Self Defense With Catholic Goju Karate Home Study Course!

It is a crazy world out there, especially considering the lack of standards and character in today's society in general. It is clear our forefathers were adamant about the role that religion and God play in society. Religion and God, especially the Judea-Christian Heritage, was definitely the building block for the U.S. Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, enabling all people to enjoy liberty and justice. Let's just take a glimpse at the opening statements of each one. First the Declaration of Independence -”When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness....” And second the U.S. Constitution - “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” So looking at those writings, it is clear that God was the major determining factor in the decision to separate from England, and to form a just government. Now it can be argued that we have fallen way short of the “Founding Father's” vision for this country. And your probably saying to yourself right now, “What does this have to do with training in karate at home?' The answer of course is, “ I'm not sure!.....no Just kidding! Actually the answer is everything! It clearly inherit in the U.S. Constitution to protect your life and property and given by God. The ability to bear arms as in the 2nd Amendment in order to protect oneself is given from God. The ability to defend oneself is a principle that is grounded in the ancient law of Israel. Let's take verse from scripture here. Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no bloodguilt for him;” As we can see there were certain standards to follow when defending oneself and their home. I is clear that abiding by God's Laws would be of great benefit to society as whole, As George Washing said, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.” Now we are finally getting to the point here. The lack of leadership and wisdom from above, has led our country into a corrupt state of being. Whereby, the attitudes and character of it's people have fallen into a state decay. We see constant lack of responsibility, character, respect for others, and the greatest of all sin, PRIDE. Were people are just flat out inconsiderate of others, even disrespect for themselves is prevalent. As result we see the misuse of firearms, automobiles and just about anything people can get their hands on. It led to the dangerous environment of mass shootings and blatant contempt for life in general. Heck, just the other day I heard on the news that a man just walked up an shot a women in the leg for no apparent reason. We are also familiar with the killing of the Australian man that was just for fun by the three youths, that apparently were, B-O-R-E-D! The point is this, as society gets worse and more corrupt, you better be able to defend yourself. Avoidance is the best answer, but there can times where avoidance is not always possible. When that time comes you need to know self defense. Not only carrying a weapon, but also turning your hands into lethal weapons as well. No one wants to take a life unjustly, but you have a Godly right to defend yourself from injury and possible death. So what do you do about it. I would suggest taking Karate from a good Christian Martial Artist. I am a Roman Catholic Christian and take the words of Christ seriously when it comes to self defense. “But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one.” - Luke 22:36 There is also another option, but would eventually still need some training from a responsible professional instructor. Again I would add preferably one who has good Christian principles and character To get somewhat proficient in self defense training you would need to train at least two times each week and practice simple basic techniques. The fact of the matter is that the most simple techniques, many times are the most deadly and the most important to learn. Understanding these fore-mentioned concepts is why I developed the beginner Goju Karate home study course, “Learn Goju Karate Now!”. The course is very detailed and includes the most basic and devastating techniques of Goju Ryu Karate Do. This ancient art form was practiced in Okinawa, and Japan. It originates from older martial arts in China and India. This history is well documented. I have also included some basic information about Catholic Spirituality and how it applies to your training and self defense goals. It is just like having a personal instructor by your side giving you secret details of each technique. Each video section is a separate lesson that can be mastered in a relatively short period of time. I think you will love the details and the enjoyable way the instruction is given. Don't let a rare occasion catch you by surprise, be prepared and learn the self defense of Goju Karate. I have included a workout video that you can do to practice, get in shape, and even shed some unwanted pounds. I hope you enjoyed the article here and God Bless. May the peace of Christ be with you always! Sensei Burns Sensei Burns trained in the Art of Goju for over 25 years with a background in Jui Jitsu. He is also a Catholic Apologist and one of the founding members of the Archangelatti, an online apologetic group.

To Visit Satori Goju Ryu Karate Do click the link below.   Sensei Burns personally holds class at Most Precious Blood Roman Catholic Church in Hazleton PA, and the Pastorella Health Center located in Hazleton PA also.

