First published in the BT, 18/09/08

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This just in (from the AP wire):

Unhelpful for establishing the tone McCain sought in Davenport was the Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church. His prayer before McCain arrived at the convention center blocks from the Mississippi River appeared to dismiss faiths other than Christianity and cast the election as a referendum on God himself.

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god — whether it's Hindu, Buddha, Allah — that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," Conrad said.

"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they're going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day," he said.

Apparently, in the minds of at least some McCain supporters, Obama v. McCain is a showdown akin to the priests of Baal v. the One True God.

Below is a painting depicting the competition between the priests of Baal and the priests of Yahweh (from I Kings in the Bible). In their competition to see who could successfully pray down the consumption of a sacrifice, the priests of Yahweh win, and fire drops from heaven. King Jehu then has the priests of Baal slaughtered (this is depicted in the background behind the river):

The IVP Bible Background Commentary on the Old Testament gives us a little background help in understand the significance of this story.  The contest really begins back in 1 Kings 17:1, where Elijah reports that Yahweh will not allow rain in Israel, where Baal was worshipped (at least at that time).  As the authors point out, “By withholding rain, Yahweh is demonstrating the power of his kingship in the very area of nature over which Baal is thought to have jurisdiction.  …If Baal is the provider of rain and Yahweh announces that he will withhold it, the contest is on” (p376).

So, the showdown has already been started when we get to Mt Carmel (right in “Baal territory”).  The authors break down 18:23-24 into 3 main points (all from page 378):

1.  Fire is an indication of the presence of God.

2.  Fire is connected to the lightning of the storm god.

3.  Fire represents the acceptance of the sacrifice.

I’d like to focus mainly on the second point, the connection between fire and the storm god.  Since the contest was spurred on by the drought in the land of Israel, it was thought by the prophets of Baal that Baal would surely prove himself more powerful than Yahweh.  Baal, as their storm god, would be able to control the rain as well as the lightning, able to send both rain and fire to the earth. 

What some of this background knowledge helps us understand is that this battle is staged in Baal’s favor.  Sending fire and rain is supposed to be right in Baal’s wheelhouse, and the contest happens right in his backyard.  This would be like challenging Einstein to a calculus quiz or Michael Phelps to a swimming race.  God picks a fight with Baal and skews the rules in Baal’s favor.

Now, we know that Baal didn’t really exist; there was no god hanging out over Israel sending storms.  But they didn’t know that- at least until Yahweh whipped Baal in what seemed to be a one-sided contest.  Obviously you don’t have to know a bit of ancient history to get the main point of this passage.  But knowing what the prevalent beliefs were about Baal helps us to understand just how decisive this victory was for Yahweh.  Then again, we shouldn’t be surprised to find out that when God said “you shall have no other gods before me”, He really meant it.

One of the central idols in the Ancient Near East was the idol of Baal. Said to be a god of fertility, Baal was in charge of bringing the rains that would soften the Mesopotamian soil and make the land suitable for growing a fertile crop. In times of drought Israel would waver and begin to worship Baal, hoping he would send the rains and soften the hard desert land. (See 1 Kings 17-18)

Psalm 29 directly attacks Baal and lifts up God as superior.

First, the voice of the Lord is said to be “over the waters.” Baal’s rise to power in the Ugaritic godhead was centered around his defeat of Yamm, the god of the sea. Psalm 29 says it is God who speaks over the waters, commanding them and controlling them. To "speak over" something in the Ancient Near East was to own it - to be superior to it. Also in this passage, the Lord is said to “thunder” over the waters. Again, as Baal is the “god of the storm” it is he who was supposed to bring thunder. The psalmist insists it is truly God who thunders over the water.

Secondly, the voice of the Lord is said to “strike like lightning” and the psalmist mentions splitting trees, flashes of lightning and the shaking of the ground. As above, it would have been believed that Baal was the god who sent lighting, yet the psalmist asserts that God is the one whose voice is lightning.

Thirdly, the psalmist notes that it is God who sits over the flood. The progression of thought for Baal would be that if he were the storm god, the ultimate display of his power would be a storm so powerful the earth would flood. Yet, again, it is God on His throne that is in command and control of the flood.

These images of God show His ultimate rule over everything that might be ascribed to something below Him. The Psalm develops a theology of power, control and God's complete incomparability. Our worship of God must be unpolluted with other gods - focused on Him above all other things.

The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;

the Lord is enthroned as King forever.

The Lord gives strength to His people;

the Lord blesses his people with peace.

Psalm 29:10-11

In the morning when the men of the town got up, there Baal’s altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar! (Judges 6:26)

In the fog of their dual allegiances, the men of the town were angered and fearful of this affront to Baal. Who would do such a thing they cried, the author answering emphatically, Gideon. This made the act even more heinous in their eyes; the citizens shocked that someone in the caretaker’s family would commit this desecration. Reading from our distance, we’re left to wonder why Israel couldn’t see how their worship of Baal had broken the covenant with Yahweh. Is it possible that, despite all of our sophisticated understanding of our faith, we could find ourselves similarly spiritually blind?

The answer is yes, of course we could. Modern Christianity often allows us to live other than fully committed in a life that spreads our allegiance and worship between multiple ‘gods.’ We find ourselves becoming more ‘of’ the world, thinking that our covenant with God enables Him to look the other way. We should learn from history.

Joash, Gideon’s father, ends the scene with a theological lesson. If Baal were a real god, he suggests, why must we take action on his part? A real god can certainly take care of himself and Gideon will be properly punished. But, if Baal is not the god that we think he is…

Vi sono infatti due specie di preghiera: la preghiera della religione  e la preghiera del Regno. La prima possiamo considerarla sotto il profilo teologico un’opera e più esattamente la identifichiamo umanamente come un dovere. Se si è religiosi si “deve” pregare. La preghiera è la principale opera di devozione, anzi la più importante di tutte. Si può anche pregare volentieri per se stessi e per le persone care o le proprie cose. Ma spesso la preghiera è soltanto un dovere. E perciò si deve mostrare. Ci deve essere in ogni circostanza. Deve essere la forma che contrassegna una cosa, affinché sia “religiosa”, altrimenti appare “profana”, puramente mondana: “qui non c’è Dio”.

