There Is No Safe Way To Use Ouija Boards

Hello my beauties! I trust you had a great weekend and I hope you enjoy my humble blogs regarding my opinion on the Supernatural from a Christian point of view even though I hate calling myself a Christian due to how many of them exhibit a poor example. Remember we will answer for turning people off from getting to know The Lord.

Halloween is approaching and I am trying to address topics from your many thought provoking questions emails. I do my best to return all emails just keep in mind with a day job and cases I am limited on time for that unfortunately.

Ouija Boards- I have witnessed awful consequences people have to bare from playing around with these. In my humble opinion they are nothing more than 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. Now you have big problems. These things hate humans and anyone who loves Christ. They will torment you and your loved ones into thinking you are crazy. Things will escalate and get worse over time. This situation will not go away on it's own. You can't ignore it and it eventually go away. You will be tormented beyond belief. I am very strong about this due to what I've witnessed and do not want anyone to even entertain the thought. No matter how curious you are, is it worth it? Is it really worth it?

Ouija Boards. A tool of the devil? Ouija is a combination of the French and German words, oui and ja , which mean yes, yes.

These boards have letters of the alphabet, the numbers 0-9, the words ‘yes’ ‘no’ and ‘goodbye’, and other symbols and words are sometimes also added to help personalize the board. The Ouija board is used to communicate with spirits of the dead. Although nobody knows where the idea for such a device came from, there are records of Ouija-like instruments being used in ancient China, Greece, Rome and many other countries.

"Use of a Ouija has even led to violence and even to murder..." Dr. Marta Prohazka of Fairfax, Virginia, is also convinced that spirits can play terrifying destructive games with human behavior. During her practice as psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, she realized that many patients she had considered "hallucinating paranoid schizophrenics" might instead merely be in touch with something invisible to her but visible to them."I came to understand that another plane, or dimension or existence interrelated with our plane or visible manifestation," she said. "By training and expanding consciousness, some individuals gain entrance into that invisible dimension. It seems to some like a window into heaven.

I have to ask, is it worth it? Is curiosity really worth testing this common belief? This isn't just my opinion but the opinion of many who are not even very religious.

Written by Jennifer Auld

Actual Amusing Announcements from Church Bulletins

By Stephen Piersall, 

God’s Preservation Ministry http://sfprs.org/

 

• Coming Up—Theological Open House. We discuss thought-provoking topics. Your opinions are hardly welcome.

• All singles are invited to join us Friday at 7 p.m. for the annula Christmas Sing-alone."

• Thursday night – potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.

• Remember in prayer the many that are sick of our church and the community.

• For those of you who have children and do not know it, we have a nursery downstairs.

• The rosebud on the altar this morning is to announce the birth of David Alan Belzer, the sin of Rev. and Mrs. Julius Belzer.

• This afternoon there will be a meeting in the south and north ends at the church. Children will be baptized at both ends.

• Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. there will be an ice cream social. All ladies giving milk will please come early.

• Wednesday, the Ladies Liturgy Society will meet. Mrs. Jones will sing "Put Me in My Little Bed" accompanied by the pastor.

• Thursday at 5:00 p.m. there will be a meeting of the Little Mothers Club. All wishing to become little mothers, please see the minister in his study.

• This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs. Lewis to come forward and lay an egg on the altar.

• The service will close with "Little Drops of Water”. One of the women will start quietly, and the rest of the congregation will join in.

• Next Sunday, a special collection will be taken to defray the cost of the new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet will come forward and get a piece of paper.

• The ladies from the church have cast off clothing of every kind, and they may be seen in the church basement Friday.

• A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

• At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?" – come early and listen to our choir practice.

• Our youth basketball team is back in action Wednesday at 8:00 p.m. in the recreation hall. Come out and watch us kill Christ the King.

• Miss Charlene Mason sang, "I will not pass this way again," giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

• "Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't forget your husbands."

• The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight: "Searching for Jesus."

• Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

• Barbara remains at the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and request's tapes of Pastor Jack's sermons.

• The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing "Break Forth into Joy."

• Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. It so ends a friendship that began in their school days.

• Eight new choir robes are currently needed, due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.

• Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles, and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.

• Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person(s) you want remembered.

• The church will host an evening of fine dining, superb entertainment, and gracious hostility.

• The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday morning.

• Low self-esteem  Support Group will meet Thursday. Please use the back door.

• The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7:00 p.m. The Congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.

• Weight Watchers will meet at 7:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church. Please use the large double door at the side entrance.

• The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are not afflicted with any church.

• The Rev. Merriwether spoke briefly, much to the delight to the audience.

• Next Sunday Mrs. Vinson will be a soloist for the morning service. The pastor will then speak on "It's a Terrible Experience."

• The music for today's service was all composed by George Friedrich Handel in celebration of the 300th anniversary of his birth.

• Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our church and community.

• The concert held in Fellowship Hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the minister's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her.

• Today's Sermon: HOW MUCH CAN A MAN DRINK? with hymns from a full choir.

• Pastor is on vacation. Massages can be given to the church secretary.

• Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

• Attend and you will hear an excellent speaker and heave a healthy lunch.

• This evening at 7 pm there will be a hymn sing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.

• Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.

• The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan last Sunday "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours."

Worldviews...Bringing Our Thoughts Under Christ's Lordship

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Last time we looked at epistemology, which deals with how we acquire knowledge. We noted that it is important to give reasons for why we believe what we believe. When we are not aware of our reasons for believing something, it is difficult to analyze or evaluate that belief, and it is certainly difficult to argue it with someone else (argue in logical sense).

You may not have heard of Sena Naslund as an author, but perhaps you have heard of Dean Koontz. I was surprised to discover that he has devoted an entire novel series on a character named Odd Thomas--a short order cook in a small CA town. He acquired the ability to see and communicate with trapped spirits. In this series he attempts to help spirits who had been treated unjustly. Novels, especially a series written by another bestseller like Koontz, have the ability to substantially alter a person's worldview...without the reader being consciously aware of it. Perhaps before reading his novel/s the reader either did not believe in ghosts or was on the fence, but afterwards it would take a conscious effort to NOT be effected in the direction of belief.

Similarly, I noted Wednesday night that there was a TV show, "Haunted Mine", which I watched--been without TV for several months. What is next: "Haunted Honeymoons"?! This is not a fad and it (the assumption that trapped spirits exist) is particularly compelling when viewed via the medium of TV.  Seeing is believing, right? Not if you mis-interpret the data.

                                                                                  

A few nights ago I heard an interview with John Zaffis and another well known demonologist. I always enjoy listening to Zaffis because of his immense learning and experience. Much wisdom was shared, and then the host asked how they make decisions.....determining what is there and what to do. John said they leave after a day or 2 of investigating to do some "diagnosing"--a key word they used several times..."they needed to look over the evidence to discern what is trapped spirits and if any demons" (Zaffis). At this point, I groaned out loud.

Is the diagnosing by a demonologist (or investigator) similar to that of a doctor? Yes and No. Yes, in that both deal with studying symptoms, and then seeking to find the cause and cure for a problem. But even in this regard, a case could be made that the "ailments" a demonologist deals with are much more serious than those which a medical doctor handles--which should give pause to anyone seeking to enter this field. No, in that there is a distinct, explicit spiritual component to the paranormal diagnostic process. Please remember that the paranormal is not ultimately a scientific issue but a theological issue, because science is UNABLE to uncover the identity of supernatural entities.What I want us to see is that during this very important diagnostic process, one's worldview WILL effect how we see and interpret the paranormal facts., and we are almost always unaware of these strong, interior influences.

God rejects the false wisdom of the world and calls His people to radical obedience ( 1 Cor. 1-2)--thinking according to God's norms is a crucial aspect of this radical call to discipleship. In a word, God is an intellectual authoritarian. This is a touchy subject for modern man who is insistent on total freedom of speech and thought. However, God's intellectual authoritarianism is the source of true intellectual freedom. Human thinking must be subject to a norm or criterion. If we reject God as our intellectual norm, then we must either create an idol and find some other ultimate norm, or capitulate to skepticism, which is intellectual death....both are, actually. The philosophical trends of rationalism, empiricism, and subjectivism have been created by non-Christian philosophers in a  futile attempt to justify human knowledge apart from bowing before the God of the bible.

