Obedience to the Lordship of Christ, and the great Evangelical Disaster. Pt.3

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Continued from part 2 http://eyeontheparanormal.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-great-evangelical-disaster-part-2.html

Let me recap...We have been looking at the larger picture of how and why the belief in ghosts has spread so rapidly..For the first time, I have deviated from focusing 100 percent on the paranormal....but there is a method to my madness. 80 years ago our nation had a Christian consensus; biblical knowledge and values were widespread, as was a biblical notion of objective truth (as opposed to the rampant relativism of today). Autonomous freedom--reckless attempt to be freed from the restraints of God and His moral law-- has been the culprit that has undercut this Christian consensus and made the way for belief in ghosts and other evil and error.

There is another culprit pointed out by Francis Schaeffer from whom I borrowed the title of his last book. Before I proceed I want to point out that, before he died in 1985 (book published in 1984), many people thought Schaeffer had retreated from his earlier works and got sidetracked on pro-life activism and other crucial issues. He addresses this misperception in the book, and says that it is not true. Rather, his books should be seen as a whole, and his confrontation of vital issues plaguing our society were simply the logical outworking of his previously stated beliefs.I take the time to mention this because, if you are fifty years or older, chances are you were affected by the brilliant and compassionate work of this man.

Evangelicals (bible believing Christians) are divided into two groups, he stated: those who are obedient to God's inerrant word over the full spectrum of life and those who aren't. And the division over this watershed issue is only going to keep growing. Which brings us to the second reason our society is suicidal: evangelical leaders (seminaries, publications, para-church leaders, and pastors).abruptly stopped lovingly confronting the moral rot in society. Content to preach expository sermons, the pastors forgot the responsibility to confront elements of autonomous freedom in application of their sermons. Hence, these evangelical leaders began to accommodate or adapt to the sinful world spirit, and our country took a nose-dive.This last point did/does not sit well with the majority of evangelical leaders, because they were/are guilty of passively adapting to all manner of evil, and they turned their back on the very man who had touched so many of their lives.

Hunnemann is about as German as you can get, and I know what happened in Nazi Germany when Hitler declared a whole race of people as non-human...the Jews. Do you think the German pastors should have addressed from the pulpit this particularly vicious form of autonomous freedom which swept the German people off their feet?.Of course they should have! But most German evangelical preachers didn't. If they had, the people would not have supported Hitler like they did. I saw Ray Comfort's 180. tonight and it floored me.In speaking along these lines, he implied what Schaeffer made explicit: why, then, does the US evangelical band play on while a whole segment of society has been declared non-human and slaughtered? Fifty-three million babies have been massacred and few evangelical preachers can bring themselves to confront it from the pulpit, not to mention in public. What good is an expository sermon if it does not address head-on the crucial issues of the day? Remember the quote from Luther about confessing Christ? There is a hierarchy of importance: should a Christian vote for Hitler? Then why vote for a pro-choice candidate?

Now we are in a position to ask why the notion of ghosts has skyrocketed in recent years.There are aspects of believing in ghosts that are appealing (eg,.speaking to deceased loved ones, alleged proof of the afterlife and it makes no difference what you believe, it fills a spiritual void, etc.) which have contributed to its popularity. But the primary reason the belief in ghosts has risen so sharply is because the vast majority of evangelical leaders have not lovingly confronted this crucial issue. If 65% of American young adults (18-25) believe in ghosts, then it is a crucial issue. Is it as important as abortion? No, of course not. But it is a juggernaut that is changing the landscape of spirituality in America. It is drawing tens of millions of American's into a close encounter with the demonic.It is contrary to every aspect of a Christian worldview. It is drawing millions away from Christ, and destabilizing the faith of many others. Most significantly, the notion of earthbound spirits undercuts the singular honor and dignity of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, it is a serious issue. So, why have you never heard a sermon on ghosts, or even a sub-point of a sermon? I have not... I say this with tears, but firmly, evangelicals leaders (whether Reformed, charismatic, and so on) have become sissified when it comes to being guardians of culture.

Go to virtually any evangelical church of one-hundred or more members, and some of those members will believe in ghosts or are not sure. (There are some exceptions to this rule). So, the problem is inside as well as outside the church, but the band plays on. I have tried to generate interest, but pastors resolutely remain the most dismissive group regarding the significance of the issue of ghosts that I know of. With few exceptions, it is not addressed from the pulpit, let alone in public One glance at a TV Guide should be enough to persuade even the most hardened skeptic, but there are none so blind as those who refuse to see..That, my friends, is why the belief in ghosts is steamrolling our country.It is tremendously sad, but it places the debate in a larger perspective or context.

