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Humanity has caught the "ascension wave" and is riding it beautifully! It really is as though you had been standing in the surf, waiting for that special wave - that electrifyingly large one. Then it arrived. You caught it brilliantly, and now you are flying with it towards your most breathtaking and enthralling destination - surfer heaven, your awakening into Reality!
It does seem to many of you, to put it rather graphically, that "all hell is breaking loose" in many places across the planet. Do not be alarmed. The old order is merely in the process of disintegrating and pieces are flying every which way, as in an explosion. When the dust and debris settle, a gentle peace and an uplifting calm, the one for which so many have been hoping and praying, will prevail.
You are on course and on schedule for lives of joy and abundance, totally free from fear and worry as the disintegration of the old order makes way for the new order based most firmly on the Golden Rule (always treat others with the love and respect with which you would wish to be treated) which all will honor in every situation.
The time for lying, manipulating, cheating, deceiving, and betrayal is ending, permanently.The Love from which you were all created can no longer be denied or hidden as It wells up inside the hearts of all on Earth. Your nature is to share, and Love is for sharing abundantly and constantly, thus bringing the sweetness of divine contentment to all and into every interaction.
You will be absolutely amazed when you discover the myriad ways in which you can share and bring unending happiness to one another. And then, of course, that amazement will dissolve into delighted appreciation as you remember that what is occurring is utterly natural, that nothing else is possible, because in Reality the divine Will is always present and completely effective.
Nothing is missing, nothing is needed, all is as it should be in perfect untroubled harmony.You are all dearly loved and have been ever since the moment of your creation when you were created in Love to experience and enjoy, through your sense of being, of consciousness, of awareness, an eternal existence of infinite happiness.
And in truth you are still doing so. Nevertheless, that does not appear to be the case as you struggle and worry within the illusory environment that you invented and then constructed to experience life without Love. You imagined that there would be many satisfactory alternatives to the infinite perfection of Love, and you have been severely disappointed.
Those of you who have had children or worked with them and have observed them growing up understand the sadness that occurs when you see them doing things which will cause them or others suffering, things that you have maybe warned them of, warnings which they chose either not to listen to or to ignore, because they "believed" that they knew better.
As you have been told before many times, and not only by those in the spiritual realms, beliefs can be very dangerous and often seem to have the power to mislead you mightily. You have all undergone or know someone who has undergone the "shock" of discovering that a belief to which they clung loyally and ferociously was not only misguided but quite wrong.
The only Truth in which you can safely believe is the eternal Truth that is God. Within the illusion you have effectively hidden that under a cloak of darkness and ignorance, and then, from age to age and culture to culture, made up your own miserable, wrongheaded, and frequently immoral substitutes which were then proclaimed as dogma to which others were expected to pay homage.
Humanity is now, and very successfully, making a concerted and collective effort to discard the dogmas and wrongheaded doctrines that have for so long led to intense suffering and pain for many of you. All beliefs are being questioned, and rightly so, and unless convincing evidence supporting them is produced they are publicly shown to be erroneous, thus encouraging those who had allowed themselves to be ruled by them, and have had their basic freedoms trampled upon, to cast them aside and reclaim their rightful self-ownership.
If you wish to follow a system of rules and regulations, for whatever reason, as long as they have no deleterious effect on another, you should feel free to do so. But to impose or attempt to impose your beliefs and opinions on others by establishing rules and regulations that they must abide by is quite unconscionable.
God, your Father, created you FREE! And yet, within the illusion, you have attempted time and again to enslave one another. And of course the reason for trying to enslave others was born of fear. To be alone, small, insignificant, and abandoned in the vast universe, which the illusion appears to encompass, is terrifying.
Miraculously, fortuitously, by the grace of God, the illusion is illusory! It cannot contain even one of you. However, as is your experience over the eons, you can "choose, "as you have done, to believe in it and thereby allow it to contain and control you.Now the time has come for it to be discarded.
The game is over, and you "will"return to awareness of your eternal and divine nature as essential aspects or, if you prefer, particles of God. No conscious entity is separated from its Source. It never can be, it never will be. It can only choose to be unaware of its true nature. And even that choice has a sell-by date at which point awareness, full consciousness "must and will" be re-established.
When that happens, infinite joy will replace all emotions, feelings, and sensations that are not in alignment with it. In the end, "only" eternal joy is possible, because that is the Will of God for all of creation, and you are rapidly approaching that end, that inviolate sell-by date.You are surrounded and enveloped in the field of divine Love, which is to dissolve back into nothingness the illusion in which it seems you have been trapped and imprisoned for so long.
Focus on that truth whenever you go to your quiet inner space. Intend that all become aware of it, and relax in the certainty of your coming awakening.Your loving brother, Jesus.
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"Atheism: What is it?" is a short book by Dr Reginald Le Sueur. His definition of atheism is "nothing more than a simple denial of the existence of God". In his book, atheism cannot be religious because "religion retains its proper meaning of: worship of a spiritual, supernatural, invisible God, plus prayer and sacrifice, hymn-singing and worship, and consultation of a holy book of instruction on how to lead one's life."
He asks - "Do atheists do any of these activities? They do not". A very cursory reading of newspapers last Christmas would reveal that Richard Dawkins enjoys singing Christmas carols, which while not a counter-example to all the items on his list, nevertheless demonstrates the danger of pontificating without checking the facts. Richard Dawkins himself is notorious for mocking Christians for worshiping one God, and asks where all the Thor worshippers have gone, which again shows that he has not any knowledge of modern Neopaganism, where Thor worship has undergone a revival, probably much to the discomfort of Norse atheists!
Le Sueur asks "isn't every true Christian necessarily a fundamentalist", no doubt so that in that particular chapter, he had have a bash at the Creationists. For a detailed answer, I would suggest he reads the atheist philosopher Michael Ruse "Can a Darwinian be a Christian?", but I would note that Creationism is a very recent phenomena, and Augustine, among others, did not take the creation story as a scientific narrative of events. Along the way, he takes an opportunity to laugh at Bishop Ussher for calculating the date of creation at 4004 BC. In fact, as Stephen Jay Gould shows in "Fall in the House of Ussher" (1), this was not a religious enterprise as much as a rationalist one; as Gould says:
I shall be defending Ussher's chronology as an honorable effort for its time and arguing that our usual ridicule only records a lamentable small-mindedness based on mistaken use of present criteria to judge a distant and different past-just as our current amusement in picturing a primate of the church as a garbed ape inverts the history of usage, for the zoological definition is derivative, and the ecclesiastical primary
As Gould features in the bibliography - "all his
Le Sueur's target is monotheism, and he does not do a bad job in rehearsing some of the stock objections to monotheism, certainly as he defines it, although it has some really oddball moments, such as his list of "other famous atheists, agnostics and freethinkers", where he includes in his list Nietzsche and Stalin, and comments at the end of the list "all of the above are distinguished by their intelligent and intellect". Really? The philosopher who underpinned Nazism, and the monster responsible for the Gulags? I think shows a hasty list, thrown together, so that when he reached the next paragraph, he had forgotten who was included in his list, or at least - as he is a retired doctor - I hope so! He should really get his facts a bit better - Tom Paine was a deist, and to include him in the list - no doubt as a "freethinker" is to muddy the waters.