Ecco che la preghiera si perde in una triste esteriorizzazione: diventa una forma, una maschera e quindi una parte capitale di tutto il formalismo religioso, che nel senso di Gesù è “ipocrisia” ossia teatralità.

Ecco dunque che l’invito di Dio a pregare nella propria stanza mostra come le cose fatte in segreto vengono poi ricompensate ossia esaudite e anche di questo non bisogna comunque farne un oggetto da esibizione.

Con le parole di Ragaz possiamo dire che Gesù non è affatto venuto per stabilire un’altra legge, in cui è rilevante o conta in qualche modo la forma pura e semplice. Lascia semmai il tutto a noi. Anzi di più.

Poiché la preghiera è di fatto divenuta qualcosa di esteriore, non solo nei tempi antichi ma anche in questi che viviamo, essa è vittima della legge di ogni esteriorità: la quantità. Bisogna pregare molto. Più si prega e meglio è. E dalla quantità si fa spesso dipendere nell’immaginario religioso anche l’esaudimento. Si tratta in realtà delle “soverchie dicerie” dei pagani, i quali credono di essere esauditi per la moltitudine delle loro parole.

La degenerazione della preghiera presenta il difetto d’origine: non si ha a che fare col vero Dio ma con la religione. Poco importa il suo nome. Se infatti si vive davanti al Dio Santo la moltitudine delle parole si vieta da sé, per il rispetto che gli è dovuto. Non si tratta più in ogni caso di raccontare a lungo a Dio, al vero Dio, all’Onnipresente, all’Onnipotente, le cose di cui si ha bisogno; Lui le sa sempre meglio di noi.

E dopo aver messo in luce gli aspetti negativi della preghiera non possiamo non soffermarci sulla necessità della preghiera. Soprattutto negli aspetti più nobili ossia il ringraziamento e l’adorazione. Se riceviamo le cose mediante la nostra richiesta, prendiamo coscienza di Colui dal quale le riceviamo, cioè riceviamo tutto – poiché dobbiamo includere tutto nella nostra richiesta – e impariamo così come la dobbiamo intendere e usare. E’ un punto fondamentale questo. Perciò molte cose possiamo riceverle solo se le domandiamo. E inversamente Dio non ci può dare molto, perché semplicemente non glielo domandiamo. Dio Padre vuol stabilire questo rapporto coi suoi figli e figlie.

Il che non significa che ad esempio l’adorazione perpetua o ripetuta in termini ossessivi sia la condizione naturale di detto rapporto. E’ al limite (ma proprio limite estremo) un’eccezione di fatto inutile poiché rischia di presentarsi come una forma di superstizione pagana. Pensate ad esempio ai rosari o alle c.d. 48 ore. Si pensa in qualche modo di forzare la volontà di Dio con molte parole o le parole di molti. Una sorta di pratica della magia, addirittura rivolta o con la strumentalizzazione di presunti intermediari/e.

C’è un episodio veramente interessante nella Bibbia ove si riesce a capire la differenza fra la preghiera della religione e quella del Regno. E’ non lo dico perché ho letto sui magazines le preghiere dei gruppi evangelici fondamentalisti per il diluvio sulla Convention democratica americana (pare invece che l’uragano abbia lambito quella repubblicana del candidato delle Assemblee di Dio pentecostali). Si tratta della vicenda del Carmelo, laddove viene deciso fra il vero Dio e il falso Dio, tra JHWH e Baal, tra il Dio vivente e l’idolo. I sacerdoti di Baal gridavano infatti per delle ore “Baal esaudiscici! Baal esaudiscici!” e per sostenere queste grida si facevano dei tagli cruenti. Ma “non si udì né voce né risposta”.

Invece il profeta Elia non gli rivolge che poche parole e il fuoco dell’esaudimento scese subito dal cielo (I Re, 18).

Riprendiamo sabato prossimo la lettura attuale de “Il sermone del monte” a partire dal tema della preghiera. E’ un lungo percorso. Oggi speriamo almeno che sia più chiaro il motivo per cui questa newsletter non apre volentieri le sue pagine all’ostentazione della preghiera. Il moderatore non potrebbe semplicemente dirsi un cristiano.

Sono altre le liste dell’esteriorità. Avrete solo l’imbarazzo della scelta nel trovarle.

Stamani ad esempio – mentre scrivevo queste righe – un paio di Testimoni di Geova desideravano presentarmi la loro rivista che parlava del riscaldamento della Terra (e immagino dell’imminente fine nel mondo tanto cara in America ma anche nelle sale del Regno dei testimoni di Geova)…

Posso dirvi: non abbiate paura; noi aspettiamo ancora il Regno sulla Terra. Aspettalo anche tu con fiducia.

Buon sabato.

Maurizio Benazzi

What if we wager on the wrong God?
Dawkins also criticises Pascal's Wager because it assumes one knows which God will be waiting for believers when we get there. What if we wager on the Holy Trinity, but God ends up being Baal or any nasty member of someone else's pantheon?

The best way for me to answer this question is to present reasons why I consider Biblical Christianity to be unique among all other religions and by far the most likely to be genuine.

#1 – The Christian God claims to be personal, involved, Creator and Judge
Dawkins' question seems to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but it is nevertheless important enough. If there is a Judgment, then who will be hosting it?

The first thing to point out is that there are few religions for which the question is even relevant. Most polytheistic religions may have vague conception of an ultimate God (there is even a good case that polytheism stems as a corruption from monotheism), but are preoccupied with favourite gods (such as Catholic saints, in some cases) or regional deities (such as Baal) who 'control' whatever forces are most relevant to the worshipper. But these religions are vague on judgment and eternity. Other religions have gods who are not personal (Buddhism) or gods who are not supernatural, but are just a mysterious part of the natural cosmos (such as the Greek gods, pantheism, perhaps animism, and any religions that have personified natural phenomena, such as sun or moon worship).

For all of these, God is either distant, or an impersonal force, or a source of blessing or trouble in this life, but not creator and judge. Wherever this is true, concepts of eternity and judgment are vague, incoherent or irrelevant.

