Thursday, June 30, 2016

A Rational Review of the Notion of Residual Haunts

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Recently I reviewed a book ‘Limestone and its Paranormal Properties’ by a friend, Tim Yohe.

In this thought provoking book, he theorizes that limestone can retain energy. Hence, it would make an excellent medium to explain the mechanism for residual haunts. Tim admits that the popular Stone Tape Theory had been accepted by many in the paranormal community, even though it lacked a mechanism to explain how it worked.

I will not re-hash my review of his book but what follows is my basic reply to any concept of energy being trapped and later released to display all kinds of seemingly intelligent paranormal activity…but is allegedly non-intelligent.

Perhaps no concept is so universally assumed to be true in the paranormal community than that of a residual haunt.  Along with intelligent haunt, poltergeist, and demonic, the residual haunt is alleged to one of four forms of haunting. However, there is a strong consensus amongst many paranormal investigators that the residual haunt is the most common type of haunt. In fact, for most, the vast majority of paranormal activity is attributed to residual activity (not all agree). For this reason alone, the notion of residual haunt is of immense importance. One is left to wonder why there is so little self-reflection within the paranormal community regarding this topic-it is simply assumed to be true. Tim’s book (and my blogs) are the only attempts I know of that either attempt to explain or debunk the notion of residual haunts. Tim admits this (re his book anyway) in his recently published book. My purpose here is to show that it is a vacuous notion, with no basis in fact.

But many who believe this notion are dear friends and all are image-bearers of God—may mercy, grace, and love attend our spirited debates!

For the sake of those without prior knowledge, a residual haunt is a paranormal hypothesis which states that inanimate materials can absorb some form of energy from living beings, during moments of high tension ( e.g. traumatic death). This stored energy can be released, resulting in a display of the recorded activity. These "hauntings" are not intelligent but simply non-interactive recordings similar to a movie or a tape recorder.

A moments communion with common sense reveals the crucial role, for good or ill, that this widely-accepted belief entails.  It either has tremendous explanatory power, or Satan has us whipped. The stakes are high and Christians cannot afford to be wrong on this one--too much is at stake.

This is a relatively complex issue, so I have decided to break it down into manageable segments. In this section I want to focus on how the concept of residual haunts is contradictory to science-in particular, how it is contrary to the laws of thermodynamics. This will be an argument from science and not explicitly from the bible-all truth is God's truth.

This may surprise you because oftentimes folks will appeal to the First Law of Thermodynamics (law of energy conservation) in support of either intelligent ghosts or residual haunts. The argument goes like this: since energy cannot be destroyed, then when people die, their energy has to go somewhere. With what I consider several steps of logic missing in-between, the conclusion is then made that this provides a scientific basis for intelligent or trapped spirits. Regarding residual haunts, it is stated that the first law (conservation) also can explain why these alleged non-intelligent haunts can morph and move so remarkably-it is simply energy changing its form.

However, there are THREE Laws of Thermodynamics, and the Second law is particularly overlooked in this discussion. The Second Law of Thermodynamics deals with entropy of energy. Energy experiences entropy until thermal equilibrium has been reached. This law explains why perpetual motion machines are impossible in the world God has created. All scientific laws, like gravity, have been woven into the fabric of His universe-ensuring that the cosmos coheres and works-and that it is discoverable. But we digress...

To help explain how the second law works, consider what would happen if you took a glass of water and put several drops of red food coloring in it. Immediately, the red drops will begin to disperse-without agitating or stirring the contents. This dispersion will continue until the red food coloring has reached equilibrium-it has been evenly distributed throughout the container. In the end, you have pink water all throughout the glass!

In like fashion, when energy has been released from its container (bio-electric energy from human body), then it will disperse until it has reached equilibrium in surrounding environment.  Though the energy has not been destroyed, it has been very significantly "watered-down".Just as it would be impossible for the food coloring to stay clustered in the center of the glass (unless acted upon by an outside agent), so it would be impossible for released energy to remain clustered somewhere in the environment.

It is vital to note at this point, that the Laws of Thermodynamics are considered by scientists to be absolute-there are no known exceptions.Though the Laws of Motion are, at least theoretically, seen to be non-absolute, that is not the case with thermodynamics. For example. The Second Law is considered to hold true across the board, regardless of circumstances. This is important to keep in mind, especially if one simply dismisses my argument by saying, "Well, the paranormal realm is full of mystery and energy acts differently in that realm." A thousand times no! That line of "logic" is known as special pleading, and is logical fallacy. Also, energy is energy. We quantify paranormal energy all the time-why question an absolute law of science at this juncture?

Consider this scenario: in my hometown there was a bloody battle during the War for Independence.  It is also where I had my first paranormal experience; I saw a shadow figure decked out in military garb of that era. Many consider battlefields to be the classic example of perfect conditions for the creation of residual energy. How did that happen?

The violent fashion in which these men died is said to do two things: it violently releases the bio-electric energy of these young men; and it creates "shock waves" due the violence involved.  All this emotionally charged energy is then absorbed into the surrounding environment-in this case it would have been the soil beneath their feet and the air around them (there is nothing else around to be absorbed into).

For arguments sake, suppose there is an explosion of emotionalized energy when the guns go off.  This release of energy "hits" the soil (or the interior brick wall if you are in a building). Suppose further, it even penetrates the soil or brick. The alleged result is a cluster of energy that provides the basis for residual paranormal activity...a cluster of energy that is sufficient enough to cause all manner of paranormal activity.

This is where the residual theory slams head-first into an absolute law of science.  ANY energy that was emitted by this traumatic event MUST immediately begin to disperse until equilibrium has been reached. This is entropy. Like the red drops and the glass of water, the alleged released energy MUST be un-clustered and "watered down". But unlike the glass of water, the new container is the soil, air, or brick. Meaning that the cluster of traumatic, emotionalized energy particles will experience massive entropy or dispersion...losing any and all alleged ability to perform anything. Let me say it another way, the explanation for residual haunts contradicts one of the most absolute (no known exceptions unlike laws of motion) laws of nature.

Without the energy remaining clusterized indefinitely, then the whole foundation for residual haunt collapses, and the entire superstructure with it.

Unless there is an exterior force acting upon the released energy cluster created by the violent deaths, then the clusters of energy will immediately experience entropy. The same holds true of the walls of a penitentiary or asylum. The way some folks talk you would think that inanimate matter (walls) has assumed human characteristics. The walls do not "witness" anything because it is brick or rock. Once again, no matter how much violent energy has been released within those walls, in every case the alleged energy MUST have dispersed immediately. It  makes no difference if it is quartz or whatever-energy may conduct better through some material, BUT IT CANNOT BE STORED THERE FOR EVEN A SECOND.

Consider the most powerful display of the release of energy in nature-lightning. When it hits an object, how long does that object remain "energized"? How long does the energy remain clustered in the tree? If lightning hits a tree, then a second after the strike this massive amount of energy has virtually disappeared. Compare this with the relatively tiny amount of energy allegedly released during a traumatic death. If...if there is any release, it is gone IMMEDIATELY...the victim of entropy.

Remember, energy is energy, and we need to stop anthropomorphizing it...giving it personal traits-even if these personal traits are "non-intelligent" (that gave me a headache because it is so absurd) Unless you create a different category of energy unknown to science, then it must obey the law of entropy and quickly move out to equilibrium.

I am not going to drag this out. The only thing I would reiterate is that entropy of released energy is immediate and quick...much quicker than the food coloring analogy. Next week I examine other issues related to residuals. For now, science...SCIENCE tells us that what I saw on the battlefield was not a residual playback. (interesting that it took off when provoked biblically).

SCIENCE TELLS US THAT THE FOUNDATION FOR THE THEORY OF RESIDUAL HAUNT IS CONTRADICTORY TO AN ABSOLUTE LAW OF SCIENCE...ENERGY CANNOT REMAIN CLUSTERED-NO MATTER WHAT THE SUBSTANCE OR CIRCUMSTANCES. PERIOD.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.  

Monday, June 27, 2016

The Dalai Lama ~ Compassion as a Pillar of World Peace

Discussions about Secular Ethics in Education and a Public Talk - Compassion as a Pillar of World Peace

Indianapolis, IN, USA, 25 June 2016 - A number of experts were invited to join members of the Emory-Tibet Partnership to discuss draft guidelines for Secular Ethics in Education (SEE) this morning. Among them Daniel Goleman, Linda Lantieri, Mark Greenberg and Kimberly Schonert-Reichl have done pioneering work in Social and Emotional Learning.

In his opening remarks, His Holiness the Dalai Lama said:
“We need to implement a program that encourages warm-heartedness—an appreciation that if you are warm-hearted your health will be better and both you and your relations will be happier. If on the other hand you are full of fear and anxiety none of these benefits will arise. This is about here and now, not the next life. If your mind is at ease, education will be more effective.”

