Again, let me say this is just my humble opinion on the subject of EVP's. I've witnessed serious consequences from someone having a unhealthy obsession and doing those a lot. I pray before each one I have to do for a case or investigation however, that is the only time I resort to EVP's. I'm aware this subject has been discussed and many feel they are harmless. Maybe these cases I speak of just had bad luck but it's no different than attempting communication via ouija board or automatic writing. Just because you left a location with nothing going wrong doesn't mean all is well. Demons are very patient and I can assure you they will make themselves known at the worst possible time in your life. This is pure evil, why would anyone risk this? I had a case where said person was constantly doing these. She lost her friends and some family as she only seemed to care about was doing EVP's. At that point she could not be helped. She refused to stop doing them at any cost.
What Are Demons Believed To Be?
A demon is believed to be a force that can be conjured and controlled. They are also believed to have the ability to possess or inhabit the body of humans and the only way to rid the person of them is to conduct deliverance and/or Exorcism. Demons are portrayed differently in different cultures. Some believe demons to be actual physical beings that can take the form of anything, including animals. Others consider the real demons as more of a spiritual force of evil battling for one's soul. They have been feared and written about in almost every culture in one form or another for as long as history has been recorded.
What Is Demonic Possession?
Demonic possession is a common belief involving demons. It involves the act of a demon inhabiting the body of a mortal, living thing. Because Demons are believed by many to be fallen angels and the opposite of all that is good, a priest is usually called upon to perform the ceremony. Skeptics have blamed pre existing mental conditions for reported cases of possession, as opposed to demonic influence. Some cases have baffled everyone. People who are said to be possessed have been reported speaking in foreign languages that they had never even been exposed to. They often become very ill while their faces and bodies will sometimes appear to change. Possessed individuals have been known to speak in reverse dialog and injure themselves and or others.
Demons are “angels that sinned,” spirit creatures who rebelled against God. (2 Peter 2:4) The first angel to make himself into a demon was Satan the Devil, whom the Bible calls “the ruler of the demons.” Matthew 12:24, 26.
Written by Jennifer Auld
Looking inside the spiritual & literary worlds
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Bad Bad Thing Award Goes to Son Who Digs Up Dad’s Body
By Kirby Robinson
When we have to say good bye to a loved one,
especially a parent, that can very difficult. Vincent Bright of Detroit,
Michigan, dug up his dad's body and put it in a freezer. That’s not too bright,
in fact, that’s a bad bad thing.
Read about the man who dug up his dad’s body:
Do you know of a para-celeb, psychic, ghost hunter,
demon chaser, or false teacher who’s eligible for the award? You can take part
by sending us a name and why you think they should receive the BAD BAD THING
award. Contact freeallspirits@live.com
for more information.
Keep current and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal
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EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon
Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of our books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?"
[also in paperback!], "Never Mock God: An Unauthorized Investigation into
Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case" [also in paperback!],
"Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal State
Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding
Some Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products
that Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Worldviews ... Different Ways of Seeing
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
In my last very long blog, I asked if you would try to watch
a TV show/movie or read a novel through a biblical worldview...knowing that it
is best to just start doing it as a means of grasping what a biblical worldview
is. Anyway, it is possible to have a ton of biblical knowledge but not have a
biblical worldview. All that knowledge is not brought together in a coherent
system of thought. I was turned on to thinking worldviewishly in 1974 when I
was 18 years old and a new Christian, and have been enormously blessed by 40
years of consciously viewing all of reality through biblical spectacles.
We live in times when discernment is of paramount
importance, and thinking with a biblical worldview equips us to think with
maximum discernment. The more closely our thinking follows this worldview, the
more we will see reality as it really is. Unbelievers reject the biblical
Creator and replace Him with idols (Rom. 1:18ff)--which entails creating a
dream world--the more a person moves away from a biblical worldview the more
they will be distorting reality AS IT REALLY IS. That is the sheer wonderment
and beauty of thinking this way, is that it enables us to view God's world the
same way He does.
If you look through pink glasses you will see a pink world,
if you look through blue tinted spectacles then reality will appear bluish, but
if you view the world through the spectacles of a biblical worldview, then you
will see God's world as God sees His world (obviously not exactly as He does
because He is infinite, but truly nevertheless) Fundamentally, the Word of God
is all about application to our lives, and thinking worldviewshly enables one
to apply the bible in an extraordinarily rich and comprehensive way.
Everyone has a worldview, including those who say they have
no worldview! However, for most folks it is held unconsciously, but it is still
having a profound effect upon how they think, act, and feel.