Everyone has a worldview--a basic commitment of the heart translated into a way of seeing reality--both Christians and non-Christians have a worldview. Hence, it is simply not true to say that Christians are "biased" or "prejudiced" in their presuppositions (worldviews) in diagnosing of paranormal problems, and that nonbelievers are "neutral" or "unbiased" in the same process. Both groups are equally biased and prejudiced., when interpreting the paranormal facts. Jesus said, "He is who is not for Me is against Me." The non-Christian is as passionate about rejecting the true God as the Christian is in loving Him.

In the 1960's Thomas Kuhn wrote a groundbreaking book, "The Structure of Scientific Revolution". Though not a Christian, Kuhn made numerous very astute observations regarding how we "diagnose" scientific facts. He asserted that nobody is fully objective in their viewing and interpreting of data. The scientific community (think paranormal community) has shared beliefs which act as a paradigmatic grid though which they sift all data. If data or facts arise which are contrary to their basic community assumptions, then they will NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THIS DATA OR EVIDENCE. Their perception has been obscured by a distorted paradigm (worldview) to the point that they actually cannot see certain aspects of reality. It is only when the anomalies multiply to a certain point(says Kuhn)...when the contrary evidence is popping up all over the place, that the scientific community awakens from its slumber and is then be able to. begin to "see" what had been there the whole time. 

This is leading philosopher of science is stating that pure objectivity is impossible. In fact, for a Christian, "pure objectivity" is the last thing we should desire in study of paranormal phenomena. Pure objectivity implies that there are "neutral or brute facts' out there just waiting for us to give them meaning and identity. Not so! Every square inch of the cosmos belongs to the Lord, upon which He has placed His victory flag, and cries out "MINE!!". Every fact--literally every molecule to every star-- is a theistic fact...a fact ordained from all eternity and thus, pre-interpreted by God Almighty. There are no neutral or brute facts, which just exist in an anonymous void or vacuum, waiting for some human to come along and affirm its existence and meaning. God has already done that, and we are to re-interpret the paranormal phenomena as closely as possible to God's original pre-interpretation. Viewing facts or paranormal phenomena through a biblical worldview enables us to be faithful interpreters of God's world. Pure objectivity is not attainable, nor even desirable.

In conclusion, let is re-visit John Zaffis's diagnosis. May I say humbly and gently that Mr Zaffis, simply by virtue of his belief in trapped spirits, will not be able to consistently re-interpret (diagnose) God's pre-interpretation of the paranormal facts. God has made it clear that trapped spirits do not exist, BUT if we believe in them anyway, then we will see what we want or expect to see in the evidence review. God is an intellectual authoritarian, and it is our duty to humble ourselves before him. Otherwise, we dishonor God, hurt the client by giving them bad advice, and hurt ourselves as well.

Demons can mimic ANYTHING. Since that is the case how can one diagnose or find a criterion that would distinguish between a human spirit and a demon? The host asked him what the diagnosis involved, and he did not specify but gave a general response about sifting through data to make decisions. You affirm that you are a Christian John, please...please think like one.

Modern Day Angel Appearances, Micronesia Phenomena, and Quantum Particles

By Lisa Grace

Disclaimer: For those who may have missed my previous articles for EOTP, I believe science proves the Holy Scriptures (Bible) are 100% correct.

Some of the first scientists to visit the Micronesian islands (or so the account goes as re-told in Small Miracles for the Jewish Heart) noticed a peculiar phenomenon. The natives assumed the scientists electronic equipment worked by magic. Which is not such an unusual assumption when observing something beyond the realm of someone’s experience. You know it’s real, because you saw it. It doesn’t mean you can explain it, or that others who did not “see” it, will believe it.

