that the Holy Quran
mentions from what the people of the book passed to us.
Alternatively, they searched the Holy Bible, to find out how Jesus
(PBUH) was saved from the Jews' conspiracy.
The Holy Quran mentions the occurrence of the crucifixion but not for
Jesus (PBUH). It shows the Jews' and others' ignorance of the
identity of the crucified person. It also shows their disagreement
about who he was, because Allah (S.W.) made the crucified person
look the same as Jesus (PBUH).
Allah (S.W.) says, "They killed him not, nor crucified him, but so
it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are
full of doubts." (An Nisa': 157)
The doubt in this verse is about the identity of the crucified person.
The Holy Quran does not specify his identity, but it does assure
Jesus' (PBUH) rescue and his ascending to heaven. "For of a
surety they killed him not:- Nay, Allah raised him up unto
Himself; and Allah is Exalted in Power, Wise". (An Nisa': 157-
158)
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Thus, The Holy Quran mentions Jesus' (PBUH) rescue and his
ascending to heaven. His enemies, who wanted to crucify him, were
in doubt and crucified another person. Allah (S.W.) raised Jesus
(PBUH), and he will be back before the Day of Judgment. His coming
(PBUH) will be a sign of the end of this life on earth.
The importance of disproving Jesus' (PBUH)
crucifixion, for Muslims
Muslims believe that prophets die like all human beings and they
might be murdered. The Holy Quran tells us that the Israeli people
(Bani Israel) killed many prophets for no reason. Thus, for us, there
is no big deal if a prophet was killed by the criminals and the fools of
his people. Killing does not harm the killed prophet, but it is a
selection from Allah (S.W), and martyrdom for His sake (S.W.) and
His religion.
Then, why does the Holy Quran mention Jesus' (PBUH) rescue, and
insists on disproving Christians in this matter?
The Holy Quran mentions Jesus' rescue to declare the truth, and to
prove the weakness of the Jews and their inability to achieve what
they intended to do. When Muslims talk about Jesus' (PBUH) rescue,
they want to prove that truth, of which their book mentions.
In addition, Muslims realize the danger that the crucifixion created. It
turned from being a historical event to an important creed in
Christianity. Disproving it would make Christianity meaningless and
has nothing to offer. Hence, the Muslim scholar Ahmad Deedat
assured that Christianity could not offer any good to people except
the claimed salvation by Jesus' (PBUH) blood. It cannot - for
example - teach Muslims morals, hygiene, cleanliness or generosity.
Therefore, if Jesus' (PBUH) crucifixion to be disproved, there would
be no reason for Christianity to preach or even to exist.
One of the theological problems that the idea of crucifixion creates is
the concept of Allah (S.W) in Christianity. That makes Muslims eager
to focus on this matter and deal with it seriously.
In the second century C.E, a famous student of Paul named Marcion
appeared. He believed that the Jewish God, who gave the Law to
Moses (PBUH) and created the world, was a bad one. The good God
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incarnated in Jesus (PBUH), and he is opponent of the God who
created the world.
He imagined a prosecution from Jesus (PBUH) to the Creator and
Cherisher of the world and the Lord of the earth and heaven - Allah
(S.W). He said, "Jesus descended to the Lord of all creations in his
divine shape blaming Him of his death on the cross. Jesus said to
the Lord of all creations, "It is a judgment between me and you. Do
not let any one to be the judge; your own Laws are my judge. Did not
you write in your Law, he who kills must be killed?
Then God (The Lord of all creations) answered, "I did write that.
Jesus said, "Then, you have to surrender your self to me". Then God
said, "Because I killed you I will give you something instead. All those
who believe in you, you can do whatever you want with them.
Then, Jesus left and took Paul away and explained the deal to him.
He sent him to preach that we were bought by this deal, and the just
God sold all those who believe in Jesus to the good God."
1
This absurd belief is natural, which is caused by the contradiction
between justice and mercy. Saying that Jesus (PBUH) was rescued,
puts things in its proper order. Humans will worship their God,
knowing that they are worshiping Allah (S.W.), the Most Merciful,
Most Generous, and Most Forgiving.
In his book "Evidence of Jesus' Divinity That Need Contemplation",
the Muslim scholar, Mohammad Hasan Abdul-Rahman, assimilates
Christians' belief of the sin, atonement and the Law, to a story of a
king whom his people rebelled against him. He, then, sent
messengers to them, teaching them to be good, do good deeds, and
asking them to revert under his power, obeying his laws of peace
and justice.
