The blog to end all blogs. Reviews and comments about all and everything. This blog is NOT affiliated with YouTube, Wikipedia, Microsoft Bing, Gemini, ChatGPT or any commercial vendor! Links don´t imply endorsement. Many posts and comments are ironic. The blogger is not responsible for comments made by others. The languages used are English and Swedish. Content warning: Essentially everything.
The "classical" definition of anti-Semitism is "hostility to Semites, especially Jews". By that standard, Thomas Sheridan´s latest rant is clearly anti-Semitic. And no, I´m not surprised. He is simply reverting to his old self about ten years ago. Yawn. But OK, he doesn´t like Sumerians either, apparently...
Will the next video be about how the Apollonian-Solar Aryans have always been at war with the Cthonic-Lunar Dravidians?
Note how he claims that *both* Yahweh and Jesus Christ were demons!
I never even heard of this scy fy TV series before. "Gene Roddenberry´s Andromeda" (or just "Andromeda") was originally aired over 20 years ago. Somebody (unclear who) has started to upload the old episodes on YouTube. The link above goes to episode three, "To loose the fateful lightning", which I have been hate watching a couple of times now. More on that later in this review!
"Andromeda" is apparently based on some old ideas by the late "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry. It was produced by his widow, actress Majel Barrett. Judging by the four episodes uploaded so far, the series is similar to "Star Trek" but mostly lacks its weird charm. The good guys are called the Systems Commonwealth, somewhat imprudently dubbed "the greatest civilization in history". Following a civil war, the Commonwealth is destroyed and replaced by a dark age in which humans are constantly attacked by various evil alien races. The main character, Dylan Hunt, is a High Guard officer from the Commonwealth who miraculously survived for 300 years at the event horizon of a black hole. His starship Andromeda Ascendant and a *very* motley crew roam the galaxy, trying to restore the old civilization.
In the third episode, Hunt and his associates encounter a group of teenagers and children onboard an otherwise abandoned Commonwealth space station. The youngsters have formed a quasi-religious cult, awaiting the appearence of a Messiah-like figure who can save them from the Magog and the Nietzscheans (two alien races at war with humanity). It turns out that the cult´s expectations are very concrete: the children need the High Guard access codes to battle ships armed with planet-killing doomsday weapons. As the sole survivor of the old Commonwealth, Hunt does indeed have the codes.
What happens next is...interesting. The stranded children clearly expect Hunt (their long awaited savior) to be a militarist who will lead them in battle and utterly destroy the aliens. Instead, Hunt turns out to be an idealist and near-pacifist. One of his associates is a full-pacifist Magog who sounds like a stereotypical Buddhist (or is it Quaker). He´s darn ugly, too. Like the Jews in the New Testament, the children are disappointed when the Messiah preaches peace instead of armed resistance. Their mentality is clearly that of religious fundamentalists.
However...
What annoys me with this episode is that the "cult" is clearly right. With a few exceptions, the Magog are evil. Like parasitic wasps, they reproduce by laying their eggs inside humans. Why *not* nuke their planets sky high? Already in the first episode, we learn that the Systems Commonwealth preferred to negotiate with this bizarre race rather than resist them, handing over the Nietzschean home world to the intruders. At the time, the Nietzscheans were key *allies* of the Commonwealth. This triggered the civil war which brought down "the greatest civilization". Sounds like civilizational suicide. Yet, at least in this episode, we are somehow supposed to draw the conclusion that the children are crazy fanatics, while Hunt is the adult in the room?!
Frankly, I never seen more idiotic pacifist propaganda.
"Star Trek" is mostly liberal, but during the 00´s, there was actually a series in the franchise that was more Neo-Conservative: "Star Trek: Enterprise". I wonder if "Andromeda" acted as the liberal counter-weight to that show? I suppose those of us who didn´t see the series when it was first aired will find it in 106 episodes. Assuming the YouTube channel Andromeda Official really has the rights to show them!
Or maybe it´s just the midterm election campaign, yes? Some on-line drama surrounding Nick Fuentes, Hunter Biden and Hassan Piker. Does anyone *really* care anymore?
So I´ve been doing some reading on Japanese Buddhism. Again. It´s actually quite disconcerting (and not a little annoying) to see how even Mahayana Buddhists can generate the same kind of absurd dynamics as the "Abrahamic" religions: sectarianism, exclusivism, missionary zeal, martyrdom complex and completely absurd theological conflicts (which almost made me prefer the Protestant ditto).
