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The dictionary defines an Altar as "a raised place on which sacrifices and gifts are offered in some religions: a platform or table used as a center of worship. "The creation of an altar is a practice that I truly enjoy. I look forward to each season change, and creating a beautiful space for offerings, prayers and magic!
Creating an altar is so much more than just setting up for ritual. Though we (our Coven) do have a specific format for our rituals, I find the most pleasure in my personal altar spaces. There is power in both the formatted altar space, and personal one. When working in a coven or for the moons etc. We use a specific format. It is our secret! Keeping this secret and silent contains energy, it also builds power. Each time we use the same objects in the same place during ritual it creates a practice, that just like a specific prayer or movement can be very magical. Its like wearing a suit to work every day. It is prim and proper, makes you feel good and have confidence... but this is not the only way!
The personal altar spaces I create are the most creative, and carries a life force that is unique and truly magical. These sacred spaces are organic and ever changing. Their location changes, their purpose changes, they simply just change. They are erected for a need or purpose and when the time has passed they are taken down. I keep a "purpose" altar space by my bed. This allows me to burn candles through the night (safely) and is a wonderful reminder before and after bed what my intentions are. To the right is the bed side altar in two different forms.
The act of creating the altar in itself is ritual. The carefully selecting the objects, the consecrating of the space, cleansing of the table or cloth, and lastly the first act done before the completed altar is always a sacred one. It could be a prayer, spell, incantation, or even just a moment of silence, or meditation.
Once the Altar space is set, it is time for the ritual or meditation to begin. There is something so magical about seeing the elements at work, thick sensuous smoke rising through a bed of fresh flowers, and stones.
The creation of sacred space, and an Altar is one of pure devotion and love. It is a beautiful act that holds the energy of the prayers, meditations, and spells that are performed on its surface. Not only that it is an act of honor, whether that is to an element, cause of deity the act of creating it, and its lasting presence in a constant act of honor and devotion. This is not a practice to be over looked or taken lightly the creation of the space is just as important as the acts created on it.
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Reference: http://animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
"The supposition that "the so-called laws of nature are the explanations of natural phenomena" is an "illusion" for two reasons...
First, "laws of nature" are mere abstractions and cannot explain anything. What exist in the natural order are concrete material substances with certain essences, and talk of "laws of nature" is merely shorthand for the patterns of behavior they tend to exhibit given those essences.
Second, that some fundamental level of material substances (basic particles, or whatever) exist and behave in accordance with such laws can also never be the ultimate explanation of anything, because we need to know, not only how such substances came into existence, but what keeps them in existence.
For as compounds of act and potency and essence and existence, they cannot possibly account for themselves; only that which is Pure Act and Subsistent Existence Itself can be the ultimate explanation of them, or of anything else. In general, whatever is composite in any way requires explanation in terms of that which is metaphysically simple. (As usual, see The Last Superstition and Aquinas for the full story.)"
Found here.
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In 1 Thessalonians 5: 19-21, the Holy Spirit teaches us through St. Paul: "Do not stifle the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test everything; retain what is good."
In these latter days, there are many false prophets masquerading as disciples of the Lord Jesus. How may we determine what is true and what is false? There must be a way to discern and promote the good and to determine what is false and what should be ignored. Thankfully, there is.
"Ubi Ecclesia, ibi Sanctus Spiritus! Where the Church is, there is the Holy Spirit!" Vatican II, speaking of the charismatic gifts, has said that they, "must be accepted with gratefulness and consolation.." However, at the same time, the Council also taught that, "Judgment as to their genuineness and their correct use lies with those who lead the Church and those whose special task is not to extinguish the spirit but to examine everything and keep that which is good." (Lumen Gentium, No. 2).
This is the mind of the Church: that genuine charismatic gifts are to be thankfully welcomed and it is the Church's role to evaluate their genuineness. A charismatic gift in the Church does not discover any new Gospel. In the words of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:
"Throughout the ages, there have been so-called 'private' revelations, some of which have been recognized by the authority of the Church. They do not belong, however, to the deposit of faith. It is not their role to improve or complete Christ's definitive Revelation, but to help live more fully by it in a certain period of history. Guided by the magisterium of the Church, the sensus fidelium knows how to discern and welcome in these revelations whatever constitutes an authentic call of Christ or his saints to the Church." (No. 67).
All apparitions, private revelations and prophetical utterances must meet this first test of authenticity: conformity with the teachings of the Catholic Faith as interpreted by the Magisterium.
Getting back to false prophets. A woman from Massachusetts (who shall remain nameless) has created two "Catholic" blogs and on these blogs has informed her readers of how she experienced a "Eucharistic miracle." At the same time, this confused woman has said that she finds many of the Magisterium's documents to be "legalistic" and has associated herself with a couple of other bloggers who have promoted Centering Prayer and other New Age/Occult forms of spirituality.
These are red flags. And what they suggest is troubling. False prophets abound in these troubled times. These false prophets claim to have wisdom and to have experienced God's "wonderful love." This as they contradict the teachings of the Church or deride Magisterial documents as "legalistic."
This is not the work of the Holy Spirit. This is the work of the Devil who often comes disguised as an angel of light. "Ubi Ecclesia, ibi Sanctus Spiritus!" - "Where the Church is, there is the Holy Spirit!" No authentic disciple of the Lord Jesus will ever oppose the Magisterium of Christ's Church, deride its official documents, or promote (or associate with those who do promote) New Age Occultism.
Paul.
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Created "07/07/2011 - 3:30pm"
BY RADAR STAFF
A bizarrely named film crew has been accused of harassing and stalking a former Church of Scientology member who dared to lift the lid on the controversial religion.
MARTY RATHBUN defected from the Church seven years ago amid a myriad of claims of mental and physical abuse and is now fighting to stop a group called Squirrel Busters from filming his every move.
The 54-year-old - who was with the organisation for 27-years - claims the camera crew are targeting him at home, restaurants and airports and have even rented a house just a few blocks away from him.
And while Squirrel Busters claim their extreme measures are all in the name of documentary making local officials in the small Texan town of Ingleside On The Bay, are now trying to force them to apply for a film permit, to restrict their filming activities.
They are refusing to halt their production however, insisting it violates their right to freedom of speech.
Despite Rathbun's claims to the contrary, the Church of Scientology insist that they have nothing to do with the group but 'Squirrel' is a well known term used to describe members who have defected from the organization but continue to practice independently.
