Rating: 
Summary: A Beautiful and Inspiring House of Stone
Review: I am very impressed with Margaret Starbird's scholarly work in her book "The Woman with the Alabaster Jar". It tells the story of the lost Bride and provides strong evidence for the sacred marriage at the heart of Christianity, that of Jesus and Mary Magdalen. It is significant that all four Gospels record the anointing of Jesus by a woman with an alabaster jar of aromatic nard. In middle-eastern liturgical practices surrounding the ancient rites of the "sacred marriage" the anointing of the sacrificed bridegroom/king was a sacred ceremony reserved to his bride. The Gospel narratives describe the pre-nuptial anointing of Jesus by the woman with the alabaster jar and contain other elements from this ancient ritual. On seven of eight New Testament lists of the women who walked with Jesus, Mary Magdalen's name is mentioned first on the list. She was clearly "first lady" in the eyes of the early Christian community. Some early Church theologians identified the Magdalen as the model of "church" (ekklesia) whom Christ "loved so much, that He gave his life for her." More compelling facts from Scripture and history are included in Margaret Starbird's work. She follows a trail of evidence that leads through Egypt, to the south of France, and into important historical events in Europe. Most significant is the medieval legend of the Holy Grail (sangraal), which secretly celebrated Mary Magdalen as the Bride of Christ. The "sangraal" is the "sacred blood" -- the royal lineage of Jesus. Because the legend of the Holy Grail contained and preserved the truth about Mary Magdalen, it was ruthlessly suppressed by the Inquisition. In an effort to discount her significance, Mary Magdalen was labeled a prostitute, but she was really the "Beloved" -- the bride of Jesus. Restoring the sacred union of Jesus and Mary Magdalen to the heart of our Christian story provides us with a model of holiness based on the sacred union of the masculine and the feminine. It affirms the true holiness and significance of women as PARTNERS in the future practice of our Roman Catholic tradition. I have talked with Margaret Starbird. When she embarked on her research, her intent was to disprove the possibility of Jesus' marriage, but the facts led her in a surprising new direction that provides a wonderful healing message for us all. The Woman With The Alabaster Jar provides the facts and history that will explain why women hold the key to many of the problems faced today by our Roman Catholic Church. Father John Shuster, Roman Catholic Priest
Rating:
Summary: Good news for women....
Review: In her beautiful book THE WOMAN WITH THE ALABASTER JAR Margaret Starbird lays out a compelling case for seeing Mary Magdalen as the 'lost bride' of Jesus. Whether you believe the Jesus story was a historical event or is a myth, if you have an interest in the Grail and/or symbolism, you will want to read this book. Apparently, many Europeans, especially in France (Provence) believe(d) the Magdalen escaped Jerusalem after her husband Jesus was executed. Eventually, she traveled to what is today Marseilles, where every year, the local people celebrate her arrival on the Magdalen's feast day. The 'fathers' of orthodox Christianity were so appalled by the notion that Jesus might have had sex and produced a child let alone married the Magdalen who some how or another became linked with prostitution, that beginning in the 4th Century the church attempted to squelch the "heresy". By the Middle Ages, the church had instituted the Inquisition. However, the harder the Inquisitors pressed "heretics" like the Cathars, the more clever they became at disguising their truth. Using European fairy tales, water marks on paper printed during the Middle Ages (and frequently found in bibles!!), and paintings of the Masters like Fra Angelico, Starbird shows how the message of the heretics was hidden in plain sight. She suggests that even the Tarot cards which appeared in Italy just after the "last" Cathar was hunted down in Spain, may have been a condensed heretical catechism. Ever wonder why some of Botticelli's 'Madonnas' are dressed in red when the Roman church instructed artists to depict the Madonna in blue and white? Did you know a branch of the US Army wears the insignia of the Magdalen on it's uniform, and celebrates a dance ball every year on the feast day of saint whose likeness to the Magdalen is uncanny? Do you know why the 'Little Mermaid' is named Ariel, and Snow White "died" from a poison apple (went to sleep)? Did you know Cinderella may be related to the 'Black Madonnas' of Europe including one venerated by Pope John Paul? Starbird says she set out several years ago to refute the "heresy" she discovered in HOLY BLOOD HOLY GRAIL by Baignent, et al. and discovered not only were these authors onto something there was a whole lot more to share. This is a wonderful, provocative book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Reading!
