Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 8, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 8, 2023

EASTER AND THE MAN BEHIND IT

In Search of the Historical Jesus

[Nyerges is an educator, and author of such books as “Extreme Simplicity,” “Enter 
the For-est,” and “Self-Sufficient Home.” You can learn more about his classes and 
activities at www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com.]

Jesus! What a man he was! Perhaps the most amazing thing about Jesus 
– a man who is known and worshipped by at least a third of all humanity, 
and around whom our system of reckoning time revolves – is that there is still so much debate 
about who he was, what he did, how he lived, and what he believed. Hundreds of differing 
Christian sects are stark testament to the fact that though Jesus might have had “one message,” 
that message has been widely interpreted over the centuries.

Let’s work through some basics. As an historical person, he can be placed in a specific time 
and location. All historians concede that they do not know the birthday of Jesus, but it’s not 
Christmas day. Most scholars suggest that Jesus was born in either April or September, in 4 
B.C. or 6 B.C.

“Jesus” was not his name, just the English rendering of Yeshua. Did he have a full name? Yes, 
of course, and it was not “Jesus Christ,” which is a title, meaning Jesus the Christ, or Jesus the 
Annointed. Historians say that the actual name was Yeshua ben Josephus, that is, Jesus son 
of Joseph. Another version says it is Yeshua ben Pandirah, Jesus son of the Panther. In Indian 
literature, he is referred to as Yuz Asaf (“leader of the healed”), ac-cording to ‘Farhang-
Asafia”, volume 1. In the Koran, he is known as Isa (or Issa). 

WAS JESUS BLACK?

Ethnically, culturally, and religiously, he was Jewish. But occasionally, a writer will suggest 
that Jesus was actually black, with such evidence as the preponderance of the “Black Ma-
donnas” found throughout Europe. The only Biblical evidence on this are the two line-ages 
of Jesus provided, which uncharacteristically include women.

The key genealogies of Jesus listed in the Bible are Luke 3: 23-31, and Matthew 1:1-17. In these 
lineages, we are told of at least four of the women in Jesus’ genealogical line. These are Rehab, 
Ruth, Tamar, and Bathsheba. Rehab (also spelled Rahab) was a Canaan-ite. Tamar was probably 
a Canaanite. Bethsheba, often referred to as a Hittite, was more likely Japhethic, that is, 
not a descendant of Ham. (However, this is not clear). Ruth was in the line of Ham. Now, 
who was Ham? Who were the Canaanites and Hittites? 



According to Genesis 9:19, all mankind descended from Noah’s three sons: Shem, Ham, and 
Japheth. Ham’s descendants became the black people who settled in Africa, and parts of the 
Arabian peninsula. His sons were Cush, whose descendants settled in Ethiopia, Miz-raim, 
whose descendants settled in Egypt, Put, whose descendants settled in Libya, and Canaan, 
whose descendants settled in Palestine. The descendants of Cush were the main populace of 
the Cushite Empire, which extended from western Libya to Ethiopia and Nubia, all of present 
day Egypt, and the Arabian peninsula into the mountains of Tur-key. They spoke several 
languages and had skin pigmentation ranging from dark black to medium brown. 



It takes a bit of study to ascertain who these people were – and there were other possible 
African women in Jesus’ lineage as well – but, in general, when we are speaking of Cushites, 
Canaanites, descendants of Ham, etc., we are speaking of Africans. It is entirely possible that 
this wasn’t a big deal when the scriptures were written since Jesus’ racial back-ground was 
common knowledge.



So, although Jesus had some African ancestry, his physical appearance was such that he fit 
right in with the Jews of that era, based on several passages that indicate that Jesus not only 
looked like every one else of the day, but was also very average and normal looking Middle-
Easterner, not sticking out at all. 



THE EARLY YEARS

The Bible speak of the young Jesus talking to the Rabbis in the Temple, sharing his 

youthful wisdom with the elders to the surprise of his parents. Then there is no Biblical 
record of what he did as a teenager, and during his 20s. We don’t hear from his again in the 
Bible until his appearance on the scene at about age 30, where he turned water into wine at a 
wedding feasts, and is depicted as a healer, prophet, and fisher of men. 