Http://satorigoju.org

The DVD "Learn Goju Karate Now" covers all the most basic techniques need to get jump start in
your Goju and Self Defense training..  To order one DVD or the complete set of”Learn Goju Karate Now?! Click on the following link. http://www.satorigoju.org/merchandise.html

Merchandise is currently not available due to updates and transition to online training.   SATORI GOJU IS CURRENTLY SHUT DOWN SINCE THE TYRANNICAL LOCKDOWNS OF THE PLANDEMIC.  I WILL BE MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO BRING BACK THE SYSTEM ONLINE AND IN VIDEO FORM.  IN THE MEANTIME, FOR THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TRAIN IN THE NEPA HAZLETON AREA, I RECOMMEND PASTORELLA HEALTH CENTER KUNG FU, AND CROSSWINDS KARATE KAI.  I WILL BE PUTTING UP THOSE LINKS SHORTLY. BOTH HAVE ETHICAL INSTRUCTORS.

Interested In Learning Karate And Growing In Your Catholic Faith?

Sensei Burns has developed a new course designed to build spiritual warriors for Christ and his Church.  Not only learning how to develop one's self, but become grounded in your faith.  Learning what the Church teaches and why it teaches them.   Understand how you can defend the Church using Holy Scripture, and Apostolic Traditions.  Become balanced in Mind, Spirit, and Body, while understanding the truth.  That the most Holy Trinity should be above all else in your life.

Come Join  And Train With Us!

You can contact me at satorigoju@gmail.com.   Sensei Burns.

Currently there is no instruction available, but if you are in the Hazleton Area, I am willing to recommend quality instruction. 

God Loves Soildiers! Spiritual And Universal, Defensive Not Offensive Part 1

   I decided to do some writing on this concept that God, ( Father, Son, and Spirit), has a special place in his heart for soldiers. This is apparent in the Old and New Testaments, also in historic years following whereby Christ's Kingdom on earth, relied on righteous soldiers. That's a pretty heavy thought for some Christians. Too complicated to cover in a short paragraph. But for now I wanted to talk about Cornelius. Why? Because Cornelius was a powerful soldier in the Roman Army. But not only that, he was the first Gentile to be baptized a Christian. This is significant, Out of all the Gentiles in the then modern Roman World, a soldier was chosen by the Holy Spirit and sent by an Angel to seek out Peter. 

      This is found in the book of Acts, chapter 10. “And there was a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, a centurion of that which is called the Italian band; A religious man, and fearing God with all his house, giving much alms to the people, and always praying to God. This man saw in a vision manifestly, about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God coming in unto him, and saying to him: Cornelius. And he, beholding him, being seized with fear, said: What is it, Lord? And he said to him: Thy prayers and thy alms are ascended for a memorial in the sight of God. And now send men to Joppe, and call hither one Simon, who is surnamed Peter:”

      Cornelius was Centurion and in charge of many soildiers, but it wasn't just the fact that he was a powerful soldier, but the fact that he gave alms to the poor, he prayed to God the Father, and he feared God, meaning he believed in God., It also says he was religious, which might throw stick in the eye of some Christian teachings, but that really means that by being religious he had already developed an intimate relationship with God the Father, who by the way desired a deeper relationship with Cornelius through God the Son. And yes it was soldier, who did battle and killed his enemies, but it was the good that God saw in Cornelius. Make sense?

      The other significance is that of all the Apostles chosen, Peter is the one who makes the decision to Baptize Cornelius. And God gives Peter the vision needed to do this in a vision. “And the voice spoke to him again the second time: That which God hath cleansed, do not thou call common. And this was done thrice; and presently the vessel was taken up into heaven. Now, whilst Peter was doubting within himself, what the vision that he had seen should mean, behold the men who were sent from Cornelius, inquiring for Simon's house, stood at the gate. And when they had called, they asked, if Simon, who is surnamed Peter, were lodged there. And as Peter was thinking of the vision, the Spirit said to him: Behold three men seek thee. Arise, therefore, get thee down and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them. Then Peter, going down to the men, said: Behold, I am he whom you seek; what is the cause for which you are come? Who said: Cornelius, a centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and having good testimony from all the nation of the Jews, received an answer of an holy angel, to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee”

      Notice that Cornelius is called a Just Man, and is in good standing with Jews, probably due to his alms giving, most likely, What we notice is that he is called a just man even though he was not baptized yet in the name of Christ. He doesn't even know about Christ yet. Even though he is a soldier who has killed people, God sees the good in Cornelius. But rest assured he will be made perfect by the blood of Christ. He will be baptized and repent of his sins, and tradition has it the Cornelius became a Bishop in the Early Church. A spiritual warrior for Christ. Amazing how God works, isn't it?