How do folks acquire their worldview? It is a process over a
period of time--where their views of God, the universe, and our relation to
both--are formed. Some of the contributors to worldview formation are: how we
were raised, our experiences, our schooling, books we have read and movies we
have watched, and just being in the world--being exposed to all messages that
bombard us all day and night. The result is usually a mishmash of various
beliefs.
Okay, so this does not become like a chapter in a book, as
in last time, let me shift gears and just do it! (Nike would be proud...hehe) I
mentioned that I had recently read "Adam and Eve" by Sena Jeter
Naslund. I will basically review/analyze the book by sifting it through a
biblical worldview grid. And we do that by asking how the book answers the
seven components of a worldview...this is to teach you by practice HOW to do
this kind of thinking.
First, just a few words of introduction to the book...Thom
Bergmann, a world renowned astrophysicist, is married to Lucy Bergmann, an art
therapist. Lucy was born into an evangelical family, but her parent left her
with grand mom when she was a mere ten years
old in order to be missionaries to Japan. She felt betrayed and
abandoned and she turned against the faith of her parents. Hence, there is an
overt, hostile attitude toward biblical Christianity. Theirs is a lovely
marriage...true devotion. He has been researching for other life forms
"out there" and one day Thom shares with Lucy that he has found
conclusive evidence of alien life in deep space. Along with this earth-shaking
discovery, another one occurs as an archaeologist finds evidence that Moses was
not the author of Genesis. Both finds are seen by them as victories over the
dangers of moronic religious "literalism" (read, bible believing).
Thom dies in a suspicious accident and Lucy becomes the literal bearer of the
evidence of both of these discoveries. What follows is gripping plot which was
thoroughly entertaining, and as one reviewer put it, Naslund writes "lush
and luminous" prose. As I put the book down after finishing it, I said to
myself, "Wow, that book will significantly shape of the worldviews of
those who read it." As a best-selling author, I am sure of it...Time for a
quick analysis.
1.
What is God or ultimate reality like? Instead of an infinite/personal Creator,
who is revealed in Scripture and supremely in Jesus Christ, Lucy tends to see
God as ineffable. As I mentioned last time, she and her husband had a distaste
for the arrogance of claiming we "have access to the mind of God."
Sadly, the result is that He then becomes totally unknowable. In the end, she
embraces some form of energy as ultimate reality. In that regard, and many
others, this is a thoroughly modern novel.
2.
What is our purpose in life? The Great Commandment---loving God with all of our
being--is supposed to be our main priority. However, without access to the mind
of God via His revelation to us, then we have no way of deciphering what our
purpose is. Lucy, who is the narrator in the book, seems to assume that
relationships with other people are our purpose. While hers is more noble than
many, still it is idolatrous--as I read I could not help but feel like she was
lost in more ways than one.
3.
What is the nature of reality? There are two types of reality in biblical
worldview--the Creator and His creation-- the latter including the visible and
invisible. In Lucy's mind, energy plus time plus chance, has produced only one
form of reality...the "creation"...but again, energy is the prime
component of reality.
4.
Where is history going? Biblically, history is His-story, the unfolding of the
drama of redemption in space and time...it is moving meaningfully toward the
The Second Coming. According to this novel, there is no meta-narrative (big
story) to history. Earth is not the palace of the Great King, but space and
time are mere products of the evolutionary forces of energy. History is going
nowhere.
5.
What is the basis for right and wrong...how do we determine morality? God's
unchanging character and His revelation to us, forms the foundation for
Christian ethics. Lucy has imbibed long and deeply from the post-modernist well
of deconstructionism...words and morals can be defined according to our own
interpretation. Lucy proceeds to affirm the beauty of love as the guiding
principle for her life choices.. Right and wrong are subjective and relative,
and they are human constructs. Without the law of God to define love, then
she/we are left to our devices to what love looks like in each situation (a
form of situation ethics).
6.
What is the essence of being human? We have enormous dignity and worth which is
extrinsic in nature. Only God has intrinsic worth and He made us in His image,
and assigned immense value to us....we are God's highest creation! However, in
a sense, the main point of the book is that we are nothing but the products of
energy, plus time, plus chance. In one place Lucy mentions that all of us are
damaged, which mirrors a biblical view of the fallenness of all reality, which
much modern "happy preaching" ignores. The two discoveries (alien
life and non-Mosaic authorship of Genesis) herald that man is NOT special after
all. And she finds this liberating....but she can only feel that way by being
inconsistent with her presuppositions.
7.
What happens to us after we die? Scripture teaches that after death, we are
immediately ushered into our eternal destinies, after judgment. When
contemplating the death of her beloved, she is agnostic regarding where his
consciousness is, but oddly optimistic anyway.
