Forum Maintenance

[jabcat]

thanks rose :)  yes they are

tony, i passed your suggestion about updating onto gary...he said the server is giving them fits and they're having trouble with support (in india now) and may change servers...he is contacting karen about a thing or two and we'll pass along pertinent info as it comes...thanks

http://www.arvixe.com/
It's for Karen and Gary to decide but Arvixe is cheap, flexible  and gets great user reviews on their support. I have only a tiny site but have been on their support forum. They are really on the problem. Servers are US based.

:thumbsup:  Karen's on now working on some things..

[WhiteWings]

A saviour is near :-)

[jabcat]

 :dsunny:

[jabcat]

she said she did update the forum and was checking into adding a couple of antispam pieces..

last night i deleted 310 spammer member requests, and now we're back up to over 100 in the past few hours...hopefully this stops it or dramatically slows it down

[WhiteWings]

It was clear to me that this forum was under attack for a long time. I very often is see 1 or even 4 people registering at the same time. That very unlikely for a small forum like this.


Quoting a previous message it's something you can do. If the option exists in this forum it's just switching on an option. Nothing techy.

Do you have email verification switched on? That way they have to reply to an email even before you get a registration request. Depending on the hack it may totally stop them because the email address is usually fake.  Or it doesn't help at all because the hack bypasses that step.

and was checking into adding a couple of antispam pieces.
http://www.peoplesign.com/main/officialDemo.html

That anti spam is easy for people and impossible for computers.

Same program different setting. Select "click the label". http://www.peoplesign.com/main/customize.html

[jabcat]

It was clear to me that this forum was under attack for a long time. I very often is see 1 or even 4 people registering at the same time. That very unlikely for a small forum like this.


Quoting a previous message it's something you can do. If the option exists in this forum it's just switching on an option. Nothing techy.

Do you have email verification switched on? That way they have to reply to an email even before you get a registration request. Depending on the hack it may totally stop them because the email address is usually fake.  Or it doesn't help at all because the hack bypasses that step.

and was checking into adding a couple of antispam pieces.
http://www.peoplesign.com/main/officialDemo.html

That anti spam is easy for people and impossible for computers.

Same program different setting. Select "click the label". http://www.peoplesign.com/main/customize.html

thanks, karen's still checking things..as far as the email verification, since we're on admin approval setting for new members due to spamming, the only option i see for email verification is where i choose how to notify them of their approval...there's the option of 'approve and send email' or 'approve and require email verification'...it doesn't seem to me to be right up front at registration but rather buried in the approval options after they've registered and then awaiting approval

[RaiderGonzo]

hijole., just what keeps on happening with the tentmaker site? I come here every now and then to get my fix and what? It's all broken, hacked or something., don't know? But you got to fix it so it doesn't keep happening!

Once in a while i read things here and there, mostly from the same type of mainstream understanding; sites that preach the same., all the while they  leave me with question marks - question marks that to some extent are being answered by this here Universal believers forum., so when this site goes down, even for a day or so, it bothers me greatly

SO DON'T LET IT GO DOWN!

[RaiderGonzo]

there's a question that's always been there in the back of my mind, and maybe some of you can get me a glimpse of the rightful answer

astrology is wrong no? and if it is, but even if i got it wrong., how is it that there were three wise men from the east who knew and saw the star of Bethlehem and followed it ~> to where the Lord was born

just how was it that non-Hebrew "astrologers" knew of the "prophecy" and yet they went and came out of history with such a short tell tale story  to tell

remembered only by a gospel writer?

[WhiteWings]

Astronomy is fine. The zodiac is mentioned in the Bible. In the book of Job for example. Google "The Gospel in the stars" and you will find several books and articles by Christian writers. God uses the stars, including sun and moon to tell His Salvation plan.

Astrology  isn't about God's plan. It's more like fortune telling. It's used for all sorts of things not being God's purpose.

There is a thread on this forum about this topic. I tried to locate it for you, but right now the forum barely works...
But to give a quick summary their astrology is a perverted version of the astronomy  of God's things taught to their king by one of the Jewish prophets.

[joeteekay]

Hi WW and GR,

I agree with WW.

Just for your information I did a search on the forum for the word astrology and found 30 posts.  Yes WW you were in the list, as well as other regular conributors.  I think this kind of topic should be in its own thread.  It is very interesting to see the zodiac refered to in scripture and knowing that God's design of the universe is perfect and every jot and title has a meaning.

But astrology is akin as WW says to fortune telling.  It borders on whichcraft IMO.

