The missing history from the Bible and of Jesus Christ

The unknown years of Jesus (also called his silent years, lost years, or missing years) generally refers to the period between Jesus's childhood and the beginning of his ministry, a period not described in the New Testament.

The phrases "lost years of Jesus" is usually encountered in esoteric literature (where it at times also refers to his possible post-crucifixion activities) but is not commonly used in scholarly literature since it is assumed that Jesus was probably working as a carpenter in Galilee from the age of twelve till thirty, so the years were not "lost years", and that he died in Calvary.

In the late medieval period, Arthurian legends appeared that the young Jesus had been in Britain. In the 19th and 20th centuries theories began to emerge that between the ages of 12 and 30 Jesus had visited India, or had studied with the Essenes in the Judea desert. Modern mainstream Christian scholarship has generally rejected these theories and holds that nothing is known about this time period in the life of Jesus.

The use of the "lost years" in the "swoon hypothesis", suggests that Jesus survived his crucifixion and continued his life. This, and the related view that he avoided crucifixion altogether, has given rise to several speculations about what happened to him in the supposed remaining years of his life, but these are generally not accepted by mainstream scholars.

Following the accounts of Jesus' young life, there is a gap of about 18 years in his story in the New Testament. Other than the generic statement that after he was 12 years old (Luke 2:42) Jesus "advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52), the New Testament has no other details regarding the gap. While Christian tradition suggests that Jesus simply lived in Galilee during that period, modern scholarship holds that there is little historical information to determine what happened during those years.

The ages of 12 and 30, the approximate ages at either end of the unknown years, have some significance in Judaism of the Second Temple period: 13 is the age of the bar mitzvah, the age of secular maturity, and 30 the age of readiness for the priesthood, although Jesus was not of the tribe of Levi.

Christians have generally taken the statement in Mark 6:3 referring to Jesus as "Is not this the carpenter...?" as an indication that before the age of 30 Jesus had been working as a carpenter. The tone of the passage leading to the question "Is not this the carpenter?" suggests familiarity with Jesus in the area, reinforcing that he had been generally seen as a carpenter in the gospel account before the start of his ministry. Matthew 13:55 poses the question as "Is not this the carpenter's son?" suggesting that the profession tektōn had been a family business and Jesus was engaged in it before starting his preaching and ministry in the gospel accounts.

Jesus was in India to learn from Hinduism

Investigates the possibility that Jesus spent his youth in India and returned to preach the knowledge he acquired in India. The BBC documentary makers come to the conclusion that Jesus studied Buddhism in India, however I think that is unlikely as the philosophy that Jesus taught has very little in common with Buddhism. However, the teachings of Jesus and the teachings of Krishna are much more similar.

This documentary is from NGC.

The Search for Jesus

The quest for the historical Jesus refers to academic efforts to provide a historical portrait of Jesus. Since the 18th century, three separate scholarly quests for the historical Jesus have taken place, each with distinct characteristics and based on different research criteria, which were often developed during each specific phase. These quests are distinguished from earlier approaches because they rely on the historical method to study biblical narratives. While textual analysis of biblical sources had taken place for centuries, these quests introduced new methods and specific techniques to establish the historical validity of their conclusions.

The enthusiasm shown during the first quest diminished after the 1906 criticism of Albert Schweitzer, who pointed out various shortcomings in the approaches used at the time. The second quest began in 1953 in the middle of it and introduced a number of new techniques, but reached a plateau in the 1970s. In the 1980s a number of scholars gradually began to introduce new research ideas, initiating a third quest characterized by the latest research approaches.

While there is widespread scholarly agreement on the existence of Jesus, and a basic consensus on the general outline of his life, the portraits of Jesus constructed in the quests have often differed from each other, and from the image portrayed in the gospel accounts. There are overlapping attributes among the portraits, and while pairs of scholars may agree on some attributes, those same scholars may differ on other attributes, and there is no single portrait of the historical Jesus that satisfies most scholars.

What is Hinduism ?

Introduction to Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also exists among significant populations outside of the sub continent and has over 900 million adherents worldwide.

In some ways Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world, or at least elements within it stretch back many thousands of years. Yet Hinduism resists easy definition partly because of the vast array of practices and beliefs found within it. It is also closely associated conceptually and historically with the other Indian religions Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism.

Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings. Throughout its extensive history, there have been many key figures teaching different philosophies and writing numerous holy books. For these reasons, writers often refer to Hinduism as 'a way of life' or 'a family of religions' rather than a single religion.

Defining Hinduism

The term 'Hindu' was derived from the river or river complex of the northwest, the Sindhu. Sindhu is a Sanskrit word used by the inhabitants of the region, the Aryans in the second millennium BCE. Later migrants and invaders, the Persians in the sixth century BCE, the Greeks from the 4th century BCE, and the Muslims from the 8th century CE, used the name of this river in their own languages for the land and its people.