Today.I had the joy of communicating with a fellow minister.who has 22 years experience of lovingly confronting this issue as a demonologist/exorcist. And he is making a real difference in people's lives. Praise God!

But as Schaeffer reminds us, we must not pretend that there is not division in the evangelical ranks when there is.There are those who are obedient to the  inerrant bible in practice by confronting error and evil, and there are those who are worldly and disobedient due to their.passivity in confronting evil and error--and in their passivity they are accommodating to it. The growth of belief in ghosts is just one issue out of a cluster of issues that is growing worse due to the great evangelical disaster.
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That brings our three part series to a close. As always, if you have any comments or questions, please contact me....or if you just want to talk...

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.

Dalai Lama: Interaction with Youth

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 22 November 2016 – At the Culture House in downtown Ulaanbaatar this morning, His Holiness gave two brief interviews to local television channels.

In a message to young Mongolians, His Holiness said,

“Tibet and Mongolia have had friendly relations for more than 1000 years, especially since we embraced Buddhism. Despite the material development we see in the world, people still lack peace of mind. These days we also see conflict in the name of religion. At such a time, it is important to work to ensure international peace.

“I have visited many western countries and even in these highly developed societies people are unhappy. This is why, these days, there is such interest in what Buddhism has to say about the workings of the mind.

“Mongolia has historically been a Buddhist country. Under communist rule, despite great difficulties, you were still able to preserve your religious faith. Now that you are free once more, there is growing interest in your Buddhist heritage, especially the Nalanda tradition. You need to build on this interest.

“Even those without much interest in religion as such can benefit from what the Nalanda tradition has to teach. However, most of you have a fervent faith, so I appeal to you to make an effort to study the Nalanda tradition. In the monasteries, younger monks should not only learn how to perform rituals and prayers, they should also study hard.”

Asked what changes he has noticed in Mongolia since his last visit in 2011, His Holiness replied:

“Of course, I can see that externally there has been a great deal of development, many more houses have been built. However, whether the inhabitants of these houses have a deeper sense of peace of mind is another matter. It is quite clear that material development alone is not sufficient to bring us inner peace. This is why today in America, Europe, Japan and China, many people, including scientists, are showing increasing interest in the workings of the mind.

“Mongolia has historically been a Buddhist country, upholding the Nalanda tradition for more than 1000 years. You should not just take this for granted, but should make an effort to study yourselves. I believe Mongolia has great opportunities ahead. You are witnessing great material development, but your ancestors have also bequeathed you this great Buddhist tradition. Buddhist Psychology is very advanced and it is something that already belongs to you. Today, you have an opportunity to be the bridge between the Buddhist traditions of Nalanda and modern education.”

Speaking publicly about ‘Universal Values and Buddhism in the 21st Century’ His Holiness outlined his three commitments. The first involves the promotion of human happiness and peace in the world, the key to which is inner peace. He stressed that peace of mind is important if we are to be physically healthy. If we want to create a happier more peaceful world, we need to take inner peace seriously. We do not necessarily have to cultivate religious practice, we can rely on our common experience common sense supported by scientific findings.

“Cultivating compassion and inner peace is not the preserve of any particular religious tradition; it is rooted in universal values,” His Holiness advised. “Time is always moving forward so we cannot change the past. However, we can shape the future. During the 20th century more than 200 million people died violently. If that violence had ultimately left the world a better place, we could perhaps justify it, but that is not the case. The reality today is that we are so interdependent that war and the use of force is thoroughly out of date.

“We must act according to the new reality in which we find ourselves. The idea of complete victory for one side and the complete defeat of the other is entirely unrealistic. Taking an unrealistic approach yields no positive results. We have to remember that each and every one of us belong to the 7 billion human beings alive today. Considering the welfare of the whole humanity ultimately ensures our own benefit. Narrow selfish concern is unrealistic. Real happiness involves concern for others. Where the 20th century was fraught with bloodshed and conflict those of you who belong to the 21st century should cultivate a sense of the oneness of humanity and work to ensure this century becomes an era of compassion. If you can do that you’ll experience a happier world.”

After lunch where he was staying, His Holiness met members of the Tibetan community in Mongolia as well as the many Mongolians who came to see him.

original link & photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1495-interaction-with-youth

Interview with Oliver Phipps, Author of "The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story"

Book Title: "The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story"

Author: Oliver Phipps

Genre: Fiction, Teen & Young Adult, Horror, Occult, Ghosts

Available Formats: eBook & Paperback

Kindle link: The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story

Kindle UK link: The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story

Amazon Paperback link: The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story

B&N Paperback link: The House on Cooper Lane: Based on a True Story

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oliver-Phipps/613242265417442

Author's website: www.oliverphipps.com

Brief summary:

It's 1984 and all Bud Fisher wants to do is find a place to live in Madison Louisiana. With his dog Badger, they come across a beautiful old mansion that was converted into apartments.

