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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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healthier tendency, however with error, came from<br />

<strong>the</strong> Neo-Platonic School, which accord-<br />

FBOM BETHLEHEM TO JORDAN.<br />

BOOK ingly <strong>of</strong>lfered a point <strong>of</strong> contact between<br />

ancient jdiiloBoplLy <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> n new fiuth.<br />

" ^ In snch drcninstancee, anything like real<br />

religion was manifSBetly Impossible. Borne<br />

tolerated, <strong>and</strong>^ indeed, incorporated, all national<br />

rites. But among <strong>the</strong> popnlace religion had<br />

degenerated into abject superstition. In <strong>the</strong> East,<br />

much <strong>of</strong> it consisted <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> vilest rites; while,<br />

among <strong>the</strong> philosophers, all religions were<br />

considered equally false or equally true—^<strong>the</strong><br />

outcome <strong>of</strong> ignorance, or else <strong>the</strong> unconscious<br />

modifications <strong>of</strong> some one fundamental thought.<br />

<strong>The</strong> only religion on which <strong>the</strong> State insisted was<br />

<strong>the</strong> deification <strong>and</strong> worship <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Emperor.^<br />

<strong>The</strong>se apo<strong>the</strong>oses attained almost incredible<br />

development. Soon not only <strong>the</strong> Emperors, but<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir wives, paramours, children, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> creatures

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