Rathbun was once one of the organization's most trusted members and purportedly audited high profile Scientologists such as TOM CRUISE.
In April 2011 bizarre footage emerged of the Squirrel Busters turning up on Rathbun's doorstep with cameras attached to their head. The four men - who were wearing T-shirts with a photo of Rathbun's head superimposed on a squirrel - told him they needed to check his PC meters, a piece of Scientology equipment.
During the standoff Rathbun asks the film crew if they are are going to stick around at his house to which one man warns: "Yeah Marty, we are here for weeks. Weeks and weeks."
Credit: http://mysteryvoodoo.blogspot.com
Epiphany, the oldest festival on the Christian Church calendar, is a national holiday in at least 15 nations. Celebrations generally are The period from Epiphany (January 6), until SHROVE TUESDAY (PANCAKE DAY, OR PANCAKE TUESDAY; MARDI GRAS IN FRENCH) IS CALLED 'CARNIVAL'. IN ROMAN CATHOLIC COUNTRIES IT IS A PERIOD FOR AMUSEMENT AND REVELRY, HENCE THE FAIRGROUND MEANING OF THE WORD. THUS, THE FAMOUS 'CARNIVAL' CELEBRATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN WORLD (SUCH AS AT NEW ORLEANS, USA, BAGOLINO, ITALY AND RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL) TAKE PLACE AT THE END OF THE PERIOD WHEN ALL FOODS MAY BE EATEN, AND AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD OF FASTING, ALTHOUGH THE WEEKS BEFORE SHROVE TUESDAY ARE IN FACT THE PERIOD OF CARNIVAL, OR 'REMOVAL FROM MEAT'.
The word 'carnival' doesn't, as we might presume, originate in something like 'farewell ("vale "in Latin) flesh', though that's a reasonable assumption. It comes from the Latin "carnis", flesh, and "levare", to remove. Lent, when flesh may not be eaten, immediately follows Carnival. On Shrove Tuesday, people 'shrive' (confess) their sins and might eat pancakes to use up the last of the eggs and butter before the fast of Lent... which is why the French called it Mardis Gras (Fat Tuesday)...
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"You shall have no other gods before me. "EXODUS 20:3
"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. "1 JOHN 5:21
God considers worship of anything other than Himself idolatry! Look at the following verse:
"When you follow the desires of your sinful nature (your heart), your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group". GALATIANS 5:19-20 (NLT, author's emphasis)
Each of us struggles with the horrendous sin of idolatry on a daily basis. As Galatians 5 tells us, idolatry is a desire of our sinful nature. It is reflected in our choices, our words, our use of time, and how we spend our money. In our culture we tend to think of idolatry as an eastern religious system such as Buddhism or Hinduism, or as pagan worship of the trees and animals. But the truth is, idolatry is not only bowing down to statues, it is anything that means more to you than God does. It is manifested when getting what you want has becomes more important than what God desires for you. Simply put, anything that you are loving, desiring, or serving more than God is an idol of the heart.
We are constantly being tempted to sin in this manner. While many technological advances exist in the world, including new things to idolize and worship, Satan uses the same tricks and methods to bait the trap that he has employed since the Garden of Eden.
Our idolatry takes many forms. Some people idolize money and possessions.
"People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. "1 TIMOTHY 6:9 (NIV)
"Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions. "LUKE 12:15 (NIV)
Others idolize people such as celebrities, sports figures, and musicians. Look at the popularity of the program AMERICAN IDOL and the millions of people who watch each week and vote for their "idol."
Criminal rap artists are held in high esteem by the younger generation; the actions of high-priced athletes (who once were lauded for their abilities on the playing field but now are notorious for their antics off the field) are being emulated by high school players.
I have known mothers who idolize their children by building a child-centered home. These children grow up believing they are the center of the world and expect others to cater to their every need and whim-to be idolized by someone else once mom and dad are gone.
The bottom line is simple-we were born to worship. We have been created to worship God, but our sinful lusts have driven us to worship and idolize the things of the world.
Are you beginning to see how perhaps some of the things we struggle with are from an idolatrous and self-centered heart?
Along the way of our life we came to believe that we needed certain things or people to "make us happy": for some of us it is success or security, for others it is acceptance, and still for others it is being motivated by fear. It's a type of fear of not succeeding or being accepted or secure.
These motivations spurred on by the desires of the heart have born exactly the kind of fruit you would expect- awful. If this were not so, people would not be seeking counseling!
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Vimana (Sanskrit: ) is a Sanskrit word with several meanings ranging from temple or palace to mythological flying machines described in Sanskrit epics. It is made of vi- = "apart" and ma-na- = "having been measured". Sanskrit vi-mana literally means "measuring out, traversing" or "having been measured out". It can refer to (ref Monier-Williams):
The palace of an emperor or supreme monarch (especially one with seven stories)
The adytum of a Rama temple, or of any other temple
A temple or shrine of a particular form, see Vimanam (tower)
From that meaning, "a god's palace", Ravana's flying palace Pushpaka in the Ramayana.
From that, a chariot of the gods, any mythical self-moving aerial car (sometimes serving as a seat or throne, sometimes self-moving and carrying its occupant through the air; other descriptions make the Vimana more like a house or palace, and one kind is said to be seven storeys high.
From that, any chariot or vehicle (especially a bier)
In medicine, the science of (right) measure or proportion (e.g. of the right relation between the humours of the body, of medicines and remedies etc.)
In the Vimanavatthu, a small piece of text used as the inspiration for a Buddhist sermon.
In some modern Indian languages, vimana or viman means "aircraft", for example in the town name Vimanapura (a suburb of Bangalore).
Vedas
The predecessors of the flying vimanas of the Sanskrit epics are the flying chariots employed by various gods in the Vedas: the Sun (see Sun chariot) and Indra and several other Vedic deities are transported by flying wheeled chariots pulled by animals, usually horses (but the Vedic god Pusan's chariot is pulled by goats, as is that of Norse Thor).
The Rigveda does not mention Vimanas, but verses RV 1.164.47-48 have been taken as evidence for the idea of "mechanical birds":
47. k'a niy^ana h'araya supar^a / ap'o v'asana d'ivam 'ut patanti
t'a ^avavtran s'adanad t'asy^ad / 'id ght'ena pthiv^i vy `udyate
48. dv^ada'sa pradh'aya's cakr'am 'eka / tr^ii n'abhyani k'a u t'ac ciketa
t'asmin sak'a tri'sat^a n'a 'sak'avo / 'rpit^a a'ir n'a calacal^asa
"Dark the descent: the birds are golden-coloured; up to the heaven they fly robed in the waters.
