Sony Bravia Magic Femote is a remote control device designed specifically for Sony Bravia smart TVs. It is called "magic" because of its advanced features and capabilities that make controlling the TV a seamless and effortless experience. The remote control has a sleek and ergonomic design that fits comfortably in the hand, making it easy to navigate and access the TV's functions. One of the prominent features of the Sony Bravia Magic Femote is its voice control capability. With built-in voice recognition technology, users can simply speak commands or requests to the remote, and the TV will respond accordingly. Whether it is changing channels, adjusting the volume, or browsing through apps and content, voice commands provide an intuitive and convenient way to interact with the TV.
The True Meaning of Lent
Unlike New Year’s, Christmas, Halloween, St. Valentine’s Day and other pagan holidays that are celebrated by the secular, non-religious world, the Lenten season is observed by dedicated religious believers.
On Ash Wednesday, many solemnly mark their foreheads with ash. Then for the next 40 days they “fast” by abstaining from certain foods or physical pleasures until Easter. This is done to supposedly imitate Jesus Christ’s 40-day fast in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-2). Some give up smoking. Others give up chewing gum. Still others give up overeating or cursing. People vow to give up anything, as long as it prepares them for Easter.
People who observe Lent may be religious, dedicated and sincere—but they are sincerely wrong.
Let’s examine Lent, its practices and customs, its historic and religious origins, and its true meaning from the Bible’s perspective, not from the “traditions of men” (Mark 7:7-9).
Examining Lent’s Purpose
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, “the real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ…the better the preparation the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God’s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts.”
On the surface, this belief sounds sincere. However, it does not agree with the Bible, God’s Holy Word, the only source of true spiritual knowledge and understanding (John 17:17). God, through the apostle Paul, commands Christians to “continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:14-17).
First, understand that the “celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ” to which the preceding quote refers is so-called “Good Friday” and “Easter Sunday”—holidays deeply rooted in ancient paganism. They were instituted by mainstream Christianity in order to counterfeit and replace the Passover season. Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread were observed by Christ, the original apostles and the New Testament Church—including gentiles. God commands His people to observe them today (I Cor. 5:7-8). (Read our booklets The True Origin of Easter and Christ’s Resurrection Was Not on Sunday to learn more.)
Second, the Bible says that we are purified—cleansed, set apart and made pure in God’s sight—by the shed blood of Jesus Christ (Heb. 9:11-14, 22; 13:12). This, along with faith (Acts 15:9) and humbly submitting to and obeying God (James 4:7-10) through His truth and prayer (John 17:17; I Tim. 4:5), makes us clean before God. No amount of fasting, abstaining from physical pleasures or any other form of self-denial can purify us.
Third, you cannot, of and by yourself, create within you “the desire to do God’s will.” True, God has given mankind free moral agency. But the carnal, natural mind cannot—will not—submit to God. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit…Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:5, 7).
Only through a converted mind, actively led by the Holy Spirit, can God work “in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).
And fourth, “to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts” is a false tradition taught by this world’s brand of Christianity. It is not taught in the Bible. God is not setting up His Kingdom in the hearts of men. (Request our article Seven Proofs God’s Kingdom Is Not Here Yet to understand more.)
So where did Lent originate? How did it come to be so widely observed by mainstream Christianity?
Approved by Official State Religion
Believe it or not, Lent was never observed by Christ or His apostles. He commanded His disciples to “Go you therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Jesus never commanded them to observe Lent or Easter. He did, however, command them to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. In fact, during His last Passover on Earth, Christ gave detailed instructions on how to observe the Passover service. He also instituted new Passover symbols (John 13:1-17).
Notice what Alexander Hislop wrote in his book The Two Babylons: “The festival, of which we read in Church history, under the name of Easter, in the third and fourth centuries, was quite a different festival from that now observed in the Romish Church, and at that time was not known by any such name as Easter…That festival [Passover] was not idolatrous, and it was preceded by no Lent. ‘It ought to be known,’ said Cassianus, the monk of Marseilles, writing in the fifth century, and contrasting the primitive [New Testament] Church with the Church of his day, ‘that the observance of the forty days had no existence, so long as the perfection of that primitive Church remained inviolate.’”