Something should have felt odd when he found out nobody lived in any of the apartments. To make matters worse, the owner is reluctant to let him rent one. Eventually he negotiates an apartment in the historic old house, but soon finds out that he's not quite as alone as he thought. What ghostly secret has the owner failed to share?

It's up to Bud to unravel the mysteries of the upstairs apartments, but is he really ready to find out the truth?

Excerpt:

       A woman screamed somewhere above Bud. Opening his eyes, he looked straight up at the ceiling of the living room. The creaking of ancient floorboards above him indicated someone walking fast towards the direction of the scream. The footsteps followed the same path as before and faded off past the old fireplace.

      Bud struggled to wake up. Badger ran around the living room, growling upwards at the sounds above. Bud stood up, still gazing at the ceiling; he started towards the bedroom to get his club, but stopped in his tracks before taking another step. The double doors to the bedroom were closed. He didn't close them; he was sure he didn't.

      Fear crept up the back of his spine with a cold chill. His hair tingled. He rubbed the back of his neck trying to make it quit. He walked to the doors and attempted to open them. They wouldn’t open. He looked through the glass windows and saw his club beside the bed. He quickly considered breaking the glass as he paced around the living room still rubbing the back of his neck. Someone must be in trouble; a woman must be in danger upstairs. Or was it his imagination? The doors certainly weren't. He should do something. The young man couldn't relax as he felt the need to take action immediately. There may be no time to seek help.

      He grabbed the car keys and the key to the other rooms from the coffee table and jogged out the front door. He opened the trunk of his car and rummaged around for a flashlight. An old one was located and he turned it on. The light worked but not very well. Badger stood close, right next to his leg. The young man dug around some more and found a tire iron. He swung it a little to get a feel for how it handled and then quickly started around to the back of the house.

       The darkness was stifling as Bud moved with caution along the side of the large gloomy old house. The flashlight emitted a weak light but it didn't falter. Bud chided himself in a low voice for not having a better flashlight in the trunk. The steps came into view and appeared threatening in the darkness. He shined the light up the stairs and briefly hesitated.

      Taking a deep breath he glanced down to Badger in an effort to reassure himself of not being alone. He braced himself and slowly made his way up the stairs. His legs felt heavy; sweat trickled down the side of his face. He wiped the sweat off with his right shoulder and looked back. Badger was cautiously following him as he'd hoped. The door now came into view. Shining the light on the door he found the lock was still in place.

THE INTERVIEW:

Why did you write this book? 

It was a frightening, real life experience for me and I've always wanted to share it with others. As I moved further into professional writing, I knew it was one of the first stories I would put together. And it seems a lot of people are interested in the story as it has been my best-seller overall.

How did you come up with the title?

Well, Cooper Street is a real location, and though I'll not disclose too much more, it does have a connection to the actual place represented in the story. That being said, I published the work as fiction and deliberately so. As the real story played out, it may not have been as exciting in the sense that it was over a longer period of time. Basically, as in combat, there were short periods of terror and long periods of boredom. As I mention in the introduction of the book, I arranged the events in a much more compact time frame, to avoid the lengthy "quiet" spells in between.

In this line of thought, the title also has connections to the original house, but I again made some adjustments to avoid compromising actual people or places. In short, the title came about in an effort to keep some real connections, without disclosing actual places.

How did you choose your genre?

I really prefer to write in various genres. Of the eleven titles published under my real name (Oliver Phipps), three are paranormal, two are science fiction, five are historical fiction and one is a non-fiction work.

The choice for this book however was more difficult than one might think. The story is not actually a "horror" story. There's no killing or "blood and guts" as one might find in a horror story. Yet, that might seem an appropriate genre. Also, I initially placed this book in the "ghost" genre, only to change it later to Young Adult, ghost stories. What I found out was that adults don't mind reading young adult books, if they're interested in them. But this book, being about a teenager living in a haunted house, was very interesting to young adults. So, it took a bit of experimentation before getting it in the best genre category.

What inspired you to be a writer?

I've always had an interest in writing. But I suppose the thing that moved me towards writing seriously would be some stories I wrote for a family newsletter. They were sort of silly and fun. But everyone liked them and I still get requests to write more of them. I think the notion that I could do something that made people laugh or simply feel entertained was an inspiration in itself. A few years after these writing efforts, I was embarking on my first book.  

