THE PROGRESSIVE NOAHIDE GENTILE MOVEMENT

An Assembly of Faith (AOF) of the Advancing Noah Movement (ANM)

Original Website: http://www.geocities.com/progressivenoahidemovement

Current Website: http://exclusivecatholicbooks.angelfire.com/progressivenoahidemovement.html

http://hnfworldnews.angelfire.com (Click Me – Freely available info from Daniel for the Progressive Noahide Gentile Movement)

ORIGINAL INFORMATION FOR GEOCITIES WEBSITE

The Progressive Noahide Gentile Movement focuses on spirituality from a
modern day perspective.  It centres around faith in Almighty God and
the Hebrew Torah, but with a liberal approach to the Torah.  It is
relevant to ALL mankind.  The URL is:

www.geocities.com/progressivenoahidemovement

kind regards

Daniel Daly
Canberra, Australia
email:  valan...@hotmail.com

Additional information: The movement has sermons and psalms and articles of information relating to a progressive take on a Noahide Gentile movement.

SERMON ONE - THE FUTURE OF THE NOAHIDE WORLD
In time, should Karaite Noahide faith grow, we feel it would not be wise if Karaite Noahide faith took over Noahidism completely. Too much power in one particular strand of a religion tends to too much domineering and authoritarianism. It would be in the best interests of the Noahide world if ultimately Noahidism was divided equally between Talmudic Noahidism and Karaite Noahidism. Talmudic Noahidism would include Conservative and Liberal/Progressive Noahides, who still follow Talmud ideas, whereas Karaite Noahidism would have its own stylings of conservative and liberal branches, as well as what we favour in Torah Only or Samaritan based Noahidism. A Samaritan Noahide movement would be completely welcome by us, and would ideally be on our side of the Noahide world. Dear Ehyeh Asher Eheyeh, if these ideas are acceptable to you, we humbly ask of your divine grace to allow these realities to be as such in the fulness of time. And the Noahide world should hopefully end up the worlds biggest religion, twice the size of the entirety of Christianity, which would logically remain because of the commitment men of God have made in establishing congregations in the name of Jehovah.

SERMON TWO - ADVANCING NOAH FAITH IS ABOUT TAKING IN ALL THE KNOWLEDGE, WISDOM AND LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED AS A HUMAN SOCIETY. KARAITE IS OUR FOUNDATION, AND WE DON'T ADD TO THE WORD OF GOD ANYTHING HE HASN'T SAID IS HIS, BE WE DO FURTHER DEVELOP LAWFULNESS AND SPIRITUALITY AND OUR HUMAN SOCIETIES AND CIVILIZATIONS

Noahide Faith of this modern world is largely represented by the Talmud based 7 Laws of Noah movement. Yet, in truth, Genesis 1:1 - 11:9 (which I call the 'Rainbow Torah') is all that applies in terms of the religion Noah followed anyway. This is the essence of Karaite Noahide belief. Yet, its pretty basic in the end. Just holding to 11 chapters of scripture for a religion which in some ways is supposed to be relevant to all mankind. My idea, then, is the 'Advancing Noah Movement' which takes the idea of the religion of Noah and the Noahide Community and looks at how mankind has developed in the thousands of years since then, and the advances in society, culture and legal rule we have made. A Noahide doesn't have to build an ark, sit in it with his family, and think that is the end of his spirituality or way of life. To my way of thinking there is no reason we can not develop a more lawful world with our own rules and procedures to further embellish the social structures of cvilizations, which in the end is what mankind has done anyway. That is the core motivation of the Advancing Noah Movement. Taking the religion of our forefather patriarch Noah and 'Advancing' with it. As Karaite is our foundation, we reject the core idea that the Pharisees inherited an oral law from Moses -rather they INVENTED the teachings of the oral law. So we maintain that Karaism is our foundation but, to be real and true to our citizenships of these human societies we are all a part of, we feel we should acknowledge the laws of the land, adhere to them in general good faith when and were they do not contradict the laws of the Rainbow Torah and, taking from them, enshrined in the 4 sectioned part of the Kingdom of Noah Torah of 1000 rules, a semblance of the laws of Nations as they have developed over the thousands of years of history since the time of Noah, also including a strong element of acceptable for Noahide aspects from the Tanakh itself. A Karaite Noahide need not sit in the world of Genesis 1:1 – 11:9 and think this is the Word of God, and it is ALL he has ever said on the issue, and I don't really care for anything more anyway. Sure, in the end, humanity may provide such individuals and even movements who won't budge from absolutist karaite noahidism, which ONLY accepts Tanakh as any kind of authority. I see in Deuteronomy were Judgements of Danim can be made, but perhaps there will be those who believe the Tanakh is the be all and end all of interpretation of application of judgement anyway. Perhaps the Advancing Noah Movement is not absoultely purist Karaite faith in this sense, in the end, anyway. But I would probably argue that, compared to such groups, we would be the ones who would be following a fuller spirituality and way of life and with the kind of morals and teachings and principles of faith in our religion, drawn from the wisdom of mankind, we are not living simplistic legalism of a fundamentalist soul who just 'Will not be told what to do unless its scriptural' anyway. I think the Advancing Noah movement has grown up in adapting to a more mature way of life, with better principles, and taking in knowledge from mankind's history and ways of life and the lessons we have learned as a human people.