When the same scientists looked out to sea, they could clearly see a fleet of ships approaching, but when they pointed the fleet out to the islanders, who had never seen a fleet of large modern ships before, the islanders could not “see” them. They insisted nothing was there.

The scientists thought this “blindness” to something they could not relate to, fascinating.

I noticed this phenomenon in myself. A few years ago, we went to a beach littered with shark’s teeth. My relatives who came to the beach frequently after every big storm, could spot and find the teeth easily. However, even when knowing what I was looking for, I still had a hard time perceiving what was right in front of me.

In most modern day angel appearances, I’d like to think we don’t “see” what is right in front of us, because we don’t know “how” to look or even how to perceive “what” we are looking for.

One of the most fascinating aspects in quantum physics, is the ability of particles to re-act differently when they are being observed. You can Google any number of articles about it, but here is one: http://rickzepeda.hubpages.com/hub/Quantum-Physics-Wave-Particle-Duality-Consciousness

On the particle level, this shows an “awareness” that makes many scientists uncomfortable.

The problem is—we, modern man, are still very much like the Micronesian Islanders of the past, who encountered modern electronics and fleets of modern ships for the very first time. It’s easier to ignore and dismiss what we readily can’t explain. It’s easier not to “see” what is right in front of us.

Those who have experienced an encounter with an angel, demon, or even G-d, know a different dimension, world, or form of matter (such as plasma) beyond what we know, exists. Can we explain it, or even show others how to experience it?

For many who have not seen, it requires faith. For those who have had an experience, their faith has been rewarded with proof. Or the proof itself makes them a believer.

Part of the problem is knowing what to look for, and how to “measure” it. This area of exploration is very much in its infancy.

As our instruments for “detecting” these intelligent creatures improve, so will our understanding.


Lisa Grace is the author of the best selling eBook Angel Series, which is currently in movie development.

Issue 133 – Burying Ed & Lorraine Warren’s Credibility

By Kirby Robinson

Tonight’s show begins at 7 PM [PST] or 10 PM [EST].  The topic is:

The Myth-Busting Continues! Amityville Horror, The Haunting in Connecticut and The Conjuring

See this page for more information:

http://www.goddiscussion.net/2013/08/31/the-myth-busting-continues-amityville-horror-the-haunting-in-connecticut-and-the-conjuring-wednesday-september-4-2013/

If you tuned in last week, you know we didn’t finish debunking the Amityville Horror case. We still have at least 30 minutes of information to share with you before moving on to the Haunting in Connecticut case--which will take up the rest of the show. The show we had lined up for September 11, debunking the claims in the book The Harbinger, is being pushed back to the 18th of September. As you may/may not know, the book focuses on the events that occurred on 9/11 because God was angry at the USA due to sin and not being closer to Israel.

We’ll then take a detailed look into the Perron case The Conjuring, or what I like to call The Concocted.

Ed Warren -- If Only I Knew How Deceptive You Were…

…and that includes Lorraine as well. Sometimes I’m hardheaded and freely admit that when I give my loyalty it takes a lot for me to regret doing so. However, after our investigation into the three cases we’re debunking on the radio show, there are many similarities.

~ All occur in New England

~ All feature families with two parents and two [or more] children

~ All feature families in transition. A blended family in Amityville; health crisis in Connecticut; and family in need of a new location in the Perron case.

~ All claim demonic activity

~ All claim something odd went on in the house prior to moving in. Amityville and the Conjuring claim it was murder. In Connecticut, the funeral home employees practiced necrophilia.

~ All the families made money off their cases

~ All families freely went public with their claims

~ None of the families can produce any proof that there was anything going on

~ All were made into feature film franchises

~ From the information that’s available, none of the cases are real

~ Ed and Lorraine Warren were involved in these cases and they cashed in, laughing all the way to the bank. I personally doubt that Ed is laughing any longer, as God won’t be mocked. I wonder if anyone with real spiritual discernment has ever brought the $109 package where you get to eat dinner with Lorraine. What’s on the menu? EVP entrees and demonic desserts? This is followed by a tour in her basement Occult Museum and ends with a walk to Ed’s grave. Do you hear Ed begging for forgiveness for all the fakery he took part in?