Are you writing another book?

I am. Actually I have several in the works. I tend to produce better if I work on more than one project at a time. By that I mean, I will work on one book for a while and then shift to another while I'm ironing out some plot issues or story line. Then I will move back to the first one for a bit.

If all goes well, I'll have a new novel out by spring of next year.

Author Bio:

Oliver Phipps is an author, entrepreneur and adventurer. He served as a Paratrooper in the United States Army and studied at MSC.

In 1997 Oliver and a good friend put together an expedition plan for traveling to Northern Canada and Alaska in order to prospect for gold.

Leaving in April of 1997 Oliver and company traveled up the historic AL-CAN highway. After exploring the Yukon and Northwest territories of Canada as well as the Arctic Circle the team traveled over the Top of the World highway to Alaska.

1999-2000 Oliver traveled through Asia, visiting Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan among other countries.

In 2004 Oliver published his first book and continues to write books, articles and short stories. Currently Oliver and family reside happily in the U.S.

Author's website: www.oliverphipps.com

Dalai Lama Attends International Conference on Buddhism and Science

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 21 November 2016 – The sun was shining this morning as the motorcade carrying His Holiness the Dalai Lama wove its way through the downtown traffic on its way to the hotel that was to be the venue for today’s activities.

His Holiness first met with about 150 members of the Jetsun Dhampa Centre. Reading a report of their activities the Director informed His Holiness of the various community services they provide, such as offering spiritual support to prisoners and terminally ill patients and their families in one of the local cancer hospitals.

His Holiness commended their work and remarked approvingly that in Australia, one of the FPMT Centres similarly runs a hospice.

“In our old society,” he said, “monks did not provide people with such practical service. If they can do so, it is immensely beneficial. Once when I was visiting Arunachal Pradesh, some local people praised the Christians for their practical help. They complained that the Buddhist monasteries gave no such help, but readily accepted donations.”

His Holiness recalled his first visit to Thailand and a meeting he had with the Sangharaja. He raised the question of Buddhist monks engaging in community service as their Christian brothers and sisters did. The Sangharaja responded that a Buddhist monk’s role was to dwell in isolation in order to focus on his practice. His Holiness reported that although he accepted the validity of this, he also felt that extending help to others would also be mutually beneficial.

Advising the centre to take a more academic than religious approach to their study of philosophy and logic, His Holiness related what he has told Buddhists in Ladakh:

“Many people tend to think of monasteries only as places of worship. But if you introduce extensive study of Buddhist science and philosophy, and don’t limit yourselves to performing rituals, people will come to view these institutions as centres of learning where people of any faith or none can acquire knowledge that will be helpful in their day to day life.

“In the past some Westerners referred to Tibetan Buddhism dismissively as Lamaism because of the prominent role accorded to Lamas in the conduct of rituals and prayers. However, I constantly remind people that Tibetan Buddhism derives directly from the traditions of Nalanda University. These days, more and more people are coming to realize that Tibetan Buddhism is a complete form of Buddhism. Many Chinese Buddhists are coming to appreciate the emphasis the Tibetan tradition places on study and that Tibetan Buddhist scholars are accomplished teachers with more to impart than just prayers and rituals. Therefore, increasing numbers of Chinese Buddhists are showing interest in studying Tibetan Buddhism. Even Western scientists have noted that the logical character of Tibetan Buddhism is comparable to science.”

Addressing a conference on Buddhism and Science organized by the Tritiya Dharma Chakra Foundation and the Jetsun Dhampa Centre, His Holiness remarked that having attended such meetings in the West, in India and Japan, he was now happy and honoured to participate in such a conference in Mongolia.

“I sometimes describe myself as half-Buddhist and half-scientist,” he disclosed. “For more than 30 years I have held discussions with scientists focussed mainly on neurobiology, cosmology, physics-especially quantum physics-and psychology. Buddhist literature also has a contribution to make to understanding of these four fields, so our discussions have been immensely beneficial. Buddhist scholars and practitioners have benefited from learning about physics while modern scientists have shown a keen interest in learning more about what Buddhism has to say about the workings of the mind and emotions.”

Referring to historical relations between the two peoples, His Holiness remarked that even before they developed an interest in Buddhism, Tibetans and Mongolians were like brothers and sisters. In due course both came to uphold the pure Nalanda tradition.

After Kabju D. Nyamsambuu of Gandan Tegchenling Monastery had spoken about ethics and living a moral life, His Holiness responded that his interest in science is twofold. On the one hand science leads to a clearer understanding of reality, on the other scientific findings can help promote human values.

