Product Description
On December 21, 2012, the Mesoamerican Long Count calendar, a 5,125- year cycle calendar system pioneered by the Maya, will come to an end. At the same time, the earth, the sun, and the center of the galaxy will come together in an extremely rare cosmic alignment. More and more people believe that the world as we know it will experience a transformation in 2012, but few are aware of the complete history or significance of the date. John Major Jenkins, among the most authoritative voices of the 2012 movement, has written a definitive explanation of one of the most thought-provoking phenomena of our time. Drawing from his own groundbreaking research (including his involvement in the modern reconstruction of Mayan 2012 cosmology) and more than two decades of extensive study of Mayan culture, Jenkins has created the crucial guide to understanding the story of 2012-an essential overview of the history, theory, cultures, and personalities that have brought this extraordinary idea into modern awareness. Jenkins provides illuminating answers to some of the most-asked questions about 2012, including:
- How did the early Maya devise the calendar that gives us the cycle ending in 2012, and how does it work?
- How did the calendar come to be rediscovered and reconstructed in our era?
- What controversies and intrigues surround the topic, and what do scholars and researchers have to say about them?
- How can we cut through all the noise about 2012 and gain true wisdom from the Mayan teachings about this moment?

... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Over Hype
I like to read other peoples opinions on everything. I decided to get this on the vine program and I think there is way more hype to this whole year and this book than needed. I suggested this book to a couple of my friends and neither of them finished it. They said they found it to be like when everyone was ranting over 2000.

300 pages of badmouthing anyone else who has studied the Maya
Jenkins spends the first 300 pages badmouthing almost everyone who has studied the maya and 2012, except of course the 3 or 4 who agree with him (who are naturally open minded and brilliant).He seems to me to be the typical gad-fly, who is convinced he has proof of aliens, government cover-ups in area 51, etc.He apparently felt he needed to do this to get to the real point of his book,that the Maya creation myth coincides with everything political, economic, that he disagrees with.And, OF COURSE, it is the EVIL George W Bush, Corporations, the media and the entertainment industry, and even OBAMA has fallen under the spell of this global conspiracy of EVIL which is bringing the world to it's end, just like the evil 7 macah in the Maya creationism story.This last part is actually worth reading because it is just SO ridiculous.

I was disappointed
I was looking for a book on 2012 that was based on science, not hype.I had seen Jenkins in interviews, and he sounded like the kind of author I was looking for.

The only problem was - the book is mostly about him (somewhat of an autobiography), and not much else.His LSD trip was not something that I felt qualified him as an expert on archeology, but his love of the Mayan people did shine through the whole book.

The 2012 Circus Is Coming!
JMJ stands between stolid academic researchers and flighty new agers as a critic of both camps. There isn't much storytelling here; it is a thorough critique of Mayan scholars and New Age charlatans. JMJ is an independent scholar that takes the best of both worlds: the freewheeling style of the New Agers with the hardnosed reasoning of academic scholars. He says that outside scholars serve the purpose of bringing new ideas to the academic community that is often tied to conformity and orthodoxy too much for its own good. Don't expect to be reading a lot of trippy new age themes here, although he does cover one of his LSD experiences. He thinks that Mayans predicted an end of an age in which we would transition to a new one with new values. He thinks that the Mayan worldview is superior to the Western one in which we are to see ourselves as part of nature and how we are to respect nature by determining the consequence of our actions throughout the web of life. It is a good book for determining who has integrity in New Age circles and for seeing how academia was reacted to the 2012 craze.

A balanced synopsis of the "2012 phenomenon!"
MY TiTLE: A balanced synopsis of the "2012 phenomenon!"
TAGS: 2012 prophecy, maya calendar, cataclysm, galactic alignment, precession, endtime hype, world age, cosmology, preconceived idea!
REFERENCE: Jenkins, John Major, "The 2012 Story: The Myths, Fallacies, and Truth Behind the Most Intriguing Date in History."First Edition. New York, NY: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2009.

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This 496-page book by John Major Jenkins is a well-documented research about the much hailed (and perhaps feared) "2010 phenomenon." Jenkins is no newcomer to the "2012" scene. In his own words, he has "been investigating May culture since 1985," and has produced several "books and articles on Maya calendars and cosmology" (pp. 2).

Rather than espousing a "doomsday" theory approach, or dismissing the "2012" phenomenon as a hoax, Jenkins produces solid research of the traditional Maya calendar, combined with the findings of astronomy, predicting a rare "solar-galactic alignment" for 2012. Jenkins does NOT leave the reader guessing about his stance, as he explain his entire approach in a ten-page introduction titled, "2012: An unstoppable idea" (pp. 1-10). So why read on for thirteen more chapters? Simply to learn all there is to learn about such mysterious subjects as the "Long count" (pp. 58-81), the "Galactic alignment" (pp. 263-286), and Jenkins' own prediction of the significance of the 2012 date (Chapters 12 and 13).

John's book is very well documented, as it includes an index (pp. 465-483), 20 pages of notes (pp. 431-450), a bibliography of selected volumes (pp. 451-464), and two appendixes: a) glossary of terms (pp. 415-424) and b) a timeline of the 2012 story (pp. 425-430).

Finally, I tend to agree with John's concept of human nature. John writes, "We need a shared ceremony, a mystery play to enact, in which both sides sacrifice themselves and rebirth each other. Hearts [emotional/social] and minds [mental/economic] united, body [physical/biological] and spirit [spiritual/moral values] humming together, evoking the great alchemical union of opposites at the end of the cycle" (pp. 377, second §, comments added in square brackets). This four-dimensional concept is more pronounced in a direct quote from Barbara Tedlock, heading Jenkins' fourth chapter ("Breakthroughs or breakdown?"). "Maya people [...] different systems of timekeeping [...] in the separate provinces of their biological [physical/material], astronomical, psychological [mental/economic], religious [spiritual/moral values], and social [emotional] realities" (pp. 122, comments added in square brackets).

Here, as in several other of my book reviews, I wish to lodge my firm opposition to the system of end notes. Even though John has no less than 372 notes (i.e., 4 + 29 + 31 + 27 + 37 + 47 + 68 + 17 + 2 + 24 + 26 + 9 + 32 + 15 + 4 = 372), they are of little or no value to the average reader, as they are quasi-hidden and mostly useless in an 18-page section (pp. 432-449), following the appendices. No average reader in his/her right mind is going to flip back and forth 372 times between the reference number in the main text (e.g., # 22, in Chapter One, on page 41) and the actual note at the end of the book (e.g., note # 22 on pp. 432). It is beyond my comprehension why publishers "insist" on the endnote system. Footnotes are so much more practical and user-friendly. Even though John's book has this negative defect, assuming it is the publisher's responsibility, i give the book a 5* (five star) rating.

What I do appreciate, however, about John's writing, is that, here and there, he gives the reader a few snippets about John's academic experience and principles learned along the way. These principles are useful and applicable in other spheres of intellectual inquiry, such as philosophy, anthropology, or theology. I wish to quote two examples of such principles: 1) "There's a problem in how scholars emphasize certain facets of an ancient culture. A tendency to make them relatable to modern minds will emphasize characteristics that are recognizable in our own culture--a reflex called reification [...]. Scholars consequently do not try to shift their consciousness in order to perceive the unique traits of an ancient culture and are instead content to interpret it through the unmoving filters of their own paradigm's values and assumptions" (pp. 51, third paragraph). I'd call the principle embodied in this quote the principle of "having a preconceived agenda," and no amount of new data will sway the (often unaware) holder of this principle to embracing a new perspective, or even the possibility of a legitimate alternative.

And John's second quote goes like this, 2) "Yuri Knorosov [...] experienced the epitome of what happens when an outsider advances a new insight. The insight was shocking to the establishment because it came about not by amazing more and more data until the correct interpretation appeared; no, the data had been lying around for decades, waiting for the right person to come along and reframe the material in such a way that the right interpretation clicked into place" (pp. 55, third paragraph, underlined emphasis added in both direct quotes). Perhaps the principle embodied in this quote can be called the principle of "the revolutionary, transforming, and reforming insight from a naïve, innocent, unbiased, typically non-professional outsider to the establishment in any discipline."

When I read these principles, I cannot help but reflecting on the dilemma that hasplagued the Christian church since the close of the apostolic period (See Acts 28:31), namely the debate over the day of rest and worship: is it the "seventh day Sabbath" (now referred to as Saturday), or is it the "first day of the week," now referred to as Sunday? No amount of new data seems to sway proponents of one view to the alternative view, and vice and versa.