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin explained that in trying to reflect His Holiness’s vision, the proposed Secular Ethics in Education framework, whose guiding principle is compassion, covers three sets of skills: self-cultivation, which includes: calming the body and mind; learning to attend; emotional literacy and self-care. The second set involves relating to others, and includes appreciating others; empathy; recognizing our common humanity and social skills. The third set, responsible decision-making, involves: appreciating interdependence and applying critical thinking.

Daniel Goleman observed that the SEE framework addresses problems of lack of attention, scant focus on compassion and little understanding of interdependence not tackled in existing programs. He challenged the use of the word secular, which can have problematic connotations, and asked His Holiness if he had any attachment to the term. He said he hadn’t but that he always clarifies his use of secular as it has been understood in India—meaning unbiased respect for all religious traditions and even the views of those with no faith. Mark Greenberg suggested that referring to ethics alone sounds too much like abstract philosophy.

Linda Lantieri agreed with much that had been said and expressed an appreciation of the focus in the SEE framework on compassion and interdependence.

Asked, as the conversations came to an end, if there was anything he’d like to add, His Holiness said it would be useful to include a simple explanation of the workings of the mind and emotions. Envisaging the benefits the program could eventually bring to China, he contrasted the destructiveness of Mao’s Cultural Revolution with the potential creativity of the Cultural Revolution in education yet to come.

After lunch, at the Indiana Farmer’s Coliseum, Congresswoman Susan Brooks introduced His Holiness to an audience of 6,500 as a man of peace and integrity who has shared his message of compassion for decades.

Saying: “Brothers and sisters, I’m very happy to be here. It’s a great honour for me to address such a large group of people, which I’m glad to see includes people of different faiths,” His Holiness began his talk. He continued:

“For the last 57 years India has been my second home and I’ve been impressed to see there how religious traditions from abroad—Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam—flourish alongside indigenous traditions like the Samkhya, Jain and Buddhist traditions. India shows that inter-religious harmony is feasible. All these traditions convey the same message of love, forgiveness, tolerance, contentment and simplicity. Self-discipline is another part of that message. Although the philosophical views they propound may differ, they share a common goal of strengthening practices such as compassion.

“In today’s world we need a sense of brotherhood and sisterhood, because we are all the same as human beings. If we were more aware of the oneness of all human beings, there’d be no basis for killing each other, for the gap between rich and poor, or for discrimination on the basis of colour, class or caste. Killing in the name of religion is unthinkable. Whether you accept religion is up to you, but if you do, you should do so sincerely.

“This is why I think it’s wrong to use terms like ‘Muslim terrorist’ or ‘Buddhist terrorist’. Someone who commits a terrorist act is no longer a genuine Muslim or Buddhist. As far as the monks in Burma who are reported to be harassing Muslims, I’ve appealed to them to remember the face of the Buddha, for the Buddha would have offered them protection.

“When I was on my way to the USA, at Heathrow airport, someone told me that although I’m now 81, my face looks only that of a 60 year old and asked what’s the secret? I first teasingly said, ‘It’s my secret and I don’t want to tell you’, but then explained that it’s to do with having peace of mind.”

His Holiness observed that today, when factors like climate change and the global economy are not confined within national boundaries, reality tells us we are interdependent. He said we need to find ways to introduce warm-heartedness into the education system without necessarily relying on religion. This involves a universal appeal to common human values, as he was discussing with experts and concerned people in the morning. He asked,

“How shall we start? By looking to the UN or the White House? No—the important thing is to develop inner peace within ourselves. If we can be warm-hearted and share it with 10 people and they each share it with 10 more and so on, we’ll make a difference. If, in the early years of the 21st century we just follow the pattern of the past and seek to solve our problems by use of force, this century will be as miserable as the last.

“Once I attended a meeting of Nobel Peace Laureates in Hiroshima and someone suggested that with God’s blessing peace would prevail. When it came to my turn to speak, I said it would take more than blessings to bring about peace; we have to take action. Since it’s human beings who engage in violence and war, it’s human beings who must take action to create peace.”

Among many questions from the audience that followed, several were simple requests to be able to shake His Holiness’s hand. In answering others he touched on Aaron Beck’s judgement that when we are angry and feel the object of our anger is entirely negative, 90% of that feeling is mental projection. About non-violence he said that the real demarcation between violence and non-violence lies in the motivation and that compassion never gives rise to violence.

When a questioner told His Holiness he was the one person in the world that many people would like to meet and asked who he’d like to meet, he mentioned admiring Stephen Hawking’s sharp brain and steadfastness in face of adversity. Although he has met his widow, he would have liked to have met Martin Luther King Jr. Two people he is pleased to have met are his friend Bishop Desmond Tutu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who he notes has several times used the word compassion in relation to the refugee crisis in Europe.

Asked about his own life, His Holiness said:

“I’m nothing special. As human beings we’re all the same mentally, physically and emotionally. We all want to live a happy life and we all have a right to do so.”

And when a mother asked how to protect the naturally good qualities children have when they’re young, His Holiness advised spending time with them and enveloping them with love and affection. “My own first teacher of loving-kindness,” he said, “was my mother.”

When time ran out he apologised to everyone still waiting to ask questions for being unable to answer them. As at other public events in which he has taken part, a representative of the organizers made a brief financial statement explaining that remaining funds would be given to local charitable causes. After appealing to his listeners to think about what he had said and if it made sense to act on it, His Holiness came down from the stage and slowly made his way along the front row of the audience, shaking hands, exchanging words, signing books and stopping while thrilled individuals took selfies with him.

Tomorrow His Holiness will begin his journey back to India.

Original link & photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1415-discussions-about-secular-ethics-in-education-and-a-public-talk---compassion-as-a-pillar-of-world-peace

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Christian Yoga -- a Lie from Hell!

Greetings to you and this blog was written as to help all of you understand aspects that Yoga is PURELY demonic and right out of the pits of Hell!  Yes, you read that correctly straight from the pits of Hell!  Several of my last cases, one of which is still ongoing currently, have dealt with people who were involved in this new movement called 'Christian Yoga'.

People understand this please, there is NO such thing as 'Christian Yoga'. One cannot go into certain poses (which by the way are submission acts to certain gods) and then profess scripture of the Lord God Almighty. You are serving TWO masters at that point in time.  Saying that you are doing ‘Christian Yoga’ is like going to a strip club as a woman or man, taking off your clothes and pole dancing claiming all of this in the name of Christ Jesus!  See how ridiculous that sounds, but it is absolutely the truth!

So let’s examine where Yoga actually started.  Here is what we can find out.  Yoga’s history has many places of obscurity and uncertainty due to its oral transmission of sacred texts and the secretive nature of its teachings.

The early writings on yoga were transcribed on fragile palm leaves that were easily damaged, destroyed or lost. The development of yoga can be traced back to over 5,000 years ago, but some researchers think that yoga might be up to 10,000 years old. Yoga’s long rich history can be divided into four main periods of innovation, practice and development.  The source of this history was taken from (http://www.yogabasics.com/learn/history-of-yoga)

The doctrine of Yoga is as follows, that the practice of Yoga is pagan at best, and occultism at worst. The teachings emanate from the Eastern religions, all of which teach that self is God, only many just don’t realize it until they do the techniques and rituals of Yoga.  The goal of Yoga is self-realization-to look deeply within to what ought to be the temple of the one true God and to discover the alleged true Self or higher Self to be God. Nothing could be more religious than that, yet with straight faces, all of the Yogis insist that practicing Yoga does not change anyone’s religious beliefs.

Christianity cannot be integrated with yoga and remain Christian. To think otherwise imperils the Christian truth and faith.  By doing so integrates the East and West together.  The east is east and the west is west, the two shall never meet Psalm 103:12.  By doing this act you are opening the demonic doorways to higher powers!  Understand there is a common misconception in the West that Yoga which there are many forms, is just merely a neutral form of exercise, a soothing and effective alternative for those who hate jogging and calisthenics.  However, that is so far from the truth!

The sickening truth of the matter is this that one cannot separate the exercises from the philosophy. The movements themselves become a form of meditation. The continued practice of the exercises will, whether you intend it or not, eventually influence you toward an Eastern/mystical perspective. That is what it is meant to do! There is, by definition, no such thing as ‘neutral’ Yoga!  However, many Christians I have spoken to will argue this over this point.  They refuse to see the blatant Satanic aspects because the god of this world hath blinded them!  2 Cor. 4:4.

What I would like to state is that no believer should ever partake in any type of yoga class.  Why can't one simply call it an exercise class?  Why not call it, "An Ultimate Workout & Lose Weight Now Class?"  Of course, some folks do; however, there is a very HEATHEN reason why New Age occultists are promoting "yoga" classes all across the nation. The reason is that the Devil is working round-the-clock to kill, steal and destroy people's lives.  John 10:10.

People "Yoga" is NOT harmless at all!  If it's so harmless, then why call the class, a Yoga Workout? "Yoga" always involves mind-control.  Now look I realize that some sincere folks may go to a yoga workout session simply for the exercise; however, they are supporting WITCHCRAFT.  In other word’s it would be like going into a bar for a drink of water, or a strip club to use a phone book. As believers in Christ Jesus, we are commanded to "Abstain from all appearance of evil" (1 Thes. 5:22). "Yoga," no matter what type you engage in is evil, demonic and will bring Demons into you!

