Christians Are Rejecting Jerusalem As The Israeli Capital

"The question is whether the modern state of Israel is that nation that was imagined back in the Bible", states Gary Burge, an ordained Presbyterian minister and a professor emeritus at Wheaton College, an evangelical Christian institution.

Jews and evangelical Christians who say an undivided Jerusalem should be the eternal capital of Israel have a ready answer for anyone who questions that claim: The Bible says so.

Some conservative evangelicals have built their theology around the modern state of Israel, as if a biblical story has come alive again from the scriptures. In the Christian Old Testament, Jerusalem was established as Israel’s capital by King David about 1,000 years before Christ. Notwithstanding various wars and a Babylonian exile that led to the loss of the city, Jerusalem remained Israel’s de facto capital in the Jewish imagination. Even in the New Testament, Jerusalem is assumed to be Israel’s capital. But another war in 70 A.D. led to a longtime loss of the city. Modern Israel did not recapture Jerusalem until 1967.

The most often-cited text in the Bible is 2 Chronicles 6:5-6, wherein King Solomon quotes God as saying, "Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I chose no city in all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there, and I chose no man as prince over my people Israel; but I have chosen Jerusalem that my name may be there and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel."

The Bible could hardly be more clear, it would seem.

"As far as God is concerned, Jerusalem has been the eternal, undivided capital since the reign of David," said Laurie Cardoza-Moore, whose television program, "Focus on Israel," is aimed primarily at evangelical Christians like herself who see the Bible as "true and historically accurate." God, she said, "established the boundaries of all the nations, and he chose the city of Jerusalem for himself."


Those Christians who are not themselves Jewish may still feel included among the "people" of Israel,  says Cardoza-Moore - her organization is Proclaiming Justice to the Nations , by virtue of their faith in Jesus. She quotes Galatians 3:29, where Paul says, "If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring." Her organization is dedicated to "building a global community of action and prayer in support of Jews and Israel." she says.  What Cardoza fails to realize is that we are all Abraham's offspring- Jews, Christians and Muslims (as well as all people of the earth). 

The argument that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel is also rejected by many of the Christians who live there or in the neighboring territories. Most are ethnic Arabs, and they may feel less kinship with Jews. In a joint letter , sent to Trump before he announced the policy change on Jerusalem, leaders of local Christian churches which included Orthodox, Coptic and Catholic leaders, cautioned that it could bring "increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering."

>Catholics thinking not based alone in the Old Testament’s land-based promises, but in the gospel, where the tribal or local theologies about Israel become global and universal, welcoming all people from every tribe and every land into a divine promise of blessing. Paul can refer to gentiles as children of Abraham (Romans 4:11) because it’s through faith, not ethnic lineage, that one gains access to the blessings of God. This shift in emphasis, which challenges the exclusivity of any one tribe and universalizes blessing, explains the world-mission of the ancient church and the inclusion of gentiles in Jesus’s Jewish messianic movement. From this viewpoint, arguments for ethnic land claims like Jerusalem sound silly.  

Middle Eastern Christians Send Letter To President Trump Against Jerusalem Being Given To Israel

The argument that Jerusalem should be the undivided capital of Israel is rejected by many of the Christians who live there or in the neighboring territories. Most are ethnic Arabs, and they may feel less kinship with Jews. In a joint letter to Trump before he announced the policy change on Jerusalem, leaders of local Christian churches cautioned that it could bring "increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering."

PATRIARCHS AND HEADS

OF LOCAL CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM

 ___________________________________________________________________________________

President Donald J. Trump

President of the United States of America

 Jerusalem on December 6, 2017

Dear Mr. President,

We are fully aware and appreciative of how you are dedicating special attention to the status of

Jerusalem in these days. We are following with attentiveness and we see that it is our duty to

address this letter to Your Excellency. On July 17, 2000, we addressed a similar letter to the leaders

who met in Camp David to decide the status of Jerusalem. They kindly took our letter into

consideration. Today, Mr. President, we are confident that you too will take our viewpoint into

consideration on the very important status of Jerusalem.