NOTE: Should you have any comment(s) and/or suggestion(s) about this review, I can be reached via email at [...]. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Ordered from Amazon.com; received {delivered} on Mar 01, 2010 8:27:00 AM; first reading between Wed 2010-3-3 (2:41am) and Mon 2010-03-08 (9:40am). Word count = 902/990. Book review submitted to Amazon.com on 2010-03-27 (11:18pm). ... Read more

Product Description
Together again with the only books they are coauthoring since the bestselling Left Behind series.

Before there was the tribulation, before the rapture, before there was a legacy that could be left behind, there was Jesus. John's Story tell His glorious, dramatic story. John's Story: The Last Eyewitness is told by the one whom Jesus called beloved. John, a once-broken man, was forever changed the moment he met the mysterious stranger from Nazareth, his heart opened by the One whom he discovered to be the Son of God.

At ninety years old, John is the last of the original twelve apostles still alive, the only one who was not martyred. Committed to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ, he is called by God to write a gospel in order to set the record straight-as others were teaching that Jesus wasn't the Son of God. Recalling his time with Jesus, John brings to life the miracles and messages of the Man who would change the course of history.

The first in a series, John's Story: The Last Eyewitness is a remarkable and thrilling account of the life of the Man who came to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament and to save all of mankind. To bring deeper understanding to the story, each of the four books nclude the text of the corresponding gospel as an appendix.

John's Story illuminates the times of Jesus, His life, and His messages like never before. Using cutting-edge historical and academic research, as well as biblically based themes, they are first and foremost page-turning novels that could come only from the pens of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

love this book
this is a 4 book series so far have read 2 of them just finish johns story read the book in a week could not put the book down they are a wonderfull way to read some of the new testament but in a simple way for you to understand it i have just ordered book number 3 and will order the 4th series if you love the lord it is a wonderfull way to expirence it

Fiction, But What a story
This is a very well written account of the life of John.As you read it, you are transported back in time to the settings of the times.this story is so well written that you forget that it is fiction and just based on a very little history.Well worth the read and it gives a great narrative of the life and times of the principals.

NOT John's Story
Agree with some other reviewers, this is a boring, poorly written book. It's not John's Story at all. There is no character development. We don't get to see any of these people become more mature Christians. Not even John. Instead, this book is the gospel of John and Revelation (completely ignoring 1-3 John), a bit of commentary, and a lot of complaints about how John feels about what is happening around him.

The Apostle John doesn't sound like the John from the Bible. All John does in this book is rant against people like Cerinthus, struggle to eat, and complain about his ailments (though usually in thought). Here, John's contact with the Spirit and union with Jesus is sporadic at best, and John seems to spend most of his time wondering if God is paying any attention to him.

Even worse is that some of the theology presented in this book isn't even accurate. At one point, they talk about the Church as the House of God, disregarding Acts 7:48, that "the Most High does not live in houses made by men.". At other places, John recites the "Lord's Prayer" word for word, as if he does not understand that it is not a mantra for all believers to repeat verbatim.

The authors do not put themselves in John's place, instead, they put John in our place, making John think and act as we would if we were in his place. No wonder I found this book brand new at the Dollar Store. This book is not worth more than $1, and would be better used to balance a wobbly piece of furniture.

John's Story
This book may have shortcomings, but its value is found in the historical context which it provides to its readers.Most modern day preachers and teachers take John's books out of context.They have no concept of why John was inspired to write his books.After reading this book, a person will have a better understanding of the spiritual context of John's books.Once one knows the historical implication and intent, then one can make the proper spiritual application.

The Jesus Chronicles
The four books in the Jesus Chronicles series have all exceeded the description given and delivery time has been excellant.They are a great way to help visualize what life might have been like during Jesus life on earth and the struggles the early Christians had.It is also a good way to introduce someone to start reading the Bible!
Thanks.
Duane Zimmerman ... Read more

Product Description
Why does the Maya calendar end in 2012? In this groundbreaking book, Jenkins shows that the end date of the Maya long count calendar on December 21, 2012, marks the rare alignment of our solar system with the galactic center. This happens every 26,000 years, and the Maya believed this alignment would greatly accelerate human evolution. 200 illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY ITEM
I have YET TO RECEIVE MY ITEM AND THE PEOPLE WON'T ANSWER MY MESSAGES TO THEM.I HAD TO GO TO A BOOK STORE AND HAVE THEM ORDER IT B/C THIS IS REQUIRED FOR SCHOOL.

Maya Cosmogenesis 2012

This is a very interesting book about the mayan culture e the maya calendar in a language that all of us can understand.Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: The True Meaning of the Maya Calendar End-Date

Mayqa Cosmogenesis 2012
This is quite an interesting book as it completely covers the history of the Mayans & the development of their view of the cosmos & its predicted destined future!

Maya Cosmogenesis 2012: Galactic Alignment? Maybe.
Let me start this review by praising John Major Jenkins for his intense scholarship and dedication to the Mesoamerican culture. If there's one person who should be consulted in any effort to understand or speculate on the various cultures of Central and South America, it is he. Jenkins' opinion is highly thought out, scientifically tested and comes with a solid passion for the material. In many ways, he is more qualified than those scholars that walk around teaching the very same subject matter.

In fact, it's Jenkins' lack of tied-down scholarship (the political end of it) that allows his theories to branch out into the mythological - and even somewhat mystical.

Maya Cosmogenesis 2012 was a book that I've had on my shelf for a long time. I finally got around to reading it after a few years of procrastination; and although the book itself is a marvel, I was very much disappointed in the end result.

This book is nearly 400 pages of pure content, but unfortunately Jenkins' concluding theory is less than six pages long. I bought the book expecting a theoretical examination of the Mayan end date, but mostly I found the book to be an examination of the Mesoamerican astronomical practices. Jenkins' does a phenomenal job of offering evidence that the Mesoamerican people were extremely advanced in their astronomy and understanding of the cosmos, but he offers little information of just what the significance of the 2012 date actually might be. What he does offer is a conclusion more likely to be found in a New Age book rather than a scientific inquiry.

To Jenkins' defense, hearing a 2012 theory that is not doom-and-gloom, but instead offers a brighter outlook is refreshing to say the least. It just seems out of place in a book whose primary focus in its almost 400 pages has been mathematical, calendrical and cosmological. The picture he paints of these star-obsessed ancients is one of intelligence and purpose. His passive conclusion seems to be out of character for such a culture working off of definitive knowledge and in a highly active manner to harmonize with this cosmology (such as their various complex rituals and human sacrifice games).

Ultimately Jenkins' research also reveals a false misconception with 2012. The galactic realignment placing the Sun in conjunction with the center of the Milky Way (and the possible black hole existing therein) actually will not occur according to his evidence. Instead the Sun barely touches the bottom edge of the "dark rift" that it's supposed to align with. Jenkins dismisses this fact, believing that the proximity is enough for the Mayans to be right, but it does offer some opposition to the theory.

Jenkins' balances nicely his scientific evidence with an examination of Mesoamerican mythology and mysticism, and even goes out on a limb to speculate on the "powers" of shamanism and their control and access of cosmological principles. All of this builds a solid foundation, but ultimately his theory isn't as fleshed out as one would have expected given the evidence. But once again to Jenkins' defense, if the Moon affects people through its manipulation of water (which gives some credence to other heavenly bodies having an affect - hence astrology), then the possibility of this galactic alignment having an impact on consciousness is highly plausible. I just wish Jenkins gave us more in his theory than he did.

I don't "hate" this book. But I recommend reading Aveni's after you've read this one
I'll start by saying that I wish Amazon's rating system were different: according to Amazon's system, the criteria for assigning stars are purely emotional, with "5 stars" = "I love it", and "1 star" = "I hate it". That system seems to be the root cause of some of the acrimonious discussions in the "Comments" sections: a reviewer who admires an author and agrees with his point of view may also believe that the author didn't research his topic adequately, and didn't reason or write very well. If that reviewer isn't aware of the criteria he or she is supposed to use when assigning stars to the book, he or she will give that book a one-star rating based upon how poorly it presented, defended, and expressed a viewpoint with which the reviewer fully agrees. Unfortunately, people who are in tune with Amazon's system then read the review under the impression that the reviewer "hated" the book, which leads to needless misunderstandings in the discussions.

The above having been said, I recommend reading Maya Cosmogenesis in order to understand what the 2012 phenomenon is about. However, anyone who reads it would also be well-advised to read Aveni's The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012. Like Aveni, I admire Jenkins' dedication, and share Jenkins' outrage at the direction the modern world is heading. At the same time, it's crucial to know where Jenkins reasons badly and goes wrong in his astronomy.
... Read more

Product Description
Explores the central role played by the galaxy in both ancient and modern times in the transformation of the human spirit.
* Extends Jenkins' groundbreaking research in Maya Cosmogenesis 2012.
* Reveals how the coming Galactic Alignment of era-2012 promises a renewal of human consciousness.
* Uncovers the galactic vision of Mayan, Egyptian, Greek, and Vedic cosmologies.