I would say that her worldview is generally that of optimistic
humanism, which is irrational. Why? According to this view, the cosmos has a
meaningless beginning, and an equally meaningless end, but somehow between
these two poles of meaninglessness, she imbues deep meaning into the present
moment! That, my friends, is an irrational leap of faith.Compare this with the
more realistic assessment of life without God in Ecclesiastes.--"vanity of
vanities..." The atheistic existentialists Sartre and Camus were brilliant
in their sensitive portrayal of the meaninglessness of modern man.
I read this book with a notebook at hand, with the seven
components written down...consciously searching for an explicit or implicit
message relating to each worldview component. When I saw one, I made note of
it...page number and so on. Please consider doing something similar this
week....homework! I need to add that when I read or watch a movie, I do so on
two levels: on the one hand, I read/view simply for enjoyment, but
simultaneously, on the other hand, sifting the unfolding sequences and verbiage
through the grid of a biblical worldview. It makes the experience all the more
rich and stimulating...and I believe, glorifying to the Lord.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
The Separation Of Church And State Of Mind
Correspondent: Michael O'Brien
According to a recent CNN poll 1 in 4 young American people are currently, "unaffiliated," with religion. Additionally, a staggering 59% of young adults ages 18 to 29 with a solid Christian background have left the church all together.
When asked why, the most common responses cited by today's youth (depending of course upon their individual belief system) regarding their choice of theological separation were that:
● "The church is anti-gay."
● "The church is anti-doubt."
● "The church is anti-female."
● "The church is anti-science."
● "The church is anti-abortion."
● "The church is too judgmental."
● "The church only wants my money."
● "The church is anti-sexual education."
Upon my interviews with the 18-30 demographic (which was in no way scientific with less than 150 subjects) I noted the same criticisms. However, I was afforded clarifications. Here are some expansions offered by our participants I felt noteworthy due to their repetition and consistency. Out of respect and professionalism I've excluded the profanities.
● "As a good Christian I was told by my Bishop at 14 that I needed to actively shun homosexuals, liars, thieves and adulterers but pray for them. That they alone were the root of all evil. At 16 we found out that my Bishop was every one of those. It knocked the wind out of me, and the religion too." Karen D., 19
● "If I'm forced to demand proof in my work, my field, science, I'm going to demand it in a religion. "Believe it because I said so," just doesn't fly anymore." Devon M., 28
● "It has been my experience that the more religious, especially political and religious you claim to be the more corrupt you are." Peter P., 22
● "Christianity (prayer) never offered me any real answers to my issues. However doctors, psychiatrists and pharmaceuticals did. Science saved me, a deity
did not." Sam R., 25
● "I am sick to death of all of this puritanical BS! Where are all of these religious people at the local shelters or local food banks that I volunteer at every weekend and twice during the weekdays? Not there that for sure!" Tracy O., 24
● "I was raised Mormon. My family was expected to faithfully offer the church 10% of our gross earnings even when we couldn't. Now 20% is required to remain in good standing. Someone please tell me, why does it cost money in order for (this) God to like, accept or respect me?" Tammy A., 22
● "I can't come to grips being force fed that I'm supposed to worship a God who is more consumed with who I've chosen to love instead of who I've chosen to hate or harm. Why is it that I'll be forgiven for deliberately hurting or even killing another if I find Christ and ask for forgiveness but not for being gay?" Melinda Z., 21
● "Personally I'm bored with tradition and ceremony. I don't enjoy it at all. Besides, I think the only difference between being a religious person or being a spiritual person is that one person who is more willing to give up a Sunday." Timothy K., 27
● "My parents were hell fire Baptists. Every Sunday I remember thinking, am I the only person who thinks it's weird to force a kid to believe in an all powerful, unseen yet ultimately anthropomorphic entity who I should fear at all times with every fiber of my being? Also one who can't cure my MS but can apparently take Sunday attendance? Get real." Katelynn B., 24
● "The second I find out that someone is a preacher, priest or bishop I'm automatically suspicious. I don't mean to be but I can't turn on my TV anymore without hearing about one of these guys lying, manipulating, cheating, stealing money or molesting a child. If that's the godly level I'm supposed to be striving for then it's no wonder I'm a freaking atheist." Jacob L., 25
● "If I'm to understand this racket, God only focuses on what I do wrong and how he'll eventually punish me in eternal hell. And this is supposed to motivate me how?" Ally G., 18
● "I really don't get this whole Christian or Catholic thing. I think it's about a bunch of self righteous zelots who pick & choose what biblical passages we should all live by. But then gloss right over those passages that allow me to own slaves & beat adulterous women to death with rocks. I especially don't get the part where their God says do not judge, that's my job, but they ignore him anyway. Isn't HE supposed to be their authority? I swear they're more confused than I am. #toomanychiefs" Victoria R., 19 (this portion was extracted from an extended email by the author).
