Report in high school on Christianity by 16-year-old Monica, Dr. Laurie Roth's daughter

By Laurie Roth

This week my 16-year-old daughter, Monica, was asked in a history class to write a report on Christianity. Below is what she wrote on her own, referencing the Holy Bible – the home-base of Christianity, the story of creation, and life of Jesus Christ.

When she turned it in, she was told to rewrite the whole thing, because the teacher said the Bible was "faith-based," so she had to refer to Jesus from sources other than the Holy Bible.

Monica's report isn't perfect, but it is good and to demonize the Bible as "faith-based," the most read and sold book in all the world, is insane. It has untold manuscripts and sources that have verified its history, events, and facts.

Now, Monica is to throw out her whole report and start again with mystery sources so the power and impact of Jesus Christ and Christianity can be greatly muted and minimized in her writing.

The truth is when a person reads the real story of creation, sin, Jesus Christ, the crucifixion, and forgiveness of sin, you cannot help but be changed and transformed.

There is a war against Christianity, Jesus Christ, and our children's right to express themselves in schools. This time, they came against the wrong child, mine. Below is Monica's report. "I am proud of you, Monica. Stand your ground."

___________________________________________________________________

Monica *******
CBA Christianity
1/19/13
5th period ********

"Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." (Christ, Acts.615) Who was Jesus Christ? What was the world like before him? What was his life like? Many people ask these questions, and I have the answers for them. But we are going to go beyond that. First, we are taking a trip thousands of years into the past. We are going to go see how the world was made, and look at the beginning and the fall of man. Then we are going to fast-forward to the Virgin Mary and her fiancé Joseph. We are going to look at the things leading up to our Lords birth, and at his birth. Next we are going to view his life his teachings. Finally, we are going to look at his crucifixion. After all this, you will see that Christianity was the most significant event in history.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters." (Moses, Genesis. 1) Now, as you can see long before Obama was president, before the twin towers were destroyed, before WWII, before Christ came to the earth as a child, before humans were on earth, before even the earth existed, there was nothing but empty darkness, water, and angles, God, the Lord, and the Holy Spirit. I'm sure that the Holy Trinity got together, and discussed what they wanted to do with the world. And this is what ended up happening; God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. He also separated the light, which he called day, from the darkness, which he called night. That was day one (Sunday). On day two or, Monday, God made the sky. On Tuesday God made the ocean separate from dry land, he also made vegetation, fruit, seed-bearing plants, and trees, according to their kinds. On Wednesday God created the seasons, days, and years, God made the sun and the moon. On Thursday God made the sea animals, the birds, and every winged bird. On Friday He made livestock, and wild animals according to their kind he also made every living creature that move along the ground. He also made man to rule over the fish, birds, livestock, over the earth, and all the animals. And on Saturday, he rested knowing his work was good.

"When the Lord God made the earth...and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant had yet sprung up for the Lord God had not sent rain on the land and there was no man to work the ground, but mist came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground." (Moses, Genesis. 1)

After God had created Adam, he made a garden in the East, which he named Eden. The definition of Eden is an unspoiled paradise. Which is exactly what the Garden was. Imagine, walking down a long dirt path. Close your eyes and breathe in the deep sent of nature and feel the warm wind gently kiss you. As you open your eyes, you see a beautiful blue bird fly by with her young baby. You smile as you watch them land on a beautiful tree. You glide over, high on pure happiness, and pick off a beautiful, perfect orange. Which is what the entire land was, perfect. You walk to the middle of the garden and you see a river, which separated into four headwaters. The name of the first is Pishon; you bend down and run your hand through the beautiful water. You remember your best friend and father, God, telling you that it goes into the land of Havilah, which is filled with Gold. You glance over at the Gihon River, which runs from the land of Cush, southeast of Mesopotamia. The third river is the beautiful Tigris; it runs along the east side of Asshur. The forth river is the Euphrates.

You stand up and walk over to the tree of life. You look up at it and consider trying one of its fruits. Then you see The Lord God walking toward you and you feel absolute peace, happiness, and love. They said; "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Your mouth drops open as you slowly back away from the tree. You look back over at God as he says. "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." "Now the Lord God had...brought (the animals) to the man to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was it's name." (Moses, Genesis. 2) Then the lord caused you to fall into a deep sleep. While your sleeping, he took out one of your ribs. He closed up the place with flesh, and created a beautiful woman from your rib. When he brought her to you, you said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh' she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." (Adam, Genesis, 2)

One day the crafty serpent said to Eve, "Did God really say 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" Eve replied, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it or you will die.'"

"You will not surely die," the serpent said, "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." So, Eve ate a bite of the fruit, then she gave some to you, and you ate a bite as well. "Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves." (Moses, Genesis. 2)

"Where are you?" God called out

"I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid," you replied, looking at the ground shamefully.

"Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" God asked. You glanced around, looking and decided to put the blame on Eve.

The Lord God said to her, "What is this you have done?'

"The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

"So the Lord God said to the serpent, 'because you have done this,

Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike your head and you will strike his heel." Now, what God is saying here is he's telling the serpent, a snake, he will crawl on his belly (as snakes tend to do) and he will put enmity (or hate) between the snake and the woman. Her children will step on their heads, and the snakes' children will bite their heels.

"To the woman he said,

I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing, with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, he will rule over you."

"To Adam he said, 'because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree...

