Leaf from the Hours of Étienne Chevalier: The Right Hand of God Protecting the Faithful against Demons, ca. 1452–60

The Hours of Étienne Chevalier is one of the most famous and lavishly illuminated manuscripts of the fifteenth century. It was painted for the treasurer of France by Jean Fouquet, court artist to kings Charles VII and Louis XI, who worked not only as a miniaturist but also as a panel painter and scenery designer. The Lehman miniature decorates the page that contains the opening words of the evening prayer (vespers) for the Hours of the Holy Spirit.

It shows the [Moorish French] faithful standing in the foreground on a terrace, looking up at the hand of God, as demons flee to the left and right. The subject is highly unusual, as is the topographically accurate depiction of medieval Paris, in which the Cathedral of Notre-Dame, the spire of Saint-Chapelle, the Pont Saint-Michel, and other monuments of the Île de la Cité (including the Hôtel de Nesle, where the figures stand) are immediately recognizable.

Doubts Concerning Ptolemy:

Truth is sought for its own sake … Finding the truth is difficult, and the road to it is rough. For the truths are plunged in obscurity. … God, however, has not preserved the scientist from error and has not safeguarded science from shortcomings and faults. If this had been the case, scientists would not have disagreed upon any point of science…

Therefore, the seeker after the truth is not one who studies the writings of the ancients and, following his natural disposition, puts his trust in them, but rather the one who suspects his faith in them and questions what he gathers from them, the one who submits to argument and demonstration, and not to the sayings of a human being whose nature is fraught with all kinds of imperfection and deficiency. Thus the duty of the man who investigates the writings of scientists, if learning the truth is his goal, is to make himself an enemy of all that he reads, and, applying his mind to the core and margins of its content, attack it from every side. He should also suspect himself as he performs his critical examination of it, so that he may avoid falling into either prejudice or leniency.

In The Winding Motion, Alhazen further wrote:

From the statements made by the noble Shaykh, it is clear that he believes in Ptolemy’s words in everything he says, without relying on a demonstration or calling on a proof, but by pure imitation (taqlid); that is how experts in the prophetic tradition have faith in Prophets, may the blessing of God be upon them. But it is not the way that mathematicians have faith in specialists in the demonstrative sciences.

Alhazen described his theology:

I constantly sought knowledge and truth, and it became my belief that for gaining access to the effulgence and closeness to God, there is no better way than that of searching for truth and knowledge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhazen

Courtesy of T Patrol and Mango:

The Facial Profile of Our Ancient Guide and God, Amen

The Facial Profile of God from the Orthodox Church

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the AMEN, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. ( Revelation 3:14-15 )

Amon, or Amen

(the mysterious ), an Egyptian divinity, whose name occurs in that of No-amon. ( Nahum 3:8 ) Amen was one of the eight gods of the first order and chief of the triad of Thebes. He was worshipped at that city as Amen-Ra, or “Amen the Sun.”

Bibliography Information

Smith, William, Dr. “Entry for ‘Amon, or Amen’”. “Smith’s Bible Dictionary”. . 1901.

Nahum 3:9 “Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength, and it was infinite”.

Marijuana Users Are Safer Drivers Than Non-Marijuana Users, New Study Shows
>PRWEB.COM Newswire
New York (PRWEB) April 06, 2012

In a recent study, 4AutoinsuranceQuote.org, a national quote provider for online car insurance quotes, cites a strong correlation between traffic-related accidents and marijuana use. The study, which looks at statistics regarding accidents, traffic violations, and insurance prices, seeks to dispel the thought that “driving while stoned” is dangerous.

In the study, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.org points out that the only significant effect that marijuana has on operating a motor vehicle is slower driving. 4AutoInsuranceQuote.org says, while referencing a study by the US National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), that driving slower “is arguably a positive thing” and that driving under the influence of marijuana “might even make you a safer driver.” A similar study by the NHTSA shows that drivers with THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) in their system have accident responsibility rates below that of drug free drivers.

In fact, a recent study shows that use of medical marijuana has caused traffic related fatalities to drop by up to nine percent in states that have legalized its use. This study, titled “Medical Marijuana Laws, Traffic Fatalities, and Alcohol Consumption”, conducted by Mark Anderson and Daniel Rees in November 2011, shows that increased marijuana use amongst adults has decreased alcohol related traffic deaths in said states. This study provides solid evidence that marijuana is not only a safe substitute for alcohol, but it also makes for more safer drivers.