Our land is called to be a land of peace. Jerusalem, the city of God, is a city of peace for us and for

the world. Unfortunately, though, our holy land with Jerusalem the Holy city, is today a land of

conflict.

Those who love Jerusalem have every will to work and make it a land and a city of peace, life and

dignity for all its inhabitants. The prayers of all believers in it—the three religions and two peoples

who belong to this city—rise to God and ask for peace, as the Psalmist says: "Return to us, God

Almighty! Look down from heaven and see!" (80.14). Inspire our leaders, and fill their minds and

hearts with justice and peace.

Mr. President, we have been following, with concern, the reports about the possibility of changing

how the United States understands and deals with the status of Jerusalem. We are certain that such

steps will yield increased hatred, conflict, violence and suffering in Jerusalem and the Holy Land,

moving us farther from the goal of unity and deeper toward destructive division. We ask from you

Mr. President to help us all walk towards more love and a definitive peace, which cannot be

reached without Jerusalem being for all.

Our solemn advice and plea is for the United States to continue recognizing the present

international status of Jerusalem. Any sudden changes would cause irreparable harm. We are

confident that, with strong support from our friends, Israelis and Palestinians can work towards

negotiating a sustainable and just peace, benefiting all who long for the Holy City of Jerusalem to

fulfil its destiny. The Holy City can be shared and fully enjoyed once a political process helps

liberate the hearts of all people, that live within it, from the conditions of conflict and

destructiveness that they are experiencing.

Christmas is upon us soon. It is a feast of peace. The Angels have sung in our sky: Glory to God in

the highest, and peace on earth to the people of good will. In this coming Christmas, we plea for

Jerusalem not to be deprived from peace, we ask you Mr. President to help us listen to the song of

the angels. As the Christian leaders of Jerusalem, we invite you to walk with us in hope as we build

a just, inclusive peace for all the peoples of this unique and Holy City.

With our best regards, and best wishes for a Merry Christmas.

Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem

+Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

+Patriarch Nourhan Manougian, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Apostolic Administrator, Latin Patriarchate

+Fr. Francesco Patton, ofm, Custos of the Holy Land

+Archbishop Anba Antonious, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem

+Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Aba Embakob, Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarchate

+Archbishop Mosa El-Hage, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate

+Archbishop Suheil Dawani, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East

+Bishop Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land

+Bishop Pierre Malki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

+Msgr. Georges Dankaye’, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

A brief history on Israel and Jerusalem

The crisis over Jerusalem is much more complex than it being recognized as Israel's capital.

 This is not a battle of Jews and anti-semites that want Israel removed from the face of the planet.

 Did you know that when Israel was created in 1948 that those that occupied the land were not only Arab Muslims but also Jews and Christians? Those that occupied that land including Jews and Christians were forcabily removed. hundreds of thousands were killed as they were considered weeds on a lawn. 

The native Jews as well as Christians and Muslims all recognize Jerusalem as sacred and holy ground. These groups are protesting because they are losing their equal rights to the city and rightfully so, 

Why is it we criticize and distrust our own Government but give the Israeli government a free pass? 

We confuse politics with heritage and religion. People were considered racist when they criticized Obama when it wasn't his race they didn't like it was his politics. 

Now if anyone criticizes or asks questions about the Israeli government they are considered anti-semetic. So are the Jews that criticize the Israeli government anti-semetic? 

I see many using the wrong analogy saying "well its like other countries telling us New York should be our capital not Washington DC." Well New York or any other city in America does not have the historical or holiness of Jerusalem. 

Before everyone goes jumping on the band wagon on Trump's move to honor Bill Clinton's signed bill in 1995, more research should be given to study what is actually going on in the middle east.

 As of right now I am agreeing with my Pope, Francis, that this is a wrong move and that we should leave Jerusalem as is till a peace deal is brokered.