#2 – Christianity makes the best case for Divine revelation
I am of the opinion that God is largely unknowable and unavailable to proofs and experiments. We may gather a sense of God's existence and nature by looking around us, but many people with good eyes still find God's existence doubtful, and this general information about God can tell us nothing about who God is personally, what He expects of us, or where to find Him. In other words, God's special self-revelation is essential to a claim to true religion, or else we are left with complete guesswork rather than credible truth claims (or perhaps worship of an unknowable God, as in some mystical religions, but is this much more than enshrined ignorance?).

Hinduism has the Vedas, but it is a vast body of spiritual writings that Hindus are not expected to read as a unity. They are meditations and thoughts that are said to be spiritually helpful, but (as far as I know) may contradict one another without problem. I stand open to correction, but the Bhagavad-Gita is a portion of the Vedas, claimed as divine by the Krishna Consciousness Movement. I am unable to comment about the credibility of these scriptures, as I am unfamiliar with their history and content.

Buddhism is another splinter movement from Hinduism, but it claims only to be enlightened philosophy rather than divine revelation (Buddhism is in fact atheistic, aiming at extinction from the exhausting cycle of rebirths, rather than unity with any divine force. Folk Buddhism that worships the Buddha is an ironic corruption).

Other scriptures that claim to be revelations from God usually consist in dictations made to one man in private. This is true of Islam and Mormonism, for example. This is not necessarily an argument against the truth of their claims, but consider that the Bible was compiled over about 1500 years and written by many authors, and yet still makes a defensible claim to a unified story without incoherence. The Qu'ran, by comparison, contains claims that the Christian scriptures are true, and yet finds that the Bible repeatedly contradicts what Muhammad taught. Therefore, Muslims argue that the Bible is corrupt, but given that the Bible is almost seven centuries older, the textual evidence is overwhelmingly against them. The Qu'ran also seemingly claims that the Christians think that Trinity is Father, Son and Mother Mary ("Allah will say: 'O Jesus, son of Mary, Did you ever say to the people, 'worship me and my mother as gods beside Allah?''"), which is problematic. Finally, although Muhammad allegedly received the Qu'ran by dictation, some verses were retracted on the grounds that Satan had deceived him. But if Satan deceived him once, on what grounds can we know that the other dictation was certainly from the good source? These problems are not popular conversation starters with Muslims, as Salman Rushdie found out, but surely there are answers to them if Islam is true?

Of those religions that have scriptures, the Judeo-Christian scriptures are most credible due to their writing and compilation in more than one language, from more than one culture, and over so long a period. This is significant because there is consistency of theology and plot that is unmatched even by those works from a single author.

#3 – Christianity is uniquely moored in history
In The God Delusion, Dawkins claims that the existence of God is (at least in principle) a scientific question, because the virgin birth, resurrection and other key facts were empirical and scientifically testable. How right he is to say this is unimportant for now. It's interesting though that his comment is true almost exclusively of Christianity. No other religion that I know of claims to stand or fall on its own historicity.

Most religions are philosophical and ethical systems, but not historical. The incarnations of the gods in figures such as Hercules are told in poems and stories, but no one knows when these figures were supposed to have lived. The gods of fertility cults have 'resurrections' that signify the death and rebirth of seed, but those resurrections weren't observed by witnesses.

Christianity is completely different. The gospel events were preached in Jerusalem during Pentecost, seven weeks after the death of Jesus. That preaching presupposed that the historical events were common knowledge. The virgin who bore Jesus was available for comment when the gospels were written. The resurrection appearances were witnessed on many separate occasions, once by a sceptic who insisted on seeing and touching, once by more than 500 people, most of whom were still alive when the gospel was distributed in written form. Three of the gospels were written by disciples (if you agree that Mark ghost-wrote Peter's story), and the other by Luke who researched and gathered witness accounts. Not only does the Christian gospel claim to be historical, but it claims to be nonsense if it's not historical, and even invited sceptics to investigate for themselves.

"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men." (1Corinthians 15:17-19, c. AD 48)

#4 – Christianity teaches a worldview that has broad power to explain
This is a minor point, and of course every worldview will necessarily have unknowns. However, if we were to judge belief systems simply according to their ability to make human experience coherent, Christianity would score highly. Perhaps stating the case against other hugely successful worldviews will make my point clearer.

Mysticism gives a high place to one's divine mind or life force. Because much in life is cyclical, and much in life is evil, material existence is viewed as an ever-repeating trap from which one's spirit must escape. Although it is internally consistent, mysticism is forced to treat some of life's realest experiences, such as the good and the value in the material world and the goodness of our individuality, as illusions.

Although not a religion, philosophical naturalism, which enshrines science and reason, and which has enormous explanatory power over the natural world, is forced to treat morality and meaning as subjective, which nearly empties such concepts of meaning (as is demonstrated in the subsequent birth of nihilism). If CS Lewis in Miracles is correct, a genuine explanation for the ability of our reason to see truths is also lacking.

Christianity is able to find a place for good and evil, for spirit and matter, for our origins and our end, for our problem and our cure, for eternal and temporal purpose, and for universal ideals in ethics etc.

An important by-product of the Christian worldview is freedom. Finding a balance between the liberty of the individual and the liberty of society, between pleasures and responsibilities, and between denial and indulgence is difficult. Complete libertarianism fails to avoid slavery to pleasure without fulfilment, and slavery of society to the freedoms of individuals. Legalist societies, such as Sharia Islam, so easily force-fit individuals into unhappy moulds, and into slavery to endless empty codes. Biblical Christianity is perhaps the most successful in promoting equality, yet social order; personal pleasures as well as self-control; and joy without naïveté.

#5 – Salvation by grace
Finally and most importantly, Christianity is unique in its teaching on salvation. Every religion in the world conceives of humanity as lacking something in regard to our relationship with the divine (if we were not in need of reconciliation, there would be no need of religion to facilitate that relationship, as is so in atheism). Every religion in the world, but for one, regards the disruption in relationship between God and man to be a gap that is bridgeable by human effort. Our offences are minor enough that if we jump to god's tune and do more good than bad. Our pleasing deeds will offset our displeasing ones when god weighs them up (allow for tweaks in terminology between religions).

Biblical Christianity has a very different view of the human problem. Our misdeeds are offences against the perfect creator, and so our attempts at offsetting the damage are hopelessly inadequate. My favourite illustration of this is adultery. Imagine that our sins are to a perfect God like adultery is to a marriage. If you've slept with the neighbour, it's no good attempting to placate your spouse by making the bed. A destroyed relationship is not fixed by doing a petty chore or two.

