Is 'Jesus And The Essenes' Based On Historical Facts?

Hunting down a person in Las Vegas for comment can feel like a small investigation, and I’ve done this a few times for community posts and local reporting. First, try the obvious public channels: Google their name with variants (use quotes around the full name), check LinkedIn for professional contact info, and look through Facebook, Instagram, and X for profiles or direct message possibilities. Local news websites like the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada Current, or community blogs sometimes include contact details in articles. If they’ve been involved in business or civic activity, the Nevada Secretary of State business search and Clark County Recorder/Assessor pages can reveal business filings or property records that point to a public email or mailing address. If those direct routes don’t pan out, reach out through intermediaries. Contact the newsroom or reporter who mentioned them, message mutual connections from social media, or use professional directories connected to their industry (trade associations, nonprofit boards, etc.). When you do find a channel, send a concise, respectful outreach: one short paragraph stating who you are, why you want a comment, what topic you’ll quote them on, and a clear deadline. For example: 'Hi — I’m writing for [outlet/community]. I’d love a brief quote about [topic] for a piece going live on [date]. Can you reply by [date] or suggest the best contact?' That clarity increases response rates. A few cautions from experience: always verify identity before publishing anything (there can be multiple people with the same name), don’t share or request overly private information, and respect a no-comment reply. If they’re a public figure or represent a business, their PR or legal contact may be required for formal statements — searching press releases or corporate pages often reveals that. I’ve had quick success with a friendly DM plus an emailed copy for formality; sometimes patience and a polite follow-up are all it takes. Hope that helps — I’ve seen these steps work more often than not, and it feels great when someone actually responds.

Yes, the app provides note-taking and highlighting tools so users can personalize their devotional experience. You can tap and hold a passage to highlight it in different colors, add margin notes, or tag reflections with custom labels. Notes can be synced to your account, so they’re always accessible. This feature makes it easier to track recurring themes or spiritual growth over time. Many users use the note section like a digital prayer journal, which adds a personal layer of meaning to their daily readings.

the Jesus Calling Devotional app lets users enable daily reminders for their readings. You can schedule notifications for a specific time—morning, afternoon, or night—to help you stay consistent. The reminders are gentle and customizable, not intrusive. When you tap the alert, it takes you directly to the day’s devotion. This system helps users develop a steady rhythm of reflection, especially for those who want to build a spiritual habit but struggle to remember daily readings.

Two words that come to mind that rhyme with 'Jesus' are 'bees us' and 'seizes.' I know it’s a bit quirky, but if you’re being creative with lyrics or poetry, you can make it work!

The claim by Hong Xiuquan in 'God's Chinese Son' that he was Jesus' younger brother is one of those fascinating historical twists that blurs the line between rebellion and divine revelation. I've always been gripped by how this wasn't just a political move but a deeply personal spiritual conviction. After failing the imperial exams multiple times, Hong experienced a series of visions during a feverish illness, where he believed he was taken to heaven and met God, who told him he was Jesus' sibling. This wasn't mere grandstanding—it was the foundation of his entire Taiping movement. The way the book portrays this is chillingly vivid: imagine a man so disillusioned by Confucian bureaucracy that he rewrites his own destiny through divine mandate. His followers didn't just see him as a leader; they saw him as a prophet sent to purify China, which makes the Taiping Rebellion feel less like a war and more like a crusade. What's wild is how this claim shaped his policies. Hong didn't just declare himself Christ's brother; he built a whole theology around it, mixing Christian elements with radical social reforms. Land redistribution, gender equality in theory—though inconsistently applied—and the destruction of Confucian texts became holy acts. The book really digs into how his divine identity gave him unshakable confidence, even when his decisions grew increasingly erratic. The irony is thick: a man who wanted to overthrow Qing corruption became a dictator himself, yet his belief never wavered. The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom wasn't just a state; it was a religious experiment where loyalty to Hong meant salvation. The book doesn't shy away from the brutality, either—those who doubted his divinity faced execution, proving how tightly power and faith were entwined. It's a stark reminder of how belief can fuel both utopian dreams and unimaginable violence.

I watched the critical conversation around 'Woke Jesus' unfold with equal parts amusement and genuine curiosity. Reviews weren't monolithic — they splintered along cultural lines, stylistic tastes, and what people even expected the project to be. On one side, a lot of critics praised the creators for attempting something audacious: blending satire, theological riffs, and contemporary cultural critique into a package that refused to play safe. Those reviewers highlighted the bold performances, moments of sharp humor, and the pieces of storytelling that actually landed as incisive commentary rather than mere provocation. Critics who liked it often compared its nerve to other transgressive works like 'South Park' or even the more earnest reimaginings such as 'The Last Temptation of Christ', arguing that it intentionally courts discomfort to force conversation. On the flip side, an equally loud chorus found flaws that went beyond simple taste. Many reviews called parts of 'Woke Jesus' heavy-handed — accusing it of leaning too hard on topical buzzwords and turning complex religious ideas into punchlines or propaganda. Some thoughtful critics said the satire sometimes lacked subtlety, substituting nuance for loud signposting, while others felt the piece caricatured both believers and progressives without offering a sincere third option. Political and cultural commentators used the term 'woke' like a lens and a cudgel, which made the reception feel polarized: certain outlets framed the work as a necessary critique of performative virtue, while others read it as an opportunistic exploitation of culture-war tropes. Mixed reviews tended to praise the ambition and performances but criticize pacing, tonal whiplash, or an unresolved middle. Beyond the headlines, the conversation spilled onto social media and into thinkpieces, where the same scenes were parsed in wildly different lights. I enjoyed following that back-and-forth because it revealed as much about the reviewers' priorities as it did about the work itself: some loved that it asked questions, others wanted answers. At the end of the day, I found parts of 'Woke Jesus' brilliantly provocative and other parts frustratingly blunt, but the fact that it made people argue — thoughtfully and not — is part of what I find interesting about art that tries to ruffle feathers. It’s messy, imperfect, and oddly alive, which is more than I can say for a lot of safer options out there.

when users sign in with their account, reading progress, highlights, and notes are automatically synced across all devices. This means you can start your devotion on your phone and continue later on your tablet without losing your place. The sync feature works through cloud storage, ensuring everything stays updated even if you reinstall the app. It’s especially convenient for people who read on multiple devices or like listening on one and reading on another.

Robert Graves' 'King Jesus' is a fascinating blend of historical fiction and bold reinterpretation. The novel reimagines Jesus not as the divine Messiah but as a mortal claimant to the Judean throne, weaving together obscure historical threads like the Herodian dynasty and Zealot rebellions. Graves meticulously incorporates real figures—Pontius Pilate, Herod Antipas—and events like the Roman occupation, but his narrative deviates sharply from biblical accounts. He draws on apocryphal texts and his own theories about royal bloodlines, crafting a Jesus who is a political revolutionary rather than a spiritual savior. The book’s strength lies in its gritty realism: Jerusalem’s factional strife, Roman brutality, and the messy intersection of religion and power feel vividly researched. While Graves admits to creative liberties, his grounding in first-century politics makes the speculative elements compelling. It’s less a factual retelling and more a provocative 'what if' that challenges readers to reconsider history’s gaps.