The term 'Hindu' itself probably does not go back before the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used by people to differentiate themselves from followers of other traditions, especially the Muslims (Yavannas), in Kashmir and Bengal. At that time the term may have simply indicated groups united by certain cultural practices such as cremation of the dead and styles of cuisine. The 'ism' was added to 'Hindu' only in the 19th century in the context of British colonialism and missionary activity.

The origins of the term 'hindu' are thus cultural, political and geographical. Now the term is widely accepted although any definition is subject to much debate. In some ways it is true to say that Hinduism is a religion of recent origin yet its roots and formation go back thousands of years.

Some claim that one is 'born a Hindu', but there are now many Hindus of non-Indian descent. Others claim that its core feature is belief in an impersonal Supreme, but important strands have long described and worshipped a personal God. Outsiders often criticise Hindus as being polytheistic, but many adherents claim to be monotheists.

Some Hindus define orthodoxy as compliance with the teachings of the Vedic texts (the four Vedas and their supplements). However, still others identify their tradition with 'Sanatana Dharma', the eternal order of conduct that transcends any specific body of sacred literature. Scholars sometimes draw attention to the caste system as a defining feature, but many Hindus view such practices as merely a social phenomenon or an aberration of their original teachings. Nor can we define Hinduism according to belief in concepts such as karma and samsara (reincarnation) because Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists (in a qualified form) accept this teaching too.

Hinduism

Although it is not easy to define Hinduism, we can say that it is rooted in India, most Hindus revere a body of texts as sacred scripture known as the Veda, and most Hindus draw on a common system of values known as dharma.
•Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan.
•About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as Hindu.
•Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are represented by the multitude of deities which emanate from him.
•Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma.
•Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived.
•The main Hindu texts are the Vedas and their supplements (books based on the Vedas). Veda is a Sanskrit word meaning 'knowledge'. These scriptures do not mention the word 'Hindu' but many scriptures discuss dharma, which can be rendered as 'code of conduct', 'law', or 'duty'
•Hindus celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights, Diwali is the best known.
•The 2001 census recorded 559,000 Hindus in Britain, around 1% of the population.

The History of Hindu India

The History of Hindu India was developed by the editors of Hinduism Today magazine in collaboration with Dr. Shiva Bajpai, Professor Emeritus of History, California State University Northridge. It is intended to provide an authentic presentation of the history of India and Hinduism for use in American 6th grade social study classes, as well as Hindu temple study groups and general presentations on the Hindu religion and history. The documentary is based on the first chapter of the textbook, The History of Hindu India, published in 2011. For more information and for class lesson plans based on the book visitwww.hinduismtoday.com/education/. Funded by the Uberoi Foundation, Institute for Curriculum Advancement. May be freely distributed for educational purposes.

What Is Hinduism?

This pilot episode of our new educational video series is based on Chapter Three of the book "What Is Hinduism?" by the editors of Hinduism Today magazine and is inspired by the teachings of Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. It was produced by SaaReeGaa Films in New Delhi.

Each of the 46 chapters plus the introduction of "What Is Hinduism?" will give the source material for a half-hour video episode to be crafted and released, roughly one every three months, in the years ahead.

These educational videos are provided by the editors of Hinduism Today for free as a public service to everyone interested in learning or teaching about the Hindu faith.

Basics of Hinduism

Hinduism is the dominant religion, or way of life, in South Asia, most notably India. Although Hinduism contains different philosophies, it is united by shared concepts, same textual resources, common ritual techniques, cosmology and pilgrimage to sacred sites. It includes Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism among other denominations, each with an interwoven diversity of beliefs and practices. Hinduism, with about one billion followers is the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam.
Hinduism has been called the "oldest religion" in the world, and some practitioners refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, "the eternal law" or the "eternal way" beyond human origins. Western scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no single founder. It prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings (ahimsa), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, compassion, among others.
Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include (but are not restricted to), the four Puruṣārthas, the proper goals or aims of human life, namely Dharma (ethics/duties), Artha (prosperity/work), Kama (emotions/sexuality) and Moksha (liberation/freedom); karma (action, intent and consequences), samsara (cycle of rebirth), and the various Yogas (paths or practices to attain moksha). Hindu practices include rituals such as puja (worship) and recitations, meditation, family-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages. Some Hindus leave their social world and material possessions, then engage in lifelong Sannyasa (ascetic practices) to achieve moksha.

Hindu texts are classified into Shruti ("heard") and Smriti ("remembered"). These texts discuss theology, philosophy, mythology, Vedic yajna and agamic rituals and temple building, among other topics. Major scriptures include the Vedas, Upanishads (both Śruti), Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, Puranas, Manusmṛti, and Agamas (all smriti).
Hinduism (like Buddhism) is one of the most 'modern' religions in the world today. I was raised Christian and like Islam, are such backward religions. That's why Christianity and Islam face so many problems in the 21st century. They have teachings that are stuck in the socio-economic-moral world of the time they developed in.