Helen Y. Weng, a neuroscientist and a clinical psychologist at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco spoke about Contemplative Neuroscience and Socially Engaged Buddhism. She presented her findings that training in meditation on compassion not only increases altruistic behaviour but also the neural response to suffering. She also explained how much more accurate measurements of brain activity and different types of mental activity can be achieved using pattern recognition technology. His Holiness commented that although single-pointed meditation may temporarily reduce anger, analytical meditation is also important for helping us understand why we are angry and how compassion can be of benefit in overcoming anger in the long run.

His Holiness was invited by the Indian Ambassador to lunch at the Indian Embassy.

Returning to the conference in the afternoon he explained ways in which Buddhism can relate to modern science.

“I usually divide Buddhism into three parts: science, philosophy—which deals for example with conventional and ultimate truth—and religion which is only of interest to spiritual practitioners. It’s on the basis of Buddhist science and philosophy that we have been able to hold conversations with modern scientists over the last 30 years and more.”

In the first presentation of the afternoon, B. Boldsaikhan from the System Science Research Institute of the Mongolian University of Science and Technology spoke about medicine and logic under the heading Buddhism & Bridging Science. Next, K. Namsrai, a senior scholar in physics gave a talk about relations between Quantum Physics and Buddhist philosophy. He mentioned a profound connection between abstract physical theory and nature. He concluded with a request for His Holiness’s prayers for the welfare of ordinary nomads and herders.

Dr. Fadel Zeidan, Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy and Associate Director of Neuroscience at the Center for Integrative Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and a Mind & Life Fellow, spoke about the Neuroscience of Mindfulness, Meditation and Pain. He stressed the importance of developing non-drug remedies to alleviate pain and suffering, mentioning how mindfulness training can contribute to relief of anxiety, depression, elevated blood pressure and other health issues.

Finally, N. Ariun, a biologist, spoke about the Latest Developments in Biological Sciences and Buddhism.

In his concluding remarks, His Holiness mentioned encouraging findings that basic human nature is compassionate and that this quality can be strengthened through education. He spoke of the need to promote a sense of the oneness of humanity based on human beings’ shared compassionate nature. He stressed that promoting this will require vision and determination, but that conferences such as today’s could make a valuable contribution to that goal.

Original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1494-international-conference-on-buddhism-and-science

The World Seems Obsessed With The Demonic Realm

Hello everybody! I hope ya'll had a blessed Thanksgiving and got to be with your loved ones but most of all I hope everybody got to eat a lot of good food. LOL. Oh you know you agree the food is probably the best part. Lol. I love it.

What is demonic obsession? Opinions do vary on this.. in my opinion it is when somebody is just obsessed wanting to ghost hunt all the time watch nothing but that on TV and on Internet that's 90% of what you're doing. To me this gives legal rights to your life showing this much interest almost obsessed with the paranormal and the movies, TV shows coming out. Some good things are coming out this being more tolerated  but I still think more hurt than good has come from this becoming more popular. Everybody I'm sure has heard of the "dark side of the web" so Satan knows no boundaries as the Internet is a huge tool he uses. These vile creatures don't discriminate either. We're all "potential souls" for demons to torment and create problems for. They hate humans.

I know last week I spoke with somebody long distance and it sounds like there's an attachment going on with this person's situation and it simply came from an innocent walk through a cemetery and just joking around just to see what would happen. This is what this person told me and they were nervous and needed to find some kind a help in their area. It doesn't take much to put you on the radar the last thing you need to do is tempt anything. Remember our mind is the devils playground they know everything they know all our sins.

Don't be surprised if you find yourself dealing with personal attacks being made at you that's just something that's also common when helping somebody find help as well. Do you think they're going to be happy if this person receives deliverance or exorcism? Absolutely not! They are known for saying things to distract from deliverance. All the paranormal things going on like levitation whatever's happening all around you they only do that for one thing... to make you scared. To distract from the deliverance or exorcism to upset you whether it be personal information or whatever. This is very serious you're dealing with your mental health here and your physical health. Leave it to the right people before just trying to go in and give a blessing on the house because you're gonna make it worse if it hasn't been done properly.

Demonic Infestation:

It is believed this is a phenomenon in which a demon possesses a location or place, such as a house or building, or an object. A demon, by possessing a place, can move things at will and cause various noises and smells. Infestation never causes the possession of any of the people who live there. An infestation may occur in a particular place due to some esoteric or satanic rites being performed with frequency. Such infestation may result from a hex, spell, or curse, or from voodoo or witchcraft. To end the infestation of a place, the rite of exorcism lists several specific prayers that need to be prayed. Without the complete cooperation of the family the priests/ministers prayers will not work.