Curiously he says that Mao or Pol Pot don't count as anti-Christian, because they came from a Buddhist tradition! The fact that they rejected the tradition, and believed in simple materialism doesn't count. Le Sueur seems terribly confused as to what he wants atheism to mean; most people would consider Mao, with his suppression of any kind of religion, as being an atheist. And if he came from a Buddhist tradition, why did the Dalai Lama have to flee? His atheism is more anti-Christianity, and there is little or no attempt to understand the diversity of other cultures, some of whom (animists, for example) might well fall into his definition of atheism.
His history is also very poorly researched. I don't think it likely that any scholar would give much credence to the idea that the Pauline corpus in the Bible dates only from the third century, which no original material before that. There are too many datable manuscripts, fragments and quotations to think that. Perhaps some modern historians of the period in his bibliography would also be a good idea.
Lastly, there is almost no discussion of what Paul Heelas calls "New Age Spirituality", part of which involves the modern neopagan revival, and forms of belief like animism (as for instance with Druid Emma Restall-Orr). If you go into any modern This is a book written by a man who knows he is right - he recounts with evident relish refusing people in his philosophy class the right to argue about the existence of a soul - Plato must have been spinning in his grave! The Greeks philosophers, of course, had all kinds of ideas about souls long before that was drawn into Christianity.
I think that to simply say that "religious faith is a barbarous left-over from the early days of human history" is redolent of a particular kind of chronological snobbery, and does not sit well with the new age spirituality. It sounds like the kind of Whig history where there is a march of progress towards a glorious present day, or perhaps a technological future with no place for any kind of religious sensibility. It also assumes that modern science is the pinnacle of understanding of the universe, and everything which doesn't fit must be rejected, an attitude which has caused a number of scientists in the past to be profoundly mistaken. It is a profoundly simplistic book, and I have come to the conclusion that the universe is too vast, too complex and too strange to be adequately captured with this kind of reductionism.
It is worth reading, because he is a local but retired Doctor, who consistently spars with some of the people who always seem to want to command attention in the JEP with their own opinions on what Christianity is about. I found it rather to scatter-gun, too opinionated, and generally lacking in more subtle nuances that one finds in Michael Ruse or Stephen Jay Gould, as well as being rather lazy in terms of researching facts. He has a fixed idea of what he does not like, and like Dawkins, somehow feels the need to spread the good word to other people. An evangelistic impulse, one might say!
Is his atheism a belief? A command to early Christians in the Roman empire was to declare "away with the atheists". The Romans, not understanding monotheism, took rejection of a pantheon of many gods as a rejection of all, especially as Christians refused to sacrifice to the Imperial cult. They died for it, and I think that is the true measure of belief, and not one which many of us in the West may have to face. Would he be prepared to die for his atheism? That is an interesting question, but unfortunately one for which the book does not give an answer.
Links
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From Patrick Madrid:
(Author unknown)
I AM A PART of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
The die has been cast. The decision has been made. I have stepped over the line. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is in God's hands. I am finished and done with low living, small planning, the bare minimum, smooth knees, mundane talking, frivolous living, selfish giving, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, applause, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, the best, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith. I lean on Christ's presence. I love with patience, live by prayer, and labor with the power of God's grace.
My face is set. My gait is fast, my goal is heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, and my mission is clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won't give up, shut up, let up or slow up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and spoken up for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a Catholic. I must go until He comes, give until I drop, speak out until all know, and work until He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no difficulty recognizing me. My banner is clear: I am a part of the Fellowship of the Unashamed.
Adapted from the original (author unknown) by Patrick Madrid
WWW.PATRICKMADRID.COM
* Link (.pdf), & blog post
h/t to The Tenth Crusade
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bluedragonjournal.com
Long ago, when I was embodied as a Native American, I used to love to walk along a cliff, feeling the rising air currents flowing over me. I knew when the weather was about to change; it is changing now for many people. There are storm clouds gathering on the horizon of many people's lives; whether or not those clouds bring refreshing rains or lashing floods depends on how people can remain in neutrality during the coming months and years. Your world is about to undergo a tremendous period of transition.
The year 2013 has been challenging for many; the next two or three years will be even more so, especially for those individuals, institutions and governments who are unwilling or unable to adapt, to change and to be flexible. Now is the time to be like a willow and bend in the winds of change, not the brittle oak whose great branches fall to the ground with a mighty crash.
We do not convey these words to bring fear or anxiety to your heart. You can chose to go into a quiet place and learn to change how you view your world or you can chose to be stressed by memories of past experiences and worries over the future. We suggest that you try living in the present moment, as it happens and leave your worries behind.
It is a time to lighten your load. When climbing a steep hill, sometimes it is necessary to throw out those things that are not vital to daily existence. This list includes outmoded beliefs and judgments about your life. It also includes how other people think about you and the beliefs that you have taken on as a result of what someone has said to you in the past. It is not necessary to carry these burdens into the future. In fact, you will be unable to do so if you wish to arrive at the threshold of the new world.
As a people living upon the land, in concert with her rhythms and the flow of the seasons, we learned to adapt to change. We could move our camps quickly. We knew how to store foodstuffs for emergencies and for the long winter seasons. We were well acquainted with the environment in which we made our homes. We traveled lightly and worked together for the good of the whole, no one person placing an untoward burden on others. When it was our time to drop the body, we left the tribe and our families behind. We were not afraid of death for we had learned to live side by side with the spirits of our ancestors and of the land. We understood the animals, plants and the stones; we could read the messages carried by the winds. We knew when change was coming.
So it is now that we can speak to you of the coming events that will bring profound changes to your world. The vast rigid structures of the modern world have proved too ungainly to be supported any further by the planet. Imbalance will be replaced by a new alignment and coming into balance, but before that can happen, the old structures must and will collapse... and they will do so very, very soon.
Recently, media sources have mentioned the coming reversal of the poles on your solar body, the Sun. With the magnetic fields of the sun increasing, compounded with the disappearance of the last remaining underlying structures of the third dimension matrix, there is no further barrier to sudden and almost instantaneous transformation in your world. With rapid change comes challenge and chaos.
It is a good time to discover within the capacity to view the world from a neutral calm space, by remaining within your own energy field and allowing the drama to play out around you. It is a good time to own your space, to remove the beliefs, thoughts and energies of others from that space which you call your aura and to take command. It is time to become more acquainted with who and what you are, a magnificent being of light, far grander and more expansive than you can now imagine.
When there were threats to our people, we worked together as a unit. This time, each one of you will be undergoing the challenges alone. You cannot help anyone else to go through what is looming just ahead. You cannot fix another human being, not even your spouse, your son or daughter, your parents or your favorite friend. Each individual is now faced with choices, to go ahead and adapt or to let go and leave the body. Either choice is valid and appropriate for the individual involved; there is no judgment on our part. All are loved as they are in the present moment.
