GHOST WHISPERINGS - Part I - The Skeptic's Outlook

By Skarlet Rae

This article will be presented as a three part series, as follows:

Ghost Whisperings - Part I - The Skeptic's Outlook

Ghost Whisperings - Part II - Who Or What Is Talking

Ghost Whisperings - Part III - What Are They Saying


Have you ever heard a ghost speak? Do you really know who or what is talking? Can you understand exactly what they say?

I'd like to begin by saying that I am somewhat of a skeptic at heart. Although having an unshakable belief in God, our Creator, I'm not one to readily just jump and believe. Not science. Not the paranormal. Not many things. Many times science declares loud and clear one 'reality', only to change it later in time, when other factors and evidence become available. So things can change. In one age being in disagreement, only to find, with later technology and findings that things are in sync.

Take a look, at one time men were in agreement that the world was flat. Later they knew better. New evidence presented itself and 'scientific reality' changed. Hundreds of years ago doctors of that time used leaches to bleed people, believing that it would cure their illnesses. They believed that letting of blood, as it was called, cured the sick. We now know how obsurd that is.

Along those lines, therefore, I think to myself, ok, they've figured some of it out so far. We have some amazing information and discoveries. Take a look at how paranormal investigators and ghost hunters have interesting equipment to catch and document things. Things that cannot be seen by human eyes or heard by human ears. But maybe that knowledge and technology will, in the future, change. It can, can't it? Not only can it, but it most probably will. So for now, I'll remain with a healthy dose of skepticism, as things most assuredly will change.

I remember back in the late 1970's or early 1980's, a new weight loss diet was put on the market that consisted of high protein shakes. While on that diet one wasn't supposed to drink or eat anythning else. Just the shake. One more rule of that diet was to not drink much water, if any, or as little as possible. (Yikes!) Unfortunately, a few people died while on that diet, of dehydration. It was awful! It, as you can imagine, was immediately taken off the market. We clearly know that the human body cannot go without it's adequate amount of daily water. Drinking larger portions of water is now even encouraged, especially if one is on a weight loss diet. People dying of lack of water (thirst) has been known as a reality and fact for centuries if not longer. Yet a large segments of the population believe what they were told. They thought it correct. (I, personally, think that they weren't using their intellect and thinking for themselves, because following that type of instruction goes against basic good sense, but that belongs in another blog.) So, a doctor recommended the diet, a scientifically learned man, and they believed it.

So what we believe to be correct, can and does sometimes change.

That leads me back to understanding paranormal audio evidence. What are these entities that are captured on evp's and other modern equipment, saying? And who are they?

Even after spending many years looking at all kinds of paranormal documentation, to date I'm not immediately convinced that the evidence presented to me is really what I'm being told it is. There have been several times in my youth when others tried to show me things. Things which now I know to be realities, but which, at that time I would not accept until, I, myself experienced them. I guess that is one of the marks of being human ... 'unless I see it with my own eyes I don't believe it ... and even then maybe not' ... lol. We all want to see, feel, smell, taste and experience things of the supernatural and paranormal ourselves, otherwise we have a hard time wraping our minds around such things.

We are taught early on that there is no boogie man. We are shown time and time again by our parents that no, there is nothing in the closet, as they open it for us and we peer in suspiciously. We are reassured that what we heard was just the floorboards of the old house creaking. Reassured that it was only a knocking coming from the old heating system. After many repetitions of being shown that there is nothing there, our minds adjust and we exlcude any possibility of such a thing. We ignore it all. We auditorily block it out and go on with our daily lives. Not only that, but now, we, as adults, are the ones who show 'our' little ones that there is nothing in the closet. Nothing there to be afraid of. Just nothing there. So how could 'we' believe in it now, ourselves? Isn't it hypocritical to do so? Therefore, most of us will remain skeptics, until we, ourselves, without any doubt whatsoever, experience it.

Still to date, after hearing and listening to hundreds of documented pieces of evidence, I, personally, am still of the opinion that most of what is claimed to be 'said' cannot be understood. I will admit that many of them, as I hear them, do sound like someone is saying something. But what that 'something' is, isn't clear to me. There are those rare ones where I along with anyone else, can distinctly and clearly hear the words. They are as clear as if someone was standing alongside, talking. But those are quite rare, as I find. Quite rare, indeed. Most of the time it sounds to me like garbled, whispering, unintelligible sounds that might be words. At times they'll just sound like grunting or growling, but I don't hear words in it.