      What is interesting in this event is the words of Peter before he Baptizes the entire household of Cornelius, “And Peter opening his mouth, said: In very deed I perceive, that God is not a respecter of persons. But in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh justice, is acceptable to him. God sent the word to the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all.)”

      We see here that all those who meet these criteria are acceptable to God. Even a soldier, I am sure some are up in arms right now that reject the fact that you must worketh justice, not only must you fear God, believe, but you must be just and do justice, this is a work commanded by Christ in the Beatitudes, much like Love and Forgiveness are works commanded by the Law of Christ to all Christians, Worketh Justice, God seeks those who do this and Cornelius to demonstrate this, as well as showing the primacy of Peter in the early Church. This event of Course leads to the 1^st Council Meeting in Jerusalem, where Peter again shows his authority to make this decision. We know God made the decision, and worked through Peter as the 1^st Bishop of Rome. It shows us how Christ is the Head and speaks through his representative on earth, the head of the Church. The Holy Spirit has always worked through men, and these decisions are of God's will. 

    This is what Cornelius the Centurion represents, Works of Mercy, Justice, Love, Forgiveness, Redemption, Faith and Works, And yes, even the authority of the Keys to the Kingdom given to Peter as the stewart.. For these reasons, the story of the Roman Soldier Cornelius has a special place in the hearts of Catholics, and it is a message to heard by all Christians. And it is not an excuse to argue with one another, but a great topic for conversation and unity. Be sure to Love each other, forgive, show justice, and have mercy and kindness towards each other. Even in disagreement. Apologetics, and Martial Arts are not offensive but for defense. Follow God's Will and you will be rewarded, Amen!

1 Corinthians 9 Gives Us Some Answers to Acts 21:26

1 Corinthians 9 Gives Us Some Answers to Acts 21:26

St Paul participates in Purification Ceremony in The Temple @ Jerusalem

Acts 21:26 GNT

So Paul took the men and the next day performed the ceremony of purification with them. Then he went into the Temple and gave notice of how many days it would be until the end of the period of purification, when a sacrifice would be offered for each one of them. 
 

Many Christians are criticizing St Paul just like the Pharisees and Sadducees did. They were upset that St Paul took company with the Gentiles. They wanted to deny St Paul his heritage as a Jew. As do many modern Christians deny the writings of Paul. Many say, “How could Paul who speaks so boldly against the Jewish Law, be will to participate in it?” Here we have St Paul participating in a purification ceremony. What could he possible be thinking?

Let's take a look at 1 Corinthians 9:19-27. This may give us some clues to the mindset of St Paul.

1 Cor 9:19-27

19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

After looking at that passage we can see how determined St Paul was to reach out to both the Jews and the Gentiles. We can see that Paul considers himself all things to all men. Why? To save some. From what? Eternal Death. Paul wishes that all men to hear the message of the Gospel.

We can see how determined St Paul is. In the first part of 1 Cor 9 Paul writes about who he is as if to answer his accusers. He writes about the rewards and blessings he is entitled too but does not claim as his reward. He claims the reward in others hearing the Gospel and reaching salvation. And that he should be a participant in this reward as the oxen plows the field and should be able to eat some of the food., as stated in verse 9, “For it is written in the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?”

Yet as hard as St Paul works and preaches the word he still fears that he may become an outcast. An outcast of what? The Kingdom of God, what else. He seeks the incorruptible crown as opposed to the corruptible crown made of laurels that are won in a race. By participating in the salvation of others he prays and hopes for his own salvation.

This episode of the purification ceremony takes the rest of the book of Acts to find the outcome. However, it was all in Gods plan to bring Paul to Rome and to clear his name. I we take the time to read what Paul says in defense of himself, you will find some pretty heavy answers. Just take a look.

Acts 24:14

But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:

Jesus never abolished the law or the words of the Prophets as stated in Matt 5:17, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Here we see an answer from St Paul to King Agrippa in in his own defense.

Acts 26:19-20

Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:

But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

We see here that Paul certainly includes words for repentance and this is taken directly out of the King James Version of the Bible. So the Gentiles are not to be void of works, but are not bound by the works of the Law.

Again we see the commitment of St Paul to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Acts 28:28

28Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.

Acts 14:2
Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Here we see how St Paul thought it necessary that he undergo a tribulation or suffering process in order just to enter the Kingdom of God.

Philippians 2:11-13
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Here we see how we need to work on our salvation, we need to take this process seriously.