SERMON THREE – INDIGENOUS ISSUES AND NOAHIDE ORIGINS

It's interesting.  Many of the people who identify as Indigenous of Australia of the various tribes also have a large degree of ancestry from other lands, especially the European lands of the United Kingdom and Ireland.  Our UK Families (of which I am an Irish/English person, a member of the Australian diaspora) have many family connections with the Indigenous people of Australia now in the 21st Century of the common era.  We are, in fact, quite well inbred with each other.  We are really a connected and extended family in many ways.  Of course, these indigenous of Australia have deep faiths and beliefs in the ways of Australian Indigenous culture yet, through bloodlines, also have connections to the European peoples as well, especially those of the United Kingdom, and really are part of OUR culture in terms of family as well.  There are probably indigenous of Australia who have the surname 'Daly' who have an Irish Celtic ethnicity associated with them as well.  We are an intermixed bunch, and I am very happy for such peoples to be part of my clan and Daly family.  On the NITV network of Australian TV not only do they show indignenous TV shows of Australia culture, but also those of other nations.  Ireland has a deep celtic root and the indigenous of Ireland are still substantially just that in our modern era.  In England the Saxon and Norman settlers have intermixed over many generations with the original celtic peoples of the lands that probably just about every citizen of England has indigenous celtic roots in some aspect of their family bloodlines.  An 80s tv show like the Robin Hood series from England is, in many ways, an indigenous cultural show of the English people.  But, from their celtic roots, even in this modern era a show like the 'Bill' on English TV is strongly an Indigenous English cultural show as well.  Could such shows or others from the United Kingdom ever have a chance of showing up on NITV?  Perhaps they should.  Noahide faith teaches that all modern cultures and peoples of mankind ultimately derive back in origin to Noah and his 3 sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, who, when the Ark rested, repopulated the world from Mt Arrarat in Armenia in modern day Turkey.    The Celtic peoples, as far as my investigations are concerned, likely populated from the Galatians of Turkey, likely through Noah's son Japheth.  The various other cultures of the world, we teach, also originated ultimately in this area.  Later mankind was gathered for the most part to Babylon, and the tower of Babel was attempted to be built, under the authority of Nimrod, son of Cush, son of Ham, son of Noah.  From there mankind was divided and the languages were also divided.  The Hebrew language, amongst others, developed at this point, likely from the Shemite 'Eber'.  The cultures of the world, in our religious teachings, originated ultimately from a Noahide family and, prior to them, ultimately back to the first man and woman Adam and Eve. 

