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"Unnecessary" Question of
Ethiopians
" This writing is neither about the war in
Afghanistan, nor about the Canadian soldiers who
died there. It's rather about transparency and
accountability, above all a  respect for human being.
Why these things are eroded in my beloved country,
where an opponent's life is dispensable?....Home
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Somalia: Arms race Vs Arms embargo
By Dereje Hailu Kassa | November 19,2008
" ...The first U.N. Security Council Resolution 733
which was adopted on January 23, 1992 a year after
President Siad Barre was toppled supposed to do
just that.  For anyone who closely follow the
situation in Somalia, it is clearly  understandable  that
what is lacking is not a new resolution, More
Aid helped to avert disaster
By Dereje Hailu Kassa
February 19, 2002 | The Toronto Star )
world listened to Khalif's kind of advice, 1 million
Ethiopians lost their lives." More
A Glimpse of Mystic Ethiopia
Dereje Hailu Kassa | 27, January 2008
(Original post: As part of series of articles www.ethioquest.com
Second post: Ethio Index - Medrek Forum, under alias name Jobir)

Selam!

Like everyone else, I needed to thread both myth and history,  in my
effort to understand the present. I think it gives the epic its power. We
can live our lives with all the world's wealth of imagination and
aspiration, as long as it leads us to the answer we're  looking for:
the truth.

I really do believe that, it is such a mystic journey that helped me to
reaffirm, the uniqueness and universality of my  culture, faith, history
more than anything, my identity in this rapidly changing world. The
biggest lesson I learnt was, the importance of  cultivating the skills of
inclusiveness, delighting  in diversity. Here I'm not trying to introduce an
explanation, but an alternative way of understanding that leads to
conviction that humanity evolves out of pleasure rather than out of pain.

In the face of the growing threat of clashes of extremisms, an ancient
country like Ethiopia, where nothing seems to go with anything, and yet
somehow everything works, its important that a greater unity can and
must continue, between the diversified peoples of our country, in order
to attain the truth which united Us in the first place.

I hope the  example here from the most towering biblical character, the
man who ascended body, mind and soul into heaven illustrates, what I
call ‘a glimpse of mystic Ethiopia’ and help to understand the world from
an Ethiopian perspective.

At the center of this story is a man whom the Quran describes as:
                                 “a man of truth (And sincerity) ” xix, 56-57.
And the Bible testifies  
                     “he had pleased God well” Hebrews, 11-5.
Some consider him as a Patriarch and Prophet, ‘Greater than Abraham,
Holier than Moses” and never had to experience death.

Who is this perfect human being?

Who's righteous story remain fascinating, inspiring and yet has been kept
a secret until someone went to Ethiopia some 230 years ago and revealed
the hidden mystery.  Hidden of course for outsiders.

Enoch, the seventh son from Adam and the Great grand father of Noah,
the most astonishing figure in history, was mentioned in the Bible first in
the book of Genesis 5, 21-24 that he
“lived on for sixty-five years. Then he became a father to
Metuselah, and after his fathering Metuselah, (Enoch) went on
walking with the (true) God three hundred years. Meanwhile he
became father to sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch
amounted to three hundred sixty-five years.

And Enoch kept walking with the (true) God. Then he was no more,
for God took him.”

In the book of Hebrews, 11-5 it was mentioned that
“by faith Enoch was transferred so as not to see death, and he was
nowhere to be found because God had transferred him; for before
his transference he had the witness that he had pleased God well.

What else we can read in the bible about him? Well Jude in verse 14
quoted him as saying,
“look, God came with his holy myriads, to execute judgement
against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their
ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all
the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”

Now here is another question, where did Jude get those words? And
how can one authenticate the story about him?

    Graham Hancock,
    wrote, (the sign and the
    seal)
    “ Prior to the
    eighteenth Century,
    scholars had believed
    the Book of Enoch to
    be irretrievably lost.
    Composed long before
    the birth of Christ, and
    considered to be one of
    the most important
    pieces of Jewish
    Mystical literature, it
    was only known from
    fragments and from
    references to it in other
    texts. James Bruce
    changed all this by
    procuring several
    copies of the missing
    work during his stay in
    Ethiopia. These were
    the first complete
    editions of the book of
    Enoch ever to be seen
    in Europe.”

It was translated by Richard Laurence in 1821 which resulted in the
1883 edition.

Evidences show Christ's approval of the Book of Enoch and many
phrases in the New Testament find precedents in the Book of Enoch.  
Some ideas were adopted by Christianity which includes: the final
judgement, the concept of demons, the origins of evil and the fallen
angels, and the coming of a Messiah and the ultimately, a Messianic
Kingdom.

Despite the above mentioned facts the Book of Enoch was removed
from the bible and banned by the early church until the surviving copies
were found in Ethiopia.

How the Book of Enoch lost?

Before attempting to find explanations given by experts,  let's first look at
the Islamic perspective on him.

In the Quran, he is mentioned as Idris twice. In chapter xix, 56-57
“Also mentioned in the Book the case of Idris: (2508) he was a
man of truth (and sincerity), (and) a Prophet: and we raised him to
a lofty station.”