Trump demands Saudi Arabia allow emergency aid in the Yemen

Houthi Shiite victims of Saudi Arabia aggression inspect the rubble of the Republican Palace that was destroyed by Saudi-led airstrikes, in Sanaa

I have directed officials in my Administration to call the leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to request that they completely allow food, fuel, water, and medicine to reach the Yemeni people who desperately need it. This must be done for humanitarian reasons immediately. — Statement by the President

Why it matters: Saudi Arabia has been criticized for its blockade of Yemen. The Economist, calling the situation in Yemen "the war the world ignores," wrote the blockade "raises suspicion that the Saudis are using food as a tool of war."

Will The U.S. Move It's Israel Embassy To Jerusalem? Not So Fast.

President Trump is expected to announce Wednesday that he will instruct the State Department to begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to U.S. officials, fulfilling one of his campaign promises.

Under the new plan, the U.S. also would officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital. But the president is expected to acknowledge that the specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in the city are subject to final status negotiation.


However, both Sunni and Shia Muslim groups and nations have expressed concern over the possible recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.  Sunni Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that moving the capital is a “red line” for Muslims and such an action would result in Turkey severing its diplomatic ties with Israel.

There are also many Christian Groups especially Middle Eastern Christians that are opposed to this move.  They too feel this is nothing more than a further land grab but those who are not of true middle eastern descent.  

When Israel was created in 1948, the lands were not vacant. Tens of thousands of families that owned and occupied the lands for generations were kicked off their property without any compensation.  These were Christians, Muslims and even native Jewish people that were forced to move off their land for European Jews. 

In the meantime, Trump will reportedly sign, and will continue to sign, the 6-month waiver to the Jerusalem Embassy Act. That act essentially allows presidents to sign continuous waivers to stall the relocation of the embassy and will prevent significant cuts to State Department funding.  This has been done since the act was created in 1995. 

The international community, including the U.S., does not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as it is claimed by both Palestinians and Israelis. Like other countries, the U.S. keeps its embassy in Tel Aviv, approximately an hour away.

Should the U.S. move the embassy, it could cause significant harm to the U.S. credibility as a mediator for peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. The move would likely undermine confidence from Palestinians and Arab countries that the U.S. would remain an impartial negotiator in efforts to create peace in the Middle East. 

Both former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush also pledged to move the embassy — only to abandon the idea once in the White House.


Congress approved in 1995 the funding and relocation of the embassy to Jerusalem by 1999. But the law included a stipulation, allowing for presidents to sign continuous waivers to stall the relocation of the embassy. Every president since has used the waiver in an effort to avoid conflict with the peace negotiations.

Should Trump follow through on moving the embassy, the United States could become a bullseye for Wahabbi terrorism and the world as a whole will be a much more dangerous place. 

Jerusalem is a sacred place to all religions, in a perfect world it would remain independent with shared governance of Jews, Christians and Muslims.   However reality states this will never likely happen.  

Some Truths About Islam And Its Followers

If Christianity has well over 1 billion believers with multiple different sects, why wouldn't Islam with almost as many believers not have multiple sects as well?  

First of all its clear to those who study religion is that Islam is

divided into two main groups, Sunni and Shia. Shafi, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali are the four religious Sunni Islamic schools.

Hanbali is the the most extremeist of the Sunni followers. The Hanbali group is the group that has the most extreme Hadith but they also retranslated the Quran their way. 

The other Sunni are modern and as moderate as any normal christian group. The Hanbali group broke even further into Wahabi in the 1800s. 

Now for the Shia muslims they don't follow any Hadith of Sunni which are the Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhār and Sahih Muslim.  The Shia follow the teaching of Imam Ali and the 11 other Imam. The translation of the Quran the Shia follow is the Nahjul Balagha written by Imam Ali it is translated today in English called the Peak of Eloquence. This book is taught in many universities in Europe. Many in the education community state it has strong values in humanity which is why it is taught in many universities.

