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   One might well imagine that such a fantastic scheme would be impossible to   
   pull off; and, in fact, ultimately it did fail. But the daring plot was   
   nonetheless carefully executed on the principal conviction that, if a   
   well-trained actor were backed up by    
   an impressive range of supporters, a few magic tricks, several carefully   
   planted rumors, a considerable amount of money, and a lot of Jewish chutzpa,   
   then maybe, just maybe, the Jews might fall for it. [218] The risks were   
   surely great – Herod I may have    
   tried to murder the baby Jesus, [219] Herod Antipas quickly captured and   
   killed John the Baptist, [220] and always the entire Jewish hierarchy   
   vehemently opposed Jesus – but the prize was also very tempting. Had Jesus   
   succeeded, he would indeed have been    
   recognized as King of the Jews. Perhaps most appealing of all to both Jesus   
   and the Essenes was the possibility of being victorious in a major battle of   
   wits, not to mention the opportunity to express a new philosophy, the latest   
   in Jewish theology. And    
   so began the most famous, or infamous, conspiracy recorded in the history of   
   planet Earth.   
      
   Perhaps Jesus and the Essenes are not wholly to blame for the damage done by   
   those later warriors, intellectuals and capitalists, who exploited to the   
   maximum degree the hard work of the conspirators, as well as the name and   
   reputation of Jesus. Like    
   many modern scientists, Jesus and the Essenes only built the rocket and   
   launched it – where it came down was ultimately not in their hands, nor was it   
   included in any of their plans or predictions. Had they been able to foresee   
   the establishment of the    
   Church and its abuse by Popes, priests and political leaders alike, then   
   perhaps they would have thought “twice” about what they started – perhaps they   
   would have contented themselves to live out their lives as honest and   
   respectable citizens or, at    
   least, as reasonable Jews. But, as things stand, even Jesus would surely have   
   turned over more than once in his grave, wherever that may be, [221] had he   
   been able to witness all of the sins which have been committed “in his name”   
   or “on his behalf”.   
      
   Success or Failure   
   Did Jesus succeed in achieving his stated and unstated objectives? The answer   
   is obviously not. As mentioned, the Jews, toward whom his mission was   
   exclusively directed, never accepted him as their Messiah – not in his life   
   nor even since then. Leaving    
   aside any question of spiritual salvation of the Jews, even Jesus' efforts to   
   augment disunity among the Jews were by and large a failure. Jesus' prime goal   
   of ascending to the throne of Israel quite clearly never materialized. Even   
   his strategic and    
   voluntary exile from Israel after the crucifixion-resurrection drama, instead   
   of being brief, proved to be permanent. Christians admit these failings   
   indirectly each time they speak of the need for a second coming. This coming   
   twice was never in the    
   Jewish script for the Messiah. In fact, it was not even in the Essene script.   
   Thus the Jews have often commented that, if Jesus has to come again, then   
   evidently he did not have the necessary qualities to be their long-awaited   
   Messiah on his first visit.   
      
   It is never pleasant to criticize our ancestors, and it is not desirable that   
   this disrespectful and ungrateful practice be encouraged. But some things must   
   be spoken because they are true. Regarding Jesus, on one hand he claimed to be   
   one with God the    
   Father and yet, on the other hand, he rejected the respectful appellation   
   offered to him of “Good Master” with the words, “Why callest thou me good –   
   there is none good but one, that is, God.” [222] Surely it is strange that   
   Jesus could claim to    
   represent God in so many ways, but he was not ready or able, even dimly, to   
   reflect God's goodness.   
      
   It is said that there was once a man who lost the key to his house in his   
   bedroom, but nevertheless went outside the house to search for the key,   
   because he felt there was more light outdoors. In the final analysis, Jesus   
   has been dead for nearly two    
   thousand years; and, throughout all of that time, there has always been   
   controversy, and quite often warfare, over the subject of his life and   
   doctrine. This pointless conflict, founded on nothing but dogma, must not be   
   allowed to continue. Humanity    
   today should not waste more precious time in searching for a thread of gold   
   amidst all the haircloth and sackcloth which we find in the Old and New   
   Testaments. For all we know, that thread of gold may never have been there;   
   and even if it were once there,   
    it may also have been removed long ago. Ultimately, whatever good may be   
   found in the life and teachings of Jesus or, for that matter, in the life and   
   teachings of all the Judaeo-Christian patriarchs, prophets and preceptors, can   
   be cultivated easily in    
   our own lives with but a little sincere effort. Inspired by the rational and   
   benevolent guidance of Neo-Humanism, every woman, man and child may discover   
   that an unknown Lover has unlocked the doors of their mind and stolen into   
   their hearts.   
      
      
      
   7                       Consider the Lilies of the Field   
   Oh Paramapurus'a (the Supreme Being), at present you are a star of the distant   
   sky; I see you but I don't know you. Come gradually closer to me and sit by my   
   side. Don't try to hide from me – I have many things to say to you. So many   
   pains and so many    
   ideas have accumulated in my mind. Let me express them fully – don't pretend   
   to be deaf. Come near to me, I will tell You everything, and my heart will   
   become light. You are the dearest, the most adored by all. Everyone wants to   
   be near You – please don'   
   t remain far away.   
      
   Scriptures bear no significance for me. I am not to be guided by the   
   scriptures – I am to be guided and controlled   
      
   by devotional love. Whatever the scholars or scriptures may say, I know only   
   that You are mine and I am Yours. Nothing else can I accept.   
      
   Shrii Prabhat Rainjan Sarkar   
      
   Explaining the inner spirit of Song 20 (Pt. 1) of Prabhat Sam'giita[223]   
      
      
      
   Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is   
   likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:   
      
   But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went   
   his way.   
      
   But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the   
   tares also.   
      
   So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou   
   sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?   
      
   He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt   
   thou then that we go and gather them up?   
      
   But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat   
   with them.   
      
   Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I wilt   
   say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in   
   bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my   
      
   barn.   
      
   Matthew 13:24-30   
      
      
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)