Throughout my career, I heard it wasn’t Ed that was full of a desire to be rich and famous it was Lorraine. Was that just a way to ignore what was really going on?

Have you ever dug into how these two got their start in the business of demonology?

It wasn’t a calling from God to do this for His glory. It’s important to note that Ed didn’t call himself a Christian demonologist but a religious one. Religion can’t cast out a single demon. Demons enjoy leading people down the religious path--religious people were responsible for killing Jesus Christ. Today, the same self-righteous religious people want to stamp out Christianity. You just don’t decide that dealing with demons is what you want to do. God decides if He wants you to deal with the demonic.

Apparently, Ed felt he knew more about art and he could paint better than anyone else could. So Ed would paint a picture of a house and in the painting he’d add ghosts floating out of the windows. Lorraine, the used car salesperson [like Jim Bakker], was the one that would tell the homeowner they had a demon issue. Not a small problem, but a big one.

That kept the pair happy for a while. In the mid-1970s public awareness on the dark side increased due to the book and movie version of The Exorcist. The Warrens knew how to work the P.R. circuit, doing lectures at every turn. Then came the Perron case and the Amityville Haunting. There was no turning back. It became less about helping people and more about helping themselves. No longer would it be a 30-second news spot. More books about these cases populated library and bookstore shelves. Ed told Ray Garton, author of the book about the Haunting in Connecticut case, to “make the shit up and make it scary.” The truth no longer mattered. Maybe it never did. Have you ever seen any tape about their cases, or any photos that couldn’t be explained away? Like the demon boy photo from the Amityville haunting…that was a young man, not a boy. He worked for the Warrens and posed for the picture in order to make more money for them.

It didn’t stop there. Many of the current crop of para-fakes like Ryan Buell copied her schemes, selling it to a new generation of suckers. Ed and Lorraine would host a class at a nearby restaurant and charge $20. They also made the student fork over a percentage of the food and drink tab.

Now that Ed is gone, Lorraine hasn’t slowed down a bit from her wacky appearances on fake TV shows like Paranormal State to the movie The Conjuring which is rumored to have two sequels in the works. How’s that? Well, they’re based on the case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren that no one has ever seen.

It’s interesting to note how Lorraine has difficulty grasping the truth. She claims an exorcism was performed on the Amityville home. None was ever done. [She also said that the haunting there was from the bowels of the earth. I think it was from someone’s bowels.]

She claims that every time she went into the house she carried a photo of Padre Pio with her. If you want to be inspired by someone who exhibits all the traits of genuine compassion, please read this: http://padrepiodevotions.org/a-short-biography/

When you say every time that means every time you are in the house you have that photo in your hand. She even shows how she held it in the documentary My Amityville Horror. So we decided to take a look at all the photos of her in the house that we could find and take a close look at them. There were some photos where you couldn’t see her hands, or only one hand. But the majority of the photos we could examine and see if she was holding anything in them. Turns out that the number of times Padre Pio’s photo was seen is zero.

Charles Lutz stated in the documentary that everyone in the home was saved and baptized. This fact must have slipped by Lorraine. No one who is saved can be possessed by the demonic. God and the devil can’t be in the same body at the same time. This simple fact is learned in demonology 101.

When I get back to LA, which, knock on wood will be soon, all the books about the pair or written by Ed Warren will go sailing out the door. They won’t land on the curb for some unsuspecting person to find, read and be deceived, but into the trash where they belong.

Nowadays there are so many like Ed and Lorraine running around in the paranormal field. Some want to help, but they still want the gravy train and all the fame baggage that follows. Others just want to hop aboard that train, as they don’t give a damn.

To me that’s scarier than any demon I’ve ever encountered.

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The Six Perfections

By The Dalai Lama

1. Generosity
The first among the six perfections is generosity. Generosity is of three types: giving material aid, giving dharma, and protecting from fear. "Giving dharma" refers to the giving of teachings to other sentient beings out of the pure motivation to benefit them. The phrase does not only refer to high lamas giving teachings seated on high thrones. You should not have the notion that dharma teachings should be preceded by impressive rituals such as the blowing of conch shells and the like. Rather, any instruction given out of compassion and a kind heart by anyone is considered generosity of the dharma.

