High Stakes

by Erin McCarthy

  I don’t think you have to be as exposed to ghosts as I have been to know you can’t touch ghosts, and I have never had one tell me it was hungry, much less sit down and eat. Ghosts can give a wispy feeling if you touch them and can even move things or rattle around, but they are not solid to the touch. I have talked to them sometimes haltingly, but with others they are very verbal. You can see them, as I have at times, and they seem real, but then they fade. Spirit Guides can also manifest, but can’t hold this form long because they are on a higher level. In fact the longer a person has been passed over, the harder it is for them to get in, because they ascend to a higher vibrational level or plane. Angels that are always with us don’t speak. The only time angels speak (which is not often) is when they take human form to save your life or give you a message. But no ghost stays with you, eats with you, lectures you on what is ahead for you and gives you instructions, as our Lord did to his disciples.

  You can say, but if he was the Son of God, couldn’t he do all these things? Yes, but because he didn’t die, that is a moot point. Again, and it bears repeating, how does this strike down his divinity? I’m sure the Muslims and Buddhists don’t think less of their messengers because they didn’t die as martyrs and were resurrected back to life. This does not change the truth that Christ was divine.

  Francine says after Joseph of Arimathaea and Mary Magdalene removed Jesus from the tomb they took him to a safe place to recuperate and recover. It was also during this time that they put their heads together to find the best way to tell Christ’s disciples about the plot, Jesus’ still being alive and their future plans. After about a week of recovery, Jesus decided to go out in disguise to meet with some of his disciples, and after having a good laugh at their not recognizing him, he made himself known to them and told them to meet him with all the other disciples in Galilee in about two weeks’ time. Jesus took another week of preparation and recovery and set out for Galilee to meet with his disciples.

  The stories of Mary Magdalene coming to the tomb in the early hours of the day after the Sabbath (Easter Sunday) are not true, according to Francine. Francine says that Mary Magdalene never left his side, and after she had transferered him to a safe place, by Sunday Jesus was well on his road to recovery. This story had to be constructed to show there were witnesses to his rising from his presumed death, and we will see how this fits in shortly. The stone to the tomb was removed by the guards hired by the Sanhedrin to initially check whether Christ had risen or not. Finding the tomb empty, they immediately reported this fact back to the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin priests were put into a spiritual dilemma. Had they really killed their own Messiah? Eventually, fear and greed prevailed and they put out the story that the tomb had been robbed of Christ’s body by his disciples. This is confirmed in Luke 28:11–15.

  Francine says that the part of the New Testament as put forth by the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John regarding the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ was largely constructed to cover up the fact that Jesus was alive and well. Although Christ was crucified and suffered tremendous agony, none of the facts of the plot to save Jesus came out except for a few clues, which I’ve already touched on. The resurrection was a complete fabrication and had to be constructed to give cover to the escape of Jesus and his family—for who would search for a dead man who had risen up into heaven?

  Jesus journeyed to Galilee in disguise and rested often on the way, still recovering from his ordeal on the cross. He carefully avoided any Roman soldiers, Pharisees and priests along the way and eventually went to the designated location to meet his disciples. Francine says his disciples were truly frightened when they first saw him and did think he was a spirit as put forth in Luke 24:37. Jesus did make the comment, not just to Thomas but to all of them, to touch his wounds to verify that he was still alive and also asked for food because he was hungry. All of the disciples were then convinced that he was alive and started to ask him many questions.

  Jesus spent the next couple of weeks sequestered out of the public’s eye and explaining to his disciples everything about the plot with Pontius Pilate and why he’d had to keep everything secret from them. Initially several of the disciples had their feelings hurt and egos bruised because Jesus had not confided in them; but after he assured them that the secrecy had been needed to lessen the chance of the plot being exposed, they soon got over having been left out. Jesus also explained to them that Judas Iscariot was not a traitor and had seemingly betrayed him at his request to make the plan for his survival more believable.

  Christ went on to explain many things to them that were imperative for his escape and survival. He told his disciples that he was leaving Israel to avoid possible recapture and death. Jesus also prepared them to be apostles during this time, giving them instructions on where each of them would be traveling to preach his teachings. Jesus outlined to them how they would be going out in groups of two to help and support each other in putting forth his teachings. They were to go to Greece, Turkey, Asia and Europe. His brother James was to remain in Israel and head operations there. Before the apostles left, Jesus gave them hope and words of wisdom and love and told them all he would always be with them, whether in flesh or spirit. The apostles didn’t want Jesus and his family to go, but knew they had to; the danger was too great that they would be found out and thus truly persecuted. Jesus finally bade them farewell and told them he was going to heaven, which was the Essene nickname for Qumran, until final arrangements could be made. It had been several months since the crucifixion and Jesus felt he had prepared his apostles as best he could. Francine says that the Apostles then went forth and preached to many lands and all of them put forth that Christ had died on the cross, had risen and ascended into heaven, to protect the secret that Jesus was still alive.