Again descend they from the seat of Order, and all the earth is moistened with their fatness."
"Twelve are the fellies, and the wheel is single; three are the naves. What man hath understood it?
Therein are set together spokes three hundred and sixty, which in nowise can be loosened." ("trans." Griffith)
In Swami Dayananda Saraswati's "translation", these verses become:
"jumping into space speedily with a craft using fire and water... containing twelve stamghas (pillars), one wheel, three machines, 300 pivots, and 60 instruments." Ramayana
Rama being welcomed back to Ayodhya, also shown him flying in the Pushpaka Vimana, which here is depicted as a boatIn the Ramayana, the pushpaka ("flowery") vimana of Ravana is described as follows:
"The Pushpaka chariot that resembles the Sun and belongs to my brother was brought by the powerful Ravana; that aerial and excellent chariot going everywhere at will... that chariot resembling a bright cloud in the sky... and the King [Rama] got in, and the excellent chariot at the command of the Raghira, rose up into the higher atmosphere.'"
It is the first flying vimana mentioned in Hindu mythology (as distinct from the gods' flying horse-drawn chariots).
Pushpaka was originally made by Vishwakarma for Kubera, the God of wealth, but was later stolen, along with Lanka, by his half-brother, the demon king Ravana.
Mahabharata
One example in the Mahabharata is that the Asura Maya had a Vimana measuring twelve cubits in circumference, with four strong wheels. Apart from 'blazing missiles', the poem records the use of other deadly weapons. 'Indra's Dart' (Indravajra) operated via a circular 'reflector'. When switched on, it produced a 'shaft of light' which, when focused on any target, immediately 'consumed it with its power'.
In one exchange, the hero, Lord Krishna, is pursuing his enemy, Salva, in the sky, when Salva's Vimana, the Saubha, is made invisible in some way. Undeterred, Lord Krishna immediately fires off a special weapon: "I quickly laid on an arrow, which killed by seeking out sound".
The Mahabharata compliments "the all-knowing Yavanas" (sarvajnaa yavanaa, the Greeks), as the creators of the vimanas: The Yavanas, O king, are all-knowing; the Suras are particularly so (sarvajna yavana rajan shuraz caiva vishesatah).
Jaina literature
Vimana-vasin ('dweller in vimana') is a class of deities who served the tirthakara Maha-vira. These Vaimanika deities dwell in the Urdhva Loka heavens.
According to the Kalpa Sutra of Bhadra-bahu, the 24th tirthakara Maha-vira himself emerged out of the great vimana Pupa-uttara ; whereas the 22nd tirthakara Aria-nemi emerged out of the great vimana Aparijita. The tirthakara-s Abhinandana (4th) and Sumati-natha (5th) both traveled through the sky in the "Jayanta-vimana", namely the great vimana Sarva-artha-siddhi, which was owned by the Jayanta deities; whereas the tirthakara Dharma-natha (15th) traveled through the sky in the "Vijaya-vimana".
A vimana may be seen in a dream, such as the nalini-gulma.
Vimanas and the Vaimanika Shastra
The Vaimanika Shastra is an early 20th century Sanskrit text on aeronautics, claimed to be obtained by mental channeling, about construction of vimanas, the "chariots of the Gods".
The existence of the text was revealed in 1952 by G. R. Josyer, according to whom it is due to one Pandit Subbaraya Shastry, who dictated it in 1918-1923. A Hindi translation was published in 1959, the Sanskrit text with an English translation in 1973. It has 3000 shlokas in 8 chapters and was attributed by Shastry to Maharishi Bharadvaja, which makes it of purportedly "ancient" origin, and hence it has a certain notability in ancient astronaut theories.
A study by aeronautical and mechanical engineering at Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore in 1974 concluded that the aircrafts described in the text were "poor concoctions" and that the author showed complete lack of understanding of aeronautics.
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Are you afraid that an enemy will cast a witchcraft spell against you? This henna hex spell should help prevent them from casing a spell on them. It is offered considered to be an offensive spell so be cautious in using it. Not only will it let your enemies know who they are, it will create bad karma for you if used maliciously.
YOUR INGREDIENT LIST
* Henna paste
* Tumeric
* Fresh water
* A bird feather
Mix the tumeric with the fresh water until it develops into a paste. Mix enough to create a deep pigment. Draw the name of the enemy on the bottom of your foot using the paste. Use the stem end of the feather to write with. If you don't know their name then symbols will suffice to create a general protection.
Let the tumeric dry and then wipe clean. Now, go over the yellow stained tumeric areas with a colored henna paste. Again, let dry and scrape off. The double coating of color from the tumeric and water paste, and henna and water paste, should make a lasting tattoo on the bottom of your feet. As long as the stain remnant remains, you should be protected from your enemy.
If you have a specific enemy give thought to making amends with them to create positive karma. If you can make them merely an acquaintance rather than an enemy consider doing so. That way, you won't to continue the magic hex protection. Think positively and don't antagonize your enemy. Eventually, such haters will tire of you and move on to a new target.
To strengthen the potency of this spell, use well water or fresh spring water to mix the paste with, and create pastes of strong color. A raven's quill feather or a crows used to apply the paste will also help to make the spell more potent.
Reference: http://animals-and-shamanism.blogspot.com
The most notorious environmentalists in history were the German Nazis. Hitler loved nature and despised non-German humanity. Hitler was both a strict vegetarian and animal lover. Hitler and his Nazis maintained their commitment to racial purity as an ecological ideal that justified the war. The mixture of anti-humanist and natural purity dogmas also provided a rationale and incentive for the Third Reich's most heinous crimes.
Hitler sought to decrease the population of the Earth and considered Jewish people as weeds to be eradicated. Ecological themes played a vital role in German fascism and the natural order dogma left no room for compromise. Nazi ecological beliefs were absolute and turned environmentalism into a religion with blond-haired, blue-eyed German men as its gods. Hitler, as Mother Nature's god of war, sought to purify the Earth according to his own view of sustainable development.
Adolf Hitler published his environmental and race views in a chapter entitled Nation and Race in Mein Kampf: "No more than Nature desires the mating of weaker with stronger individuals, even less does she desire the blending of a higher with a lower race, since, if she did, her whole work of higher breeding, over perhaps hundreds of thousands of years, might be ruined with one blow."