In the light of human helplessness to achieve reconciliation in a relationship that we've smashed without provocation, the gospel offers grace. Because of who God is, and not because of who we are, God has made a way for us to be reconciled to Him entirely free. There is no human effort that could achieve reconciliation, and so God has done what was needed and given it to us as a gift without human effort. Of course one is expected to live in that relationship as we did before we destroyed it, but, unlike every other religion in the world, there is no concept in Christianity of earning favour with God.

This is what discredits every other religion the most in my eyes. Just as every criminal believes he's more or less innocent, or himself some kind of victim, so also we naturally believe that we're not so bad, and that God has no right to be especially angry with us. In fact, we'll have a word or two with Him if we ever have to meet up. Every religion except one has more or less this kind of view of humanity built in. The fact that human 'goodness' can offset our badness is unequivocal testimony to this. Furthermore, every religion except one makes humanity into the hero of the whole story of history. God is more or less a bystander, now upset that we're being bad, now inordinately delighted that we're spinning that prayer wheel or tying bright strings around our ankles. Mankind is doing the business. It's exactly the kind of story we'd write, but bears none of the marks of Divine authorship. Humans are doing pretty well, doing the fighting; God can be pacified with trinkets.

Christianity, by contrast, points out that there's nothing significant that separates us 'good folk' from the rapist and murderer. Even if we're shiny on the outside, people are dark to the core. We're the ones who are helpless to effect any real change. God is the one who takes centre stage to restore something that He didn't break, He acts despite the fact that we didn't ask Him to, and generally aren't grateful that He did. And to cap it off, accepting this gift means the total death of human pride and human autonomy; two of our most prized possessions. What person would make this kind of story up? Well, no other religion has come close. Not even remotely.

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Who is Albert Pike?

According to Pike, in his definitive work, Morals & Dogma, on page 277, he states, "The first Masonic Legislator whose memory is preserved to us by history, was Buddha ..." ]]> http://alumbrados.wordpress.com/?p=311 Sun, 31 Aug 2008 19:52:47 +0000 Alumbrados http://alumbrados.net/2008/08/31/beast-causes-fornication-christian-bible/ THE FALSE PROPHET CAUSES FORNICATION

Solomon's Egyptian wife caused him to follow Ashtoreth, to produce the mark of the beast. THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST, the image of Ashtoreth, is things which encourage fornication. The image of Ashtoreth is every fornication material on this earth.

She is THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS. Ashtoreth, or BABYLON-Ishtar is the CAUSE of fornication:

Revelation 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The Greek word for 'fornication' is the same word 'porno', which today is defined as a visual representation or IMAGE of fornication. People hardly use the word 'fornication' today, because the word is now 'porno'. Fornication (or pornography) is mentioned six times in Revelation in connection with this whore called Babylon, who is also Ashtoreth and Ishtar (EASTER).

Revelation 14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Revelation 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:

Revelation 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Revelation 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,

Revelation 19:2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

THE EASTER BUNNY AND THE EGGS

The symbol for Tammuz the son of Ishtar is actually the Easter bunny. The real Tammuz is involved in pornography with his own mother, Ishtar or Easter. This mother-son perversion between Ishtar and Tammuz is the root cause of pornography in the world. The Easter eggs represent Ishtar's fertility in this encounter.

 WHAT IS FORNICATION?

Fornication = Adultery, things which cause adultery. Inc. pornography

ADULTERY. Provided a man is a virgin, he may have sex with any virgin he wishes. If he has taken a virgin, she becomes his wife. If he is not a virgin and has taken a non-virgin he has to find his own virgin otherwise he commits adultery. It is fornication. If he thinks lustfully after a woman he cannot take, such as pornography, it is adultery and fornication.

Some of the renowned men of the Old Testament took more than one wife, such as King David and King Solomon. But no woman ever had more than one husband. There is no instruction in the New Testament to take only one wife. This is surprising, as it is now expected that a man should have only one wife. However, according to the BIBLE, it is not fornication to take more than one wife at the same time, provided the women are virgins.

Fornication is to leave a wife and to marry another. This is fornication. Therefore, a man must stay with his first wife (or all his wives). It is a blood covenant between him and her, unless she is another man's wife.

Fornication is to have sex with another man's wife. This is fornication. A woman becomes a man's wife if she is a virgin, and he is the first man to have sex with her. Fornication therefore is to have sex with a non-virgin. Unless she was only ever married to one man and he is dead.

WE CAN BE FORGIVEN OF FORNICATION

Revelation 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

FORNICATION WILL BE SEVERELY PUNISHED

If the mark of the beast is the star that developed from Ashtoreth worship, then the image of the beast is the fornicating image of Ashtoreth and Baal or Babylon-Ishtar and Tammuz or EASTER.

The same mark AND image is mentioned together six times in Revelation, in connection with severe punishment and the return of Jesus Christ. These Scriptures mention both the mark and the image:

Revelation 14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Revelation 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

Revelation 16:2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

THE RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

ACCORING TO REVELATION 18 and 19, Jesus Christ will return once fornication is punished by the above judgements of God, and we PUT AWAY Babylon worship from our midst.

In the Hebrew, "Lucifer" for some reason isn't pronounced anywhere near "Lucifer". Lucifer in the Hebrew is actually (hay-LALE). It means "morning star". Only one time does the Bible mention the word "Lucifer". That is in Isaiah 14:12. There's a reason for that as well. It mentions what Lucifer's crime was, in which he was banished from God and sentenced to everlasting torture. It says Lucifer exalted himself above all of the other stars of God and tried to be the god of the congregation. Lucifer was Satan's name before he committed his crime.

Satan in the Hebrew means "the opponent" or "adversary". There's a reason for that too. Satan is what he became after his crime. He was the morning star, and now he's the adversary. Since the days of Adam, he has been known as Satan. The reason why he's mentioned as Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12 is because that's what he was known as when he committed this crime. Since the days of Adam, Satan has been the adversary. People don't trace back what is written in Revelation 20:2 back to the serpent written of in Genesis with Adam and Eve. "And he laid hold on the dragon, THAT OLD SERPENT, which is the devil and Satan and bound him for a thousand years." What was John of Patmos referring to?

