Early in history, humans made humble offers to the gods to curry favor and (perhaps) to bribe them.
OFFERINGS of food, prayers and even blood were used to convince the supernatural realm of a sincere desire to negotiate favor and protection.
We all know this already, don't we?
If a human being has the desire to worship God, what could possibly stand in the way?
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STEP ONE: Wooing a deity : offer something to God in return for a benefit.
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It didn't take long before some very smart people decided to take advantage.
A new job description was invented to fill a need: THE GO-BETWEEN.
What could be better than having an expert working for you as a negotiator in your efforts to persuade the gods?
Shaman, medicine men, witch doctors, magi, witches, and Priests suddenly created for themselves a cushy, powerful job description!
INTERCESSORS could make the claim for themselves: "GOD will only communicate through me."
A little fast-talking, magic, mumbo-jumbo combined with planting FEAR worked wonders to get gullible, superstitious people to listen and believe.
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STEP TWO: WORK THROUGH A HOLY MOUTHPIECE
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How did this con job work?
Easy!
Instead of making your offering or your sacrifice or your prayer petition DIRECTLY to your favorite feared deity---you gave it to GOD'S OFFICIAL INTERCESSOR: the Priest!
In Israel, a highly profitable job was held by the Levites. You brought them only your finest (they were no fools!) unblemished sacrifices and the Levite
performed the mumbo-jumbo ON YOUR BEHALF.
Why couldn't you do it yourself?
Oh no-o-o-o-o! That would be dangerous because--you see--there were lots and lots of detailed regulations called KOSHER laws. Only the official priests
knew how to avoid breaking these ridiculous laws! It was so-o-o-o complicated--better leave the job to professionals, or else!
**
What happened was this:
You brought your sacrifice and the work was done FOR YOU. You were allowed to believe YOU WERE FORGIVEN by your God.
Peace of mind for you and lots of delicious meat for the Levites!
The Levites could turn around and sell or trade the blessed products for their own benefit. NICE BUSINESS, eh?
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STEP THREE: Establish a sense of FEAR and GUILT and lay on complicated rules, regulations and laws!
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What prevented skeptics from accusing the Go-Between of "fraud" and petty larceny?
That's easy!
The job of Holy Mouthpiece carried with it an insurance policy when things didn't go so well. Instead of blaming your local Holy-Joe, the Holy-Joe
could turn it around and use a disaster against the people.
GOD PUNISHED YOU for too little faith!
How did this con game work?
If things go well: it is because the Holy Man is doing a good job!
If things go disastrously: it is because the people are faithless and needed punishment.
(A side bonus: more sacrifices and more trust in the Holy Joe were demanded!)
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STEP FOUR: TAKE NO BLAME, BUT ACCEPT ALL THE CREDIT
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When the Romans destroyed the Priest business for the Jews what happened to the Holy Mouthpiece business?
Christianity went through hard times for about three hundred years.
Why?
Christians needed no "priests" but only prayer and a penitent heart to obtain favor with God.
Yipes!
Things were back to how it was in primitive society, with each person trying to obtain favor (using the magic word: "In Jesus' name . . ."
Eventually, the con job began anew, however. The Christians were running around martyring themselves and disagreeing over what Jesus
was or how things should be done.
THE CHURCH came along under the unifying authority of the Roman Emperor, Constantine.
A new swindle was rigged!
NEW RULES were drafted, crafted and enforced under a hierarchy of HOLY MOUTHPIECES! The Pope and the Priests and the Cardinals stepped in.
Lone Ranger Christians were no longer permitted!
You could ONLY be forgiven if the Magic was performed.
What Magic?
The Priest could magically change wine into the BLOOD of Christ and the holy wafer into the FLESH of Christ.
A new kind of perpetual SACRIFICE SCAM with go-between hucksters went into business!
If you didn't take care of your local Church and Priest, no magic forgiveness for you, Buddy!
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STEP FIVE: DON'T FORGET TO TIP YOUR HOLY WAITRESSES!
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Christianity was so simple for almost one thousand five-hundred years. You went to Mass. You took the magic blood and flesh, you confessed your sins and the holy-mouthpiece Priest told you to say your "Hail Mary" prayer and sometimes you did penance.
But, the Chruch and the Priests got greedy, greedier, and greediest.
The Holy-Mouthpiece business corrupted awfully.
How awful?
So awful, even the ignorant peasants knew they were being screwed by crooked Priests!
How did the scam work?
You went to the Priest and paid him a nice fee and the Priest granted you a "holy indulgence". In other words, GOD LOOKED THE OTHER WAY as you committed adultry, or stole, or killed or . . .
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STEP SIX: BECOME SO CORRUPT EVEN IDIOTS CAN TELL THEY'RE BEING TRICKED
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Well, an APOSTATE monk named Martin Luther threw a real monkey wrench into the scam of the Holy-Mouthpiece racket.
Apostate Luther posted on the Internet of his day (the door of the Cathedral) a list of CORRUPT PRACTICES for everybody to see.
Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!
Don't you know there was lots of disfellowshipping (Excommunication)?
Oh yes!
But, corrupt Holy-Mouthpieces don't like being exposed. Oh no.
A BIG CRACKDOWN was about to commence the likes of which would make history!
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STEP SIX: STOP APOSTATES NO MATTER WHAT!
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Have you ever heard of the INQUISITION?
The Church fought back hard against APOSTATE critics. They appointed Judicial Committees to root out apostate disloyalty.
Inquries were made! All so-called faithful Christians were required to report anybody suspected of apostasy.
Suspects were rounded up and treated . . . harshly!
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STEP SEVEN: DEMAND LOYALTY OR ELSE!
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And so it went.
By the time we work our way through history we see a pattern over and over.
A simple believer in God is not allowed to worship privately. Oh no.
A gimmick is used to instill doubt and fear and rules are made to require ORTHODOX worship under the authority of some nitwit who claims
to be the HOLY-MOUTHPIECE.
This scam has found a particular instance among Jehovah's Witnesses.
It is called the GOVERNING BODY.
The GB will not allow Christians any private conscience to worship Jehovah.
They have claimed unto themselves THE TRUTH. Everybody else's ideas of worship are labeled false and devilish.
THE GOVERNING BODY will not listen to anybody's thoughts, ideas, or opinions EXCEPT THEIR OWN.
For these 2/3 majority vote versions of TRUTH they demand absolute LOYALTY . . . or else.
The GB don't even listen to other members of the anointed!
They have no humility because they are scammers, frauds and flim-flam artists.
The GB are working the oldest con-game in history as THE MOUTHPIECE OF GOD
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