Source: http://healing-magic.blogspot.com
Agassou - The guardian of traditions and parental disciplines. Agau - Loa of the Winds
Agwe (Ogg-way): spirit of the sea
Aida Wedo: rainbow spirit Ayida-Weddo - Loa of fertility, rainbows and snakes. Wife of Dambala Ayezan - (Aizan, Ayizan) This is the Legba's wife. She protects the markets, public places, doors, and barriers, and has a deep knowledge of the intricacies of the spirit world. When feeding her and/or her husband, a black or white goat or russet colored ox is offered up. Her favorite tree is the palm tree. Ayida: The female counterpart of Dambalah. She is the mother Goddess. She is represented by the rainbow. Azacca (Zaka) - The loa of agriculture.Bade - Loa of the WindsBaka: an evil spirit who takes the form of an animal Baron Samedi: guardian of the grave. Loa of the DeadBosou Koblamin - A violent petro loa of Strength and Protection Brise: He is a loa of the hills. Brise is thought to take on the form of an owl. Speckled hens are slaughtered in his honor.Congo Savanne: A violent and cannabalistic petro loa. Dambala (Da, Damballah-wedo): serpent spirit, Damballah is the eldest God and chief of the LoasErinle: spirit of the forests Ezili (or Erzulie): female spirit of loveGhede - He is the most benevolent of the Loa of the Dead, powerful in healing. He is a protector of children as well as being a great jester. He is the loa of death and resurrection.Gran Boa - He is the protector of wildlife. He is the loa that must be called upon before one is ordained into the voudou priesthood. Grande Brigitte - the female Guardian of Graves. Her sacred trees are the elm and the weeping willowHeviosso: Thunder GodKalfu - A Petro Loa of the "crossroads," the Gate between the Worlds. Kalfu controls the evil forces of the spirit world. Krabinay: Krabinay loa are petro loa. Possessions induced by them are so violent that spectators are advised to keep their distance.
Legba (Papa Le Bas) - the Lwa of doorways and crossroads. The messenger of the god
Linglessu: One of the loa free masons.
Linto: The child spirit Loco: (Loko) The spirit of vegetation and guardian of sanctuaries. Loco is also a messenger loa and communication loa.
Marassa - The divine twins. The Marassa are a separate class of being that is quite apart from the loa. They are said to be the first children of God.
Marinette-Bwa-Chech: (Marinette of the dry arms) - The principal female Loa of the Petro rite, sometimes said to be the wife of Ti-Jean Petro. Considered to be very evil.
Mawu Lisa: spirit of creation Obatala: He is a sky loa. He is responsible for childbirth as well as for birth defects.Ogou Balanjo: spirit of healing Ogun (or Ogu Bodagris): He started out as the God of Blacksmithing but in time he transformed into the Spirit of War. His favorite tree is the mango tree. Osun: spirit of healing streams
Sango (or Shango): spirit of stormsSimbi: (Simba, Simbe, Simbi Andezo) He is the guardian Loa of the fountains and marshes.He is the Petro Loa of the coast.
Siren and Whale: These two loa are marine divinities, so closely linked that they are always worshipped together.
Sobo (Sobo Kessou): Loa of strength and reknown warrior spirit.
Sogbo - Loa of Lightning and protector of Flags.
Ti-Jean-Petro: This is a black magic or "petro" loa that is depicted as a dwarf with one foot.
Yemanja: female spirit of waters
Zaka (or Oko): spirit of agriculture
Note:This listing is by no means complete. Rather it is intended to give you a general view of the Vodoun pantheon
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From Christianity Today-
You're more likely to see a beard in the pulpit today than at any time since the 1800s. But beards-especially among clergy-were once serious, symbolic matters. They separated East from West during the Great Schism, priests from laity during the Middle Ages, and Protestants from Catholics during the Reformation. Some church leaders required them; others banned them. To medieval theologians, they represented both holiness and sin. But historian Giles Constable says that rules on beards sound more forceful than they really were. Clergy (especially powerful ones) were likely to follow fashion in their day, too.
c. 195
Clement of Alexandria calls the beard "the mark of a man" and says "it is therefore unholy to desecrate the symbol of manhood." Many other church fathers made similar remarks about beardly manliness. But most early church clergy were either beardless or had a closely trimmed beard.
361
Roman Emperor Julian sports a beard to show his break with the shaven Christian emperors before him, and to mark his connection to pagan Roman religion.
c. 411
Euthymius says only men with a beard can enter his Judean Desert monastery, not boys "with female faces."
More here-
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A terrific post from Father Longenecker today that I want to share (Hat tip: New Advent):
It takes other forms as well. There is a tendency amongst some Catholics to turn their religion into an intellectual quest for 'true orthodoxy' or 'solid theology' or 'a message that is relevant for people today.' Others turn it into a search for 'a spirituality that really suits them'. I heard another priest going on the other day about "modern man's search for meaning and how each person must search the depth of their heart to find their heart's true desire and then at that point they will have the Christ encounter." Whaat? Sound like Jean Paul Sartre meets Dorothy Gale from Kansas.
I'm exaggerating, but you get my point.
What I'm realizing more and more is how very far the twenty first century church is from the simple preaching of the gospel and the core of the Catholic faith. What we don't hear is the old time religion. What has gone right over our heads is how influenced we are by modernism and the thought of Rudolph Bultmann who insisted that Christianity was old fashioned and needed to be 'de-mythologized'. He said modern man couldn't deal with the old, out dated cosmology of heaven and hell and sin and repentance and all that stuff. [...]
The gospel message is simple: You don't have to turn it into a quest for the perfect liturgy or a campaign for justice or peace or the creation of the perfect self help group. You don't have to turn it into an intellectual or existential quest to discover your true self or the source of your heart's desire.
You are unhappy and searching for something because you are imperfect. You have fallen short of the glory of God. This condition is called sin. You are a sinner. You are selfish, ego centric, lustful, unforgiving, angry, manipulative, self seeking and proud. You love pleasure rather than God and you will believe any lie as long as it allows you to continue in your sin. If you continue in this condition you will end up becoming more and more unhappy and eventually you will be separated from God, light, love, goodness, truth and beauty forever because that is what you chose.
The New Testament, and the message of the church down the ages is straightforward: "Repent and believe the gospel and be baptized". In other words, "Admit you are a sinner, turn to God for forgiveness. Accept the strange, but compelling truth that Christ died on the cross to forgive your sins. Receive his gift of new life with an open heart with nothing held back. Change your ways. Begin to live the Catholic faith in simplicity and honesty. Empowered by God's grace, live in the church, learn to pray, live with the sacraments, love others. This is the way you follow Christ."