  It was during this time that Christ had a heartwarming reunion with his mother, whom he also told of the plot for his survival and plans for escape. While he was sequestered in hiding, another great happening occurred—Mary Magdalene became pregnant. This child, you would have thought, would have heralded a big celebration from everyone in their group, and it did somewhat, but now there was the added fear of losing their child in the threat that they would all be wiped out unless they escaped. So joy was mixed with fear. Joy that the royal bloodline of the House of David and future Merovingian kings would continue, but fear that they would be discovered and everyone would be found to be conspirators and put to death.

  Joseph of Arimathaea was really one of the heroes of Christ’s story of escape. He was a close friend of Pilate’s, due to his being a Roman minister of mines, and a secret disciple of Jesus. He was the uncle of Christ’s mother Mary and was very wealthy and owned tin mines in Britain. His connections within the Roman government and friendship with Pontius Pilate were key ingredients in the plot to save Jesus. I guess in this day and age you might or should refer to this as bribery or a payoff. Money given to the right people, not excluding Pontius Pilate, made the escape for the family much easier.

  Jesus then took his family to Qumran to wait for the time when Joseph of Arimathaea would come for them to help them make their escape to Israel. Joseph was busy making preparations for their escape. He had a ship built in Tyre that was big enough to carry supplies to sustain them for a long journey, thinking that in all probability they would go to Britain, where he had extensive holdings. Joseph had even arranged for a small escort of ships to protect them from the pirates who were attacking trade routes at the time. About six months after the crucifixion, Joseph came for Jesus and his family. They left Qumran and journeyed for about two weeks up through Galilee into the coastal city of Tyre. In the dark of night they boarded the fully provisioned ship Joseph had built for them and sailed off on the first tide. Jesus was accompanied by Mary Magdalene, his mother Mary, Joseph, and Philip and James—two of his disciples. Despite Joseph’s suggestion that they go to Britain, Francine says they weren’t sure where they would finally land, but Jesus assured them they would know it when
they found it.

  This, I’m certain, shows that, as always, Jesus had perfect contact with God, more than anyone else who has ever lived, including Moses, who supposedly heard God’s voice in a burning bush. Even though some theologians challenge this story of Moses, I’m sure he had some infusion from God. His wandering in the desert for forty years, though, does make one wonder how strong his infusion was; whereas Jesus never deviated from his prophetic and preordained path. There is no doubt that even though he may not have always wanted to fulfill his destiny, he did it with great courage and force of will. He knew by going through his travails there was a greater chance his lessons and way of life would live on.

  Here again, Jesus was in opposition at that time to some great religions of the world. Even though the Gnostics’ way of life and belief system dated back thousands of years, they had had no leader until Jesus came. You can have a belief, but every religion seems to need a messiah or messenger who brings it forward to the public eye. So Christ was truly the chosen one from God who was a divinity in a human form.

  Their ship went up the coast and eventually went westward and made landfall in Turkey (where, even to this present day, they insist Mary and Mary Magdalene were there) at Ephesus. While in Ephesus, Jesus told Joseph of Arimathaea to take the ship and go to Britain to establish his teachings there and to return to Ephesus in three years’ time to pick him up. After settling on a date and time of rendezvous, Joseph sailed for Britain and established a Christian settlement at Glastonbury. Jesus rented a residence for his mother and left James and hired servants to watch over and care for her. He then took Mary Magdalene (who refused to be left behind) and Philip and traveled again to India and Kashmir. It was while they were on this journey that Mary gave birth to their first child, Sarah. Jesus, Mary and Philip spent almost another year and a half in India and Kashmir, teaching to any who would listen. Knowing that they had to meet Joseph and wanting to see his mother again, they made their way back to Ephesus. They spent another few weeks in Ephesus before Joseph arrived by ship. They then packed their belongings and set sail to the west. They stopped in Greece and Italy for a time and even went to Britain to Joseph’s Christian settlement. They finally made their way to France, landing near Marseille. After traveling for a while in France they eventually settled in southern France in the area of Rennes-le-Château. The reason that they settled in France is vague except my guide says he was led there.

  Even though they settled around Rennes-le-Château, they moved and taught throughout the area and the whole Languedoc region. We know that at least one large community of Gnostics, the Cathars, also, not by coincidence, settled there. We also know that many of the secret societies, like the Priory of Sion, the Freemasons and the Knights Templar seem to have roots either in France or En gland. Why there? This is self-explanatory, especially if they were trying to protect the descendents of the royal family started by Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The Knights Templar for many years owned lands and a large castle in the region and had tremendous influence on the people. In medieval times Cathars in the area were winning droves of converts from the Catholic Church, in such numbers that the Church waged a crusade against them and wiped almost all of them out. The whole of the Languedoc region was considered to be Gnostic in nature and the Gnostics gained great footholds there because in their heyday they were protected by the Knights Templar and the nobility in the region.