Lent was not observed by the first-century Church! It was first addressed by the church at Rome during the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, when Emperor Constantine officially recognized that church as the Roman Empire’s state religion. Any other form of Christianity that held to doctrines contrary to the Roman church was considered an enemy of the state. (To learn more about true Church history, read our book Where Is the True Church? – and Its Incredible History!) In AD 360, the Council of Laodicea officially commanded Lent to be observed.
Originally, people did not observe Lent for more than a week. Some kept it for one or two days. Others kept it for 40 consecutive hours, falsely believing that only 40 hours had elapsed between Christ’s death and resurrection.
Eventually, it became a 40-day period of fasting or abstaining from certain foods. “The emphasis was not so much on the fasting as on the spiritual renewal that the preparation for Easter demanded. It was simply a period marked by fasting, but not necessarily one in which the faithful fasted every day. However, as time went on, more and more emphasis was laid upon fasting…During the early centuries (from the fifth century on especially) the observance of the fast was very strict. Only one meal a day, toward evening was allowed: flesh meat and fish, and in most places even eggs and dairy products, were absolutely forbidden. Meat was not even allowed on Sundays” (Catholic Encyclopedia).
From the ninth century onward, Lent’s strict rules were relaxed. Greater emphasis was given to performing “penitential works” than to fasting and abstinence. According to the apostolic constitution Poenitemini of Pope Paul IV (Feb. 17, 1966), “abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and on all Fridays of the year that do not fall on holy days of obligation, and fasting as well as abstinence is to be observed on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday” (Catholic Encyclopedia).
Today, Lent is used for “fasting from sin and from vice…forsaking sin and sinful ways.” It is a season “for penance, which means sorrow for sin and conversion to God.” This tradition teaches that fasting and employing self-discipline during Lent will give a worshipper the “control over himself that he needs to purify his heart and renew his life.”
However, the Bible clearly shows that self-control—temperance—comes from having God’s Holy Spirit working in the life of a converted mind (Gal. 5:16, 17, 22). Fasting—of and by itself—cannot produce godly self-control.
Paul warned against using self-denial as a tool to rely on your own will. He called it “will worship.” “Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh” (Col. 2:20-23).
God did not design fasting as a tool for penance, “beating yourself up” or developing willpower: “Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord ? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?” (Isa. 58:5-7).
God’s people humble themselves through fasting in order to draw closer to Him—so that they can learn to think and act like Him—so that they can live His way of life in all things. Notice what the prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Thus says the Lord , Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the Lord ” (9:23-24). Fasting (and prayer) helps Christians draw closer to God.
Lent’s Ancient Roots
Coming from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, meaning “spring,” Lent originated in the ancient Babylonian mystery religion. “The forty days’ abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess…Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz” (The Two Babylons).
Tammuz was the false Messiah of the Babylonians—a satanic counterfeit of Jesus Christ!
The Feast of Tammuz was usually celebrated in June (also called the “month of Tammuz”). Lent was held 40 days before the feast, “celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing.” This is why Lent means “spring”; it took place from spring to early summer.
The Bible records ancient Judah worshipping this false Messiah: “Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz” (Ezek. 8:14-15). This was a great abomination in God’s eyes!
But why did the church at Rome institute such a pagan holiday?
“To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other things, to shake hands” (The Two Babylons).
The Roman system replaced Passover with Easter, moving the pagan Feast of Tammuz to early spring, “Christianizing” it. Lent moved with it.
“This change of the calendar in regard to Easter was attended with momentous consequences. It brought into the Church the grossest corruption and the rankest superstition in connection with the abstinence of Lent” (The Two Babylons).