So you understand I recently traveled to the State of Minnesota (June 2nd – 5th) to perform two Exorcisms that weekend, one with an almost certified Yoga instructor and the other was with a woman whom another clergy member made worse and did not know what do to do. (A blog for another time).  In the Exorcism with the ‘almost’ certified woman the battle that she went through to get set free from aspects of Hindu and Buddhist ways was not fun at all for her!

The amount of vomiting and spewing forth left her drained and limp! Then another case which was engaged upon on the 10th of June of a certified instructor as well was handled to break down the door ways of the demonic!  I will say this many people witnessed this woman’s feet swell so badly the shoes had to be removed.  In the end her feet returned back to normal and she could walk and stand!

I'll say it like this - have you ever made a phone call and accidentally dialed someone else and the wrong person answered? Guess what when you do this kind of act you are getting not someone else, but something else. Realize this - THEY ALWAYS ANSWER THE PHONE CALL!!!  Satan is a VERY faithful servant to the Christian. The devil and demons are waiting for you to slip up and faster than your heart beats they are on you!! That is how much they wait for a Christian to slip up.

By making certain 'chants' you are offering aspects to Brahma and others, not the Lord God Almighty. If you are doing this false act as a 'way to meditate' upon the word of God, then you're guilty of doing the ways of the PAGANS and the bible does NOT state you are to do YOGA at all. Once again a Man Made Aspect, not a Lord God Almighty ordained aspect!

You need to repent of these demonic acts, ask forgiveness and sadly start to command and close off the demonic portals that you have now opened up and to kick out those forces within you. So if you DO not understand what the word YOGA means here is what it means - TO YOKE and by an extension of UNION. Amos 3:3, 2 Cor. 2:15-16 apply but yet a Christian practicing yoga refuses to believe this!! But by doing this act you openly DISOBEY God. Disobedience is Rebellion, and Rebellion is WITCHCRAFT 1 Sam. 15:22-23!! So God views you as partaking in Witchcraft which is another layer of Demons you must be delivered from!

Written by Rev. Bradley Luoma


Satan and His Demons Do Have Limitations

Hello everyone. I pray you had a wonderful weekend and enjoying your Sunday. Please continue to keep the victims from the mass shooting here in Orlando in your prayers or thoughts. It's really tough and just so sad. I'm furious about these attacks! We are in a war already if you think about it. God help us all.

These things fear God and tremble in the presence of Christ. I don't fear much in the spiritual world or realm because my faith is in Jesus Christ is strong and I know how everything ends already but again this is just me. It's very subjective to different people and different beliefs. I feel these vile evil things know their time is limited and there are rules. They can only do so much to us because there is free will however, they still only have limited access. They know this too. They know the bible and how it all ends better than we do.

Legal Rights.

People at times inadvertently open doors and there are many who know the risks but does it anyway. This gives a demon "legal rights"to come through to the user or users. It slowly draws you in. The first Exorcist movie was based on a true story. When the aunt died the little boy kept communicating via Ouija and became almost obsessed with it. He used the board with his aunt many times before she passed.

Ouija Boards create danger in my humble opinion. I have witnessed awful consequence
people have to bare from playing around with these. In my opinion they are nothing more than possible portals to the demonic. Christ warns us about this.."Beware Of The Familiar Spirit." Our friends and loved ones are mimicked by demonic entities in a effort to trick us into offering help or becoming highly involved in keeping the communication going. This eventually allows them legal ground into our life.

Did you know 7 million Ouija boards were sold in the last 10 years? I thought that was note worthy. Also it really shows the high  interest in the occult and other alike. That is a lot of people owning a possible portal.

These dark forces are always at work. They never stop. They cause humans to have emotional trauma. The most common are:

Emotional pain, depression, low energy levels, constant fatigue, suicidal thoughts and/or attempts, drug and/or alcohol addictions, unhealthy addictions, overeating, hearing voices in the mind, strange or weird thoughts that don't seem your own, being directed by an inner voice, most mental illness, mental or emotional instability, poor concentration, mood swings, multiple personalities, confusion, deep anger/aggressiveness, nightmares or any negative/terrifying dreams/day dreams, sleep paralysis, anxiety, paranoia, constant negative or fear based thoughts and/or emotions, waking up tired after a full night's rest, criminal and/or violent behaviors, sexual abuse, mental noise (unclear thinking), dark thoughts and impulses, unexplained physical pain or problems without any known cause, constantly sabotaging yourself or others, negative beliefs, religious fanaticism, abusing or attacking others either emotionally, physically etc., energy stealing among people, limited/lower consciousness, feelings of giving everything up, feeling your life is being controlled by something outside of yourself, constantly trying to control or have power over others, loss of your purpose/path in life, loss of your power/soul and so much more.

Spiritual obsession is a stage not many speak about or agree with. The evil spirit doesn’t possess your body like many believe but it influences your thoughts in a very nasty fashion. For example: irrational, self-destructive impulses that come from nowhere.  Where did that thought come from?  Why?  It made no sense. If we reject these thoughts, they go away.  But if we dwell on them…the negativity will linger, fester and become ingrained as our own.

In Luke 10:19 Christ told us we have authority in Jesus name to cast out evil.?You must have all your faith and be called by God to deal with certain situations. But you can protect yourself. Speak firm with authority and have no fear. Fear is not of God. The bible speaks of that I think. He doesn't torment our thoughts like demons and Satan do. Evil is what torments us. They know every sin you have made. But when we truly repent we are forgiven. They want you to feel so low about yourself, inflict health issues many believe, keep you depressed etc...But you can protect yourself and family by speaking out against it in Jesus name. Demand anything to flee as you're a child of the most high God. These are just my beliefs, I respect all beliefs and different opinions.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Perfect Atonement, Analysis of Hebrews 9:27-28

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Perfect Atoner, Perfect Atonement—perfectly accomplished and perfectly applied and perfectly timed (exegesis of Hebrews 9:27-28)

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come,then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)
12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.
13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify 6 for the purification of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our 7 conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.8
16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established.
17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive.
18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood.
19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people,
20 saying, d“This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.”
21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both ehe tent and all the vessels used in worship.
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God ion our behalf.
25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,
26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, lhe has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear sa second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

10 For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2 Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3 But yin these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
c “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me;
6  in burnt offerings and sin offerings
you have taken no pleasure.
7  Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”
8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, d“Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second.10 And by that will ewe have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.
15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying,
16  n“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws on their hearts,
and write them on their minds,”
17 then he adds,
o“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Hebrews 9:27 is a classic text that folks appeal to for a variety of purposes…including showing the unbiblical nature of earthbound spirits.. They affirm (as they have to) that this text denies both reincarnation as well as a second chance for salvation after death.

In addition, a perusal of commentaries will show a consensus of scholarly opinion that this text also clearly states that everyone faces their own personal judgment before God IMMEDIATELY after death. This HAS to be the case or there would be no entrance to heaven….or hell. And justification by Christ alone is the password. But I’m jumping ahead of myself.

Nevertheless, it has come to my attention that some evangelicals dismiss or seriously water-down this text in the following manner.

The word ‘after’ (Greek, meta) is said to be non-specific in terms of time. I suppose ‘meta’ is as common in Greek as the word ‘after’ is in English…. Hence, this allegedly allows for a period of time between death and personal judgment for deceased souls to wander on earth. There is no attempt to exegete the text. There is the simple statement that the word ‘after’ does not always necessarily mean “immediately after”. That’s the extent of their ‘argument’.  Then they turn around and accuse my interpretation of eisogesis.

How do we reply?

First, the most natural meaning of the word ‘after’is to take it at face value, which is a basic rule of hermeneutics. When I say that I will change the babies diaper after I get off the phone, it is assumed that there will not be a lapse of time. You can come up with a thousand illustrations of your own in which, generally speaking, the word after means AFTER…certainly usually not implied is some significant time lapse as some authors assume (especially Dr Montgomery in “Principalities and Powers”pg.142)—unless it is stated otherwise…or made clear by context. Of course there are exceptions to this, as language is fluid, and the meaning of a word is usually found in its context. However, there is nothing in the verse itself which would suggest time lapse. Indeed, I would argue that if you read v.27 naturally then the judgment which comes after death is most naturally rendered ‘right after your only death comes your judgment.”  As I said, ‘meta’ can allow for time lapse, depending on the context…but I know of no commentary that argues for that….only a few books which the authors are already committed to the some form of visitation/entrapment of the dead. I do not have access to tons of commentaries so there MAY be exceptions, but my argument does not rest on what others have said.

The point is this: when we die, we go immediately before the throne of God for a personal/private judgment. That is what v. 27 is referring to. “After that comes judgment.” It does not say ‘THE judgment”, that is, the great white throne. “…meta de touto krisis.”—after that (death) judgment.