In the studies on atheism I'm familiar with it would appear many younger people are literally screaming the church is suspect if not outright hypocritical and outdated. With that, they seem to feel they are being forced to choose between their intellectual integrity, ideology and their faith. Unfortunately, at 59% intellect may be winning that battle.
I should quickly add this compilation of data gathered isn't offered solely by pollsters but by churches as well. Churches themselves report a substantial decline in attendance based upon baptismal records and their current congregational attendance. Some churches have even reported a variance as substantial as 69%.
We're all aware of the strict traditional stances of the church so what is fueling this sudden separation between church and the newest generation's state of mind? Are our youth seeking a greater education and spiritual understanding while the church seems content resting upon their standard catechism? Or are our youth genetically programmed to question everything about the generation before them? After all, there is substantial evidence that each generation brings with it deeper philosophies and greater knowledge. Evidence to that would be found in how even our generation (40+) perceives the generation of the 1960's.
While there are countless reasonings offered, I believe the true premise to this epidemic is that men of God are no longer respected leaders in our moral and ethical universe. And those that are have been undeniably sullied by the others.
Based upon documented hypocrisy, most have failed in their calling to become a moral compass for any of us. It's also unfortunate that these well known, so called, "spiritual leaders," have become the poster boys of modern religion. Listed below are only a few examples of my hypothesis.
● Westboro Baptist Church - who's premise is anti-gay and regularly frequents military funerals to mock the deaths of fallen heros.
● Reverend Gerry James - charged with misapplication of insurance funds of $450,000.00, DUI and possession of marijuana.
● Pastor Mark Driscoll - who commonly proclaims that women are “inferior vessels.”
● Pastor Rick Warren - who has consistently preached a disparaging anti-gay agenda.
● Pastor Ed Young Jr. - accused of living an overly opulent lifestyle courtesy of low income church member contributions.
● Pastor Eddy Long - an anti-gay preacher who won the top 10 Worst Pastors In America for underage homosexual assault and misuse of funds by The Preacher Bureau of Investigation.
● Reverend Travis Smith - who was charged with raping two teenage girls.
● Priest Eric Dejaegar - who served a five-year sentence beginning in 1990 for nine sexual assault charges of boys and girls ages 9 to 14.
● Pastor Matthew Kidd - charged with homosexual molestation of children.
● Preacher Travis Smith - charged with the molestation of under aged girls.
● Bishop Anthony Jinwright - who will spend the next decade in prison as punishment for more than 2 million in tax fraud.
● Reverend Peter Popoff - a televangelist found wearing an earpiece so that his accomplices could feed him personal information on people in his audience while he was claiming to get those personal messages directly from God.
Now scramble this knowledge in the mind of a spiritually confused or emptied person. Just look at the messages they send and what children may take from them. Obviously I could have gone on for pages with documented accounts of clergy gone bad but I won't. However, I will say the behavior of Catholic clergy alone would have turned this report into an exhausting novel.
This is what our youth are dealing with daily so is it any surprise that like untamed energy they've decided to take the path of least resistance? Again, I'm reminded of Karen D., age 19 who submitted:
"As a good Christian I was told by my Bishop at 14 that I needed to actively shun homosexuals, liars, thieves and adulterers but pray for them. That they alone were the root of all evil. At 16 we found out that my Bishop was every one of those. It knocked the wind out of me, and the religion too."
Face it, the youth of today not only out educate these false prophets on the pulpit but when it comes to purity, social equality, fairness and open mindedness, they obviously feel confident being their own spiritual guides. In their epiphanies they have chosen to abandon organized religion and have either opted for apathy, atheism or to simply exercise their spiritualism independently. Religious home study and volunteerism appear to be an option since both are steadily on the rise.
Apparently this isn't just an unfortunate U.S. movement. In 2005, a WIN-Gallup International poll was submitted and was based on interviews with 50,000+ people from 57 countries and 5 continents. In this poll participants were asked, "Irrespective of whether you attend a place of worship or not, would you say you are a religious person, not a religious person, or a convinced atheist?"
This poll entitled, "The Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism," found that the number of Americans who say they are "religious" dropped sharply from 73% to 60%. Listed below is some surprising and interesting additional information on what their study returned.