2 Thessalonians 1:5

Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Ephesians 5:5

For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Galatians 5:21

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

We see that many Protestants will say that works don't matter when it comes to Salvation, however, will point the finger at fellow Protestants and/or Catholics for works that are supposedly not in the Bible.

If works don't matter than why even be concerned with them? Protestants then explain this by stating the the Faith was not authentic in the first place and use the bad fruit as evidence. By even admitting this fact is a confirmation on the role works plays in salvation.

I Love my Protestant Brothers, but it apparent to me that Salvation by Faith Alone and the Once Saved Always Saved Doctrine is Man Made Tradition and not authentic Bible Teaching.

Jesus is very clear in the Gospels. As he said in John 5:28-29,” Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”

This verse also indicate that Salvation is even possible after death. But I won't get into that right now as it is off subject.

Although we may disagree on the role Good Fruits plays in Salvation. Let's agree on two things. 1.That those of Good Faith will need to serve others and perform Good Works in order to save some. Just like St Paul, be All Things To All. 2. That through the Grace and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ all men are redeemed. Amen and God Bless You!

What About The Brothers Of Jesus?

When referring to the brothers of Christ, many people read the ancient writings of the Bible with their modern minds of today. There are some key scriptures to be concerned about that point to the brothers of Jesus Christ. I will be using the King James Version for this article as it is well recognized translation.

Matthew 12:46 (KJV)

While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

Matthew 13:55 (KJV)

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Mark 3:31(KJV)

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

Mark 6:3 (KJV)

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

Luke 8:19-20 (KJV)

Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee.

John 2:12 (KJV)

After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

John 7:3-10(KJV)

His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest.

For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world.

For neither did his brethren believe in him.

Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.

The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet unto this feast: for my time is not yet full come.

When he had said these words unto them, he abode still in Galilee.

But when his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.

Galatians 1:19(KJV)

But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother.

To an ordinary reader, or one that has only scripture as reference, it certainly appears that Jesus had brothers and even sisters. But when reading the Bible one has to take into consideration the ancient languages and customs of the ancient time. Families lived in larger units with many relations under one roof.

Many times cousins, uncles, nephews and even sons were referred to as brothers in Hebrew and Aramaic. Aramaic was the language that Jesus and his Apostles spoke fluently. As Greek became more popular, the old testament was translated into Greek, and many new manuscripts were written in Greek.

This is important due to the fact that the meaning of the Aramaic word for "brother" (aha) not only includes other meanings, but also includes other close relations, such as cousins.

The Old Testament was translated from Hebrew into Aramaic, and then finally into what we call the Septuagint. This translation included more books than the King James Version I am using for this article.

The original thoughts tend to be left in the dust with the translation process. In this case we are talking about an English Bible, KJV, that has been translated from Ancient Hebrew and Aramaic to Greek, and then to English. Certainly the idea of a large family and the closeness of relatives have been lost today in our current culture.

This is evident in just a casual examination of scripture and different translations. If the concept of brother truly referred to only blood brothers by birth, as it does today, then all translations would easily agree on the following verses.

Luke 6:13-16 (KJV)

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;

Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

MatthTestementomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,

And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

This is a list of the Apostles according to Luke. Notice that Judas is referred to as the brother of James in the KJV. Lets take a look at this verse in other well known translations.

Luke 6:16

King James Version (KJV)

And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

And Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor.

Good News Translation (GNT)

Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became the traitor.

Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society

New International Version (NIV)

Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

New King James Version (NKJV)

Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot who also became a traitor.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

And let's look at this verse as well.

Acts 1:13

King James Version (KJV)

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James.

Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition (DRA)

Good News Translation (GNT)

They entered the city and went up to the room where they were staying: Peter, John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Patriot, and Judas son of James.

Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society

New International Version (NIV)

When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica

New King James Version (NKJV)

And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James.

Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Notice how some text refer to Judas as the son of James, and typically tend to be the more modern translations. Even when comparing the NKJV with KJV. Interesting that the KJV tends to agree with the DRA, in this example.

