Censoring God

The History of the Lost Books (and other Excluded Scriptures)

Jim Willis

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Hardback

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English

Visible Ink Press
09 June 2021

History of religion; Bibles

Series: Real Unexplained!

Why isn't the Book of Enoch in the Holy Bible, even though Enoch is referenced multiple times? Why were texts considered sacred by many, excluded by others? Who made the decisions and why?

There are more than 50 books-some of which exist only in fragments while others are complete and whole-that are not included in the biblical canon. Why were they discarded? Most Protestant denominations settled on 66 canonical books of the Bible, while there are 73 for Roman Catholics and 78 for Eastern Orthodox adherents. Why are there these differences of opinion?

We are often taught that the Bible is, in the words of many religious catechisms, ""the infallible word of faith and practice."" In reality, the Bible can also be seen as a political document as much as a spiritual one. Ordained minister and theologian Jim Willis examines the historical, political, and social climates that influenced the redactors and editors of the Bible and other sacred texts in Censoring God: The History of the Lost Books (and other Excluded Scriptures)

. In analyzing why texts were censored, he uncovers sometimes surprising biases. He investigates enigmatic hints of Bible codes and ancient wisdom that implies a greater spiritual force might have been at work. Willis explores the importance of the Book of Enoch, its disappearance, and how it was rediscovered in Ethiopia. He analyzes over two dozen excluded texts, such as Jubilees and the Gospel of Thomas, along with the many references to books that we know about from fragments but remain lost.

Thought-provoking and provocative, Censoring God scrutinizes how sacred texts might have been used to justify the power of the powerful, including the destruction of sacred writings of conquered indigenous cultures because they did not agree with the finished version of the Bible accepted by the Church establishment. This important book looks at the human failings in interpreting God's words, and through a compassionate examination it brings a deeper understanding of the power and importance of those words. With more than 120 photos and graphics, this tome is richly illustrated. Its helpful bibliography provides sources for further exploration, and an extensive index adds to its usefulness.

By: Jim Willis
Imprint: Visible Ink Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions: Height: 228mm, Width: 152mm, Spine: 15mm
Weight: 640g
ISBN: 9781578597376
ISBN 10: 1578597374
Series: Real Unexplained!
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 09 June 2021
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

About the Author Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Part I: From the Lands of the Bible: Books that Didn’t Make the Final Cut Who Wrote the Bible? The “Old” Testament How Did the Old Testament become “Old”? The Bible Code: Hidden Messages from Another Realm? Hiding in Plain Sight: The Apocrypha A Genesis Apocryphon Enoch and the Watchers Pseudepigrapha and Other Disguises Other Gems from the Dead Sea Scrolls The Lost Books of Eden There Were Giants in the Land The Great Flood The Journeys of Abraham Chariots of Fire The New Testament The Shadow of the Fourth Century Treasures of Nag Hammadi Out of Egypt The Protoevangelium of James The Gospel of Thomas The Mysterious Mary of Magdalene The Censored Gospel in Item 17,202 The Hidden Years Shrouded in Mystery: The Enigmatic Shroud of Turin Conclusions: A Personal Confession Part II: Lost Texts from Forgotten Lands The Mysterious Maya The Aztec Story as Told by the Victors Hopi Renaissance Peru in the Mists of Time Nature Reclaims the Amazon Conclusions Part III: The Song of Distant Voices Corpus Hermeticum—The Lament of Hermes the Egyptian Daniel’s Dream II Timothy—Saint Paul’s Final Warning The Apocalypse of Saint John Conclusions Of Gatekeepers and Censorship: Final Thoughts Bibliography Index

Jim Willis earned his master’s degree in theology from Andover Newton Theological School, and he has been an ordained minister for over forty years. He has also taught college courses in comparative religion and cross-cultural studies. His background in theology and education led to his writing more than a dozen books on religion, the apocalypse, cross-cultural spirituality, and the mysteries of the unknown. His books include Visible Ink Press’ Ancient Gods: Lost Histories, Hidden Truths, and the Conspiracy of Silence; Supernatural Gods: Spiritual Mysteries, Psychic Experiences, and Scientific Truths; The Religion Book; Hidden History: Ancient Aliens and the Suppressed Origins of Civilization; and Lost Civilizations: The Secret Histories and Suppressed Technologies of the Ancients. Willis resides in the woods of South Carolina with his wife, Barbara.

Reviews for Censoring God: The History of the Lost Books (and other Excluded Scriptures)

Censoring God is about books that didn't make it into the Bible: not just the Apocrypha but apocryphal gospels, different versions of the Genesis Creation story and much more. - Fortean Times