If you are not sure where to get them, there are two places that you can visit to find these supplies. You can either go look for it online or look for it in Christian shops locally.

First, you can visit a nearby Christian shop and inquire if they sell the church material that you need in bulk. For example, when you shop for a Bible, inquire if they can give you a quote and check the sample Bible that they have to know about the quality.

Look for other companies and don’t just go for one. Doing this will help you get a good baseline on what materials you need and pick out the shop that will provide the most competitive rates.

Buying church items this way can take time, but it should not be a problem if you don’t mind the effort.

Your second choice would be to look for wholesalers online. All you need to do is type in the right keywords and a list of wholesalers should pop up.

All you need to do is pick out about two or three companies and compare the prices that they offer. If its possible, inquire if you could get a sample so that you can gauge the quality as well.

Moreover, consider the price. Wholesalers usually give discounts since the materials are bought in bulk, so inquire about it and get great deals on church supplies.

Article by Chris Bradley, get special discount on church supplies now!

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Books became the dominant repositories of human knowledge with the advent of the printing press. Even with the advent of computers with huge storage spaces, books continue to hold a position of dominance. Despite the ever-growing popularity of computers and the online publication of the books, the old charm of reading a novel reclining in the comfort of the bed or chair still holds a powerful sway over the readers everywhere. This explains the continued existence, popularity and even proliferation of bookstores in the face of strong competition from computers.

There are thousands of bookstores, with millions of titles on all subjects, scattered over the world. Bookstores can be found even in remote corners and rural areas of the world.

Some bookstores are general in nature, stocking thousands of books on every imaginable subject or topic. Big and multinational companies are involved in selling books; their stores are found in all the major cities of the world.

Bookstore owners have found different ways to attract the customers. For example, there are bookstores that specialize in millions of used, rare and out-of-print books. United States-based Advanced Book Exchange, Inc. is one such example. There are similar stores in the U.S., as well as countries of Europe, Canada and Australia. You can also find used, rare and out-of-print books from Amazon.com.

You will come across bookstores that attract customers by providing them the price lists of the different book selling companies. This gives the readers an idea about the competitive prices of the books. The readers can go for the cheapest books, which obviously are available in their own bookstores.

There are also bookstores that specialize in selling only technical books. While some stores attract the customers by offering them the latest brand new editions of the technical books that naturally are costly, there are others who sell used books of the same type at cheaper rates.

Similarly, some bookstores offer a percentage discount on all their books - sometimes even for the latest editions of highly specialized subjects.

Author: Josh Riverside

Bookstores fight

When Vivien Jennings got into the book business in 1975, people still went to the neighborhood bookstore to buy a book.

On Bookstores and Barnes and Noble Availability

If you strive to get a book published, getting published is a huge enough challenge, but perhaps an even bigger hurdle is getting your books into bookstores. Amazon and other online venues are happy to carry and sell your book.

New Club Penguin Books Available at Book Stores

Secret Agent Handbook, Waddle Lot of Laughs, The Inventor’s Apprentice, The Ultimate Official Guide to Club Penguin, Igloo Makeover, Stowaway!, and Stuck on Puffles are now all available at book stores. And just like with a lot of the.

Technorati Tags: book stores, christian book stores, online book stores

Well how exactly do these online stores help in this aspect? Do you know that this demographics data is the vital marketing tool in the hands of the distributors?Any good store willing to stand on for a long time rather than be a shooting star ‘Wowed’ for a second and then diminishes into the oblivion, would invest time in studying their customers. They are just looking at where you are from, have you seen lately that folks collect atleast your Zip code when you purchase items. This is exactly what I am talking about. They use this information to figure out where the readers are from and where to add more marketing dollars or strategically improve their inventory in the right stores. This is ‘very very very’ localized data, unless you are a big chain you are not going to get this vital stats correctly for a larger demography. This is where the websites are more powerful than their brick and mortar counterparts. They get to see a wider audience, and do you know that the popular item that sells is books through online shops. These are relatively easy to pack and ship without worries about much damage. The online stores also get the information about demographics for free. How you ask? Well you got to provide the shipping address to get the book in the first place and this is what makes the online store powerful than the one in your street corner. There are many uses to this data, which needs a separate book to be written about so let’s get back to the core of this article. One of the uses is to gauge the popularity of a religion in particular regions, for example Christianity in bay area. This information is available from any remote corner of the world. This popularity is useful to target the marketing dollars to that zone rather than elsewhere.

This is also useful data for the customer, I don’t know whether you will be allowed to see the data or you will purchase such data. But you will enjoy much steeper discounts where there are more folks interested in religion and the warehouses are stocking more books of the same type passing on volume discounts for the customers. The point I am trying to make is rather than go to the corner shop you may be well off browsing through the collections offered by online stores. This allows you to comparison shop against your local store. If the offer in Internet is less than your local store then chances are that your religion is not so popular in that locality. This article deals in an interesting topic for doing further research if you are a marketing buff or a savvy customer. I have a sample website in the resource box which can kick-start your research.

Author: Vinodh Pushparaj

Christian Book

Like other book stores, Christian bookstores can also be run online. Online bookstores can work more successfully than traditional bookstores, because they are specialty or niche stores and are therefore not available in all cities.

Christian Bookstores

However the amount of repetitious Pentecostal drivel out there can be quite annoying. There are hundreds of books released every month that basically all say the same old thing. I was wondering if Christian Bookstores are big in other.

Christian Books & Book Stores for Women

Women have problems with your family and marriage, and Christian bookstores all over this issue a lot of Christian books. Them see things in different ways as’ is, from all the women I’d say it’s hard.