The Galactic Alignment is a rare astronomical event that brings the solstice sun into alignment with the center of the Milky Way galaxy every 12,960 years. Building on the discoveries of his book Maya Cosmogenesis 2012, Jenkins demonstrates that the end-date of 2012 does not signal the end of time but rather the beginning of a new stage in the development of human consciousness. He recovers a striking common thread that connects the ancient cosmological insights of the Maya not only to Egyptian thought and Vedic philosophy but also to the diversity of humankind's metaphysical traditions ranging from Celtic sacred topography and Medieval alchemy to the Kabbalah and Islamic astrology. His work presents us with a groundbreaking synthesis of lost wisdom once common to ancient cosmologies that will help us understand the significance of this transformative cosmic milestone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

GalacticLongWinded
I thought this book was tedious and that the author could have organized his thoughts better. He begins to tell you something, stops and says he'll tell you more about that in some other chapter. Occasionally the book starts to get interesting and then he flits to conjecture and hypothisis. I have read a lot of books on ancient history and thought he should do more research. I really thought his writing style made what I consider a fascinating topic very boring. I was transformed unconscious...zzzz!

Important Commentary on 2012
This is compelling and important to understanding 2012 theory and man's wakening. Perhaps difficult to understand for the 2012 noive - but full of key research and information. A must have for any 2012 library collection.

Check out my newest thriller - Bound by Birth - by Randall R Wheeler
Bound By Birth

No scientific or other value whatever
John Major Jenkins has long ago given up reviewing facts. He just makes it up as he goes along. The so-called galactic alignment is an event that requires 18 years to pass. The true galactic alignment occurred sometime in 2003. No disaster then. He prophesies events that will occur, and even as he puts them forth there is no basis for the conclusions he would have you reach. Things he claims will happen on this galactic alignment have never happened in the past galactic alignments (over 100 since homo erectus). Science is completely ignored. This is nothing but an attempt to get the weak minded A&E watchers to spend money on his books. Between shoddy science and poor writing, why bother?

Not an easy read, but very important.
Another step along a journey that is leading towards something quite profound. This is a book for people already familiar with the subject matter. It is a very detailed look at the evolution of consciousness that we are undergoing as we move towards 2012.
Popular culture portrays 2012 as an disaster movie. Instead, John Major Jenkins puts forth the concept that we are at an epic moment of transformation. Those who are realizing that the selfish, materialistic world we have been living in is coming to an end are the ones who are going to have the best chance to navigate the coming changes.
Something we all need to consider as we get closer and closer to 2012.

Aaron Hoopes
author of
Zen Yoga: A Path To Enlightenment Through Breathing, Movement and Meditation

Pseudo-scientific, money-grubbing garbage
Oh, please.Why do people have such a desire to return to the Dark Ages, when everyone believed that you could turn lead into gold, and that the sun revolved around the Earth?Saying that the "galactic alignment" is going to affect the Earth is like saying that dropping a pebble in a pond is going to cause a tsunami on the other side of the planet.The galaxy is too huge, the distances too great, for there to be any affect whatsoever.Try adding up some numbers.There are so many truly amazing things in the universe to discover and marvel at, why do people fall for charlatans like this who only want to take your money?I am disgusted and outraged. ... Read more

Product Description
General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1849Original Publisher: Derby, MillerSubjects: GeneralsUnited StatesBiography ... Read more

Product Description
The first translation of a previously unknown Aztec codex and its initiatory teachings for 2012.

• Discloses the potential for great spiritual awakening offered at the end of the Aztec calendar cycle.

• Presents the only existing English-language transcription of the Aztec codex, with line-by-line commentary.

• Contains the epic poetry and metaphysical insights of Beat poet Marty Matz (1934-2001).

In 1961 an unknown Aztec codex was revealed to Beat poet and explorer Marty Matz by a Mazatec shaman in the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico. Originally intended for dramatic performance, this codex presents a profound metaphysical teaching describing how the end of time will bring about a visionary ascent. At the behest of his Mazatec teacher, Matz transcribed this pictorial codex into a literary form that would preserve its initiatory teachings and reveal its secret meanings to a wider audience.

Pyramid of Fire is an epic poem that provides a vehicle to transport the initiate into the higher realms of consciousness. It represents a barely surviving thread of teachings that have been passed down in secret since the time of the Spanish Conquest. Revealed are the techniques by which man is transported to the stellar realm after death via the solar energy within what the ancients called the "serpent of consciousness." Line-by-line commentary by Matz and John Major Jenkins provides insights into the perennial philosophy contained in the codex and its relevance to our times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not everyone north of the Maya is an Aztec
I suppose, as a mixed heritage Native American (meaning all of the Americas), I should have long ago gotten used to the fact that white people beginning with Columbus cannot keep their Indians straight.Tragically for my digestive system, I have not.Less tragically, but regretfully, as precontact codices interest me greatly, the problem made it impossible for me to finish this very small book.Although there were reckoned to be over 7,000 codices in the library of the Tlatoani (speaker as emperor) Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin (Montezuma the Younger), no precontact Aztec Codex has survived, though much of what is known of the Aztecs comes from the post-contact mixed work contracted by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, often called the Florentine Codex.All precontact codices are from outside the Aztec area (the three cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan or Tlatelolco, despite their exaction of tribute from a wide area of MesoAmerica).The Mazatecs are a Oaxacan group whose language is part of the Popolocan tongue (related in no way to the language of the Aztecs), and who are part of the magnificent cultures the Oaxacan area of Mexico which was not conquered in any way by Cortes and his numerous Indian allies as the Aztecs were in 1521.In fact, part of the area was barely conquered at all, and remains magnificently matriarchal up to today and immigrants from Europe have often learned Zapotec (a language related to Mazatec) before Spanish.As a result of this history, some religious precepts as well as gods and goddesses might be shared with the Aztecs, while others would not be shared at all.Most likely this Codex, given the reference drawings from other codices, would be Mixtec or Zapotec in origin, or be from the Mazatec themselves, something Don Daniel could have clarified.Trying to make all the indigenous peoples of Mexico into generic Maya or Aztecs leads to the worst kind of cultural conflations and assumptions.We would not claim a piece of Greek writing to be Roman, nor Turkish as Greek, nor for that matter Japanese as Chinese. Whether we believe in the historical or the mystical realities of the indigenous people of Mexico, or for that matter both, we owe them, and ourselves, cultural clarity about the history of their ancestors.In fact, we owe this to all Native Americans (I speak as a descendent of the Mississippian civilization).If we wish to celebrate Native spirituality, let's start with respect for its brilliance and complexity not try to put it all into a blender as we seek to come out with the same old same old white Quetzalcoatl, yet again.....

Interesting work not adequately rooted in the source culture
This book centers around the (possibly incomplete) translation of a supposed lost Aztec Codex called the Pyramid of Fire.In short there are too many things about this book that are incomplete and make the book seem like it's a mashup which really hurts the central truths that the text may be trying to convey.

First, codices are pictoral depictions.We have no sure pages from the Pyramid of Fire codex.The images in the book are those borrowed from other codices which are said to resemble those in this codex.There were thirteen pages of the Pyramid of Fire.There are seven drawings presented and not one of them is from this codex.Just at this point you have a tremendous problem in that the work is not rooted back to it's original conveyence which is two-fold, the pictograms and a living Mazatec codex-holder who can speak directly to the text.The lack of these two things, codex and codex-holder, ultimately unground this work from the start.

Second, Marty Matz, the poet who supposedly was befriended by a Mazatec teacher/shaman (Don Daniel), lost the 13th page of the translation he wrote down years before.John Major Jenkins supposedly listened to an old tape recording (he could barely hear) of Marty reading the codex from the 1960s.But there are facts in the written codex that were different from what Marty had spoken such as 675 vs 468 years regarding Tonalpolhualli at the end of page 5 of the codex.Another unfinished aspect is the included novella that Marty was writing about the codex abruptly ends after the first chapter.You inevitably start getting the impression that this book is having a hard time conveying complete information.It's like the codex was beginning to fade away and Don Daniel, Marty, and JMJs efforts barely rescued it from oblivion.That's at least the best case impression you could have.

Third, apart from Marty's supposed original contact with Don Daniel there is no evidence that either Marty or JMJ attempted to contact or in any other way verify the themes in this codex with any current living Mazatec personage.This lack of verification is very troubling and leads to the near complete unhinging of this codex from the culture that produced it.This is why this review is titled Cultural 'Lifting'.

