My dear H___:
As I have promised, I prepare to convey a last message, so far, on “the
Samaritans”, or rather, on those tribes of Israel who would integrate in later
times the Samaritans.
One day, when you were gathered with a music professor, an expert in the Bible
who knew the Scriptures perfectly well, you spoke of the Bible, as it could not
be otherwise.
Suddenly, the professor, a sensible, responsible and intelligent man, told you
that the 10 lost tribes of Israel lived in Europe and North America. You gasped
in dismay, asking how he had come to such a conclusion.
He explained to you that after having been exiled by the Assyrians, the 10
tribes lived in the region south of the Caspian Sea, in the northern part of
what nowadays is the country of Iran. Finally, when the Assyrian empire
succumbed under the pressures of other more vigorous peoples, the Israelites
recovered their independence and escaped from the land of their captivity,
heading north and crossing the Caucasus Mountains. When they had arrived at the
immense steppes of Eastern Europe, they changed direction toward the northwest,
until they finally came to the Atlantic Ocean, which blocked their further
advance. There they settled and continue living until now. A part of the tribes
crossed the English Channel, making their way to the British Islands.
Simeon inhabited Spain. The members of Reuben’s tribe headed for the region
conformed by the countries of the Netherlands and Belgium. Issachar settled in
Finland, Zebulon in France. Dan went to Denmark. Ephraim and Manasseh were those
who crossed the Channel, and made themselves comfortable on the islands. And I
could continue with the list, assigning the diverse tribes to the regions of
Europe.
Then he explained to you that in the course of America’s colonization, the
Israelites also made their way to the New World. The white Americans, of
Anglo-Saxon origin, pertain, therefore, especially to the tribe of Manasseh,
while the Britons are in their majority members of the tribe of Ephraim.
With incredulous eyes and openmouthed, you listened to the professor’s sermon,
and then you asked him where he had taken that “wisdom.” Dan in Denmark?
Wouldn’t it simply be because Dan and Dane sound very similar? And what about
linguistics? How about Finland, which was populated by nomadic people from Asia
in times of late Antiquity? You asked questions over questions, but the
professor insisted: All they were the descendants of Israel, the famous lost
tribes. He even affirmed that the Germans are the descendants of the Assyrians.
They obviously had accompanied their former slaves in their escape to the north.
So, my dear friend, you are my Assyrian brother [Judas laughs].
Now, my friend, with no desire of becoming involved in this nonsense and with no
desire of entering into polemics, I only want you to remember that there were in
fact 13 tribes. According to the Biblical legend, Jacob, called Israel, had 12
sons, the founders of single tribes. But Joseph’s tribe does not exist. In this
exceptional case, his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim, would be the mythological
founders of two separate tribes. Therefore, 13 tribes existed.
The Bible also indicates the regions that later on were occupied by those
tribes, twelve areas in total, because the tribe of Levi did not have a
territory for their own, but served as priests among all other tribes.
We need not be interested now, whether this story is correct or not, because the
professor’s conclusions are also based on the Biblical story, without subjecting
it to a critical investigation.
Thanks to the Biblical history, we know that in the centuries after the taking
possession of Canaan, the big tribes absorbed the smaller ones, the big fish
swallowed the small ones. Simeon disappeared in Judah, and the same we can say
of Benjamin, although even in the times of the New Testament the separation
formally continued. Paul of Tarsus was from this tribe.
The Levites were expelled from the northern kingdom before its destruction by
the Assyrians. Therefore, the Kingdom of Judah in the south was constituted of
the tribes of Judah, Simeon, Benjamin and Levi. They sum up to four tribes out
of thirteen. How many remain? For heaven’s sake, which ones are the 10 lost
tribes?
But that question does not matter. I have already told you what actually had
happened. In addition, supposing that all tribes of the north had disappeared,
where did the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel, from the tribe of Asher,
suddenly come from, of whom Luke narrates us in his gospel?
I apologize for this message, being convinced that you will find it ridiculous
or at least unnecessary. But you are mistaken.
I want you to draw two valuable lessons from this story.
In the first place, when it is about religion, reason evaporates. The professor
was and is a sensible man, I already said this. How is it possible, then, that
he can disclose such nonsense? Do you find this unusual? I could offer many more
examples, and you know what I am referring to. Beliefs are so strong that they
are able to cover the normal reasoning of people, producing artifacts such as
the one mentioned above.
But, in the same manner, your claim of being able to communicate with somebody
who has died almost 2000 years ago, would be considered another nonsense by
many.
In the second place, deductions like the one above, concerning the 10 lost
tribes of Israel, are supposedly based on the study of the Bible. However, even
less polemic but contradictory doctrines, originate from the study of the same
writings by different people. All writings, the text of the Bible, as well as
the messages received by the diverse mediums, are subject to interpretation. And
the results of those interpretations are as varied as are the stars in the sky.
Therefore, considering that belief eclipses reason, it is clear that disputes
over religion lead nowhere. The discussion may widen your own horizon, and you
may also contribute data to enlarge the understanding of other people, but that
is the maximum you will be able to achieve. You will never be able to “to
convince.”
It is also obvious that the study of religious texts cannot be the appropriate
way to find Truth, due to the inherent errors in all texts, and the wide margin
for interpretation they grant.
The only way to find Truth is to experience it for yourself and in yourself.
This is the way of the mystics. What you wrote a few days ago — that you do not
accept any writings and any messages as your gospel, not even those of Padgett,
that your only gospel is what you may experience, and thus verify, in your heart
— is a great truth.
It is easy to summarize Jesus’ gospel in few words: “God is Love. He offers His
Love to all His children, that is to say, to all humanity. Moreover, He is
always a personal God who invites us to enter into contact with Him, should we
wish to do so. He will listen to us and He will answer.”
God is the Source of Truth. And if you want to discover Truth, go to the Source,
and be not satisfied with second or third hand information.
It has been a great pleasure to converse with you once again. With this message,
I declare finished this short sequence on the Samaritans and similar topics. Of
course, we will come back when required so to this set of topics in the course
of our analyses on Jesus’ history.
It is time to say goodbye, with the sincere desire that the Father may fill you
with His abundant blessings.
Your brother in Christ,
Judas
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