However, his people derided those messengers, killed them, and
insisted in their arrogance. The king became angrier and gave an
order to send his only son, to be insulted and killed as atonement for
their sins. Those, who believe in this concept, would be honored and
their sins will be forgiven.
1
- Christ in the Christian Creeds Resources, Ahmad Abdel wahab, pp 279-280, quoting from "The History
of Dogma", Adolf Harnack. See also The Fourth Gospel, Henry De Lavouse pp, 30-36.
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He also gave another order to cancel all the previous laws of justice
and welfare. In addition, he gave an order to consider those who
believe in the new rules as good citizens, regardless of how many
sins or crimes they commit.
The justification of this law is that the king is just. His justice is to
punish the criminals, who ruin and destroy his kingdom.
Nevertheless, because he loves them, and he does not want to
destroy all the people in the kingdom, he punished his only innocent
son. This punishment is equal to the punishment of all people. He
gave an order that his son must be tutored and then crucified.
What do Christians think of this king?
No one would describe such king as a just or unfair king, but as a
ridiculous, a stupid and an idiot king.
This is the god, whom the altered Christianity wants us to worship.
The beliefs of the Crucifixion, the Original Sin, the Atonement, and
whatever related to them, are the reasons of why people detest this
religion and the spreading of atheism. People do not accept to
worship unfair and cruel god, or crucified god, as the god that the
church wants people to worship.
An example of this rebellion, what we witness of the spread of
atheism, which is caused by the belief of god's death because of the
Atonement. Niche said, "If God's idea was to send the sin's
aberration to the innocence of the earth, then the believers of this
innocence should use their axes to destroy this idea."
He also said, "Blessed are the meek, because they do not claim
seeing God… We became humans, thus, we want nothing except
the earthly kingdom. Where did God go? I will tell you where he
went; we killed him, you and me. Yes! We are who killed him; we all
killed him. Do not you smell the divine decay? Gods do decay also.
God died and will remain dead"
1
The absurdness of the idea of the Original Sin and the Atonement,
and its strangeness, made it ridiculous. In his book, "The Original
Christianity", J.R Snout said, "Surprisingly, that people nowadays
1
- Christianity Without Christ, Kamel Saafan, pp 76
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Critical Examination to the Gospels' Crucifixion Stories
Until Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the seventh centaury declared
the invalidity of Jesus' (PBUH) crucifixion, Christians told Jesus'
(PBUH) crucifixion stories generation after generation. They wonder
how he (PBUH) could say such a thing. How could he (PBUH)
accuse the apostles and the eyewitnesses, who passed to us written
evidence of what they saw, of lying?
If we ask Christians "Say: "Produce your proof if ye are truthful."
(Al-baqara: 111), their evidence for this event are the four Gospels.
The Holy Bible, in more than a thousand languages, mentions Jesus'
(PBUH) crucifixion and this is the evidence.
The Muslim scholar Deedat said that we should examine this
evidence, and examine these four witnesses, who witnessed the
crucifixion.
Deedat declared few issues that Muslims notice about these
witnesses. The first is that two of these witnesses - Mark and Luke -
had never seen Jesus (PBUH); and never been his disciples. How
could they be witnesses?
The second issue is that the witnesses had not seen the event.
According to Mark, all of them had forsook him and fled. "And they
all forsook him, and fled." (Mark 14/50)
Any civilized court will reject these witnesses' testimony in less than
two minuets.
These testimonies are recorded in more than five thousand copies.
These copies, which Christians are so proud of, not even two of
them, are identical. Even if they all were identical, not even one of
them, was written by the author that the book carry his name.1
In his book "The Development of the Gospels", Enoch Pawl said,
"The story of Jesus' crucifixion was not mentioned in the original
copies of the Gospels". He retranslated the Greek copy of Mathew's
Gospel; and he found that some passages were repeated in the
Gospel, which means it was re-written later.
2
Among the alterations that western scholars noticed in the scriptures,
when talking about the crucifixion, that some passages were added
1
- Jesus' Crucifixion between reality and falsehood, Ahmad Deedat, pp 18-20
2
- The Dead Sea Scrolls, Ahmad Othman, pp 139-144
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to the story according to the transcriber's opinion. The Gospel
according to Mark mentions, "And the first day of Unleavened
Bread, when they killed the Passover, His disciples said to
Him, Where do You desire that we go and prepare that
You may eat the Passover? And He sent out two of His
disciples and said to them, Go into the city, and there you
shall meet a man bearing a pitcher of water. Follow him.
(Mark 14/12-16)
In his book, Saint Mark, (pp 376) Denis Nienham believed that most
scholars think that these passages were added later to Mark's story.
They concluded that based on two issues.
First: The writer described the event in a way that a Jewish, that was
contemporary with Jesus (PBUH), could not use.
Second: The writer of the verse, (17) ("And in the evening He
came with the Twelve.") (Mark 14/17) (MKJV), talked about
Jesus' (PBUH) coming with his twelve disciples. He did not know
about the two of them (Peter and John according to Luke 22/8) who
went to prepare the Passover. If the writer of the verse (17) knew
about that passage he should have mention ten only, not twelve. It
should be (And in the evening, he came with the ten).
Another alteration of the Gospels is what George Caird, the
commentator of Luke's Gospel Mentioned. The Gospel according to
Luke mentions that while Jesus (PBUH) was on the cross he said,
"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.
(Luke 23/33-34)
These words are not mentioned in any of the other Gospels.
Moreover, some of Luke's important transcripts ignored it.
Caird said, (pp 251): "It was said that this prayer, might be deleted
from one of Luke's first transcripts by one of the transcribers in the
second century. The editor thought it is unbelievable that God may
forgive the Jews. Noticing the destruction that happened to
Jerusalem twice, in year 70 C.E and 135 C.E, it was certain that God
did not forgive them".
1
1
- Jesus in the Christian Creeds Resources, Ahmad Abdel wahab, pp 133-136, 170
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First: The Contradictions of the Crucifixion Stories in
the Gospels
The four gospels – which are the main source of the crucifixion story-
mention much details about Jesus' (PBUH) crucifixion. If these
narrations were inspirations, as the Christians claim, they should be
identical. However, when examining these narrations, we find many
contradictions and differences. That means that some of these
narrations are wrong, or Matthew is lying in something and Mark
lying in something else.
Among these contradictions:
Did the chief priests go to capture Jesus?
Who went to catch Jesus? Matthew said, "And a large mob
armed with swords and clubs was with him. They had
been sent by the chief priests and the nation's leaders."
(Matthew 26/47)
Mark added that the writers and elders were among them.
"And straightway, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one
of the twelve, and with him a multitude with swords and
staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the
elders. (Mark 14/43) (ASV)1
John mentioned that they were Roman soldiers and the chief priests'
servants. "So he went to the garden with some Roman
soldiers and temple police, who had been sent by the chief
priests and the Pharisees." (John 18/3) (CEV)
None of the three evangelists mentioned the coming of the chief
priests. If the chief priests were present, they should have been
mentioned, as they are not less important than the writers, the
elders, and the commoners. However, Luke mentioned that the chief
priests themselves were who came to capture Jesus. He said,
"Jesus spoke to the chief priests, the temple police, and the
leaders who had come to arrest him." (Luke 22/52)
The contradiction between Luke and the others is obvious.
When was Jesus prosecuted?
1
- American Standard Version
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Matthew said, "And after a little while they that stood by
came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of
them; for thy speech maketh thee known. Then began he to
curse and to swear, I know not the man." (Matthew 26/73-74).
Luke and John mentioned that in third time one man identified Peter,
not a group of the crowd. Luke said, "About an hour later
another man insisted, "This man must have been with
Jesus. They both come from Galilee. Peter replied, "I don't
know what you are talking about." (Luke 22/59-60).
John confirmed that, and mentioned that the man was one of the
chief priest's servants. "One of the high priest's servants was
there. He was a relative of the servant whose ear Peter had
cut off, and he asked, "Didn't I see you in the garden with
that man? Once more Peter denied it." (John 18/26).
Then, who identified Peter in the second time? Was it the same
maid, another one, or a man? Did Peter deny Jesus in the third time
because the crowd knew his accent, or because the chief priest's
servant saw him in the garden with Jesus' disciples?
The Egyptian priest Matta Al Meskeen admits this contradiction
between the Gospels. He said, "What Saint Luke said is different
from what Saint Mark said regarding the significance, the kind of
people who stood against Peter each time, and the reasons."
1
Why was Barabbas in prison?
The Gospels disagree about the reason of his imprisonment. John
mentioned that he was a thief. "Now Barabbas was a robber"
(John 18/40)
Mark and Luke agree that he was a troublemaker that caused
someone's death; thus, he deserved imprisonment. "Now this
man was in prison because of an attack against the
government in the town, in which there had been loss of
life." (Luke 23/19, See also Mark 15/7)
The Book of Acts mentions that Barabbas was a killer, not just a thief
or a troublemaker. It says, "But ye denied the Holy and
Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted
unto you." (Acts 3/14).
1
- The Gospel According to Saint Luke, Father Matta Al Meskeen, pp 705