Some of the light workers will choose to leave their bodies. They have done their work well and many will return to their home worlds. Others will remain, as gatekeepers, wayshowers and teachers for the multitudes who are opening up to the new possibilities offered by the transitional period and what lies beyond.
What do you feel in your heart? Are you afraid? Is there a sense of anxiety arising within; is your belly tight with tension?
Let the fear go. You are an eternal being. Death has no power over you. The threat of death has been used as a tool to keep your egoic mind in fear, desiring only to keep the body safe so conforming to whatever structures you were placed into. You are no longer bound by the matrix, but it is up to you to step forth and into freedom, whether or not you are still embodied.
Lessons are learned at a faster rate while embodied, so even those who some worship as ascended masters come to earth, again and again, to undergo the tests and experiences that life here has to offer. Those of you who are reading these words are already masters in the ascended worlds of light.
You came here to make a difference. With the infusion of your light into a darkened world you have made a difference and now the changes, which have been foretold by all the indigenous cultures of your world, are now coming to past. You are now deep into the time of tribulation, but out of this transitional period will come great possibilities for a world filled with peace, love, light and abundance for all of life upon this lovely water world.
Discover for yourself the doorway you wish to go through. Experience the changes from a place of neutrality and calm. Become aware of what and who you are, a multidimensional being of great power. Open to the new possibilities that exist in the field of creation that is all around you. You are powerful. You are light. You are love. You contain within you the seeds of potential creation for each of you is a creator god. Now go forth and create the world of your best dreams.
For me, I would love to walk alongside you on a grassy knoll and stand feeling the wind brush against my face and feel the warmth of the sun upon my skin. My needs are simple for I have released my need to control and to be controlled. I am free. I exist in the All That Is and am one with the Great Spirit. Walk beside me in the sunlight, brother and sister, and feel the love grow in your heart until you glow like a miniature star. You are an eternal being. Let go your fears and learn to live in the moment. Every moment is the beginning of a new life. Every moment is a new opportunity to grow, to learn and to be.
Know that you are loved by all of us who live on the other side of the veil. Those veils are growing very thin, indeed, and someday we will walk beside those who have chosen to be as the lilies of the field, to grow beneath the sun, free from care or woe, blessed with beauty and grace, abundance and love. We will look for you in those fields of light. Blessed be.
I AM White Cloud, your brother in the light and with great love, I leave you now. Go in peace. Walk in the light that shines from within your heart. Be the love that you are. We are with you always in the ever present Now.
Namast'e.
Copyright (c) 2013 by Elizabeth Ayres Escher. All Rights Reserved. Permission is given to copy and distribute this material, provided the content is copied in its entirety and unaltered, is distributed freely, and this copyright notice and links are included.
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In California, a first grade teacher throws a religious message in the trash. Family is considering a lawsuit, the expected debate rages on. In this case however I have mixed feelings. While the teacher's actions seem harsh and the whole thing could have been handled differently, and better, it could be the teacher was concerned with the class as a whole - "all" the students, and was trying to adhere to state and federal rules concerning the promoting of religion.
"Jesus is not allowed in the school" the teacher is alleged to have said, and, the teacher is correct.It's fine if this child and his family believe what they believe, but giving a non-Christian this kind of message, well, for myself, it would annoy me. Let's turn this around; just how do you think the majority of parents would react if a child handed out a Pagan themed item?
Oh the shit would fly! The parents knew the public school's policy and did their thing anyway. So in this case, it isn't close to what the Buddhist student in the south (see post below) experienced. Teachers (as an educator, I have sympathy!) are expected to do so much that goes beyond teaching academics, and are always walking that blurry, ever changing line of what's politically and legally correct at the moment.
On the other hand, it could be the teacher was a smug atheist asserting their brand of critical thinking and educational correctness.
"California first-grader barred from distributing candy canes with religious message- NY Daily News: California first-grader barred from distributing candy canes with religious messages.
Robert Tyler, of the Advocates for Faith she shrugged and said "We all have our opinions." That was a nasty thing she pulled and wrong, and yep, it pissed off some parents who were anti-war. And, of course, I was the one who got the shit storm. So teachers are often in a no-win situation, trying to please everyone, and follow the rules mandated by the feds, the state, their district or institution, and their principals.
And your own beliefs and values often get swallowed up in the dance of trying to do the right thing. Let alone the original thing, which is to teach, not play games.
And on another tangent, here in Oregon, it was recently voted into law that all schools must have their classes stand up and say the Pledge of Allegiance one day a week.
Ridiculous and I'm surprised it is legal, hopefully the ACLU will get around to that one. There is the limp disclaimer that those students who find saying the pledge, or at least the "under God" part, may refrain as long as they are respectful. But what about the teachers? They have no choice. One might argue that teachers are at work and being paid and as such, need to follow the rules.
Sure. But at what point does the infringement of personal beliefs, (let alone dignity) interfere with the right of the government to tell an individual what to believe, and, regardless of that belief, disseminate political and religious opinion?
Origin: http://wiccancommunity.blogspot.com
There has been a common belief in Generational Magic that dictates the older the bloodline of a practitioner, the more psychic ability or magical power they have.
In actuality, it is the individuals focus, concentration, level of awareness and dedication that determines spiritual strength when performing acts utilizing spiritual power.
We are all born with the natural instincts of alertness and premonition, just as we are all born with the ability to suckle for food and comfort. There is also the common denominator around children using visualization through playful imagination.
In more primitive times, it was Man against Beast or even Man against Man. As creatures of habit, even today, we tend to follow the same routines, much like early man. We hunt (generally going to the same grocery stores) and gather (same places for gas or social interaction). One of the reasons we do this is because it allows us to become familiar with our "territories". If something appears of feels out of place, instinctively we assess the situation for a potential threat. This is where intuition or that gut feeling begins.
The advantage of being a generational psychic or practitioner of magic is that we are taught to pay additional attention to these details and to hone our skills through the experiences that had been passed on from the previous generations. Children of these generational practitioners are not ingrained with the idea that imagination is simply a creative outlet and serves no other purpose. We teach our children that they can empower themselves through visualization and then place spiritual power into it and manifest change into their lives or open windows that will allow them to see situations with a third sight.
But I also want you to keep in mind that we live not one, but many lifetimes. In this life, I was a devoted Christian of unwavering faith from the age of 5 until I was 19. I then became an Agnostic due to seeing ideals that I was taught as truth become quickly dismissed with experiences and knowledge that I had attained. In many ways, I became lost and lacked the faith in my religious beliefs, and yet the "Gift of God" to see still remained with me.
In this life, I'm a third generational psychic, but this was explained to me as one of the gifts of the Holy Ghosts in the Christian Bible located within 1 Corinthians 12:7. How could it be possible that I was given this gift by God, fall from grace and instead my abilities became stronger.