Ba'al was a fertility god of the pagans, but was he more than that? In Elijah's time, Ba'al was the great opponent god and Jezebel was the chief pagan prophetess. As Paul reiterates the conversation between Elijah and God in Romans 11, he adds something that really puts traditional teaching into question. As is written, God tells Elijah "I have reserved to myself 7000 men who have not bowed the knee to Ba'al." Traditional teachers have said that God meant there were 7000 people living in Israel who did not bow the knee to this pagan god. That's wrong. If God reserves to himself a person, it means that that particular person has not lived yet. Proof of that is what Paul said afterward. "Even so at this present time there is also a remnant according to the election of grace." A remnant. That means there are still some left. Elijah lived around 900 BC. Paul wrote this around 900 years afterward. There couldn't be any living still if the traditional teachers are correct. God reserves to himself a person by not letting them live. In that particular conversation God meant that He has reserved to Himself 7000 men (and women) for the last generation. When else? Another secret to all of this is what Ba'al truly was. Ba'al may have been the pagan god of fertility, but he was also the deity of Venus. Lucifer means the morning star. What is the morning star? Venus is. Take it from there. I cannot go any further. I wish you luck.

Egypt

Cold blocks of granite stared back indifferently as the warm light of a passing torch caught their edges. The flame pushed back the darkness, growing and dying with lost breaths of air escaping the passageway ahead. Sand, kicked aside by the steady strut of sandaled feet, parted with the ancient floor and took to the air, playing in mad swirls. A luxurious length of material dragged behind. Its dye was richer than the summer sky at dusk and heavy, pulling the shoulders of its wearer back so that they stood a few inches taller.

The man's face strained as he forced a gold bangle over his large, masculine hand. The beaten object hung beautifully against his sun-worn skin, covering a scar of pale pink that zigzagged over his veins. Another thin band, striped with Lapis, knocked against it as Atum's arms swung by his side giving pace to his stride.

Atum's chin and nose stood equal in silhouette. His ornately woven false beard continued the jarring line, protruding like a horn. Several layers of necklaces swung over his bare chest, the longest and most delicate reaching his waist where a tight knot of linen covered his hips.

Suddenly his cloak billowed past him and the torch flames flattened, starved of fuel. Atum heard heavy breathing but found nothing when he turned and peered into the blackness.

The temple had gone quiet.

The corridors of Heliopolis should have been lit for the meeting of The Nine, bustling with slaves - but they were not. He was near the main chamber and so hurried past the elaborate walls depicting the past victories of his rule. The bodies of Tau'ri drowned in the Nile with jewel-set eyes set into the stone.

He found the entrance to the room and waited before entering, smelling a bitter odor. What remained of the alliance lay draped over their thrones with the contents of their bloodied chests dripping into their laps. A gold artifact protruded through each member's neck - the sacred Ank severing the Goa'uld serpents in half. Slaughtered, they watched as Atum crossed to the centre of the room, lighting each of the torches as he passed.

Soon, the room was aglow and the painted ceiling sparkled like the sky it pretended to be. Its navy expanse was held up by sixteen blushing columns, each with a swirl of gold hammered around their girth. Nine statues stood behind the thrones, some with a vague likeness to the broken bodies beneath. Three thrones were empty. His own, the meek half wit Seth's, and that of Osiris.

"I know you shadow," said Atum, his voice pouring from the edge of his mouth like a silken liquid. He dropped the torch in his hand, exposing the hand device snaked over his palm. The amber stone at its centre warmed. "Traitor," he breathed, hearing the same sliding footsteps reach the entrance.

"Your time is finished," replied the beast that had been tracking him. The words were difficult to form in the host's primitive mouth, forced through the throat and only vaguely moulded into speech. The Unas bound Goa'uld clutched an Ank in his fist as he approached. Blood that wasn't his stained the cloth around his waist.

"They will not give you anything, Ba'al." Atum turned to face his executioner, ready for the fight.

500 000 years ago : PROCLARUSH, Atlantian Outpost Taonas

"Say again, say again?"

A small man with the beginning of a balding head reached over and collected his radio. Blowing a layer of dust off it, he swiped his hand over the inactive display, bringing the device to eerie blue life.

"I said, we're going to need another ZPM. This one's had it, well and truly."

The lights were flickering as the power sequence weakened. By the sudden drop in air temperature inside the small outpost dome, Enrod figured he had about a day's worth left. It was neglectful, he thought, how command had left something as important as this until the last possible moment. The outposts were an important part of their exploratory division. Sure, the signature ship Atlantis under Commander Pegasus had discovered a way to travel to an entirely new galaxy, but that didn't change the reality in which this galaxy still had plenty to offer. They'd barely ventured into its edges, still following the old seeding line - not bothering to explore new planets and spread Stargates there.

Enrod sighed heavily. He was not an explorer, no matter how strongly he desired to be one. The lights flickered so he hit the power device with the heavy screwdriver in his left hand. Fixing things was his specialty, with brute force if necessary.

"Behave," he growled, before he rolled off the platform and went in search of a jacket. The failing ZPM stuck out from its hiding spot in the floor, a dangerous hazard for anyone using the control chair behind. There were four potential victims working nearby. The other scientists were planted in front of their respective machinery, running a sequence of tests for the third time, confirming that their calculations were correct. Only one of them snored quietly, unconscious and curled up to an equipment container.

Three rooms away, the massive circle of stone at the centre of the gate room groaned. One of the chevrons on its uppermost arch lit up and almost at once, the inner wheel began to spin.

Enrod, now cosy beneath the extra layers of material, glanced over his shoulder. The grumble of the gate room told him that the engineering team were arriving with the ZPM early. It was the first good news he had heard all day.

A whoosh of air and quantum particles surged into the outpost as the wormhole engaged. That eerie sound of disturbed dimensions accompanied a familiar blue glow - like water in a cave as a diver prepared to surface. Enrod didn't hear the heavy footsteps that followed, each one sliding over the smooth, Atlantianstone floor leaving a trail of wet shadows.

