Shamanism: The Ritual Act of Witchcraft

This blog is intended to help those of individuals within the paranormal realm understand what Shamanism is.  Many people understand a Shaman to be a “God” ordained individual to help assist with spiritual matters.  Today you will even see many paranormal people aligning themselves with these “Spirit Healers”.

So then what is a Shaman and then what is Shamanism?  A Shaman is known by a variety of names — holy man, priest, medicine man, even the adjective “witch doctor” within primitive cultures.  So what then is Shamanism?  Shamanism is a method where an individual (a shaman – described above) attempts to solve problems through manipulation and contact with the spirit world.  

Merely this is an act of witch doctoring in the animist religion.  This means that all things that have spirits are equal with us humans.  These spirits are everywhere, permeate into our world and can affect our lives.  Shamans use altered states of consciousness to contact spirits which can be either good or bad in order to learn the future, make decisions, or attempt healings of people who might be oppressed by bad spirits.  

As we have learned from previous blogs that these good and bad spirits are the Fallen Angels and Demons posing as “good and helpful” entities willing to assist.  Shamanism uses these spirit guides, contacting these guides in order to have them direct life.  Shamans use astral projection, where the spirit of a person leaves the body and travels into the spirit world and various means of predicting the future such as throwing bones. Therefore, Shamanism is divination and sorcery and is generally practiced by Indian tribes.  The Bible condemns divination as a sin see Leviticus 19:25 and Deuteronomy 18:10 KJV.

The Holy Bible clearly tells us that this type of act is wrong and violates the precepts of what God has deemed proper and righteous.  Shamanism is a form of Animism which views all created things -- humans, animals, plants, landscapes, elemental forces and seasons -- as having an intelligent, communicative life force or spirit.  It is similar to modern Buddhism which also worships the planet and everything on it.  Therefore this is a form of worship of the creation from the creator and the bible clearly tells us that we shall have NO other gods than thee!

Shamanism is an intentional effort to develop intimate and lasting relationships with familiar demons. The Shaman is consciously going into controlled visionary experiences (a form of demonic possession) to connect with these spirit beings who guide, guard, instruct, bless and in the end drag their soul to hell.  As I have stated and others as well, Demons can appear as all sorts of things.  These demons can appear to be spirits of nature, animals, plants, the elements (earth, air, fire & water), ancestors, gods, goddesses and teachers from other religions.

For Shamans to be effective they must have a strong personal relationship with these demons. Ultimately, the real healers are not the Shamans but the demons.  Therefore why would a person who is suffering from diabolical issues bring in a person such as a Shaman who uses demons to fight demons?

Using this mentality is a dangerous act as it does not make sense.   I am not bashing individuals who choose to seek this type of assistance out to “help” them out of horrible situations, but rather understand who it is that you are engaging with and using within your life to help you out.  In a sense would you invite Satan to dine at your table within your own home knowing that you are having demonic issues?

The Shaman individual functions as a conduit or channel of spiritual energy and power received from these spirits.  However, the Shaman is the source of power for these demons through fasting, sweating, vision quests, drumming, rattling, chanting, dancing and being possessed by these demons posing as spirit guides.  This soul power generated is then directed by the demons for their own use -- and also to aid the Shaman.

Any supernatural assistance comes with a price on the demon's terms.  No exorcism is possible, since Satan is not about to drive out part of his own kingdom.  All that is done is a negotiation for the replacement of one malicious demon for a more powerful demon.  All physical healing, fertility or a blessing comes at a spiritual cost.  An example of this is found in Genesis 3:1 regarding the serpent and Eve as you shall learn more about below.

One of the most seductive traps these demons offer is to assist the Shaman on a spiritual journey that is partly imaginary and partly soul traveling (astral projection).  The demons offer fantastic trips of seeming great importance, offering enormous secrets that only they are privy to.  There is just enough truth in it to make it look valid.  All of this leads to great delusions of grandeur that this person couldn't reproduce in real life and sometimes this act leads to insanity.

Sadly the paranormal people who started out with seeking the truth with which to truly help those suffering end up caught in a web of further deception.  Ultimately the family or individual facing diabolical aspects receives ever more diabolical reactions against them.  Both parties, the paranormal investigators as well as the afflicted family or persons started out seeking the truth but they had no direction to turn to find truth due to running into the schemes of Satan.

What one will find when a Christian has a very strong discussion with a Shaman is that they themselves are still seeking truth when you run might across them.  Recently a few weeks ago I had an impromptu meeting with a man who was trained by a Shaman Witch.  The man was so fascinated about the discussion of Demonic forces and the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, this man had rejected sound foundational beliefs due to trauma in his life (much like what we witness daily in this field) as he was mixing Witchcraft acts with Christianity.  The young man would not call upon the Lord Jesus Christ, but call upon the “great spirit”.  Sadly the “great spirit” is not what this young man believes to be true and accurate.

Christians have the truth which Shamans have not been quite able to find.  We can heal and drive off demons without it being a Faustian (deal with the devil) bargain.  When presented properly with the truth they are often the first person within the tribe to become a Christian when the Holy Gospel is presented to them. The Shaman may not be able to hear the gospel due to being heavily infested with demons.  Therefore the Shaman needs to go through proper deliverance to be set free.