Many times the documentation is labeled with what the gatherer of that information thinks that he or she heard. Therefore, for me, or anyone listening, there is already a preconceived idea as to what will be heard. Ergo, the listener believes they hear it, including myself. This type of documentation I, personally, do not trust. How can I? I don't know what it was exactly that I heard. It's like seeing something out of the corner of my eyes and not knowing if it was a reflection, a ray of sunshine glinting in a certain way, a car passing by outside whose headlights shone through my window. I can't get a solid handle on it, therefore I'm unsure.

In previous articles and blogs, even on this site, many have written about how the human mind will interpret noises they hear into words. That many evps' and such that are documented are attributable to nothing more than natural phenomenon and creaky buildings. That wind that flows in a certian way will create sounds that we, as humans, interpret as words and comments. When those types of evidences are presented, I'm not sure what exactly it is either. Is it, like those other bloggers and writer say, just natural phenomenon? I can't tell, therefore I will leave those to the side for now. Here, I'm only going to talk about those documented voices that are clearly audible. The ones you can hear clearly and exaclty what is being said. Those are the ones and the possibility of who or what is saying it, that will be my focus in Ghost Whisperings - Part II - Who Or What Is Talking, and Ghost Whisperings - Part III - What Are They Saying.

Ten Reasons Why I Dislike Movies Like 'Paranormal Activity'

By Kelly Fisher

These are in no particular order and may contain spoilers. These are only my personal opinions.


1. There is no gore!

I was raised on 80’s slasher flicks, Friday the 13^th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc. I understand that these movies are supposed to be more of a psychological type thriller but unfortunately they do nothing for me. Unless boring me to tears is their ultimate goal then they succeed. Give me a campy horror movie over this nonsense any day. 

2. They are so quiet.

I know they do this because they want to get in the cheap scare when something goes boom in the night. It really annoys me to see these people wandering around their house in complete silence. Do you not own a television? 

3. It’s always a demon!

Why does it always have to be a demon? It’s never like the creepy guy you pissed off in high school by during him down for a date and then he committed suicide haunting someone. No let’s not try that scenario as it would actually make more sense. Let’s just have some random demon follow this girl for some reason we may or may not explain depending on how long we can milk this thing out with sequels. 

4. The demon always has to possess someone.

They always end these movies with one person getting possessed by said evil demon and then then proceed to go around and kill everyone. My problem with this is the demon always seems to enter the person it has been tormenting the whole movie, shouldn’t the demon enter someone else so it can kill the person it seems to love to haunt? 

5. I hate the camera angles.

I understand it’s supposed to be real videos but I get enough of that from all the reality TV shows that seem to be the only TV shows on TV. I don’t want to watch a reality TV movie. 

6. The terrible acting.

If you want to make me believe that this is real could you please hire some actors that can well, you know, act? Thanks. 

7. The use of children and dogs for the creep factor.

Yep, I’m onto you guys. We all know most people love dogs and babies. So of course if they think something bad is going to happen to the dog or child it’s going to scare them. Please try harder. 

8 .Nothing happens until the last 15 minutes of the movie.

You wait and wait and wait some more. A few doors slam, a few plates break, someone gets locked outside while the baby is left alone inside. Honestly though nothing really happens until the last 15 minutes of the movie. It kind of makes me a bit unsatisfied. 

9. They are unrealistic.

I have lived with ghosts for years (one of them not so nice) and nothing like what happens in these movies has ever happened. Movies like these upset me because they make people fear ghosts, in doing that people can miss out from contact with their loved ones who have passed. If your loved ones attempt to contact you and you get scared they probably aren’t going to contact you again. They love you they don’t want to scare you, most of the time they simply want to let you know they’re ok.

10. They’re just so boring!

No further explanation needed.

World Wide Prayer Circle – Sunday, January 29, 2012

WELCOME!


Thank you for visiting the World Wide Prayer Circle here at the Eye on the Paranormal site! Every Sunday you can come by and post your prayer request[s], no matter how large or small.

We welcome anonymous prayer requests.

Anyone can come by, read your request[s], and engage in intercessory prayer according to their religious or spiritual background. This way, we can unify the entire world in a circle of prayer.

Please limit your posts here to the matters of prayer requests, participating in praying, and updates on prayer requests.