In the year 2000, I was still an Agnostic, believing in a higher power, but not understanding it and realizing that the conventional religion I grew up learning contained many fallacies that I had experienced in my own life that I could not reconcile. During this time I was suddenly hit with a strong sense of despair and the material things in my life began to crumble around me. I had been very intoxicated at a party at the end of our Renaissance Festival for the cast and was drinking heavily to the point of inebriation. This older lady named Katt whom I became very fond of and thought of as a dear friend walked up to me and said that I had an old spirit and the heart of a teacher (something I was also told in the church and also by a High Muslim Cleric I met through a friend prior). My response was "Yeah, yeah, thank you."
Katt then asked me if she could do a blessing for me because she felt that I needed it. At this time, I didn't believe in magical power and I said, "Sure, knock yourself out.". As she began to chant and raise her hands in front of me, I felt this energy moving through my body and down into the earth beneath my feet. As she brought her hands down and said "So Mote It Be!", I became instantly aware and sober. I was in complete shock. I felt grounded and centered. I felt the strongest awareness that I had ever experienced, even with my psychic abilities.
I've been a practitioner of Wicca since I dedicated my time to study and a year later, I performed a self initiation as a Solitary Practitioner.
Do not be discouraged if you are a first generation psychic or practitioner of magic. Remember, we live many lifetimes and you will discover, just as I have in my own life that we have lived many lifetimes and we most likely have been an experienced psychic or practitioner of magic in one of those lifetimes.
Early man in all cultures believed in the power of magic, even among those of Mystics of Judaism that are still around today. Judaism is the fundamental religion in which bore both Christianity and Islam. Those ancient witch doctors, medicine men, Celtic witches, Druids, etc. did have power and their people during those lifetimes saw the reality of true magical power.
You have that spiritual connection to those ancient people of power through the previous lives that you lived before this one. Your disadvantage if you are a first generation now is that you have to unlearn what you know and perceive as reality and open your faith and study. Concentrate and learn. Seek the advice of an Elder.
So those of you today who show pride in the fact that you are multi-generational practitioner, show humility and do not fall to arrogance because over the many lifetimes, it could be the newbies that you encounter and train that may become some of the most powerful spiritualists that you have ever seen.
In a future broadcast of Magical Truth Radio in the next few weeks, I'll show you a different way to use Generational Magic that will allow any practitioner to increase the effectiveness of their magical power.
Source: http://practicing-wicca.blogspot.com
This is a great video, frankenspliced to portray crazy Mel as an anti-Semite.
It's no secret that I support Israel (and, I suspect, it's likely the reason I lose people off the feedburner that shows how many people
1. Generalized derogatory comments on Jewry. They can be subtler hints, like "I think that there is no doubt that there are many american citizens that have greater loyality to Israel than the US." (My subsequent challenge to that assertion consisted of getting absolutely no evidence other than the assertion, I might add). Then there are more flagrant commentaries like "If for whatever reason, the USA entered into military conflict with the foreign nation Israel, could we count on all the Jews in the US military to support and not sabotage the operation?" I have seen some truly idiotic and despicable comments that state that 'Jews are over-represented in Hollywood'. You ken me drift, I think.
2. Usually, I point out that Jews are a race and an ethnicity, not just a religion. Don't believe me? Look it up. WITHOUT EXCEPTION, I hear this: "You can convert to Judaism, that makes you a Jew, so you're WRONG." Never mind that if your mother's a Jew, you're born a Jew. This is pretty much a false dichotomy: there's more than one way to be a 'member'.
3. Entering into discussion with these folks and calling shenanigans usually ends up degenerating into a pissing contest. I get accused of being brain damaged, rabid Zionism, and other ridiculous nonsense. Even of not being a 'True AtheistTM'
4. Usually this devolves even more into ridiculous comparisons: Israel commits genocide, accusations of apartheid, comparisons to Nazi Germany (that last part should Godwin a thread, but doesn't, as the clown is usually building up some lather).
Now, as a qualifier, some people go directly to number 4. Once upon a time, I was one of those folks. And someone challenged me on it. So I did the research. I've other posts on the subject, so before you take a swing at me, do a little reading up. I have valid reasons for 'switching sides'.
One of the issues you'd imagine I'd have as an atheist, is this: they started the whole shebang, the whole monotheistic trinity of nonsense we have to endure and combat in the name of reason and rationality. More correctly, their "ancestors "did that, and I'm not a big fan of children inheriting the 'sins' of their fathers folderol. The other fact of the matter, is that aside from the latest problems occurring in Israel, Jews aren't in the news. Or rather, they're more sporadically in the news - outside say, the Madoff scandal, the contrast of bad press from either Islam or Christianity (or the variants ther) outnumber the bad press from Judaism by at least 20 to 1 (that's a guessed margin - feel free to correct me).
Have no doubt, I'm firmly against religion. As Einstein so succinctly put it, "the Jewish religion like all other religions is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions." My major beef is that folks (especially on the left) indulge themselves in (sometimes unknowingly) distinctly racist (yes, Jewish is a race) scapegoating, which I might add, is a religious practice, and one that should be tossed in the garbage with all the Talmuds, Korans, and bibbles. I do have a sort of empathy for them as a people, because I'm fairly sure no other group gets blamed for so much on so little evidence, and anti-Semitism is an evil Christian legacy that atheists should not espouse.
Make of that what you will.
L'Chaim.
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February's book club selection for my local book club - the Spineless Book Club here in Chicago - was the Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman. If that name sounds familiar, it's because she is the writer behind that paragon of pagan entertainment Practical Magic. According to all the press for the book, it took Hoffman 5 years to write it. The time spent researching, planning, writing, and editing the novel absolutely shows. The publisher calls this book Hoffman's masterpiece. While I've not read many of Hoffman's other
"In 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean, desert, Masada. Only two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic and iconic event, Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom comes to Masada by a different path. Yael's mother died in childbirth, and her father, an expert assassin, never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker's wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her young grandsons, rendered mute by their own witness. Aziza is a warrior's daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman who finds passion with a fellow soldier. Shirah, born in Alexandria, is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets - about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and who they love."
Within the first few pages, I had already fallen deeply in love with Hoffman's poetic, imaginative writing style. She uses the tools of a poet to create dense, very real scenes, as well as incredibly full characters. To give you a full review, let's take a look at our usual 5 torches.
* TECHNICALS - Easily yes. This woman knows her way around some syntax! I could not be more pleased with the way her book is written. I will say that if there is any drawback to the technicalities of the book, it is that there aren't really any chapters. There are parts to the book, one for the each of the four main characters. So, saying, "I'll just read a chapter tonight," is a bit impossible. However, it's not really a problem, and it doesn't take away from the book. It can be a bit daunting, however, because it's not really reading-during-lunch-break friendly, as you will probably have to put it down in the middle of a fascinating scene.
* OBTUSE/OBSCURE - This book is dense. It is not a light, summertime, airy read. You really have to commit some time to the book. Honestly, I realized that I needed some good, solid hours in the day to read it - and that I couldn't just stick chunks of it in a quick lunch break or coffee run. However, it is not difficult to read or understand. It isn't clouded with a lot of unexplained technical terms, and it's not a dry storyline. You want to commit those hours a day to reading the stories of these four women. You want to go on this journey with them.