● Besides Vietnam, Ireland had the greatest change in religiosity, down from 69% to 47%.
● China has the most "convinced atheists," at 47%, followed by Japan at 31%, Czech Republic at 30% and France at 29%.
● The most religious countries are in Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya), South America (Brazil and Peru) and Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Romania and Armenia).
● Countries with the same percentage of atheists as the U.S. are Poland, Moldova and Saudi Arabia.
Each of these reports are disturbing to say the least and they would seem to ask these questions.
● "Are we becoming a godless nation?
● "Is religion itself the problem or is its representation?"
● "Can the youth of today return to a salvationist belief and abandon their fringe philosophies? If one can call the absence of faith a philosophy."
For what it's worth, my answers are, "Yes." - "Yes." - "I certainly hope so."
When asked why, the most common responses cited by today's youth (depending of course upon their individual belief system) regarding their choice of theological separation were that:
● "The church is anti-gay."
● "The church is anti-doubt."
● "The church is anti-female."
● "The church is anti-science."
● "The church is anti-abortion."
● "The church is too judgmental."
● "The church only wants my money."
● "The church is anti-sexual education."
Upon my interviews with the 18-30 demographic (which was in no way scientific with less than 150 subjects) I noted the same criticisms. However, I was afforded clarifications. Here are some expansions offered by our participants I felt noteworthy due to their repetition and consistency. Out of respect and professionalism I've excluded the profanities.
● "As a good Christian I was told by my Bishop at 14 that I needed to actively shun homosexuals, liars, thieves and adulterers but pray for them. That they alone were the root of all evil. At 16 we found out that my Bishop was every one of those. It knocked the wind out of me, and the religion too." Karen D., 19
● "If I'm forced to demand proof in my work, my field, science, I'm going to demand it in a religion. "Believe it because I said so," just doesn't fly anymore." Devon M., 28
● "It has been my experience that the more religious, especially political and religious you claim to be the more corrupt you are." Peter P., 22
● "Christianity (prayer) never offered me any real answers to my issues. However doctors, psychiatrists and pharmaceuticals did. Science saved me, a deity
● "I am sick to death of all of this puritanical BS! Where are all of these religious people at the local shelters or local food banks that I volunteer at every weekend and twice during the weekdays? Not there that for sure!" Tracy O., 24
● "I was raised Mormon. My family was expected to faithfully offer the church 10% of our gross earnings even when we couldn't. Now 20% is required to remain in good standing. Someone please tell me, why does it cost money in order for (this) God to like, accept or respect me?" Tammy A., 22
● "I can't come to grips being force fed that I'm supposed to worship a God who is more consumed with who I've chosen to love instead of who I've chosen to hate or harm. Why is it that I'll be forgiven for deliberately hurting or even killing another if I find Christ and ask for forgiveness but not for being gay?" Melinda Z., 21
● "Personally I'm bored with tradition and ceremony. I don't enjoy it at all. Besides, I think the only difference between being a religious person or being a spiritual person is that one person who is more willing to give up a Sunday." Timothy K., 27
● "My parents were hell fire Baptists. Every Sunday I remember thinking, am I the only person who thinks it's weird to force a kid to believe in an all powerful, unseen yet ultimately anthropomorphic entity who I should fear at all times with every fiber of my being? Also one who can't cure my MS but can apparently take Sunday attendance? Get real." Katelynn B., 24
● "The second I find out that someone is a preacher, priest or bishop I'm automatically suspicious. I don't mean to be but I can't turn on my TV anymore without hearing about one of these guys lying, manipulating, cheating, stealing money or molesting a child. If that's the godly level I'm supposed to be striving for then it's no wonder I'm a freaking atheist." Jacob L., 25
● "If I'm to understand this racket, God only focuses on what I do wrong and how he'll eventually punish me in eternal hell. And this is supposed to motivate me how?" Ally G., 18
● "I really don't get this whole Christian or Catholic thing. I think it's about a bunch of self righteous zelots who pick & choose what biblical passages we should all live by. But then gloss right over those passages that allow me to own slaves & beat adulterous women to death with rocks. I especially don't get the part where their God says do not judge, that's my job, but they ignore him anyway. Isn't HE supposed to be their authority? I swear they're more confused than I am. #toomanychiefs" Victoria R., 19 (this portion was extracted from an extended email by the author).
In the studies on atheism I'm familiar with it would appear many younger people are literally screaming the church is suspect if not outright hypocritical and outdated. With that, they seem to feel they are being forced to choose between their intellectual integrity, ideology and their faith. Unfortunately, at 59% intellect may be winning that battle.