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return." (God, Genesis. 2)

Now let's go to see Mary and Joseph. They were pledged to be together as husband and wife. But, before their marriage she was pregnant with a young boy through the Holy Spirit. Joseph was a nice, righteous man and was going to quietly divorce her so she would not have to be stoned. While he considered this and angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Levi, Matthew. 533) So, the next day Joseph went to Mary and told her about the dream and that he believed her. Then he took her home as his wife. Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the whole Roman world. So, Joseph and Mary headed to Bethlehem the town of David because he belonged to the house and line of David. While they were there, it came time for Mary to have Jesus. She gave Jesus Christ. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Jesus is quite a bit older now. He's teaching, surrounded by Pharisees and teachers of the law when a paralytic man was lowered before him. Jesus saw the faith of the men who lowered him and said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." The Pharisees thought, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus, being the Son of God, knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins." (Christ, Luke.570) He then looked over at the paralyzed man and said to him, "I tell you, get up take your mat and go home." After he said that, the man stood up, and headed home praising God.

One of Jesus' many teaching had to do with Love for your enemies. He was and is very into forgiveness for those who hurt you, for in the end God will put them in their place. He said, "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him to the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Christ, Luke 571) That sounds a lot like the Golden Rule, does it not? "Do to others as you would have them do to yourself."

Jesus also talked about the children of the devil. That being, all those who do not believe that what he tells is the whole truth. If they were God's children, they would know that he was in fact Gods son because they would feel it inside their hearts. "Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies...the reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God." (Christ, John. 593)

Jesus also referred to the Ten Commandments a lot. The Commandments were a set of laws that God gave to Moses in Exodus 19-20 on Mount Sinai. They are:

1. You shall have no other Gods before God.

2. No idols.

3. Don not say the Lord Gods name in vain.

4. Remember that Sabbath day and keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and mother.

6. Do not murder.

7. Do not commit adultery.

8. Do not steal.

9. Do not give false testimony against your neighbor.

10. Don't covet your neighbor's house, his wife, manservant or maidservant, ox, donkey, or anything that is your neighbors.

By neighbor, it doesn't just mean that rich doctor Joshua that lives right next door to you. It also means that poor, dirty, hungry dehydrated African that lives thousands of miles away.

The bible tells the story of a man of the Pharisees and his name was Nicodemus. He came to Jesus one night and said "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not in him." Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when is old?" Nicodemus asked confused, "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'" "How can this be?" H e asked the Lord. "...For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not parish but have eternal life." (John, John. 588)

Now, lets talk about Christ's death. Jesus went with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove. He and his disciples went into it.

Judas knew the place because Jesus had often met there with them. So Judas came up into the grove guiding the soldiers, a few officials, the chief of priests and Pharisees. They were all carrying weapons, torches, and lanterns. Jesus knew what was going to happen but he still went over to them and asked, "Who is it you want?" They replied, "Jesus of Nazareth." "I am he." Jesus replied. Then the soldiers arrested him and brought him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest. Annas started questioning Jesus about his teachings. "I have spoken openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said." When he said that one of the nearby officials slapped him across the face. "Is this the way you answer the high priest?" He demanded. "If I said something wrong testify to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?"

Then the Jews led Jesus from Annas to Caiaphas to Pilate. It was early morning, so Pilate came out and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?"

They replied, "If he were not a criminal we would not have handed him over to you."

Pilate waved them off saying, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.

"But we have no right to execute anyone." The Jews whined. Pilate went back into the palace and asked Jesus if he's the king of the Jews.

"Is that your own idea, or did others talk to you about me?"

"Am I a Jew," Pilate asked. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

"My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

"You are a king, then!" Pilate replied.

"You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."

"What is truth?" Asked Pilate. He went out again to the Jews and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him. But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of Passover. Do you want me to release 'the king of Jews'?"

"No not him!" They all shouted back in unison. "Give us Barabas! "

"What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called Christ?" Pilate asked.

"Crucify him!" The Jews, laced with bloodthirsty hate in their bones replied.

"Why? What crime has he committed?" A shocked Pilate asked.

"Crucify him!" They shouted louder.

Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere and so he washed his hands and declared his innocence.

"Let his blood be on us and on our Children!" They cried out as Pilate released Barabbas, had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered all the other soldiers aground him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his hand and knelt in front of him, mocking him. "Hail, king of Jews!" They yelled out, laughing. They spit on him as they took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they finished they took of the robe, put his clothes back on him and led him out to be crucified.

They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). They offered Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall, but after he took a sip he refused to drink it. After they crucified him they divided up his clothes by casting lots. Over his head they placed a written charge against him: This is Jesus, the king of the Jews. Those who passed by threw insults at him, shook their heads and said "You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!"

The chief of priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him as well. "He saved others, but he can't save himself! He's the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, "I am the Son of God.'"

"From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi lama sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Levi, Matthew. 551) That verse, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Also shows up in the Old Testament

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from saving me,

So far from the words of my groaning?

O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,

By night, and am not silent.

Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;

You are the praise of Israel.

In you our fathers put their trust;

They trusted you and you delivered them.

They cried to you and were saved;

In you they trusted and were not disappointed."

Psalm 22:1-5

When those standing nearby heard this they said "He's calling on Elijah." One of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered to Jesus to Drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him."

The next time Jesus cried out in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that second the curtain of the temple was torn in two. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people were raised to life.

When the centurion and everyone who was with him guarding Jesus saw this they were terrified and called, "Surely he was the son of God!"

So, as you can see, Christianity was and is the most significant even in history. How many other events have so much love, forgiveness, peace, and also hurt all at the same moment at the death of the Lord? How many other events have a king dying so his people can enter his kingdom? And how many other events show how the earth was created? That's right, none.

© Laurie Roth