* CHARACTERS - This story is all about the characters. It is less about the scenery, which is full and real. It's less about the era and setting, which is real and ever-present. The real heart of this story is the reality of the four women at the center of this tale. You feel for Yael, despite her anti-heroine storyline. You want to rage alongside the lioness/matriarch Revka in her quest for revenge and redemption. You ride next to Aziza as she balances the instincts of her prior life as a male warrior and her new role as daughter and lover. You learn the secrets of magic from Shirah, and, greater still, the secrets of motherhood and of being a woman cursed by love. The characters in this tome are real; they're people. You feel that you've met them, dined with them, loved them, and perhaps have lost them.
* MEMORABLE - This book's story is so true, so urgent, and so powerful that it stays with you. Haunting is an understatement. It is a book by which you will begin to compare other
* STORY - The story is fresh and original, despite having taken place a few thousand years ago. It is modern in its view of women, despite their lacking a place in the society of the day. It is new and real in the way it candidly looks at the ancient Jewish people that weren't as monotheistic as modern day adherents would like to tout. Some of your favorite ancient deities make an appearance, and you get an incredible sense that people - despite the era - are still people. I must say, the story of Shirah, the curse that she is under, feels very familiar, very Hoffman. You get the sense that the Owens family of her Practical Magic world possibly descended from her lineage. You wonder if Hoffman's witches are a bit cookie cutter, but that is a fear easily remedied by Shirah's interactions and world choices.
THE BOTTOM LINE: The Dovekeepers is a rich, dense, character-drive epic that infuses her characteristic real-magic with a story about women, about love, about meeting your fate, and what it means to live fully.
I cannot tell you how much I loved this book, and the other Spineless Book Clubbers agreed. Seriously, we are still talking about it amongst ourselves.
Buy this book. You will love it. In fact, buy the book for a friend and read it together. It is something you'll want to have a conversation about with a friend or group.
Have YOU read the Dovekeepers? Are you going to?
Also, if you're in the Chicago area and are looking for a book club, consider the Spineless Book Club! We're on Facebook and Goodreads.
Love and Lyte,
Fire Lyte
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'Earth, divine Goddess, Mother Nature who generates all things and brings forth anew the sun which you have given to the nations; Guardian of sky and sea and of all gods and powers...through your power all nature falls silent and then sinks in sleep. And again you bring back the light and chase away night and yet again you cover us most securely with your shades. You do contain chaos infinite, yea and winds and showers and storms; you send them out when you will and cause the seas to roar; you chase away the sun and rouse the storm.
Again when you will you send forth the joyous day and give the nourishment of life with your eternal surety; and when the soul departs to you we return. You are indeed duly called Great Mother of the Gods; you conquer by your divine name. You are the source of strength of nations and of gods, without you nothing can be brought to perfection or be born; you are Great Queen of the Gods. Goddess! I adore thee as divine; I call upon your name; be pleased the grant that which I ask of you, so shall I give thanks to thee, Goddess, with due faith. Hear, I beseech you, and be favorable to my prayer. Whatsoever herb your power does produce, give, I pray, with goodwill to all nations to save them and grant me this my medicine. Come to me with your powers, and howsoever I may use them, may they have good success to whosoever I may give them.
Whatever you grant, may it prosper. To you all things return. Those who rightly receive these herbs from me, please make them whole. Goddess, I beseech you, I pray as a suppliant that by your majesty you grant this to me. Now I make intercession to you all your powers and herbs and to your majesty, you whom Earth parent of all has produced and given as a medicine of health to all nations and has put majesty upon you, I pray you, the greatest help to the human race. This I pray and beseech from you, be present here with your virtues, for She who created you has Herself promised that I may gather you into the goodwill of him on whom the art of medicine was bestowed, and grant for health's sake good medicine by grace of your powers.
I pray grant me through your virtues that whatsoever is wrought by me through you may in all it's powers have good and speedy effect and good success and that I may always be permitted with the favor of your majesty to gather you into my hands and to glean your fruits. So shall I give thanks to you in the name of the majesty which ordained your birth.'
(Modernized version of a 12th century herbalist spell. Original translation from 'Early English Magic and Medicine', by Dr. Charles Singer. Proceedings of the British Academy, Vol. IV )
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Medical Intuitive, Spiritual Teacher, Counsellor, Chakra Master And Past Life Therapist. - He has written two It wasn't until he had a near death experience at the age of nineteen that he reawakened his childhood gifts. Through numerous life lessons and years of metaphysical studies, De Long was able to enhance his abilities and create a unique course that he has been teaching for over a decade. For nearly twenty years Doug has worked as a past life therapist and has regressed well over one thousand individuals, including students.
He has been guided to put his knowledge and channelled teachings into book form in order to help human kind open up and develop their innate abilities. He and his wife Carol De Long operate the De Long Ancient Mystery School where they teach courses in spiritual and psychic development, ancient healing techniques and Reiki.
They also deliver a menu of personal services. Now celebrating its 15th year, the Ancient Mystery School has received students from all over the world, including Australia and mainland China. Ancient Teachings for Beginners, De Long's first book, has gone into its' 7th printing. This book is now considered a classic in its respective genres, such as reincarnation, auras and chakras..
It has also been released in India under the title Ancient Teachings for Spiritual Growth. De Long has also written for Fate Magazine, The Llewellyn Journal, Wholife Journal, and many other magazines. Ancient Teachings for Beginners and Ancient Healing Techniques are published by Llewellyn Worldwide, www.
Llewellyn.com. - www.douglasdelong.com - NOW 24/7/365 - The 'X' Zone Radio Is NOW broadcasting in HD Stereo at www.xzoneradiotv.com/listen.htm
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Why is the highest military rank a 5-star general, who wears 5, 5-pointed gold stars? Why do Sheriffs wear a 6-pointed gold star? What do these occult amulets/symbols have to do with protecting the country?
"In "Kritias", Plato wrote that the" numbers 5 and 6 were sacred in Atlantis, where they were encoded in architecture, art, and ceremonial life 'to honor the odd and even days.' The Atlanteans' "choice of these numerals reflects their holistic religion, the 'Navel of the World,' whose "adherents strove for spiritual synthesis and balance. The number 5 represents the male "principle of conscious outward action, while 6 stands for female "intuitive receptivity." -Frank Joseph, "The Atlantis Encyclopedia" (206)"
The Atlantis significance will become more important later on, but for now suffice to say 5 represents the male principle of outward action. Ancient cultures all over the world shared the belief that the Sun represented the male principle while the Moon represented the female. So a "soldier," or Sun warrior, wearing 5, 5-pointed golden stars most certainly resonates strongly the male principle/energy.
Modern occultists believe 5 to be the Number of Death. The greatest intensification of any number is its triplicate, making 555 literally "Highest Death." Could this be why the highest military rank (5-star generals) wear 5, 5-pointed stars on their uniform? Could this be why the US Pentagon building is 5 concentric, 5-sided pentagons, with an inner-court of exactly 5 acres? The co-designer of the Pentagon, Jack Whiteside Parsons, was indeed an occultist and high priest in the OTO secret society.
