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Welcome to this special place on the path to spiritual reality. Here, you will find wisdom, insight into the nature of spiritual authenticity, and the encouragement to think for yourself and form a centered, rational, informed perspective on spirituality and religion.

William Edelen has spent his life in courageous pursuit of the historical truth about religion. Basing his research on facts, not popular opinions or religious dogma, he stands for accuracy.

Bill was a Marine Pilot for 12 years during WW II and the Korean War, where he learned his love of reading and scholarship. Earning advanced degrees in anthropology and theology, he taught at the university level, where his classes were always popular. Among his many learned friends were Buckminster Fuller, Walter Annenberg and Joseph Campbell. It was Joseph Campbell who recommended to Bill that he keep pointing people “Toward the Mystery.”

You will find many surprising historical truths in his inspiring lectures and columns, such as the fact that the first six presidents of the United States were not Christians – they were Deists and Humanists and were against the church being involved with government.

Join William Edelen as he presents the documented origins of religious beliefs, mythologies, traditions, and ceremonies, as well as introduces the stimulating spiritual philosophies of some of the world’s greatest minds in modern times and throughout history.

The sin of omission

August 29, 2010

The Immaculate ConceptionThere is a sin among a large segment of the Christian clergy that I find despicable. It is the sin of omission. It is the sin of not sharing with a congregation what you know to be true about the bible and Christianity. It is the sin of promoting what you know to be false in order to hold your job. Those graduating in religious studies from every major university in America, as well as every major theological seminary that is independent of Christian financial pressure, know certain facts to be true. They know:

  1. That the entire bible is saturated with common mythological themes, from the creation and flood myth, to virgin birth and resurrected hero mythology.
  2. That the stories of the patriarchs in the Old Testament are known as “temple legends” to enhance the history of the Hebrew people and are mostly fiction.
  3. That the Gospels were not written by anyone who knew Jesus personally, and are to be read only in the context of legends.
  4. That the “Christ” myths and formulas are direct copies of Zoroastrian and Egyptian myths adopted by the Jesus sect.
  5. That these facts, with others, have been known for years, and taught, by scholars who are respected internationally in major universities world wide.

Religiously educated clergy, through the sin of omission, yet continue to promote superstition. The Senior Minister of one of the largest churches in this area said to me: “Edelen, I can’t talk about those things to my congregation. I would lose so much financial support I could not keep the church open. I just play the game they want.”

A woman in my Idaho church said to me in the parking lot one day. “I don’t care what you learned in seminary…I give more money than anyone else in this church and I just want you to talk about my sweet Jesus or I am taking my money and leaving.” I said to her: “well…good bye” and with that she slapped me so hard across the face you could hear it for a mile. In Christian “love” no doubt.

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