Mary of Magdalene
After finding and watching a documentory on Tubi TV, I remembered a time back in my youth, about 13 or 14, a sermon by the Baptist preacher my dad liked. He preached about gossip, the one thing I learned at an early age that Baptists are good at. After the sermon and all the hand shaking, the church gathered in their usual little groups chit chatting. Strolling around thinking about Sunday dinner with my hands in my pocket and kicking at the marl rocks in the parking lot, I could not help but notice one group talking about someone in the another group about their this and that or the other thing. Then moseying around to the other group, still kicking at the rocks and thinking about Sunday dinner, the other group was talking about someone in the previous group I had just moseyed by. The preacher was hanging out with his usual group and I had no clue as to what or whom they were discussing as I didn’t care to much about his preaching. When I became independent as to choose to go to church or not, I didn’t.
When I got in High School, I took Bible I in the 10th grade and Bible II in the 11th as electives. Back in the early 70’s Bible classes were allowed as electives in school until about the mid to late 70’s. That’s when the ACLU kicked the Bible out of school and expelled God. Was in the Navy then as a Radioman. (See “Twice in a Lifetime”. in main menu.)
I have always beleived the Holy Bible held truth within its pages, but became disillusioned with denominational religion. Later in life, I studied the Bible independantly with the aid of the Strong’s concordance. It was years later that I learned the word gossip isn’t even in the scriptures. His sermon must have been based on slander, which is in scripture. (Prov. 10:18, Ps. 31:13, 1 Tim. 3:11) and/or babblings which in the Greek means fruitless discussions. (I Tim. 6:20, 2 Tim. 2:11) There is also the term revilers in 1 Cor. 6:10. I just can’t recall what scripture the sermon was based on, but gossip was not good. From the church door to the parking lot is a short distance for forgetfulness. (Moses was only 40 days on the mountain getting the law and instructions from the Lord after the children of Israel had made a covnant with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They had already made a golden calf to worship.) The experience only made me think of hypocrisy. Understood that word at an early age too. The most reviled, slandered and gossiped about person in New Testament scripture was Mary of Magdalene.
https://tubitv.com/movies/527120/scarlet-woman-the-true-story-of-mary-magdalene
She was a companion of Mary, mother of Jesus, and one of Jesus’ followers. She was also the first to see the resurrected Jesus. (Matt. 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10, `John 1-18) Joses, James and Salome were Jesus’ younger brothers and sister. (Mark 15:40-41, 16:1, Matt. 13:55-56) There were also two other brothers; Simon and Judas. (Mark 6:3) The Greek term for sister can be either singular or plural. Was Joanna in Luke 24:10 also Jesus’s sister? That’s a total of four brothers and two sisters of Jesus, fathered by Joseph after Jesus became flesh in Mary’s virgin womb. Not according to one church!
Joseph, husband of Mary, was last mentioned in the New Testamant in Matt. 2:19, Luke 3:23 and John 6:42. What happened to him? There is no mention of him after the beginning of Jesus’ ministry? He was not around during Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
Have a restful Sabbath. Pray a special prayer for the new gold star families that were made this past week during these troublous times. Pray for the salvation of Manasseh – USA. Pray for those left behind in Afganistan.
LOLGB+
Edit 9/11/21: Found on Tubi TV today >>
https://tubitv.com/movies/591146/jesus-female-disciples-the-new-evidence
The Ezekiel 33 Watchman Report 
You wrote how you left the church when you could. I have not been in one since the late 80’s, except for funerals. I call them social clubs. Be good and God Bless.
Chuck
LikeLiked by 1 person
The first time was when I was old enough to be on my own. I’ve dabbled in numerous churches and denominations, and even some other religions. Even checked out Budda while stationed in Japan. The last time I attended a church was with Sabbatarians.
In 1988 I began taking some Bible courses offered by the Worldwide COG Ambassador College. I later requested the number and address of a local minister, but for some reason I delayed until 1992. When I did call, I received a cursing out, and what sounded like chaotic screaming of demons in the background. That scared me so much, I did little Bible study during the next seven years and did not really care for any kind of a church. In 1999 and after my conscience meltdown following 5 days on a civil jury, I found an advertisement about a Pentecost Feast service being held in a town about an hour and a half drive. It turned out to be a small splinter group from the Worldwide Church of God. It did not take long to get their account of what happened just prior to and after Armstrong’s death.
After the long drive became difficult, I began alternating between them and a closer Seventh Day Adventist group on Sabbaths. I soon learned about the history of the Miller movement in the 1800’s. I found some teachings of Ellen G. White to be biblically erroneous, and any other understanding was forbidden. Then the other group turned my re-baptism into a party. I felt disappointment by both and have remained to myself in independent study. I still believed that the Lord had something for me to do, but all I could see at the time was that which is written in scripture, Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. (Rev. 12:9) I began to dissect the Bible utilizing the Strong’s Concordance. (Acts 17:11; Zech. 11:15-16) Hungry for scriptural truth, I started my own Comprehensive Scripture Investigation or CSI.
LOLGB+
LikeLike
Here are a couple of posts worth reading,
https://precioussheepofrenown.com/2021/04/20/are-we-to-go-to-church-or-are-we-the-church-part-one/
https://precioussheepofrenown.com/2021/04/21/are-we-to-go-to-church-or-are-we-the-church-part-two/
and
https://precioussheepofrenown.com/2013/12/16/god-of-the-daily-church/
Two years ago i started reading the bible from cover to cover. almost finished, when done i will go and do an in depth reading of Genesis, Daniel and Revelation.
God Bless
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks LOLGB+
LikeLike
I’ve used Strong’s for years as a dictionary. CSI – DoD (Comprehensive Scriptural Investigation utilizing Dicionary of Definitions). Found this on internet several months ago > https://studybible.info/version/KJV_Strongs > and use it for cut and paste. Hope to get the program downloaded to PC soon. Have had site not come up from time to time. Currently have saved on favorites. First save! LOLGB+
LikeLike