His religious observations would have been the regular observations for Jews of the day, and 
quite different from the observations of most Christian sects today. The reasons for this are 
well-known. The early Christians were known as Judeo-Christians (Jews who followed the 
Christ), and as the new religion became more and more encompassing, it eventually became 
Christianity by the 4th Century. In order to attract ever-more followers, Constantine made 
Christianity the official religion of the Kingdom, and Christianized all the popular Mythraic 
(so-called Pagan) observations and turned them into Christian Holy Days. Catholic, after 
all, means Universal.

Growing up as a Catholic, I studied Jesus, and wanted to be “holy” like him. I wanted to be 
like Jesus -- but what did that really mean? There was so much about this person that was 
beyond my ability to know. For example, what Holy Days would Jesus have observed? Was he 
an Essene? Was he a Nazarene? What did these groups believe and practice? Did he have any 
Buddhist influence? Who were his closest followers, the apostles? What did he actually teach 
his close followers, beyond what is known from his various public talks? Were his miracles 
and public healings actual events, or were they symbolic stories? These and other questions 
have always swirled around this man called Jesus.



As a student of the real and historical Jesus, here are just a few of the many books I have found 
to be useful.

Garner Ted Armstrong of the Worldwide Church of God in Pasadena, wrote a book about the 
“Real Jesus,” and Jesus was described as a hard-working, athletic, health-food eating powerful 
man, a sort of health advocate Gypsy Boots of the past. But certainly Jesus was much more 
than that.



Holger Kersten in his “Jesus Lived in India” book presents a very different Jesus, one who is 
depicted on the Shroud of Turin, and one who traveled to India and studied from the Buddhists. 
In fact, the way in which the holy men of the Bible sought and found the baby Jesus is 
very much of the pattern of the holy men of Tibet seeking and finding the next Da-li Lama, 
and Kersten puts Jesus in that very same pattern. 



Manly Hall, who founded Los Angeles’ Philosophical Research Society, writes that the pat-
terns of all historical saviors (he cites at least 16) include more or less the same 

elements. But Hall is less concerned about historical facts than he is in demonstrating that 
there is an extant prototype of human spiritual evolution.



According to Harold Percival in his “Thinking and Destiny” book, Jesus succeeded in re-
uniting his Doer and Thinker and Knower, his internal trinity, which put him in touch with 
his divinity, which made him, effectively, a God. Though Percival’s terminology is unfamiliar 
to most Christians, he is less concerned about the historical details of Jesus and more 
concerned about what Jesus did, and became, that made him a focal point of most societies 
on earth over the last 2000 years. According to Percival, the virgin birth, the miracles, and 
the resurrection should all be studied to find the inner meanings for our own individual 
evolution.



There is also a silly but interesting book that purports to show that Jesus was never a person 
but actually a hallucinogenic mushroom. Don’t bother reading it. Another book suggests 
that there was no Jesus, that he is just a made-up person as a metaphor of astrological principles. 
Really?



I believe it is unwise (and incorrect) to suggest that a Jesus never existed because of the way 
his followers centuries later chose to remember him, and continued to overlay so many symbols 
onto the historical person.



Jesus lived, and it is not reasonable to assume that the stories of such a great one arose from 
mere myth or fabrication. Such a person lived, and his influence of what he did and said affected 
many people, and everyone seemed to “read” that message of Jesus in their own way.



Regardless of your religious background or belief, you are likely to be richly rewarded by 
delving deeply into the nuances of who Jesus was. When everyone’s mind is upon Jesus and 
the Mysteries during the Easter season, I have found great value in viewing the “Jesus of 
Nazareth” series, and I even find value in such depictions as “Jesus Christ Super-star.” Unlike 
so many who purport to follow in his path, I find the real Jesus one who was not dogmatic, 
but one who knew that only when we recognize each other’s humanity do we rise up into our 
own divinities.