One of the problems with this text is that it is almost always ripped from its context when interpreting it. Authors I know make no attempt to deal with the immediate or larger context of this text in the book of Hebrews. And frankly, few people who quote v.27 make any attempt to unpack the surrounding verses, or context….and that includes me!! So, I humbly offer my efforts to clarify.

According to the ESV Study Bible the theme of Hebrews is—“Christ is greater than any angel, priest, or old covenant institution; thus each reader, rather than leaving such a great salvation, is summoned to hold on by faith to the true rest found in Christ and to encourage others in the church to persevere.” (pg.2358) Having seen the big picture of Hebrews, let me briefly go through the immediate context—what comes before and after v.27, 28.

Hebrews 9:11-28 is sub-titled ‘redemption through the blood of Christ’. We are on holy ground, my friends.

v.12 Jesus entered once for all the heavenly Holy of Holies to secure our eternal redemption through His infinitely precious blood. A PERFECT ATONEMENT
v.14 Christ is perfect (without blemish)THE PERFECT ATONER
v.15 Hence, the called can/will receive an eternal inheritance as the perfect fruit of the perfect person and work of Christ
v.22 without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins….especially Christ’s…the God/Man (Ch.2)
v.24 our Great High Priest entered heaven itself on our behalf, and sat down….redemption perfectly accomplished and finished (10:12)
chapter 4ff—the great promise is that upon death believers enter their rest…this blessed promise is woven throughout the book of Hebrews because it is the consequence of the perfection of the Person and Work of Christ. Resting is not a lounge chair rest---it is entering GOD’S rest….that is our inheritance and eternal bliss
Ch.10:1-18 (Christ’s sacrifice once for all)emphasis is placed on the voluntary nature of Christ humiliating Himself, for us—especially through the cross. Once for all…
10:14 incredibly, through Jesus’ atonement we are now perfect in God’s eyes for all time—through the imputed righteousness of Christ—but we are also being continually sanctified in ourselves by the same atonement. The now/not yet tension. The perfection of the atonement has been personally applied to us, and will be the basis of our redemption 10 billion, billion years from now!
The following text (v.27-28) is book-ended with this sublime discussion of the perfection of Christ’s person and work—that is crucial in its proper interpretation!
v.27-28
The logic is this—just as Christ died once (to atone for our sins), so we die once to face personal judgment, and just as Christ died once to bear our sins, so He will return to complete salvation for those who are in Christ. So, the once for all perfection of the Person and Work of Christ is inextricably intertwined with our judgment after death (did you catch that?). Hence, to diminish the immediate certitude and seriousness of personal judgment after death (by asserting its delay) is tantamount to denying the perfection of the person and work of Christ, and its finished nature. Do we forget the centrality of death in the bible and how its defeat figures so prominently in the cross of Christ? To diminish the fruit of the atonement is a diminishment of the atonement itself.
That we are APPOINTED to die once, etc will be discussed momentarily.

Personally, I think one can summarize this rich book by saying that it presents the Perfect High Priest offering the once for all sacrifice of Himself. Nowhere is the perfection of the Person and Work of Christ elaborated more in-depth then in Hebrews..esp chaps 9-10. We see the Perfect Atoner (the God/Man), accomplishing and applying the Perfect Atonement, in God’s perfect time. We are saved by the finished work of Christ on the cross, plus nothing. To me, the book of Hebrews is the New Testament companion volume to the Old Testament book of Leviticus. Hebrews shows how much greater/better Christ’s all sufficient sacrifice is to the innumerable animal sacrifices of the Old Testament. However, one theme that is a common motif in both is the utter holiness of God Almighty as the Judge of heaven and earth. He is a God to be feared with reverence and awe. This a theme we shall return to when asking whether the BIBLICAL GOD would allow saved or even un-saved persons to wander the earth after their deaths. In light of the truths of Hebrews it is utterly unthinkable.
Propitiation

As we saw, the immediate context of this text is verses 9:11-27, which is sub-titled ‘redemption through the blood of Christ’, and 10:1-18 is sub-titled ‘Christ’s sacrifice once for all’. This is holy ground we are standing on as the heart of the atonement is being laid bare.

Instead of entering an earthly tabernacle, Jesus entered once for all a heavenly tabernacle and achieved eternal redemption for us. In 2:17 Jesus made ‘propitiation’ for the sins of the people. The cross is a many splendored thing, and we need to understand propitiation because it is the heart of the atonement. When Jesus took on our sin as our divine sin-bearer, He also was PUNISHED for our sins—that is propitiation. He experienced ‘hell for us.’ Nobody can plumb the depths of the horrors that Jesus experienced while the Father poured out His unmitigated fury upon His dearly Beloved Son. The Father unleashed hell upon our Lord Jesus, for us. Propitiation has been described as: God Himself, punishing Himself, in order to save us from Himself. Jesus didn’t just die for our sins, He was also punished for them. Only then could there be a just redemption (Romans 3:25) Salvation is free, but it is not cheap….it cost God in Christ everything.

In (9:1-10) the author outlines in brief the function of the tabernacle and the high priest. Then in vvs 11ff the contrast is made in that Christ entered the true tabernacle, heaven itself, and offered His own infinitely precious blood, once for all. As The High Priest Jesus secured complete forgiveness of sins, eternal salvation, purified consciences, and direct access to God. This is in contrast to the earthly tabernacle and the earthly high priest who could enter the Most Holy Place once a year, and had to offer blood for his sins as well.

The beauty of the redemption through the blood of Christ, the divine sin-bearer, is infinitely better/greater than the law declared by Moses. The Law reminds us continually that there is no forgiveness without the shedding of blood (v.22) We can summarize vvs 23-26 thusly—the Perfect Lamb of God offered once for all a Perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. It need not be repeated. Indeed it cannot be repeated! In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, all the rituals, sacrifices and the Law were fulfilled. V.26 ‘He came at the end of the ages’,….meaning that he came in God’s perfect timing…in the fullness of time (Galatians 4:4) In God’s absolute sovereignty over human/cosmic history, Jesus was born at the precise perfect nano-second.

In chapters 9 and 10, which book-end our text—we see a magnificent display of God’s absolute sovereign control over human/cosmic history as the theatre in which the drama of redemption unfolds. God is both the primary Actor as well as The Director.

Please take the time to read the texts I have quoted in full because they provide the unspeakably rich context of Christ’s once for all Perfect Atonement…and it provides the context for understanding/interpreting the classic verse (27).

In God’s perfect timing, the perfect High Priest, offered Himself as the perfect atonement. THAT is the context of our text. (v.27-28) I must insist that all that follows must put front and center the perfection of the atonement, or we do violence to the context. We may put it this way: this well known text is book-ended on both sides with a passionate defense of the beauty and glory of the perfect Atoner and atonement.

What a monstrous introduction of asymmetry—in the midst of utter holiness and perfection—to state that miserable sinners can slink around for a wee bit…or perhaps even a very long time. Once you understand the context, the seriousness of the ‘time-lapse’ theory is seen for the man-centered aberration that it is.

“And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment….” In discussions of this text I have never seen anyone mention the word “appointed”. I’m not sure why because it adds a lot. The text does NOT say, “Men die once, and after that comes judgment.” WE ALL ARE APPOINTED TO DIE. Psalm 139 states that every day is planned out by God. The Greek word for appointed is ‘apoketie’. It as if to say, “The sovereign King has soveringly decreed each mans only death, and afterwards He has sovereignly decreed for them to face Him at His holy judgment throne.’ We must not miss the force of this word ‘appoint’ because it brings front and center God’s holy, absolute sovereignty over life and death. We don’t just die once, we are appointed to die once.

Now it makes more sense when it says that ‘..to die once..’ (Greek, hapax) With one fell swoop the word ‘once’ shoots down the notion of reincarnation, and any idea of a second chance to convert after one dies.

The text and grammar invites us to see the ‘appointing’ applies to the second clause. As if to say, “It is appointed (or sovereignly decreed) as well that after we die, we face judgment. Once we let the sovereignty of God sink in on both sides of the comma, it should make a difference in how we view things. The Greek construction is such that the coming judgment after death is just as much under Gods sovereign control as is our deaths. How could they not be? God is always sovereign or He is not God. Ephesians 1:11

Notice that it does not say THE judgment…it says, “and after that (death) comes judgment.” (meta de toutoo krisis) Given that deceased believers are in heaven now, and unbelievers are in hell now, there must be a personal, individual judgment immediately after death. There is a distinction between our personal, private judgment following death and the Great White Throne Judgment which is public, and at the end of time—that is mentioned in v.28. There HAS to be a distinction or there would be no believers in heaven now.

JW Montgomery and others state that ‘after’ does not mean ‘after’ in this text…it means, at some later point…perhaps a day…perhaps decades…or even centuries. (I will evaluate Montgomery’s book in-depth next time, Lord willing. His writings have had a profound influence on others). In this view you might as well drop the word ‘appoint’. Worse, the certitude of the hope of seeing God face to face upon death is vitiated. Worse still is the implications regarding the atonement.

