Were Quakers and Mennonites persecuted in the US? Well yes, but largely in the same manner any religious minority was. But there were some positive times as well, especially after Pennsylvania was set up.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
The question was asked, why didn’t Christianity spread to Asia. Well it did, but often in weird ways. Such as with the man who claimed to be the brother of Jesus, and then waged a Civil War with China. Or with the Kahn dynasty, which was filled with Christian princesses. So it definitely did spread.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/ or https://twitter.com/tamateurscholar
We don’t always know how a religion first began. But for Christianity, we have a good sense of how it evolved out of Judaism, and became it’s own religion.
In this episode, I dive into the formation of the Christian religion, and the influences that led to it’s shaping.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
One of my favorite topics is the Historical Jesus. I’ve been on almost every side of the issue, from seeing him as having been a fictional character, when I was a teenager, to seeing him as a real historical figure. So what evidence do we have to suggest that he really existed? That’s what I cover in this video.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
We all have that one friend who loves to drop this trivia bomb on us, that there were Presidents before George Washington. Yet they never really dive more into it than just that.
The problem is, when we do dive into the question, it becomes clear that those previous Presidents weren’t really Presidents at all. They didn’t serve in an executive branch, and really amounted to more of a ceremonial title. That and they served under a very different government and constitution than what we have now.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
Who are the Hamites? And why would some African Americans claim to be such?
The answer is rather strange as it centers around slavery, and the Israelites. In the mid 19th century, a group of African Americans made the claim that they were Hamites, and thus descendants of the Israelites. Yet, the idea of Hamites really originated in the Southern states, as a way to justify slavery. And that’s why the question is a bit of a mess.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
Psalms 137:9 is truly horrific verse, in which the author celebrates the idea of babies being dashed upon the rocks. It’s jarring to say the least.
Why would anyone wish for that? Well, it was because the author was lamenting. His world turned upside down and he was overcome by grief. That doesn’t make the passage okay, but in this video, I look at the context.
In the end, I think most can understand the feeling their, even if we don’t agree with it.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
Exodus 22:18 is one of those famous verses. It is the verse that tells us that we shouldn’t suffer a witch to live. But why were the writers of Exodus so against witches?
The context really creates this verse. In this video I dive into the history of this verse, as well as what sort of witch we really are talking about. It isn’t some nice little witch of the forest, who gives out peaceful remedies. It’s a witch who is sinister, and will make you do things you don’t want. And we see that idea form within the context.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
The Old Testament contains some very barbaric passages. There are some horrendous things in that history, that we shouldn’t try to justify or excuse.
But we can dive into these verses and examine the history behind them. By doing such, we see the flaws in humans, and they don’t necessarily reflect commands and views of God.
In 1 Samuel, we have Samuel claiming to speak on behalf of God and claiming that Saul needs to commit a genocide. But who really is speaking here? I argue that it’s Samuel, and it may be that Samuel is on a bit of a power trip.
In the discussion, I also jump into the history behind the text, and it’s formation, which is quite fascinating.
To check out more of my work, you can go to http://belzian.com/ or to connect with me go to https://www.facebook.com/amateurscholar/
Paul is often called sexist, and part of the reason for that is this passage, 1 Timothy 2:12. Yet Paul wasn’t the author of 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy directly contradicts what Paul truly said.
So in this episode, I dive into the verse, and see what we can pull out. In the course of that, I also go which letters are authentic to Paul, and which ones are later forgeries, and how we know that.