I should quickly add this compilation of data gathered isn't offered solely by pollsters but by churches as well. Churches themselves report a substantial decline in attendance based upon baptismal records and their current congregational attendance. Some churches have even reported a variance as substantial as 69%.
We're all aware of the strict traditional stances of the church so what is fueling this sudden separation between church and the newest generation's state of mind? Are our youth seeking a greater education and spiritual understanding while the church seems content resting upon their standard catechism? Or are our youth genetically programmed to question everything about the generation before them? After all, there is substantial evidence that each generation brings with it deeper philosophies and greater knowledge. Evidence to that would be found in how even our generation (40+) perceives the generation of the 1960's.
While there are countless reasonings offered, I believe the true premise to this epidemic is that men of God are no longer respected leaders in our moral and ethical universe. And those that are have been undeniably sullied by the others.
Based upon documented hypocrisy, most have failed in their calling to become a moral compass for any of us. It's also unfortunate that these well known, so called, "spiritual leaders," have become the poster boys of modern religion. Listed below are only a few examples of my hypothesis.
● Westboro Baptist Church - who's premise is anti-gay and regularly frequents military funerals to mock the deaths of fallen heros.
● Reverend Gerry James - charged with misapplication of insurance funds of $450,000.00, DUI and possession of marijuana.
● Pastor Mark Driscoll - who commonly proclaims that women are “inferior vessels.”
● Pastor Rick Warren - who has consistently preached a disparaging anti-gay agenda.
● Pastor Ed Young Jr. - accused of living an overly opulent lifestyle courtesy of low income church member contributions.
● Pastor Eddy Long - an anti-gay preacher who won the top 10 Worst Pastors In America for underage homosexual assault and misuse of funds by The Preacher Bureau of Investigation.
● Reverend Travis Smith - who was charged with raping two teenage girls.
● Priest Eric Dejaegar - who served a five-year sentence beginning in 1990 for nine sexual assault charges of boys and girls ages 9 to 14.
● Pastor Matthew Kidd - charged with homosexual molestation of children.
● Preacher Travis Smith - charged with the molestation of under aged girls.
● Bishop Anthony Jinwright - who will spend the next decade in prison as punishment for more than 2 million in tax fraud.
● Reverend Peter Popoff - a televangelist found wearing an earpiece so that his accomplices could feed him personal information on people in his audience while he was claiming to get those personal messages directly from God.
Now scramble this knowledge in the mind of a spiritually confused or emptied person. Just look at the messages they send and what children may take from them. Obviously I could have gone on for pages with documented accounts of clergy gone bad but I won't. However, I will say the behavior of Catholic clergy alone would have turned this report into an exhausting novel.
This is what our youth are dealing with daily so is it any surprise that like untamed energy they've decided to take the path of least resistance? Again, I'm reminded of Karen D., age 19 who submitted:
"As a good Christian I was told by my Bishop at 14 that I needed to actively shun homosexuals, liars, thieves and adulterers but pray for them. That they alone were the root of all evil. At 16 we found out that my Bishop was every one of those. It knocked the wind out of me, and the religion too."
Face it, the youth of today not only out educate these false prophets on the pulpit but when it comes to purity, social equality, fairness and open mindedness, they obviously feel confident being their own spiritual guides. In their epiphanies they have chosen to abandon organized religion and have either opted for apathy, atheism or to simply exercise their spiritualism independently. Religious home study and volunteerism appear to be an option since both are steadily on the rise.
Apparently this isn't just an unfortunate U.S. movement. In 2005, a WIN-Gallup International poll was submitted and was based on interviews with 50,000+ people from 57 countries and 5 continents. In this poll participants were asked, "Irrespective of whether you attend a place of worship or not, would you say you are a religious person, not a religious person, or a convinced atheist?"
This poll entitled, "The Global Index of Religiosity and Atheism," found that the number of Americans who say they are "religious" dropped sharply from 73% to 60%. Listed below is some surprising and interesting additional information on what their study returned.
● Besides Vietnam, Ireland had the greatest change in religiosity, down from 69% to 47%.
● China has the most "convinced atheists," at 47%, followed by Japan at 31%, Czech Republic at 30% and France at 29%.
● The most religious countries are in Africa (Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya), South America (Brazil and Peru) and Eastern Europe (Macedonia, Romania and Armenia).
● Countries with the same percentage of atheists as the U.S. are Poland, Moldova and Saudi Arabia.
Each of these reports are disturbing to say the least and they would seem to ask these questions.
● "Are we becoming a godless nation?
● "Is religion itself the problem or is its representation?"