But remember that God’s ‘appointing’—His absolute sovereign will—is woven through the entire verse. Just as it is appointed by God for man to die once, so it is appointed by God that after death we face judgment. Now given all we know about what God has done to accomplish our redemption, all we know about His sovereign appointing, all we know about how He applies His redemption, all we know about the perfection of the atonement and the atoner, all we know about the horrific nature of the propitiation, all we know about the consuming fire nature of Gods holiness as Judge of heaven and earth,…are you really going to assert that once men die by sovereign appointment, that they may wander on earth…avoiding their audience with their absolutely sovereign Creator and Judge? JW Montgomery states that not only believers may wander around for awhile but non-believers too. Why not? Once you open the door to anyone wandering or not coming to judgment immediately after death, then Pandora’s box is opened. Worse, the perfection of the atonement is brought into question. As I said, neither he nor his followers have offered a sufficient exegesis of this text—just announcing that after does not mean after, and this allows for ‘wiggle room’…all in the name of ‘intellectual honesty. However, JW Montgomery’s book is laden with occult ideas which are fraught with peril, and have affected many others.

But its not just God’s holy sovereignty at stake. All that we said about the perfection of the atonement is nullified if we allow for the word ‘after’ to mean anything but “immediately after”.

From the very beginning of my quest to find the truth regarding the notion of ghosts, I realized that the most important issue is: what does the notion of trapped spirits imply regarding the Person and Work of Christ? There are dozens of other issues and arguments, as I point out in my book and blogs. But nothing comes even close to THE Litmus Test: Does it enhance the beauty and perfection of the perfect atonement, or does it diminish it in ANY way? THAT is the main issue. It always has been and always will be. And I humbly insist that any notion of wandering human spirits demeans the infinitely precious and perfect work of Christ, which was intended, in part, to conquer death, and lead us into our eternal rest (see Hebrews 4)—which extrapolates from God’s eternal Sabbath after creation to our entrance into His eternal rest immediately upon death, IF we are in union with Christ and His perfect atonement.

After all the Trinity has been through to accomplish/apply our redemption, may I humbly suggest and plead with you to think through what your beliefs regarding ghosts implies about the nature of God and His Son’s unspeakably precious and perfect atonement. Don’t we understand how jealous God is for us? Are you not aware that God passionately longs for us to come home so that we may be with Him forever? According to the bible, physical death is God’s portal to lead His dearly beloved Bride home. Yes, He is anxious to see you—face-face-face-- for all eternity. He has already, at great cost to Himself, overcome all obstacles that prevent us from seeing Him immediately after death. You really think that our Lover is going to let saints (and sinners) dilly dally for even a second? If so, then you don’t understand how wildly passionate He is in His love for us. HE WANTS US HOME!!

Let me close with an illustration. When riding by a magnificent cathedral at night, the powerful flood-lights are focused on the cathedral. Nobody drives by saying, “Wow, what wonderful lights!” Instead, they say, “What a magnificent cathedral!” Similarly, that is the role of the Holy Spirit—He does not shine the Light on Himself, but He delights to accent the perfection and beauty of Christ’s Person and Work…and that He perfectly accomplished all He set out to accomplish. (There is a tension between the now and not-yet until Jesus returns.) Do not take the spotlight off the ‘cathedral’ of Christ’s utterly perfect atonement, and God’s burning holiness, and speculate on whether the deceased can hang around a bit. That is the kind of speculation which the bible warns us against. Does God wants us home now or later, after death? NOW!!! The greatest gift of the gospel is God Himself. His chariot will swing low…sweet chariot….coming to take us home.
Amen.

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.  

Monday, June 20, 2016

His Holiness the Dalai Lama Visits Capitol Hill

Washington DC, USA, 14 June 2016 - It was a bright summer morning today as His Holiness the Dalai Lama drove down Washington’s broad and leafy avenues to the heart of government on Capitol Hill. He was met on arrival by old friends House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senator Patrick Leahy, who escorted him to a meeting with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Later walking to Nancy Pelosi’s office meant crossing the rotunda—currently undergoing renovation. The area was filled with visiting members of the public who fell respectfully silent in their surprise at seeing His Holiness.

Meeting with the US Congressional Leadership, His Holiness said:

“Congress has expressed staunch support for our cause. We are not seeking independence because we don’t want to enter into confrontation with our Chinese brothers and sisters. However, Chinese documents reveal that in the 9th century independent Tibetan, Chinese and Mongolian empires flourished. What we seek now is a mutually beneficial solution to the problems between us. Buddhism in both China and Tibet derives from the Nalanda tradition, but the transmission to Tibet was far more comprehensive and is therefore worth preserving. We are also concerned about the ecology of the Tibetan Plateau.”

Indicating Dr Lobsang Sangay sitting beside him His Holiness said:

“The Sikyong here has just been re-elected for a further five years. We Tibetans in exile are implementing Democratic principles to show the leaders in Beijing what democracy is about.

“We consider Tibet to be occupied land, yet we are still not seeking independence. However, at the same time it is a reality that Tibet is not a part of China. Please continue to give us your support. We very much appreciate it.”

His Holiness concluded his address with a summary of his three commitments to the spreading awareness of basic human values as a source of genuine happiness, the promotion of respectful inter-religious harmony and the protection of the Tibetan people’s identity, as well as the culture, language and environment of Tibet.

Speaker Paul Ryan and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi hosted a bipartisan lunch for His Holiness. Mrs Pelosi said in a statement.

“Our bipartisan luncheon with Speaker Ryan is a tribute to the deep respect His Holiness enjoys on both sides of the aisle for the message of peace, compassion and responsibility he brings to the world. Every time His Holiness visits the Capitol, he reminds us that ‘change comes through action,’ and that Congress must do our part to help the Tibetan people in their fight to preserve their language, culture and religion.”

In his brief address, His Holiness said:

“Both houses of the American government are a source of hope and inspiration. The Speaker is young and able and I’ve known Nancy Pelosi for many years; our friendship is unchanging. As I have said before, our supporters are not so much pro-Tibet as pro-justice.”

In the afternoon, His Holiness attended a meeting with members of the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT), which, founded in 1988, works to promote human rights and democratic freedoms for the people of Tibet. Richard Gere, the Chairman of ICT, told His Holiness that he wanted to talk to him about how he became the man he is and he replied:

“I arrived in Lhasa at the age of five and about two years later began my studies with memorization. I was a sharp-minded but relatively lazy student. When I was 16 the People’s Liberation Army crossed into Eastern Tibet and the then Regent passed political responsibility to me. In 1954 I went to China where I met almost all the top leaders of the Chinese government. In the five or six months I spent in Beijing I think I must have had 30 meetings with Chairman Mao. I learned about Marxism and was attracted to ideas of socialism and internationalism.

“When I came to India in 1956, the experience was quite different. India was open where China was a closed society. With Nehru’s encouragement I returned to Tibet, but in 1959 escaped to India as a refugee. Nevertheless, this gave me the opportunity to meet all kinds of different people.

“In Tibet I thought that Buddhism was best. I’m a student of the Nalanda tradition making extensive use of logic and reason, cultivating a healthy scepticism. In exile I’ve come across many followers of other religious traditions who have dedicated themselves to others’ well-being on the basis of their faith. All our religious traditions include the practice of love and compassion, therefore it’s proper to regard them with respect.

“Since my childhood I’ve had a curiosity about science and technology. When visiting hydroelectric plants in China my tutors were bored, but I was fascinated. Chairman Mao noted this and at our last meeting commented that I had a scientific cast of mind, adding that religion was like opium. I think that if he were here today he might still say that about religion that is confined to faith alone, but he might also recognise the scientific aspect of the Nalanda tradition.”

His Holiness remarked that as a refugee in India there was no longer any formality or protocol to follow, which made him more confident. This confidence was reinforced by his practice of altruism and understanding of dependent arising.

Richard Gere asked what he considered were the prospects for Tibetans when he arrived in India in 1959. His Holiness replied that they arrived in April and one of the first priorities was to move Tibetans to cooler places in the mountains. However, road building was the only work available. He said he envisaged settlements where communities could be created to ensure Tibetans survived as a people.

He recalled that soon after taking responsibility, in 1952, he had set up a reform committee, but the Chinese put obstacles in its way because they wanted to see reform in their terms.

When Gere asked what missed opportunities there had been over the years, His Holiness told him:

“Almost none. In the ‘60s some officials began to doubt whether it had been right to escape, but once the Cultural Revolution broke out they realized it had been the right decision. The way I take decisions is first to discuss things among my human colleagues. I discovered in Tibet that where officials could be overly discreet, servants like the sweepers were generally much more frank and straightforward. Generally I seek a wide range of opinion and I’ve also employed ‘mystical methods’ to confirm the decisions we’ve reached. Still, I don’t think any decisions have been taken that should have been different.

“In 1973 I visited Europe for the first time and began to talk about the need for global responsibility. I entered into discussions with scientists. At about the same time I began to encourage classical studies in our nunneries and this year will see the fruit of that when the first nuns are awarded Geshe degrees.