Here is a good explanation on a Baptist site called,”Learn the Bible”,

Now, I will say something that could be misunderstood but I believe it needs to be said: the Greek phrase can be honestly translated either way. You see, the Greek phrase that is translated either "Judas the brother of James" or "Judas the son of James" comes from only two words in the Greek. The first is Judas and second is James. The declension of the nouns clearly shows the phrase to mean, "Judas of James." That means that the relationship is a close one and that Judas is related to James in a close family kinship. Therefore, Judas is almost certainly either a brother of James or a son of James. However, the phrase in and of itself does not make that distinction. In fact, the King James Bible indicates this uncertainty by putting "brother of" in italics both in Luke 6:16 and in Acts 1:13. This means that there is no corresponding word in Greek to match the words "the brother." - David Reagan

This certainly explains the loss of meaning in the translations from one language to another. However, I feel that the misunderstanding goes deeper than that. In ancient times people were considered brothers even in extended families, as this would include cousins. Take a look at this:

Genesis 11:27 (KJV)

Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran and Haran begat Lot.

Notice that Abram, Nahor, and Haran are brothers by birth. Haran then had a son name Lot. Lot by today's standards would be considered a nephew, and Abram would be Lots Uncle. Now lets take a look at the next verse.

Genesis 14:14-16(KJV)

And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.

And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.

And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.

Here is another example:

Genesis 29:10 (KJV)

And it came to pass, when Jacob saw Rachel the daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the flock of Laban his mother's brother.

Genesis 29:15 (KJV)

And Laban said unto Jacob, Because thou art my brother, shouldest thou therefore serve me for nought? tell me, what shall thy wages be?

Clearly by today's standards Laban in not the brother of Jacob.

Clearly Lot is not Abram's brother, however, that is how brother is used in this example. Also, another frequently used form of brother, brothers, or brethren is to signify association. From these scriptures you can see that the term brother can not be used in the same manner as in modern English.

Acts 9:17( KJV )

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

2 Corinthians 2:13 (KJV)

I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

Ephesians 6:21(KJV)

But that ye also may know my affairs, and how I do, Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, shall make known to you all things:

Philippians 2:25 (KJV)

Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.

Colossians 4:9 (KJV)

With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 (KJV)

And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

Philemon 1:1 ( KJV )

Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellowlabourer,

Hebrews 13:23 (KJV)

Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

1 Peter 5:12 (KJV)

By Silvanus, a faithful brother unto you, as I suppose, I have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand.

2 Peter 3:15 (KJV)

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Clearly, every time the word brother is used, it can not be interpreted as a blood brother by birth. You can draw you own conclusions by reading the above scriptures. It is self evident that brother may be used in this manor to show close association. One thing comes to mind here, either Paul the Apostle had a lot of blood brothers or the word brother signifies a different kind of close relationship.

Even Jesus refers to his followers as brothers or brethren.

John 20:17-18 (KJV)

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

OK, lets go back to the real topic, Who are these brothers mentioned in Matt 13:55, and Mark 6:3? Well they are named for one, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas. One explanation that is simple is that they are his followers.

We know for a fact that his Mother Mary also followed Jesus as described in;

John 2:12,

“After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days. “

and in Luke 23:49 and 55 it says,

”And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.”

And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid.

It is apparent that Mother Mary was a loyal follower of her son. So we could simply offer the explanation that this verse refers to Mother Mary and the disciples. I think that is somewhat true, however, it is clear by the surrounding context that the relationship is deeper than that of a follower and must be a close relative to our Lord. And I believe that the later is true here. So let's take a deeper look into who these brothers are.

Who is James? To find this out let's look at some more scripture;

Matthew 27:56 (KJV)

Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children.

Mark 15:40 (KJV)

There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;

John 19:25 (KJV)

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene

In Luke 23:49, we know that there were many women who stood from afar. Luke gives a better account of some of these women in a later verse. In the above verses, Mary Magdalene is in all three. According to John, Mother Mary stood by the cross, and her sister Mary.

Who was Mother Mary's sister? Well, for one she was the wife of Cleophas (Clopas), according to Matthew, she was the mother of James, and Joses, and according to Mark, she is the mother of James the less and Joses. Salome may also have been the mother of Zebedees children, James the Greater, and John The Apostle.

Then the obvious conclusion is that Mary the wife of Cleophas is the mother of James the less and Joses. Given the fact that she is Mother Mary's sister, that would make James the Less and Joses cousins of Jesus. Two of the names mentioned as the brethren of Christ in Matt 13:55.

James the Less was of course an Apostle, part of the original twelve. That would explain why Paul in his letter to the Galatians refers to James as,”Brother of Our Lord”. James was a close cousin to our Lord. That shows us that James The Just, James The Less, and the James in Matt 13:55 are one and the same.