The Foundation of The Catholic Church

When researching the history of the Catholic Church using public sources we find that many times thay are reluctant to give the full truth as to when and by whom the Catholic Church was found.  Some are only willing to admit the church existed in the first century but most just avoid the issue altogether.  Below, I have listed a series of citations from non-Catholic sources which are believed to be helpful in apologetics.  When you read them you'll notice that each one admits certain details but does not discuss other details, of course it would not do well with Protestants if any encyclopedia came forward and stated " The Catholic Church was founded in the first century by Jesus Christ " but occasionally they're forced to admit part of this truth such as the church existing from the first century or its connection to the apostles of Jesus Christ, is for this reason they become useful.

Protestants many times would like us to believe there was no early church structure or for that matter a specific early church and that Constantine "created" the Roman Catholic Church. they would also like us to believe there was no  standardized early church leadership and no universal church leadership, all of these were creations of the third and fourth century.  Although as a stated above not everyone the citations is as explicit as we may want them to be their very useful against the pseudo-history.

ROMAN CATHOLICISM. The largest of the Christian denominations is the Roman Catholic church. As an institution it has existed since the 1st century AD...The name of the church is derived from its base in Rome and from a Greek term meaning "universal." The word Catholic refers to the wholeness of the church, and for many centuries the Roman church claimed to be the only true Christian denomination.(Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1996)

ROMAN CATHOLICISM: Christian church characterized by its uniform, highly developed doctoral and organizational structure that traces its history to the apostles of Jesus Christ in the 1st century C.E. (Marriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions © 1999, page 938 )

The history of the Roman Church, therefore, in relation to the ancient oriental churches, is in fact, the history of this claim to supremacy.   The claim  of supremacy on the part of the bishop of Rome rests on the belief   that Christ conferred on the apostle Peter a 'primacy  of jurisdiction;' that Peter fixed his see and died at Rome and thus, that the bishops of Rome, as successors of the apostle Peter, have succeeded to his preorgatives of supremacy.  In this light, historians read the facts of the early history of the church---and they trace to this acknoledgment of the superiority of that see, the numerous references to Rome on matters of doctrine or discipline; the appeals from other churhces, even those of Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople; the depositions or nominations of bishops, examination and condemnation of heresies---of which the first five centuries, especially   the 4th and 5th, present examples. . . In all the controversies on the Incarnation---the Arian, the Nestorian, the Eutychian, the Monothelite---not only was the orthodoxy of Rome never impeached, but she even supplied at every crisis a rallying point for the orthodox of every church. ( Imperial Encyclopedia and Dictionary, Volume 32   © 1903)

The Church of Rome is the earliest of Christian organization; after three centuries of persecution, it was given freedom by the edict of Constantine and Licinius and acquired increased influence. Bishoprics were established in various parts of the empire, but the one at Rome remained supreme, and in time the title of Pope, or father originally borne by all the bishops indiscriminately, began to be restricted to the bishop of Rome.(The World Book Encyclopedia © 1940, Page 6166, Volume 14,)

The office of Pope was founded on the words of Christ: "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter [which means a rock], and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" ( Matthew xvi, 18). The attention of every historian has been attracted by the endurance of the Papacy through centuries that have seen the downfall of every other European institution that existed when the Papacy arose, and of a number of others that have originated and fallen, while it continued t flourish. The Roman Catholic offers these facts as evidence that the Church is not merely a human institution, but that it is built "upon a rock," (The World Book Encyclopedia © 1940, Page 5730 Volume13)

Historical Notes. The Holy Catholic Apostolic Roman Church

recognizes the Bishop of Rome, the Pope, as the Vicar of Christ on this earth, and as the Head of the Church. It traces its origin from the naming of the Apostles Peter by Jesus as the chief of the Apostles . The authority of Peter as head of the Church is exercised by his successors as the Bishops of Rome. The doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church come from the faith given by Christ to his Apostles.( World Religions, By Benson Y. Landis, © 1957 Page 110)