In chapter xxi, 85-86
“ and (remembered) Ismail, Idris, and Zul-Kifl, all (men) of
constancy and patience; we admitted them to our mercy: for they
were of righteous ones.”

In the commentary (Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation) (2508):
"Idris is mentioned among those who patiently persevered. His
identification with biblical Enoch, who “walked with god” (Gen.v 21-
24), may or may not be correct. Nor are we justified in interpreting
verse 57 here as meaning the same thing in Gen.v. 24 (god took him),
that he was taken up without passing through the portals of death. All
we are told is that he had a high position among his people. It is this
point which brings him in the series of men just mentioned: he kept
himself in touch with his people, and was honoured among them.
Spiritual progress need not cut as off from our people. For we have to
help and guide them. He kept to truth and piety in the highest station."

According to another Muslim  source, his name derives from darasa:
( to study), for he was constantly occupied with the study of the holy
books, both those which Allah had revealed to Adam, and those which
Gabriel brought to him from heaven.
“he was the first who fought for Allah, the first who invented the
balance to prevent deception in traffic, and the first also to sew
garments, and to write with the Kalam.”

How come the Book of Enoch is not in the Bible?

According to some scholars, the Enochian writings (among many
others) were disfavoured and omitted from the bible by the  powerful
theologians,  because of its controversial descriptions of the nature and
deeds of the fallen angels.
“Once the Book of Enoch was considered to be among the biblical
apocryphal writings and was highly appreciated by the early church
fathers, among them St. Augustine, and so there might be much more
profane reasons for later banning writings like the Book of Enoch
from the biblical canon.”  
explains one scholar on the field.

Apocryphal is Greek word meaning “hidden” or “secret”. At first it
meant for positive meaning, and was applied to sacred books with
contents considered to be too exalted to be made available to the
general public. Slowly the idea was accepted and the wise were allowed
to read them. Therefore, the term “ apocrypha” began taking on negative
meanings to the orthodoxy, who felt being kept in the dark by not being
told the teachings of these books. The clergy that was not admitted into
these esoteric circles, because they were thought not to be enlightened,
soon banned apocrypha material heretical, which meant: forbidden to
read for all. As a result the book was lost for a thousand years. Until
James Bruce brought to Europe that gave the modern world its first
glimpse of the Enochian mysteries. It comprises various sections, with
different dates:”the Book of Noah” ”the dream visions”: Apocalypse of
the weeks”; and “The Book of the Heavenly Luminaries.” explains
another source

The Ethiopian church is the only one that possess the Book of Enoch in
its entirety, dating back to the mid-second century B.C., and included in
its official canon. "This fact alone should carry great weight for
Western Christians when honestly studying the "case" for Enoch.
Given their 1900+ year history, the fact that they were never "ruled" by
Rome's theology, and that they currently number over 10 million - this
is a VERY significant portion of The Body of Christ that has
historically esteemed 1 Enoch as inspired doctrine" writes another  
Web Site . This is at a top of the church's claim, to possess the Ark of
the covenants, which contains the original ten commandments and other
scriptures from the old testament.

This is not a fairy tale, Ethiopian Orthodox Christians sincerely believe in
it, and embedded deep into their culture, tradition, national psyche and
consciousness, regardless of their ethnic background or economic status.

Ethiopia's unique position in lifting up the banner of monotheism was
recorded in all scriptures.

In the Holy Quran, chapter v, 85-86
“strongest among men enmity to the believers wilt thou find the
Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers
wilt thou find those who say (789) “we are Christians”: because
amongst these are men devoted to learning (790) and men who
have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.” “and when
they listen to the revelation received by the Apostle, thou wilt see
their eyes overflowing with tears: they pray: “our lord! We believe;
write us down among the witness.”

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, in his commentary to the translation to the above
quoted verse wrote: 789
“the meaning is not that they merely call themselves Christians, but
that they are such sincere Christians that they appreciate Muslim
values, as did the Abyssinians to whom Muslim refugees went during
the Persecution in Mecca. They would say: “ it is true we are
Christians, but we understand your point of view, and we know you are
good men. “they are Muslims at heart, whatever their label may be.”

790 – “Qissis: I have translated as :devoted to learning”, following the
commentators. It seems to be a foreign word, possibly Abyssinian
rather than syriac, as the reference seems to be to the Abyssinian
Christians. Their real devotion to learning and the renunciation of the
world by the monastic orders are contrasted with the hypocrisy and
arrogance of the Pharises and Scribes.”

In the light of this, I would like to pause my glimpse of mystic Ethiopia
by quoting from the Ethiopic Book of Enoch, 61:9
“ and when he shall lift up his countenance to judge their secret
ways according to the word of the name of the Lord of spirits. And
their path according to the way of the righteous judgement of the
Lord of spirits. Then shall they all with one voice speak and bless,
and glorify and extol and sanctify the name of the Lord of spirits.”

Peace Be Unto You All!

The Book Of Enoch
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A page of the Ethiopic text of the "Book of Enoch"
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