"Jack Parsons, American rocket scientist, f"ounder of California's Jet Propulsion "Laboratory, and a priest of the O.T.O., was, like Mormon Joseph Smith, a premier servant of Satan and a rebel against God. He even fan"cied himself to be the prophesied antichrist. Parsons wrote this" chilling paragraph in his diary: And thus was I antichrist loosed in the world; an"d to this am I pledged, that the work of the beast shall be fulfilled, and the way for the coming of BABALON be made open and I shall not cease or rest until these things are accomplished." -Texe Marrs, "Codex Magica" (44)"
During World War II, the US Department of War began construction of the Pentagon and changed its name to the Department of Defense. Since then, the US government has conducted countless undeclared wars and propagated them to the public as merely defensive measures, pre-emptive strikes, or unavoidable conflicts/stand-offs.
Both the notorious Illuminists John D. Rockefeller and Amschel Bauer Rothschild had 5 sons. If 5 is the male energy of outward action, then 5 sons/suns is the highest resonator of that principle. It is also interesting that so many of the corporate pre-planned boy/girl bands, bands created by corporations, not by the musicians themselves, such as the Spice Girls, Pussy Cat Dolls, New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, and N'Sync all have 5 band members and each member represents/acts/dresses in a certain unique way - the bad boy, the pretty boy, the prep, the hippie, etc. The whole idea seems to follow an occult/zodiacal agenda, using personality types to sell products.
"In ancient and modern occultism the "E" is very important because it represents the fifth essence or the quintesse"nce... It represents a spiritual power of transcendence - The number 5. "So you will always find something in a corporate logo "that will tweak the "E" for a reason. It w"ill always be highlighted in some way, or separated in some way, or dropped in some way." -Michael Tsarion, "The Subversive Use of Sacred Symbolism in the Media" Lecture at Conspiracy Con 2003
Take note of Es in corporate logos, since E is the 5th letter of the alphabet it is very often highlighted or drawn differently than the other letters. Intel drops the E, Acer makes the E super-thin, Crest and Lee place a sunburst behind the E. E-Force has the Illuminati pyramid and Microsoft Internet Explorer uses the "e" icon with Saturn's ring around it. Take special note of logos like E-Bay, E-Trade, ESPN, Dell, Esprit, Express, EB, EA Sports/Games, A&E, FedEx, Enconcept Academy and many more. There are most certainly occultists in high places on Madison Avenue and the advertising industry.
Buy The Atlantean Conspiracy Now
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The gemstone for the Oak Moon is the Diamond, a sparkling precious stone, white or blue in color, also known as the "King of Crystals" and "Stone of Invulnerability." The Diamond is the hardest substance known in nature. Traditionally, it is the symbol of purity and innocence and is considered luckiest when worn on the left side of the body. It is a crystalline form of carbon and its name is derived from Ademas, which means "indomitable." It represents strength, virtue, bravery and insight, bringing these fine attributes to its wearers. The Hebrews believed that the Diamond lost its sparkle if touched or worn by a traitor and in ancient times, it was thought to drive away the Devil.
The Diamond is considered to be the greatest of all gem stones, revered throughout the ages not only for its great beauty and strength, but also for its powerful positive spiritual and physical influences. This stone is said to enhance the wearer with charm and beauty. Physically, it strengthens the kidneys and reproductive organs and gives protection against severe disease. The ancient Romans believed that the Diamond, when worn on the left side next to the skin, bestowed upon the wearer bravery and daring. During the Middle Ages Queen Elizabeth I was made a gift of a Diamond to ward off the plague and Napoleon carried a sword with a Diamond in the hilt to assure victory in battle.
Ancient writings tell of a Diamond which hung about the neck of Abraham which could cure the illness of any man who gazed upon it. It is said that when Abraham died, the Lord sealed the gem within the Sun. Even today, the Diamond engagement ring remains the accepted token of promised love and loyalty. It is thought that this tradition may have begun in 1477 when Maximilian I of Austria presented a Diamond ring to Mary, daughter of the Duke of Burgundy, as a bethrothal gift. To dream of Diamonds was once thought to be a sure sign of success, wealth and happiness.
A history of tragedy and misfortune has often accompanied the more highly-prized examples of this gem. Stones such as the Hope Diamond were so unfortunate and brought such ill-luck that the very mention of its name once struck terror into peoples' hearts. However, the gem itself is not unlucky...the bad luck being mainly brought about by the greed and lust with which humankind has fought and thieved and connived in order to obtain such great wealth.
A Diamond purchased out of greed, or one that is stolen or won from another, will not bring good luck to the wearer...a Diamond given as a gift or which is representative as a token of trust and affection between sweethearts can never bring ill-luck.
According to legend, the Diamond came into existence when the God of Mines called together all his noblemen and instructed them to bring him one of every variety and color of gemstone in existence. Once he had received the collection, he crushed them, forming one magnificent jewel of rare beauty, purity and indestructibility...the Diamond. The Diamond is also known as the "King-Stone" (the Pearl being the "Queen-Stone").
Nova Reinna
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Faithful Catholics of the Worcester Diocese are blessed to have a spiritual leader such as The Most Reverend Robert J. McManus. As Father Euteneuer of Human Life International has observed (see here), "In a time when far too many scandals go unaddressed in our Catholic institutions it is very encouraging to see a bishop take a bold stand in defense of his people and the integrity of the Church."
There are some who would criticize the Bishop, asserting that he should have done more. They would argue, along with Dr. Dietrich von Hildebrand, that: "The right use of the sacred authority of a bishop or a religious superior is much more necessary, more urgently called for by God when it is not just the deviation of an individual which is at stake, but rather the spreading of a terrible spiritual plague by one who is either malicious or ignorant. The failure to use God-given authority against such a person [and one could add an institution of higher learning] is a betrayal of Christ. ANYONE WHO, FROM COWARDICE OR INSUFFICIENT MORAL COURAGE, FAILS TO TAKE UP A FIGHT, BRINGS A TERRIBLE RESPONSIBILITY UPON HIMSELF...The betrayal of God-given authority, by keeping silent or by not intervening where this is a sacred duty before God, is always a very grave fault. Sometimes it comes from the ostrich-policy of burying one's head in the sand and not wanting to see the evils which authority can and should eliminate; sometimes it comes from the slogan, 'Authority is no longer effective today, it belongs to the Middle Ages.' This is much more dangerous than the abuse of authority which we just discussed; it is an even worse naturalism than this abuse, it is a failure to see what is demanded by the sacred office of a bishop or a religious superior. One looks upon authority as uncharitable and harsh because one looks at it 'from without,' and fails to understand that it is a deed of the greatest love, that it is true love of neighbor to use God-given authority in the spirit of Christ and with the full awareness of being responsible before God." (The Devastated Vineyard, pp. 205-207).