What about Judas in Matt 13:55? We need to go to some other scripture here in order to discover who Judas is. Remember the name for Jude and Judas are the same.

Jude 1:1 (KJV)

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:

This explains Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 that we talked about earlier, that Judas (Jude) is the brother of James mentioned in Matt 13:55. Both Jude and James are of the original Twelve.

OK, there is one more, and we really don't know who Jose is?

Well Simon is linked to Cleophas the sister of Mother Mary. Well another name for Simon is Symeon and Symeon became a Bishop of Jerusalem in the early church. And according Eusebius of Caesarea in his Church History, after the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, Christians of Jerusalem, over 300 years before the inspiration of the Bible was even established.

"all with one consent pronounced Symeon, the son of Clopas, of whom the Gospel also makes mention; to be worthy of the episcopal throne of that parish. He was a cousin, as they say, of the Saviour. For Hegesippus records that Clopas was a brother of Joseph.”- Eusebius of Caesarea

Also it is known that Jesus and Mary traveled to Cana the town of Simon to attend the Wedding at Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine. These folks were obviously close relatives of Jesus, close enough whereby Mother Mary was able to order the servants to obey Jesus. Close enough whereby Mother Mary was concerned about the reputation of the host. Chances are they were close to Simon as well. And we know that the disciples were also invited to this wedding.

Mark 3:18

"Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean..."

There you have it, Simon is a Son of Clopas and related to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now as for Joses, also same as Joseph, this harder to determine. It could very well have been Jesus step father Joseph. Because as we have already established from Luke 6:16 that the Greek for son or brother could be the same word. It's possible but I think there are better explanations.

Oh yes, there may be other explanations for Jose in Matt 13:55. One could be Barnabas? Barnabas real name was Joses. It seems strange that Barnabas comes out of nowhere in the Book of Acts.

We also know that Alphaeus whom we already established as the same person as Clopas, Father of James, Jude, and Simon. Clopas also was one of the disciples that met the Risen Jesus on the road to Emmaus.

Luke 24:18 (KJV)

18And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

We know that Alphaeus also had another son mentioned in scripture. Could this be Barnabas who was a Levite? Whose name was Joses? Whom was also referred to as an Apostle by Paul the Apostle?

Acts 4:36 (KJV)

And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,

Acts 14:14 (KJV)

Which when the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of, they rent their clothes, and ran in among the people, crying out,

Mark 2:14 (KJV)

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.

In the "Clementine Recognitions" he is said to be preaching in Rome even during Jesus' lifetime, and Clement of Alexandria makes him one of the Seventy Disciples that are mentioned in the . Gospel of Luke

If Barnabas is not this Levi, son of Alphaeus, then there is another cousin running around somewhere that is not mentioned in Matt 13:55. There is not enough evidence to back up this theory and for that matter it is just a theory that has yet to be proven.

There is another conjecture that Joses is really another Disciple mentioned in the Book of Acts.

Acts 1:23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

The name Joseph is the same as Joses. This Joses was surnamed Justus and was in consideration for the vacancy left by Judas Iscariot. They then drew lots as it was customary to choose a Hebrew Priest. Matthias won and became the 12^th Apostle. But what happened to Justus, (Joses)?

In the ,Legenda Aurea he is identified with Joses, one of the brothers of Jesus According to Church Tradition, Justus went on to become Bishop of Eleutheropolis, where he died a martyr and is venerated as Saint Justus of Eleutheropolis. This village was slain and enslaved in 68 AD by Titus Flavius Vespasianus, the Roman Emporer. Also over 300 years before the books of the Bible were authorized as scripture.

There is no real conclusion here as to who Joses was. We don't know what happened to him. Just that he was probably related to the other cousins who were also Apostles in Matt 13:55.

Interesting that there is another man named Judas with the last name Barsabas. Maybe this is the same person. Again there is not evidence to back it up.

Acts 15:22 (KJV)

Then pleased it the apostles and elders with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas and Silas, chief men among the brethren:

In Conclusion, it is apparent that the early Christians who were closest to the time of Jesus, some who knew Jesus well, as they were the original Apostles, or were followers of the original Twelve Apostles, that Jesus had no blood brothers by birth. The early Christians were more familiar with the language and knew the customs too well to jump to conclusions that brother meant blood brother. They knew that word brother, in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek had other implications such as cousin, relative, or another close bond.