Do, do go and read the whole thing.
Father Longenecker isn't saying that liturgy doesn't matter, or that orthodoxy doesn't matter, or that we can blithely disregard Church teachings so long as we embrace the simple message of the Gospel. Not at all. What he is saying, it seems to me, is that too often we get caught up in these other matters to the extent of not merely missing the simple message of the Gospel, but of making the unfortunate and devastating mistake of thinking that our pursuit of orthodoxy or liturgical correctness or, to be fair, of heterodoxy and liturgical permissiveness is somehow a fair substitution for trying to live our lives according to the message of the Gospel.
In other words, if we get caught up too much in, say, liturgical battles, to the point where we enter every Mass wearing our "Liturgy Police" hats and our best Roman scowls as we prepare to take extensive mental notes to add to our growing letter to the Papal Nuncio as to what everyone from Father to the smallest server is doing wrong today on the one hand, or wearing our Sunday shorts and tie-dye and our best icy smiles as we prepare to pounce on the least hint of Latin or reverence or formality with our special passive-aggressive vestibule chat after Mass on the other, the chances are good that we have lost sight of the simple message of the Gospel, which is that the person who is the polar opposite of ourselves in these liturgical battles might actually be closer to God by virtue of a humble habit of frequent Confession, a devotion to prayer, and an active life of service to the poor than we ourselves are.
And if we get too caught up in thinking that our specific way of living out our vocation (e.g. stay-at-home-mom! plus Catholic schooling! plus homeschooling! plus daily family prayers! plus godly blogging for the heathen! etc.) is the One Truly Right Way of Righteous Rightness, we might forget that the family whose public-schooled kids behave like little angels at Mass on Sunday could conceivably be doing a better job of loving their neighbor and their enemy and everybody else than we are-and that we should seriously not take it for granted based merely on externals that we're doing all that great of a job in the first place.
And if we decide that our particular family's economic status is the perfect one for Christians, with just enough money for all those important things that families ought to provide for their members with a decent amount left over for truly important charities, we might risk sneering at those people who have to do more for more family members with much less than we ourselves think of as "civilized" on the one hand, or snub everybody who has the money to buy more than necessities on the other as being too rich to be worth saving.
And if we spend all of our time fretting about the way other Christians dress, or the four-letter words other Christians use, or the bad movies or The whole of the Law amounts to two things, Jesus told us: you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and all your strength; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The more we try to follow those two commands, the more we will find that humble, loving, honest spirit that is the best thing about Christianity as it can be lived in the world. And if we want to follow these commands, we have to take up our own cross, and follow Him.
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Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. (Hebrews 11:36-37)
Very often, when people are trusting in the Lord to work by His grace, they anticipate many delightful workings of God (such as we have seen in the testimonies of Hebrews 11). These saints "subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens" (Hebrews 11:33-34). Yet, others experienced what might be called "unusual" consequences of accessing grace through faith.
They had to trust in the Lord when the aforementioned blessings did not occur. They had to trust God to sustain them in and through great difficulties of life.
Some had to endure by faith "trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment." Jeremiah exemplifies these. "O LORD...I am in derision daily; everyone mocks me...Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison" (Jeremiah 20:7; 37:15).
Some "were stoned." Zechariah was killed in this fashion when he gave warnings from the Lord. "So they conspired against him, and...stoned him with stones" (2 Chronicles 24:21). Some "were sawn in two." Tradition tells us that Isaiah died in this vicious manner. Some "were tempted." In the midst of their sufferings, they were further pained by enticements to ungodly responses. Job endured this through bad counsel from his own wife.
"Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die!" (Job 2:9). Some "were slain with the sword." King Saul ordered godly priests to be executed this way, because they were loyal to David: " '...kill the priests!' So Doeg the Edomite...killed on that day eighty-five men..." (1 Samuel 22:18). Others "wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented." By faith, these saints had to endure homelessness, poverty, distress, and harassment.
These servants of the Lord (who are all examples of living by faith!) are a reminder to us that our trials, sufferings, and anguishing impossibilities do not necessarily mean we are failing to trust God. These challenges often mean that we are being given an opportunity to humbly, dependently, draw upon the grace of God in ways that we need to experience or others need to observe.
In service: Brother D.Eskine
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Amber Dorrian, Wisdom Quarterly response to Figleafforum.com
Bodhisattva under a redwood tree, Sequoia Nat'l Park, CA (AllegoryImaging/Flickr.com)
"Lust" (kama- or raga-chanda, sensual-craving) is a strong desire to possess something. (Desire can seem neutral, but in Buddhism it is translating terms with a negative aspect since there are certainly "good" desires like the will and zeal to realize the liberating truth).
Christians and Muslims have a similar word in is covet. Christians learn that lust and covetousness are "sins" often without considering how or why. What about admiration, the wish to understand, the desire to find harmony? Love, compassion, altruism, and impartiality all express a desire but with a free and happy heart: It does not possess the object of our admiration.
Of course, it is impossible to "possess" things. But what is possible are the harmful mental actions of grasping and clinging, obsession and attachment. The heart is unable to let go. It binds itself. It does not have the object of its craving, yet it does have all the worries and costs of possession.
In a conventional sense, a person may be described as being possessed by objects one clings to. But who - other than the Five Aggregates - is clinging? Ultimately, "we" cling to the "factors of clinging." Those factors are called the Five Aggregates. But ultimate truth eludes us.
The title of this article may seem absurd; the story behind the article is even stranger. Our nude Christian friends at Fig Leaf Forum first asked the question in a theistic context. It was like an episode of the Daily Show's "This Week in God." It's beautiful the way things are explicable even with different assumptions about this world.
Do beautiful objects in our perceptual field - like trees, sunsets, newly nubile gals/guys/ponies - come about as acts of heavenly Creation or evolve along Evolutionary lines? There's truth in both views, except the polarities won't budge a whit. They thereby turn a blind eye to what is real and what is not. Taking sides is easy, reconciling why the sides exist is less easy but more beneficial. "It's a trap!" we can Admiral Ackbar and Cherry say. Both views are a trap.
No peace is coming between camps, just a few conversions, mostly of sciencey types turning churchy. The truth stands apart, and there would be much more peace if we could see what is right about each pole rather than dismissing one side as kooks and lauding ourselves as the great non-kooks. It's kooky. Keep your view, but keep all eyes open and investigating. Any bias, even a well intended one, causes us to look for confirmation not information. It's our confirmation seeking tendency.