 At first the Christians were terribly persecuted, but gradually they spread the Christ’s radian spirit and teachings until they united many races, classes, and religious beliefs into a brotherhood which extended from Persia to the Atlantic Ocean. Later, this brotherhood spread to American, and Christianity became the prevailing religion of the Western Hemisphere. It has now ben taught in all countries.For nearly a thousand years the Christians remained practically one great community. Then the Greek Catholics broke away from the Roman Catholics. "The World Book Encyclopedia ©1940, Page 1413 Volume 3)

(The Catholic) Church... traces an unbroken line of popes from St. Peter in the 1st century AD to the present occupant of the papal throne. During this nearly 2,000-year period there were more than 30 false popes, most notably during the late 14th and early 15th centuries. These men were merely claimants to the position. There have rarely been periods when a genuine pope was not ruling the church. In 1978 John Paul II became the 264th true pope.(Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia © 1996)

By A. D. 100,...Christianity had become an institution headed by a three-rank hierarchy of bishops, priests, and deacons, who understood themselves to be the guardians of the only "true faith." The majority of churches, among which the church of Rome took a leading role, rejected all other viewpoints as heresy. Deploring the diversity of the earlier movement, Bishop Irenaeus and his followers insisted that there could be only one church, and outside of that church, he declared, "there is no salvation." Members of this church alone are orthodox (literally, "straight-thinking") Christians. And, he claimed, this church must be catholic-- that is, universal.(The Gnostic Gospels by Elaine Pagels. Published by Vintage Books. 1994)

The Empire within the Empire.—Long before the fall of Rome there had begun to grow up within the Roman Empire an ecclesiastical state, which in its constitution and its administrative system was shaping itself upon the imperial model. This spiritual empire, like the secular empire, possessed a hierarchy of officers, of which deacons, priests or prebyters, and bishops were the most important. The bishops collectively formed what is know as the episcopate. There were four grades of bishops, namely, country bishops, city bishops, metropolitans or archbishops, and patriarchs. At the end of the third century there were five patriarchates, that is, regions ruled by patriarchs. These centered in the great cities of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Among the patriarchs, the patriarchs of Rome were accorded almost universally a precedence in honor and dignity. They claimed further a precedence in authority and jurisdiction, and this was already very widely recognized ...Besides the influence of great men, such as Leo the Great, Gregory the Great, and Nicholas I, who held the seat of St. Peter, there were various historical circumstances that contributed to the realization by the Roman bishops of their claim to supremacy and aided them vastly in establishing the almost universal authority of the see of Rome. In the following paragraphs we shall enumerate several of these favoring circumstances. These matters constitute the great landmarks in the rise and early growth of the Papacy.

The belief in the Primacy of St. Peter and in the Founding by him of the Church at Rome.—The Catholic Church teaches that the apostle Peter was given by the Master primacy among his fellow apostles and, furthermore, that Christ intrusted that disciple with the keys of the kingdom of heaven and invested him with superlative authority as teacher and interpreter of the Word by the commission "Feed my sheep"; . . ."feed my lambs," thus giving into his charge the entire flock of the Church. It also teaches that the apostle Peter himself founded the church at Rome. Without doubt he preached at Rome and suffered martyrdom there under the Emperor Nero...The Pastor as Protector of Rome.—With the advent of the barbarians there came another occasion for the Roman bishops to widen their influence and enhance their authority. Rome’s extremity was their opportunity. Thus it will be recalled how mainly through the intercession of the pious Pope Leo the Great the fierce Attila was persuaded to turn back and spare the imperial city; and how the same bishop, in the year A.D. 455, also appeased in a measure the wrath of the Vandal Geiseric and shielded the inhabitants from the worst passions of a barbarian soldiery...Thus when the emperors, the natural defenders of the capital, were unable to protect it, the unarmed Pastor was able, through the awe and reverence inspired by his holy office, to render services that could not but result in bringing increased honor and dignity to the Roman see. (Mediaeval and Modern History, By Myers, Pg 26-27 Ginn and Company New York, 1905 )