So now that you understand the truth why would an individual use a person who is not in line with Lord Jesus Christ to defeat Satan?  Satan is possessive of the people he has in his grips and Satan will send demons & slaves to try to reclaim those people or attack them.

Blessings in the name of Lord Jesus Christ to all of you.

Rev. Dr. Bradley Luoma, A.A.E. Exorcist and Instructor

Angelology/Christian Demonology And The Cherubim

I hope your having a wonderful Sunday so far and everyone you love is healthy. This is a difficult subject to research and more difficult to explain but I will do my best at the request of many of you to go over this subject again. I blogged about this back either in November 2013 or Jan of this year so I hope to add more helpful information based on my humble opinion. Please remember I do not claim to be any kind of expert in anything I blog about. It is all just my humble opinion based on what I've researched so save the hate mail for the arrogant people who claim to know all and everyone else is wrong.

Angelology is the study of angels. There are many unbiblical views of angels today. Some believe angels are human beings who have died. Others believe that angels are impersonal sources of power. Still others deny the existence of angels entirely. A biblical understanding of angelology will correct these false beliefs. Angelology tells us what the Bible says about angels. It is a study of how the angels relate to humanity and serve God's purposes. Here are some important issues in angelology. Though the doctrine of angels holds an important place in the Gospel, it is often viewed as a very difficult and challenging subject because, while there is abundant mention of angels in the Bible, the nature of this revelation is without the same kind of explicit description we often find with other subjects developed in the Bible:

Demonology is the study of demons. Christian demonology is the study of what the Bible teaches about demons. Closely related to angelology, Christian demonology teaches us about the demons, what they are and how they attack us. Satan and his demons are fallen angels, real personal beings who wage war against God, the holy angels, and humanity. Christian demonology helps us to be aware of Satan, his minions, and their evil schemes.

Cherubims are angelic beings who are highly involved in the worship of God The Father. The cherubim are first mentioned in the Bible in Genesis 3:24, “After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” Prior to his rebellion, Satan was a cherub (Ezekiel 28:12-15). The tabernacle and temple along with their articles contained many representations of cherubim (Exodus 25:17-22; 26:1, 31; 36:8; 1 Kings 6:23-35; 7:29-36; 8:6-7; 1 Chronicles 28:18; 2 Chronicles 3:7-14;

Chapters 1 and 10 of the book of Ezekiel describe the “four living creatures” as the same beings as the cherubim (Ezekiel 10). Each had four faces—that of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle (Ezekiel 1:10; also 10:14)—and each had four wings. In their appearance, the cherubim “had the likeness of a man” (Ezekiel 1:5). These cherubim used two of their wings for flying and the other two for covering their bodies (Ezekiel 1:6, 11, 23). Under their wings the cherubim appeared to have the form, or likeness, of a man's hand (Ezekiel 1:8; 10:7-8, 21).

The presence of the sword-bearing cherubim  stresses that Adam and Eve were forcefully expelled from the Garden of Eden. The word cherubim is plural, indicating several angelic beings, either on the eastern side or the edge of the Garden, who completely blocked the way to the tree of life. The added facts that the sword was flaming and “turned every way” also indicates very strongly the strong security God had provided. There was no ability at all for Adam and Eve or any other person to reach the tree of life.

We need to put the focus on the Lord's Angels! Everything I see on TV interview seeing new shows in new movies are all about demons. That's why there's so much more daemonic activity going on and seems to be very much on the rise as many people are being influenced by these ghost hunting shows and these movies that are coming out in theaters that are pure evil. People are mimicking what you're seeing on the shows attempting séances, Ouija board sessions, demon summoning etc...People,the Lords Angels are 100 times more powerful than any demon or devil, I can assure you. They are our protectors and sent by God. There is so much comfort and solace in this. I personally believe we have them assigned to us for protection just as satan has assigned a demon or demons to torment and hurt us and our lives.

Angels are known as God's messengers. It's very interesting and very important to know some information about them. I personally go by a biblical point of view and the biblical laws of the bible. So please understand it is only my humble opinion of how I interpret this subject. Anyone I quote doesn't mean I agree with what they do. There are so many movies out and coming out about demons and the devil possessing. It's so disturbing however, you hear nothing of Angels.

At some undisclosed time following His creation of the heavens and the earth, God created the angels (Ps.148:2-5; Col.1:16). This event took place after the original ex nihilo (i.e., "out of nothing") creation of the universe described Genesis 1:1, and before the restoration of the earth (described also at Job 38:4-7) which followed God's initial judgment upon the universe because of Satan's rebellion (the results of which are described in Genesis 1:2 and following). God created all angelic kind at this time (including Satan and all those who would eventually rebel against Him). Though some would come to choose against Him, all the angels were originally created holy (Deut.33:2; Ps.89:7; Mk.8:38; Lk. 9:26). God gave each of them distinct duties and definite domains in which to exercise specified authority delegated.

An Angel  (from the Greek ἄγγελος ángelos, "messenger"[1]) is a supernatural being or spirit, often depicted in humanoid form with feathered wings on their backs and halos around their heads, found in various religions and mythologies.

