Excerpt from The Yahushaic Covenant Volume 1 by Rav Sha'ul Where did the term “Christian” come from? by Rav Sha'ul   Very few people realize that the term “Christian” was a very popular pagan label associated with many pagan cults long before the Messiah lived and died!  In fact, the followers of Mithras, Helios, and Osiris… all “Christians” or “Chrestos” in Greek: Chrestos Mithras Chrestos Helios Chrestos Osiris Krishna (is Sanskrit for Christ) All followers of pagan “Christs” were called “Christians”.  The followers of Yahusha the Messiah were called by a very specific name and it was never “Christians” it was “Nazarenes” see Acts 24:5 and Acts 28:22. The question that begs to be asked is the following: "What would a bunch of Jewish Israelites that practice the Torah of Yahuah and followed a Jewish Messiah (which means anointed King) be doing with a Greek term used by Pagans as a label for themselves?"  … they wouldn’t and they didn’t. Are we to search out the Greco-Roman roots, or the Hebrew origins of our faith?   One of them hinders and clouds our understanding, and the other is essential to it!  Should we defend the Greek term, or abandon it and use the term Nazarenes - the term Yahusha and his followers were really known by? The term "Christos" is Greek, and is defined as meaning "anointed".  Although it is treated as a translation for the Hebrew word "Mashiach", its use in the Greek language is derived from a completely different application.  It is a Greek word and in fact not a translation from Hebrew at all.  The term Christos was more of a medical term, because healers in the Greek culture used all manner of tinctures for various ailments; some taken internally, and others used topically.  The first two letters in "Christos" are CHI + RHO, and appear as X (CHI) and R (RHO).  If you put these together, they form the "R-X" symbol still used today in the pharmaceutical and the apothecary trade, who mix and weigh dosages of medication for the sick.  The Greeks' tongue blended sounds in strange ways, producing combinations like "DZ" and others.  As early as 200 BCE, there were Pagan worshippers of Serapis that called themselves "Christians". In the Vatican, one can view an original Pagan relief depicting MITHRAS with the words CHRESTOS MITHRAS, meaning "good Mithras".  Mithraism was the main Pagan religion of ancient Rome, and became blended with the Messiah of Israel through the compromises of the Nicaean Council, headed by Constantine and his son Crispus (325-326 CE).  The followers of Mithra (Constantine included) were called Christians. The Greco-Roman mindset of translators gave preference to the Greek over the Hebrew language, and played-down the Hebrew terminology, in order to make everything more acceptable to the pagan culture of the unwashed, uneducated masses.  They literally blended the Holy Scriptures with the worship of the Greek Pantheon and that is the context in which Christianity was created. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_religion Hellenistic religion From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hellenistic religion is any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of the people who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE). There was much continuity in Hellenistic religion: the Greek gods continued to be worshipped, and the same rites were practiced as before. We call this assimilation of Greek Hellenism to be Hellenized.  We know that the pagan Greek religion (Hellenism) overtook the truth of Yahuah and the resulting religion is now called Christianity: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenization Hellenization From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The twentieth century witnessed a lively debate over the extent of Hellenization in the Levant and particularly among the ancient Palestinian Jews that has continued until today. The Judaism of the diaspora was thought to have succumbed thoroughly to its influences. Bultmann thus argued that Christianity arose almost completely within those Hellenistic confines and should be read against that background as opposed to a more traditional (Palestinian) Jewish background That is why we have “Christian” in our English Bibles instead of Nazarenes (along with many other abominations found in our modern Bibles). The Hebrew term “Mashiach” was carried over into the Greek letters as "MESSIAH" because the Greek alphabet is unable to transliterate the exact sounds of some letters, such as the sound of "SH” - this became the "SS", because Greek letters cannot make this sound.  The Hebrew meaning of Mashiach is anointed King of Israel, and applies to the person that is reigning as KING of Israel. A chosen man was "anointed" as the king with oil, as we see the prophet anointed David on his head with oil.  