“Marijuana users often say that when they are high, they feel like they are driving 80 miles per hour but actually are only going 30 miles per hour,” 4AutoInsuranceQuote.org CEO James Shaffer says, “when somebody is drunk driving, on the other hand, they often feel like they are driving 30 miles per hour but are actually driving 80 miles per hour. This is what makes alcohol dangerous behind the wheel, and marijuana safe.”

As an auto insurance quote provider, 4autoinsurancequote.org says that marijuana use can also have an indirect effect on insurance rates. Because of the correlation between marijuana use and accident responsibility rates, they say, marijuana users, as a whole, can expect to see lower insurance rates than non-marijuana users.

“The hypocrisy of it all is that if you get caught driving under the influence of marijuana, you will be fined and perhaps thrown into jail. What’s worse is that your insurance rates will definitely increase due to the traffic violation,” says Mr. Shaffer, “What law enforcement agencies and insurers do not understand is that driving while high is actually a safe activity. I guess the key to safer driving is to use marijuana, but to do it under-wraps.”

4AutoInsuranceQuote.org is an auto insurance quote provider operating out of Manhattan, NY. In business since 2008, they offer free insurance quotes online to United States users. In addition, 4AutoInsuranceQuote.org releases reports and studies on the automobile and insurance industries. Recent reports released by them include “How Biking Instead Of Driving Can Help You Save On Auto Insurance,” “How Does Your Income Affect Your Insurance Rates?” and “Women Are Bad Drivers – Fact or Fiction?”

Read the full story at prweb

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/655541#ixzz1rfTAo7Pj

The Ivorian Rasta village was established by local artists and musicians in 1999, near the town of Port-Bouet-Vridi It currently houses about 500 families, and growing daily.

It is a monastic type settlement, where residents live a Rastafarian code of life, simplicity, tranquillity, meditation, reflection, music and dance.

In this village, the work that the others in Jamaica started, are being brought to fulfilment. Rastafari has come back home to Zion and is thriving.

Rastas in Rasta Village of Cote D’Ivoire practice the philosophy of self reliance at all times. Many are farmers, others are traders, some are artesans, some are musicians and artists while some make a living selling Rasta-style clothes and trinkets.

Amongst the many murals and symbols that brighten the village’s walls are Ethiopia’s Emperor Haile Selassie, believed by Rastas to be a reincarnation of Jesus Christ and a direct descendant of the Biblical King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

Then there’s Marcus Garvey, the early 20th century Jamaican Pan-Africanist whose vision of a “United States of Africa” inspired a generation of African intellectuals to demand independence for their countries. One of those intellectuals, Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah, also has a spot on the village’s wall.

There is the ubiquitous red, yellow and green colours of Ethiopia, Ghana and Rastafari movement. One finds there also, Ivory Coast’s national slogan urging “discipline and work.”

Although Ivory Coast’s post-independence leaders rejected pan-Africanism and built close ties with colonial master France, today’s generation have come full circle to accepting the imperative of a united Africa.

After years of economic success, the country is struggling to emerge from an eight-year political crisis, which was sparked by a 2002-2003 war and is dragging on amid accusations that all sides are profiteering from the uncertainty.

The barbarity of war, added to the inhumanity of the western imposed capitalist system, has brought out the worst and the best in the residents of Cote d’Ivoire.

Rastafarians see this moment as a unique junction, which provides Africans the opportunity to reflect on their options and make the right choices for their lives and their environment.

Rastafarians see Africa as their promised land, “Zion,” and reject Western culture as a greedy, self-serving “Babylon.”

Despite the increasing allure of Western consumer society, their idea still holds sway over many Africans.

For many, the way of life, the independence, the music and the philosophy of Rastafari is just too strong to resist, especially amongst the youthful generation.

Rastafarians roots appear firmly implanted along the coasts of West Africa, including Cote d’Ivoire.

Those that yearned to go home from the American and the Caribbean plantations, have finally arrived in spirit and in flesh.

Oh how good and pleasant it is to observe the unification of I and I in Zion!

Ras Naphtali for Rasta Livewire