[Harsha Shah]

Yes, it is Harsha Shah here. This time I am quite afraid that I will be offending you as there is a very big problem with the Bible. We have been discussing this issue with my RME (that is Religious and Moral Education) class, and I must be saying now that this is a contradiction. Yes. Easter is coming so we were reading the Easter narrative, yes. In the Gospel by your Luke is goes like this.

(This is Luke 23: 38-43): And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

I was emphasising verse 43 as the problem is over there. Yes. I am afraid that you will be offended.

Jesus is making the promise that the thief will be meeting Jesus in your Heaven that same day. I went to consult a priest of the Church of Scotland and he was saying that is it "today" also in Greek. But we have been reading that Jesus was not in Heaven that day! Yes, no he wasn't. He was going into heaven only after the resurrection (3 days) and some more time on earth (40 days). It is possible that the thief was in paradise later that day, but he was not there with Jesus. Jesus was not there. No. Yes.

I must be asking if Jesus is lying deliberately or if the Bible is mistaken. Yes. I am very sorry if this is offending you but many of the pupils are now calling the bible a fairy tale book because of this issue. Yes. Happy Easter, everyone!

[BrotherLarry]

Sister Harsha,


Our amazing and wonderful Savior told the thief (whose name was Dismas) that he would be in PARADISE, not Heaven. The two are not necessarily always the same. When Jesus forgave the man, his soul was instantly saved and therefore not deserving of Hell. He really lucked out on that one since he was likely moments away from the flames. Think:


Had the thief been hanging there, saying to himself, "Wow, Jesus is here with me so there must be no hope for me either. No God. No Heaven. Just death," well, the outcome would have been quite different. Instead, the man said to our adorable Christ, "Remember me when you get home." So Jesus took pity and saved his soul.


Remember that Jesus and the Father are ONE. Even though they are two, actually three when you throw in the Holy Ghost, this Triune God is still one. And 3 is divisible by one. This makes it not only logical, but true. (John 10:30) However: Jesus had a mission to fulfill. He couldn't go back to Heaven as the Son yet. He had said He would rise on the 3rd day as you pointed out, and indeed he did.


But the same day Jesus temporarily died, the thief on the cross, Dismas, went to paradise - a peaceful realm of rest of the soul - with GOD THE FATHER. When Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and soared on up to Heaven like some kind of rocket ship, He kept His promises to not only the thief, but to mankind. Dismas is in Heaven with Jesus and has always been - the moment he died, because he went to be with the Father and that is the same as going to be with the Son, because they are the same. It's so simple.


I hope this helps you, dear sister. And your questions NEVER offend us. Your questions are helping you find the truth of the Gospel of Jesus, which means that even for a curry slurping demon, there is hope!


May Christ's love surround you, Sister.
BrotherLarry


PS: Do you have a curry slurping demon husband, or are you single?