Forth, JMJ proceeds to apply his own observations and insights into the text.Although he is versed in cross-cultural spiritual studies, his attempt to compare, fit, and lift the Pyramid of Fire to other spiritual systems is what ultimately breaks the presentation of the codex away from it's roots into an ascribed perennial philosophy.This attempted comparison includes the works of Gurdjieff, Taoism, the Kaballah, and even references to oracular use of Majong.The lack of pictograms or personage cause the text to be interpreted, or lifted, based on JMJs own experiences and biases.Regardless of JMJs good intentions, or breadth of knowledge, this type of presentation quickly distances the text from it's original culture and meanings.

To be clear it is certainly evident that various spiritual traditions are all attempting to explain the divine ground of being.Different spiritual paths are like different facets of a diamond conveying different aspects of the one truth.But lacking a strong infusion from original Mazatec sources (and especially the pictograms of the original codex) the book dilutes the original meaning of the text by attempting to make connections to other systems that are by no means certain. There is not sense of polish or completeness in this book.

These points have lead me to the conclusion that the codex, if authentic, has been lifted and unhinged from it's cultural roots and presented in a way that does great injustice to it.There are too many pieces that were incomplete, missing (where are the pictograms?), or supposed to make this book a fitting conveyence for the codex.

For the lack of cultural rooting and especially for the lack of the pictograms (which does seriously weaken it's authenticity) two stars is the rating for this book.The text itself may be authentic.At least it does embody principles that seem likely for the cultures in this region.The core codex text itself gets three to four stars.

If you do not know much about Meso-American spirituality nor are studied very widely in world spiritualism then there may be enough here to justify reading this book.Just keep in mind you are getting alot more other stuff than Aztec information. But ultimately the shortcomings in the material around the codex and the deflections into analogues in other belief systems and the lack of apparent verification from any living Mazatec teachers are factors which cannot escape careful examination.If the codex survived almost 500 years to reach Marty is it very likey that such an important text would still have a Mazatec lineage holder on the planet.

To JMJs credit he did emphasize the direct experience of reading, even aloud, the Pyramid of Fire text.Had this book taken more of a counselling approach to this goal and to be more poetic it would have been more effective.It could have spent more time giving the reader hints on how to harmonize with this work.It could have encouraged the direct mystical experience rather than an attempted scholarly approach.The book should have given examples from Mazatec culture on how to get into the core of the text based on how the Mazatec do things.Without this key to embodied resonance with the text this work is definately a head-piece rather than a heart-piece.My largest concerns are not with the core truth of the Pyramid Fire text but with the wrappings around it.

JMJ has looked at the subject of the Maya and 2012 in much detail.His material is worth reading keeping in mind that because of the breadth of the subjects you really do have to stay awake and not just accept everything at face value.

I hope that someone will take another try at this text and really spend time attempting to recover the original pictograms if they still exist and to spend time trying to verify the text with living Mazatec teachers.I salute the Mazatec people and all other peoples who have been carriers for the authentic wisdom of humanity through the ages.To honor the ancient ones we need to ensure that their voice, not ours, is central when presenting their wisdom.

Hamsa

Pyramind of fire
Since I dabbled in mind altering drugs in the 60's and 70's I could understand the words and thoughts of Jenkins.Since I first heard of 2012 in Graham Handcocks "Fingerprints of the Gods" I have sought out books on the subject.I have narrowed my reading to the Central American and Hindu trane of thought.I like Jenkins so much I purchased Maya Cosmogenesis 2012.Both should be read by all.

DiaGnosis: A very important document
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Beat generation poet Marty Matz explored remote areas of Mexico and learned to speak the Mazatec language. He gained the trust of a Mazatec shaman, who showed him an unknown codex, and also explained to him the meaning behind the pictograms. Marty made a translation and recited it in the poetry clubs of San Francisco. The final page got lost over the years, but John Major Jenkins located a recording of one of Marty's recitals and reconstructed the whole translation.

All other codices that have survived have been interpreted solely by non-indigenous scholars, with the exception of the Popul vuh of the Maya, which was written into a word form from what was originally a pictorial document. This means that the Pyramid of Fire is a unique insight into the philosophy of the Aztecs, which turns out to be fascinating. The true meaning of sacrifice, for example, is simply a transcending of the ego - a self-sacrifice. The metaphorical pictures were misunderstood and resulted in the gory mass sacrifices of prisoners for which the Aztecs later became famous. In fact, the Aztec philosophy turns out to be very similar to that which was known to G.I. Gurdjieff, following his travels across the near East and Asia.

The Pyramid of Fire reveals that the Aztecs had a spiritual technology similar to the Kundalini yoga of the Hindus, in which Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, is shown to be an identical concept. Though some have suggested this in the past, they lacked the evidence - now we have it.

The last page of the codex reveals that the final New Fire ceremony will bring a fire of purification that will burn away the remains of mortal desires and illusions, that will be the end of obscurity - the obscurity imposed by Tezcatlipoca - the Smoking Mirror, or obsidian mirror. This is a very similar concept to the end-time vision of St. Paul "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1 Cor 13 v.12) or alternatively, "through a glass darkly". Since Jenkins has already reconstructed the meaning of the New Fire ceremony as a tradition for tracking precession (see Maya Cosmogenesis 2012), and that it was adapted at Chichen Itza (the pyramid of Kukulcan) to correlate with the Mayan end-date of 2012, then it seems that the Quetzalcoatl-Kukulcan-Kundalini teachings are to help prepare mankind for the current time-window earmarked by 2012, when we are due to confront The Other.

Hidden wisdom of Aztec codex
John Major Jenkins is best known for his facinating work on the Mayan calendar, such as 'Maya Cosmogenesis 2012' and 'Galactic Alignment'. In this book, he explores the Aztec culture, and in particular an unknown codex discovered by his co-author friend Marty Matz, a 'beat poet' of the 1950's generation. In the book Jenkins provides a complete listing of the 13 page codex, along with his own commentary on its meaning. In addition, there is an autobiographical novella written by Marty, which reminded me of the writings of Carlos Castaneda. Jenkins is convinced of the authenticity of the codex and its part in the 'perennial philosophy'.

I was particularly intrigued by the parallels of the writings of the codex with those of other esoteric sources, particularly the writings of George Gurdjieff, Gnostic, Hermetic. Kabbalah, Hebrew and Christian scripture. Jenkins seems to have a profound grasp of the esoteric meaning behind the writings of the Mayan, Aztec and other Meso-America cultures and their part in the perennial philosophy of the ages. Jenkins is a gifted writer and scholar and I recommend this book wholeheartedly. ... Read more

Product Description
An illustrated, encyclopedic overview of the prophecies, calendars, and theories that indicate the year 2012 is a threshold of great change for humanity

• Looks at the scientific and anthropological evidence for the rare galactic alignment due to occur in December 2012

• Sifts through the catastrophic theories to show what we might really expect in 2012

In December of 2012 the Mayan Calendar’s Great Cycle will come to an end. Opinion remains divided as to whether apocalyptic scenarios of worldwide destruction or utopian visions of a spiritually renewed humanity will prevail after this key date has passed. What is certain, however, is that a rare galactic alignment will occur, one so unique that it is found at the core of many wisdom traditions from around the globe.

Geoff Stray has been collecting the vast amounts of data relating to the 2012 phenomena since 1982. Far from confining his research to the Maya, who provide the most prominent predictions indicating this date will herald significant changes for humanity, he has studied the prophetic traditions of other cultures--including the Tibetan, Chinese, Jewish, Ethiopian, and tribal cultures from around the globe--to show the kind of convergence of cosmic purposes happening along a number of parallel tracks. This book offers an extensive study of many modern theories, including Terence McKenna’s timewave zero and Maurice Cotterell’s sunspot research as well as anomalous phenomena such as near death experiences and crop circles. Sifting through all the scientific research and speculation that the year 2012 has inspired, Geoff Stray provides an encyclopedic look at what we might really expect on this pivotal date.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great material in a nut shell!
This book is worth the time to read if this is your subject of interest. The author has done a good job.

good book
Descriptions of many ancient calendars and predictions from the world over.Includes graphs and charts that are very detailed.I tended to skip over the visual aids and sometimes the descriptions.Read the parts that interested me most and skipped the rest.Very interesting ideas and comparisons.

recommend Beyond 2012
The author of Beyond 2012 has painstakingly made extensive and yet objective research on this highly controversial subject matter. I particularly found the analysis of many well known authors in this area to be carefully considered and objectified.
The information provided is the best I have found yet.