The theological study of angels is known as "angelology". In Zoroastrianism and Abrahamic religions they are often depicted as benevolent celestial beings who act as intermediaries between Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits or a guiding influence.[2]

The term "angel" has also been expanded to various notions of spirits found in many other religious traditions. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings, and carrying out God's tasks.[3]

In art, angels are often depicted with bird-like wings on their back, a halo, robes and various forms of glowing light.[4]

In post-Biblical Judaism, certain angels took on particular significance and developed unique personalities and roles. Though these archangels were believed to rank among the heavenly host, no systematic hierarchy ever developed. Metatron is considered one of the highest of the angels in Merkabah and Kabbalist mysticism and often serves as a scribe; he is briefly mentioned in the Talmud [17] and figures prominently in Merkabah mystical texts. Michael, who serves as a warrior[18] and advocate for Israel (Daniel 10:13), is looked upon particularly fondly.[19] Gabriel is mentioned in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 8:15–17) and briefly in the Talmud, [20] as well as in many Merkabah mystical texts. There is no evidence in Judaism for the worship of angels, but there is evidence for the invocation and sometimes even conjuration of angels.[21].

Below are just some verses I found in scripture that give us more insight to Angels and what they do and how important they are. They are powerful beyond imagining. Demons fear the smite of them. They tremble in fear!

The LORD, the God of heaven, brought me from the home of my father and from the land of my relatives, and he solemnly promised me that he would give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel before you, so that you can get a wife there for my son. (Genesis 24:7)

He answered, 'The LORD, whom I have always obeyed, will send his angel with you and give you success. You will get for my son a wife from my own people, from my father's family. (Genesis 24:40)

Behold, I send an Angel before you, to keep you in the way, and to bring you to the place which I have prepared.

Angels fight against God's enemies

That night an angel of the LORD went to the Assyrian camp and killed 185,000 soldiers. At dawn the next day there they lay, all dead!

The LORD sent an angel that killed the soldiers and officers of the Assyrian army. So the emperor went back to Assyria disgraced. One day when he was in the temple of his god, some of his sons killed him with their swords. (2 Ch 32:21)

Researching Angels of The Lord is very interesting and uplifting however,  It's a difficult subject to understand and even harder to explain. We all interpret the bible differently and the same goes for the literature we research. This is why I ask the Holy Spirit to open my eyes to the truth and to help me understand.

Angelology gives us God's perspective on angels. Angels are personal beings who worship and obey our Lord God Almighty. God sometimes sends angels to "interfere" in the course of humanity. Angelology helps us to recognize the warfare that exists between God's angels and Satan and his demons. A proper understanding of angelology is very important. When we understand that angels are created beings, just as we are, we realize that worshipping or praying to angels robs God of the glory that belongs to Him alone. It was God, not angels, who sent His Son to die for us, who loves and cares for us, and who alone is worthy of our adoration.

Please ask Jesus into your heart and life. He loves you so very much. There is nothing that you could of done that would keep our Heavenly Father from loving us. Please keep that in mind. He is with us always. He wants us to prosper.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Will the Real Carl Jung Please Stand Up?‏

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Last time we looked at the two competing worldviews of today, and throughout human history—Oneism (monism) and Twoism (biblical theism). How did Christianity (Twoism) begin to lose its influence? There are different ways of answering that question depending on how far back one wishes to go. I want to focus on recent developments.

There is a flow to human history, and cultures like ours don’t just emerge from nowhere, nor do they remain static. During the 20^th century secular humanism was seen as the arch-enemy of biblical Christianity. However, recently even non-Christian scholars are saying (even celebrating) that we now live in a post-secular culture, as well as the rebirth of ancient paganism. Indeed there is a wedding of the ‘New” science with spirituality (Eastern). In order to understand the changing direction of our society we need to meet Swiss psychologist, Carl Gustov  Jung, the creator of transpersonal  psychology.  He and his followers have had, and continue to have, a huge influence in the reshaping of Western Civilization. Many see Jung as the father of the New Age movement, which may come as a shock to some of you, but it is why I am focusing on him.

Carl Gustav Jung (/jʊŋ/; German: [ˈkarl ˈɡʊstaf jʊŋ]; 26 July 1875 – 6 June 1961), often referred to as C. G. Jung, was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist who foundedanalytical psychology. His work has been influential not only in psychiatry but also in philosophy, anthropology, archaeology, literature, and religious studies. He was a prolific writer, though many of his works were not published until after his death.

The central concept of analytical psychology is individuation—the psychological process of integrating the opposites, including the conscious with the unconscious, while still maintaining their relative autonomy. Jung considered individuation to be the central process of human development. ^[37]

Individuation is a process of transformation whereby the personal and collective unconscious is brought into consciousness (by means of dreams, active imagination or free associationto take some examples) to be assimilated into the whole personality.

 

Jung created some of the best known psychological concepts, including the archetype, the collective unconscious, the complex, and extraversion and introversion.(Wikpedia)

 

It was Jung who coined the terms “introvert’ and ‘extrovert’, and the Meyers-Briggs personality type indicator was developed from his theories. As we’ll see, Jung’s introduction to Indian religion profoundly affected him, and in turn, his views trickled down to have an all pervasive impact on pop culture, across the board. Jung was an associate of Freud, but early on, they had a parting of the ways. Freud had no use for spirituality, but Jung saw it as the key to psychological healing. But his spirituality was not Christianity. For example, the integrating of opposites (individuation) is occultic, as we shall see.