Review: Despite the ecclesiastical criticisms leveled against them by so-called Christians, Starbird and Sweeney do an excellent job documenting their assertions in this splendid work of historical reconstruction -- scholarship, I might add, that is supported by several other notable authors and historians. This is not merely some insane theory conjured up by someone with an axe to grind against the Vatican. The authors share several brilliant insights with the reader that are truly inspired and speak to some of those long-unanswerable questions of history. Of course, no one can know the COMPLETE and TRUE story that is the legacy of the Magdalen, but these authors and others like them at least have the courage to make what information they have uncovered available to the masses despite the Church's long history of silence, secrecy, suppression and outright deception. If you are open minded and looking for those books begging for its pages to be turned...look no further. I just read a copy of Edgar Fouche's 'Alien Rapture,' which also blew me away. Fouche was a Top Secret Black Program 'insider', whose credibility has been verified over and over. Another fun book is Brad Steiger's 'Werewolf.' I also really liked Dan Brown's 'Angels and Demons.' Want to be shocked, check out Dr. Paul Hill's 'Unconventional Flying Objects' which NASA tried to ban. The tip of the iceberg: Numerous authorities who had noted the errors in the K.J.V. such as William Kilburne (1650's) 20,000 errors, John Wesley (in 1755) 12,000 changes in the New Testament alone, the Revised Version of 1881 consisted of 36,000 errors and on and on. The NIV, RSV and The Living Bible are also replete with thousands of errors. Do some research! The KJV Bible is the True Word of God! Or is it? Inspired? Or not? I believe all of the one star ratings and rantings are from uneducated Protestants. For example: In 'Acts 5:30; 10:39.' the KJV, in speaking of Jesus' death, reads, "Whom ye slew 'and' hanged on a tree." The word "and" is 'not' in the Greek text, and by adding it to the text at this point in the verse it leads to some confusion on the part of the readers. The conjunction "and" indicates grammatically that one action followed another (i.e.: two separate actions independent of one another). Some unbelievers have tried to use this verse to demonstrate that Christ was killed first, 'and then' His dead body was hung on a 'tree'. By inserting the word "and," numerous complications have arisen which could have been prevented by a correct translation of the original text. The KJV translators also did not know what the "Asherah" was (a wooden idol representing a Canaanite goddess), so they translated the word repeatedly as meaning a "grove" of trees. In 'I Kings 16:33' they state, "And Ahab made 'a grove," which provoked the Lord God to anger. In point of fact, Ahab made an 'idol' here (the Asherah); his sin was 'idolatry', not planting a grove of trees!! In Deuteronomy 33:17 the KJV speaks of "the horns of unicorns." There are two mistakes in this passage: (1) The animal mentioned here in the original text is the "wild ox" and not the mythical "unicorn," and (2) in the original text the passage speaks of one animal (singular) with horns (plural). In Luke 18:12 the KJV reads, "I give tithes of all that I possess." The Law did NOT require one to tithe a tenth of all that he "possessed" (all his capital holdings), but rather a tenth of his increase (that which he acquired in addition to his possessions). This is clearly stated in the Greek word used in this passage. A must read for skeptics and devout Christians alike. "He who believes blindly sees not the truth."
Rating: 
Summary: The Legend of the Holy Grail Continued
Review: In THE WOMAN WITH THE ALABASTER JAR Margaret Starbird pursues further the topic made popular in HOLY BLOOD, HOLY GRAIL. Specifically she explores the possibility of a marriage between Jesus Christ and Mary Magdalene which produces a child after Mary Magdalene manages to escape to the southern coast of France. This legend leads to the Grail heresy which suggests that certain families in southern France can trace their ancestry back to Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Starbird's book is a story about a heresy which keeps popping up throughout history in spite of the best efforts of the church to stamp it out - particularly during the inquisition. The author's reasoning is that if there is so much smoke then there must actually be a fire somewhere. Since the Grail heresy left an impressive legacy in art, song and folklore, Starbird is able to offer us numerous examples of the persistence of the heresy. She does this in great detail covering such subjects as the hidden meanings concealed in tarot cards and their connection to the Grail heresy. Margaret Starbird is an enthusiastic writer who can tell a great story. She is not composing a work of scholarship but instead is investigating a mystery - the enigma of a legend which gets more intriguing with the passage of time and each new advance in the quest for the historical Jesus.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful and Inspiring House of Stone