SERMON FOUR – THE CREATOR

The Creator Lives. The Creator Loves. The Creator has a life of his own. The Creator enjoys the life of his own. God works in mankind. God works wonders in mankind. Many receive, perceive and appreciate those wonders, and some are jaded, disinterested or only apathetic about this. The Creator is Yahweh El Shaddai. He has a mind infinite, and knows a lot of stuff. The Creator made men – in his image – and gave them a life purpose. The Creator blessed Job, and gave him offspring, long life and vast possessions at the end of his suffering. One of the purposes, thus, the Creator has for your life is those prosperity ideas. So, the Creator usually has a plan for lives that accept him and draw close to him. Strive for success in life if you want it – striving is how it is achieved. The mediocre approach gives the mediocre result. For some that's enough. For some they just want more out of life. The Creator has his wisdom, and it shines in the design of his creation, yourself included. And his moral rule is found in Torah, the guide for life. The Advancing Noah Movement and the Cherubim Torah community seek the influence of the Creator in their lives to guide and judge them, and to teach and inspire them. To the Creator be the glory, Alleluia, AMEN.

Psalms of the Progressive Noahide Gentile Movement

Psalm 1

Praise to the God of Noah

Lord, when I consider your Word

I know in my heart that I am not the greatest of Torah Students

But who is?

Lord, when I consider your Kindness

I know in my heart that I am not the greatest of grateful souls

But who is?

Lord, when I consider my blessings

I know in my heart that I really just am happy with what I've got

But don't give much consideration to the one who provided my life, liberty and happiness

And who does?

Lord, I'm a self centred so and so

And I'm not the best example of Torah devotion

And I'm not the kindest of souls

And perhaps I'm a bit greedy as well

But you made me

So I know, in the end, that I'm fearfully and wonderfully made

And despite the shallow soul that I'm not really that proud of within

I trust that God, the great saviour, will get his work right in me in the end

Despite my flaws

And lack of devotions

And nasty words

And indulgent behaviours

Thank you for hearing me when I call on you

And saving me as you promised you would

Even though I'm far from the best example

Praise God for his kindness to me

Praise God forever

AMEN

Psalm 2

The Truth does not change

And as I progress throughout life

I remember that

The Truth does not change

And in all my yearnings

For a more advanced way of life

I must remember that

The Truth does not change

And your word remains the Truth

From generation to generation

The Fidelity of God Almighty

Saviour of men

And Lord of my Salvation

AMEN

Psalm 3

Thank you God for the world of liberties and freedoms

Thank you God for the word of liberty and freedom in your Torah

Thank you God for way of life I am able to live in service to you

Which is not beyond my ability to observe

For your commands are life and not death

And becoming holy, as made in the image of God

Is a good way of life and a good moral standard

And you are trustworthy God of great blessings

Deserving of your praise

And deserving of your thanks

Praise to God

Alleluia

Psalm 4

Lord help me to forgive others when they wrong me and repent of it

Lord help me to show others kindness if they are not the most pleasant of souls

And Lord help me to stand firm in my family as a godfearing child of the Most High

I ask you for these things

Because my spirit is willing but my flesh is weak

And I am but a man

Despite being made in the image of a holy God

All to prone to human weaknesses

And thus I call on your name

For the saviour in my own strength

Vacated the lot years ago

And I need you now

And I need you forever

For were would I be without you

My God and Saviour

AMEN

Psalm 5

Praise to God because he is worthy of our praise

Thanks to God because of his kindness to me

Glory to God for his majestic nature

And honour to God, Lord of all Dignity

Help me against my enemies, saviour of men

And visit upon them only true justice

Do not curse the soul which in the end will repent

And do not harm the harvests of those who are at least trying to do the right thing

We don't all know you Lord God

So remember we are frail humans

Calling on a saviour with what little faith we have

And a power eternal beyond our comprehension, for we are children in faith

Praise be to God because he is worthy of our praise

Thanks to God because of his kindness to us all

DIALOGUE ON PROGRESSIVE NOAHIDE FAITH

The dialogue for this discussion with Les Brown (only my side shown here because of Les' copyrights) can be found at:

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/aus.religion.judaism/YbmkrkxdP9E

These earlier views of mine do not necessarily reflect current personal thought by myself on the truths of Noahide doctrine. For example, the concept of a Noahide Covenant is still given credence as an idea of merit by myself, but I have not 100% factual information available to me on the absolute truthfulness of the existence of a covenant or not. I think now it might be true and that the strand of documentary torah it originates from may have recorded an historical truth regardless of this strands origin. But, having said that, all this dialogue is food for thought. Not necessarily absolutist doctrine of our movement, but definitely food for thought and discussion material.