For many people their early years are truly formative, and Jung was no exception. Though his father was a Lutheran pastor, it seems it was liberal formalism, and it was a turn off to Jung. His paternal grandfather was Grand Master of the Swiss Order of Freemasons, and his maternal grandfather was an occultist and spiritualist. His maternal grandmother was a seer who communicated with the spirits of the dead (demons) and gave prophecies. Carl’s mother was a medium who spent long periods enraptured with the spirits that visited her at night. For many years Jung attended séances with his mother and two cousins. Demonic influence came early and heavy.

Will the real Carl Jung please stand up? As we shall see there was much more to Jung than scientific theories and personality types.  Richard Noll, a psychologist and history of science professor at Harvard, dropped a bombshell on the academic community. The Jung Cult: Origins of a Charismatic Movement and The Aryan Christ: the Secret Life of Carl Jung stated thus: “This 20^th century mask (of scientific research) was constructed deliberately, and somewhat deceptively, by Jung to make his own magical, polytheist, pagan worldview more palatable to a secularized world conditioned to respect only those ideas that seem to have a scientific air to them.” Makes sense given his background.

Noll was vindicated with the publication of the Red Book fifty years after Jung’s death. In this volume Jung explains what he went through after his spit with Freud. During this time he experienced ‘psychotic fantasies’ and ‘numerous paranormal phenomena’. He became immersed in the world of the dead. In the Red Book, Jung gives details of what he called ‘numinous experiences’, which included his relationship with a spirit-guide named Philemon, whom he described as a pagan old man with the horns of a bull and the wings of a bird. As Jung began to have many paranormal experiences, Philemon introduced him to Abraxas, the devil-god of Gnosticism. Philemon referred to Jung as Christ. The demonic nature of Jung’s life and work is sadly indisputable. For a long time I thought Abraxas was simply the name of one of Carlos Santana’s albums!! lol

He further admits the significance of his paranormal experiences with the spirit world from 1914-1930 when he “..pursued…with the help of alchemy….the inner images…that threatened to break me”

Everything he wrote after these experiences was , as he put it, the ‘outer classification’ of them. In other words, all of Jung’s complex theories and voluminous writings, were a series of ‘footnotes’ to his early and direct experiences with the spirit realm (the demonic).Near the end of his life Jung said, “We can no longer practice any psychology that ignores the existence of parapsychology (paranormal phenomena).” (pg 58, The Undiscovered Self).

Jung was involved with what has been called “depth psychology”. As Christians, we must realize that there is a deep depth to human nature. So, in this sense Jung was helpful.

As Dr Peter Jones says, “For Jung, the future of psychology lay in the development of paranormal spiritualism. This becomes evident in the Red Book…” (The Other Worldview, pg.33) Transpersonal psychology was based on Jung’s own experience of the paranormal and on newly rediscovered pagan  traditions and symbolism/myths. His original doctoral dissertation was titled, “On the Psychology and Pathology of So-Called Occult Phenomena”.

Last time we noted that at the heart of the occult/Oneist worldview is the blurring or combining of creational distinctions. Oneist gives it away does it not? All is ONE….monism, dressed in western garb. Individuation, or the blurring of creational distinctions, was at the heart of Jung’s thought and he learned this concept from studying Eastern religions. We see that this modern mania to mock/erase God’s distinctions within His good creation, got its impetus from Jung. I saw the recent TV premier of Bruce Jenner’s outing, which will be a series. It saddens me to see how influential this man is becoming in further popularizing this notion of ‘individuation’.

 The Collective Unconscious…. "there does seem to be a basic ambiguity in Jung's various descriptions of the Collective Unconscious. Sometimes he seems to regard the predisposition to experience certain images as understandable in terms of some genetic model"^[75] – as with the collective arm. However, Jung was "also at pains to stress thenuminous quality of these experiences, and there can be no doubt that he was attracted to the idea that the archetypes afford evidence of some communion with some divine or world mind' (accent added), and perhaps 'his popularity as a thinker derives precisely from this" The collective unconscious included the psychic memories of individuals of the past…leading way back. “ (Wikpedia)  The statement regarding his popularity due to this concept is an understatement!

It is difficult to exaggerate how significant this notion of accessing or communing with the collective unconscious --universe/divine/world mind has become in New Age circles today. The Star War series resonates with this notion of ‘the force’, as do many other movies , TV shows, games, ect  It has become deeply ensconced in our culture.

STOP…and REFLECT---the modern view of psychological health is based in large part on a pagan worldview on how the world and humans work!  The individuation he spoke of was clearly a Oneist worldview, which we spoke of last week. Jung was a prophet of a Oneist  worldview, where all is god, and god is all. All creational distinctions (good/bad, male/female, etc) were joined together in his system, in order to achieve maximum psychic health.

What is the legacy of Jung? His ideas have infiltrated every aspect of culture. His psychological model described healthy human behavior as connection with one’s subconscious and with archetypes. Sexual and spiritual liberation were essential for the therapeutic health of the subconscious and being re-united with the divine. His psycho-spiritual model of healing had enormous influence, inside and outside the church. Many mainline denominations saw Jung as therapeutic ‘savior’ from the atheistic Freud. Pastoral care givers were affected and there was a flood of pastors becoming Jungian analysts,

Wealthy families like the Rockefellers, the McCormick’s, and the Mellon’s financially supported Jung’s vision, and were clients themselves. This helped to popularize Jung’s theories. Speaking of his theories, this is a blog, and not an academic paper, on Jung. I didn’t have time to elaborate on his all his major theories. However, all that is said in this blog comes from sources well documented (eg  P Jone’s book).