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With successful self publishing on the rise, there has never been a better time to enter the Christian book market. From personal stories and testimonies, to self help and personal development, to spiritual growth and motivation, there is room at the table for all authors. Yet many Christian authors fail to capitalize on the countless opportunities available. All too often, they are blind to revenue streams or PR possibilities staring them right in the face. And while the process can be overwhelming, you don’t have to restrict your own book sales if you avoid the following faux pas. Put this information to good use and you will see tremendous results for years to come.

1. By not having a strategic plan

Having a plan is something that may sound elementary, yet many Christian authors start writing their book with no forethought as to what happens after the book is written and published. Questions like “who is your target market for the book?” should be contemplated. Pam Perry, Co-author of the soon to be released book Synergy Energy-How to Use the Power of Partnerships to Market Your Book, says this is the number one mistake writers make. They think that everyone will be interested in their story. Other considerations that need to be addressed before your book is finished include how you will position yourself as an expert, how you will handle a crisis, and how you will market your book.

2. By not having a marketing mindset

Many Christian authors focus solely on the content of their book and neglect to realize that they must develop an audience of readers. Like any entrepreneur or business owner, Christian authors will wear many hats. One of the most important hats to wear is that of getting the message out after it has been written. Marketing is the most critical aspect of being an author because it is marketing that drives book sales. Fortunately, there are many low cost and affordable ways to market your book if you know where to look.

3. By Not Hiring Experts

Many Christian authors put limits on their potential and on their book sales by attempting to do everything themselves. With all of the tasks that come into play, having a successful book in the marketplace requires expertise in topics that have nothing to do with writing a book. Areas such as public relations, marketing, graphic design, media kit design, website design and even writing a press release are all critical to presenting your work as professional. If you don’t want to look like an amateur, protect your professional image by putting skilled vendors on your team. It may be a sacrifice in the beginning, but you will be very glad you made the investment in the long run.

4. By Not Using the Internet to its Fullest

We all know that the Internet can be a challenge to figure out. Even so, there are far too many benefits to using the Internet to let the challenges stop you. Using the Internet to save valuable time and money is critical to bringing a book to market. Conducting research, public relations, and selling your book are three functions that make the Internet a valuable tool. Learn what you don’t know and utilize the Internet to reach your goals as an author.

5. By not Teaming

Pam Perry says partnering is a tool that can be used as leverage to save time and money. I couldn’t agree more. Pam says, “When you hit a brick wall, look for a partner or someone you can joint venture with.” Forming a joint venture partnership is a powerful way to reduce your workload and increase results. The key to joint venture partnerships however, is give and receive. It is important to know what you have to give and what it is you want to receive. Once you are clear on those two things, it will not be difficult to find people who have what you need to make your book a success.

Author: Cynthia Frazier

Marketing Five Ways Christian Authors Sabotage Book Sales

5 Ways Christian Authors Sabotage Book Sales By Cynthia Frazier With successful self publishing on the rise, there has never been a better time to enter the Christian book market.

Amazon Claims ‘Glitch’ Caused Site To Strip Sales Rankings

Craig Seymour, author of the gay memoir “All I Could Bare,” wrote on his blog Sunday that his sales rank was dropped in February, then restored nearly four weeks later, after he was told by Amazon.

A Sound Approach to Digital Signage Audio

Or, maybe those in charge won’t even realize it has happened, since big potential problem number two is that “employee fatigue” may encourage workers to disconnect or otherwise sabotage your digital signage equipment.

Technorati Tags: book publishers, books, christian authors

Christian books can be used by God in a big way. Let’s first consider the relationship between these books and the Bible, and then see what makes Christian books so useful.

The Bible

The Holy Bible is the Living Word of God. It is true in all respects. I believe mine from cover to cover. Every Christian should spend time in God’s Word every single day. We should meditate on it, apply it to our lives and teach it to others.

Before you read any other Christian material on any given day, make sure that you have spent time reading your Bible (and praying!) earlier that day. Remember that having a relationship with God is two ways. You speak and then you listen. You listen for as long as it takes for God to give you your instructions for that day.

After you have done that, I encourage you to read Christian literature rather than normal fiction or secular books. Let’s see why I think this is a good idea…

Years of experience

Christian books are normally written by Christian authors that were schooled in theology and ministry. Some of these guys serve as pastors at large congregations, and some others run full-time ministries for God. I think it would be fair to say that they should have a good relationship with God, and live under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, when these authors see a need in the world, and address it through a topical modern book, we would be wise to listen. You can learn from these men and woman, and they might just write a book on a topic that has been bothering you…

It is time that we start appreciating that these guys are actually used by God, and their books are some of the fruit that they bear.

The value of research

Furthermore, Christian authors have a lot of time on their hands. They are most probably in full-time ministry in one way or another (as I stated above). They can use normal working hours (for the rest of us) to dig in to the Bible. This enables them to research a certain topic very exhaustively - find all Scripture on the topic, compare different verses, uses dictionaries and encyclopaedias to strengthen their views. You get the point.

You and I can then gain their insight earned through very hard work (sometimes for numerous years) simply by reading the book. I am sure our heavenly Father would approve…

A letter to the Romans

Think about the Bible book of Romans. This is a letter written to the Christians in Rome during the life of Paul. When reading the letter again recently, I picked up how much of it is not necessarily applicable to modern day Christians in a Western Society. The theory behind Paul’s claims is still timeless and should be noted.

Just as there were certain hot topics in the days of Apostle Paul, in the same way we have topics that need to be addressed in modern Christianity and the church of today. If Paul was alive today, I bet he would still be writing books (or letters) and I am even more convinced that we would be reading them.

Conclusion

The Bible is God’s spoken word. We should listen by reading it daily and by reading the whole book many times during our short stay on earth. Fortunately, we have the additional blessing of modern Christian books.

These books can be used by God to transform lives, to correct misconceptions, to give practical advice and to simply strengthen our faith. We should be reading them.