“I began to realise that knowledge of the mind and emotions was something that could be of benefit to the wider world. Considering that the literature translated into Tibetan in the Kangyur and Tengyur collections could be categorized as dealing with science, philosophy and religion, I have requested that scientific and philosophical materials from them be gathered, compiled and now translated into other languages.

“I’ve also observed that existing education needs to be improved with greater focus on human values and inner peace. As a Buddhist monk I spend five hours a day in prayer and meditation. Prayer is of value to the individual, but on its own is not an effective way of bringing about a better world. We need to take action instead.”

When Richard Gere asked about the prospects for dialogue with Chinese authorities, His Holiness told him:

“The last meeting was in 2010. Since then the Chinese side has made clear they have little interest in dealing with our organization. Some reports say that after the 2008 crisis Hu Jintao was advised never to let the Dalai Lama come back. Since we’ve waited 57 years, we can wait a little longer. The determination of the people of Tibet is undiminished.”

“You have a lot of friends here,” Richard Gere said, “who are committed to helping Tibetans inside and outside Tibet. How can we help you?” His Holiness responded:

“In whatever way you can, try to contribute to my three commitments: spreading awareness of human values, promoting inter-religious harmony and protecting the culture, language and natural environment of Tibet. I appreciate your help—thank you. Please keep it up.”

original link with photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1405-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-spends-the-morning-on-capitol-hill-and-the-afternoon-with-ict

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Demonic Oppression

Demonic Oppression.

Hi there. I pray everyone is having a great Sunday. I'm sure you heard what took place here in Orlando, Florida. A cowardly terrorist killed over 50 and injured 100 I think it was. One injured victim said he was laughing in a very evil, sinister tone while he was shooting bodies that were already dead just to make sure they were. Some survivors who can attest these events were hiding under dead bodies playing possum to save their life. I can't even imagine. I want to make sure I put it out there when I say how he was laughing very much in a sinister tone... I'm not saying this man must be possessed. He could just be mentally ill. The community has really pulled together. Donating blood went very well. I showed up to give myself. These people did not deserve this. People are scared, this isn't okay. Please let us take a moment of silence in honor of the victims and their families who are dealing with this horrific nightmare.

I know that this is a subject has been regurgitated in some fashion a lot lately but I just can't help it. I have to share certain things. I'm completely aware of the fact that many, many people are very leery of this topic depending on what your beliefs are. You may not believe or utilize the Bible so this of course will not apply to every body's way of thinking and that's OK. I respect any and all opinions in this area. Even mentioning the word “demon” makes a lot of people uneasy.  It’s mentioned throughout the bible and the warnings of them. Some people fear what they don't understand though.

I was asked if I could elaborate a tad more on Demonic Oppression. I had blogged  about it before along with demonic possession and then how it first starts with attachments so I am going to elaborate a little more on this subject the best that I can. Basically in one word it's like "Depression". It's tough to tell the difference at times. It's the last stage before possession I believe. That's the time to deal with things if a valid demonic presence has been verified. The tormenting demons will make you feel lower than low. At the worst times too. They do it on purpose I believe. They make your mind think things that are simply not true. For example  "God doesn't love you" "no one likes you" "no one wants to be your friend" etc.. Those are just a few examples. There's plenty more. Don't believe him. The father of all lies.

Lying is Satan's main weapon against God’s children. He uses the tactic of deceit to separate people from The Lord. The most common lie with this is usually "there is no God,” “The Bible cannot be trusted,”.........But remember the apostle Paul tells us that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light” so that what he says and does sounds good and seems reasonable. Another example would be "familiar spirits" demons masquerading as your past love one in order to get a foothold into your life. Of course they would know exactly what to say that only your grandmother would know and they could appear to look like you're lost and dearly departed. The Bible warns us to "be aware of the familiar spirit".

One of the many ways the enemy gains control of the mind is when we place our trust in what many Christians mistakenly call the Holy Spirit. What I mean is  "God told me to do this. . ." However, what God told them to do is completely contrary to God’s word. Jesus said in John 8:47 "He who is of God hears the words of God." God never, ever, ever leads us contrary to the Word of God. So when we receive anything we think is the Holy Spirit, the first question we must ask is "Does God’s word agree with what I believe is the Holy Spirit speaking to me?" Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:14 "And no wonder for Satan transforms himself into an angel of light."

The Bible talks of this subject. It speaks of demons being able to cause sickness or other physical ailments (Luke 13:11, Matt. 9:32) which can be very unnerving if you think about it. Torment our mind is another way. It's relentless. This must be casted out immediately. The longer it stays the more power it gains. The stronghold must be identified if possible and it must be bound and broken in Jesus name.

While the Bible is clear that demonization is real, it also unmistakably communicates the truth that God is sovereign over demons and that Jesus possesses full authority over the enemy. The gospels show that a hallmark of Jesus' ministry while He was on earth was His conquering of the powers of darkness in a very public way, so much so that the crowds were amazed and said, "He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him" (Mark 1:27).  Nothing is more powerful than the Holy Spirit moving and these things flee. They know what is waiting for them. They are condemned to hell. Eternity is a very long time.

In closing feel free to conduct your own research as long as it's done in a healthy manner. Do not become obsessed with it. That's when we could inadvertently open a door or portal that might not be so easy to shut. They are very, very sneaky creatures. So patient too they never forget you once you are on their radar. I do protection prayers first before researching and writing and I pray again when I'm done for that extra bit of protection and shut down anything that could of snuck in. Better safe than sorry. God is my and hopefully your advocate and our Lord of Lords. Demons and Satan lose in the end. They know this too. That's why activity could be increasing because of the fact they're trying to snatch as many souls as possible. Or more frauds jumping on the Para train claiming experience prior to this becoming popular but can't prove it nor provide references. Be careful who you trust in your home if a demonic presence has been verified.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Tuesday, June 14, 2016

The Dalai Lama: Why I’m hopeful about the world’s future

The Washington Post, Opinions, 13 June 2016

By The Dalai Lama

(The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Since 1959, he has lived in exile in Dharamsala in northern India.)

Almost six decades have passed since I left my homeland, Tibet, and became a refugee. Thanks to the kindness of the government and people of India, we Tibetans found a second home where we could live in dignity and freedom, able to keep our language, culture and Buddhist traditions alive.

My generation has witnessed so much violence — some historians estimate that more than 200 million people were killed in conflicts in the 20th century.

Today, there is no end in sight to the horrific violence in the Middle East, which in the case of Syria has led to the greatest refugee crisis in a generation. Appalling terrorist attacks — as we were sadly reminded this weekend — have created deep-seated fear. While it would be easy to feel a sense of hopelessness and despair, it is all the more necessary in the early years of the 21st century to be realistic and optimistic.

There are many reasons for us to be hopeful. Recognition of universal human rights, including the right to self-determination, has expanded beyond anything imagined a century ago. There is growing international consensus in support of gender equality and respect for women. Particularly among the younger generation, there is a widespread rejection of war as a means of solving problems. Across the world, many are doing valuable work to prevent terrorism, recognizing the depths of misunderstanding and the divisive idea of “us” and “them” that is so dangerous. Significant reductions in the world’s arsenal of nuclear weapons mean that setting a timetable for further reductions and ultimately the elimination of nuclear weapons — a sentiment President Obama recently reiterated in Hiroshima, Japan — no longer seem a mere dream.

The notion of absolute victory for one side and defeat of another is thoroughly outdated; in some situations, following conflict, suffering arises from a state that cannot be described as either war or peace. Violence inevitably incurs further violence. Indeed, history has shown that nonviolent resistance ushers in more durable and peaceful democracies and is more successful in removing authoritarian regimes than violent struggle.

It is not enough simply to pray. There are solutions to many of the problems we face; new mechanisms for dialogue need to be created, along with systems of education to inculcate moral values. These must be grounded in the perspective that we all belong to one human family and that together we can take action to address global challenges.

It is encouraging that we have seen many ordinary people across the world displaying great compassion toward the plight of refugees, from those who have rescued them from the sea, to those who have taken them in and provided friendship and support. As a refugee myself, I feel a strong empathy for their situation, and when we see their anguish, we should do all we can to help them. I can also understand the fears of people in host countries, who may feel overwhelmed. The combination of circumstances draws attention to the vital importance of collective action toward restoring genuine peace to the lands these refugees are fleeing.

Tibetan refugees have firsthand experience of living through such circumstances and, although we have not yet been able to return to our homeland, we are grateful for the humanitarian support we have received through the decades from friends, including the people of the United States.

A further source of hope is the genuine cooperation among the world’s nations toward a common goal evident in the Paris accord on climate change. When global warming threatens the health of this planet that is our only home, it is only by considering the larger global interest that local and national interests will be met.

I have a personal connection to this issue because Tibet is the world’s highest plateau and is an epicenter of global climate change, warming nearly three times as fast as the rest of the world. It is the largest repository of water outside the two poles and the source of the Earth’s most extensive river system, critical to the world’s 10 most densely populated nations.