Jung provided a spiritual and therapeutic mechanism for the individual’s subconscious to be liberated from the ethical demands of holy living and the pain of guilt. Ethics were relativized and personal desire became the basis for psychological healing and human maturity. In a justification of an extra-marital affair with a young student, Jung wrote, “Nothing matters but the completion of the self.” Jung died in 1961 but his verbiage became the motto for the sexual revolution of the 1960’s—‘If it feels good, then do it.”

Jung’s therapy caught on, and today, the subconscious trumps every other authority or truth, including (and especially) the bible. Discovery of the inner self has become a national passion, leading to unprecedented narcissism. Being in tune with the Universe as well as consciousness raising has become ubiquitous in a thousand different New Age flavors….all tracing back to Jung….who was inspired by the ancient ‘perennial philosophy” or pagan/occult worldview.

Take a moment to think of several New Age theories or practices—everything from ascension to yoga-and one can hear the terms and categories Jung introduced into Western culture. I can think of no modern thinker who did more to derail our cultural train off its biblical tracks than Carl Jung. His influence is found virtually everywhere….even in the church.

Lest I be misunderstood, I affirm the value of much psychology/psychiatry. We need Christians in these fields to ‘bring every thought captive to Christ.”  Christians can bring a true/realistic view of human nature to the discussion, as well as a full-orbed approach to psychological healing based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, plus nothing. And we bring a knowledge of the Fall, which brought in its wake (among other disconnects) man’s separation from himself…beginning of psychological problems. The bible is not an exhaustive handbook on psychology, so there are many useful things we can learn from this field.

The New Age has matured and wears many, many different masks. However, if you look at the common motifs in each, one will see the categories and methodology of Carl Jung—and the Oneist worldview he championed. Much more could be said regarding perhaps the most influential thinker from the 20^th century up til today. However, for anyone who wants to understand how we got to the horrible place we are currently at, and how to sensitively speak the unchanging truth with courage and effectiveness to our generation, then one needs to let the real Carl Jung to stand up….and be challenged.

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.

Is Religion Failing? The Dalai Lama has a Surprising Answer

Written by Mark A. Kellner

It isn't just American demographers and church planters who are concerned about the rise of the "nones," or the spiritually unaffiliated. Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, isn't happy about it, either.

In an interview to be shown on ORA.tv, the 80-year-old Buddhist thinker and leader said that while faith has been a positive, belief appears to be losing influence.
"I think religion — all major religion(s) including Buddhism — over 2,000 years I think — (have been an) immense help to humanity," the Dalai Lama told veteran cable interviewer Larry King. "But not adequate. Particularly now today out of 7 billion, (there are) over 1 billion — non-believer(s)."

The Dalai Lama's concerns follow a May 2015 survey by the Pew Research Center showing 23 percent of Americans now identify as "religiously unaffiliated," up from 16.1 percent seven years earlier.

The so-called "rise of the nones" is of growing concern to many observers. R. Andrew Chesnut, a professor of religious studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, believes the growing cohort of "spiritual-but-not-religious," agnostics and atheists portends the continuing secularization of American society.

Others, such as LifeWay Research president Ed Stetzer, believe some of the so-called "nones" are just nondenominational Christians. Writing at CNN.com, Stetzer said that "American Christianity is becoming more nondenominational and more evangelical at the same time."

But regardless of cause or consequence, the Dalai Lama apparently believes more and better inculcation of faith in new believers is necessary. He decried what he called "corrupted" followers among the world's religions who did not receive "adequate" instruction in their faith, and thus may require better spiritual formation.

"So now we have to find another way to educate people (in) the importance of these inner value(s)," he said.

Although he is the spiritual leader of the smallest of Buddhism's three main branches, the Dalai Lama's influence in America is substantial, Religion News Service reported recently.

According to Tom Tweed, president of the American Academy of Religion, the Dalai Lama "became an important public symbol for all sorts of values that Americans came to appreciate, including nonviolence, religious tolerance and openness to the conclusions of science."

The news agency said "millions of Methodist, Catholic, Jewish and other non-Buddhist Americans have kept copies of Buddhist texts, Buddhist meditation manuals or the Dalai Lama’s writings at their bedsides, 'significantly engaging in Buddhist ideas, but extracted from the context of a Buddhist temple,'" according to Tweed.

The Dalai Lama will be in the United States in October to attend the Parliament of World Religions in Salt Lake City. Tickets for a lecture he is expected to deliver at the University of Utah sold out within 15 minutes of availability, the Deseret News' Marjorie Cortez reported.