It may have been olive oil, but it represents the "Spirit" of Yahuah being placed upon the ruler.   All kings of Israel were "Mashiachim", or anointed ones.  "Mashiachim" may have been the original word used by Luke at Acts 11:26; however translators preferred the Greek flavor, and used the word "Christian" 3 times in the "Renewed Covenant" (New Testament) writings. Simply put, the Creator’s Elect would never be called by a Greek pagan reference to other gods. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK, TORAH ZONE Look at the big picture, and keep an open mind for several options. Knowing there is some relationship with the word cretin, what if the people of Antioch, at first, called the disciples CRETINS (retards, idiots)? Don't fall for the excuse, "we speak English, not Hebrew". The word "crestos" (or kristos, chreistos) isn't English, it's Greek. If we follow the redemption plan of our Creator, keeping the Torah of Yahuah, we are counted among the citizenship of Israel; not a "Gentile", foreign nation. In fact, we are no longer Gentiles at all (Eph. 2:11-13), although we were at one time strangers to the covenants. After our immersion, there is no distinction, and no dividing wall between us and a native-born Israelite. The main idea that people seem to be steered away from when words like "Christian" are examined closely is that the original word (the Hebrew word, MASHIACH) is not being brought to the table, but is typically kept from the discussion. The word "Christianity" is not found in the Scriptures at all, so there is no such thing in reality. Misdirection is used to convince the listener of supposed facts which are not true and by simply saying the lie often enough, it will become familiar, and therefore comfortable. In this particular case, the premise is that the original word was this Greek word "Christos", since it is emphasized (by those with an agenda to preserve the error of tradition) that the disciples of Yahusha all spoke and wrote in Greek. We are expected to pay no mind that Greek is a foreign language to the people of Israel. It's a promotion of the Jesuits to believe that the Messiah and His students spoke to one another, and wrote everything down, in Greek. The truth is that Greek was a transitional language, or translation, of the original texts originally written in Hebrew (or the dialect of it, Syraic Aramaic). Remember, all the first "Protestants" were Catholics, and they had already been indoctrinated with the Jesuit teachings. What is practically unknown is the fact that there were "Christians" on Earth before Yahusha haMashiach was born - and they were Pagans. The Greek word "Christos" (kristos) has come to mean anointed, and this corresponds to the Hebrew word Mashiach. What is not commonly known is that Osiris and Mithras were both called "Chreistos", which meant "GOOD". The word was adopted from gnostic Paganism: The inscription "CHRESTOS" can be seen on a Mithras relief in the Vatican. During the time of Marcion, around 150 CE, Justin Martyr said that "Christians" were "Chrestoi", or "good men". Clement of Alexandria said "all who believe in Christ are called "Chrestoi, that is 'good men'". Rome was the center of Chrestos Mithras worship, so the adaptation or revisionism to the new faith for this title should hardly be a huge mystery; but this information has been intentionally buried. The word "Christian" is only used 3 times in the received Greek texts; and if it were in fact what the disciples called themselves as a "sect", it would have seemed very foreign to not only them, but to everyone involved. Of course, every Israelite (and modern orthodox "Jew") believes in a "Mashiach" that is coming at some point. Many of them - in fact most - don't currently believe in the Mashiach portrayed by the "Christian" faith in any of its diverse denominations. However, if we had to adopt a Greek word for these practitioners of "Judaism" that related to them as believers in a coming Mashiach, then they too could be labeled "Christians". But, the word "Christian" is a very non-specific label when you consider that it doesn't specify who the Mashiach is. The true sect that followed Yahusha’s teachings did use a term for themselves, and it was NATSARIM (Acts 24:5). Even the "Church father" Epiphanius wrote of the Natsarim, whom he called "heretics", because they observed the Commandments of Yahuah and were indistinguishable from "Jews", except that they believed in the Mashiach. Acts 24 5 “We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect 6 and even tried to desecrate the temple; so we seized him. [7] [a] 8 By examining him yourself you will be able to learn the truth about all these charges we are bringing against him.” 9 The other Jews joined in the accusation, asserting that these things were true (but they were not true they were bearing false witness against Paul). 