And this is certainly true. But what exactly is "the right use of sacred authority"? Is it only command and not service? Does a Bishop have to abandon the pastoral dimension of his ministry? Of course not. In Mark 10: 42-44, Jesus tells His Disciples: "..You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt. But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all."
In his book entitled, "Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way," Pope John Paul II wrote, "THERE IS ALWAYS A PROBLEM IN ACHIEVING A BALANCE BETWEEN AUTHORITY AND SERVICE. Maybe I should have been more assertive. I think this is partly a matter of my temperament. Yet it could also be related to the will of Christ, who asked His Apostles not to dominate but to serve. Obviously a bishop has authority, but much depends on the way he exercises it. If a bishop stresses his authority too much, then the people think all he can do is issue commands. On the other hand, if he adopts an attitude of service, the faithful spontaneously tend to listen to him and willingly submit to his authority. SO A CERTAIN BALANCE IS NEEDED. IF A BISHOP SAYS, 'I'M IN CHARGE HERE' OR 'I'M ONLY HERE TO SERVE,' THEN SOMETHING IS MISSING: HE MUST SERVE BY RULING AND RULE BY SERVING. WE HAVE AN ELOQUENT MODEL OF THIS DUAL APPROACH IN CHRIST HIMSELF: HE SERVED UNCEASINGLY, BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF SERVING GOD HE WAS ALSO ABLE TO EXPEL THE MONEY CHANGERS FROM THE TEMPLE WHEN THIS WAS NEEDED." (Rise, Let Us Be On Our Way, pp. 49-50).
Bishop McManus has warned Holy Cross that continued dissent will have its consequences. He is also being pastoral while remembering that authority is not just command but service. He is striving to achieve a balance. And he deserves our prayers and our support.
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We enter into the drama of the Gospel this week. No more powerful expression of the feeling of this week has ever been produced than the opening chorus of Bach's St. Matthew Passion. The very sound of it evokes deep emotion, as music paints a picture of something beyond suffering. It is the willingness of love to embrace suffering, to own it, and in so doing to give the great gift of charity. It is our sorrow at Christ's pain and death, but a sorrow of gratitude producing in us the love we could not have without His sorrow, His gift to us. The heart of the drama, as Bach put it into music, as Grunewold painted it, and as countless poets have hymned it, is not the drama of a tragic figure whose life is wrongly taken in a Kafkaesque trial, a mockery of justice. It is the drama of the One Who loved us unto death, and gave that life which no man could take from Him.
This strikes us in our hearts and moves us to love Him, and it awakens our consciences from their slumber. Not because we feel guilty, though it is popular to say that our sins crucified Him. But in truth, our sins had no power over Him. In answer to the question, "Why did He have to suffer and die?" we answer that He "had to" have done nothing. Indeed, He owed us nothing. He did not die because He had to, or because we made Him do so. Pilate had no power over Him, the priests and Sanhedrin had no power over Him, the soldiers of Rome who beat, mocked and crucified Him, had no power over Him.
Hear the words Christ had spoken a while before ascending to Jerusalem:
"Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father (John 10: 17, 18)."
Remember, as we will read on Friday the Gospel of John, that when they came to arrest Him, they all fell backward, and could not stand up until He spoke again and allowed them to do so. And, as St. Matthew tells us, He spoke these words to Peter:
"Put up thy sword into his place...thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be (Mat. 26: 53, 54)?"
The One Who prayed in the Garden, "Not as I will, but as Thou wilt" and said "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends" would show greater love than is possible for human strength, as He would die for His friends and His enemies. "God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)." He set His face as a flint; His face was set toward Jerusalem. No man could "make" Him go there; no man could "send" Him to the cross.
So our consciences are stricken, and our hearts afflicted, by something more profound than guilt; we are brought low, and moved, by this true drama, to gratitude, to give thanks with tears, moved to love, all of which restores to us hope, and faith, and charity for all. Our consciences are cleansed by His death, and made new. They are made active; they stir to holy living. No longer is our life a matter of rules for the sake of rules, laws for the sake of laws. The Law is written on our hearts by the Holy Ghost along with the deepest recognition that we could not give enough thanks to our Redeemer had we a thousand tongues to sing, and that we will never stop giving thanks for eternity, unto ages of ages, or world without end. It is now personal. "We love Him because He first loved us."
We are moved beyond the power of words to tell, not because the cross of Christ makes us guilty in forcing Him to bear our sins; but, rather, because the cross removes our guilt, we are moved to gratitude and to love. It is because He "bore our sins in His own body on the Tree (I Peter 2:24). He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bare the sin of the many, and made intercession for the transgressors (Isa. 53: 12)." This was the Divine plan, about which we had no say, in which we had no input. Like life itself, it is the free gift of the Triune God to creatures dependent upon His grace, grace to live, and now grace to be restored to His favor. Think upon the words we have read from that famous passage of St. Paul to the Philippians, that He "was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
What can that mean if not that the death of the cross was the Divine plan? This is a profound mystery. We can understand the principle that the death of the One Who was without sin, Who never deserved the wages of sin, reverses death and brings eternal life. That His death is, therefore, the sacrifice offered to God by the Righteous One of Himself for all sinners is plain enough as a theological principle, and is itself demonstration of the love of God for the fallen children of Adam. But, the death of the cross, the death of severe pain and humiliation, involving the worst physical suffering man can feel, coupled with all of the shame and torment of cruel mocking and scourging. Why was this the Divine plan? What does each stripe mean? What means the piercing of thorns and nails, the contempt and anger, the beating over the head with a reed? Why the derision of heartless enemies added to the pain of crucifixion? What is all of this about?
The answer, as is written in the First Epistle of Saint Peter, is that He "bore our sins in His own body on the tree." We are proud, are we not, of our minds? Can we not out think all creatures on earth? But, how does God view the vain and selfish use of our minds? He crowns our proud intellects with thorns. We are proud, are we not, of the work of our hands? Have we not made things greater than the Tower of Babel itself? But, what thinks the righteous God of the selfishness with which we labor? Our hands deserve the piercing of nails. We are proud, are we not, of how we walk before God and men? We suppose that we are not like other men, and are just humble enough to render proud thanks as we pray thus to ourselves, "God, I thank thee." But, in the eyes of God our own standard of righteousness tends to self-flattery. What says He of our walk, but that nails should be driven through our feet?
But, I think I only scratch the surface of this mystery. Certainly, nothing that happened to the Son of God was an accident. He allowed it all, so it all has meaning, and the mystery is more profound than I can say, of what it means that "He bore our sins in His own body on the tree." The cross shows us the Divine sentence upon our sins, and yet, remember, that we had no power to crucify Him.
On this Palm Sunday, let us look at the determination with which He fulfilled His mission. Nothing could keep Him from the purpose for which He came as a Man, and took upon Himself our nature. In the movie "The Passion of the Christ", the "bad" thief, the one who does not fear God even while dying, is filled with anger at the sight of the Lord embracing His cross. "Fool!" he yells, "Why do you embrace your cross?!" Christ entered Jerusalem, unmoved by the praise of the crowds, for He had not come to be their King, not yet. He had come to be priest and sacrifice. The great drama of this coming week, the drama Bach expressed so powerfully through music, the drama we feel this day, and which will break our hearts on Thursday night and Friday, is the drama of His love, which produces our love, our thanks; and that afflicts our hearts with both pain and comfort at once. We, though undeserving, are loved.