The next time you have to choose between a secular book and a Christian book, make the wise choice and pick up that Christian book. You will not be sorry!

By: Dries Cronje

Satan Is Cool With Your Christian Values

Satan does not mind if you teach your children all the books of the Bible and all the Ten Commandments and all of the catechism–provided you do not teach them the gospel of a bloody cross.

Jesus Wants To Save Christians

The tone of the book rebukes and attacks those who don’t fit into Bell’s perceived right way of doing things. It’s telling that there is no felt rebuked for Bell’s point of view.

What We Believe

If all that is being viewed is the second coming of Christ then this would be a better fit in Article X on Last Things. Alas, the only sensible explanation then would seem to be that it is simply a call for Christians to pray.

Technorati Tags: christian books distributor, Christian Bookstore Discount, online christian books

The Bible is still counted amongst the largest sellers of published books. Given here are some more interesting Bible facts.

One of the most famous books in the world, the Bible is a collection of writings, comprising of the Old and New Testaments, which are considered sacred by the Jewish and the Christian religions. The books that are regarded to be a part of the collection of holy scriptures vary according to the historic tradition that defines or uses it. Given below are a few interesting Bible facts.

The word ‘Bible’ has been derived from the Latin word ‘biblia’, which means ‘books’.

The Christian Bible includes the scriptures of the Hebrews, known as the Old Testament, along with later writings, referred to as the New Testament. Some Christian groups also include the biblical apocrypha or the deuterocanonical books as part of either the Old or the New Testaments.

The Christians regard the collection of religious writings before the life of Jesus Christ as the Old Testament, which is also referred to as the Jewish Bible, or the Hebrew Bible, or the Hebrew Scriptures. The Hebrew Bible in Hebrew is known as ‘Tanakh’.

The terms ‘Old’ and ‘New’ Testaments are only recognized by the Christians, as only the Hebrew Bible, or the so-called Old Testament, is recognized by the followers of Judaism.

Thus, the terms ‘Old’ and ‘New’ have two meanings: 1) A chronological one, since the Old Testament predates the New Testament; and 2) A theological one, which implies that the Old Testament is supposed to be replaced by the New Testament.

In fact, the terms ‘Old Testament’ and ‘New Testament’ appear to have been incorporated after 200 A.D.

Comprising of 39 books, without counting the Apocrypha, the Old Testaments was written in Hebrew originally.

The books that make up the Old Testament are: Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus Numbers; Deuteronomy; Joshua; Judges; Ruth; 1 & 2 Samuel; 1 & 2 Kings; 1 & 2 Chronicles; Ezra; Nehemiah; Esther; Job; Psalms; Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Songs; Isaiah; Jeremiah; Lamentations; Ezekiel; Daniel; Hosea; Joel; Amos; Obadiah; Jonah; Micah; Nahum; Habakkuk; Zephaniah; Haggai; Zechariah; and Malachi.

Amongst these, the first five are referred to as the Torah, or the Pentateuch, or the Five Books of Moses. Traditionally, they are thought to have been authored by Moses, although modern scholars think that they may have been written by 4-5 authors. The only book amongst these where the word ‘God’ is not mentioned is the book of Esther.

Apart from the Hebrew Scripture, the Bible that most Christians use comprises of the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, along with the Apostle Paul’s letters and also the writings of other disciples, as well as the early church along with the Book of Revelation.

Written originally in Greek, although some people argue that it was written in Aramaic first, the New Testament comprises of 27 books, which are: Matthew; Mark; Luke; John; Acts; Romans; 1 & 2 Corinthians; Galatians; Ephesians; Philippians; Colossians; 1 & 2 Thessalonians; 1 & 2 Timothy; Titus; Philemon; Hebrews; James; 1 & 2 Peter; 1, 2 & 3 John; Jude; and Revelation.

It is said that about 40 people wrote the Bible, starting from about 1450 B.C. to about 100 A.D.

The Bible is made up of several genres of literature such as myth, poetry, prophecy, narrative, letters, and sermonic literature.

The Bible was first translated into English by John Wycliffe, in 1382 A.D.

The first book that was printed was the Bible, in 1454 A.D. This was accomplished by Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of the ‘type mold’ used in the printing press.

The Bible, since then, has been translated into more than 2000 languages, and continues to be the largest seller amongst published books.

The Bible’s First Prophecy

One of the most astonishing facts about the Bible is that although it consists of a library of sixty six books written over a period of 1656 years. It is probably the only library that can be bound together into one book.

Bible fact or Faith - The Patriotic Resistance

I started to lean to his ways of hurtful and spiteful words and had to step away for a day and come back, because I was so upset. I am looking for opinions here, and yes facts and faith; Bible; fact or faith.

Regionally Accredited Online Bible Colleges

Regionally Accredited Online Bible Colleges- Facts. by Vic Hurlstorm on April 28, 2009. In the present global turbulent society, discovering a college that values your faith can be as difficult as choosing a a career.

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Some Christian web sites supply you with fundamental guidance by offering downloadable ebooks. These may be such unique Christian ebooks that capture the essence of Christian lifestyle and thereby help you to benefit from the assistance provided by helpful, supportive, Christian web sites throughout the world.

When you are searching for enhancement or enlightenment on Christian lifestyle endeavors, you may find that your best Christian ebooks online, in addition to brick and mortar outlets, now tend to meet, match, and even neutralize the pace set by our modern, conquest oriented, quick-fix society.

As uniquely stated that Christianity is a time-honored tradition, the word of God continues to show forth dependably. Within the technological advances of our time, solid Christian web sites knowingly provide digital beacons in conveniently obtainable and easily readable formats.