One more point needs to be made here, in regard to scripture and how it relates to the story of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his relations.

John 19 :26-27 KJV

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Oh wait a minute, does this mean John was also a brother of Christ? Is Mary also the real mother of John the Apostle? Of Course not! But it does explain the lack of real blood brother whom under ancient custom would have taken on the responsibility to watch their Mother.

Jesus would not have given his Mother to the care of the Disciple he loved, John, if he had other brothers to intrust her with. He would have allowed James, Jude, Simon, or Joses to take care of Mother Mary. This would have been simple since James the Less, Jude the Apostle, and Simon the Apostle were all active followers. No, Jesus handed his Mother over to John. John took care of her as his own, in Ephesus until her death, her tomb is located in the Kidron Valley of Jerusalem at the Church of All Nations, where the Apostle Thomas witnessed her missing body and Assumption into Heaven.

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln Truly Great Presidents!

What I like most about Abraham Lincoln is his patience to do what is right against all odds. Although many claim that he didn't officially free the slaves with the emancipation proclamation. He started the process to free all men from slavery in the U.S. I also I like the fact that Lincoln thumbs his nose at the power banker elite by refusing to borrow money for the war. He does this by creating a debt free currency called the greenback, named after the color on the back of the money, “GREEN”. This may have been the main reason for his assassination, along with other reasons related to the southern dissatisfaction with the wars outcome.

Lincoln said in regard to this banking corruption, "I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country; corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in High Places will follow, and the Money Power of the Country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the People, until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands, and the Republic is destroyed. I feel at this moment more anxiety for the safety of my country than ever before, even in the midst of war" I also like the fact that Lincoln continued to support the Day Of Thanksgiving started by the first president George Washington.

George Washington was the first President and arguable the best. I like the fact that he was extremely patient as well. In order to be a great president the quality of patience is a must. Washington had tremendous patience as a general in waiting out his attack on the British. Is ability to wait for the right time was uncanny, even mysterious, even inspired by God. Because of George Washington, we became a nation. His refusal to become a king, and insist that the people shall rule this new nation, showed his humble selfless nature.

Here is what George Washington said in regard to paper money, "But if in the pursuit of the means we should unfortunately stumble again on unfunded paper money or any similar species of fraud, we shall assuredly give a fatal stab to our national credit in its infancy. Paper money will invariably operate in the body of politics as spirit liquors on the human body. They prey on the vitals and ultimately destroy them. Paper money has had the effect in your state that it will ever have, to ruin commerce, oppress the honest, and open the door to every species of fraud and injustice." -- George Washington in a letter to Jabez Bowen, Rhode Island, Jan. 9, 1787

While I am at it here is another great writing by Thomas Jefferson.

Crusades History Distorted And Mislabeled.