Pleiades and Orion, constellations in the zodiac,  are mentioned in Job, which I find intriguing.  Pleiades has 7 main stars, also interesting.

Job_9:9  Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
Job_38:31  Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands of Orion?

Signs in the heavens for a purpose, probably has significant spiritual meaning.

Gen_1:14  And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

[Tom]

Back in the sixties I was interested in various alternative philosophies among which was astrology, but these days I think it's just mythology associated with how ancient people used the stars for navigation, timekeeping, and predicting the future. So I guess it could be said to have been a primitive form of astrology, and maybe the "magi" used it. The word "magi," from the Greek "magos," literally "magician," (Matthew 2:1,7,16; Acts 13:6,8) is used for good and evil as it refers those who came to worship the Christ child and to Elymas, the false prophet, who Paul blinded.

[eaglesway]

Probably, if it were possible, a comparison of what the 3 "magi" practiced to discern the star of Bethlehem as a sign of the Messiah's birth and to follow it, would not be the same as what we call astrology today. :2c:

[Tom]

It would probably be more like what we call astronomy now, and they probably just got a prophetic vision or dream about Christ being born.

[Tom]

I know before GPS the stars were the global guidance system.

[rosered]

     
lots in them , of course   they can be  defiled    and its just how well you can discern  [gift of God ]      in my opinion

   http://www.mazzaroth.com/Introduction/MazzarothDefined.htm

[Tom]

Yeah, there are a bunch of different zodiacs going back to Babylon and beyond. The Chinese zodiac is different than what folks use here in the states. It's all mythology, but I've seen some info about various forms of ancient knowledge most modern folks probably aren't aware of some that's still used by a few who have received it through various disciplines. It's not all about mythology. Some of it's about precise use of mathematics not numerology though. Scripture says there's nothing new under the sun. It seems some stuff just gets lost and comes up again. I guess it all comes down to if the knowledge glorifies God or not. If it's based on chance, I'd say it doesn't.

[WhiteWings]

http://bdsda.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/untimely-figs/

"Thomas Hyde, an eminent Orientalist (1636-1703), writing on the
ancient religion of the Persians, quotes from ABULFARAGIUS
(an Arab Christian Historian, 1126-1286), who says that ZOROASTER,
or ZERDUSHT, the Persian, was a pupil of Daniel the Prophet, and that
he predicted to the Magians (who were the astronomers of Persia), that
when they should see a new star appear it would notify the birth of a
mysterious child, whom they were to adore. It is further stated in the
Zend Avesta that this new star was to appear in the sign of the Virgin." (1)

http://www.biblicalfulfillment.org/id8.html

But how, we still may ask, did the heathen Magi, followers of the
  teachings of Zoroaster, hear about the prophecy Isaiah pronounced to
  the "house of David" more than seven hundred years before? Well,
  today we know for sure Zoroaster, the founder of the Persian
  religion that is called after him, lived in Babylon from about 560
  BC., at a time, when the Jews stayed in the Babylonian Captivity.
  The Jews obviously told Zoroaster about Isaiah's prophecy of the
  birth of the Messiah from a Jewish virgin of the house of David.
  Even the Syrian scholar Abu'l Faragius (1226-1286) states that when
  Zoroaster was in Babylon he became a pupil of the prophet Daniel,
  who was deported to Babylon from the land of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar
  II in 605 BC. And in his History of Dynasties Faragius further
  writes that Zoroaster had predicted to the Magi a "new star" would
  appear in the skies and signal the birth of a wonderful boy whom
  they were to adore. According to the Avesta, the bible of the
  Zoroastrians, the redeemer would be born of a virgin. When the new
  star appeared in the womb of the celestial Virgin (ERUA), the Magi
  knew the Messiah was born from a Jewish virgin, and immediately
  started on their long journey to Jerusalem in order to adore the
  new-born "King of the Jews."

[WhiteWings]

Why they searched for Jesus?
Isaiah predicted His birth. Daniel was captive in Babylon.
Zororoaster was a pupil of Daniel. He build his own religion based partly on what Daniel taught him.
The Magi's where looking for a pagan savior but found the original Christian savior.

[Tom]

Yeah, I read about the Zoroaster connection before and even that the religion had some form of belief in universalism.