The creatures assembled in silence along the opposite wall either side of the entrance to the next room. As the last of them stepped through, the wormhole shut down and the blue glow was replaced by a faint white from the battery powered lighting system. A pair of eyes glowed, liquid gold, and the creature raised a finger over his horned skin to his interned lips. Follow he said silently, beckoning the others.

"Better late, I guess..." said Enrod, clearing off his work bench. Satisfied that the room looked half decent for guests, he headed straight to the kitchen where he set some mugs on a tray and tapped the 'hot water' option on the internal computer system. It didn't matter that the action would drain power now that they had arrived. Besides, he'd been dying for a hot drink for days. "I'm in the far room," he called out, figuring that they were lost. The command team always sent the newbies to the outposts, none of which had any experience.

The Unas followed the sound of the Atlantian's voice. Hands clasped over their weapons in expectation, they reached the door of the third and final room in the outpost. Above, the domed ceiling held back the unfavourable atmosphere. The sky outside was choking as three black peaks spewed the planet's core into the air. This outpost clung to a flat stretch of land in the centre of an ancient asteroid crater. The heavy metals in the soil were of an unknown composition - but early indications showed an energy yield higher than any other terrestrial based fuel. Naquada would be a way forward. A refined lump of it sat pride of place in the power room, on display behind a glass and lead container.

The snake infested Unas picked off the scientists in the chair room. Their fragile necks snapped and their bodies returned to the floor. Now the intruders approached their final target, assured of victory.

Enrod, with his back turned, was unaware of the danger inching closer. It wasn't until the hairs on the back of his neck stood up that he heard the first laboured breath.

He ducked as a blade whizzed past, clattering on the wall in front and hitting the ground at his feet. Without a chance to gasp, he retrieved it and ran toward the far kitchen door.

"What the hell!" he screamed, catching sight of one of the approaching Unas heading his way.

Enrod jiggled the handle desperately, finally opening the door and slamming it behind him, turning the feeble lock. Enrod had never seen such creatures. Their skin was horned and rough, possibly aquatic in origin. They moved with a swagger, pulling their body forward with the motion of their arms.

He didn't have time for further thought as Enrod took off down the service tunnel, ducking his head to fit through the places where each pre-fabricated section was welded together. At the end of the hundred metre dash was a spin lock door, and behind that, a stasis chamber.

The kitchen door hit the ground, kicked in by the lead Unas. They wasted no time beginning their chase of the escaping Atlantian, touching the walls of the tunnel with both their hands as they groped along. The creatures gained ground, growling or laughing - Enrod couldn't tell which.

Enrod reached the hatch and spun the lock. It seemed to go round forever as the creatures lumbered closer. Finally, just as he was able to make out the smell of their breath, the door clicked and swung inward. He pushed on it with all his weight and clambered into the room. It shut automatically, spinning back to the locked position. Not that it would hold those creatures for long. His only hope was the stasis pod, powered by the chemistry that made him unique. A gene bound to his blood pulsed around his body as he raised his shaking hand to the device's control panel.

The first creature hit the door at a run, slamming into it in the hope that his force alone would crumble it inward. The door held firm, re-enforced with steel.

Enrod jumped with the sound of the creatures pounding the door. He could already hear them turning the wheel, desperate to get in. Enrod waved his hand over the control panel but it was unresponsive.

"Slowly, Enrod, slowly..." he reminded himself.

He tried again, keeping his hand steady as the wheel of the door continued to spin. The panel responded, illuminating with a surge that brought his eyes to tears. The shell of the stasis pod slid gracefully open and Enrod stepped in, seeing the door opposite click open and a hand creep around its edge.

"Come on," he muttered, trying to type a stasis time into the panel but his hand shook so heavily he could barely make the panel. Panicing as four creatures stepped into the room and caught sight of him, Enrod slammed his hand on the 'start' button and shut his eyes as the freezing liquid hardened over him. The last thing he saw was a pair of glowing eyes, picking him out for death.

The pod locked itself, impervious to the beating of the creatures. A timer began at its top corner, counting down from five-hundred thousand.

Flag Ship : Atlantis

Commander Pegasus crossed the bridge of his ship which was in stable orbit around a sad looking planet. A plume of black rose, joining the clouds of the upper atmosphere above what remained of the outpost.

Someone approached and handed him the latest report on the mysterious destruction of their exploratory outposts.

"We've lost another one," the young man said, clasping his hands behind his back as the Commander scanned the list.

"How many is that now?"

"Sixteen," he replied. "All within the month."

The Commander sighed and handed the information terminal back. "No longer accidents then, I'm guessing. And all have reportedly had their Naquada deposits taken. Something sinister is certainly go on. You better alert the rest of the fleet. Once they've cleaned up here, we'll attend to whatever's left of Proclarush."

"Of course."

"I'm sorry," said Pegasus, lowering his voice. "I know your father was part of that expedition."

PB2-908, Atlantian Outpost and Hall of the Five Races

The Stargate burst into life, thrusting forth until it reached the crowd of people. They spoke in rushed voices, unconcerned with the void of energy sweeping past their feet and then sucking back toward the stone circle. Personal belongings littered the floor where they were suddenly swooped onto shoulders or dragged forward toward the gate.

A thousand Atlantians left the outpost with a deep sadness. The beautiful hall had been inhabited for more than a century and over this time housed a wealth of knowledge, combining the teachings of the five great races. The books remained on their shelves and sheets were laid over the conference room. Eventually, the tame smear of blue on the horizon would edge forward, clawing at the land until the ocean waves lashed against the rocks and sucked the outpost into the ocean, burying it forever.

The thought of this place being lost was too much for some to bear. They hung onto each other, and slipped into the event horizon.

Lurking at the edge of the crowd, one of the people brushed their hand curiously along the stone wall. He had never seen a place like this. Caught in the swell of people, he soon he found himself stepping out into the open air as the crowd dispersed, crossing a small field. Past this, the beginnings of a city crawled up the rolling mountains. Feathered clouds slipped in front of the sun while a light breeze nipped at his hood.

His cold gaze shifted as he spun around, taking in the glowing symbols on the dialing device.

"So this is where they go..." he whispered, pulling the hood over his head. The Goa'uld quickly disguised himself amongst the crowd, following them to across the Earth's fragrant field.