If a particularly stunning tree or model or mountain or magazine cover comes into view, there is great pleasure in taking it in and enjoying its proportions, symmetry, interactive bits, and pleasing fullness (abstract concepts explaining why something strikes us as beautiful that, for less abstract thinkers might just be termed, oh who knows, "God's" handiwork).
Musicians appreciate well performed works and composing skills, jewelers are impressed by well set gems, nature buffs love natural (fractal, Fibonacci, golden mean) beauty. And the wise derive joy from truth, however counterintuitive the Truth may be.
As human beings we find other human beings most beautiful of all - attractive, creative, evolved, faithful, or intelligent, it hardly matters.
When the mind/heart first hits upon the idea of possessing, we're in line for disappointment and dissatisfaction (dukkha). What if we could be mindful instead, mindfulness being fully aware without thinking, judging, evaluating, planning, or measuring. "It is what it is," people foolishly say, but there's great wisdom in this foolishness. Of course, it itself doesn't say anything, yet something is being said.
Bare awareness means not becoming attached or enmeshed but just seeing, just knowing, just accepting, just allowing. It's very peaceful. It allows the right brain (our silent co-consciousness) to have a say. Of course, it won't speak, but it will communicate with feelings and a bodily sense we react to. ("We" being the left brain thinking portion that thinks, judges, and tries to possess). "Let it be, let it be," the Beatle said.
Will lust help or harm? We can have all that is, but we can possess none of it. What will we choose to try to do?
To carry this analogy further, beauty appears in all sorts of ways. Beauty is not to blame when lust arises. It's not even the reason for admiration. If it were, how would Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and arhats ever be freed from lust (craving, thirst, bondage, disappointment)?
Objects there, responses here. The world is the world; the heart/mind looking out on it can choose to notice this about it or that (the beautiful or the disappointment inherent in it), and then choose to either attempt to possess it or not.
Buddhism is very pleasing because it syncs up with psychology. And we modern Americans love all things psychology. It's no coincidence so many psychologists, therapists, neuroscientists, and the like are Buddhists. The Buddha focused on our internal experience of the external world far more than he spent talking about physics. As interesting and elegant as physics is, it can hardly hold an atomic candle to cognition, perception, emotion, motivation...
The Buddha gave physics its due ("form" means materiality, fine and gross, basic and derivative, four interdependent qualities or characteristics of material bodies). But he elaborated on our experience of the physical by giving psychology the lions share: sensations, perceptions, volitions, and consciousness are what beings cling to and what they can be freed from clinging to.
That freedom comes with enlightenment, is brought on by enlightenment, so much so that many well intentioned teachers and even monastics think nirvana and bodhi are synonyms. But bodhi is enlightenment, insight, awakening, whereas nirvana is complete freedom, peace, the end of suffering.
Oh to be free! Sex is sex. But clinging, attachment, obsession, possession, being consumed instead of consuming, that's just sad. Naturally, in the Sense Sphere (kama-loka) we like sense objects. That's normal. Is it normal to imagine we can "possess" or "keep" or "own" the composed and decaying object of person, be it tree or person, wealth or self?
All are falling away every moment. And in the meantime, we miss what is available - enlightenment and freedom.
We can't live without trees. Maybe some people can. But we can't. The trees, the trees, rooted in earth, reaching for the sky. Casting shade, dropping figs (and fig leaves), holding my back while I meditate. What meditation? I'm mindful. There is no straining in my striving. I'm just watching. Eventually I'm seeing things as they truly are. Ahhh. No words for it. The right brain knows. It's the left brain that conceives and tries to capture just the right wording.
But completely "detached from sensual objects, O meditators, detached from unwholesome states of mind/heart, a meditator enters into the first absorption, which is accompanied by applied attention and sustained attention, is born of detachment [withdrawal of the senses, samadhi, intensified-concentration opposing workaday dissolute-distraction] and filled with rapture and happiness" [the Buddha defining the first "absorption" or in Pali jhana, Sanskrit dhyana, Japanese zen, Chinese ch'an, Tibetan samten].
Turning this mind to objects of insight - vipassana practices - is suddenly fruitful. Loving-kindness! The breath having become a nimitta takes me to equanimity. The factors-of-absorption (jhana-anga) become my best friends. As such where have "my"
* sensual desire (lust)
* ill will
* sleepiness and laziness
* restlessness and worries
* doubts
gone? Hindrances fall and opposing states come in peace:
* applied attention (on my object of meditation)
* sustained attention
* rapture
* happiness
* concentration.
Turning the wheel (cycle) of "Dependent Origination" in mind, it becomes clear that this is the way to enlightenment. One persisting in this practice, strengthening absorption then applying that laser focus to insight practices, can see freedom in the distance.
Going, going, going beyond, going altogether beyond, O what an awakening, so it is!
It's a nice mantra not learned rote and repeated with bell and drum but uttered spontaneously - as words fail and contentment overtakes me.
* Thanks to the editors at Wisdom Quarterly for helping me putting into words.
Lust is discussed in Fig Leaf Forum revisited by Mark Roberts in a debate published in Issue 55/56 of their newsletter. This article is responding to Issue 59.
Fig Leaf Forum realizes that "Lust is a problem of the heart, not of the mind." But in Buddhism heart is mind (citta). Lust is a problem of both. If we were speaking the same technical English, we would agree. Lust does not help perception; it twists (kinks, perverts, distorts) it. "Love others as ourselves," yes! Love everyone! Choose lust at your peril. For what is possible here and what impossible is often found out too late. What is possible? Freedom from the bonds of craving.What is impossible? Actually possessing and controlling what we crave.
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EMAIL FROM ALMANIAC VERA L: ONCE IN A WHILE SOMEONE DOES A NICE JOB OF DESCRIBING A CANADIAN, THIS TIME IT WAS AN AUSTRALIAN DENTIST.
An Australian definition of a Canadian In case anyone asks you who a Canadian is...
You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian.
An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one.
A Canadian can be English, Scottish or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan. A Canadian may also be a Cree, M'etis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians. A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God.
A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness.
A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best Please keep this going! Pass this around the World. Then pass it around again. It says it all, for all of us.
