Friday, February 15, 2008

Book Review 2 Marys Too Much

“2 Marys” Too Much

The Two Marys: The Hidden History of the Mother and Wife of Jesus

Sylvia Browne, Dutton Press 2007
ISBN Applied For: 978-0-525-95043-1

“To Mother God, Azna.”

I knew from the dedication page I was in for an interesting read.

Capitalizing on Dan Brown’s popular yet controversial “The Da Vinci Code”, Sylvia Browne has picked up on the “The Grail is a uterus” idea and run with it. Amazingly enough, the act of writing the “Two Marys” evoked visions of the events in Jesus’ life accompanied by insights from her own spirit guide Francine. Will wonders never cease.

Dan Brown’s thesis made for a good read, it would not revolutionize the Christian church politic, Catholic or otherwise.

To recap, his premise was that the phrase “holy grail” was the English bastardization of the Spanish phrase ‘Sange Real’ meaning literally Royal Blood (blended to gr-eal or eventually in English “grail,”) and supported the premise that the grail or chalice was actually the Illuminati symbol for the womb, their big secret. So, putting these 2 strong pieces of happenstance together we get the discovery that Jesus’ mom Mary was the vessel of Him, the Prince of Peace. As was His wife Mary of Magdala, a vessel for his daughter Sarah.

There is no proof in the form of a birth certificate bearing the names of the parents as

Father: Jesus of Nazareth Occupation: Carpenter and Itinerant Preacher, Savior, and Prince of Peace
Mother: Mary of Magdala, Occupation Disciple.

This after the Crucifixion when Jesus, Mary, his mom Mary and step-dad Joseph all scooted out of town leaving folks with the belief that he had been killed. The Son of God pulled a fast one, but it was for a greater good. To go hang in India for awhile while Joseph went ahead to start a group of disciples in Glastonbury, England. This from the legend of Jesus starting a sect of Believers in Glastonbury Tor during those missing years between being 15 in the Temple, and being 30 in Temple.

But we do have it on good authority from Francine after all. And who better to give us a first hand look at the life of Jesus life.

But who are we to judge? The existence of Jesus has never been proven to begin with. On a more serious note Ms. Browne really does have some other more sensible things to say salted throughout the book which reads like a narrative, mainly to promote the philosophies of her church in California, Noveau Spiritos.

1. The need for tolerance for other religions including the classicist form of Islam which is in and of itself tolerant. Islam does recognize the place of both Jesus and Mary as prophets. And, an ancient copy of the Talmud does reside in the Muslim controlled museum of Sarajevo.


2. Male domination of western society via the Christian church has led to the subjugation and abuse of the female gender, not mention silencing female perspective in church life for hundreds of years.


3. That many Jesus’ disciples were women who helped not only preach and teach, but kept the kitchen fires and laundry kettle working.

And perhaps most importantly,

4. That religion is a political tool used to manipulate the masses by wrapping up wartime agendas in sheep’s clothing by preaching hate and teaching legalism.

What can I say? Even a broken clock is right twice a day. From prophecies in the early 2 century BCE, the Messiah has been both a dividing and unifying political force. In the prophet Isaiah’s day he was the longed for hope of nationalism for the Diaspora. Spoken of as the Prince Peace and the holy line. In the days of Jesus Messianic prophesies were the political hope of national self determination in the hearts of the Jews living in Roman occupied Jerusalem. Never more so than in the hearts of the Zealots the underground resistance movement of the Jewish people.

Like most of her work as a psychic the author’s work is salted with common sense and sensible observation used to substantiate an outlandish statement. Any 7 year old knows to be convincing you must mingle in enough truth to make the lie convincing. After all, she does have a church, a web site, and book contract, and family business to support.

Sylvia Browne is a New York Times Best Seller for similar works and appears on The Montel Williams show once a week.