Well, I´m not a "joiner" anyway, so maybe I shouldn´t give a damn? I´m not likely to ever sign up for some specific "faith community", except maybe for purely social/cultural reasons (or as dissimulation). I suppose I would have to annoy the Abrahamics and their mutant children by calling myself "Spiritual But Not Religious" (which I know some of them hated back when SBNR was the new kid on the block about 15 years ago).
Styxhexenhammer´s rant attacking all religions of the world (including - wait for it - atheism). It´s a *bit* entertaining. Some major factual errors, though. For instance, Brigham Young didn´t stop Mormon polygamy, rather he was the guy expanding it and even making it public! Still, kinda funny.
According to some calculations, Jesus was crucified on Friday, April 3, 33 AD. This year, Good Friday fell on - you knew it already - Friday, April 3. If so, the resurrection would have been on Sunday, April 5. And 40 days after that, Christ ascended to Heaven. That would be Thursday, May 14.
Guess what day and date it is today?
I find this almost mind-blowing. Can´t help thinking: did it actually happen? Did the disciples actually see a god-man ascend to heaven from the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem? Is today the literal "anniversary" of that event? As they say on the interwebs: "Yuge if true".
But then all the awkward skeptical questions return: if Christ was with his disciples for 40 days, why didn´t he tell them that he *wouldn´t* return soon, that all foods are clean, that Paul is right against James and Peter...you know the drift.
As far as we know, the Jesus Movement was the only Messianic-apocalyptic sect in "Palestine" which developed the idea that their martyred leader had been resurrected, an idea that must have emerged very early on in the movement´s history. Which is compatible with the disciples experiencing a unique event. An actual resurrection, perhaps?
But apart from this, the Movement doesn´t seem to have been very different from any other religious group in history, with all the usual factional squabbles, theological conflicts, reinterpretations, and what have you. And of course the strange idea that a failed Messiah didn´t really fail at all, but came back after three days, is also compatible with everyone experiencing very strong delusions...
Or with the disciples not really listening to what the Master was trying to teach them in the first place.
So what is Aaron Abke doing these days? I remember when he promoted ACIM and Law of One. Today, he is more into "Essene Christianity", which seems to be a modernized version of ancient Jewish Christianity. In this long video, Abke and two associates discuss their main doctrines, which they half-jokingly dub "heresies".
One central idea is that Jesus was an Essene, and that the Essenes were vegetarians. Jesus preached salvation through the Golden Rule (which included no killing or eating of animals) and didn´t see himself as ontologically "God". The Christology seems to be adoptionist. Jesus´ blood brother James was his true successor, not Peter and absolutely not Paul, whose message of atonement through the salvific death of Christ was a gross distortion of the original Jesus Way. Paul got his "gospel" from highly dubious visions and "revelations", not from Jesus or his true disciples.
The true Christians were the Ebionites, the Nazarenes and other Jewish Christian sects, which were persecuted by the emergent Catholic Church. Abke and his friends reference the "Hebrew Gospel of Matthew" and the Pseudo-Clementines, while arguing that the Bible contains numerous errors. Interestingly, they also try to argue their case in a scholarly way by referencing James Tabor (who actually appeared on Abke´s pod cast). Here and there, some *truly* heretical ideas shine through, such as a belief in reincarnation, a strong skepticism towards the Old Testament, and Law of One terminology.
One thing that struck me when watching this video is that the "Jesus Way" - despite its seemingly "liberal" theology - is actually harder in some ways than mainstream Christianity (or Churchianity). For instance, the idea that salvation comes strictly through works, that the Ten Commandments must be followed rigorously, and that vegetarianism is an absolutely central rule. The fact that Jesus and the Christians were persecuted is strongly emphasized, the persecution being the work of both the Romans, the Jewish elite, and (later) the Catholic Church (which persecuted the Jewish Christians). In many ways, the Jesus Way comes across as a rigorist sect. Their alternative to "Pauline" Christianity seems...extreme. Not sure if I would like to join!
That being said, the video is nevertheless interesting in many ways. Perhaps recommended.
A (probably correct) criticism of the Khazar theory. What a pity it´s written by an anti-Semite who wants to blame the *real* Jews for all of the world´s ills, but there you go. Of course, I´m so edgy that I linked to Keith Woods content several times before...