Email: mkellner@deseretnews.com Twitter: @Mark_Kellner

Link to original article: http://national.deseretnews.com/article/5185/is-religion-failing-the-dalai-lama-has-a-surprising-answer.html

Fear And Torment Are Not From God

As I've pointed out in many blogs that our mind is the devil's playground. It's his major tool and weapon to utilize as a way to torment us. Even so far as to cause people to commit suicide. One of the biggest door openers to attract demonic spirits is the spirit of fear. This spirit can take on many forms, but its intentions are clear, no matter what kind of spirit of fear it may be, It intends to keep you from living a joyful, peaceful, spirit filled life where you give to others. It will keep you awake with nightmares. It will keep you in bondage unable to overcome past emotional and physical wounds. For example, the fear of throwing something away, it could be anything from collectibles, clothes or simply trash. These people have been labeled “hoarders”. You have to understand for them tossing away even trash is deeply traumatic and overwhelmingly scary for them. I feel this often comes from a major trauma, most often the loss of a loved one, but it could be any trauma that can bring this particular spirit of fear into a persons life.

Satan is the master of the mind and that's the first thing he and his demons attack, you're mind. They can manipulate thinking patterns by taking something minor put it in your head creating a Sandcastle out of a piece of sand. Fear is not of God. Many people who have an unhealthy fears need to know this. Don't let the enemy rob you of happiness and peace. No one has to be perfect and without sin in order to love Jesus Christ and follow his teachings. I'd be a liar if I even began to say I sin very little or I'm sin free. There's nothing in the bible that stipulates a sinner can't love and choose to worship God and move past mistakes and repent then move forward. That doesn't make someone a fraud. If one says otherwise, Christ died on the Cross Of Calvary for nothing then. Easter is all for nothing. I do feel people in leadership need to really pay more attention to their actions but no one is without sin or never makes mistakes or poor choices in life. Don't let this lie make you feel God won't love you or you are not allowed to worship and love him.

One way Satan 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."

Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you. I believe God works gently with us to bring us out of bondage and into liberty. If you've been afraid of something and desire to be free, the time will eventually come when you'll have to face your fear and not run away from it. Just take Jesus' hand, acknowledge that He is with you, and do it. If you're afraid of people with authority, the time will come when you'll have to confront an authority figure and not cower in fear. God will have arranged the time. He'll be there, but you'll have to choose whether to go through or run away.

I found the following paragraph of information I obtained at deeptruths.com :Fear is today's No.1 killer! Believe it or not, fear causes more sickness and more mental illness and more premature deaths than anything else on Earth! Doctors have discovered that heart muscle is actually DESTROYED when people are subject to great fear. Dr. Marilyn Cebelin, writing in the General Practitioner's newspaper, "Pulse," says the hormone, adrenalin, literally DESTROYS heart muscles when people are subjected to intense stress and fear. Canadian medical circles also report that WORRY increases chances of infectious disease, in that it weakens the body's ability to fight off germs. A recent study of cases of streptococcal infection, according to Dr. Robert Haggerty, revealed that one out of four cases of such infections occurred after prolonged trauma and anxiety. Heart trouble, high blood pressure, arthritis and stomach ulcers are all basically caused by worry, tension, stress and fear!

If you're at one of these crossroads in your life, let me encourage you to go forward. Don't stand still in terror, but take His hand and go forward. Remember, fear torments and God wants to deliver you from all of your fears. Perfect love casts out fear. Remember this my friends. God does not being you torment, only the enemy.

1 John 4:1-3
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

If you feel the Devil is attacking you with fears, worries, anxiety etc., you can pray in the Name of Jesus and resist and overcome him!--Jesus said, "Behold, I give you power over all the power of the Enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."Luke 10:19. This power is YOURS if you believe His Word, claim His promises and pray in the Name of Jesus! In fact, if you are filled with faith and His Holy Spirit, you have the authority to resist the Devil directly, just like Jesus and His early disciples did.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Two Conflicting Worldviews—Oneism vs. Twoism

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)….biblical worldview

“In the beginning was the universe/energy/consciousness…”    “In the beginning the universe created the universe.” The OTHER worldview…….the pagan worldview.

 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.(Romans 1:20-23)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Hebrews 11:1-3)

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

Many people don’t realize that America has experienced a Second Revolution, beginning in the 1960’s. It was similar to the French Revolution it that its goal was to bring radical change to the forms, structures, values, and ethics of the status quo. It had to destroy before ushering in utopia. It is seeking to bring in a New Age with the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. However, the dawn of the New Age is now at its high noon. Though this revolution, in its inception, was relatively bloodless, its consequences have been brutally bloody. 60 million unborn children have died in this ‘enlightened’ age…and this is just the USA. And for the New Age worldview to succeed, Christianity has to be neutralized.

Neo-paganism has led to neo-barbarianism. We stand at the graveside of western civilization and we must weep and wake up! In order to speak the timeless truth of the gospel in a meaningful way in our changing culture, we need to understand what the underlying assumptions or worldview is of those around us.

One of the reasons people seem to talk past each other when debating issues like: earthbound spirits, poltergeists, residual energy, etc. Is that the underlying worldview is rarely addressed. Every person has a worldview which acts like spectacles through which they view all of reality. It affects how we think, how we act, and how we feel.

I want to begin a series which contrasts the two conflicting worldviews of today. Though it may appear reductionistic, this is a simple but accurate way of summarizing the only two worldviews that have existed since the dawn of time.(in my book I mention several worldviews, but they all can be boiled down to two, and just two).