'Keep your stick on the ice'
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"The Rite of Her Sacred Fires will be taking place again at the Full Moon in May this year (evening of the 5th and 6th of May 2012), marking the third year of this international devotional rite honouring and celebrating the Keybearing Goddess of the Crossroads, Hekate."
This weekend we will be experiencing one of the most spectacular full moons, with the moon nearer to the earth than usual creating the illusion of a much larger moon, and maybe then appropriate that this should coincide with the third annual Rite of Her Sacred Fires celebrations which will be taking place again all around the world in celebration of the Goddess Hekate, associated in antiquity with the Moon, as well as Magic, Mysticism and the Mysteries.
The Rite of Her Sacred Fires was first created in celebration of the publication of the anthology project Hekate Her Sacred Fires in 2010, and has become the largest international celebration of its kind. You can find out more about it by going to:
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By Alan Joel
This is admittedly a somewhat silly question but you would be surprised how often we are contacted by people asking why spells work for some people (even TV characters like the Halliwell witches on "Charmed") and don't work for other people.
On the show "Charmed" supposedly the reason spells work for the Halliwell sisters is because the sisters are prophesied to be charmed and are part of the powerful Halliwell line. Spells work for witches but not for ordinary people-at least according to the show.
That is true on television, but doesn't apply in the real world. First of all, in the real world there isn't a dividing line between witches and ordinary people. Anyone who wants to can practice magic and, as with everything else, practice makes perfect. But there is a dividing line between someone for whom a spell will work and someone for whom the spell will not.
THAT DIVIDING LINE IS CALLED THE LEVEL OF BEING.
A person with a very high level of being casting a spell would get a positive and quick response. A person with a very low level of being casting the very same spell would get little or no results, or possibly even some backlash. The higher the person's level of being the easier it is for that person to get good results with spellwork.
So what is your level of being? Unfortunately there isn't a specific yardstick out there that you can use to measure your level of being, but here are some factors that tend to increase and decrease your level of being.
FACTORS THAT INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF BEING:
- belief in a friendly universe
- positive outlook on life and predominantly positive emotions
- trust in higher powers and beings
- relationship with higher powers and beings (angels, totems, etc.)
- a sense of patience and acceptance
- use and practice of magical skills
-a spiritual practice
FACTORS THAT DECREASE YOUR LEVEL OF BEING:
- negative emotions including doubt, fear, anger, and guilt
- a feeling that you are alone in the world
- lack of spiritual practice or belief in spiritual forces
- distrust of higher powers and beings
- impatience and frustration with life
- the perspective that life is poor and will never get better
- lack of a magical practice
These two lists could go on endlessly but you get the picture. Those who are able to cast a spell and then "let it go" have a much higher level of being. A higher level of being, characterized by trust and acceptance, gives a spell room to work without interference. If you have a low level of being, your tendency will be to cast a spell and then immediately begin doubting its effect. You may feel frustrated that the spell isn't working fast enough. In doing so you will be interfering with the way your spell works because doubt and frustration just add to the resistance your spell has to overcome before it can create an effect.
So the level of your being has a lot to do with how well spells work for you. People with a very high level of being, like Sai Baba for instance, don't even need spells to do magic. Sai Baba was able to manifest sacred ash from the palms of his hands and scatter the ash among his followers. He was witnessed doing this by thousands and thousands of people.
But if you're not to Sai Baba's level yet (and very few people are), one way to increase the effectiveness of your spellwork is to increase the level of your being. It is not as hard as you might think. Simply adding a 15 minute meditation to your daily regimen can raise your level of being immensely. So can making the decision to stop doubt for 10 minutes each day. Take a small step to raise the level of your being on a daily basis and you'll be surprised how much better magic spells work for you.
Alan Joel co-founded the Esoteric School of Shamanism and Magic with the goal of the helping people create permanent, positive change in their lives through the study of magic and shamanism. New Basic Magic class starting soon. Get free magical and shamanic tips and resources at
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In my previous post, Why Do We Have Divisions?, I explained the apostle Paul's contention that divisions occured in the church at Corinth because of unbiblical models of Christian leadership. According to Paul, a Christian leader has two primary roles:
* He is a servant, not a boss (1 Cor 4:1; Mark 10:45).
* He is to proclaim the secret things of God (1 Cor 4:1), which is the gospel. Any direction and influence that he has must be effected through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not by the exercise of political authority over the church or lording over others as non-Christian leaders do (Mark 10:42).
In the late 19th century, Charles Spurgeon identified these problems as being oppressive and detrimental to the church in England. In the 20th century, John Stott made similar observations in the church through out the world. Yes, God still worked, and he may continue to work in the midst of such problems. But if so, it is because of God's grace alone, and the continued presence of God's work does not justify divisive behavior.
In this follow up article (Part II), I would like to describe how divisions typically start in the church. In the next installment (Part III), I will propose some practical solutions for conflict resolution following some biblical guidelines.
How do conflicts and divisions in the church begin?
Basically, it happens in the same way that conflicts among non-Christians arise outside the church. Here is a list of ways that conflicts start. This list is by no means comprehensive or exhaustive, and you may add to it based on your own observations or reflections.
1. GOSSIP AND SLANDER BEHIND A PERSON'S BACK, WHERE THE PERSON GOSSIPPED ABOUT IS ABSENT, DEFENSELESS, JUDGED, AND DISRESPECTED. Speaking to the person directly is the most respectful, polite, noble and honorable thing to do. Gossip and slander is cowardly and despicable, and it is highly damaging and destructive to interpersonal relationships (Prov 11:13, 16:28, 18:8; 2 Cor 12:20; Eph 4:29; 2 Tim 2:16).
2. LABELING AND CARICATURING ANOTHER PERSON. Saying things such as: he's proud; he's lazy; he's selfish; he's immature; he's childish; he's self-centered; he's stubborn; he never listens; he's lustful; he's spoilt; he's divisive; he's family centered; he's a mental patient; and on and on. Statements like these are critical and judgmental. They hurt and wound people unnecessarily and are rarely justifiable, even if they contain an element of truth (Matt 7:1; Luke 6:37; Rom 2:1).
3. MAKING NATIONALISTIC OR CULTURALLY INSENSITIVE STATEMENTS. One that I have commonly heard in the United States is that Americans are "selfish" and "individualistic." Remarks like these imply that non-Americans are less selfish and therefore better than Americans (cf. Rom 3:23).