● "Can the youth of today return to a salvationist belief and abandon their fringe philosophies? If one can call the absence of faith a philosophy."
For what it's worth, my answers are, "Yes." - "Yes." - "I certainly hope so."
Issue 132 – Murder Bordello Parts 1-3 & Amityville Horror, Haunting in Connecticut & The Conjuring DEBUNKED
By Kirby Robinson
Doubtful News.com has now picked up the Murder Bordello
story. We’ve been told that other websites will be issuing their reports on
this whole scandalous affair.
Here are parts 1-3 of the Murder Bordello:
In the short history of our show, we’ve already brought
into question the credibly of some well known psychic-mediums like Theresa Caputo
and Sylvia Browne, and TV ministers like Jim Bakker and Cindy Jacobs. We’ve
also shown the fakery of PRS [Paranormal Research Society] and the exorcist
Andrew Calder.
Tonight we’ll go where few, if any, radio programs
have ever gone. We’ll shine the spotlight on what most consider one of the most
compelling cases of demonic and ghostly activity in recent history and the case
has spawned numerous books, movies and TV specials. The case is the Amityville Horror/Haunting.
In 1976, the world was gripped by the news coming out of Amityville, New York
as the Lutz family fled from their home after living there for 28 days. They’d
become victims of such severe demonic attacks the whole story could not be told.
Noted ghost hunters and demon chasers Ed and Lorraine Warren became part of the
story. Due to the popularity of The Exorcist,
the public couldn’t get enough. The legend grew as countless movies and books
came out. But the truth was buried and the lies were told to cover up the fact
that nothing paranormal happened in the house.
The two other cases, The Haunting in Connecticut and
The Conjuring, will probably be discussed next week due to the amount of
material there is to cover.
Over the course of our 2 hours together, we’ll study
as much information as we can. This is information that the supporters of these
hoaxes DON’T want you to know.
Tune in learn the truth and make up your own mind.
Showtime begins at 7 PM [PST] or 10 PM [EST]. See this page for more information: http://www.goddiscussion.net/2013/08/24/amityville-haunting-in-connecticut-the-conjuring-debunked-wednesday-august-28-2013/
EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website,
forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and
sell the Kindle version of our
books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?" [Now in paperback],
"Never Mock
God: An Unauthorized Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case"
[also in paperback!], "Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal
State Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some
Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that
Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/
Monday, August 26, 2013
Dalai Lama Explores Concept of Soul
Tibetans in traditional garb filed into the 6,000-seat arena to mingle with AU students, Western Buddhists, and hundreds of curious Washingtonians who came to the see the spiritual leader and head of the Tibetan government-in-exile.
“Every time I see him, it’s like seeing him for the first time,” said Tsering Lamo, of Vienna, Va., of the self-described “simple monk” who has won the Nobel Peace Prize and U.S. Congressional Gold Medal. “He’s inspirational. He’s a role model. Because of him, many Tibetans go to non-violence.”
Lamo, who is Tibetan, came to the AU teaching with a friend from China, Vicki Wang. All political differences aside, “there is no border in Buddhism. It is such an honor to see him,” said Wang, spinning a Buddhist prayer wheel.
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, sat cross-legged on a large gold armchair under a towering thangka, or painted religious banner, that stretched from the ceiling of Bender Arena to the floor of the dais. Around him sat dozens of monks in maroon and saffron robes. It was the Dalai Lama’s second time at AU, where he also gave a teaching in 1998.
The teaching, “The Heart of Change: Finding Wisdom in the Modern World,” began with chanting in Sanskrit, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tibetan.
“To build religious harmony, we must know different traditions and their concepts, and through that, we can develop respect, which is the foundation for harmony,” said the Dalai Lama, who spoke mainly in English but sometimes with the help of a Tibetan translator.
He explored the concept of a soul, which in the Buddhist tradition, cannot be viewed separately from the body and mind, but also cannot be said to have a beginning or an end. The talk revolved around what he called the three fundamental questions: What is the “I”? Does it have a beginning? Does it have an end?
“This, my body, now is over 70 years old,” he said, but it is not the same body he had as a child. Just as the body has changed, so has the mind. Even on the atomic level, the physical self is in constant flux.
The self exists due to the body and mind, yet “we could trace material continuity of our body to conception, and then back to the big bang. We can find material causes of our body even at the beginning of the universe,” he said.
Buddhism calls on its followers to recognize the self as impermanent as “an antidote to reduce extreme self-centeredness.” Other religions have different beliefs, but aim towards a similar effect by different . . . In each case, the philosophical framework serves to move the faithful away from self-absorption.