Please think twice when presented with anything like Ouija boards and things to that nature. It's best to just be curious and leave it at that. It's not worth going further. Demons prey on people through those mimicking another like a aunt who passed or parent. It's only to gain your trust to draw you in. Demons are so very tricky and want to remain out of hell because even for them they are suffering its horrible and of course this is an opinion and it too is subjective but demons don't want to go away they hang on for dear life because they don't want to go back to hell because of all the torment they are scared of Satan. And again this is all subjective but they don't want to go back and be punished by Satan for losing a soul. Even demons don't want to be there. Doesn't that just speak volumes?

The Word of God used in Spiritual warefare is our BEST weapon against anything evil. You need to speak it loud with authority and stand your ground. When they do paranormal things such as levitate, cause things to fall, doors open and close, it is only to distract the person from casting out demons. Or they will do it just to scare you even more when you don't have anybody there to help. For example let's say you haven't reached out for help yet they will really start pulling out all the paranormal stuff to put fear in you. Remember what I said fear is not of God that's all that it is just to put fear in you. Even just doing daily protection prayers..ignore anything paranormal and stay focused on Christ the Son Of Man.

If you have Jesus in your heart you know already that you're protected only through Jesus. Again this also depends on your religion. So of course there's going to be different opinions and there's different kinds of demonology as well. Just please know with all the darkness there is light there is hope for us through Jesus Christ who will give us everlasting life in paradise with the father. We do not have to fear these things that reside in the dark and hug the shadows because because they are truly cowards. They will not let you catch them on film. Grrrrr....it is very rare. In the last 25 years it has only been audio that I captured that was impressive. As far as pictures and video it's extremely rare.

Thanks for stopping by Eye On The Paranormal. Thank you for taking the time to read our blogs. Feel free to keep commenting the other two blogs I did on crystal meth and demons. It is still receiving comments, actually both blogs stem people found help from the blog some people felt better they didn't think they were crazy so you never know who could benefit from it. That's just something I wanted to throw in real quick in case you think you have anything to add that would be helpful information on that subject because there's a lot of people struggling to find answers for it. It's definitely something that needs to be known about.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

Dalai Lama: The Potential of Today, The Potential of Tomorrow

Tokyo, Japan, 16 November 2016 - Long lines of junior high-school boys, immaculate in their formal, dark-blue uniforms, and visibly excited, had formed to greet His Holiness as he arrived at the Setagaya Junior High School in Tokyo on a cool, grey morning. The Tibetan flag was flying on every side, and a banner in English above the school’s entrance read, “We are Honored to Welcome H.H. Dalai Lama the 14th to Setagaya Gakuen.” Teachers watched the arrival from a third-floor walkway, under the school’s more than apt motto, “Think and Share.”

His Holiness took pains to greet almost every boy in the lines, tickling some, pulling the earlobes of others, leaning down to hold a small boy on crutches and to ask him what was wrong. Later he would say, “Your young, fresh, bright faces make me feel young again!”

After meeting some of the school’s officials—with three little boys in monks’ robes bringing him tea and cookies—His Holiness stepped into a jampacked wooden gymnasium in which—as on his previous trip to the school, some years before—every last seat in thirty long rows was occupied by silent, attentive young boys. “My English is very poor,” he began, “but I’m often suggesting that Japanese students should try to learn English. That way you can make an even greater contribution for the benefit of other people. And you can get more self-confidence. Traveling, you can realize that your own country’s conditions are really very good.”

Then he said simply, “You are the basis of our hope. Past is past; no one can change what happened. But in the future there is still hope, possibility.” Recalling the wars that had broken out throughout his life—since the rise of Nazi Germany and the Sino-Japanese Conflict in his earliest years—His Holiness explained how we can work for peace in an active, concrete way, instead of perpetuating the cycle of violence. “Many of my elder brothers and sisters here and I,” he said, “may not see a more peaceful and happier world. It’s not easily achieved. But in the next thirty or forty years, yours is the generation that can make a significant contribution to a more harmonious world.”

As his answers were translated, His Holiness peered intently into the crowd, making eye contact with some students, smiling at others, observing responses in every corner. “Violence always destroys lives,” he says. “The people who indulge in violence may get some temporary satisfaction; but deep inside they won’t be happy. Perhaps at the end of their lives, they will feel uncomfortable. Nobody wants problems, but we create many problems. Why? Because we can be short-sighted and narrow-minded.” Even trouble-makers, after all, are born to mothers and “raised with the seed of compassion.” Schools should therefore attend not just to material values but to inner values. “Not through religion, but through common sense, common experience and scientific findings.”