Peter: d AD 64? Apostle, pope, and saint. According to the Bible Peter, a fisherman of Galilee was originally known as Simon. He was chosen by Jesus to be the first leader (pope) of his disciples. During Jesus' crucifixion, Peter denied knowing him, an act that Jesus had predicted and that Peter bitterly repented of. After word of Jesus' ascension to heaven, Peter actively sought converts, and is believed to have been crucified, head downward, in Rome by Nero. In the Roman Catholic Church, he is considered to be the first Pope. (Excerpted from the Macmillan Concise Dictionary of World History, compiled by Bruce Watterau. © 1986 Macmillan Publishing Company, a division of Macmillan, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

"If you are a Roman Catholic, Jesus Christ began your religion in the year 33. "(Ann Landers (Jewish), syndicated columnist in the Daily Record of Morris County, N.J. (from which we take this piece) for Monday, November 11,1996 reads)

"The Roman Catholic church ... the only legitimate inheritor, by an unbroken episcopal succession descending from Saint Peter to the present time, of the commission and powers conferred by Jesus Christ...Until the break with the Eastern church in 1054 and the break with the Protestant churches in the 1500s, it is impossible to separate the history of the Roman Catholic church from the history of Christianity" (The Encarta Encyclopedia © 1997 says)

"33-40 A.D.The Roman Catholic Church is founded by Jesus Christ"(The Timetables of History © 1975)

"The Catholic Church...Saint Peter and the Popes who have descended in unbroken succession from him have never ceased to feed, with the life-giving Sacraments and doctrines of the Catholic Church, the sheep whom Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd" (History Of The Popes © 1965)

"Jesus Christ has founded one only Church, the Catholic hierarchical Church, whose chief pastors are the Pope and the Bishops in union with the Pope," (The Early Church © 1945)

"St. Peter, of Bethsaida in Galilee, From Christ he received the name of Cepha, an Aramaic name which means rock .Prince of the Apostles, was the first pope of the Roman Catholic Church. He lived first in Antioch and then in Rome for 25 years. In C.E. 64 or 67, he was martyred. St. Linus became the second pope." (National Almanac © 1996)

"ROMAN CATHOLICISM The largest of the Christian denominations is the Roman Catholic church. As an institution it has existed since the 1st century AD, ...the Roman church owes its existence to the life of Jesus Christ in the 1st century AD" (Comptons Encyclopedia  ©1995)

"Roman Catholic authority rests upon a mandate that is traced to the action of Jesus Christ himself, when he invested Peter and, through Peter, his successors with the power of the keys in the church. Christ is the invisible head of his church, and by his authority the pope is the visible head." (Encyclopedia Britannica ©1999)

"Roman Catholicism Christian church characterized by its uniform, highly developed doctrinal and organizational structure that traces its history to the Apostles of Jesus Christ in the 1st century AD." (Encyclopedia Britannica ©1999)

ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, the largest single Christian body, composed of those Christians who acknowledge the supreme authority of the bishop of Rome, the pope, in matters of faith. The word catholic (Gr. katholikos) means "universal" and has been used to designate the church since its earliest period, when it was the only Christian church. The Roman Catholic church regards itself as the only legitimate inheritor, by an unbroken episcopal succession descending from St. Peter to the present time, of the commission and powers conferred by Jesus Christ on the 12 apostles (see APOSTLE). The church has had a profound influence on the development of European culture and on the introduction of European values into other civilizations. Its total membership as the 1990s began was about 995.8 million (about 18.8 percent of the world population). (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia ©1998-2000)

The doctrine of apostolic succession, that is, the continuous transmission of ministry from the time of Jesus until today. The doctrine is found as early as the Epistle to the Corinthians (c. 96), traditionally attributed to Pope Clement I...It is expressly affirmed in Roman Catholicism. It is identified with the succession of bishops in office and interpreted as the source of the bishops’ authority and leadership role. The most specific instance of these claims is that the pope is the successor of St. Peter, who was chosen by Jesus as head of his church (see Matt. 16:16–18). (Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia ©1998-2000)