Muslims brag that they believe in one God! But is it really true? Why Allah Himself emphatically admitted in the Holy Quran (37:125; 23:72) about the existence of different Gods?

Islam claims to be a monotheistic belief system! The basic ‘mantra’ of Islam is that there is one God! The Kalima Tyyaba, the Muslim profession of faith, says: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger.”

This is the basic teaching of Islam. According to this Islamic 'mantra’ there is only one God, who is Allah. In fact, Islam does not recognize any other God or Gods, period. That is the basic reason why the puritan Muslims do not respect any other religion and entertain the desire to eliminate all other creeds and establish Islam as the sole religion on Earth, which belongs to Allah alone. At least, this is what most pukka (real) Muslims (the al-Qaeda Jihadis) do believe!

This is the main reason why Muslims in the West can never integrate with the culture of their host nation. This is the basic reason why Muslims are causing troubles in almost every country on earth. In fact, Muslims in the western societies are basically a cancerous element in the cultural mix of any host nation. Truly speaking, pure Muslims (Jihadi varieties) can not mix with the gullible Muslims or general public even in their country of birth—Pakistan, Bangladesh, Algeria and Indonesia, for example.

For the same reason, Prophet of Islam had declared war against the polytheists of his birthplace and relentlessly fought at least 78 battles killing thousands of infidels and enslaved thousands of their men, women and children. Only crime those poor infidels had committed was their belief systems in polytheistic and other non-Islamic religions.

Muhammad forced them to believe in one sole God, namely Allah and None else! As per this belief system of Prophet Muhammad—there isn't a God other than Allah. Another verse in the Quran says:

3:18: There is no god but He…!

According to this verse alone, again we are to believe that Islamic basic teaching is just one God—which is Allah!

Surprisingly, however, one can find some Quranic verses which are telling the different story altogether! Let’s examine the following two verses:

Will ye call upon Baal and forsake the Best of Creators, [Quran: 37:125, Yusuf Ali]

Or is it that thou askest them for some recompense? But the recompense of thy Lord is best: He is the Best of those who give sustenance. [Quran: 23:72, Yusuf Ali]

In these two verses, Allah tells a different story. “Best of creators” means one creator who is better than some other creators. Therefore, Muslims believe there are multiple creators; Allah being the best of them all—whom Muslims must worship.

Similarly, “Best of those who give sustenance” means Allah is best giver of sustenance than the other Gods. In other words, Allah can give better nourishment or better livelihoods than the other Gods out there. Therefore, Muslims should worship to Allah alone, who can offer them the best of goodies. Allah is like a politician, who urges voters to give their allegiance to him offering them the best of goodies, if chosen.

In the above two Quranic verses Allah clearly admits the existence of multiple Gods; He being best of Them. Therefore, the Muslim claim that there is only one God is false and ridiculous in the least. Allah himself refutes this uneducated claim of Muslims.

Baal, the Moon God, whom Pagans used to worship was also another God but less powerful, weak and imperfect than Allah - may be! All those 360 idols kept in the Ka'ba and later destroyed by the Prophet of Islam, were also Gods of some quality, although inferior or less powerful than Allah.

The million dollar question is why then Allah called Pagans nonbelievers who may have believed in BAAL the Moon-God, or in other 360 different Gods?

Was Allah lying to Muslims? Why Allah asked Muslims (in Quran) to kill others who did not believe in Islam?

Could any Islamic scholar explain this Islamic puzzle?

The latest Stargate movie which was recently released on DVD is Stargate Continuum. This movie is classic Stargate and includes an attack on earth by Baal and the remaining System Lords – or does it??? If you are a fan of Stargate you won’t want to miss Stargate Continuum, which also features the return of generals Jack O’Neil and Hammond.

View the trailer below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyJFtFTl-uE

Really, I shouldn't be surprised about this, but I am. Does that mean I'm gullible? Well, yeah, but apparently I'm not gullible enough to qualify as a viewer that the Sci Fi Channel is interested in. They'll be replacing Atlantis with a new show, Stargate: Universe, that's specifically aimed at a "younger demographic."

People, "younger demographic" is simply marketing double-speak for "people who are more gullible and susceptible to advertisements." In other words, if this new show is aimed at you, it means the Powers That Be are assuming you are dumber and easier to sway than the current viewership of Stargate: Atlantis. Are you?

What's also disturbing about this is the way Atlantis itself is apparently being switched over to "pay-per-view" status. No, it won't be like regular PPV. You will actually have to go to a store and buy a DVD, or use whatever other means they might offer for getting your money (iTunes, for instance). But paying is paying, regardless of the means of delivery. Right now, you can watch Atlantis for free. Next year, you won't. What's more, I think they are doing this specifically because they believe Atlantis is at a popularity peak right now, that it can only go downhill from here, and furthermore, why should they continue to allow people to watch the show for free when they can replace it with a more profitable show which will probably cost less to produce, which will also appeal to a more desireable demographic, while still popping off the occassional Atlantis "movie" to rake in a few bucks on DVD sales to boot? To summarize, we, the viewers of Atlantis, are being ripped off precisely because we made this show as successful as it is.

What are my sources for these allegations? The changes have been documented with multiple articles on Gateworld, with the one of primary interest being "Wright: Atlantis is going out on top." This quote is of particular interest:

The decision to end Stargate Atlantis and jump to the movie format was made mutually by the SCI FI Channel, MGM, and Stargate Productions in Vancouver, executive producer Brad Wright told GateWorld today. Rather than canceling the show because of under-performance, the Powers That Be decided to go out on top while Atlantis is still popular enough to support the release of DVD movies.

See?

However, there is a potential positive side to this. While I've seen some concern expressed that the new Stargate: Universe show will end up being nothing more than the Stargate remake of Star Trek: Voyager (credit goes to Glenn H for that idea), it seems that the creators of the show are aware of some of the concerns I previously mentioned on this blog. An article entitled Stargate Universe Has A Go! states:

The show will be "a little more character-based, a little less rooted in a sci-fi mythology," co-creator Brad Wright told GateWorld. "It really does come down to characters and stories that are engaging, and that people want to see -- that they feel like they haven't seen before."

I'm not sure what Wright means about "rooted in sci-fi mythology", but I do like what he's saying about making the show more character-based, provided they don't end up with a bunch of squeaky-clean noobs like on the first couple of seasons of Star Trek: Voyager.

