7.1 – FORBIDDEN CAVES (10.31.14)

PORTALS ^[2f]

Bethlehem. The Church of the Nativity, built around 330 AD by the first Christian Roman emperor Constantine, is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world, having survived invasions, regime changes, fires, and earthquakes. Many claim that the church is protected by a higher power, because it sits above a cave that some Bible scholars believe to be the true birthplace of Jesus Christ.

“There are many books about the story of Christ’s life, Jesus’ life, which never made their way into the Bible, and one of them was called the Protoevangelium of James. And in that story, Joseph and Mary are approaching Bethlehem, and Mary says, “I’m going to give birth.”  And he thinks for a minute. He said, “Ah, I know a cave near here.” And they’re met at the entrance to the cave by a brilliant light. And when the light dissipates, there is Mary holding Christ in her arms. And if you look at Byzantine painting, the Nativity is always represented in a cave.” – Michael Gervers, Ph.D. (Prof. of History, Univ. of Toronto)

According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary gives birth and places the baby Jesus in a manger, but no actual location for the Nativity is given. It is known, however, that caves at the time were commonly used as shelter for livestock.

“Going back to the 3rd-century, they started this idea that he was actually born in a cave. But then they also describe the tomb of resurrection as a cave, as a simple hollowed-out room that had this circular stone at the entranceway.” – William Henry (Author / Investigative Mythologist), (Author, Freedom’s Gate), (The Judgment Day Device), (Lost Secrets of the Watchers), (The Secret of Sion), (Egypt: The Greatest Show on Earth)

“The Bible does make a point that when Christ was taken from the cross, then he’s buried in a rock-cut tomb.” – Michael Gervers, Ph.D. (Prof. of History, Univ. of Toronto)

“There does seem to be a mystical environment here, this idea of a cave being a place where someone who is of divinity comes and someone who is of divinity leaves. So, it’s almost as if passages are happening in caves.” – Kathleen McGowan Coppens (Author/Researcher), (Author, The Expected One), (The Source of Miracles), (The Book of Love)

“Constantine’s building program of churches in the Holy Land began by building churches over caves associated with key mysteries of the faith. He built a church over the site of Jesus’ birth. He built a church over the site of Jesus’ crucifixion, where the Church of the Holy Sepulchre stands today. And he built a church on the Mount of Olives over a cave associated with the site of his ascension into heaven.” – Robert Mullins, Ph.D. (Archaeologist)

Is there some significance to the fact that both Jesus’ birthplace and resurrection may have occurred inside caves? Some Ancient Astronaut Theorists say yes and claim there may even be physical evidence that what happened within these caves was something other than miraculous.

“The Shroud of Turin is certainly the most important relic of the Resurrection, this extraordinary imprint of the crucified body on this cloth that no one has ever been able to accurately explain or reproduce.” – Kathleen McGowan Coppens (Author/Researcher), (Author, The Expected One), (The Source of Miracles), (The Book of Love)

“Jesus was in the tomb, and some believe there was an intense burst of energy which created what we now call the Shroud of Turin, some form of radiation which was very intense and powerful.” – Wm. Michael Mott (Author, Caverns, Cauldrons, & Concealed Creatures, 3rd Ed.)

“We know with 21st-century technology that the Shroud of Turin is a 1st-century garment. And we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it could not have been painted or in any way created. So, the Shroud of Turin gives us this exceptional piece of evidence that something powerful happened in that tomb.” – Kathleen McGowan Coppens (Author/Researcher), (Author, The Expected One), (The Source of Miracles), (The Book of Love)

“And when people came to see him the next day to view his body, he was gone. Two shining beings, nonhuman beings, met these two witnesses outside the tomb and informed them that Christ had arisen and that he had departed.” – Wm. Michael Mott (Author, Caverns, Cauldrons, & Concealed Creatures, 3rd Ed.)

“It’s possible that that cave was acting as a sort of a gateway or a portal, because in many of these stories, the caves link earth and heaven.” – William Henry (Author / Investigative Mythologist), (Author, Freedom’s Gate), (The Judgment Day Device), (Lost Secrets of the Watchers), (The Secret of Sion), (Egypt: The Greatest Show on Earth)

Could the Shroud of Turin really be evidence that something of a technological as well as a spiritual nature took place in the cave where many believe Jesus was resurrected? Reports of humans encountering the divine in or near caves come from all corners of the globe going back thousands of years.

“We look at the prophet Mohammad at Mount Hira. He’s in a mountain in a cave. He’s praying and meditating. He hears the voice of Gabriel. “Iqra, Iqra,” which means “to “recite, recite.”  And so, he recites the Koran. According to the Hebrew tradition the prophet Elijah, who existed around nine BCE, lived in a cave.” – Rev. Michael J.S. Carter, M.Div. (Author, Alien Scriptures)

“According to Greek mythology, Zeus was born in a cave. And caves are often understood, in religious traditions, to be gateways to the underworld. So, caves are worshipped throughout the Mediterranean, usually because a god is associated with that cave. A god is worshipped in a cave or in a grotto.” – Robert Cargill, Ph.D. (Former: Biblical Archaeologist, UCLA), (Current: Asst. Prof. of Classic & Religious Studies, Univ. of Iowa)

Could the stories of Zeus, Muhammad, and even Jesus be evidence that the world’s subterranean caverns might be portals that connect us to other realms, as Ancient Astronaut Theorists suggest? Perhaps the answer will be found with new cutting-edge technology designed to uncover secrets in cave walls not visible to the naked eye.

Previous: The Crystal Cave | Next: Photogrammetry

References:

^[1] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014/15). Ancient Aliens: Season 7. [DVD Back Cover]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™.

[2] History™. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [Episode Description]. Retrieved: October 31, 2014, from http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens/season-7. [2a] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Introduction]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2b] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Ancient Cave Art]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2c] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Ritualistic Practices]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2d] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Enlightenment]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2e] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: The Crystal Cave]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2f] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Portals]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™. [2g] Prometheus Entertainment. (2014). Ancient Aliens: 7.1 – Forbidden Caves. [DVD Footage: Photogrammetry]. Los Angeles, CA: A&E Networks, LLC / History™.

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^[12] History™. (2015). Ancient Aliens: 7.11 – The Vanishings. [Episode Description]. Retrieved: April 24, 2015, from http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens/season-7.

^[13] History™. (2015). Ancient Aliens: 7.12 – The Alien Agenda. [Episode Description]. Retrieved: May 1, 2015, from http://www.history.com/shows/ancient-aliens/season-7.