Why is there something rather than nothing? And what is the nature of that something? Where did we come from? Colin Gunyon stated, “There are, probably, ultimately only two possible answers to the question of origins, and they recur at different places in all ages: (either) that the universe is the result of creation by a free personal agency, or that in some way or other it created itself. The two answers are not finally compatible, and require a choice, either between them or an attitude of agnostic refusal to decide.”

I want to gently ask—how can you live with yourself if you have not taken the time to understand why you are here? How can you expect to experience a meaningful life if you don’t care what the meaning of life is—its origin and its explanation?

For the sake of simplicity, Dr Peter Jones says that there are only two ultimate worldview explanations of origins—what he calls Oneism and Twoism. These are two mutually-contradictory ways to think about the world. Let me let Jones explain what these terms mean. I highly recommend this book by Dr Jones, a brilliant scholar who is an astute observer of what is happening in our culture. (see below)

Oneism—“sees the world as self-creating (or perpetually existing) and self-explanatory. Everything is made up of the same stuff, whether matter, spirit, or a mixture. There’s one kind of existence, which, in one way or another, we worship as divine (or of ultimate importance), even if that means worshipping ourselves. Though there is apparent differentiation and even hierarchy, all distinctions are, in principle, eliminated, and everything has the same worth. This is ‘homocosmology’, a worldview based on sameness. The classic term for this is ‘paganism’, worship of nature.” (pg. 12 The Other Worldview, Peter Jones)

In other words, there is ultimately only ONE reality…..creator and creation are compressed. Hence, Oneism. This false worldview takes on many different faces, but the bottom line is the same—ultimately, there is only one kind of ultimate reality.

Twoism—“The only other option is a world that is the free work of a personal, transcendent God, who creates ex nihilo (from nothing). In creating, God was not constrained by or dependent on any pre-existing conditions. There is nothing exactly like this in our human experience of creating; our creative acts are analogous to God’s. There is God, and there is everything that is not God—everything created and sustained by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This worldview celebrates otherness, distinctiveness. We only worship as divine the distinct, personal, triune Creator, who placed essential distinctions within creation. This is a ‘heterocosmology’, a worldview based on otherness and difference. This is often called ‘theism’. (pg.13) (Islam and Judaism are deficient attempts at Twoism, but ultimately are Oneist due to lack of Trinity)
In other words, there are ultimately only two kinds of reality—The infinite/personal Creator, and His creation (visible and invisible)…..Twoism
Phrases you may have heard that express Oneism
I’m not religious, but spiritual (this has different meanings but I suggest that Christians not use this verbiage)
Breaking or denying boundaries
Breaking taboos
Abolishing ‘either/or’ thinking
‘As above, so below’ (no distinction between divine and human)
Non-duality
Oneness—all is one
Enlightenment, chakra, it’s all relative, synchronicity with the Universe, raising energy/consciousness levels, affirming/afforming changes in reality, sending positive thoughts, innate human psychic powers ect, ect

Whether implicitly or explicitly embraced, these two world views are antithetical….mutually exclusive. One is true and the other is false.  In the moral worldview of the bible knowledge is never ‘neutral’. That is why Paul calls one of these worldviews ‘the truth’ and the other worldview ‘the lie’ (Romans 1:25)

Oneism is the lie, and Twoism is the truth.

From the opening line in Genesis to Revelation (see above texts), the bible insists that there are two, and only two, kinds of reality…..the Creator, and everything else…the creation. But paganism merges the two into an idolatrous one.

From time of gestation (mid sixties) to full birth (mid-nineties), a pagan Oneist worldview has virtually overrun and taken over our culture.  Pop culture (movies, TV shows, books/novels, spirituality, sexuality, ect.) has been both a cause and symptom of this Oneist juggernaut. For those who are sensitive, the amount of change that has occurred in the last 30 years has been staggering and heart-wrenching—nothing short of a second American Revolution…that has spread worldwide.
Secular humanism and pagan spirituality are both Oneist worldviews. For quite a while secular humanism was the dominant enemy of Christianity, but it is sputtering due to its lack of explanatory power and its consequences (two world wars). Ironically, our culture is not becoming less spiritual, but MORE spiritual…..but this spirituality is from hell. It denies the Creator (see Romans 1:18 ff) and deifies the creation.

We shall look at this in more detail in the coming weeks. But we must ask: is it over? Is it too late? The answer is not a nostalgic return to the 1950’s. We need a generation of spiritual warriors who are valiant for truth and are aware of this worldview shift…to bring the biblical worldview back and pray for revival/reformation.

For now, my main goal was to make folks aware of the two competing worldviews.
Next week we shall look at Carl Jung’s  massive contribution to this paradigm shift.

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.

Long-Life Offering to His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Thekchen Chöling, McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala, HP, India, 20 July 2015 - To begin with this morning, His Holiness the Dalai Lama took his seat below the Tsuglagkhang to observe debates performed by monks and nuns from Nepal. They came from Kopan Monastery, Shelkar Chöde, Chuwar Gaden Dropen Ling, Shri Chusang Gompa, Samtenling Drubgön, Thukje Chöling, Serkong Gaden Jamgonling, and Gosok Phuntsok Chöling, as well as two nunneries, Kyirong Thukje Chöling and Kopan Khechö Gakyil Ling.

They also submitted a report of their studies and activities. His Holiness commended them, noting that 40 years ago he had advised that even monasteries engaged mostly in performing rituals and nunneries should introduce programs of study. He told them that they not only need to study, reflect and meditate, they also need to integrate what they know in practice.