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However, just as important to the Gothi, is the Oath Ring. The Book of Settlements, written in Iceland to describe the Godic Republic, says; "A Ring of a prescribed size should be placed on the altar in every Main Temple. The Gothi of that temple should carry that Ring on his wrist to all regular Things, where he should conduct the procedures. Before that he should wash the Ring in the blood of a bull he had sacrificed himself." Here we learn the importance of both the Ring and the Bowli. I might note here that a surviving 1,600 year old Ring of the Goths with runic inscription still survives, crafted in solid gold. The Ring is brought to all Kindred functions, and is worn by the Gothi at all Blots and Sumbels as a service to the Folk who may wish to take a sacred oath. I know that it may be impossible for some to procure a gold or silver Oath Ring, myself included, but some type of Ring must be used. Mine is made of brass and has served our Kindred for over ten years.
We know from the Myths, that Thorr blessed the funeral pyre of Baldur with his Hammer. We also know from the Sagas that Thorr's Hammer was used to bless brides, babies, and the Folk. A ritual sized Hammer is also a must. Mine was a gift from my foster father, and is hand carved from cherry wood. It has served me and the Folk well for twenty years. The Hammer is also used in some Blot is for the banishing ritual, and later to bless the Feast. I have seen some Gothis use a sledgehammer purchased from the hardware store, and I know of some prison Kindreds who use a rubber Hammer. Again, what is important here is the symbolism, and the power in the blessing projected by the Gothi. Improvise!
The last of the most important implements is the Stalli, Old Norse for altar. We have a stalli made of stone at our Hof, and I know of many who have constructed Stallis in their sacred groves. The Stalli, of course, is the focal point of the Blot, and holds the necessary implements used during the service. I have also used a simple folding camp table, which has served me well, both during the Blot, and the ritual Feast to follow.
Credit: http://mysteryvoodoo.blogspot.com
Below is a picture of the popular Haunted Ebay Painting. Its' original title is "Hands Resist Him" and it was painted by Bill Stoneham.
Stoneham painted it in 1972. The boy is himself, the hands being other lives, and the windows/door being a thin veil between waking and dreaming with the small doll like girl being the guide through. He doesn't know how it ended up abandoned behind a brewery but he does know that the gallery owner from which the painting was displayed and sold and a Los Angeles Times review critic both ended up dead within one year after the painting was shown. Is it merely a coincidence or is the painting really haunted?
People have had several different but strange reactions upon viewing it. Some have felt ill even passed out. Others have claimed to have had strange visitors at night. Children cried in horror when looking at the pictures while others were too afraid look at it.
Do I think it is haunted? No. I think saying it is boosted its popularity and the price which it worked. The painting sold for 1,025 in February 2000.
This is the original text that accompanied the painting:
WHEN WE RECEIVED THIS PAINTING, WE THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY GOOD ART. A " PICKER " HAD FOUND IT ABANDONED BEHIND AN OLD BREWERY. AT THE TIME WE WONDERED A LITTLE WHY A SEEMINGLY PERFECTLY FINE PAINTING WOULD BE DISCARDED LIKE THAT. ( TODAY WE DON'T ! ) ONE MORNING OUR 4 AND 1/2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER CLAIMED, THAT THE CHILDREN IN THE PICTURE WERE FIGHTING, AND COMING INTO THE ROOM DURING THE NIGHT. NOW, I DON'T BELIEVE IN UFOS OR ELVIS BEING ALIVE, BUT MY HUSBAND WAS ALARMED. TO MY AMUSEMENT HE SET UP A MOTION TRIGGERED CAMERA FOR THE NIGHTS. AFTER THREE NIGHTS THERE WERE PICTURES.THE LAST TWO PICTURES SHOWN ARE FROM THAT 'STAKEOUT'. AFTER SEEING THE BOY SEEMINGLY EXITING THE PAINTING UNDER THREAT, WE DECIDED, THE PAINTING HAS TO GO.PLEASE JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. - BEFORE YOU DO, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING WARNING AND DISCLAIMER. -WARNING: DO NOT BID ON THIS PAINTING IF YOU ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO STRESS RELATED DISEASE, FAINT OF HEART OR ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH SUPERNATURAL EVENTS. BY BIDDING ON THIS PAINTING, YOU AGREE TO RELEASE THE OWNERS OF ALL LIABILITY IN RELATION TO THE SALE OR ANY EVENTS HAPPENING AFTER THE SALE, THAT MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS PAINTING. THIS PAINTING MAY OR MAY NOT POSESS SUPERNATURAL POWERS, THAT COULD IMPACT OR CHANGE YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER, BY BIDDING YOU AGREE TO EXCLUSIVELY BID ON THE VALUE OF THE ARTWORK, WITH DISREGARD TO THE LAST TWO PHOTOS FEATURED IN THIS AUCTION, AND HOLD THE OWNERS HARMLESS IN REGARD TO THEM AND THEIR IMPACT, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.- NOW THAT WE GOT THIS OUT OF THE WAY, ONE QUESTION TO YOU EBAYERS. WE WANT OUR HOUSE TO BE BLESSED AFTER THE PAINTING IS GONE, DOES ANYBODY KNOW, WHO IS QUALIFIED TO DO THAT? THE SIZE OF THE PAINTING IS 24 BY 36 INCHES, SO IT IS RATHER LARGE. AS I HAVE HAD SEVERAL QUESTIONS, HERE THE FOLLOWING ANSWERS. THERE WAS NO ODOR LEFT BEHIND IN THE ROOM. THERE WERE NO VOICES, OR THE SMELL OF GUNPOWDER, NO FOODPRINTS OR STRANGE FLUIDS ON THE WALL. TO DETER QUESTIONS IN THIS DIRECTION, THERE ARE NO GHOSTS IN THIS WORLD, NO SUPERNATURAL POWERS, THIS IS JUST A PAINTING, AND MOST THESE THINGS HAVE AN EXPLANATION, IN THIS CASE PROBABLY A FLUKE LIGHT EFFECT. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BID ON THE ARTWORK, AND CONSIDER THE LAST TWO PHOTOGRAPHS AS PURE ENTERTAINMENT, AND PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THEM INTO CONSIDERATION, WHEN BIDDING. AS WE THINK IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO BLESS ANY HOUSE, WE STILL WELCOME INPUT INTO THAT PROCEDURE.
This auction is nearing the end. I want to thank the more than 13000 people that took the time to look at this image on EBay. I appreciate the more than 30 suggestions, that I received regarding blessing the house, exorcising and cleansing. 7 e-mails reported strange or irregular events taking place, when viewing this image. And I will relay two suggestions made by the senders. First not to use this image as the background on the screen, and second not to display this image around juveniles or children. Last not least, thanks for appreciating the art as well.
Source: http://castle of drive