  Some historians have just Mary Magdalene, Sarah (whom they called the Egyptian) and Joseph of Arimathaea landing on French soil; but definitely Jesus, Philip and James were also with them. Francine says Jesus took the name of David Albengentun as a part of his new identity. Since no one in France had ever seen Jesus and certainly at this early date didn’t know what had happened in Galilee, Nazareth, Bethlehem or Jerusalem, Jesus was safely starting his new life in another country. I’m not sure that many of them even knew these places existed. Remember, in those days they still believed the world was flat and if you sailed too far you fell off the Earth. Only in the late fifteenth century with Columbus, and into the sixteenth century, did explorers prove you could sail around the unknown world.

  Sarah was a very young girl when they had another girl, Esther, and then two boys. Mary Magdalene also had several miscarriages. Jesus kept a low profile for the most part, but did convert many around him in the local area with his teachings, and they would become the future Gnostics, who kept his secret to their deaths. The so-called Holy Grail was Magdalene’s womb that carried their offspring of royal blood or Sang Real, which, translated, means either sacred blood or royal blood or kingly blood. In the medieval period the Holy Grail was oftentimes called Sangreal or San Greal—meaning Holy Grail or holy dish. Depending on how you split the word Sangreal, you come up with two fascinating interpretations.

  Jesus was around thirty-five or thirty-six then and Mary Magdalene was around twenty-three or twenty-four. Magdalene went out to preach Christ’s teachings and many call her the first pope, not Peter. Even today in France they have the Church of the Magdalene at Rennes-le-Château, as well as in many other places throughout the world. Now, if they didn’t give honor to her or think she was saintlike, they certainly wouldn’t have built a church to her. Most popes didn’t even get that privilege. Churches are relegated to saints, so they must have thought highly of her. Theologians in the Church had discussed her for many years, and she was vilified as early as the third century by Hippolytus as being the woman who was a sinner and harlot. Pope Gregory I in 591 also confirmed this, and she was considered by the Catholic Church to be a “repentant” sinner until 1969, when the Church decided in a very unpublicized move to admit their mistake in the Second Vatican Council (Vatican II) and declared that she was not a sinner of any kind. Magdalene was never canonized as a saint by the Church, but is considered one under what the Catholic Church calls a “sense of the faithful.” Canonization was not adopted and implemented by the Catholic Church until the tenth century, so before that time saints were made by public opinion and veneration, which is called the “sense of the faithful.” Mary Magdalene falls into this category, and she was especially venerated in France. Several churches were built and named for her there in medieval times.

  Magdalene walked among the people and did many good works and constantly preached the teachings of Jesus. Christ kept more in the background and devoted himself to his writings, some of which were attributed to Philip. Philip and James, using their own names, wrote down as scribes the direct words of Jesus constantly, keeping an accurate record of any sermons and teachings that he gave to the people. Francine says that Jesus also helped James and Magdalene in writing their gospels.

  The gospels of Philip and James were found at Nag Hammadi in Egypt in 1945, but the Gospel of Mary Magdalene was acquired in 1896 in Akhmim, Egypt, by Germans and was called the Berlin Codex. Mary’s gospel is not part of the Nag Hammadi library as many believe, but was not really translated until the 1950s. None of these discovered gospels are originals, but they certainly hadn’t been tampered with like the Old and New Testament writings, which have been copied and edited thousands of times. You can lose the true meaning in one translation, let alone in thousands copied by hand, especially when it’s from Aramaic into Greek or Latin, etc.

  There are even some words that become completely misinterpreted, such as sin. The word sin was originally an archery term that meant “missing the mark.” So you just take out another arrow and bow and try again. The Hebrew word Sheol was interpreted to mean hell or Hades, but in actuality was the name of a constantly burning dump outside Jerusalem. So put it all together and then add a demon or a so-called mythological fallen angel called Lucifer and you have enough to scare an uneducated populace into giving money for fear of damnation, which leads to control. If you don’t believe the way the Church does, then you’re damned. Yet God is supposed to be all-loving, all-knowing, all-forgiving and omnipotent. How could He condemn those the Church sentenced to everlasting damnation? This earth is the place
of negativity, dissension and evil; but it’s really a temporal plane for learning or a school for the soul. If there is no negativity and evil, how do we know what is good? How would we know what our souls are made of and what we can endure that tests our mettle and makes our souls learn and expand in spirituality?

  My research has naturally come through infusion from God (all things do), my life’s experience and doing twenty readings a day for over fifty years. But in living life on this earth plane all of us have the opportunity to learn; and like a part of my favorite prayer, “My soul does magnify the Lord,” we all have the opportunity to glorify the Lord with our actions.

  Those who became aware of the secret truth of Christ’s life—whether it was the Knights Templar later on in time or the people in the villages of France who lived with Jesus—ferociously guarded the secret and were very protective of Jesus and his family. The people around Jesus and his family in France became a new type of Gnostic, discarding the old theories of Gnosticism that prevailed up to that time and embracing the real teachings of Jesus…not the teachings in the New Testament that had been highly edited by the early Church. These people became the first real Gnostic Christians, not concerned with the question of divinity, but with the wonderful and beautiful teachings that Jesus gave them. Truth is truth and the question of divinity has very little to do with it.