To find solutions to the environmental crisis and violent conflicts that confront us in the 21st century, we need to seek new answers. Even though I am a Buddhist monk, I believe that these solutions lie beyond religion in the promotion of a concept I call secular ethics. This is an approach to educating ourselves based on scientific findings, common experience and common sense — a more universal approach to the promotion of our shared human values.

Over more than three decades, my discussions with scientists, educators and social workers from across the globe have revealed common concerns. As a result, we have developed a system that incorporates an education of the heart, but one that is based on study of the workings of the mind and emotions through scholarship and scientific research rather than religious practice. Since we need moral principles — compassion, respect for others, kindness, taking responsibility — in every field of human activity, we are working to help schools and colleges create opportunities for young people to develop greater self-awareness, to learn how to manage destructive emotions and cultivate social skills. Such training is being incorporated into the curriculum of many schools in North America and Europe — I am involved with work at Emory University on a new curriculum on secular ethics that is being introduced in several schools in India and the United States.

It is our collective responsibility to ensure that the 21st century does not repeat the pain and bloodshed of the past. Because human nature is basically compassionate, I believe it is possible that decades from now we will see an era of peace — but we must work together as global citizens of a shared planet.

Original link: http://dalailama.com/messages/articles/hopeful

Monday, June 13, 2016

Delilah: The Demonic Powerhouse Spirit That Will Rip Your World Apart!


BE WARNED!

This blog shall discuss a black widow in the Satanic kingdom.  The demonic spirit of Delilah (DELIYAH – HEBREW means ‘pining with desire’) is assigned to destroy both men and women of prominence, people with a purpose in life, any clergy or leader in ministry.  Understand that Satan sends women to churches who have this spirit to terminate the church and cause the church leader(s) to commit emotional, physical adultery and fornication. Its role is through the door of relationships or marriages.

This spirit determines avenues to find out what strengths a person has so that it can destroy them thus take out the power of its opponent, removing them from prominence. Sadly, this spirit can be in someone and this person won’t even realize that they are being used by a demon to destroy others. Crafty like the Jezebel Spirit, sometimes it shall masquerade as Jezebel to hide so that it cannot be cast out.  So it’s crucial to know the difference as I will reference it only as female, though this spirit is genderless.

• Delilah is acutely skilled in taming men through seduction. The strongest of men will be beguiled by it if they do not stay alert to this Spirit. Delilah is after people of prominence, people in the spot light, anointed ministers of God, both gifted men and women as well as those who are in effective relationships or marriages. The assignment is to remove you from that place of power and make you ordinary like everyone else.

• Delilah can fool you by being in church every Sunday, at every bible study and even at all night prayer. It will be punctual and be involved in many if not all church activities as her way to get close to the pastor or church leaders.

• Delilah loves money.  It’s the modern day gold digger but only much wiser than the average gold digger.

• Delilah is sex hungry, filled with ungodly and perverse sensual desires. It knows exactly what it wants which is to be oriented around power, outward appearance and money. It will prey on any such man, whether he is taken (married) or not.

• Delilah will keep pursuing and pressuring a man to leave his wife, to sleep with her, to run away with her or commit any other sin with her. It will persuade softly until he listens to her voice. It will take a man who truly loves and fears the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY to overcome her actions.

• Delilah knows all the tricks, avenues, aspects and steps in getting the man’s attention. Thus only when a man fears the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, with humility in his heart can he overcome her ploys.

• Delilah will try to get close to your man in order to demolish you. This is done by gaining your man’s confidence through politeness and kindness. Your man might begin to open up about your relationship to her, because she does the same about hers. She will begin to play miss “shoulder to cry upon” and miss “good listener”. Little by little a bond will develop and before you know it she has your man’s heart and he can’t wait to see her and talk to her.

• Delilah will wreck homes, marriages and relationships because of the sexual desires it creates because it is a seductress. This spirit is skilled in luring and taming both the sexes.  Finding yourself being drawn to this sort of person without any particular reason and wonder why you are so excited to see them, the full Armor of God that you may stand against the wiles of the devil is required.

• Delilah is out to find out where you are strong and how to turn this strength into a vulnerability and weakness. The assignment is to take your power, terminate your strengths and imprison you so that you can be idle and ordinary like the rest of the world.

• Delilah has vast likable qualities such that it leaves you confused on what you really like about her. It is like a Chameleon it fits everywhere as a perfect good person, but those she has stung in the past know about her ugly side.

• Delilah is knowledgeable about what men or women want and need both emotionally and physically. Hence it knows how to treat a man like a king. Any woman’s man being targeted by it, if the lady of this man is not treating him like a king, Delilah is more than willing to do so. She’ll be willing to do everything that you don’t, and do it far better than you!

• Delilah knows the vulnerable areas of a man and how to minister to them like a mother holds and comforts her son when he is hurt. It is polite, gentle and quiet. This will not criticize a man because it realizes that this causes him to be defensive. Provocative in the language of praise to the man as it knows every vowel, lyric, synonym of praise to say to a man and is after the relationship to destroy it.

• Delilah is able to make your man feel more secure within a short space of time through gentleness, she is trained and gifted in this. Delilah builds relationships with her prey founded on safety, praise, peace and warmth, but the motives are deadly.

• Delilah will make you believe that you have a deep connection with each other, that you were meant to be best friends or soul mates. Even though this is completely inappropriate even if you are already with someone else. A person with this spirit will indirectly pressure you daily until you believe it and will not stop.

• Delilah is very persistent and will pester you daily with sweet, kind words and a “No” will not stop them from pursuing you. The only way to win is cutting off all lines of communication with the person who has Delilah.

• Delilah is after the favor God has put upon you, your family, your business, your marriage. It will do all it can through seduction to make sure this favor departs from you and you are left in shambles.

• Delilah’s armor is make-up, beautiful hair, sexually appealing clothes and shoes.  Delilah in a man will be very well groomed in a sexually attractive and usually indirectly splashing out money to entice you. While the believer puts on a spiritual armor Delilah makes powerful influence through her image because it is akin to idolatry.  Only fear of God, love and reverence for God within a person’s heart can overcome this side of Delilah.

• Delilah will design such an environment to trap a man into sleeping with her. It will make sure that the man and herself are alone so that seduction can occur.  It will show up unintentionally or without clothes upon, whilst trying to innocently mimic Bathsheba, to seduce a man.

I pray this has exposed another spirit to be very wary of within your lives and your churches! I have dealt with this one several times and this one is nasty!!

Rev. Brad Luoma – Exorcist, Savior Christian Deliverance Ministries

Saturday, June 11, 2016

Ghost Hunting Cell Phone Applications Can Be Dangerous.

Hi there I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and are having a blessed Sunday so far. The weather in Florida has been messy. I CRINGE  ever since those 3 hurricanes one after another came ripping through central Florida. Oh was that a nightmare. No power and it's hot.....Lets be sure to pray for those who are without power and a way to keep drinks cold as ice is hard to come by in one city here I believe.

This topic I just have to drive home. It is from a case I dealt with helping mainly via Skype until I could make it. It started with an email from a concerned mother of her adult son 38 and asked me if I felt these ghost hunting apps on these devices have any validity. She asked " do these applications cause danger or is it just entertainment made to spook people when used for ghost hunting "like on TV" and those were her exact words. This is just my humble opinion on this. It's very subjective and you will come across different explanations and opinions. But it's all in the intent as far as I personally feel. Tools are just tools and are dangerous and it's the users intent I feel that can cause something to come through. You take a chance when you use anything in that type of manner. Intent is very strong and so is the power of suggestion as well. Due to the power of suggestion any banks or something could happen that you think is real because when you want something to happen so badly that's the power of suggestion.

Sadly her son has become withdrawn, lost his wife due to his obsession with a spirit box app and a Ouija app. He will go to cemeteries alone for hours trying to make contact with deceased family members but something has changed him according to his mother and sister. I spoke with both and asked as many relevant questions I could and take notes. He stopped all things he loved. This is a obsession with the other side which I think It could have possibly allowed him to inadvertently allow something that is dangerous and never been human come through. I think it's a attachment. Only people who truly are paranormal researchers should be using these for research. Even then it poses danger to the investigater/researcher. I know I prayed before and after I downloaded it and I only spent maybe six minutes messing with it and it was that particular app that this mother stated her son was using. And then after that I said another prayer and made it very clear nothing was permitted to come through and I'm a child of God. I didn't become obsessed with it and keep it on for an hour. However,  I did receive three intelligent answers.

I found the following testimony at Wordpress.com:

"I was in my den this morning trying to activate a glycemic index app when I accidentally hit Ghost Radar and activated it.  I turned it off but got this funny feeling it wasn’t an “accident”.  So, I turned the Ghost Radar app back on.  Immediately a spirit showed up in the room.  Then there were two and three.  It kept fluctuating between one and three at various levels of proximity to me.  I walked around the house but only the den had spirit activity.  My phone soon said “information”.  I would ask the phone…well, not really the phone…whoever was in the room for more details about each word that came up trying to understand the message.  In regular succession I got:  information – forty – opposite – needed – still – valuable – automobile – appearance – between – DANGER!  What?!  DANGER?!  I asked the ghost/spirit to elaborate and it stopped speaking words until I gave up and turned the app off.  Now, up until the DANGER point, I was feeling pretty good about it.  I chose to translate some of the words to mean that my 40s I’m still needed and valuable and that my appearance is still good and I should take another car trip.  LOL!  Getting DANGER threw a wrench into the works.  I was especially creeped out when the phone refused to say anymore!  It had been talking like a chatty woman up to that point."