MY RESPONSE

We do not have any specific teaching authority over us, nor de we need one. Actually, the Torah speaks of more than the 7 commandments, and some of the 7 themselves are very difficult to justify in scripture (eg theft). The rainbow promises, according to Scripture, that mankind will never see another flood and that God will look at the Rainbow and remember his covenant with mankind. The difference between Progressive Noahidism and Progressive Judaism is that Progressive Noahidism focuses, in particular, on Gentiles (non-Jews) who share the same God as the Jews.  It is meant to be a noahide/gentile movement for those who are liberally/reform/progressively minded. Actually, the Torah speaks of more than the 7 commandments, and some of the 7 themselves are very difficult to justify in scripture (eg theft). The rainbow promises, according to Scripture, that mankind will never see another flood and that God will look at the Rainbow and remember his covenant with mankind. The difference between Progressive Noahidism and Progressive Judaism is that Progressive Noahidism focuses, in particular, on Gentiles (non-Jews) who share the same God as the Jews.  It is meant to be a
>noahide/gentile movement for those who are liberally/reform/progressively minded.

MY RESPONSE
In regards to points of law, I will refer you to the website which answers this question.  A Noahide is a way of referring to Gentile Humanity, although it includes the people of Israel.  .

MY RESPONSE
I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.  Certainly, I agree that theft is morally wrong and I agree that Governments should legislate against this act.  The point I was trying to make was that, according to a literal interpretation of the Torah, there is no basis for stating that Gentiles may not steal.  There is no specific Torahic command forbidding Gentiles to steal.  Please, do not quote vain scriptures at me - I am familiar with the whole Torah and am 100% certain on this issue.  The rabbinics twist the scriptures into saying something they never said. This actual weakness in the Torah shows that it is only meant as a Guide and should not be used by governments to be a basis for rule of law.  Noahidism and Judaism are Spiritual religions - they should influence us on an individual level - but they are greatly impractical when it comes to legislation for society as a whole.  Those who think otherwise are simply fooling themselves.

MY RESPONSE
Firstly, rainbows ocurred prior to the global flood - this is a matter of scientific common sense.  You can see a rainbow with a hose.  So the idea that the rainbow is specifically linked to a covenant mankind has with God is nothing but spiritual fantasy, clearly the invention of the Priestly author who conceived that portion of the Torah.

MY RESPONSE
While the Torah as it stands alludes to some universal laws, it would be difficult to make the case to any society that these are the divine laws that God intends all mankind to follow.  The Torah is the product of multiple authors - It is only outdated fundamentalists who think Moses wrote the whole Torah.  The concept of the covenant of Noah is purely fictional as well.  Mankind does NOT have a covenant with God. The purpose of the Progressive Noahide/Gentile movement is, however, to
teach a relevant God inspired form of spirituality that men and women may find uplifting and relevant.  Its purpose is to not bog them down with religious dogma which is the product of ancient scribes writing their own ideas.

MY RESPONSE
Actually, I conceive of only minor differences between PN and PJ. However, PJ still holds somewhat to the idea that Israel is a chosen people of God (an Idea which I reject).  Progressive Noahide/Gentile movement simply offers a spiritual pathway for people who believe in the One God, but who are not interested in the other mainstream monotheistic faiths.

MY RESPONSE
Look at it this way.  Who determines who believes or not?  Who determines which branch of judaism or which religion you join?  Who determines who you marry or even if you marry?  Who determines were you will work or if you will work?  And, ultimately, who determines what you will believer or not? My perspective is that the ultimate answer to these questions is of course each individual.  As you know, many people do not believe in Judaism - there are christians, muslims, bahai, atheists, agnostics, secular, deists and a whole host of religious spiritual beliefs.  For all these belief systems it is ultimately the individual who decides wether or not they will follow that belief system.  And I believe that is the way it should be.