10 When the governor motioned for him to speak, Paul replied: “I know that for a number of years you have been a judge over this nation; so I gladly make my defense. 11 You can easily verify that no more than twelve days ago I went up to Jerusalem to worship. 12 My accusers did not find me arguing with anyone at the temple, or stirring up a crowd in the synagogues or anywhere else in the city. 13 And they cannot prove to you the charges they are now making against me. 14 However, I admit that I worship THE God (The Shema) of our ancestors (Paul worshipped Yahuah not “Jesus”) as a follower of (the Messiah Yahusha whose example is) the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that is in accordance with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men themselves have, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man. Spoken like a true Nazarene!  Nazarenes are defenders, guardians, keepers of The Torah and Prophets and Messiah. As we see Christian is from the root word “cretin” which means “retarded in mental growth”, in relation to the Torah, a Christian might well be considered to be cretins i.e. retarded in spiritual growth; Hebrews 5:12 Spiritual Immaturity (retarded in growth in The Torah) 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers (of the Torah, there was no such thing as the New Testament for another 300 years later), you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God (the Torah); and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness (i.e. the Torah/Law), for he is a babe. 14But solid food belongs to those who are of full age (mature Saints with minds set on Spiritual Law), that is, those who by reason of use (by obedience to the Law) have their senses exercised (trained by the Torah) to discern both good and evil (which is defined by The Law of God, good is obedience to His Commands, evil is breaking them). as the actual word that means "retard" or "idiot" is derived from the same root as CHRISTIAN: crestin! The American Heritage Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary tells us the etymology for the word CRETIN: American Heritage Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary cre-tin (kre-tin, kret'n) n. 1. One afflicted with Cretinism. 2. A fool; an idiot. [French, cretin, from Swiss French, crestin, CHRISTIAN, hence human being (an idiot being nonetheless human).] Cretinism is dwarfism and or retardation. Cretin is simply the word that is derived from the word CHRISTIAN, crestin.  “For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Yahudim throughout the world and a ringleader of the sect (G139, hairesis) of the Nazarenes (G3480) . . .” The Greek word hairesis above gives us our word “heresy” translated “sect”. So we know the “sect” being spoken of was not the Christians, because Christians developed later. The word christianos was used twice in the Greek text as a device of scorn, since in the ancient world it conveyed a much different sense than it does today. The use of the word christianos did not “name” the sect, but it was a derisive, scornful label that meant they were like gullible, dumb beasts, or “cretins”. The word “christianos” (Latin, Christianus) was a term of scorn, traced back through a related word which history never “revised”: cre·tin (krēt'n) n. 1. A person afflicted with cretinism. Slang: An idiot. [French crétin, from French dialectal, deformed and mentally retarded person found in certain Alpine valleys, from Vulgar Latin *christiānus, Christian, human being, poor fellow, from Latin Chrīstiānus, Christian; see Christian.] Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. For more information on this topic, refer to http://www.fossilizedcustoms.com/christian.html Syncretism We learned in my book The Mystery Religion of Babylon exactly what Sun worship is… The Trinity/Sunday/Easter/Christmas.  We learned in my book Christianity – The Great Deception that in fact “Christianity” (as created by the Roman Emperor Constantine) is verbatim The Mystery Religion of Babylon and has nothing in common with The Faith found in the Bible.  Through the pagan cult of Christianity, we have elevated Tammuz (under his pagan names Hesus Horus Krishna which evolved into Jesus H. Christ) and the unholy Trinity of I.H.S. (Isis/Horus/Seb the pagan god names of Semiramis/Nimrod/Tammuz) in our hearts as God above Yahuah (The Abomination of Desolation).  And in that name, Jesus, which is a false image of the true messiah, we have abolished the Feasts/Torah/Sabbaths and are guilty of the Great Apostasy and have fallen away from Yahuah in totality (The Transgression of Desolation).   We have become lawless following the lawless one (the name in which The Law has been abolished) Jesus Christ (the false image of Yahusha) and where there is no law there is no sin, where there is no sin there is no Grace. Because we have committed the Transgression of Desolation, Yahuah has given us over to believe a lie.  