 According to Holger Kersten, “Jesus did not supply theories to be ground in the mills of academia, 
about his path and message – he just lived his teachings! Tolerance, 

unprejudiced acceptance of others, giving and sharing, the capacity to take upon oneself the 
bur-dens of others, in other words, unlimited love in action and service for one’s fellow hu-
man beings – this is the path which Jesus showed to salvation.”

CHRISTOPHER Nyerges [www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]

Peter Dills Knows 


HAPPY EASTER

Recently, I was the recipient of a question from reader Cruz Trevino 
of Sierra Madre. It appears that Cannon Drive(Beverly Hills) and their 
wine list may have migrated to a location near us. Cruz was at the 
Langham Hotel and enjoyed a glass of Taittinger Champagne ($27), and 
he asked this writer to investigate how establishments come up with 
prices of wines by the glass. I dream of a day when a poor restaurant 
critic may soothe his many worries with an exceptional glass of wine 
and not be required to carry a bag of gold dust as payment. Like the 
majority of us, Cruz strikes me as a regular consumer of wine; a person 
who is not cheap but searches for value when he is dining out. I must 
admit I, too, like the gentle view from the Tap Room over looking the 
50 acres of greenery.

I reached out to my many sources in the industry and this is what I 
found out. Ian Blackburn, founder of Learnaboutwine.com, said, “That 
($27) is fairly common (really?) for a good glass of wine and the math 
works out to ($135) for the full bottle at that price per glass.” While 
many chain restaurants use a Libby wine glass which costs a couple of 
bucks, upscale restaurants use a higher quality glass, so you can guess 
that the cost of the glass might be just a bit lower than what they paid for the entire bottle. My next call 
was to Randy, who owns the Domenico’s restaurant on Washington in Pasadena. He tells me that his 
wine purveyors suggest to "tripling the cost of the bottle”. This means if you see a bottle for $30 at your 
favorite restaurant, by this rule of thumb, they paid $10 for it.” 

Ok, so how about corkage fees? Most restaurants charge $4-$20 for this service because, yes, they still 
have to open your bottle and clean the glasses. I find it that is unacceptable to bring in a bottle of wine 
that is already listed on the restaurant’s menu. If it is an owner-occupied restaurant, often it is a good 
gesture to let the owner sample the wine that you have brought in. Who picks the wine? Erudite wine 
broker Eddie Ramirez offers this insightful advice, “Always have the wine list when ordering, and I do 
not recommend asking the servers for a wine recommendation unless you do not have any issues with 
the price.” My suggestion to Cruz and my readers is it to never blindly let the server choose the wine for 
you and be careful on the “ House Wine” I stayed at a resort in South Laguna just a few years ago and 
my bill was $110!!

I hope this helps. I learned something as well. 

Follow me on Tic Toc and Instagram HAPPY EASTER

AUTHOR MAJOR ALPHONSO B. JONES TO 

ADDRESS WOMEN OF EAGLE SCOUTS AT ANNUAL 
LUNCHEON

 Guests at the twenty-third annual Greater Los Angeles Area Council of Boy Scouts of America 
Women of Eagle Scout Brunch, Wind Under Their Wings, will be treated to an elegant and motivating 
event on Saturday, May 6, 2023 at Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Church, 778 South Rosemead Blvd., 
Pasadena. A reception will be held at 10:30 a.m. followed by a brunch and the program at 11:15 a.m. The 
celebration will end at 1:30 p.m.