Compact disks, USB or flash remote disk drives, plus read-write CD-ROMs or DVDs synergistically combine, to offer you vast, economical, and rare selections of online and offline Christian development reading material.

This gives you the option, for example, to now almost effortlessly download ebooks from your own personal or preferred medley of Christian ebooks.

It is possible that standard stores possess a disadvantage in that regard. Because, although brick-and-mortar stores may carry or provide a large selection of hard-cover reading materials… they compete far less favorably with the no-cost, digital delivery features of Christian web sites.

Additionally, delivering much-desired, common-grounded cordiality, plus dependability in God-centered customer service (which Christian web sites especially supply), gives Christian market shoppers the well demanded and highly expected satisfaction they are seeking in an otherwise, seemingly complacent or non-caring, sales driven society.

Whether you are a devout, seasoned Christian, or a newcomer to the fold, basic Christian lifestyle concepts and fundamentals remain standing, without alteration or change.

For example, consider the following basic principle you see, constantly expounded upon by countless Christian web sites and Christian book distributors across the globe…

That is, one of the greatest and most helpful Christian commandments you may find is, “Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself. Do This For The Love Of Me.”

These words provide a challenge, if you will. They invite you to become a much better person… to improve your own human relationship skills, but most importantly… to bind yourself in-line with cooperative spiritual giving through enhanced personal control or power.

In essence, striving to increase power over ones self… emotionally, socially, spiritually… remains a formidable challenge and an almost elusive goal for many non-Christians and Christians alike.

Now, although only ten commandments form this generally solid basis for a positive, overall Christian life, the single commandment to take control over ones self continues to provide its own, unique obstacle course for millions of people you might encounter.

And, when fervently seeking God (or, in ones quest for attainment and adherence to God-centered principles)… one can easily forget, overlook, or simply underestimate the healing power associated with self-discipline, Christian adherence, and Godly direction.

In other words, God creates human beings with a general capacity to shine. Yet, we also operate with another unique ability. Meaning, another choice we can make just as easily is one that includes a decision to falter.

And, falling short of God’s glory may often become all too familiar, especially in today’s individualistically hectic, needs-driven society.

Therefore, considering all of the above… finding one solid source for peace of mind, innocent stress release, divinely approved relaxation, and majestic calm is a service that Christian web sites also have a calling to perform.

And, it is within such light that, today, you are here reading this article. Most likely, you seek to maximize your mutual sharing, understanding, and utilization of the Godly word.

Your goal is to acquire more confidence, in the Christian way. Plus, you desire to become equipped and readied by applying your focused intention and upgraded sincerity towards being a better person.

So, here is what you find. Out of all the millions of Christian web sites at which you may have landed on this day, God sees fit to place you here, to find the one, most useful gem out of many, that Christian web sites may offer you.

Yet, where lays your primary, greatest, and most obvious or startling, year 2008 Christian challenge?

Well, a Christian majority, much like almost any other normal majority in our populous, wants to walk away from essentially every Christian encounter… with personal improvement, newfound joy, and uplifted willpower to take positive action upon the Godly principles, concepts, or fundamentals revisited in online mediums like Christian ebooks, for example.

Christianity is not a new occurrence. And, Christian guidelines on sex, marriage, lifestyle, or career sometimes deserve to be presented to you in an invitingly optimistic way.

Rare and unique Christian web sites manage to meet your expectations for such options - offering you Christian reading material specifically selected to match multi-purposed facets of your life.

As merely a polite and well intended suggestion, you can allow Christian web sites to help you find your own place in God’s plan for this world.

By: Fitness Doctor

Paul Keith Davis Visits A Treasury Room in Heaven

And in this treasury room there were items of immense value, paintings, books and poetry and blueprints that are of incredible value. And the Lord said they were the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ.

Gods Word Continues to Speak

As uniquely stated that Christianity is a time-honored tradition, the word of God continues to show forth dependably. Within the technological advances of our time, solid Christian web sites knowingly provide digital beacons in.

John Franke on Plurality 2.0

I believe one of the most significant challenges facing the church is the sheer, existential reality of Christian plurality. While we often speak glibly of the Christian tradition, even a cursory glance at the history of the church.

Technorati Tags: christian ebooks, ebooks, ebooks online

The word “euhemerism” in this article refers to the study of factual roots of “mythology”.

ODIN

The “High One” and leader of the pan-Germanic Pantheon. He is the grandson of Ymir, the first humanoid created of ice, and son of Borr and the frost giantess Bestla. With his two brothers Vi and Vili, Odin killed his grandfather (Ymir), and created the Nine Worlds from his felled body, including Midgard, the world of men. For doing so, he is called the Allfather. He is also known for having seeded Yggdrasil, the World Tree which supports the worlds. In his quest for knowledge, he sacrificed his eye, throwing it into the Well of Mimir to acquire complete and universal knowledge, as well as magical power. He also hung himself for nine days and nights from a tree, probably the World Tree itself, to advance his magical power and understanding of the world of the dead. He is also known for having created the first Germanic alphabet, Runic, in his experience whilst hanging from the tree as a writing system for his adherents. He is the father of the foremost famous of the German and Scandinavian Pantheon, including Thor, Baldur, and Tyr. He rides a typically 6-legged horse, Schleipnir, and hurls a spear Gungnir, impervious to failure and unable to stray from its target. Two ravens, Hunin and Munir, observe the world and return to his throne in Valhalla to report on the moral and cosmic condition of men and the worlds he had created from his grandfather’s dismembered body. He is revered as the god of poetry, war, the dead/afterlife, and will. “Wednesday” is named after Odin by the synonym Weden/Wedne during the importation of Christianity into the Germanic British Isles. As foreseen in the Voluspa chapter of the Edda, Odin is to be killed at Ragnaroek by the Fenris Wolf, Fenrir.