4. PULLING RANK. Saying to someone, "I'm the senior. I'm older. I'm the leader. I'm the director. Therefore I am your superior, and you must do as I say." Of course, no one ever says this directly. But it is often said implicitly. Phrases in common use among us (e.g., "spiritual order") communicate inequality, breed control and manipulation, and deny our God-given equality and Christian freedom (2 Cor 3:17; Gal 5:1). Although it may be said that everyone is equal, in practice some people are regarded as more equal than others.
5. ENVISIONING THE CHURCH AS A MILITARY OPERATION. The church is not supposed to resemble the army or marines, and its members are not to be treated as cogs in a well-oiled machine. The church is a fellowship, united by bonds of friendship in the Lord (Ps 133:1). First and foremost, Christians are brothers, sisters, and family (Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35). Yes, the New Testament does occasionally use the metaphor of soldiers (2 Tim 2:3), but such language is rare. Any fair reading of the New Testament will show that the Apostles referred to their church members as brothers, sisters and friends, and the body is held together not by a military-style chain of command but by bonds of love. Christians are a "band of brothers," not a "band of soldiers."
6. SENDING PERSONAL MESSAGES TO ANOTHER PERSON THROUGH A THIRD PARTY. Whatever the reason may be for doing this (e.g., "I'm too busy"), it implies that the person being addressed is not worthy of being spoken to directly. It also subtly communicates that the message is non-negotiable and final, and that the recipient of the message has no choice or say in the matter, because the one communicating the message is not the orginator. This greatly increases the potential for misunderstanding and disgruntlement. Moreover, if the third party has some question or objection about the message he is supposed to communicate, he has been placed in a difficult and uncomfortable position. The recipient of the message then has many unresolved questions. Did the leader mean what he supposedly said? What was his intent in giving me such a message? Did the messenger nuance the orginal message based on his own interpretation and bias? A messenger may exaggerate or say something like this: "Ha, ha, your leader said that you have to do this! Ha, ha!" even though the leader may have never inteneded to say it in such a manner.
7. MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT OTHERS WITHOUT DIRECTLY INVOLVING THE PERSONS AFFECTED. Countless times it has happened that decisions were made by someone "at the top," and those being affected didn't even hear about it until after the fact, and then only indirectly. This assumes that certain people at the top have the absolute right and authority over
10. USING THE PULPIT OR PODIUM TO EMBARRASS ANOTHER PERSON PUBLICLY BY SAYING SOMETHING THAT IS NEGATIVE, UNFLATTERING OR CRITICAL. For example, "She loves her husband too much," or "He watched a movie, instead of going fishing on campus." Jesus never embarrassed or humiliated any of his disciples, not even Judas, either publicly or privately.
11. CREATING AN INFLUENTIAL OR EXCLUSIVE GROUP, AN IN-CROWD, WHOSE VOICES ARE HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR, WHILE OTHERS ARE LEFT OUT, IGNORED, UNHEARD, OR PATRONIZED. Exclusivity always excludes genuine friendship (John 15:15). In a previous post Are you a true friend?, I described how exclusivity hurts and destroys friendship. I understand that there must be leaders and elders in the church (1 Tim 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9). But the members of the church must feel represented by leaders and the elders, not ruled over by them (Mark 10:42).
12. CREATING CATEGORIES OF PEOPLE AND MAKING DISTINCTIONS AMONG THEM, SUCH AS: CLERGY AND LAITY; SENIOR AND JUNIOR; SHEPHERDS AND SHEEP; MISSIONARY AND NATIVE. Using terms like "exemplary, fruitful, sacrificial" to describe certain people, which therefore implies that there are those who are not mentioned are un-exemplary, un-fruitful and un-sacrificial.
13. COMMUNICATING FAVORITISM, PARTIALITY, INJUSTICE, OR HYPOCRISY (Exo 23:3; Lev 19:15; Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; James 2:1,9). God is an impartial righteous judge who does not show favoritism. We are made in his image. No man likes to feel that he is treated with injustice or discriminated against arbitrarily.
14. NOT BEING HONEST, OPEN AND TRANSPARENT (LIKE THE TRINITY) WHEN INTERACTING WITH ANOTHER PERSON. This will invariably cause misunderstanding and miscommunication by causing one party to feel as though the other party is withholding some vital information, or not telling the person the whole story. No one likes to be lied to. No one likes to feel as though someone is withholding some information from them and not telling them the whole truth.
15. PATERNALISM AND PATRIARCHY. This always favors the older, the senior, and the male, instead of the younger, the junior, and the female. This takes away from grace, which is "always" unmerited undeserved favor (Eph 2:8-9; Tit 3:5; 1 Cor 15:10), with grace being perhaps the most beautiful of doctrines in the Bible. Grace and favor has obviously absolutely nothing to do with whether or not one is older or senior or male. So, if we implicitly favor the older, the senior and the male, then the younger and the junior will always be regarded as wrong or inferior or "less worthy" in any area of disagreement or conflict. The merit of the issue itself, or the case in point will always be secondary, and relegated to the implicit practice of paternalism and patriarchy.
16. SAYING, "JUST OBEY," TO ANYONE, INSTEAD OF PRACTICING GENTLE PATIENT PERSUASION. Even if the intention is to encourage faith, it nonetheless translates as "obey blindly," or be regarded as no good. True obedience (or, for that matter, true repentance or true faith) is never ever entirely just an act of the human will. Jesus says that obedience or keeping his commands is the result of love (John 14:15,21), with love being the work or fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). So if anyone says, implies or communicates "just obey," they make it seem as though obedience is entirely up to you, a mere frail, fallible, fallen human being, and they are implying or assuming that obedience is possible by human effort alone, without God's help or intervention.
After quite plainly listing the points above, I understand that merely pointing out faults doesn't help and will not resolve anything. It is because the law by itself is not transformative; the law only nitpicks and condemns the guilty. Law is useless unless it leads to grace (Gal 3:24). Some may regard this list as complaining and church-bashing. Describing these problems may not lead to edification and humble reflection (Rom 12:3; Phil 2:3). It may also infuriate those who feel that they are being unfairly picked on or singled out. But this is not my intention.
Rather, my hope and prayer by painstakingly listing the above is
* to allow those who have been hurt or wounded by bad practices and blind spots in our church to be heard, and to have a voice and a say,
* to promote openness, healing and reconciliation between offended parties, and
* to humbly ponder, review, reassess and reflect upon our UBF practices and, as a 50-year old church, identify the specific areas where we need improvement (unless we think we have none).
In your own experience and observations, how have conflicts, broken relationships and divisions arisen in the church?
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