When His Holiness opened the session up to questions, the students were shy for a second, and then, almost instantly, lines of forty or more clamorously formed on each side of the gymnasium, reaching almost to the back of the large space. The boys’ questions cut to the heart of things: how can one cure aggression and anger? Must religion involve strictness? What is the meaning of life? His Holiness gave crisp direct answers, handling many questions from both sides of the hall. He stressed motivation—the difference between aspiring to succeed and hoping that others fail. He pointed out, in answer to a question about “destiny,” that “Karma means action. So, till yesterday, you had a certain destiny due to prior karma. Today you’re creating new karma, more forcibly, that can change your destiny.”

And in answer to a question about how a young student can hope to change the world, he said that it was more than possible. “The first thing is to develop peace of mind. And then spread it among your friends and family. And then, slowly and steadily as you grow in your profession, whatever that might be, it will help. Even in politics!”

Having spoken for more than two hours, His Holiness came down off the stage, taking care to greet many of the students in the front rows individually before taking lunch with the leaders of the school. Then he went straight to the Japanese parliament, to deal with real-life politicians. It was as if, having worked to bring meaning and wisdom to the leaders of tomorrow, he was now bringing his vision to the power-brokers of today.

As soon as he got out of his car at the gleaming, glassy, nine-story Front Office Building for the Japanese House of Representatives, in the heart of skyscraper Tokyo, His Holiness was greeted by loud applause from a large group of formally dressed politicians. Members of five different parties had gathered to welcome him, and when he stepped into a meeting hall, it was to be greeted again by spontaneous clapping, and a thronged audience of more than 200 policy-makers, part of the Japan-Tibet Parliament Group. It was the third time His Holiness had addressed Japan’s parliamentarians officially, and, according to a speech from one, each time saw more and more people in attendance.

A few Japanese politicians opened the event by speaking about how the Tibetan leader had touched their hearts, about visiting him in Dharamsala, about how Japan as a whole can and should work to help bring peace to the world and to think about religion and humanity, especially given the many age-old ties between the cultures.

Then His Holiness, speaking from a podium, spoke more about those ties and about his lifelong commitment to democracy. As a human being, he was fully committed to his 7 billion fellow humans. As a Buddhist monk, he was committed to a universal message of love, of tolerance, of forgiveness. And as a Tibetan, though he had retired from political life, he was committed to trying to preserve one of the world’s ancient cultures, a rich heritage of knowledge and the environment.

“Politically,” he stressed, “we are not looking for independence. For economic and other reasons, we want to stay within China.” But the Tibetan issue was not just political. It was about the preservation of Tibetan culture, language and the environment. In answer to a series of questions, he emphasized, as ever, “The Chinese people we really admire, we really respect. They have a 5000 year-old culture, they are a very cultured people, hard-working, realistic.” The fact of so many people attending a Japan-Tibet Parliamentary Group, His Holiness concluded, was part of an almost universal commitment not just to Tibet, but to justice and truth.

As he left the hall, one formal-looking politician after another pushed forwards to say hello, to shake his hand, to thank him for his presence in the world and in the room.

original link and photos: http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1490-the-potential-of-today-the-potential-of-tomorrow

The Great Evangelical Disaster--Part 2, Loving Confrontation

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

Continued from Ghosts and the Great Evangelical Disaster, Part 1.


The title, The Great Evangelical Disaster, is borrowed from a book by Francis Schaeffer...my favorite author.  I just finished reading it, and it is the most profound book I have read in a long time. To clarify, an evangelical is a bible believing Christian...specifically, they believe that the bible is without error, including where it touches on matters relating to science and history. In that sense of the word, then I am an evangelical....perhaps you are too.There is a disaster occurring right now in the Body of Christ...a horrible disaster. We are discussing this so that the question of ghosts is set in its proper historical context.

We noted that about 80 years ago there remained a Christian consensus in America. That does not mean that America was a Christian nation, or God's chosen nation, or that it was a golden era...it was none of these, and never has been. In fact, there were three area where Christians did an exceptionally lousy job:  in the area of race relations, the compassionate making and using of wealth (unjust treatment of employees and idolatrous love of money), and the concept and practice of manifest destiny. With some exceptions, the church largely followed the world's lead in these three areas, instead of confronting these evils..

Having stated those qualifications, the American ethos was substantially Christian, and this brought in its wake much beauty and productivity--all across the spectrum of human life. Biblical knowledge was widespread, even amongst non-Christians. Because of this Christian consensus, there was an adequate foundation for meaning and morals.The real existence of the infinite-personal God meant that truth was truth. The source of truth was the unchanging character of God, and found in His loving communication with us--the bible.This held the nation together like supernatural super-glue..And we were blessed...