I asked Gemini about the oldest surviving human traditions. Supposedly, Australian Aboriginals have stories which go back tens of thousands of years. I admit that I´m skeptical. So much romantic BS have been written about Native tribes that I wouldn´t be surprised if somebody debunks this 20 years from now. But sure, here is the information (I´ve heard some of it before):
Is it possible to know which religious or cultural tradition is the oldest? That is, the oldest of those which still exist today?
Determining the "oldest" tradition is a bit like tracing a river back to its source—it depends on whether you are looking for the oldest continuous practice, the oldest organized religion, or the oldest written scriptures.
Because cultures evolve, merge, and change names, there isn't one single winner, but rather several "finalists" depending on how you define the terms.
1. The Oldest Continuous Spiritual Traditions: Indigenous Cultures
If we define "tradition" as a set of spiritual beliefs and cultural practices passed down through generations, Indigenous Australian and San (Bushmen) traditions are the oldest.
Aboriginal Australians: Their spiritual connection to the "Dreamtime" and their oral histories have been maintained for over 50,000 to 65,000 years. Recent archaeological evidence suggests they have passed down stories of sea-level rises and volcanic eruptions that occurred tens of thousands of years ago.
The San People (Southern Africa): Genetic and archaeological data suggest the San have lived in Southern Africa for at least 20,000 to 30,000 years, maintaining a shamanistic tradition that involves rock art and trance dances.
2. The Oldest Organized Religion: Hinduism
In terms of "major" world religions with a structured system, hierarchy, and massive following, Hinduism is widely considered the oldest.
Age: It has no single founder and roots that stretch back over 4,000 years.
Evolution: It emerged from the Vedic period (c. 1500–500 BCE) but incorporates prehistoric Dravidian and Indus Valley Civilization elements that are even older.
The "Eternal" Nature: Many Hindus refer to their faith as Sanatana Dharma (the Eternal Way), viewing it as a timeless truth rather than a historical movement.
3. The Oldest Monotheism: Judaism and Zoroastrianism
If you are looking for the oldest tradition based on the worship of a single God, there are two main contenders:
Zoroastrianism: Founded by the prophet Zoroaster in ancient Persia, it dates back to roughly 1500–1000 BCE. It introduced concepts like heaven, hell, and the battle between good and evil, which heavily influenced later Abrahamic faiths. While its population is small today (the Parsi community), it still exists.
Judaism: While the biblical patriarchs date back to roughly 2000 BCE, the formalization of Judaism as a monotheistic religion occurred around the 9th–6th century BCE. It is the oldest of the three major Abrahamic religions.
4. Summary Table of "The Oldest"
Category
Tradition
Estimated Age
Oral/Cultural
Aboriginal Australian
50,000+ years
Organized Religion
Hinduism
4,000+ years
Monotheism
Zoroastrianism
3,000–3,500 years
Written Scripture
The Vedas (Hinduism)
3,200–3,500 years
Why is it so hard to pin down?
The main problem is syncretism. Religions don't usually "start" on a specific Tuesday; they evolve. For example:
Shinto in Japan has prehistoric roots, but it wasn't "organized" until much later.
Hinduism today looks very different from the Vedic religion of 3,000 years ago.
When we look at these traditions, we aren't seeing a static museum piece, but a living "ship of Theseus" where the parts have been replaced over millennia while the identity remains the same.
Are you looking for a tradition with a specific "start date" or founder, or are you more interested in the survival of ancient oral myths?
How do we know that Aboriginals have traditions of ancient sea-level rise and volcanic eruptions?
We know this because of a fascinating field of study called geomythology, where scientists compare ancient oral traditions with geological data like sonar mapping and carbon dating.
The evidence isn't just "vague myths" about water; it involves specific geographic details that were only true thousands of years ago.
1. Verification of Sea-Level Rise
During the last Ice Age, sea levels were much lower, and Australia’s coastline extended kilometers further out.Around 7,000 to 18,000 years ago, the ice melted and the seas rose, swallowing vast areas of land.
The Depth Check: Researchers have identified at least 21 locations around Australia where Aboriginal stories describe a coastline that hasn't existed for at least 7,000 years.
Specific Geography: For example, the Yindjibarndi people have a name for Fitzroy Island (gabaɽ) that literally means "lower arm" of a mainland promontory. For this name to make sense, the sea level had to be at least 30 meters lower than it is today—a condition that last existed roughly 10,000 years ago.