Giving away one's own possessions without even the slightest touch of miserliness and without any hope for reward is part of the practice of generosity. It would be very beneficial, if you want to practice generosity, to make offerings to sick patients and also to the monastic universities which have philosophical study programs and which train many young monks for the practice of dharma.

The practice of generosity should be undertaken by giving away what you can afford. You should enhance and develop your thought of generosity to such an extent that eventually you will be able to part with even your own body which you hold most precious, without the slightest trace of apprehension or possessiveness. As in any practice, it is important right from the beginning never to be discouraged, never to think that you will not be able to do it.

Protecting someone from fear or danger is the giving of fearlessness, as is saving people from illness and so forth. The practice of rituals for the purpose of overcoming illness could also justifiably be called the giving of fearlessness. Basically one's own karmic actions are responsible for one's harm and suffering. If you have definite indications of being harmed by certain spirits, then — instead of doing rituals — the most effective way to overcome the difficulty is to practice compassion towards the forces that harm you. Such occasions give you new opportunities to practice your compassion, which is far more powerful than performing rituals.

Although we Tibetans talk about the law of cause and effect and the Buddha's doctrine, when a difficult situation really presses us we often like to blame it on the harm of spirits. It is far better to have fewer superstitions and more faith in the law of causality.

2. Morality
Next is the practice of morality. Lay people should engage in the practice of morality by abstaining from the ten negative actions — if possible, all ten. But if this is not possible, then at least taking the life of others, telling lies, and indulging in sexual misconduct should be avoided; these are very detrimental, not only for the individual but also for the peace and calmness of a community. Divisive talk is very destructive; it causes a lot of conflict and misunderstanding within a community, and between different communities and different people. Therefore, it is a great obstacle to peace and happiness of mind. The same is true of telling lies. Senseless gossip, although not so destructive from one point of view, is seen from another to be very harmful, as it wastes so much of your precious time. You should also avoid harsh speech and covetousness, as well as harmful intent and holding perverted views. "Perverted views" refers to incorrect views that deny the existence of life after death and the law of causality.

Also, as Nagarjuna recommends in his Ratnavali (Precious Garland), it is important to avoid taking alcoholic drinks. In Tibet, because of the lack of relaxation available under the repressive Chinese rule, some people indulge in taking alcohol, which is very injurious. Buddha himself has said that those who regard him as their master should never take an alcoholic drink, even as little as fits on the tip of a blade of grass.
Gambling is also very injurious; it involves all sorts of negative actions like telling lies, being covetous, and using harsh speech. Because many negative actions ensue from gambling, Nagarjuna taught that gambling is very destructive.

The same is true of smoking. Even the modern doctors speak of the destructive effect of smoking on one's health. Smoking is an addiction; it is not as if we could not survive if we did not smoke. Nor is it like taking tea. Because tea is a key part of our diet, if we are told by the doctor not to drink it, we have to find something as an alternative. But smoking is completely different: we do not need to smoke at all. Because of their misconceptions and the bad habit of smoking, some people even find the smell of tobacco quite nice. Smoking is very bad for the purse, too. Rather than smoke, it would be better to go for a picnic and enjoy a nice lunch or dinner. This is not religious talk —the issue is one of health. It would be better right from the beginning not to indulge in and develop the addiction to tobacco.

3. Patience
There are different types of patience: the patience of being indifferent to the harm inflicted by others, the patience of voluntarily accepting hardship, and the patience developed through reasoned conviction in the dharma. Practitioners of dharma should have these types of patience — they should be able to endure hardship — but adopting such patience does not mean that they should not take precautions for their health.

When you have a sickness, right from the beginning it is better to treat it by going to doctors and taking medicine. It is no good leaving matters to the last moment, which is, in part, a habit of Tibetans. Because in Tibet there were very few doctors, when someone became sick, people would advise the person to take more food and have a good rest. This is inadequate advice. It is more important to look into the causes of the illness and apply corrective measures. Taking care of your health is very important.