From the throne in the Tsuglagkhang, His Holiness announced that eleven different organizations had submitted requests to make a Ten-shug or Long-Life Offering. They included the Gelug Association of Nepal, the Tibetan Youth Congress, people of U-Tsang province, Shang Gaden Chökhor Ling, the Taglung Kagyu Tradition, the Tibetan Women’s Association, the Guchusum Movement, the Ngari Chithun Association, the Lodrik Association of Pokhara, Nepal, the Middle Way People’s Association and the Himalayan Buddhist Cultural Society. Since there was insufficient time for each of them to make a separate offering, they had all been brought together today.

“Today, the fourth of the sixth Tibetan month, is when we celebrate the Buddha’s first teaching,” His Holiness told the packed crowd. “He manifested as an emanation body, which can be seen by ordinary people, and lived the life of a prince. Once he’d seen the four signs - birth, aging, sickness and death - he renounced the royal life and undertook austerities for six years. Meditating on selflessness he attained enlightenment and then sharing what he’d experienced with others, he revealed the path.

“There were three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma. In the first the Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, in the second the Perfection of Wisdom and in the third the nature of the mind and Buddha nature. While the first Turning of the Wheel took place in public, the second was revealed only to a select group of disciples.

“Today, commemorating the First Turning of the Wheel of Dharma is an auspicious day. I’ll give a long-life empowerment related to the White Tara Wish-fulfilling Wheel, and along with that we’ll conduct a ceremony for generating the awakening mind. After that you can perform the long-life offering.”

His Holiness spoke about the Tibetan Buddhist tradition having its origins in the Nalanda tradition, which was characterized by a sceptical analysis of the teachings. This was in accord with the Buddha’s own advice to his followers not to accept his teaching out of reverence for him, but only once they had convinced themselves of its integrity through analysis. He said that while the Tibetan word ‘chö’ has a connotation of transformation, the Sanskrit term ‘Dharma’ has a sense of restraint, withholding and protection.

He pointed out that all 7 billion human beings alive today want happiness and don’t want suffering. And yet today’s education systems seem to be dedicated only to material development, which is inadequate. What we need in addition, he said, is a sense of inner peace, mental peace. To achieve that we need to counter our disturbing emotions which are among the factors that destroy it. His Holiness suggested that although circumambulation and prayer have value, they won’t help us overcome ignorance. Only wisdom and intelligence can do that. Although love and compassion are common to all religious paths, only Buddhism teaches a wisdom that overcomes the ignorance that involves a misconception of reality.

“In their report downstairs just now the monks and nuns from Nepal referred to an ongoing dialogue between Buddhism and science. I prefer to talk about a conversation involving Buddhist science and modern science. Where quantum physics says things lack any objective existence, for example, the Mind Only school says nothing has any external existence. What I wonder is whether such an understanding in a quantum physicist’s mind has any effect on his or her disturbing emotions?

“Tibetan Buddhism is vast and profound, but we should cultivate it on the basis of understanding, not on the excuse that it is what our parents believed. When Mao Zedong told me that religion is poison, I think he was referring to following religion with blind faith.

“For forty years or so, I’ve urged monasteries where there was no tradition of study to introduce it. These days I urge lay people to study too and increasingly many are doing so. The Nalanda tradition placed emphasis on logic and epistemology, which deals with the nature, sources and limits of knowledge. We Tibetans have kept it up. This is our treasure; it can be a treasure for the world too.”

His Holiness expressed gratitude for the kindness Tibetans have received from the Himalayan peoples. The many monks who have joined the re-established Tibetan monasteries have derived benefit themselves, but have also been helpful to the tradition. He mentioned Gyumey Lama Umzey, Gyen Lobsang, Shartse Abbot Jangchub Chöden, Chosphel Zotpa and Ganden Tri Rinpoche, Rizong Rinpoche as examples. He also recalled a story from the late Bakula Rinpoche’s childhood at Drepung Monastery in Tibet. When Rinpoche’s teacher scolded him for something Rinpoche apologised and asked to be excused because he came from a borderland. These days, His Holiness remarked, Ladakh is more like a central land.

“Although we are refugees,” His Holiness said, “we have preserved our traditions and shared them with the world.”

When he began to give the White Tara long-life empowerment, including a ceremonial generation of the awakening mind of bodhichitta, he remarked that if we are to put the vast and profound teachings of the Buddha into practice we need to have a long life. He advised that if we can it is important to maintain a clear mind from childhood.

“If you don’t die in the next couple of months, you may be able to create the causes for good rebirth. If you don’t die for the next couple of years, you might be able to create the causes of lasting happiness, “ he said.

The moment the White Tara empowerment was complete, the assembly began to perform the long-life offering. During the customary procession to present symbolic and actual offerings, about 1300 people from the 11 participating organizations passed through the temple, many of them looking eagerly towards the throne in hope of catching His Holiness’s eye. In the course of this happy occasion His Holiness remarked that while many regard their 81st year as unfavourable, for him it has been most auspicious. Long after he had returned to his residence, and despite the rain, people who had taken part in the ceremonies continued to sing and dance in the temple yard.

Original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1302-eleven-organizations-make-a-long-life-offering-to-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama