18AR23-02

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AR 23:2 - Muslim mythicists deny Israel's ancient temples

In this issue:

ISRAEL - "the most outlandish mythicist theory comes from Muslim apologists"

NEW AGE MOVEMENT - has "one of the most influential figures ever involved in the New Age" been born again?

Apologia Report 23:2 (1,368)

January 18, 2018

ISRAEL

"Was There a Jewish Temple in Ancient Jerusalem?" by Craig A. Evans <www.goo.gl/GgDPdW> -- Do you find it hard to believe that anyone would doubt this? "Mythicism is an extreme form of historical minimalism, in which most or all historical evidence is rejected. In recent years, some Islamic apologists have adopted this approach in order to deny the historicity of the two Jewish temples. Their arguments ignore a mountain of evidence. ...

"Mythicists make extraordinary claims. Best known are the mythicists who claim that Jesus did not exist. [See AR 22:11 <www.goo.gl/rupxLL> for more on that.] ...

"The most outlandish mythicist theory comes from Muslim apologists and propagandists who claim that there never was a historical Israel and that there never was a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem."

Evans discusses these Islamic assertions, explaining that the evidence against them "is archaeological and literary. The archaeological evidence is substantial and continues to grow, thanks to ongoing excavation in Jerusalem, south of the Temple Mount where the [Muslim] Dome of the Rock stands today. The literary evidence also is substantial, and it is not limited to Jewish and Christian sources, but comes from Greek and Latin pagan sources as well. Some of this literary evidence dates back to the time when the Second Temple was still standing."

Evans presents the evidence for the First and Second Temples separately. We found it a very interesting history lesson from one of the best apologists currently in the Fight. Christian Research Journal, 40:5 - 2017, pp24-31.

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NEW AGE MOVEMENT

From the "Wild Hunt" Pagan blog comes the article "Doreen Virtue's conversion to Christianity sparks debate" by Renu Aldrich -- First: You may be wondering, "Who is Doreen Virtue?" Wikipedia reports: "Doreen Virtue (born April 29, 1958) is an American author and motivational speaker. She is the founder of Angel Therapy <www.angeltherapy.com> ... has written over 50 books including oracle card decks on the subject of angels and other spiritual topics [and] written endless diet and nutrition books." <www.goo.gl/pm1a8x>

Aldrich adds: "Virtue, the Hay House author of more than 50 books ... offers several types of spiritual counseling programs to become a Certified Angelologist, Angel Therapy Practitioner, Angel Intuitive, and Fairyologist through her Earth Angel brand. Her works have been translated widely offering information on channeling and mediumship, angels, fairies, and various faiths including Hindu, Celtic, and Native American deities.

"Since February 25, 2017, when she was baptized in the Episcopal Church, her writings have focused on Jesus and scripture while she has openly repudiated the foundations of her former teachings and called for her followers to no longer go to other people to develop their relationships with God. ...

"Though she talked about becoming a born-again Christian on her Hay House radio show in March, her transformation did not become widely known until she published a video <www.goo.gl/a87txc> publicly denouncing the use of tarot cards and other means of fortunetelling on the day of the solar eclipse.

"While Virtue did not return requests for comment by The Wild Hunt, she defends her path in the video: "When people say I've given up my life work, it's not true. I love the angels, they saved my life. I'm here today because of angels."

"She goes on to say that she was given a spiritual directive to stop using her prophetic abilities 'like a trick pony' and to shift from doing readings to contemplations inspired by God. ...

"Virtue, who says she was born with second-sight, was raised as a Christian Scientist - although she says she didn't read the Bible until recently. She has a master's degree in counseling psychology from Protestant-affiliated Chapman University and [earned] a Ph.D in psychology from California Coast University's distance learning program in 1996 before it became accredited, but says she gave up doing psychotherapy for giving tarot readings inspired by a carjacking in 1995 in which she attributes angelic intervention for saving her life.

"She currently lives on a 47-acre estate in Hawaii, where she moved with her fifth husband Michael last year from their estate in Maui to better care for 100 rescue animals of all kinds. Some of the proceeds of her courses are earmarked for their care, but the ranch is not a registered charity and donations are not tax-deductible. ...

"Virtue also states in the video that she has directed her publisher since 1993, Hay House, to donate all royalties from her tarot decks to their foundation and to remove her name from them in a year. Her courses now sport the caveat that 'This is not a New Age course, and it does not include the topics of divination or angelic communication.'

"Accepting that she will only write scriptural works, Hay House readily agreed to take her book of deities from multiple faiths, Archangels and Ascended Masters: A Guide to Working and Healing with Divinities and Deities, and its companion cards out of print 'in case people used them to worship idols and deities other than God,' Virtue says.

"The video has sparked a firestorm in New Age and metaphysical circles mainly because of its impact on her students and followers who had not been aware of her conversion six months earlier and are left unclear how to proceed. ...

"For her part, Virtue does not seem to discern between her personal and professional paths. In the Aug. 21 video, she says her most major transformation came on January 17 of this year when Jesus appeared to her in church: 'After seeing Jesus, I was completely changed. I started to read the Bible even more. I started to volunteer at the church even more. And I started to give up things that were against the Bible like mediumship and what they call fortunetelling, which is predicting. And so, I wanted to be completely aligned with God's will.' ...

"Virtue was interviewed <www.goo.gl/DLz21Z> Friday by Steven Bancarz, a former New Age blogger who became born-again last year and now runs the Biblical justification website Reasons for Jesus <reasonsforjesus.com>. On the site, he calls Virtue 'one of the most influential figures ever involved in the New Age' and writes that while she has 'renounced the New Age movement,' he hopes Virtue evolves even further to denounce the tarot and angel cards completely as well as join a Church that is more restrictive of LGBTQ+ rights. 'This is a big step in the right direction.'

"In the interview, which was live-streamed on Bancarz's YouTube Channel, Virtue addressed what she called 'spiritual celebrity gossip' and said she has gotten hate and rudeness as well as support from New Agers and Christians alike. She said, 'I'm not telling people to change their path. I'm not denouncing what you're doing, I'm denouncing how it's used. And I don't use it anymore.'"

As for the Pagan reaction to news of Virtue's conversion, Aldrich notes: "Virtue's about-shift has been ill-received by the Pagan community because of the judgment against non-Christians and their beliefs. ...

"But critics say it's not her personal path that has them concerned, but her repudiation of mediumship - and the very people she fostered for more than 20 years.

"Virtue allegedly posted another video earlier this year ... that was removed almost immediately.

"Blogger Chanel Adams quotes the video in a story <www.goo.gl/CkVN3u> for The Inquisitr, saying Virtue 'called her followers "demonic" and "dark." She even told her followers to burn some of her books and the decks associated with them.'"

Aldrich includes the personal reactions of Pagans influenced by Virtue. This is seen in words such as "sadness," "betrayal," and talk of Virtue "having a responsibility" to continue supporting her followers - some of whom are "doing tarot readings to gain insight into Virtue's conversion." Still, at least one said "no one should judge another's spiritual journey." Another asks "was she misled then or is she misled now?"

The more we learn of Virtue's explanation regarding what has happened to her and how her views have changed, it gives us the sense that she is, understandably, still working through it all - having made remarks that appear to be contradictory at this early stage in her worldview shift. <www.goo.gl/2LSbRW>

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