Getting God - BBC Documentary with Radha Ma

Fake Christian Pastors in India

Christians are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words Christ and Christian derive from the Koine Greek title Christós, a translation of the Biblical Hebrew term mashiach. While there are diverse interpretations of Christianity which sometimes conflict, they are united in believing that Jesus has a unique significance.
The term "Christian" used as an adjective is descriptive of anything associated with Christianity or Christian churches, or in a proverbial sense "all that is noble, and good, and Christ-like." It does not have a meaning of 'of Christ' or 'related or pertaining to Christ'.
According to a 2011 Pew Research Center survey, there were 2.2 billion Christians around the world in 2010, up from about 600 million in 1910. By 2050, the Christian population is expected to exceed 3 billion. According to a 2012 Pew Research Center survey Christianity will remain the world's largest religion in 2050, if current trends continue.
Today, about 37% of all Christians live in the Americas, about 26% live in Europe, 24% live in sub-Saharan Africa, about 13% live in Asia and the Pacific, and 1% live in the Middle East and North Africa. About half of all Christians worldwide are Catholic, while more than a third are Protestant (37%). Orthodox communions comprise 12% of the world's Christians. Other Christian groups make up the remainder. Christians make up the majority of the population in 158 countries and territories. 280 million Christians live as a minority.
The Greek word Χριστιανός (Christianos), meaning "follower of Christ", comes from Χριστός (Christos), meaning "anointed one", with an adjectival ending borrowed from Latin to denote adhering to, or even belonging to, as in slave ownership. In the Greek Septuagint, christos was used to translate the Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Mašíaḥ, messiah), meaning " anointed." In other European languages, equivalent words to Christian are likewise derived from the Greek, such as Chrétien in French and Cristiano in Spanish.
The abbreviations Xian and Xtian (and similarly-formed other parts of speech) have been used since at least the 17th century: Oxford English Dictionary shows a 1634 use of Xtianity and Xian is seen in a 1634-38 diary. The word Xmas uses a similar contraction.

Christianity is India's third-largest religion after Hinduism and Islam, with approximately 28 million followers, constituting 2.3 percent of India's population (2011 census). According to Indian tradition, the Christian faith was introduced to India by Thomas the Apostle, who supposedly reached the Malabar Coast (Kerala) in 52 AD, although no written work seems to have survived from this period. According to another tradition Bartholomew the Apostle is credited with simultaneously introducing Christianity along the Konkan Coast. There is a general scholarly consensus that Christian communities were firmly established in India by the 6th century AD, including some communities who used Syriac liturgies.

Christians in India are members of different church denominations though some are also non-denominational. The state of Kerala is home to the Saint Thomas Christian community, an ancient body of Christians who according to tradition trace their origins to the evangelistic activity of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. They are now divided into several different churches and traditions. There are East Syriac Rite denominations: the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church and the Chaldean Syrian Church. There are West Syriac Rite denominations: the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church , the Mar Thoma Syrian Church, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, and the Malabar Independent Syrian Church. Saint Thomas Anglicans are in the Anglican tradition and are members of the Church of South India (C.S.I.). Roman Rite Catholicism was introduced to India by the Portuguese, Italian and Irish Jesuits in the 16th century under the influence of its allied empires. Most Christian schools, hospitals and primary care centres originated through the Roman Catholic missions brought by the trade of these countries.
Traditional Anglicanism was established by the British missions under British Empire which shares a common sacred traditions with Catholicism. Reformed Protestantism was later spread to India by the efforts of North American, British, German, and independent missionaries to preach the gospel to Indians and evangelize them, of which many, suffered militant persecution and were martyred. Major denominations include non-conformist reformed churches like the Pentecostals, the Baptists, the Evangelicals, Methodist, the Presbyterians, Mennonites and Lutherans. Traditionalist churches like Church of South India, (ECI), the Church of North India, Traditional Anglicans and other groups of CSI synod have presence. There is also rising presence of Charismatic and neo-charismatic movement across the nation.
During the 18th century, Protestant Christian missions, had a political effect in India, notably by campaigning for the abolition of Sati (ritual self-immolation of widows), suppressing human sacrifices (tribal offerings to deities), taking measures in passing the Prevention Act, 1870 against female infanticide, introducing a modern and formal educational system and establishing the first all girls education schools in India. Under British Indian empire, they had a key influence in drafting certain aspects of the Indian penal code by imposing specific Biblical prohibitions with offences related to marriages, adultery (which was at variance with Indian polygamous society of that time), as well as the controversial sodomy laws. They produced early translations of the Bible in Indian languages (including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Hindi, Urdu and others).
Even though Christians are a visible minority, they form a major religious group in three states of India - Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland with plural majority in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and other states with significant Christian population include Coastal Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Kanara, and the south shore. Christianity in India to a larger extent has been very traditional (old) in its practices for a long time but since the 20th century has witnessed growth in Indigenous revivalism and recently contemporary local Church-planting movements have started to flourish. Moreover, a significant number of Indians profess personal Christian faith outside the domain of traditional and institutionalized Christianity and do not associate with any Church or its conventional code of belief.

The Hidden Story of Jesus ◦ Complete Documentary