(Odin in his quest for knowledge, and the prediction of his death)
‘Far have I fared, much afield have I been, have oft striven in strength with gods: what wight will end Allfather’s life, what draws near the dreaded doom?’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘Lokasenna’, pg.92)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Odin is historically more so worshiped in Scandinavia than Germany and England as far as evidence is available today. The belief in Odin gradually worked to replace the more dominant worship of Tyr throughout the Germanic world shortly before the Christianization of the early German kingdoms (Gothic, Saxon, and Frankish), which occurred from the 5th century under Chlodwig to the 9th under Karl the Great (Charlemagne). This indicates that Odin was a more recent addition to German religion. This claim is reinforced by the fact that Odin is credited with having formulated the Runic alphabet, which appeared in inscriptions from the 2nd century onward. As the majority of Runic inscriptions and Runestones, as well as the greatest extent of worship of Odin appeared in Scandinavia and especially Sweden, this indicates that Odin was probably a prehistoric chieftain or warlord in Scandinavia around the time of the birth of Jesus, and quickly became accepted throughout Germany as Wotan and in England as Woden/Weden (Wednesday). Many dynasties in Norway and Sweden claim descent from Odin, especially under the mythological Yngling dynasty of Sweden, dating before the time of Christianization from the 7-9th centuries. The more advanced nature of Odin as a god of poetry, war, knowledge, and leadership in comparison with the previous belief in the very simple god of war and will (Tyr) implies that worship of Odin occurred only shortly before Christianization. There are many ancient wooden sculptures and statues of a one-eyed god in Germany, England, and Scandinavia predating the Roman Republic, but this mythological belief in a one-eyed, yet all-seeing god may or may not have been imported into the worship of the new historical chieftain Odin as an embodiment of this god of the sky.

TYR

The god of war in Germanic religion, he is considered among the wisest, foremost faithful, and loyal of the Pantheon under Odin, often called “Tyr the Wise”. Alternate spellings, including Tue, Tir, Tor, Tien, and Dien are also used. The English “Tuesday” and German “Dienstag” are named after Tyr upon being imported into the British Isles and the new German-created proto-English language. Very little is known of his origin and family. He is often considered the son of Odin, though it is never expressly stated in the Edda of Snorri Sturlusson in the Icelandic Skald literary circles. He is most famous for having only one arm, having sacrificed his right arm to chain the evil wolf Fenrir, bastard son or creation of Loki, in order to protect the Pantheon and the righteous of men. He is to be killed at Ragnaroek by the hell hound Garm. During the Third Reich, Tyr was once again placed in high esteem in the Schutzstaffel (SS). “Mystic” circles within the Third Reich promoted the use of the left hand for social use and writing instead of the dominant right in order to both honor Tyr and promote distinction of German ethnic civilization from other cultures.

(in reference to Tyr’s courageous sacrifice of his arm to subdue the [Fenris Wolf] for the gods’ defense)
‘I lost my hand, Hrothvitnir (’Famous Wolf’) thou, a baleful loss to us both: in bondage now must bide his time the Wolf, till the world is doomed.’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘The Flyting of Loki’ pg.98)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: as Tyr was traditionally the foremost worshiped of the ethnic Germans throughout England, Scandinavia, and Germany until the appearance of Odin (see the above entry of Odin), this indicates that Tyr existed much earlier either as a being or an upheld cult sky god. Taking into account the simplicity of war ritual in contrast to the more complex fields such as poetry and literacy for which Bragi and Odin are famous, as well as the fact that worship of Odin appeared much later en masse than worship of Tyr, it appears that Tyr was a very early prehistoric chieftain. As he was worshiped foremost in Germany, the probable birthplace of Tyr was in Germany or Denmark, where accounts of Roman origin depict German kingdoms, especially the Goths, as having torn arms from those assailants killed in battle, hanging them on trees as sacrifices to Tyr for having sacrificed his arm. Therefore, the period of Tyr’s life would in probability be before the birth of Jesus, the time in which the later faith in Odin became increasingly popular. One-armed statues of wood and stone appear in the Germanic world in the prehistorical period.

THOR

Son of Odin and Joerd, Thor is the most famous of the figures in German and Norse pre-Christian religion. He is the god of war, strength, thunder/lightning, and physical battle, most iconified for his use of Mjollnir (”Mee-ol-neer”), the mighty hammer capable of destroying any target with ease, supporting such magnificent strength that none but Thor himself may yield it, even then requiring magic-imbued gloves to prevent his own immolation. He is famous for his quests in fishing, hunting, and poaching the vaunted Jormungnger serpent, peril of the world of men (Midgard). At Ragnaroek, he is to die in combat with the serpent, mutually having released a fatal blow, with Thor poisoned. Also called Donar and Thur, he is the root of the German “Donarstag” and the English “Thursday” following the creation of the English language by the Germanic Anglo-Saxon of England.

(in reference to Thor’s Hammer, Mjollnir, in defense of the gods against Loki the Trickster)
‘Hush thee, ill wight, or my hammer of might, Mjollnir, shall shut thy mouth: my right hand will hew thee with [Mjollnir], and break every bone in thy body.’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘The Flyting of Loki’, pg.103)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Thor is worshiped almost universally amongst the pre-Christian Germanic populations in Scandinavia, Germany, England, and the Baltic. A form of Thor as Ukko also appears in pre-Christian Finnish and Estonian religion, indicating a common ethnic origin argument as a possibility. Thor is a useful phenomenon as a way of investigating the Germanic ethnic heritage of Northern Europe, and to what to extent the Scandinavians and Baltic peoples are related to Germans versus Slavs or independent entities. Due to the ritual simplicity of the war phenomenon, as with Tyr, it is logical to suggest that both Tyr and Thor lived long before Odin (if they lived at all), as Odin was only adopted in worship long after these two figures shortly before the conversion of the Germans and Scandinavians to Christendom by Chlodwig I. Due to the nationalism and romanticism of the Skaldic poets under Snorri Sturlusson in Iceland in the 11th century, Thor probably falsely became affiliated as the son of Odin in promotion of Odin’s supremacy of the Pantheon. Thor may have been created later as a unified god of war for the various Germanic ethnic peoples in Scandinavia, Germany, and the Baltic, where there previously existed a faceless sky god for warfare that is today identified as Tyr. (see above). The thunder god is worshiped with cognate identities in the Baltic peoples (Latvians and Estonians) as Ukko or Taaraa. The blatant relation between power and thunder indicates that Thor was probably a constructed god of war and power.