 

Local Boy Scouts will greet guests during the hosted reception and will usher them into the dining room 
for a delicious brunch. Scouts from Troops 1, 359, and 509 from the San Gabriel Valley will lead the 
pledge of allegiance, followed by a memorable rendition of the National Anthem played on the bugle by 
Bryan Rose. There will also be vocal musical entertainment by soloist Ryan Liddy. Ryan Liddy, a baritone 
from Pasadena and senior at Loyola High, has studied classical voice at the Pasadena Conservatory 
of Music for the last six years. Ryan has been a chorister with the Los Angeles Children's Chorus, performed 
in numerous professional productions, including LA Opera’s Carmen and Tosca and performed 
at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with the LA Philharmonic. He has won numerous musical awards, is also a 
classical pianist, and plans to study classical voice in college next year. Ryan will be accompanied on the 
piano by Dr. JoAnn Haycroft. She received her formal education at the University of Wyoming, California 
State University at Los Angeles, and completed her doctorate at Claremont Graduate University. She 
is a member of three music performing groups: Sigma Alpha Iota, Tuesday Musicale of Pasadena, and 
the St. Cecilia Music Club. She also teaches piano and is a past president of the Pasadena Branch of the 
Music Teachers’ Association of California.

 Elizabeth “Lizzy” Garcia, of Troop 333 will share her experiences, as one of the first girls to earn the 
rank of Eagle in the San Gabriel Valley, following in the footsteps of her older brother, Danny. Her sister 
Bella is also an Eagle Scout and youngest sister Raquel is well on her way to earning the rank as well. She 
currently is registered with Troop 141 as a Unit College Scout Reserve.



The Invocation will be presented by Eagle Scout Father Kevin Rettig of Holy Angels Parish in Arcadia.

 Chairman of the Board of the Greater Los Angeles Area Council, John O. Johnson, will welcome 
the guests and share information on the current scouting program. John Johnson has been involved 
with the San Gabriel Valley Council, now known as Greater Los Angeles Area Council, in the role of Vice 
President of Programs, Executive Vice President, in 2020, and Council President and Chairman of the 
Board from 2021 to the present. He is a Silver Beaver Recipient, National Outstanding Eagle Scout Award 
Recipient, Distinguished Second Century Recipient, and James E. West Fellow. 

Capping the brunch will be a motivating talk presented by author Alphonso B. Jones who grew up in 
Washington D.C. during the Great Depression. He became a United States Air Force Major who served 
with distinction in the Vietnam war and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and four air medals. 
After retiring from the military, he embarked on a career as an educator, teaching youth in public and 
private schools in Hawaii and later serving as the Director of Youth Ministry for the Hawaiian Islands. 
For the past twenty-two years, Al has lived in San Gabriel Valley with his wife as an active faith leader, 
passionate globetrotter, and deeply involved grandparent. His journey with scouting began in Hawaii 
where he was the Scout master of his son’s troop. After moving to Southern California, he volunteered 
with both his granddaughter and grandson’s troops, becoming a Boy Scout Troop Master Emeritus in 
San Marino. To learn more about Major Al Jones, his memoir, Soaring, My Improbable Life, is available 
at Amazon.com.

 This year’s committee under the leadership of Co-Chairman, Suko Gotoh of Glendale and Vicki 
Elliott of San Marino includes Avery Barth, Janice Conzonire, Mary Falkenbury, Wendy Greenleaf, 
Lynn Hatashita-Jung, Connie Knott, Ann Kunitake, Mona Mapel, Patricia Tom Mar, Karen Quon, Helen 
Kim Spitzer, Valerie Gumbiner Weiss, Karen Wicke, and Julie Wong Tam of San Marino; Jane Laudeman, 
Rhea Gonzaga, and Robin Puri of Pasadena; Ellen Chiechi, Janet Orswell, of Arcadia; Vivian Chan of San 
Gabriel; Kathy Vine of Temple City, Cindy Sercel of Lakeview Terrace, and Judy Din. The committee is 
advised by Development Director, Lucia Bernal-Blaszkowski. The committee welcomes the community 
to attend and honor the Women Behind the Eagle Scouts. The cost is $75 per person and includes pre-
luncheon refreshments, brunch, mementos, and supports the Boy Scouts of America. Invitations and/
or additional information may be obtained by contacting Lucia Bernal at the Greater Los Angeles Area 
Council of Boy Scouts of America at (213) 718-6726 or Lucia.Bernal@scouting.org. Registration is also 
available on the website at greaterlascouting.org/wings.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com