Thank you!

Paranormal Technology – Psychics, Sensitive’s and Mediums - the Experiment

By Martha Hazzard Decker

Paranormal Technology – Psychics, Sensitive’s and Mediums - the Experiment. This is a chapter in the book by David Rountree. This is a fascinating chapter. In it Rountree writes, “A few years ago I ran an experiment on a psychic friend of mine. By using transducers, I stimulated her temporal lobes with different EMF frequencies, all 60 hertz and below. She actually got several hits while I was stimulating her brain, in the range of 12, 16 and 24 Hz EMF frequencies. Each one of these frequencies opened a door for her. This is certainly something I want to study further. To her, she was watching TV in her head and I was changing the channels. For whatever reason, true psychic individuals can be very helpful in knowing where to record EVP’s, where to take photographs, picking up the names of former occupants that can be verified historically, and generally proving information specific to an individual associated with the house. By cross checking the information, verifying historic research, and producing active evidence based on a psychic’s suggestions, we have done two things; we have shown a correlation between an individual’s perception and the paranormal phenomena, and revealed a common thread, energy or power that binds the two together.”

Following are responses from several psychics that are known and trusted by this author about being psychic and in their words. They are the real deal.

Tracy Ray (who is working with Rountree) - I have always considered myself different and was never afraid to say that.  I have never researched to see what kind of psychic I am. I have researched certain abilities. When I am around people things just come to me.  They will come in numbers, pictures, words, sounds and smells.  Some are very vivid in color and some are abstract and fuzzy in black and white. Clairvoyance, Clairempathy and Clairsentience I feel are stronger for me than Clairaudience and Clairsentients. . People ask me if I can I tap in to everyone?  The answer would be no.  I feel there are some that know how to block themselves from psychics and others because I am one that puts up that protection wall. Precognition is my favorite ability. This means perception of future events before they happen. David Rountree knows a lot of things I have predicted and I do believe I’m at 100 per cent at this time.  I have shocked a few people with this ability. This one is my favorite out of them all.  My least favorite I would have to say is being an Empath.  For many years I felt this was a curse.  I hated to feel other people’s pain.  Feeling the pain of the deceased was very hard on me.  This one took me a longtime to get control over.  My first experience was when I was nine and I went to graveyard working day with my grandmother and mother. This was my first time to ever go.  I was huddled over a small grave, the name on the headstone was Sarah Rich, I noticed she was two years old. My skin began to burn, I began to choke and my eyes got blurry.  My grandmother asked me what I was doing and why I was rubbing my arms.  I told her this little girl was on fire and she died.  Come to find out that was my grandmother’s sister and she did die in a fire. Not only did I do her grave but I did several.  I remember leaving there feeling horrible.  I had no energy at all and slept the entire way home.

Being a Medium is the hardest ability I have.  My first Medium experience was at six years of age and my grandfather (who had passed away before I was born) came to me while I was playing with some books at my maw maw's house. He said, "Tracy, I'm Jesse can you tell maw maw Ray that I am sorry for making her start smoking".  I remembered nodding my head yes.  A book fell and hit my leg, so I picked it up to put it back and when I looked back he was gone.  So I skipped through the kitchen, my maw maw was playing cards. Hands on my hips I said, "Some man called Jesse said he is sorry for making you smoke," and she began to cry.  She asked me, who told me that?  I said the man in the bedroom.  Of course she gets up to go see and I'm trying to tell her he went away. We went back to the living room and she sat me in her lap.  She padded my knee and said I’m gonna tell you a story I have never told anyone.  I said, Ok all excited! She said, my husband’s name was Jesse and he got real sick with lung and stomach cancer.  I took care of him in this house for a long time.  He got so sick he could not light his cigarettes so I would have to light them for him so he could smoke.  He did not want me smoking but I loved him and he was suffering already.  That is how I started smoking. I looked at her and she had tears in her eyes.  I said, well you need to quit cause they stink.  She starts laughing and asked if that all he said.  I said, yep and I hope he tells you next time, I don't like to make you cry.

So that is when we knew something was different about me.  We were very close.  She was the only person that knew about my abilities.  She told me to never tell a soul.  I kept it hidden for 37 years.  I can no longer do that.  If people want to think I am crazy so be it.  I have been the happiest since I have been open with this.  I realized the timing has to be right and we will know when that time is.  I get asked, do my abilities work on me?  The answer is no.  I can't see for me.  The only thing that works for me is connecting to relatives that have passed. 