FREYJA

Sister of Freyjr and daughter of Njordr (god of wind and storms), Freyja is one of the most famous of the Pantheon of German religion. She is the goddess of love, beauty, fertility, sex, attraction, and relationships for women. “Fertility” is mutually applied to that of the field and harvest, as well as to that of virility for childrearing. Her name is also spelled as Freya, Frei, and Frea. There is much dispute over her connection with the goddess Frigg. The two are often considered distinct, and often the same as the wife of Odin. As such, it is uncertain whether the English “Friday” and German “Freitag” originate in Freyja or Frigg. Though her role in historical social and religious understanding of the natural sexual phenomenon is important, she is often rendered as the female opposite of Baldur as the symbol for moral purity of women.

(in defense of the Aesir [gods] in the face of insults by Loki the Trickster)
‘Thy slanderous tongue, twill’ thy sorrow be, and still will work thee woe; wroth are the gods and goddesses, thoul’t fare sadly home from hence.’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘Lokasenna’, pg.97)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Freyja was worshiped throughout the Germanic world, with the greatest concentration in Scandinavia. It is probable that Freyja was actually a socio-religious creation to understand the natural phenomena of love and procreation as an act of nature. If Freyja did exist as a true historical figure, we may assume that she was simply the wife of the historical Odin, with the oral understanding of her life passed down as a separate goddess. Otherwise, she may be completely a social construction as a source of understanding for the phenomenon of creation of children.

FREYJR

Brother of Freyja, Freyjr (also called “Frey” or “Freyj”) is the male equivalent of Freyja for love, sexuality, fertility, relationships, and the harvest. He is the brother of Freyja and son of Njordr, god of the storms. As with Freyja, Freyjr is typically associated with historical cultural understanding of the natural phenomenon of fertility and birth, but also played a role in understanding male morality and justice. He maintains the thriving of agriculture and the overall development and cultivation of individuals. Fertility is defined by majority in historical religion as the function of procreation and intercourse rather than pleasure and sex of today. Freyjr is to die at Ragnaroek by the hand of Surt, the fire giant who is to rally the forces of the giants and of evil against the Pantheon (Aesir) in the final battle between the gods. It is unclear in which of the two siblings (Freyjr and Freyja) the English “Friday” and German “Freitag” root.

“The battle-bold Freyr rideth first on the golden-bristled barrow-boar to the bale-fire of Baldur, and leads the people.”
Hsdrpa, Lee M. Hollander translation

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Like Freyja, Freyjr was worshiped almost universally across the Germanic populations, and was held as one of the highest gods. The ritual of the “Christmas ham” (or Jul Ham) was originally intended to reflect the sacrifice of a boar or pig to the god Freyjr, as described by Adam von Bremen, a key source of late pre-Christian Germanic religion. Considering how this Jul tradition is historically celebrated in every Germanic culture and region, this reinforces that the worship of Freyjr as a being or as a personality was deeply rooted in the history of German religion. As with Freyja, it appears most probable to assume that Freyjr was possibly only a socio-religious creation to understand natural phenomena such as procreation and marriage bonds. If he did exist, it is possible that he was simply the father-in-law of the historical Odin, and was later deified under nationalist and romanticist literary movements like those of Snorri Sturlusson and the Icelandic Skald-poets from the 10th to the 13th century. He may have simply been a king affiliated with Odin as a being highly revered for morality and strength as a paradigm for his adherents.

HEIMDALL

Often considered a son of Odin himself, Heimdall (also spelled “Heimdal” and “Heimdallr”) is the god representing vigilance, senses, perception, foresight/prediction, and readiness. He is the guardian and watchman of Valhalla and the Bifrst Bridge, the rainbow on which the members of the Pantheon are able to traverse between the worlds. He is to be the last to die of importance at Ragnaroek, the end of this world time, and is the one credited with having the task of finally slaying Loki himself, the trickster god of evil and lust. He alerts the adherents of the Pantheon, the Einherjar (dead soldiers in Valhalla), and the Nine Worlds using the Gjallarhorn, apparently a bull’s or buffalo’s horn which, when blown, is heard universally by the Germanic peoples of the world.

‘…the downfall bodes when blares the gleaming old Gjallarhorn; loud blows Heimdall with horn aloft…’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘Voluspa’, pg.9)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: As with most of the Pantheon gods, it is equally as possible that Heimdall was a legitimate historical figure as it is that he was simply an ethnocultural invention, and is impossible to both prove or disprove. The appearance of Heimdall in worship appears almost exclusively in Scandinavia, and much less so if at all in Germany proper or its Low Countries. As the Scandinavian cultures were Christianized much later than the majority of Germany to the south (Germany from 300-800 by majority, Scandinavia from 700-1200), this implies that, in tandem with the romanticism of the Skaldic poets of Iceland, Heimdall could have been a later invention or later historical figure. Due to the fact that Heimdall is mostly associated with readiness and preparation in the face of a coming threat, it is possible to claim that he was a legitimate king or servant who resisted a coming threat shortly before the end of the Pantheon as a religious function (thus pre-Christian) in its original form. It could equally be possible to claim that Heimdall was invented as an idea to inspire the adherents of the old religion to remain ready in the face of foreign incursion (Christian missionaries).