At the same time, meditators and students should have the patience which can voluntarily accept hardship; without such patience they will never be successful in their studies. Gungthang Jampeyang said:

Should you wish to be learned in the ways of avoiding delusions and attaining liberation,

And achieve the glory of an eloquent scholar confident amidst any assembly,

Accept with patience the hardships involved. For the leisurely lifestyle of the present,

Totally attached to the pleasures of delicacies, drinks and excessive sleep,

Will get you nowhere.

Similarly, the patience of being indifferent to harm inflicted by others is especially important, because Buddha's doctrine is rooted in compassion. Therefore, you should be able to forbear and endure the harm inflicted by others. Buddha said that those who retaliate against harm inflicted by others are not his followers. You should also view all the harm that you face and that is inflicted by others — as well as the adverse circumstances that you experience — as a manifestation and ripening of your own negative actions. Doing this will enable you to endure the suffering with greater patience. When facing difficulties such as illnesses and adverse circumstances, it is very important to reflect on the law of causality, and conclude that these are the consequences of your own doings in the past.

This conclusion will protect you from having all sorts of superstitions or unnecessary mental anxieties, but this does not mean that you should not work toward the relief of the problems.

Some people misunderstand the concept of karma. They take the Buddha's doctrine of the law of causality to mean that all is predetermined, that there is nothing that the individual can do. This is a total misunderstanding. The very term karma or action is a term of active force, which indicates that future events are within your own hands. Since action is a phenomenon that is committed by a person, a living being, it is within your own hands whether or not you engage in actions.

There are differing techniques for various types of practitioners. For some it is effective, when facing adverse circumstances, to reflect that these are due to the nature of suffering and are the natural consequences of being in the cycle of existence. Others could view adverse circumstances as the ripening of their own negative actions and could wish that by the experience of these sufferings all other sentient beings will never undergo such experiences in the future.

4. Joyous Effort
If one has the faculty of joyous effort, one will be able to accomplish the task that one has originally set out to do. Therefore, this faculty is very important for a spiritual practitioner. Generally speaking, there are three types of joyous effort: (1) armor-like joyous effort; (2) joyous effort in gathering virtues; and (3) joyous effort in working for others. The main obstacles to the development of these efforts are the different levels of laziness — primarily the laziness of procrastination, and the lazinesses stemming from indolence and from a sense of inferiority.

5. Concentration
Since the practices of concentration and wisdom are treated in separate chapters, only a brief explanation of these is given here.
Generally speaking, concentration refers to a faculty of single-pointedness of the mind that serves as a powerful basis for any given meditation. It is of two types, based on differing functions: mundane and super-mundane concentrations.

6. Wisdom
Wisdom refers to an analytic faculty of the mind that allows a probing into the deeper nature of things. Broadly speaking, it is of two kinds: the wisdom examining the ultimate nature of phenomena, and the wisdom examining the conventional or relative nature of phenomena.

THE FOUR RIPENING FACTORS

The four ripening factors refer to the four principal factors that bodhisattvas employ in attracting disciples and enhancing their spiritual potentials. These are:
(1) giving material aid
(2) speaking eloquently
(3) always giving the right counsel
(4) setting an example by living the principles taught. It is through these skillful means that the compassionate bodhisattvas work for the welfare of all other beings.

The Path to Bliss: A Practical Guide To Stages Of Meditation


This article was excerpted from The Path to Bliss, ©1991,2003, by Dalai Lama.
Thanks to Innerself.com for this article. Original link: http://innerself.com/Spirituality/dalai_lama_53104.htm

Amityville Horror & More - The Stories Behind the Hauntings PART 2 ONLY ON THE EYE ON THE PARANORMAL RADIO SHOW

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.

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: http://www.goddiscussion.net/

Here’s last week's show—Amityville Horror & More -- The Stories Behind the Hauntings 
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/god-discussion/2013/08/29/amityville-horror-more--the-stories-behind-the-hauntings

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