Open Minds: Exploring the Bible
Our partnership with the Secular Bible Study group concludes for the spring season with our May 8 and 22 sessions.
Jesus and the apostles supposedly read texts that today are excluded from the Bible, but which led to the mythology of the Angels. Who were Lucifer, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Metatron and the Old Testament Apocryphal prophet Enoch? What are the Spheres of Angels and the roles of the Seraphim, Cherubim, Ophanim, and Archangels? Who were the Nephilim, and what was their watery fate?
Frank Burton, Secular Bible Study Co-organizer, and philosopher & scientist at the "U of M," will:
1. Present in Week 1 (May 8, 7-8:30pm) a PowerPoint show that
historically surveys the angelic mythology of Old and New Testament Judeo-Christian and Kabbalist texts.
2. Moderate in Week 2 (May 22, 7-8:30pm) a 1stU-SBS dialogue about how the belief in angelic beings has influenced our mythology, history, society and belief in chance versus fate.
Don't miss 1stU and SBS's Joint Conversation on The Angels!
See more at: http://www.meetup.com/Secular- Bible-Study/
1st U OPEN MINDS Adult Education explores...
Jesus in India? Was Buddha his mentor?
Is it possible? Do historical coincidences, reports and speculations about Jesus’ “missing years” from age 12 to 30 really suggest that the Founder of Christianity was actually touched by the hand of Buddha across hundreds of years, before his great mission ever commenced? Compassion for the Poor. Love of one's Enemy. A Kingdom Within. Was the philosophy and teaching attributed to Jesus a reflection of a journey undiscussed in the Christian Bible?
Referring to Jesus’ years from age 12 to 30, the Bible says only: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and Man." (Luke 2:52) What did the supposed carpenter's son go through in his "college years," to later create a philosophy of loving one's persecutor? Did he indeed once sit with Buddhists at the feet of the Bodhi tree, and stare at its heart-shaped leaves, to create his philosophy of the Heart?
In this two-part series, we will first view the 97-minute Sundance documentary film by Paul Davids, "Jesus in India." (June 12, 7:00-8:45 PM) Discussing the Indian legends of Jesus and filmed across 4000 miles of the Indian subcontinent, the film is interspersed with appearances by the Dalai Lama and other Buddhist and Hindu leaders and religious scholars, and is based on the Edward T. Martin book, "King of Travelers: Jesus' Lost Years in India."
In Part 2 (June 26, 7:00-8:45 PM), we will hold a reasoning dialogue between our diverse religious and non-religious attendees, to critically discuss: 1) The facts supporting or refuting the film's claim of Jesus' spiritual and physical journey in India during his "missing years"; 2) Our views of the influence of Hinduism & Buddhism on ancient and modern Christianity and Jesus' attributed teachings.
This special presentation and dialogue is part of our continuing partnership with the Harvard Pluralism Project-recognized "transbelief reasoning dialogue" group, Secular Bible Study (SBS), to explore the influence of belief and non-belief on human history and society. Frank Burton, Joint 1st U-SBS Co-organizer and philosopher & scientist at the U of M, will lead us through this intriguing and challenging topic.
See more at: http://www.meetup.com/Secular-Bible-Study/