BRAGI

Among the wisest and most knowledgeable of the gods of the Pantheon, Bragi is the god of poetry, writing and literacy, knowledge, and the transmission of the word of Odin and the Pantheon. He is often considered one of the sons of Odin, as with Thor, and is the husband of Idunn, the goddess of immortality and perfect moral purity, whose apples allow the gods to bear eternal life. Bragi is shown by Snorri Sturlusson’s sources (the Edda) to be the finest expression of a higher tongue, refined speech, and writing. He is thus associated with diplomacy, debate, and justice, and is often paralleled to Forseti, son of Baldur, the god of justice.

(in defense of the Aesir [gods] in the face of insults by Loki the Trickster)
‘My sword and saddle horse, I beseech thee, Loki, take and eke mine arm ring lest to holy hosts thy hatred thou showest: beware of the gods’ anger!’
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘Lokasenna’, pg.92)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Due to the complicated purposes and roles of Bragi as shown in the Edda, it is logical to claim that Bragi was either a very late addition to the Pantheon of worship as a historical figure or a conceptual representation. He is associated with the golden age of Germanic literature and poetry, specifically that of the Icelandic Skald-poets around the 13th century and the German writers like Wolfram von Eschenbach and Walter von der Vogelweide earlier. As widespread literacy, along with the use of the ancient Runic system of writing peaked near and shortly before the Viking era, this implies that Bragi was either a brilliant poet and writer just before Christianization, or simply an invention by the Skalds to represent the phenomena they were addressing in completely codifying the old religion of the German and Nordic world. He may have also been invented earlier by the priests and scholars of prehistoric Germanic culture as an embodiment of their quest for knowledge.

FORSETI

The Germanic god of peace, diplomacy, truth, knowledge, and justice, Forseti is one of the less famous of the German and Nordic Pantheonic gods. He is the grandson of Odin, and son of Baldur — god of moral purity and innocence — and his wife Nanna. Like his father, he is portrayed as a wise, moral, and just member of the Pantheon bearing an incomparable, radiant light of purity and flawlessness. By his hand oaths were traditionally sworn between kings as the highest sign of truth, obedience, and justice. He is seen as the god assigned to the maintenance of the laws of Odin upon men, the symbol of truth, legitimacy, and goodness. Besides his wise and praised name and importance as a son of one of the highest gods (Baldur, son of Odin), he is seldom noted throughout the Edda, and did not appear at Ragnaroek. Thus, it can be assumed that he was one of the few survivors of the Armageddon affair, or was killed beforehand.

Shining the tenth, which with gold is propped, and is shingled with shining silver; there Forseti unflaggingly sits, the god that stills all strife.”
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘The Lay of Grimnir’, pg.57)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: Though relatively uncommon and unmentioned throughout the Edda, evidence of intense worship of Forseti has appeared throughout the Germanic world, primarily in Germany proper and its Low Countries of the modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, etc. The greatest concentration of worship appears within the German Frisian (Friesen) culture of the modern-day northern Netherlands. It is said that his historical place of foremost worship is the island of Heligoland, a small island of under 3,000 inhabitants off the northern coast of Germany and the Netherlands. This island, whose root words translate to “Holy Land” (heiliges Land), is said to imply that it is the holy site of Forseti’s kingdom or place of residence. Considering the great deal of concentrated worship in a specific area, it would appear that he was once a legitimate historical king or wise man who mediated warring powers during the pre-Christian period. It is also possible to claim that the infamous role of Forseti in forging alliances, ensuring bonds of trust, and reinforcing stability may have legitimately rooted in the formation of the unified Scandinavian kingdoms or those of the Anglo-Saxons in England or Germans in Germany proper, whose first kings had been non-Christian, in which Forseti may have played a large role. It is equally possible that Forseti may have simply been a social and religious creation to symbolize the bond of trust, faith, and duty between loving partners, military alliances, and vassal kings throughout the German cultures.

BALDUR

Along with Thor, Baldur is considered the most majestic and magnificent of the sons of Odin and thus the Pantheon. Also called Baldr, Balder, and Baldir, he is the god of moral purity, justice, peace, innocence, chastity, and flawlessness. He is portrayed with a radiant glowing white light, and thus the flower ‘Baldur’s Brow’ is named after him due to its bright white hue. He is the most loved of those in Valhalla under Odin, the most wondrous and flawless of all his sons. He is credited with building the most massive and advanced ship ever built, eventually to be used for his funeral in the traditional method of burning German and Scandinavian kings at sea via fire. He is the primary indicator of the coming end of this world, the Ragnaroek, via his death at the hands of his own brother, Hoedr. The blind Hoedr had been tricked by the wicked and immoral Loki to fire an arrow at the invincible god Baldur, killed by one of his own kin. This death and thus the funeral by fire included his wife Nanna, whose loyalty was so intense that she died of grief and willing suicide with his funeral pyre.

(in reference to the death of Baldur by the mistletoe poison-tipped arrow of Hoedir)
“I saw for Baldur, the blessed god, Ygg’s (Odin’s) greatest son, what doom is hidden: green and glossy, there grew aloft, the trees among, the mistletoe.”
(The Poetic Edda, translated by Lee M. Hollander, ‘Lokasenna’, pg.92)

Euhemeristic Interpretation: It is possible to suggest that Baldur was a socio-religious invention to understand or promote the cultural call for Germanic moral purity and chastity, a trait quite admired by the Roman historian Tacticus, in whose documentary “Germania” he adulated on the exclusive piety, faith, and moral strength of the Germanic peoples. He may also have simply been created as a cultural and religious ideal. If not a false or conceptual invention, it is possible to postulate that Baldur existed simply as the son of the historic Odin, himself revered as a limitlessly holy and wise god, which thus propagated to his son Baldur upon his successive deification and worship. Otherwise, it is also possible to claim that he was simply a revered pre-historical figure who embodied social morality and purity of chastity, innocence, and goodness, and was later deified and romanticized under the Skald-poets as a son of Odin himself due to his importance and discipline.