For a long time I did not know how to turn it on and off.  That was the hard part to figure out.  I finally learned what gave me my strengths and kept them close to me.  Meditating helped.  When I am stressed, weak or sick it is harder for me to tap into some of my abilities but there are some things that come through because they know you are weak.  I work a lot with crystals, rocks and stones.  I feel they have helped me a great deal.  Whatever I am feeling for that day depends on what stone I wear or put in my pocket.  It’s all about energy.  I hope one day we will find out why all this happens.  I’m here to find that reason, I want to know.  I am new in the field but not in my abilities.  I can be found on FaceBook   my email is tracyray00@gmail.com.

Jules Byars - I consider myself to be an Empath, medium (which I am still developing or rather discovering out what I can hear and see from the spirit world. I also have prophetic dreams which I write down and my accuracy is pretty impressive. Most of my dreams leave me with a dejavu feeling when they come true in real life. It's like living in the twilight zone when that happens to me. Since I have finally admitted to myself and have had incredible paranormal friends who have supported me as I discover what my true gifts are, I have really escalated in the psychic department.  I was adopted into a family of "If it can't be proven and I can't see it, then it doesn't exist family." This is rather funny since they are very religious and well you can see where I am going with that.  As a child I had prophetic dreams. I would then share them with the family and they would all have a great laugh...until the dream came true. I was always the "weird" one in the family and I just thought maybe I was weird and left it at that. But, when I started dreaming of my son years before he was born and when I met my daughter in a "hello" dream right before my son was born, I began to believe that I really did have gifts that other people didn't. I also have had "goodbye dreams" with passed on family members those are so bittersweet. My empathic abilities have been with me my whole life. I never understood it and I have to tell you, this ability will go all wild when I am upset or very stressed. Light bulbs in our house have a very short shelf life. When I would go to parties I could tell immediately what the mood was for the group. When my family would have big gatherings I would hide in my closet and listen to a radio and read a book. That was my cave where I was safe. I never understood that I wasn't hiding from people; I was hiding from their emotions.

 I have not been able to turn any of my abilities "on and off" yet. I am trying meditation to help me relax enough to draw the white light around me but I'm still in the beginner’s stag. Up until a year ago I didn't understand my gifts. I asked a stranger that I barely knew from one of the Facebook pages that I was on about it. I knew she was Wiccan and I sent her an email because I was confused and frightened of a situation that happened in a Church during the church service. An elderly man started having a heart attack; he was sitting near the back row of the church just about six or seven rows behind my family. As we were singing a hymn, I start to feel anxious, confused, overwhelmed and then very scared. I started to cry but it was only when I looked at my son's face did I realize he felt it too. For the first time I realized that my son, who has a sensory process disorder was also empathic. That scared me since I had no idea how to turn my abilities off how was I going to help him turn his off? To this day he suffers in school. It's too much for him and his grades reflect it plus he develops "stomach" issues as soon as he gets to school. We also avoid church, huge events, gatherings with large amounts of people like the movies and things like that. At work, I wear my ear buds and play my iPod all day long plus I am in a secluded office. My daughter sees auras, has prophetic dreams and sees spirits from time to time. I have always been very fascinated with paranormal topics and anything phenomenal. So, I created the Phenomenon Page on Facebook. I also can be reached at Phenomenonandbeyond@gmail.com

Dr. Rita Louise - My primary gift is of clairvoyance, the ability to see energy. I am also very kinesthetic, meaning that I also feel sense and perceive energy on a bodily level. It wasn't until I was 30 that I discovered, while going to the Berkeley Psychic Institute, that I had been very psychic my whole life but never knew it. I thought everyone saw past lives and had weird synchronicities happen to them all the time as well. Who knew? It wasn't until I was in the clairvoyant program (very early in the program), that I had provided some insights for a client. I was just doing what I had always done in the past... "Made it up"... but apparently, what I was doing was psychic. When I looked back at my past, I was able to validate the many experiences I had and realized I had been psychic my whole life. One thing I have discovered is that when you grow up this way, it is very (or pretty easy) to turn it off. The truth for me is that when I want to use it, I turn it on.  As for feelings, there really aren't any feelings associated with clairvoyant vision. Now the clairsentience (feeling part,) that is a totally different story. Feelings can go from exhilaration to physical pain to experiencing another’s fear or sadness. Thankfully, when I disconnect from the energy all of that goes away. She can be reached at Soul Healer.