Before giving up personal sins and vices during Lent, the pagans held a wild, “anything goes” celebration to make sure that they got in their share of debaucheries and perversities—what the world celebrates as Mardi Gras today.
Abomination Masked as Christianity
God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). He never instituted Lent, a pagan observance connecting debauchery to the supposed resurrection of a false Messiah.
God commands His people to follow Him—not the traditions of men. God’s ways are higher, better than man’s (Isa. 55:8-9). Men cannot determine for themselves right from wrong or how to properly worship God. Why? Because “the heart [mind] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jer. 17:9), and “the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (10:23). God designed us and gave us life. He knows how we are supposed to worship Him.
To be a Christian and properly serve God, you must live “by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4), recognizing that His Holy Scriptures “cannot be broken” (John 10:35).
God commands Christians to flee from the pagan traditions and customs of this world, currently led and deceived by Satan the devil (II Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9).
Lent may seem like a sincere, heartfelt religious observance. But it is deeply rooted in pagan ideas that counterfeit God’s plan.
God hates all pagan observances (Jer. 10:2-3; Lev. 18:3, 30; Deut. 7:1-5, 16). They cannot be “Christianized” or made clean by men. That includes Lent.
Now you know the true meaning of Lent.
Lent origins pagan
Hope of Israel Ministries (Ecclesia of YEHOVAH):
The Paganism of Lent and Weeping for Tammuz!
by HOIM Staff
Let us say right up front that if you already know the origins of Shrove Tuesday, Ash Wednesday, the Forty days of Lent and Easter Sunday but still stubbornly insist on observing them, then you show yourself to be nothing but a nominal "Christian" like the Roman Catholics, the Church of England or any one of the majority of Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches who have a name that they live but are dead! (Revelation 3:1). [Note: Not all Baptists observe these pagan practices]
For those real Christian Brethren who have just come to know YEHOVAH God and the Messiah and are searching their Bibles diligently to find whether these things be so (Acts 17:11), we must tell you that you will not find them in the Bible. Neither the apostles nor the early church observed these things. So where do they come from?
Shrove Tuesday (or Mardi Gras as it is commonly known) literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French (called "Pancake Tuesday" in England) and is associated with the Roman Catholic custom of Lent. But is it taught in the Bible? Would YEHOVAH God want Christians to observe it?
The idea behind Mardi Gras or carnival celebrations is that people overindulge before giving up something for Lent, which begins the following day with Ash Wednesday. (Lent is the 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter observed by the Roman Catholic, Eastern and some Protestant churches as a period of penitence and fasting.)
Lent was a time of penance, of fasting, of abstinence. Folks abstained from all sorts a good stuff including meat. They also gave up eggs and dairy products. So on Tuesday, the day before the start of the Lenten fast, folks cleared out their cupboards of all the foods they could not have for the next 40 days. They cooked them up and ate like pigs. In essence they feasted before the fast.
Unlike New Year�s, Christmas, Halloween, St. Valentine�s Day and other pagan holidays that are celebrated by the secular, non-religious world, the Lenten season is observed by dedicated religious believers.
From Ash Wednesday to Easter, many solemnly mark their foreheads with ash, �fasting� (or abstaining from certain foods or physical pleasures) for 40 days. This is done to supposedly imitate the Messiah�s 40-day fast in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-2). Some give up smoking. Others give up chewing gum. Still others give up over-eating or cursing. People vow to give up anything, as long as it prepares them for Easter.
People who observe Lent may be religious, dedicated and sincere -- but they are sincerely wrong!
Let us examine Lent, its practices and customs, its historic and religious origins, and its true meaning from the Bible�s perspective, not from the �traditions of men� (Mark 7:7-9).