We have replaced Yahuah/Yahusha/Passover/Sabbath with a pagan Babylonian lie of The Trinity/Jesus/Easter/Sunday and we are guilty of committing The Abomination of Desolation!  That abominable sacrifice is the blood of the Ishtar Pig on our hearts (the Altar) instead of the blood of the Passover Lamb as each year we sacrifice a pig (eat ham) on Easter (celebration of Ishtar) instead of a lamb on Passover.  We put our faith in the Good-Friday/Easter Sunday “Jesus” instead of the Passover/Sabbath Yahusha!  One is the “Earthly Pig of Ishtar” literally by name; the other is The Lamb of Yahuah literally by name.  This abomination each year causes the daily sacrifices and oblation of The Passover Lamb (Yahusha) to cease on our behalf which causes the destruction of our bodies (The Temple of Yahuah). Please see my book Abstract for more on this topic. What occurred from the time of The Messiah’s death until now is called Syncretism and the result is called Christianity: Syncretism (definition): is the combining of different (often contradictory) beliefs, often while melding practices of various schools of thought. Syncretism may involve the merger and analogizing of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths. The Holy Scriptures were altered through what is called Hellenism: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenistic_religion Hellenistic religion From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hellenistic religion is any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of the people who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire (c. 300 BCE to 300 CE). There was much continuity in Hellenistic religion: the Greek gods continued to be worshipped, and the same rites were practiced as before. The Greeks conquered Jerusalem, destroyed The Temple of Yahuah and took the original Hebrew texts and altered them in support of their gods.  Christianity is a religion created within this context: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenization Hellenization From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The twentieth century witnessed a lively debate over the extent of Hellenization in the Levant and particularly among the ancient Palestinian Jews that has continued until today. The Judaism of the diaspora was thought to have succumbed thoroughly to its influences. Bultmann thus argued that Christianity arose almost completely within those Hellenistic confines and should be read against that background as opposed to a more traditional (Palestinian) Jewish background The Roman Emperor Constantine did just this.  He “sycretized” all the pagan religions in his empire  in a purely political and quite genius move to bring peace in his realm.  Constantine created Christianity solely for the political purposes of bringing peace among pagans.  He combined many contradictory belief systems into one Christo-pagan religion by melding practices of all pagan religions and various schools of secular scholarly thought.  He merged these pagan traditions discretely into one “Universal Religion” he called Christianity and literally “altered the original manuscripts” in the New Testament to make it inclusive in this lie.   Then had the originals burned to hide this abomination. Constantine originally blended all religions into one to “allow for an all inclusive approach” to his new religion from all faiths in his Empire.  He did this as a political move to unify the Roman Empire under one religion to secure his reign.  He then burned all the evidence and forced this new religion on all subjects of The Roman Empire by threat of death.  This is known as The Inquisition.  Then by banning all religious texts, his new “religion” the Roman Catholic Church took control and plunged the world into what is known as The Dark Ages restricting access to books for so long that no one would ever question their pagan traditions and doctrines.  No one could own a copy of The Word of Yahuah to know the Truth.  All those who “knew the Truth” had been executed in the Inquisition or went into hiding.  The Dark Ages fell upon humanity in the 5th Century and lasted until the 10th Century.  Literally 500 years The Catholic Church dominated humanity and through blood forced this new religion on the known world and entrenched this pagan religious lie so well that even today it is not even dared questioned by most.  Christianity is literally dripping in the blood of the saints (Sabbath Keeping Law abiding sons of Yahuah).  It is by a large margin the bloodiest religion known to mankind since the beginning of time.  Countless millions killed in “Jesus’ name”. Next: The true relationship between Yahuah and Yahusha

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