Heavy on reference, short on conclusions
The good news is that the book lists a brief summary of each of the predictions from the mildest to the wildest, including some helpful illustrations.The bad news is that even with three chapters of conclusion material, no clear conclusions are drawn.The technical inaccuracies and inconsistencies and relative plausibilities of a number of the predictions is presented, but not in a thorough or systematic way.The most helpful references are to Goeff Stray's website [...] for a complete up-to-date catalog of all things 2012, and John Major Jenkin's social networking portal [...].If you are looking for a checklist or grading system from the best to the worst, you will not find it here. A comprehensive reference book at best.

Boy Scout Handbook for 2012
This book is great for bedside or bathroom reading, as it is jam-packed with short segments of esoteric anecdotes and pseudo-scientific speculation that is sure to raise eyebrows and keep you turning for more, even if you don't necessarily buy into the whole 2012 craze.I think Geoff Stray has an amazing brain, or else he's just a bit crazy, I can't be sure.If you're looking for mainstream science, this is not the book for you.But if you like to let your mind meander into the realm of the collective unconscious and meet beings from other dimensions, or listen to a good scary yarn around the campfire on a starry night, you will find this book very entertaining. ... Read more

Product Description

The Untold Story of the Church's First Thousand Years

Customer Reviews (46)

Fitting a Missing Piece
This book suprises readers by showing more Christians lived in the Middle-East and Africa than in Europe. The balance tipped towards the West around the year 1200 and this book documents why. Western powers protected Christianity but Muslim conquests slowly choked it. I found this book was a refreshing antidote to the idea that Christianity is a "Western" religion.

The downside to this book has to be the continual shift in focus. Jenkins jumps around in time quite a bit which makes it hard to contextualize this books list of events in a chronological manner. Nevertheless, it would make a useful addition to a library since it offers a glimpse into the forgotten half of the church.

More about How It Died than the Golden Age
The Lost History of Christianity turns the common view of history portrayed by Tertullian's famous quote about "the blood of martyrs being the seed of the church" onto its head. For it was Tertullian's own church tradition that all but vanished before the Muslim invaders (p 34). I enjoyed this book for several reasons:
1) I was surprised to learn that, in relative terms, the Middle East is only recently "Muslim" (less than 100 years). This was accomplished in very recent history "by carnage on a massive scale."
2) Alliance with political powers of the day came back to bite Christians by hastening the extinction of their churches.
3) Where the church failed was in not sinking roots into the world of the native peoples (p. 229). They made next to no progress in taking the faith to the villages and the neighboring tribes, nor did they try to evangelize in local languages.... they utterly neglected the countryside. The "African churches were destroyed not because they were corrupt but because they failed to reach the hearts of the true natives of the province... they were the churches of a party and not of a people." (230)
4) The Eastern Church died because it failed to adapt: "Churches that remained wedded to the old social order found themselves in growing difficulty, while more flexible or adaptable organizations succeeded" (p. 234).
Having spoken to some of the aspects of the book I appreciated, I was disappointed on several fronts:
1) I had hoped to read more about the early church in China. There's a little of that here, but not much.
2) Similarly, I had hoped for a well-told story:a narrative relating the sadness of a tragedy which gradually transpired over time. But I found Jenkins'account - interesting in many places--often coming across as dull, uninspiring, repetitive dry history, and with little direct bearing to the human condition (there was some application, philosophical reflection and theologizing near the end, however).
3) How did the traditions and rituals these early Christians practice impart richness and meaning to their daily lives? I had hoped to understand how these extinct branches of Christianity might inform my faith with fresh vitality. Unfortunately, what was expressed here mostly fails to express the fervency and vibrancy which many early believers must have experienced in their lives. The perspective throughout is that of an outsider-- never able to penetrate beyond exterior forms and structures (buildings, etc). Or is that why their version of Christianity is now lost to history?
4) To Jenkins, who is a Christian? Who is a Muslim? Or are these just labels? Jenkins seems to sometimes confuse religious and political entities regardless with how they stack up with the claims the New Testament makes for itself about what a person of faith looks like. For example, "the sensational Palestinian terrorism across the globe in the 1970s was planned and orchestrated by Christian commanders..." (167).There's a difference between faith in name and reality.
5) From start to finish, the author goes way overboard in trying to be politically correct. Time and again he goes out of his way to stress the gentleness of Muslims. The most irritating example of this is on page 242 where we learn that the "scriptures of Islam include considerably fewer calls to blood-curdling violence than do their Christian and Jewish counterparts." I'm not going so far to say here that Islam is necessarily a violent faith by nature, but Jenkins' interpretation not only conveniently ignores the New Testament and the teachings of Jesus, but also ignores the diametrically opposite paths down which these two faiths travelled in their earliest years of development.
6) Finally, Jenkins writes from a thoroughly secular, pluralistic perspective--which assumes religions belong to the private sphere, must make no claims to exclusivity, and must be subjugated beneath the claims of secularism (which, by the way, is itself nothing but a religion making its own claim to exclusivity). For example, see page 175, "Assuming for the sake of argument that all religions are equally true, or equally untrue..." Or page 257: "If we assume for the sake of argument that Christianity's claims are genuine..." Or if Islam is not to be understood, as Muslims believe, to be "the only true faith"... And finally, Jenkins applauds certain "progressive" Christians because they believe that "Christian evangelism of Jesus is unnecessary and unacceptable... [it is] an equally valid path to God." (259).
In conclusion, I would have enjoyed reading about this topic more from an unapologetically and unashamedly Christian perspective (and thankfully, I did google some good historical material online). I bought this book because of its highly acclaimed review on the Christianity Today website.Having now finished it, I'm glad I read it, but will think twice before buying the next book that CT whole-heartedly recommends!

Invaluable for its historical perspective
I would highly recommend this book for, essentially, two reasons:

1) It provides a very accessible introduction to the Church of the East, the "Nestorian" church, the apostolic church that existed for over a thousand years outside of the dictates of the Roman (both Western and Byzantine) empire. While this book does not delve with detail into doctrinal differences between what the West has considered "orthodoxy" and the teachings and practices of the Church of the East, it aptly describes both the geographical and cultural impact of what once claimed a membership far larger than that of both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches together.

2) The latter half of the book touches upon two highly ignored (I suspect purposefully) subjects: the religious context from which Islam (the religion which supplanted the Church of the East throughout most of its territory) arose, including likely inclusion of many elements of the Church of the East itself as well as the equally ancient (and equally unswayed by Roman/Byzantine control) Ethiopian Church (and I would add most likely from the remnants of earlier Semitic "Jewish-Christians" escaping Roman/Byzantine persecution as well); and some foundational thinking for the study of the extinction of churches/religions, together with a look at the theological complications presented when any church/religion believing in a God who personally intervenes in history disappears.

This was not only a welcome entry into the popular library of a completely neglected area of history and religious studies -- imagine, a Christianity that was not at all part and parcel of the Western world! -- but totally relevant to today's world vis-a-vis the "problem" (as we Westerners seem to insist on seeing it) of Islamization.

Much needed
Jenkins's book fills a much needed vacuum (on a popular level) in terms of the history of Christianity in the Middle East as well as how Christians have fared under Islamic regimes.I would take issue with how he characterizes the policies of some early Caliphs such as Omar II, 'Abd al-Malik, and Yazid, all of whom instituted policies designed to squelch Christian presence and practice in the Middle East.Despite these shortcomings, it is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of Christianity and Christian-Muslim relations.For a book that explores more of the theology of Arabic and Syriac-speaking Christians living in the world of Islam, I recommend Sidney H. Griffith, THE CHURCH IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOSQUE.

How half of Christendom was wiped out
One thousand years ago, there were almost as many Christians in Asia and Africa as there were in Europe, and yet we tend to think of the Roman Catholic church as being essentially the only church prior to the Protestant Reformation, according to Philip Jenkins in this book. Churches that were thriving in the Middle Ages have now vanished, almost without trace.

In the year 544 AD, the city of Merv in southern Turkmenistan became a metropolitan see of the Eastern Church, forming a base for mission further East in Asia. By 550 AD numerous monks had reached China, although the first recorded establishment of a mission in China was at Ch'ang-an in 635. The Emperor Taizong was tolerant towards Christianity, but the mission was destroyed in the 9th century when Emperor Wuzong expelled foreign religions. Genghis Khan was no Christian, but he knew a number of Nestorian Christians.

So how did large numbers of apparently vigorous churches disappear? In the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia, Christianity coexisted peacefully with Islam for many centuries when Islamic rulers were tolerant, but was eradicated when Islamic rulers were less tolerant. Much of the church in the Middle East was wiped out in the early part of the 20th century.