[Tom]

This guy talks about that.

http://www.near-death.com/god-is-with-us.html

[micah7:9]

Forum maintenance? :dontknow: :dunno2:

[joeteekay]

http://bdsda.wordpress.com/2009/02/01/untimely-figs/

"Thomas Hyde, an eminent Orientalist (1636-1703), writing on the
ancient religion of the Persians, quotes from ABULFARAGIUS
(an Arab Christian Historian, 1126-1286), who says that ZOROASTER,
or ZERDUSHT, the Persian, was a pupil of Daniel the Prophet, and that
he predicted to the Magians (who were the astronomers of Persia), that
when they should see a new star appear it would notify the birth of a
mysterious child, whom they were to adore. It is further stated in the
Zend Avesta that this new star was to appear in the sign of the Virgin." (1)

http://www.biblicalfulfillment.org/id8.html

But how, we still may ask, did the heathen Magi, followers of the
  teachings of Zoroaster, hear about the prophecy Isaiah pronounced to
  the "house of David" more than seven hundred years before? Well,
  today we know for sure Zoroaster, the founder of the Persian
  religion that is called after him, lived in Babylon from about 560
  BC., at a time, when the Jews stayed in the Babylonian Captivity.
  The Jews obviously told Zoroaster about Isaiah's prophecy of the
  birth of the Messiah from a Jewish virgin of the house of David.
  Even the Syrian scholar Abu'l Faragius (1226-1286) states that when
  Zoroaster was in Babylon he became a pupil of the prophet Daniel,
  who was deported to Babylon from the land of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar
  II in 605 BC. And in his History of Dynasties Faragius further
  writes that Zoroaster had predicted to the Magi a "new star" would
  appear in the skies and signal the birth of a wonderful boy whom
  they were to adore. According to the Avesta, the bible of the
  Zoroastrians, the redeemer would be born of a virgin. When the new
  star appeared in the womb of the celestial Virgin (ERUA), the Magi
  knew the Messiah was born from a Jewish virgin, and immediately
  started on their long journey to Jerusalem in order to adore the
  new-born "King of the Jews."

OH MY,

So much speculation. I believe it is very doubtful, very doubtful, that God wound have pagans at that ime worship Jesus.

When you read George Rawlinson, "The sixth Great Oriental Monarchy",  Steven Collins "Parthia' and Josephus You can consider:

The wise men were the Magistanes (Magi), the nobles of Pathia (Persia). This is one place that one or more of the "lost 10 tribes" went to.

They came to worship Jesus from the east (Persia). Their lineage can be traced back to the Levites.

The star was an angel (messenger) guiding them. No one else saw the "star" only them.  Not a comet asteroid and any thing of the kind.

The Magi ( and there were not 3) had a caravan consisting of many gifts and other accrutriments for travelling a long distance.

So much more  to this as revealed in the scriptures.

Joe

[WhiteWings]

OH MY,

So much speculation. I believe it is very doubtful, very doubtful, that God wound have pagans at that ime worship Jesus.

That's speculation too, considering God has allowed to people to get of the right path and follow false gods. Plus it's not sure they really came to worship Jesus of the Jewish religion. Perhaps the messiah of their own religion.

The wise men were the Magistanes (Magi), the nobles of Pathia (Persia). This is one place that one or more of the "lost 10 tribes" went to.

That was why Daniel was there.

They came to worship Jesus from the east (Persia). Their lineage can be traced back to the Levites.

But that's no proof they didn't turn into fullblooded pagans. Or at least enough pagan for God to call them pagan. Keep in mind that the exiled Jews weren't totally pagan but breaking God's commandments. That was bad in God's eyes. Very likely things got worse when they became part of the pagan culture.
Besides of that what is the proof the are of Levite lineage and not a lineage that already exited before the Jews arrived? If you call the historical writing I quoted speculation, then what you wrote is speculation too.

The star was an angel (messenger) guiding them. No one else saw the "star" only them.  Not a comet asteroid and any thing of the kind.

Well, the Bible doesn't say anything about it besides they followed a star. Not that others did or didn't see the star.
As the animation in my other post shows, here there was a 'traveling star' and everybody could see it. The 'star' travelled over a period of months. Many may have seen it. But only a few saw any significance in it. And even less could be bothered to follow the 'star'.

The Magi ( and there were not 3) had a caravan consisting of many gifts and other accrutriments for travelling a long distance.

So much more  to this as revealed in the scriptures.

Not much imo.

[jabcat]

Apparently lots of server trouble.  Hang in there, not sure what Gary's going to do but they've been working on it.  We don't usually get blow-by-blow details, often just watch like everyone else.  We'll see.

[eaglesway]

We all began as pagans, unless we  were Jews. I think it quite likely the magi were infidels, in technical  terms, before they became the first believers.