Quotes from Brian Godawa

Every story is informed by a worldview.

Inanna knew sexuality was a form of worship intrinsic to human nature, so the perversion of that nature into manifold excess would lead to an idolatry of such a deep level as to enslave these wretched creatures to their appetites. The possibilities of sexual depravity were endless. The goal was to inspire sexual union with everyone and everything other than one man and one woman in covenant before Elohim. Even animals, inanimate objects and children were not exempt.

Elohim was with him. He was with all of them, but not in a way that some might expect. Elohim obliged no man life or blessing. He dispensed his purposes as he wished and he did not owe an explanation for his ways. He was the potter and humanity was the clay, as their creation story explained. If Elohim chose to craft some of those vessels for destruction and others for glory, that was his prerogative. He was accomplishing his purposes for his people.

how it had looked like Eden. He pondered what it was like for the Man and Woman to be in such communion with Elohim, their fellow creatures, and the world around them, full of splendor and glory. He wondered what it would be like to be in Elohim's presence and the presence of his divine council of ten thousands of holy ones surrounding his throne and worshipping in the Garden that was his temple.

the other gods had discovered the universal economic law from time immemorial: whatever you tax you get less of, and whatever you subsidize you get more of. By heavily overtaxing wealth, she could decrease the amount of private wealth and therefore lessen its power. By subsidizing poverty with government welfare she would increase poverty and thus dependency upon the state. Human nature was such an easy thing to exploit when you understood how it operated.

You will learn to be more grateful. It comes with experience

Well, then," said Lilith, "by all means, show her around. Expose her to the beauty of Mother Earth." A chill went down Arisha's back. She could swear she saw a split tongue in Lilith's mouth. Almost like the garter snakes she had played with in the forest. Maybe it was the mushrooms. She saw three tame looking hyenas sitting off a short distance from Lilith and her children, watching them like loyal dogs—or guardians.

Almighty Elohim," said Noah, "creator of heaven and earth. Forgive our sins. Hear our prayers. May we, your servants, be found acceptable in your sight. I have not always done what you have asked of me, and it has taken your heavy rod of chastisement to bring me back in line with your purposes. I do not ask for our survival, but for your will to be done.

Prayers always took her mind off herself and her impossibilities and onto Elohim and His possibilities.

Armageddon" was a word that meant a climactic battle for the "mount of assembly," the very seat of divine power in the heavens. Hermon was the mount of assembly for the gods of the earth. Zion was the mount of assembly for Yahweh in Jerusalem. Belial had used the term to express the clash of kingdoms that was coming between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdoms of earth. A clash of cosmic mountains. The prophet Ezekiel called it the Battle of Gog and Magog.

The goal of this education is to aid the reader in striking a balance between two extremes: cultural anorexia (rejecting all moviegoing because of any negative aspects) and cultural gluttony (consuming too many movies without discretion).

Emzara was the most submissive of women. She knew Elohim created woman out of man's side to be his ezer, a helper beside him. But sometimes that meant speaking the truth that was hard for one's beloved to hear. "My love, pride leads to a fall. It is faith that leads to freedom.

Her biggest influence in persuading Noah was in prayer. When Noah was blinded by his own stubbornness, she would ask Elohim to soften his heart. Elohim had a way of opening Noah's eyes better than anyone else could. She did not believe that Elohim had abandoned them. She was sure he was planning something very significant to make his point. It would take something big to transform Noah to accomplish his calling. Elohim was like that.

Anu continued, "If we cannot breed out this coming king, we will find the Chosen Seed by killing every last remnant of the nomadic tribes of humanity who do not worship the pantheon." The seriousness of it all settled upon Ham.

Premise one: If Yahweh Elohim is all-powerful he could destroy evil. Premise two: If Yahweh Elohim is all-loving he would destroy evil. Premise three: Evil is not destroyed. Conclusion: Yahweh Elohim is either unable or unwilling to destroy evil." Now it was Enoch's turn to pause for dramatic effect. He milked it with relish.

The temple tower would be three hundred feet square, and three hundred feet high, with seven progressively smaller tiers and a blue enameled shrine for the gods at the top. It would contain a golden table and a large altar for mating in the Sacred Marriage rite. A vast courtyard would surround the temple for an assembly of citizens at special events such as the yearly Akitu Festival.

He knew all the prophecies. He had studied them. That small town cut out virtually all claimants to Messiah. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

This huge tower would become the new cosmic mountain of the gods. They would engage in an occultic ceremony that would transform the ziggurat into a portal, a literal stairway to heaven that would enable the pantheon to recruit from the myriads of Elohim's heavenly host to join their revolution. The original two hundred had accomplished much since the days of Noah. They eagerly imagined what they could do with thousands or even millions.

With its head in the heavens, and its foundation in the Abyss, this tower would be the center of power for the pantheon of gods, uniting with the earthly potentate Nimrod. It would make them an unstoppable united force of heaven and earth.

The Babylonians called it Tiamat, the Canaanites called it Lotan, the Ugaritic translation for "Leviathan." Hebrews called it Leviathan and sometimes Rahab.[12]

It had some kind of access to the underworld. Equally significant was the fact that this sacred space stood at the foot of the mountain range of Hermon, the cosmic mount of assembly of the gods. Simon had read the Book of Enoch, and the Book of Giants at Qumran. He knew of the fall of the Watcher gods at this very mountain before the Flood. This was the heart of evil in the land of Bashan, the place of the Serpent.

Do I not get blessed?" It took a moment for Abram to recall what Bera must have been ruminating over. "You have the return of your people and spoils," said Melchizedek. Abram butted in, "After a tenth of everything is given to the good king Melchizedek for his priestly services and mediation.

The scourge, which the Romans called the flagrum, was a long-handled whip that branched out into multiple leather thongs a total of five feet in length. At the end of each thong was a knot with an embedded piece of iron or glass. The sharp material would rip the flesh from the victim in streaks of bloody gore down their backs.

rich were able to afford crypts where entire families would be able to "go to sleep with their fathers," as the saying went. Sleep was the common metaphor used to express their hope that one day Yahweh would return and resurrect the dead for judgment. There was a debate within the Pharisee and Sadducee circles about resurrection. The Pharisees believed it, but the Sadducees did not.