There is certainly plenty of interesting information in the book. However, a lot of the text seems to be the subjective views of the author rather than a recounting of historical occurrences. The chapters are not arranged chronologically, so the exact sequence of events is not easy to follow. This is not amongst the most engaging history books that I have read, but it certainly has aroused my interest in medieval church history.
... Read more

Product Description
The John F. Kennedy Handbook is an uncompromising and revealing analysis of Kennedy’s life, presidency and leadership.Inside information based on exclusive interviews with Noam Chomsky, world-renowned political and social analyst and media critic, on JFK’s aggression against Vietnam and Cuba; Fabián Escalante, former head of Cuban intelligence, who reveals remarkable insider-information on the assassination; and Carlos Lechuga, Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations during the Cuban Missile Crisis, who provides a dramatic on-the-spot account of those fateful thirteen days.George Galloway, the British MP said it is "An explosive, revealing, uncompromising portrait." Howard Zinn said, "This is an unusual book, combining a remarkable array of photographs with sharp insights into the life and work of John Kennedy. he interview with Noam Chomsky is alone worth the price of the book."Over 150 evocative photographs and rare collectibles provide a visual and personal narrative documentary of John F. Kennedy’s life.Galley Mailing to press and Booksense stores.The John F. Kennedy handbook is a hard-hitting, well-judged account of the making of the first television savvy American president, driven by one of the wealthiest, most ambitious families of modern times—the Kennedy political machine. The book includes essays on John F. Kennedy’s high pressure childhood, chronic health problems, womanizing, political influences, his emergence as a fervent Cold Warrior, the record of his presidency—Cuba, Vietnam, Berlin, civil rights, his assassination and his legacy.Seven Reasons to Read the John F. Kennedy HandbookExclusive interview by Noam Chomsky, world-renowned political and social analyst and media critic, giving a sweeping overview and assessment of the Kennedy presidency and in particular Kennedy’s responsibility for the Vietnam debacle.Dramatic, on-the-spot account of the Cuban Missile Crisis in an exclusive interview with Carlos Lechuga, Cuban Ambassador to the United Nations at the time.Inside information, drawn from Cuban secret archives, revealed by Fabián Escalente, former Head of Cuban Intelligence, who gives his exclusive (and uncompromising) analysis of the role of the right wing "Cuban Mafia" - in league with the CIA and the Mob -in Kennedy’s assassinationFidel Castro gives an astoundingly accurate assessment of the consequences of President Kennedy’s death, predicting that American society would become more right wing.John F. Kennedy’s iconic life story is newly revealed in MQP’s spectacular, best selling documentary format—a tough but fair political and historical assessment. Written by political economist Gareth Jenkins, author of the CHE HANDBOOK and renowned expert on Cuban history and culture, this book paints the bigger picture from a wide-ranging, well researched, international perspective that includes information culled from archives in London, Washington, Boston and Cuba. The John F. Kennedy handbook is destined to become required reading for anyone interested in America’s most tempestuous political dynasty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Loosing focus! What about EXECUTIVE ORDER 11110?
This book is packed with info so we loose track of the essentials. The author cleverly avoids JFK's EXECUTIVE ORDER 11110 that got him killed...
I urge the readers to look up EXECUTIVE ORDER 11110, and then research the FEDERAL RESERVE, B.I.S., Bank of England, I.M.F you will find out the real story.
Back in 1864, Abraham Lincoln also tackled the private banksters and was assassinated by them for the same reason JFK got killed, in trying to regain control of the money supply.

Do we need another book on J F Kennedy?--Definitely, if it is as good as this one.

I have been following the Assassination of JFK ever since that terrible day on November 22,1963.I was glued to the TV for nearly a week and watched Jack Ruby actually kill Oswald live in plain view of millions of viewers. At the time ,there was no doubt about how serious an event was underway,and one had to wonder where will it all end. The only comparable event in my lifetime was the attack on America on 9/11.
Over the years I have read numerous books and watched many hours of films,documentaries and much discussion on the Assassination.
The book covers the whole life of JFK and picks out the most important events,comments and photographs.
There has been talk of conspiracy ever since it happened and this book sums up the reasons why the Assassination took place and who was behind it.
Look at these quotes and try to convince yourself that there was no conspiracy.

"Mark my word, this man Kennedy in in for trouble,and he will get what is coming to him....Kennedy's not going to make it to the election. He is going to be hit."
Mafia Boss,Santo Trafficante

"If I told you what I really know,it would be very dangerous to this country. Our whole political system would be disrupted."
J.Edgar Hoover

"Our polls consistantly show 80% of Americans believe there was a Conspiracy. If in fact there was,and if President Johnson and the FBI did pressure the Warren Commission to defuse the fears of a conspiracy,in doing so they may in fact have averted a chance for war against Cuba and the Soviet Union."

"One of your boys did it."
Robert Kennedy to Cuban Exile Leader, Harry Williams

The book also gives many quotes that were so well made by Kennedy.
On being asked how he became a War Hero;
"It was absolutely involuntary.
They sank my boat."

Another of his great quotes;
"Any man who may be asked in this country what he did to make his life worthwhile,I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction;
"I served in the United States Navy."

The book concludes with a most moving picture of Jacqueline,kneeling at the grave of her husband; with the comment by Mary McGrory;
"Jacqueline Kennedy....lit a flame that is to burn forever in his grave--against the day that anyone might forget that her husband had been President...

The important question is not "Who killed Kennedy", but,
"Why was Kennedy killed."

If you want only one book on JFK,make this the one.

John F. Kennedy Handbook gets my vote!
Having been a J.F.K. fanatic for many years, I've seen many documentaries and have read countless books on our 35th president.So, imagine how thrilled I was when I happened upon a nifty hand-sized book titled, John F. Kennedy Handbook, while browsing at Barnes & Noble.Reasonably priced, this book is literally a fountain of information on Jack Kennedy's life, spanning his childhood and school years; his heroic life in the Navy during WW2; and takes us through his political years as both a senator and president - ending with his tragic assassination on Nov. 22nd, 1963.You'll read about the close election with Richard Nixon, the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the nightmarish Cuban Missile crisis, and about the many memorable speeches he dilivered.Anything you ever wanted to know about J.F.K. is in this book, including the people he associated with.I was so impressed with all the details and facts and beautiful pictures, I wasted no time in buying my own copy.Over an inch thick with a stunning picture of President Kennedy on the cover, this gem is easily the best book on J.F.K. I've ever had the pleasure in reading.I strongely urge students of High School and College to buy copies of this magnificent book!In fact, this book is so powerful and gripping, it should be required reading for every American.I truly feel as though it expanded my knowledge on J.F.K.The author, Gareth Jenkins, did an outstanding job documenting an outstanding American hero!

History Fan,
Robert McCoy

PS - The flame continue to burn at Arlington . . . ... Read more

Product Description

Jesus Wars reveals how official, orthodox teaching about Jesus was the product of political maneuvers by a handful of key characters in the fifth century. Jenkins argues that were it not for these controversies, the papacy as we know it would never have come into existence and that today's church could be teaching some-thing very different about Jesus. It is only an accident of history that one group of Roman emperors and militia-wielding bishops defeated another faction.

Customer Reviews (18)

The Battle Over Jesus' Humanity
Correcting the ridiculous but ever popular myth that the earliest Christians viewed Jesus as purely human until the power-mad bishops of Nicaea in 325 voted him into godhood (ala conspiracy authors such as Dan Brown and liberal scholars such as Ehrman and Pagels), and that by a supposedly close margin (in actuality, of the approx. 318 bishops at Nicaea only two voted against the full divinity of Jesus), Prof. Jenkins shows instead how Jesus' divinity was pretty much taken for granted (even the heretic Arius taught that Jesus was divine, just not equal with the Father), so that, what was really at stake was Jesus' humanity (which blows the Gnostic theory out of the water, because the last thing the Gnostics wanted was God incarnate, a truly human Jesus). Was Jesus equally God and equally human? Or did one of his two natures predominate? And if so, which one? Was he merely God in a human shell, or was he God in a human body and with a distinct human personality? Or was his humanity nothing but an illusion as Docetists and Gnostics said?

Jenkins excels in making otherwise complex subjects totally accessible and comprehensible to lay readers. In "Jesus Wars" Jenkins focuses upon an obscure (to most folks) ecumenical council, the Council of Chalcedon of 451, and sets out the momentous effect this council had on subsequent church teaching, and why that teaching matters.

Jenkins explores the all-too-human motives that unfortunately drove some of the participants in the debate, helping us to understand, if not agree with, why they acted as they did. Without question ego and a lust for power drove some, but a serious love of truth and doctrinal soundness drove many others.

Prof. Jenkins has done it again, overturning much that people thought they knewabout the history of orthodox Christian doctrine, in the process overturning many incorrect assumptions, and does so in an easy-to-read, engaging style. In particular, he shows how similar many of the debated positions actually were, demonstrating that the earliest Christians actually agreed on far more than they disagreed, despite their often vocal protestations to the contrary. Finally, Jenkins shows us that what we think and teach about Jesus really does, or should, matter. One only wishes that many in the church today took such doctrinal issues as seriously as our ancestors in the faith did (though without the lynchings and fist-fights).