Review: I am very impressed with Margaret Starbird's scholarly work in her book "The Woman with the Alabaster Jar". It tells the story of the lost Bride and provides strong evidence for the sacred marriage at the heart of Christianity, that of Jesus and Mary Magdalen. It is significant that all four Gospels record the anointing of Jesus by a woman with an alabaster jar of aromatic nard. In middle-eastern liturgical practices surrounding the ancient rites of the "sacred marriage" the anointing of the sacrificed bridegroom/king was a sacred ceremony reserved to his bride. The Gospel narratives describe the pre-nuptial anointing of Jesus by the woman with the alabaster jar and contain other elements from this ancient ritual. On seven of eight New Testament lists of the women who walked with Jesus, Mary Magdalen's name is mentioned first on the list. She was clearly "first lady" in the eyes of the early Christian community. Some early Church theologians identified the Magdalen as the model of "church" (ekklesia) whom Christ "loved so much, that He gave his life for her." More compelling facts from Scripture and history are included in Margaret Starbird's work. She follows a trail of evidence that leads through Egypt, to the south of France, and into important historical events in Europe. Most significant is the medieval legend of the Holy Grail (sangraal), which secretly celebrated Mary Magdalen as the Bride of Christ. The "sangraal" is the "sacred blood" -- the royal lineage of Jesus. Because the legend of the Holy Grail contained and preserved the truth about Mary Magdalen, it was ruthlessly suppressed by the Inquisition. In an effort to discount her significance, Mary Magdalen was labeled a prostitute, but she was really the "Beloved" -- the bride of Jesus. Restoring the sacred union of Jesus and Mary Magdalen to the heart of our Christian story provides us with a model of holiness based on the sacred union of the masculine and the feminine. It affirms the true holiness and significance of women as PARTNERS in the future practice of our Roman Catholic tradition. I have talked with Margaret Starbird. When she embarked on her research, her intent was to disprove the possibility of Jesus' marriage, but the facts led her in a surprising new direction that provides a wonderful healing message for us all. The Woman With The Alabaster Jar provides the facts and history that will explain why women hold the key to many of the problems faced today by our Roman Catholic Church. Father John Shuster, Roman Catholic Priest
Rating:
Summary: The woman with the alabaster jar: mary magdalene and the hol
Review: I believe anyone who discredits this book & any other of Margarets publishings is simply not at the level of openness (because of fear based reactions) to awaken to the truth of the Goddess Mary Magdalene. Its a mindbending feeling to accept the Bible doesn't contain all the facts;Christ's teachings & true message of the Light is within Each of us and equally Mary & Jesus tought we are all capable of transcending to that level of Christ consciousness. I recommend 'Magdalene's Lost Legacy' as this book contains even more factual information to awaken, share & celebrate.It's time to shatter the walls of lies and conformacy. Follow your gut instincts on all of this, for it is within each living soul on this Earth the spark of these Truths flicker within.
Rating: 
Summary: Complete Bunk
Review: In order to believe Starbird's contentions, you have to assume that not only the Gospels were written much later than most Bible scholars now admit, you also have to assume the Pauline letters were written hundreds of years after Jesus' death. That simply won't fly. Everyone agrees that Paul wrote his letters between 50 and 60 AD. But if the Pauline letters are authentic (and no one says they aren't), then Mary Magdelene could NOT have been married to Jesus. Steve Kellmeyer's "Fact and Fiction in the Da Vinci Code" (0971812861)uses precisely this argument to demolish the substance of Starbird's basic argument. The rest of Starbird's book is equally silly bunkum, destroyed by a few simple indisputable and undisputed facts. If you want to know the history, instead of the fantasy, abandon Starbird and start reading Kellmeyer.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome book!
Review: For someone who is interested in theology --- this is a great book! Loved every page --- I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: good work for challeging exisiting concepts
Review: The first part of the book is exceptionally well done and provides insight and depth into a challeging concept. The latter half of the book, concerning with artistic theory, legends, and tales requires the reader to expand his/her horizons and bounds preconcieved notions. Overall, this is a good book to support one's personal library on the subject on gnostic gospels and Mary Magdalen.
Rating:
Summary: Skeptics beware
Review: This was a great book! There are several reviews posted about this book that blatanly bash it. This is only a possibility, and a good one at that. Evidence is laid out clearly, it is only up to your faith to decide what you believe. As a born again Christian I have had my doubts about what is the acceptable truth and what is not. After reading this book and Holy Blood, Holy Grail as well as doing some research myself; I have drawn the conclusion that this theory is more probable than that taught in church. But, if you can't enjoy the book for its theories, at least respect the women for her hard work and determination.
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