Yet, he said, there are contradictions between religions and within religions. Buddhism has multiple sects, and the world’s major religions have different notions of an afterlife, soul and creator. This serves the purpose of addressing the “different mental dispositions” of the world’s people. “There are six billion human beings. Just one religion is simply not sufficient,” he said.
Becoming educated about other religions helps to develop tolerance without undermining faith, because understanding and belief are different, he said. “All people in this room should know (about other religions), so we can develop respect for all traditions. But faith is a different thing. I’m Buddhist, my faith is Buddhist,” he said, yet that doesn’t keep him from respecting other traditions or seeing similarities.
For most people, it is best to keep to the faith of their birth, he said, because they have a deeper understanding of it. A few people may be convinced that another religion suits them better and may be moved to practice it seriously, but for most, “it’s very important to keep one’s own tradition.”
As he spoke, the arena was bright with hundreds of strands of prayer flags created by children at the Katzen Arts Center or in projects at D.C. public schools with teachers mobilized by AU’s School of Education, Teaching and Health.
The morning’s teaching was followed by a symposium with leading Buddhist thinkers.
Dolma Tsering of Derwood, Md., who grew up in Nepal as the child of Tibetan refugees, saw the day as a time for people from many backgrounds to learn from the Dalai Lama’s example.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for not just Tibetans, but for Washington to learn about peace.”
By Sally Acharya, October 12, 2009, American University, Washington, DC
Amityville, Haunting in Connecticut & Conjuring DEBUNKED– Wednesday, August 28, 2013
By Kirby Robinson
In the short history of our show, we’ve already brought
into question the credibly of some well known psychic-mediums like Theresa Caputo
and Sylvia Browne, and TV ministers like Jim Bakker and Cindy Jacobs. We’ve
also shown the fakery of PRS [Paranormal Research Society] and the exorcist
Andrew Calder.
This week we’ll go where few, if any, radio programs
have ever gone. We’ll shine the spotlight on what most consider the most
compelling cases of demonic activity and ghost haunting in recent history.
The Amityville Horror/Haunting. In 1976, the world was
gripped by the news coming out of Amityville, New York as the Lutz family fled
from their home after living there for 28 days. They’d become victims of such
severe demonic attacks the whole story could not be told. Noted ghost hunters
and demon chasers Ed and Lorraine Warren became part of the story. Due to the popularity
of The Exorcist, the public couldn’t
get enough. The legend grew as countless movies and books came out. But the
truth was buried and the lies were told to cover up the fact that nothing paranormal
happened in the house.
The Haunting in Connecticut case focuses on demonic
activity taking place in a house that had formerly been a funeral parlor. It
was surmised that workers took part in necrophilia [sex with dead people] and
necromancy [raising the dead]. When the parlor went out of business the spirits
of the dead stayed along with a host of demons.
In the 1980s, the Snedekers moved into the home so Carmen,
the mother, could take her cancer stricken son to a nearby hospital for daily
treatment. Almost as soon as the family moved in the haunting began. Ed and Lorraine
Warren along with John Zaffis were called in to investigate the case. It was
brought to a close once an exorcism was performed.
Unlike the Amityville case, this one had the benefit
of the internet and the growing interest in the paranormal to help build up
lots of smoke. The books and a successful movie stoked the fires but has the
truth ever been told? Have independent researchers ever had a chance to look at
the evidence?
The case behind The
Conjuring. Not since The Exorcist
has a horror film that had any ties to a real case [outside of maybe the Texas Chainsaw Massacre] captured the
attention of America. The Perron family moved into an historic home in rural
Rhode Island, enduring 10 years of haunting by dark spirits.
Ed and Lorraine Warren once again play a part in it.
How legit are the case notes? Are the Warrens even
legit?
Over the course of our 2 hours together, we’ll study
as much information as we can. This is information that the supporters of these
hoaxes DON’T want you to know.
Tune in learn the truth and make up your own mind.
NOTE: Due to the overwhelming amount of information,
this may be a 2-part series.
As a weekly feature, Kirby will also share some book
reviews and recommendations, as well as his infamous incredible "BAD BAD
Thing Awards."
Showtime begins at 7 PM [PST] or 10 PM [EST]. See this page for more information:
Here’s last week's
show—Bad Psychics – with Even Worse Intentions:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/god-discussion/2013/08/22/bad-psychics-with-even-worse-intentions
EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website,
forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and
sell the Kindle version of our
books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?" [Now in paperback],
"Never Mock
God: An Unauthorized Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case"
[also in paperback!], "Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal
State Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some
Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that
Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/
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