Reliving the Past
Philip Jenkins has written a serious history of the Christological controversies that strongly marked the fifth to seventh centuries. It is an era whose strident tensions and bloody conflicts over the identity of Jesus were punctuated by ecclesiastical councils and driven by political powers. In this period one sees the forces in play that evidence the transition from classical times to the Medieval Period in the West and the strident disruptions which left many of the ancient churches, warred upon by Christian brethren of different persuasions, welcoming the tolerance of Islamic invaders. It is in fact the story of the collapse of Roman and Christian rule over Egypt and the East which in effect insulated the protagonists from each other, or, as the author puts it, "How the Church lost half the world."

The book brings back into focus that, compared to the Protestant Reformation and the Counter Reformation of Catholicism in the 16th and 17th centuries and the subsequent sectarian conflicts in the West, the period under study here was far more violent than the latter fragmentation has managed to become despite its well known atrocities. It seems incomprehensible today that debates over whether Jesus had one nature or two, one will or two, could he and did he really die, and the like, could have produced Bishops who could sic their hit teams of cudgel and knife wielding monks on their fellow bishops and their congregants. But they did, even with imperial and military support in many cases. Fist fights were not uncommon at meetings of bishops wrangling with concepts that would seem arcane and perhaps incomprehensible to most Christians today.

Do theological debates of this nature rage today? Probably with less overt physical violence between Christian groups, but Jenkins raises the question: "Do churches today fall into internecine conflict over issues of biblical authority and sexual regulations while millions of Christians starve?" Of course the issues of the identity of Jesus and of the Christian are in never ending reflection and development, and mental images of present day believers are affected both by the orthodoxy that was created in these earlier centuries. They frequently impact the cultures we are a part of on an everyday basis but, given the transparency that culture tends to assume and the reluctance of many who study culture to eschew religion as either irrelevant or as too conflictual, we are rarely in a position to accurately and comfortably knit religious realities into the cultural pictures we draw.

Despite the complex terminology involved, Jenkins, a frequent contributor of op-ed pieces to major media, has managed to tell the intricacies of the theological debates in simple, almost conversational language. He has managed clarifying lists of events and people where today's reader is unfamiliar with both the issues and the cast of characters. An appendix nicely summarizes the dramatis personae of the period and the footnotes are full and professional. It is a pleasant but not an easy read and, in a sense, emblematic of the present where, in understanding of the mental and emotional conflicts surrounding religious or theological controversies, it is nigh impossible to put ourselves in the shoes of the other in our families as well as in public fora.

Excellent Book
I really like this book.It is about the history between years 300 to 600 after Christ.Rarely, you're going to hearabout these moments of history in a churce service or a bible study.It is spectacular to read about people that gave his life for the sake of Christ and for the sake of the future of the Church.

Good Background -
Conflict over whether Jesus was both man and God, or one or the other dominated the first years of Christianity. Then at a Great Council held in 451 A.D. at Chalcedon (near Istanbul) the dispute was 'settled' by acknowledging both natures. Yet, the dispute continued, only ending after decades of struggle. Tens of thousands perished in the persecutions by both sides, exceeding even the Inquisition. In the long term these schisms led to the collapse of Roman power in the eastern world, the rise of Islam, and the end of Christianity in much of Asia and Africa. The issue was settled less by better arguments than by geographical accident and military success in the campaign against Attila the Hun. So alienated were the Orthodox Christian dissidents that few were prepared to resist Muslim invaders; moreover, Islam offered toleration, peace, and an enviable separation of church and state. However, Christianity ultimately faded under Muslim power.

Interestingly, the initial outcome at Chalcedon would not have occurred absent the death of pro-Orthodox emperor Theodosius II who died when his horse stumbled in 450.

Rules for councils didn't exist - who could attend, voting method, etc. Final decisions were made by the emperor after receiving recommendations, though dissident groups could establish minority councils and send their own recommendations in as well.

Much of everyday life then revolved around a constant series of honor challenges and one-upmanship; defeated rivals had to be shamed formally. Lay people joined in the battles through mobs and organized gangs. Christians then behaved like many Muslims today - factions issuing fatwas, usually with the goal of justifying extremist/violent actions.

Understanding the search for orthodoxy
Jesus Wars goes a long way towards the understanding the history early church and its attempt to develop a common understanding of who is Jesusand the development of Christian theology. While I have had the opportunity to study church history at university and seminary, J. Philip Jenkins treatment of the the 3rd through the 7th century of the development of the Christian orthodoxy gave me an understanding and clarity to the period that I have never had before. I would recommend Jesus Wars to any one wishing a greater understanding of where we have come from as Christians and the development of traditional Christian theology.

Christians may be tempted at this time in world history to feel superior to the chaos and disruption to be found in other people's search for meaning and orthodoxy in other religious faiths like Muslims.It is important to understand that Christian history was rift with violence, self interest, manipulation, and more than one craven leader.There are many things that people might find that they have in common if we are not reluctant to examine our past. ... Read more

Product Description

The annual Demon's Bluff Spirit Fest is coming to town--all hell (and heaven) is about to break loose.

This sleepy desert town is so remote that no one is hassled for believing in God.Not even in 2022, when faith can get a guy arrested--or worse.So it's a perfect hideout for a young Christian with a price on his head.

Except that a hundred years ago, good and evil had a showdown in Demon's Bluff--and it's about to happen again.

Already, dark clouds are gathering in the desert.And a whole town is about to learn what happens when God's people choose to stand and trust instead of run and hide.

Customer Reviews (4)

From J. Kaye's Book Blog
I didn't know before hand that DEMON'S BLUFF is the second of the Renegade Spirit Series, following THE TATTOOED RATS. In this second installment, Patrick "Patch" Johnson is running away from the World Peace Alliance with the Tattooed Rats. For his safety, they - the Tattooed Rats - dropped him off at a remote Christian town Demon's Bluff. Soon after Cheryl McCry, Claudia, and Trevor - the demons - are on to him. As Patch learns about the history of Demon's Bluff, a great evil starts to come forth. Patch and his friends will be tested to see if they are willing to put there lives on the lines to trust God.

My middle son found this book was very exciting. He only had one problem and that was the story was kind of drowning is Christian religion. Readers might find this a plus, but he thought it should have been toned down a bit.

Wow!
Very very well written. This story has an awesome plot: Prayer. This story is a continuation of Tattooed Rats (also a awesome book.). Patch is on the run from Ms. McCry, and his friends at home our going through their own problems. Some of his friends grow closer to God while others drift further from God. Trevor (a demon) and two demons in training make it their life mission to find and kill Patch. At the end there is a battle between good and evil. Read this today!

an amazing book
This book was so good! Again, there were great characters and a great plot. This book is a great addition to the series. They include spiritual warfare, and promote the importance of prayer in the daily life. I loved the action that took place and the excitement. These books aren't like ordinary books that take forever to get to the exciting part. These books are cool from the start. You will find it hard to put them down!

Exciting Read
This series is fast paced, and thought provoking.
It is for the young adult, or young at heart adult, reader.
Both of my teenagers and myself really enjoyed both books so far in the series, and anxiously await the next one! ... Read more

Product Description
Plant Hedges

With the divorce rate steadily climbing and infidelity creeping into even the happiest marriages, in a society that trivializes adultery and its devastating effects, with temptation and opportunity coming at you from all directions—how can you keep your marriage from becoming a statistic?

The advice from best-selling author Jerry B. Jenkins is this: plant preventative hedges around your marriage. These hedges are practical ways to avoid compromising situations and giving temptation a foothold in your life.

Jenkins’s real-life stories of how temptation can slip in undetected and, in a dizzying whirl of deception and betrayal, cause a marriage to crumble are a wake-up call for all married couples. He openly shares insights from his own marriage as well as the hedges he has been using for years.

In this newly revised and updated edition with a DVD message from the author and a new study guide for group and personal use, Hedges is more helpful than ever. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

More than expected!
This is not just for men but certainly for women.It is an easy humourous read that touches on so many crucial areas or mrriage and male/female interaction. It addresses key points in a simple and very practical manner.A must for everyone, married and single!!

Well Liked Gift
I got this as a gift for a friend.He had asked for it and was very pleased with his gift.

Not Tough Enough
The author could have been stronger with his suggestions about boundaries in a healthy marriage - especially anyone who buys this book, since they probably have problems in this area.