Crusades History Distorted And Mislabeled. The modern media through TV and movies, like, “The Kingdom of Heaven,” has and continues to grossly distort history against Christendom. Christens are made to look power hungry and greedy, while the Islamic Jihad are represented as simply defending themselves. In the movie,” Kingdom of Heaven,” Saladin is presented as just and fair. Saladin appears to allow all to go free and leave Jerusalem. The truth is that only those who where able to buy their freedom were allowed to go. Those whom could not were sold into slavery. This was contrasted to the Christens who did massacre people in Jerusalem when they conquered the city. However, nothing is mentioned about the ruthless atrocities of the Muslim invaders in the past in their crusade to claim all territory as their own. This series of Islamic Crusades is what let Christendom to finally defend itself. This article is to shed some light on the true reason for the Christen Crusades and to counteract the misleading media campaign directed against them. * Starting in about 630 AD. Muhammad implements an extortion tax for protection from Islamic attack, one tax if they convert to Islam and another if you refuse to convert to Islam. This tax was then continued by the Caliphs after the death of Muhammad. 632 – 634, the Islamic Crusades conquer territory of polytheist Arabia. They were all forced convert to Islam or die, Khalid AL-Walid, conquers territory along the Euphrates today know as part of Iraq. Khalid captures and beheads so many that a nearby canal, into which the blood flowed, was called Blood Canal. 635 Islam conquers Damascus. 636 Muslim invaders have decisive win in Battle of Yarmuk. Muslims also conquer the remainder of Iraq at the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah 638 Islam Crusaders conquer Jerusalem, from the Byzantines. 638-650 Islam conquer Iran, except along Caspian Sea. 639-642 Islamic Crusaders conquer Egypt. 641 Muslim Jihad controls Syria and Palestine. 643-707 Muslim Crusaders conquer North Africa. 644-650 Islam Crusaders establish Islamic rule in Iran, Afghanistan, and Sind. And conquer Cyprus, Tripoli in North Africa, 673-678 Arabs besiege Constantinople, capital of Byzantine Empire committing all kinds atrocities to Christens. 710-713 Muslim Jihad conquers the lower Indus Valley. also Spain and impose the kingdom of Andalus 732 The Muslim Crusaders are stopped at the Battle of Poitiers; that is, Franks (France) halt Arab advance. 789 Rise of Idrisid emirs (Muslim Crusaders) in Morocco; foundation of Fez; Christoforos, a Muslim who converted to Christianity, is executed. 807 Caliph Harun al-Rashid orders the destruction of non-Muslim prayer houses and of the Church of Mary Magdalene in Jerusalem. 809 – 901 Aghlabids (Muslim Crusaders) conquer Sardinia, Italy. Christians in Palestine are attacked; many flee the country. Muslim Crusaders capture of Palermo, Italy; raids in Southern Italy. Caliph al-Matawakkil orders the destruction of non-Muslim houses of prayer. Revolt of the Christians of Hims (Syria) Aghlabids (Muslim Crusaders) conquer Sicily, raid Corsica, Italy, France. 909 Rise of the Fatimid Caliphate in Tunisia; these Muslim Crusaders occupy Sicily, Sardinia. 928-969 Byzantine military revival, they retake old territories, such as Cyprus (964) and Tarsus (969). 937 The Church of the Resurrection (known as Church of Holy Sepulcher in Latin West) is burned down by Muslims; more churches in Jerusalem are attacked . 960 Conversion of Qarakhanid Turks to Islam 966 Anti-Christian riots in Jerusalem 969 Fatimids (Muslim Crusaders) conquer Egypt and found Cairo. 973 Israel and southern Syria are again conquered by the Fatimids. 1003 First persecutions by al-Hakim; the Church of St. Mark in Fustat, Egypt, is destroyed. 1009 Destruction of the Church of the Resurrection by al-Hakim (see 937) 1012 Beginning of al-Hakim’s oppressive decrees against Jews and Christians 1048 Reconstruction of the Church of the Resurrection completed 1055 Seljuk Prince Tughrul enters Baghdad, consolidation of the Seljuk Sultanate. 1055 Confiscation of property of Church of the Resurrection 1071 Battle of Manzikert, Seljuk Turks (Muslim Crusaders) defeat Byzantines and occupy much of Anatolia. 1071 Turks (Muslim) invade Palestine. 1073 Conquest of Jerusalem by Turks (Muslim Crusaders) 1075 Seljuks (Muslim Crusaders) capture Nicea (Iznik) and make it their capital in Anatolia. 1076 Almoravids (Muslim Crusaders) conquer western Ghana. 1085 Toledo is taken back by Christian armies. 1086 Almoravids (Muslim Crusaders) send help to Andalus, Battle of Zallaca. 1090-1091 Almoravids (Muslim Crusaders) occupy all of Andalus except Saragossa and Balearic Islands. 1094 Byzantine Emperor Alexius Comnenus I asks western Christendom for help against Seljuk invasions of his territory; Seljuks are Muslim Turkish family of eastern origins. 1095 Pope Urban II preaches first Crusade; they capture Jerusalem in 1099 * *Notice - The black is the Byzantine Empire, the rest of the shaded territory represent the lands taken in Muslim Conquest before the Christen Crusades Began. The small map shows the land that previously belonged to the Byzantine Empire. Notice that Christendom, especially the Byzantine Empire, were dessimated by Islamic attack. Not only that but the Western Empires were also attacked by Muslim extremist. Spain was at one time totally in Muslim Control, but was retaken by the Franks. Italy and France were also under attack. It is quite surprising that the West put up with this for as long as it did. We are talking almost 500 years of Muslim aggression. Given the current state of affairs, it is enlightening to know that Christians had justifiable reasons for defending themselves against Muslim aggression and conquest. And that the Christian Crusades was not based on an idea of power and greed, but was necessary to save Christendom from total annihilation. You can get more information at these sites. *This one gave me most of my time-line information. http://www.answering-islam.org/Authors/Arlandson/crusades_timeline.htm http://www.islamfortoday.com.