Australia (the country in which I live) guarantees religious freedom under section 116 of the Constitution.  In essence, the core mentality of Australia, and many other western nations, is separation of church (or religion) and state.  This, I believe, is the most sensible and pragmatic course of action.  You cannot mandate faith.  It is a nebulous concept.  We live in the here and now and not in the spiritual realm and, thus, many people feel it greatly inappropriate to try and decide socieieties morals and ethics and laws on the basis of any particular spiritual system.  As you have asked, the core question remains WHO SHOULD WE TRUST??? Some say the Imam.  Some say the Pope and Priest.  And some say the Rabbi.  How on earth are we to have any unity on the issue?  The reality is that society operates under generally understood morals and ethics - for Australia, loosely based on a Judeo-Christian ethical system.  However, because we live in the physical (not the spiritual) realm, we can only mandate laws that apply for each and every citizen, no matter what their particular faith system may be. In regards to the Noahide laws, I personally see the value in them. Essentially I agree that the 7 law system is biblical in nature and that it proves a good grounding for anyone in the faith of God Almighty.  However, this is a conclusion I have reached after much personal thought.  While I may, and do, share my views with other people, I definitely do NOT mandate that they MUST live according to them.  That is a dictatorship - and although God is very strict, I personally do not see him as an absolutist dictatorial ruler.  He rules his followers with JUSTICE  AND  MERCY. So, as I feel I have made the point, the only one capable of deciding ultimate spiritual law for each individual is, in fact, each individual.  While civil society is run on a basic (and often shifting) code of ethics, spiritual law comes down to each individual to search out for themselves.  I do not believe it is something that should be mandated in civil society. Finally, in a spiritual community of common belief - like a particular movement within Judaism or christianity - I feel it is acceptable for mature spiritual elders to shape the culture and direction the community must travel in.  So while I do not mandate that each individual MUST believe so and so and adhere to a certain code of law if in fact they do not believe such things, I also feel it is alright for people who share a common system of spirituality to be guided by mature elders in that system.  So, I guess, it is acceptable for, say, a Rabbinic council to make up its own mind on certain issues – but ultimately it comes down to each individual as to wether or not they will implement such directives or not. Autonomy of individual belief and decision of which commandments to obey or not is a CORNERSTON of Progressive/Liberal/Reform Judaism.  I have read that a number of times on various Reform Judaism websites.  I assume you probably knew that anyway.

MY RESPONSE
I am quite familiar with the written Torah.  As for the Oral Torah, after reading 'The path of the Righteous Gentile' I found out that non-jews are not in fact permitted to read the Oral Law.  So the question I would put to you is why the hell should I defend a book that elitist snobs forbid me from reading anyway.  And in regards to the Oral Law, I will post to this message board an article that conclusively refutes the notion that it originated with Almighty God.

MY RESPONSE
I know full well were the rabbinics justify their 7 law system from in the Torah.  As for the above argument, it is rather pathetic.  Adam was not commanded to 'NOT TOUCH' or even to "NOT HOLD OR POSSESS'.  He was simply forbidden EATING the forbidden fruit.  To justify the argument that theft is forbidden from this passage is simply twisting the scriptures, something the rabbinics do an awful lot of.

MY RESPONSE
If you are in fact curious about learning more on the Documentary Hypothesis, an excellent book written by a Conservative Jew named Richard Elliott Friedman is called 'Who Wrote the Bible?'.  It is available from amazon.  If you can read this whole book and still maintain Mosaic authorship of the whole Torah afterwards, then I feel you are greatly fooling yourself. My honest opinion is that those who believe Moses wrote the whole Torah are simply ignorant of the facts.  They have not bothered to really thoroughly investigate the findings of higher criticism, and rely on their traditional views instead.  Such is the fundamentalist mentality.

