User:Mmirarchi

Who Is This Guy?
I’m a fairly new Wikipedia user (started in 2006) and enjoy working on articles related to religion. I was born in Southern California and I've lived in several different states pursuing my education and career. I'm also an avid traveler and have set foot in 37 different countries around the world. As such, I've interacted with countless people from different races, cultures and religions from every part of the globe.

Religion
I’m a Christian who believes in the Jewish origins of my faith. I guess you could call me a believer in Messianic Judaism. In turn, I have a deep respect for the Jewish culture and Hebrew language. In fact, I'm not sure the Christian Bible can be properly debated in context without a knowledge of the original languages. Therefore, in order to truly understand the correct interpretation of Hebrew / Aramaic Scriptures, I've become a strong proponent of encouraging individuals to learn the culture, beliefs and language of the Jewish people for themselves. I strongly encourage curiosity and the thirst for knowledge. Consequently, any faith that discourages such endeavors should be challenged or refuted. Why you may ask? Simple. I believe that God created each of us with incredible intelligence and an inward desire to passionately serve Him alone. When either of those capacities are discouraged by any religious organization, the organizations motivates should be questioned (in my opinion).

Style
Why not study the original language of Scripture for yourself? Would it really hurt to read the Bible in Hebrew & Greek to discover the "original" meaning of the text? In countless Scriptural debates with faith groups outside Judeo-Christianity, I hear over and over, "the original language says..." in an effort to refute my proposals. In turn, my next question is often, "Oh, so you speak Hebrew...?” In almost ever case, 10 out of 10 people will quickly produce a blank stare and say "No". So how could they possibly know what the original language says? Is it because some unknown guy sitting in some remote far-off place said so? How could anyone be so confident in their response if they don’t have the knowledge for themselves? As you can see, knowing the language and intent of the Biblical authors ground your faith in reality - not presumption. It becomes paramount to understanding.

Qualifications
Yeah, I have a couple. I have several earned collegiate degree’s and I’m currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Theology / Archeology (from an unbiased University). I also love to ask “why”. In turn, many religious leaders from numerous faiths have entertained my questions – allowing me to acquire knowledge through interaction.