The other problem with that show's initial seasons was pretty simple too: the villians were boring. Remember the Kazon? No? I'm not surprised. Theoretically, they could have been interesting, but in practice, I groaned painfully at their every appearance on the show, and jumped for joy when Janeway and the crew finally got their asses out of that sector of the galaxy. The Wraith are somewhat better, but not a lot, and I'd consider them to be one of the primary flaws of Atlantis as a series. If Universe is to succeed, they really need to work on the bad guys. Look back at Apophis and Ba'al, and tell me I'm wrong.

I admit, I'm already wondering who they're going to cast on Universe. They're aiming for a younger demographic, so there'll probably be some 20-something male heartthrob in the lead. Zac Efron, anyone? He's 21 now. Heheheh. (I suppose I should shut up, before somebody gets the idea to do High School Musical In Space!....)

All in all, if Universe turns out to be a better series than Atlantis, then I'll probably be ok with this. There is one thing, however, which will disappoint me, even if that happens: Robert Picardo will only have one season to really show his stuff.

Written By: Brad Wright and Jonathon Glassner

That is why we've come all this way. Why we had to endure all that singing. Get rid of the last bad guy, then there's...cake. -General Jack O'Neill

Some of the most perplexing SG-1 episodes and years involved the paradox of time travel and the most fun villain ever on the show: Ba'al.  Continuum took our favorite big bad and made him alter time, by returning to the past to make sure the Stargate program never began.  I believe it was Season 8 where that future also happened and Oneill, Teal'C, Daniel Jackson, and Carter had been stuck back when "Ra" had enslaved humanity.  A different version of SG-1 returned to help adjust what went wrong over those years.  This similar concept but told in another way is what Continuum offered.  No matter how many times Stargate touches on the complexities and possible universes from the time travel department, the possibilities leave an endless array of conceivable altered futures and pasts.  Even when the ending is often predictable, it's this comfort that makes the far fetched existences and plots that much more fun.

• Richard Dean Anderson as General Jack O'Neill
• Amanda Tapping as Colonel Samantha Carter
• Ben Browder as Colonel Cameron Mitchell
• Christopher Judge as Teal'C
• Michael Shanks as Dr. Daniel Jackson
• Beau Bridges as General Hank Landry
• Don S. Davis as General George Hammond
• Claudia Black as Vala Mal Doran/Qetesh
• William Devane as President Henry Hayes
• Cliff Simon as Ba'al
• Dan Shea as Sgt. Siler

The appearance by Richard Dean Anderson and the mutual disdain his character O'Neill and Ba'al, played by the brilliant Cliff Simon, have for one another had the exact same tension and charisma as it did in the many seasons before it.  With a familiar storyline and the character of O'Neill actually being tangible rather than just periodically mentioned was a wonderful addition to the story, giving it the same fun bravado RDA carried for so many seasons.  Don S. Davis also returned to give the story the old feel of SG-1, but was also bittersweet knowing it was his last performance as General Hammond as he passed away recently.  Hammond of Texas will forever be missed.  Vala and Teal'C disappearing and playing very different roles as their futures were altered made it fun to watch them a little bit different.  The remaining triangle of Carter, Mitchell, and Daniel Jackson became the heart and thrust of the story and our main character's did not let us down to for a second.  It's truly a wonderful cast. 

Going deep into the character the necromancer brings in the forbidden power in the ancient world of diablo.Black art of resurrection,summoning and curses makes a character all vulnerable to get corrupted but necromancer champs it with his balanced skills and determination.The master of dark side who fights for the light.In my opinion (and i am sure that of a lot of fellow players too) the necromancer was the most powerful character out of the entire roster of heroes.The necromancer was the character which was very much dependent on the real player itself.The player's power were his strengths and the weakness his shield.Also if properly mastered necromancer could become a purely casting character.A Pure caster is who uses magic only to achieve his objective in a fantasy world.However if the skills are decisively distributed he can as well wield heavy weapons as well.But he lacked something in his reign of glory.

He never had that superstar status.Its like being in the modeling business in Paris for years but never having modeled for Victoria's Secret.Always overshadowed by the Barbarian.The Barbarian was the sparkle in Blizzard's eye.The barbarian was the starchild posterboy of Blizzard.The barbarian was the epitome of Raw power.The barbarian was the star ! The necromancer had to give up and slowly lost any edge that he had whatsoever for a fair competition.The necromancer was pushed to oblivion and was forgotten.The billboards and the advertisements of the barbarian boy in bear leather man thongs were everywhere and no one asked about that pale white dude who raised the dead in blue moonlight.Over the years no one knew whether he lived .....

But Blizzard was the kingmaker.Come 2008 and the necromancer v2.0 was back from the dead-proving once again that he is the death incarnate.Behold the witch doctor.Various sources have confirmed time and again that the witch doctor is the new avatar of necromancer.Flashier,stronger ,active body piercing activist and the resident good guy in designer tribal man thongs ! A new star is born.....Awesome powers like a wall of zombies and fearsome minions have put the topless relic of the past,the barbarian into a walking taking bottle of 18th century scotch Whiskey.And that shows....look at his old age,his white hair,his long flowing white beard-i bet he now has white hair down in his pubes as well ! He should ideally have been concentrating on managing his schedule of peeing 5 time at night between sleep than rubbing shoulders with death.He is awaiting a death in either case so why accelerate that ? The necromancer v2.0 has exacted his vengeful revenge on the poster boy...... aat ( 8 ) saal baad [English: Eight years later]..... A true comeback story..... an inspiration for years to come......

Amen.

Wie ich schon in einem früheren Eintrag berichtet habe, freue ich mich sehr auf das Wiedersehen mit Apophis. Doch der Auftritt war sehr klein. Im Prinzip waren alle Auftritte der Goa'uld, mit Ausnahme von Ba'al klein. Spaß hat es mir aber troztdem gemacht Apophis wiederzusehen.

Auser Apophis und die anderen Goa'uld gabs noch Auftritte von Jack O' Neill, Major Davis, President Hayes und General Hammond. Auf diese Charaktere hab ich mich auch sehr gefreut. Aber bei Major Davis z.B. war der Auftritt ebenfalls zu klein.