The "Walking" Stories: Numerous traditions across the continent describe ancestors walking to islands (like Kangaroo Island or the Tiwi Islands) that are now separated by deep, treacherous water. Geological records confirm these "land bridges" were submerged exactly when the stories say the "water came in."
2. Verification of Volcanic Eruptions
The most striking example is found in the Gunditjmara tradition in South Victoria, regarding a creator being named Budj Bim.
The Oral Record: The story describes a giant who transformed into a volcano, with his teeth becoming the lava and his hair the smoke.
The Scientific Match: In 2020, geologists used argon-argon dating on the lava rocks at Budj Bim and found the eruption happened approximately 37,000 years ago.
Human Witness: Archaeological evidence (stone tools) found beneath the volcanic ash layers confirms that people were living in the area at the exact time of the eruption. This means the Gunditjmara have maintained an accurate account of a specific geological event for over 1,500 generations.
How has the information stayed accurate?
Western scientists were initially skeptical, believing oral stories "decay" after a few centuries. However, Aboriginal culture uses highly structured memory systems:
Cross-Verification: Stories are often owned by specific families; others are not allowed to tell them, which prevents "telephone-game" style distortion.
Ritual Repetition: The stories are tied to "Songlines"—physical paths in the landscape. To remember the story, you must walk the land, using the rocks and mountains as "mnemonic pegs" to trigger the next part of the history.
This video explains how researchers and Gunditjmara elders worked together to scientifically date the Budj Bim eruption, confirming it as one of the oldest witnessed events in human history.
Some ultra-skeptical atheists and other critics of Christianity have long claimed that Nazareth didn´t even exist at the time of Jesus. However, recent archeological excavations there and elsewhere in Galilee confirm that it did indeed exist. Not only that. Nazareth - while small - was relatively prosperous for its day. And it was only a two hour walk from a "real" town, Sepphoris. Richard Carrier (himself an atheist) has the receipts.
Since Carrier is a mythicist, he doesn´t believe that Jesus hailed from Nazareth. Indeed, Jesus didn´t hail from anywhere! Carrier believes that Jesus was originally placed at Capernaum by Christian writers making up his story. However, the supposed prophecy that the Messiah will be called "Nazarene" (or some such term) was later interpreted as a reference to Nazareth being his home town (an exegesis which is impossible on various grammatical grounds).
A long interview / conversation with Graham Hancock. It´s from late 2024, but somehow I managed to miss it until now. It does contain some surprising information. For instance, Hancock talks about his life before becoming interested in Atlantis and the Lost Civilization. He also reveals that he and his wife Santha had dinner with Zahi Hawass?! Oookay...
Most of the interview deals with topics which will be familiar to Hancock fans (or opponents, for that matter): the Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia, Alternative Egypt, and the connection between spirituality and psychedelic drugs. And yes, he also discusses UFOs and aliens at one point.
Actually a quite good summary of Hancock´s speculations. For the record, I´m skeptical to the brick-and-mortar Lost Civilization claims, but more open to the idea that alternate states of consciousness gives us a sneak peak into the Otherworld...
Two somewhat rambling videos from Gnostic Informant, the first about Biblical minimalism (the Copenhagen school), the second about Pythagorean number mysticism in the Book of Genesis. Could still be of some interest on a gloomy Thursday afternoon.
It´s intelligent design, captain, but not as we know it.
Oh, and I didn´t know there was an animated cartoon featuring Donald Duck learning about Pythagoras!
Socialdemokraterna vill tydligen förbjuda religiösa friskolor. Alltså muslimska friskolor. Egentligen. Fast de kan ju trösta sig med att även Ebba Buschs Bibelskola måste stänga. Kan ju bli bråk om Judiska Skolan. Dock.
Valkampanjen har börjat. In i turnébussarna! Alla ska med!
Just a small sample of the Blood Moon scare hitting YouTube as we speak. Both Christians and New Age believers seem to be in on the show. Oh, and I didn´t know that the eclipse co-incides with the first day of Purim, a Jewish celebration of how the Jews in Persia killed all their enemies as per the Book of Esther.
OK, I suppose *that* is interesting. You know, Persia, Iran, that kind of thing. Will it lead to the end of the world, though? Of course not. But I suppose it might just work as conspiracy candy...
