Nicholas

@qoheleth

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There are many theories on how in the long run AI will allow us to build some utopian neo-communist society where everything is basically free because labor and production are close to zero (see Fully Automated Luxury Communism for example), but in the short term this is all just useless speculation.

Even if this utopian dream will manifest (and I... See more

Nils Paar • Preparing for the Agentic Era

The next speaker after journalist Heba Jamal was renowned Palestinian scholar and author Salman Abu Sitta, who was participating remotely through a pre-recorded video.

Two minutes into the video, dozens of police suddenly stormed the center of the hall in front of the screen and the stage and stopped the streaming.

As the police stormed the stage... See more

Abir Kopty • Police raid Berlin conference as repression of Palestine activism escalates in Germany

Neither were they magicians: the good meaning of magoi, though found nowhere else in the Bible, is demanded by the context of the second chapter of St. Matthew. These Magians can have been none other than members of the priestly caste already referred to. The religion of the Magi was fundamentally that of Zoroaster and forbade sorcery; their... See more

Magi

may be a rationalization of the practices as through Christ. While Zoroastrianism forbade particular forms of illicit magical practices that may have contained some "dark magic" things like astrology and dream interpretation were not among them. We might also note however how Greek and Jewish authors were typically not aware of Zoroastrianism and the details of what Zoroastrian priests actually did. They often viewed them as associated with various things including astrology and magic.

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My understanding is that a strong majority of scholars (including conservative scholars) take the position that the long ending of Mark was not in the original and was not written by the same author as the rest of the text, but nonetheless was added very early on (probably in the early 2nd century). However, the evidence is not as overwhelming as... See more

Is the ending of the Gospel of Mark (16:9-20) original?

The Greek word magoi is a transliteration of the Persian magush , who were Zoroastrian priests. They were experts on the motion and reading of the stars, i.e., astronomy and astrology. Greek authors did not have a clear understanding of either Zoroastrianism or what the Persian priests ( magush ) actually did. They viewed them as involved in the... See more

The Three Wise Men (or Magi) and Their Tragic Role in the Gospel of Matthew

Mark 16:9-20 has been called a later addition to the Gospel of Mark by most New Testament scholars in the past century. The main reason for doubting the authenticity of the ending is that it does not appear in some of the oldest existing witnesses, and it is reported to be absent from many others in ancient times by early writers of the Church.... See more

The Ending of Mark (Mark 16:9-20)

The abstract for Albert de Jong’s chapter:

This chapter examines illegitimate ritual forms in ancient Iran as practices deemed unacceptable by Zoroastrianism. It surveys specific negative roles and opponents listed in textual sources as “evil,” beginning with the daevayasna (worshippers of incorrect gods), yatu (sorcerers), and paririka (witches).

Magic in Ancient Iran

It would be a mistake, however, to go to the other end of the spectrum and argue that Paul is urging his audience to give unthinking and critical approval of everything the Roman government did. As mentioned above, Paul was more than willing to critique governments and empires for the sake of God’s kingdom and the cause of Christ.

It would also be a... See more