In the span of 80 years or so, the Christian consensus was lost. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is in the radical shift in how we view truth. Before the shift, the basic law of non-contradiction was understood by virtually everyone.That simply means that something can't exist and not exist at the same time. The cow is either standing in the field or it's not. Jesus either bodily rose from the dead or He didn't. To say that He rose from the dead and that He didn't rise from the dead at the same time is a flat out contradiction. Right? .....Right?!   As recently as 80 years ago, the answer from the average Joe would be, "of course you're right!"

I say this with tears, but in 2016 the answer would be "wrong"...at least amongst those affected by the anti-Christian consensus--which would be the vast majority of people.. In this short span of time almost everything distinctively Christian has been lost in our culture. Our quest for autonomous freedom (freedom from the restraints of God and His morality) has come at a steep price...we have become irrationalized. In his book The Closing of the American Mind., Professor Allen Bloom states that he knows one thing is certain of 99% of his incoming students--they are subjective relativists. Truth is no longer objective (rooted in God's unchanging holy  character) but has become mere opinion, which changes from individual to individual. "Jesus rose from the dead may be your truth, but my truth is that Jesus did not rise from the dead. He was just a good man.." That is how we think, and it should make us weep. Basic logic is dead...beaten to death by demonic autonomous freedom.

The ethos or consensus of America today is anti-Christian and irrational. If you reject the God of truth, then the truth of God dies. The diabolical dust of death has settled upon our beloved country. Do you grasp the radical nature of this shift in our concept of truth? Man as man is dead, truth as truth is dead, meaning and morals are dead. Everything is now mere opinion, and if that is the case, then who can find fault with Hitler? Do you see the horror of great darkness in which we live?

I spoke with a woman tonight who lives in the southwest. On two occasions I have also talked to the demon/s that have possessed her, as they took over in mid-sentence. (please don't you ever do that....I did it, not because I am a special person,, but because I have a special calling to this field) I have several irrational, texts from her possessing demon/s stored in my cell phone. Tonight she asked me why all of her mirrors are breaking when she looks into them.I could multiply such horrible encounters that I have faced in last few years This is for real.

Once we rejected the truth of God as a nation, then two things happened (there are more): overt demonic activity has increased, and demonic irrationalism has gripped us by the throat.Do you really believe we are in spiritual warfare? Satan walks upon the Earth seeking ways to bend, twist, and demonize culture. A favorite tactic is the destruction of truth.I have never said this before publicly (I don't think), but this may be the beginning of the end.

What brought us to this point in a mere 80 years? Evangelicals did not confront the crucial issues of the day which were attacking our country like an army of suicide bombers. I quote Schaeffer, "Obedience to God's Word is the watershed. And the failure of the evangelical world to take a clear and distinctively biblical stand on the crucial issues of the day can only be seen as a failure to live under the full authority of God's Word in the full spectrum of life." The church is the guardian of culture, because Christ is King. When the guardian is silent, then society crumbles. That is what happened to cause the loss of a Christian consensus, and this disaster continues today.

What he is talking about is confrontation. Truth demands confrontation with error and evil. Yes, loving confrontation, but confrontation nonetheless. Satan never attacks on just one front; there are several crucial issues that Christian leaders are hesitant to be vocal about. Schaeffer also wrote A Christian Manifesto, where he quotes from a document written by myself and two other young seminarians at the time.

While at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, I had a passion to confront the abortion issue. So, we held an orderly rally at an abortion clinic, and promptly got arrested. The three of us felt the need to write something to explain to the seminary community (especially the president) why we did what did. An acquaintance of mine, who knew Dr Schaeffer well, told us that Schaefffer was excited about what we had done. That made me feel humble and happy. So, he got a copy of our very brief biblical defense of our actions and quoted it.

There are several crucial issues evangelicals are accommodating to the world spirit merely by not confronting them. Not forcefully and publicly confronting them has the same net result as actually believing in the evil or error...the outcome is the same...This is rampant. It is in this context of sinful accomodation and not lovingly confronting evil and error, in which the topic of ghosts is being ignored and dismissed by almost all evangelical pastors and leaders. Hopefully, by now you don't need endless arguments to convince you that the notion of ghosts is is very significant and must be confronted. May the Lord raise up an army of rebels with a righteous cause.
Amen.

Read part 3: http://eyeontheparanormal.blogspot.com/2016/12/obedience-to-lordship-of-christ-and.html

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.