The Purpose of Lent
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia,
�the real aim of Lent is, above all else, to prepare men for the celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ�the better the preparation the more effective the celebration will be. One can effectively relive the mystery only with purified mind and heart. The purpose of Lent is to provide that purification by weaning men from sin and selfishness through self-denial and prayer, by creating in them the desire to do God�s will and to make His kingdom come by making it come first of all in their hearts.�
On the surface, this belief sounds sincere. However, it does not agree with the Bible, YEHOVAH God�s holy Word -- the only source of true spiritual knowledge and understanding (John 17:17). YEHOVAH God, through the apostle Paul, commands Christians to �continue you in the things which you have learned and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them; and that from a child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works� (II Timothy 3:14-17).
First, understand that the �celebration of the death and Resurrection of Christ� to which the preceding quote refers is so-called �Good Friday� and �Easter Sunday� -- holidays deeply rooted in ancient paganism. They were instituted by mainstream Christianity in order to counterfeit and replace the Passover season.
Second, the Bible says that we are purified -- cleansed, set apart and made pure in YEHOVAH�s sight -- by the shed blood of Yeshua the Messiah (Hebrews 9:11-14, 22; 13:12). This, along with faith (Acts 15:9) and humbly submitting to and obeying YEHOVAH God (James 4:7-10) through His truth and prayer (John 17:17; I Timothy 4:5), makes us clean before YEHOVAH God. No amount of fasting, abstaining from physical pleasures or any other form of self-denial can purify us!
Pagan Origins of Lent
Lent was never observed by the Messiah or his apostles. He commanded his disciples to �Go you therefore, and teach all nations�teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you� (Matthew 28:19-20). And Lent or Easter was not one of them!
Alexander Hislop wrote in his book The Two Babylons:
�The festival, of which we read in Church history, under the name of Easter, in the third and fourth centuries, was quite a different festival from that now observed in the Romish Church, and at that time was not known by any such name as Easter�That festival [Passover] was not idolatrous, and it was preceded by no Lent. Lent was not observed by the first century Church! It was first addressed by the church at Rome during the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, when Emperor Constantine officially recognized that church as the Roman Empire�s state religion. Any other form of Christianity that held to doctrines contrary to the Roman church was considered an enemy of the state."
Today, Lent is used for �fasting from sin and from vice�forsaking sin and sinful ways.� It is a season �for penance, which means sorrow for sin and conversion to God.� This tradition teaches that fasting and employing self-discipline during Lent will give a worshipper the �control over himself that he needs to purify his heart and renew his life.�
However, the Bible clearly shows that self-control -- temperance -- comes from having YEHOVAH�s holy spirit working in the life of a converted mind (Galatians 5:16, 17, 22). Fasting -- of and by itself -- cannot produce godly self-control.
Paul warned against using self-denial as a tool to rely on your own will. He called it �will worship.� �Wherefore if you be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are you subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a show of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body: not in any honor to the satisfying of the flesh� (Colossians 2:20-23).
YEHOVAH God did not design fasting as a tool for penance, �beating yourself up� or developing will power:
�Is it such a fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Will you call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? When you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?� (Isaiah 58:5-7).
YEHOVAH�s people humble themselves through fasting in order to draw closer to Him -- so that they can learn to think and act like Him -- so that they can live His way of life in all things. Notice what the prophet Jeremiah wrote: �Thus says the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the LORD� (9:23-24). Fasting (and prayer) helps Christians draw closer to YEHOVAH God.
Coming from the Anglo-Saxon Lencten, meaning �spring,� Lent originated in the ancient Babylonian mystery religion. �The forty days� abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshippers of the Babylonian goddess�Among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz� (The Two Babylons).
Tammuz was the false Messiah of the Babylonians -- a satanic counterfeit of Yeshua the Messiah!
The Feast of Tammuz was usually celebrated in June (also called the �month of Tammuz�). Lent was held 40 days before the feast, �celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing.� This is why Lent means �spring�; it took place from spring to early summer.
The Bible records ancient Judah worshipping this false Messiah: �Then He brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD�S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz� (Ezekiel 8:14-15). This was a great abomination in YEHOVAH God�s eyes!
But why did the church at Rome institute such a pagan holiday?
�To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity -- now far sunk in idolatry -- in this as in so many other things, to shake hands� (The Two Babylons).
The Roman church replaced Passover with Easter, moving the pagan Feast of Tammuz to early spring, �Christianizing� it. Lent moved with it.
�This change of the calendar in regard to Easter was attended with momentous consequences. It brought into the Church the grossest corruption and the rankest superstition in connection with the abstinence of Lent� (The Two Babylons).
Before giving up personal sins and vices during Lent, the pagans held a wild, �anything goes� celebration to make sure that they got in their share of debaucheries and perversities -- what the world celebrates as Mardi Gras today.
Pagan Abomination Masked as Christianity!
YEHOVAH God is not the author of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). He never instituted Lent, a pagan observance connecting debauchery to the supposed resurrection of a false Messiah.
YEHOVAH God commands His people to follow Him -- not the traditions of men. YEHOVAH�s ways are higher, better than man�s (Isaiah 55:8-9). Men cannot determine for themselves right from wrong or how to properly worship YEHOVAH God. Why? Because �the heart [mind] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked� (Jeremiah 17:9), and �the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps� (10:23). YEHOVAH God designed us and gave us life. He knows how we are supposed to worship Him.
To be a Christian and properly serve YEHOVAH God, you must live �by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God� (Matthew 4:4), recognizing that His holy Scriptures �cannot be broken� (John 10:35).
YEHOVAH God commands Christians to flee from the pagan traditions and customs of this world (Revelation 18:2-4), currently led and deceived by Satan the devil (II Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).
Lent may seem like a sincere, heartfelt religious observance. But it is deeply rooted in pagan ideas that counterfeit YEHOVAH�s plan.
YEHOVAH God hates all pagan observances (Jeremiah 10:2-3; Leviticus 18:3, 30; Deuteronomy 7:1-5, 16). They cannot be �Christianized� or made clean by men. That includes Lent.
If you are a true Christian you would say with David -- �Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way�! (Psalm 119:104).
The Pagan Origins of Lent and Ash Wednesday
Lent is the “fortieth” day before Easter and is observed in many Christian denominations. This is the six and one half week period that lasts from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday. During Lent Christians fast and refrain from various pleasures. This is said to be for the purpose of preparing to commemorate the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ.
Although the Holy Scriptures do ordain a period of fasting in commemoration of Christ, this was not the forty day period known as as Lent. In the Book of Leviticus it is written, “And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation (holy gathering) unto you; and he shall afflict your souls (fast)…” – Leviticus 23:26-27. Furthermore, Paul prophesied of such a doctrine concerning unholy fasting in his epistle to Timothy. I Timothy 4:1-3 reads as follows:
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”
Paul is specifically prophesying of the rise of the Catholic faith. In Catholicism, which is the mother of all other Christian denominations, priests are prohibited from getting married. In addition, they have instituted a spring fast attributed to the suffering of Christ. However, such a fast and its rituals are rooted not in Christ but in the pre-Christian Pagan worship of antiquity.
The word Lent means “spring” and derived from the Old English word “Lencten”. Spiritually speaking, all roads lead to Babylon and such is the case in regard to the forty day spring fasts. In one version of the Babylonian myth, Tammuz the great hunter was slain while hunting a wild boar. Devotees mourned for him through weeping ceremonies for forty days. During the days of Ezekiel this ritual was even found among the Israelites. Ezekiel writes:
“He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.” (Ezekiel 8:13-14)
Tammuz, Alabaster relief from Ashur, c. 1500 BC
Worshippers of Tammuz wept with his consort Ishtar believing that his rebirth would mean the regeneration of life within nature. Similar feasts are found throughout pagan peoples of antiquity. For instance, the ancient Egyptians observed a forty day fast in honor of Osiris.
The sign of the cross rubbed with ashes is not exclusive to Constantinian Christianity; it is found throughout the ancient world and was used as prominent symbol of the pagan Gods. For example, “the Tau cross was inscribed on the foreheads of initiates into the Mysteries of Mithras.” It is also interesting to note that the act of simply sprinkling ashes directly on the head, which is also done on Ash Wednesday, was done in honor of the pagan Norse god Odin as well. The placing of ashes above the brow always occured on Wednesday, the day named in honor of Odin.
Catholic Priest sprinkles ashes on PRACTITIONER
If it is true as Cassianus attests that, “… the observance of Lent did not exist, as long as the primitive church retained its perfection unbroken” (John Cassianus, Conference 21, The First Conference of Abbot Theonas on the Relaxtion During the Fifty Days, Chapter 30.), why is it observed today? Within the Holy Scriptures we find no commandment to observe such a fast. Undoubtedly, if the Christian veneer of Lent is wiped away, we see what mirrors an ancient pagan fast.
The above piece was taken from Elisha Israel’s book, The Pagan Origins of Christain Holidays:
Purchase the book here.
Whether it is changing channels, adjusting the volume, or browsing through apps and content, voice commands provide an intuitive and convenient way to interact with the TV. In addition to voice control, the Sony Bravia Magic Femote also features motion control. By simply moving the remote in the air, users can navigate through menus, scroll through content, and even play games.
This intuitive motion control feature adds a fun and interactive element to using the TV, allowing users to fully immerse themselves in the viewing experience. The remote control also comes with a touchpad, similar to those found on laptops, which makes navigating through menus and selecting options quick and effortless. Users can simply swipe their fingers on the touchpad to move the cursor on the screen and select desired options. This touchpad functionality eliminates the need for multiple buttons and makes the remote control more user-friendly. Moreover, the Sony Bravia Magic Femote is compatible with a wide range of devices, including smartphones and tablets. This means that users can use their mobile devices as a remote control for their Sony Bravia TV, enhancing convenience and accessibility. Overall, the Sony Bravia Magic Femote is a powerful and innovative remote control device that enriches the user experience when using Sony Bravia smart TVs. With its advanced features such as voice control, motion control, and touchpad functionality, it offers a seamless and intuitive way to navigate through the TV's functions and enjoy a personalized and immersive viewing experience..
Reviews for "The Future of TV Control: Sony Bravia Magic Femote Unveiled"
1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with the Sony Bravia Magic Femote. The remote itself is small and flimsy, making it difficult to hold and use. The buttons are also very small and squished together, so it's easy to press the wrong one. Additionally, the sensitivity of the remote is way off. It often doesn't respond to button presses or responds with a delay, which is frustrating when you're trying to navigate through menus or change channels. Overall, I would not recommend this remote.
2. Sarah - 1/5 - I couldn't stand the Sony Bravia Magic Femote. It's advertised as a magic remote, but it felt more like a cheap plastic toy. The buttons are hard to press and have a weird texture that makes them uncomfortable to use. The worst part is that it frequently loses connection with the TV, so I constantly have to re-pair it and go through a cumbersome process. I ended up buying a separate universal remote and haven't had any issues since. Save yourself the frustration and avoid this remote.
3. Mike - 3/5 - The Sony Bravia Magic Femote didn't live up to my expectations. While it has some nice features like voice control and a built-in microphone, the overall performance was lacking. The voice control often misunderstood my commands or failed to recognize them altogether, leading to a frustrating experience. The remote also feels flimsy and cheaply made, and the buttons are not very tactile. Overall, it's an average remote, but I expected more from Sony.
4. Emily - 2/5 - I had high hopes for the Sony Bravia Magic Femote, but it fell short. The overall design and placement of buttons are not intuitive, making it difficult to navigate through menus and settings. The remote also lacks responsiveness and frequently lags, which is frustrating when you're trying to quickly adjust volume or change channels. I ended up switching to a different remote that offered a more seamless and user-friendly experience. I wouldn't recommend this remote to others.