With all the ghost apps available, it’s extremely hard to keep track of them all (many of them continue to update, changing out the “ghosts” every few months). But many are nothing but hoaxes or to frighten friends. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. The paranormal community is filled with hoaxes and way too many people who pretend to know what they’re doing. Jumped on the bandwagon....you just have to be cool right? Or many utilize the field as a form of meeting people and dating. So many places are exploited and start charging money to have events or private investigations. It's a pure fiasco. Nobody knows who to trust you don't know who to trust you think you can trust him but the next thing you know they have stabbed you in the back. I learned the hard way being loyal and trustworthy means nothing to some of these frauds.

These apps are a bad idea in my opinion. We are dealing with the supernatural just because it may not be the real device do you think demons stops and says "oh no that's the phone I can't do it through that or an iPad." I'm sorry intelligent responses are intelligent responses. Those are the ones I would not be quick to say those mean nothing. I would wouldn't put to much attention or time on them. People are fearing they are inadvertently letting something come through. Unless your highly experienced in these situations I wouldn't mess with it. There are safe ways to find out if devices verses apps are just as dangerous. You don't have to download a bunch of them and try them out and post about it You're giving these things way too much attention. The Lord loves us and we shall not fear the shadow of the valley of death. Speak with authority to these things. Don't engage in talk of any kind. Demons just lie. Half truths really.

Suit up every day we wake up with the Armor of God. You can't go wrong. Trust me they DO fear GOD. I don't care what anyone says who has the same or close to my beliefs. Speak positive. What we speak we speak into existence according to the Bible. Unless I'm sadly mistaken but I don't think I am.

I just had to share a little info with you about the case I spoke of above. Everything is all dark and evil is thought of as being cool. This is NOT A GAME! I beg of you....Once that door opens it is very, very difficult to "shut it down". If you can even find a legitimate person that really knows what they're doing and didn't just jump on the paranormal bandwagonand made a website. Be sure to ask for references as well as 4 from past clients who can verify this. You should never be charged unless you're paying for them to come to you via clean your hotel and they don't have the money and that's a different story or you can agree to split the cost however. But in general you should never pay a dime.

If I can be of any help I can be reached at biblicaldemonologist@gmail.com. Even if it's just questions in general. Please do ask.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Thursday, June 9, 2016

The Destruction of the Canaanites & Paranormal Activity/Beliefs

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

The book of Joshua presents the sensitive reader with a problem; the slaughter of the indigenous Canaanite population in order for Israel to occupy their land.How are we to understand this today, and what lessons can we learn from it in general, and particularly regarding how we understand God and the paranormal? This is a legitimate issue that deserves a reply--but I will only be able to touch on some basics--for fuller reflection one will need to see more in-depth articles. Any similar actions today would rightly be condemned by Christians, but there are special features to Israel's actions which are unique, which means their actions are not to be imitated today.This command to Israel is one reason that the Pentateuch goes into so much detail regarding the singular divine calling of Moses.The commands given and written by Moses originate in God's own mind (Deuteronomy 18:15-20). Without this certainty of Moses as God's spokesman, Israel would have had no right to the land.In fact, in Deuteronomy 18:9-14 God tells us how much He hates occult sins (e.g.psychics/mediums, and attempts to speak to the dead) and this is intentionally juxtaposed to Moses call...showing that the prohibition is trans-cultural and trans-generational in authority. It was these very sins which called forth God's wrath, using Israel as His vessel of judgement.

A second preliminary point is that He sets out laws of warfare which distinguish between battles fought against cities outside the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 20:16-18) and those fought against cities in the Promised Land. Only the latter were required to be devoted to complete destruction (Deuteronomy 20:1-20). With these clarifications, let us now (in mere outline form) show why this command is not an unsovable problem.

1. It is crucial to understand that Yahweh is the Creator and owner of all people and lands. Hence, He has the right to distribute lands according to His good and holy will (Exodus 19:5; Psalm 24:1) He is also (and this is so very important in the ghost debate) the universal Judge, to whom all people everywhere are accountable.This can be seen in the Flood account in Genesis 6-8; the judgement on the Tower of Babel, and all throughout both the Old and New Testament. Thus, God alone has the ultimate rights over the land of Canaan, and bring them into judgement for cosmic treason against His holy character and will.

In addition, as the Creator of life, the Lord has the right to end one's life..or an entire nation.. In fact, God is sovereign over your death, and that moment is in His hands (Psalm 139) God has the right to "kill" anyone at anytime....which we call 'death'.. We are not God, so abortion is not our prerogative. Behold, your God!

2. Since all people are sinners  (Romans 3:23), they are subject to God's judgement (6:23). The bible gives a moral rationale for the destruction of the Canaanites. (Deuteronomy 7:1-5) If the Jews did not kill all the Canaaanites, then they would lure them into idolatry. We are told in the New Testament that believers will participate in the final judgement (1 Corinthians 6:2). Likewise, Israel was God's instrument of judgement, expressing to the watching world the holy character of God, and foreshadowing the Day of Judgement (hell) and our participation in the carrying out of the final judgement. To the extent that Israel mirrored God's holiness and justice, the surrounding nations outside the Promised Land were blessed by this holy war. In nations which were drowning in occult darkness, being exposed to the light of truth regarding the True God, was very much a blessing, to those who received it.Behold, your God!

The Amorites and other Canaanites were not "innocent people"....they hated Israel and they were unspeakably depraved.... They were given 400 years to repent, but unlike Ninevah, most did not repent.

Some people have wrongly called this "ethnic cleansing", but there was no double standard. Israel herself experienced God's wrath multiple times--they were blessed if they obeyed but they were cursed by God if they committed spiritual adultery. Ethnic cleansing is occurring today and Christians should be the first to oppose it.

3. The Sinai covenant set up a unique entity--a theocracy--in which church and state were combined.Hence, the distinction between sin and crime was not as it is today (since we are not a theocracy).Sin would pollute God's covenant community. Over and over and over again, the Lord warned the Israelites that they HAD to destroy the Canaanites or they would most certainly be dragged down by them. Sadly, that is precisely what happened. We could call it "the Canaanization of the Jews". The first city they destroyed was Jericho (one of the oldest cities on earth..perhaps the oldest), which was symbolic of the whole land. The city's name has reference to the moon, so they likely were worshippers of the moon...a moon idol behind which were demons.Canaan was teeming with idolatry and ritualistic murder, and as a result it was a stronghold of Satan...teeming with demons.Idolatry, injustice, and evil were everywhere, and this triad is what Yahweh wanted to protect His elect people from, the apple of His eye. As we are told, the Canaanites sin had reached "fullness', making them ripe for judgement. The people had become so corrupt the very land is said to have vomited them out. Behold, your God!

4. The apparent implacability of total slaughter with no exceptions was just that, an appearance. The verbiage is strong, but provision was made for any who were converted to Yahweh (e.g. Rahab) It was not ethnic cleansing that occurred, but rather it was spiritual cleansing.Ethnicity had nothing to do with the Canaanites destruction because, from day one, the Jews were a mixed bunch.  They were supposed to be a light to the nations, according to the Abrahamic covenant.

In summary, God's ownership of all land and the One who judges the world with perfect justice, the need to protect the purity of the Israelite theocracy, the depravity of the Canaanites had reached a critical mass,and provisions for even the Canaanites to be saved--all illustrate the justice behind this holy war of annihilation. That was a unique part of Israels mission, and nobody today can follow in their footsteps. Again, it was not ethnic cleansing (Christians should strongly oppose any such actions) but it was spiritual cleansing.

When I watched the Dead Files last Friday, I was alarmed that, once again, Amy put the blame on evil dead kids who were out to kill the living adults. This trio of alleged earthbound children supposedly pushed a woman down the steps (according to this medium), and she is blessed she wasn't killed. Last week she recommended a curandero (sorta like a shaman), and this week (not sure if it was a re-run) she said, "I was going to recommend an exorcism, but you need a chaos magickian."  Even many occultists are fearful or least wary of these people. I mention all this as an application of what we have learned. 2 Corinthians 10 tells us that we are to destroy (not the Canaanites) but arguments or ideas contrary to God's holy word. We are in a holy war, not jihad as Muslims practice, but a holy war nevertheless.How can one believe in children being trapped here (and killing people)? It is madness. The cure for such monstrous beliefs is a fresh vision or understanding of God's absolute holiness. Wrestling with the destruction of the Canaanites should make it abundantly clear how holy God is, and how contradictory to God's holiness are the foundational beliefs of the paranormal community.Christians, behold your God!

Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.