MY RESPONSE
I am patently aware of the 7 colour 7 law theory.  I just don't believe it.

MY RESPONSE
Actually, the majority of conservative and reform Jews do not really believe that Moses wrote the entire Torah.  By and large these communities have accepted the findings of higher criticism.  So the idea that Moses wrote the whole Torah is not a Universal Jewish belief.  Only the minority of observant jews actually do believe that idea.  If you don't believe me, go ask a conservative and reform rabbi.

MY RESPONSE
Actually, I did not comment on the Mosaic law.  I commented on the Noahide law.  There is a difference, you know.  As for the Mosaic law, I view it as probable that God gave the 10 Commandments through Moses, and that Moses himself conceived of a handful of other laws.  These laws are found in Exodus 20-23 and Exodus 34:14-28.  These portions of law are from the J and E sections of the Torah, which are in fact the oldest sections of the Torah.  All of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, and other parts of the torah were written at a later date by various priestly groups.  They contain NO divine revelatioin from God and NO Mosaic laws, apart from when they repeat the above legal codes. As for Noahide law, I do not believe God ever gave any.  While he may have given the first human beings some idea of what he considered a righteous life, this knowledge is lost to us.  The Scriptures as they stand present an innacurate picture of early mankinds history.

I believe, though, that for all people who seek out God Almighty, he will direct them towards the morality of the 10 Commandments and teach them this ideology.  Because the 7 laws of Noah address the CORE ideals of the 10 Commandments, I personally feel they are a satisfactory religious system. Having said that I do not really believe in the concept of divinely given pre-sinaitic law, I do believe that God still judges mankind when they gravely step out of line.  An example of this is God's judgements over Egypt and Canaan.  These societies were given over to lawlessness and because of it God judged them. However, God has hardly touched mankind in terms of judgement ever since then.  He basically leaves mankind to run his own affairs.  I believe this is so because most socieites have developed reasonably extensive legal codes to mandate civic obedience.  I personally believethis generally satisfies the will of Almighty God.

ONE FINAL POINT.  Although I do not mandate that somebody MUST follow the Noahide code of law, I do believe, as I have said above, that this particular legal system is quite reasonable.  I believe it establishes the basic idea of spirituality that God requires.  Personally I think that the 10 Commandments is a BETTER system, but the 7 law system does address the majority of the core system of law anyway.

MY RESPONSE
I feel that I have essentially answered this dilemma above.  NO, I do not mandate lawlessnes.  However, every society on earth has some sort of legal system today, and many of them quite comprehensive.  Also remember that many prayers to God have been offered up for the societies of mankind and I do believe he answers such prayers. So, civic law has been addressed.  Spiritual law, from God's perspective, he answered with the giving of the 10 Commandments.  These
commandments were given to the Hebrews and Egyptians who accompanied them out of Egypt.  They were intended to be UNIVERSAL in scope.  I do not believe God intended to limit observance of the 10 Commandments merely to the people of Israel.  unlike yourself, I do not feel that God is into a 2 tier legal system to divide mankind.  God is the god of ALL mankind, not merely the children of Israel.

MY RESPONSE
I believe I have generally answered this question above.  NO, i have no guarantees that my particular spiritual beliefs are in fact God inspired.  I have prayed at great lengths about them.  I have studied greatly.  But ultimately God is the judge of what is inspired or not. This is also the truth for EVERY SINGLE BRANCH OF JUDAISM.  Wether you like it or not, it is only FAITH that makes you believe your particular religous system is God inspired.  Personally, I don't think it is - and
I feel I can offer much factual evidence to demonstrate this fact to all who are willing to listen.

MY RESPONSE
Not everyone on earth believes that the Jews are a chosen people. Deists deny this idea vehemently.  While I do not believe that God CHOSE the Israelite people, I do accept the idea the Israel/Hebrew people and their ancestors clung to Almighty God when most other peoples and nations went astray.  Because of this loyalty, God used them.  No, I do not believe in the individual calling of the various patriarchs.