He was a bit loose with what he thought was acceptable behavior. For example: Common sense will tell you that any flirting or a close friendship of the opposite sex is inappropriate in a marriage (and just opening the door for trouble). He was way too easy on the guilty party who is ruining the marriage with this kind of childish, selfish, nonsense.

He didn't take it far enough. It was like he was trying to protect the ego of anyone who might be reading this (at the suggestion of their spouse), and was afraid to just come on out and say, "Hey...you can't do this, AT ALL - it's NOT cool."

If you are the spouse of someone who does not build "Hedges", this book will anger you and make you feel more victimized, instead of hopeful for a change.

Essential to any relationship.
If you are in a relationship that you want to protect, and you should want to protect any relationship, this is an excellent book to read. If you're like me, you aren't a fan of scholarly christian books. Written by writer Jerry B. Jenkins, rather than a scholar, 'Hedges' communicates main points clearly without talking down to you or feeling too theological.

An excellent book. Buy it, read it, implement what you learn.You'll never regret it.

Must Read for Christian Men
This book is a great reminder of the attacks on marriage, and what we can do to protect against them.As a Pastor, I am all to aware of the attacks that come daily against marriages, and have recommended this book for newlyweds as well as those who have been married for years! ... Read more

Product Description
"John Holland Jenkins was thirteen and a half years old when the Alamo fell in 1836 and he became a soldier of the Texas Republic under General Sam Houston.... [But] it was not until 1884, when he was past sixty years old, that he began writing down . . . the reminiscences that, as now put into book form, light up for whoever will read [them] the earliest days of early English-speaking Texas." --from the Foreword by J. Frank Dobie "This is the firsthand account by one who measured up to the demands of danger and hardships and lived to write about it for others. For, here is history in the making--Indian raids and Mexican forays were daily menaces and brought massacres, capture and torture to these first settlers. These reminiscences . . . are invaluable for their recordings of early frontier times and for their presentation of such historic happenings as the Mier and Santa Fe expeditions. The original flavor of the writing has been beautifully retained and the entire account is well documented." --Library Journal ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good starting point
For a single book to get the feel of early Texas, this is very good. It is largely reminisces, but that is offset by the grandson's excellent editing notes that point out errors or give further details. There is some "man, we were good" attitude, but I believe that is understandable. I may rate Smithwick a slightly better read because of the humor and intelligence, but I felt this book gives a better overall picture of the time and situation. ... Read more

Product Description
If you're out of sight on the Web, says Search Engine Optimization specialist Richard John Jenkins, you're out of mind. Braving the wilds of search engine myths and facts, Richard offers essential tips on how to appear at the top of search results in Yahoo!, Google, and other popular search engines. From purchasing placement to optimizing keyword variations, from avoiding "black hat" SEO practices to setting up a search-friendly site, Richard covers it all. He also shares how to best submit your Web pages for indexing, how to monitor page rank, and how to build a solid base of links to your site. A must-watch video tutorial for experienced website publishers and for those just getting into the Web game.

Topics Include

• Search engine optimization (SEO) vs. search engine marketing (SEM)
• Getting to know your searchers
• Crawler-based search engines
• Keywording to rank high in searches
• Keyword combinations, variations, and stop words
• Setting up a site the wrong way: what to avoid
• Creating a search-friendly site
• Submitting websites for search engine indexing
• Building link relationships

Customer Reviews (10)

Has been..couple chapters are still useful
This was my first lynda course. I'm a professional web developer with a fair level knowledge, so I was expecting to know some of the material. However, I was disappointed to find that many of the web tools and urls are no longer available. Also, there are more than a few chapters dealing with very basic web design things. Setting a title on your page may be classified as SEO, but I don't need a 20 min explanation of how to do it in Dreamweaver 8.0. Yes, DW8..Even a newbie could figure out this process on their own.

In all I found two chapters useful. As they saved be a few hours of searching online, but not nearly enough to be worth the price tag. If you can find it used for under $50. It might be worth it for someone who is new to web design, but if proficient at figuring out the changes that have occurred in DW.

The teaching style was adequate, but the material is just to long in the tooth. Lynda, please make a new course.

Excellent - Worth Every Penny!!!
I highly recommend this title along with all the other SEO titles available at www.Lynda.com.I have an annual subscription that lets me watch this and hundreds of other training tutorials.This is a GREAT company.You should subscribe to the site if you want the best deal in town.

Wonderful Introduction to Search Engine Optimization
I just finished this training and have to say it is wonderful. SEO is such a hot topic, and the trainer, Richard John Jenkins, does a wonderful job in covering the topic in fine detail. The foundation of what is obtained from this training can be used to drastically improve a website's ranking in the major search engines using ethical methods, without resorting to "black hat" tactics.

SEO Strategies, Tips & Tools For Success From Richard Jenkins and Lynda.com
This resource is a must for anyone who has anything to do with a website...whether it be design, marketing, analysis...anything. Richard Jenkins and Lynda.com deliver a thorough review of Search Engine Optimization that is highly watchable, insightful and inspiring. From beginning to end, Richard Jenkins addresses important strategies for ranking with search engines, driving site traffic, important web design considerations, meta descriptions and tags, and much more. He also introduces the viewer to many tools that will ensure SEO success. This resource is well worth the investment of time and money.

Best source to get a handle on the SEO mystery.
This video explains not only SEO processes and sources, but also how to go about the thought processes and the also the correct way (white hat) to go about performing SEO services for your site and your customers if you are in the business. I thoroughly enjoyed Richards cavalier and no nonces approach in this video. If you want a quick jump start into the SEO world, I recommend this video. ... Read more

Product Description
Science Fiction Audiences examines the astounding popularity of two television "institutions" - the series Doctor Who and ^Star Trek. Both of these programmes have survived cancellation and acquired an following that continues to grow. The book is based on over ten years of research including interviews with fans and followers of the series. In that period, though the fans may have changed, and ways of studying them as "audiences" may have also changed, the programmes have endured intact, with Star Trek for example now in its fourth television incarnation.
John Tulloch and Henry Jenkins dive into the rich fan culture surrounding the two series, exploring issues such as queer identity, fan meanings, teenage love of science fiction, and genre expectations. They encompass the perspectives of a vast population of fans and followers throughout Britain, Australia and the US, who will continue the debates contained in the book, along with those who will examine the historically changing range of audience theory it presents. and continue to attract a huge community of fans and followers. Doctor Who has appeared in nine different guises and Star Trek is now approaching its fourth television incarnation.Science Fiction Audiences examines the continuing popularity of two television 'institutions' of our time through their fans and followers.
Through dialogue with fans and followers of Star Trek and Dr Who in the US, Britain and Australia, John Tulloch and Henry Jenkins ask what it is about the two series that elicits such strong and active responses from their audiences. Is it their particular intervention into the SF genre? Their expression of peculiarly 'American' and 'British' national cultures. Their ideologies and visions of the future, or their conceptions of science and technology?
Science Fiction Audiences responds to a rich fan culture which encompasses debates about fan aesthetics, teenage attitudes to science fiction, queers and Star Trek, and ideology and pleasure in Doctor Who. It is a book written both for fans of the two series, who will be able to continue their debates in its pages, and for students of media and cultural studies, offering a historical overview of audience theory in a fascinating synthesis of text, context and audience study. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Insightful but overly academic
An academic, though interesting look at the opinions of various viewers inregards to the world's two most famous sci-fi television shows, Doctor Whoand Star Trek.The Doctor Who section explores viewer reactions to (if I'mnot mistaken) the Jon Pertwee story "The Monster of Peladon", anodd choice as it is not generally considered one of the more popular DoctorWho adventures.The story was chosen for analysis as it features strongsocial and political commentary, including the subjects of worker's rights,unionization, and women's liberation.As the book is a scholarly look atthe average science-fiction viewer, it tends to be somewhat dry anddifficult to follow at times.Overall an interesting oddity, thoughprobably not for the average reader. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishings Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the worlds literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
For leaders of elementary, middle, or high schools, this book shows how your school can excel in reaching students with diverse learning styles; providing "authentic" instruction and performance assessment; applying constructivist learning methodologies; and enhancing learning through alternative scheduling. ... Read more

Product Description
John Jenkins (1592-1678) was both the most prolific and most esteemed of English composers between the death of Byrd and the rise of Purcell. During his long life he was employed as a resident musician in East Anglian noble households and became a court musician to Charles II in his later years.This is the first in a two-volume study of Jenkins and his music. It presents a biographical introduction to the composer then concerns itself exclusively with the superb consorts for viols which dominate the early part of the composer's career. It is profusely illustrated with music examples and discusses virtually every work in this form.ANDREW ASHBEE is an internationally renowned expert on C17th English instrumental music, has edited a number of volumes of music from the period, and is an author, broadcaster and lecturer. ... Read more