By: European Heritage Alliance

Technorati Tags: christian, christian baptist, pre-christian

The leaders had been commanded to take it out and read it to the people every seven years. Perhaps the priests had made other copies very carefully lest the one Moses wrote should wear out. When the king and the people had turned to idols, God’s Word was forgotten. They did not want to hear it. Many, many years had gone by since the law had been read to the people.

King Josiah had never heard God’s law in all his life. The scribe read to him words like these, ‘Thou shalt not make any idols or images which the Lord your God hateth. Thou shalt have no other gods before Me, ‘Deuteronomy 16:21,22. Then the scribe read of the dreadful punishment that should come to them if they disobeyed, Deuteronomy 28:14-28. ‘If you will not obey the voice of God to do His commandments then you will have very heavy punishment. You will have sickness and famine. Your enemies will come to fight, and God will not help you against them. Your children will be taken prisoners. Finally God will allow a great nation to come against you and take you captive to another land. There you can serve gods of wood and stone. You will be mocked and laughed at in these other countries. All these things will come upon you because you did not listen to God’s voice and would not keep His Word.’

When King Josiah heard these words, he was sorrowful and afraid. He felt so distressed he torn his clothes. He said, ‘We have not kept the Word of the Lord to do the things that are written in this book, and these punishments will come upon us.’ He sent the scribe and the priest to a prophetess, a woman who knew and loved God’s Word. She sent back a message, ‘God says that punishment will come upon the people because of their disobedience; but it will not come while King Josiah lives, because his heart is tender and he has humbled himself before the Lord.’

By: Juliamay

Worldnutdaily: Barbarism Key to Morality

Well, to be fair, most scholars think that story of the discovery of the book of Deutoronomy by King Josiah was staged and it was actually written long after the rest of the rest of the first five books specifically to get the people.

Debunking Christianity: Why I Left Christianity?

Um have you even read the bible? I don’t find the biblical stories very appealing at all, it is filled with racism, violence, threats, and disruption. Are those the kinds of values you hold dear akakiwi?

For the Bible Tells Me So

I’ve never understood why we look on the ancient civilizations as making up a bunch of stori fef es to explain their word yet The Bible is the end all be all of how to live your life even in modern times for a majority of Americans.

Technorati Tags: children's bible, children's bible lessons, kids bible

Reading Christian books, listing to Christian music, and partaking in other contemporary Christian entertainment can be a source of spiritual renewal and great joy. Christian entertainment can also present a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with other Christians in an environment infused with the spirit and love of God.

You can participate in the joyful celebration of God’s work through man by starting a Christian book club, a Bible study group, or hosting a “listening” party for the latest contemporary Christian music.

To launch a book club, decide upon the date and time of the first meeting, then post a notice on the bulletin board at your church, or make an announcement in your church’s newsletter or bulletin. Try and recruit book club members from diverse age groups and backgrounds. Having differing views will add interest to later book club discussions. Ask each book club member to bring the titles of two suggested books to the first meeting.

At your first meeting, decide upon a regular day and time for future meetings. The maximum time between meetings should be one month, although many book clubs meet every two weeks. Also discuss who will lead the book club discussions. Some clubs have a single leader for all books, while others choose to have the person who selected the book lead that particular book’s discussion. You may also wish to decide whether refreshments will be served and, if so, who is responsible for providing snacks and beverages.

The final - and most fun - step is deciding which book to read first. Take a vote, make a list of the top three choices, and read the books in that order. Book club members should commit to reading the book prior to the next meeting, and the discussion leader should commit to developing a list of study guide questions or points of discussion. If themes in the book correspond to passages in the Bible, the discussion leader should be prepared to guide book club members to those passages.

Each of the book club members should then purchase the book that has been chosen. The Fisher of Men online bookstore offers deep discounts on Christian books, music, software, Bibles, videos, and gifts.

Whether your book club chooses a Christian novel or a non-fiction book, such as “The Purpose-Driven Life,” you can have a lively discussion of Christian principles in an environment of fellowship and community.

According a recent study, about half of Americans will buy at least one Christian book this year. The uptick in the sales of Christian titles has led secular online and brick-and-mortar bookstores to carry unprecedented numbers of Christian books. However, instead of shopping at secular bookstores, many Christians are choosing to support online bookstores owned and operated by other Christians. Common thought is that Christians should monetarily support the ministries of other Christians who are spreading God’s word through the sale of bibles, as well as through the sale of Christian books, videos, software, music, and audio books.

Author: Chris Robertson

Neale Donald Walsch - God’s plagerist?

Walsch’s story purports to tell the tale of a miraculous appearance of the words “Christ Was Love” during the rehearsal of his son’s school Christmas pageant; but his article is almost identical to the same article published 10.

Alexandra Pelosi Examines The Friends Of God

If you read Darwin (and many of his proponents), you will see that an a priori assumption of these people is that there is no God and darwinistic evolution proves that (never mind that they have their own god(s) - that’s another post).

Thinking Christian: Suicide

PJP: To add to curlysmom’s advice, I’d recommend going to a Christian bookstore and finding a Bible Study or a history book on the Christian faith. Many (not all) of your questions could be answered that way.

Technorati Tags: Christian Bookstore Discount, christian life, christian ministry