Ericka Boussarhane - I am a psychic medium and psychic detective. We all are intuitive. We all have the tools to receive psychic information. Mediums can communicate with the dead. Most are born this was. Others have learned to fine tune their psychic senses. I call it supersizing your ESP. I realized as a young child that I was hyper sensitive and empathic. I later began studying Sandy Anastassi psychic development system. I turn my abilities on and off like a light switch by closing my eyes "on" and opening them "off".

Chrissy Frey - I am a clairvoyant/ medium. I realized I was different at age five and received my abilities outside of Allentown Pa at around age four. I have since used my abilities to help police from time to time on cases as well as the public in all aspects of their lives. Clairvoyant means to “see clearly", and medium means to communicate with the onlookers who have died. My specialty is murder cases, and the acts unspeakable in our society. I didn't choose to see these things, it chose me. I have read for people all over the world and continue to help those in need. You can find Frey on FaceBook.

The Ghost Hunter Who Cried "PROOF!"

By Reap Paden

I went on my own hunting trip. Here is what I found ...

At the paranormalnetwork.net site it is amazing how many people think they are going to prove ghosts exist or that people really do become victims of possession.Everything I saw was proof of vivid imaginations, that's about it. I found another website that provided an article called  Do It Yourself Ghost Hunting Part 1: Getting Started. The author talks about how easy it is to begin ghost hunting all you need to have is a sound recorder, a camera, and an ability to outrun the cops when they catch you in a graveyard after hours.

The sound recorder and camera are needed in case you come across 'proof'. If you have proof then people will have to believe the story you tell about the ghost who grabbed your genitals during the last hunting session. The sound recorder is needed to record your voice saying "Hey! SOMETHING JUST GRABBED MY *ALLS!".... the more proof the better.  It's almost impossible to find a paranormal group who doesn't have some mention of "proof" in their literature or countless pics that show proof of spirits.




Over and over I come across dust bits that are named my 'Uncle Steve who died last year' and ' a boy who drowned in the family pool'. People with unsteady hands that can conjure up a room full of ghosts. A recording of the most important thing a spirit can think to say, such as "bologna sandwich" all you had to do was slow down the recording, play it backwards, and listen to it while using a chainsaw to cut down your neighbors fence.

Although all these examples are very compelling evidence, paranormal activity is not what they prove. These examples prove that some people do not act reasonably sometimes, especially when there is a imagined opportunity to become famous.The simple fact of the matter is no one is going to make a shot or record an EVP that proves ghosts exist. I'll bring it back to the religion comparison. Paranormal experiences like religious beliefs are(or should be) a personal thing, they do not translate into the reality of others well. Anyone who is determined to prove to the world we become ghosts after we die is wasting their time as well as the time of others. It always seemed kinda egotistical to me that people thought they could convince all those lousy skeptics that questioning incredible claims was a complete waste of time.

Instead of trying to prove the unprovable why not hunt ghosts for a sensible reason? A good reason to go ghost hunting would be to spend time with your friends or to add a fun element to learning history. Take all the pictures you want but stop trying to claim anything you capture on your SD card answers the age old question mankind has been asking from the beginning. You have a ghost of a chance of doing that.

Issue 58 – More Beyond the Edge Radio Bedlam & After the Exorcism – What's Next?

By Kirby Robinson

Well folks, it's been a busy week so far, and it looks as if it'll be a wild spring. But we are here and we have been since 2008. We'll be here long after all the paranormal fakers are gone -- so let's get to it!

NO FEAR THIS RADIO EVENT WILL HAPPEN  

BEYOND THE EDGE RADIO caved under the pressure of PRS. Many para-celebs don't allow me to speak on their shows. Dr. Michael Frisbee, my dear friend and special contributor to EYE ON THE PARANORMAL is fearless. So join us this Saturday from 7 - 9 PM (EST) and hear what many in the paranormal are afraid of. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/theparanormalchristian

THE EYE ON THE PARANORMAL IS GROWING!

We have two new paranormal authors joining the Eye. Let's welcome Kelly Fisher every other Monday, and Lisa Grace every other Thursday. Read more right here: http://eyeontheparanormal.blogspot.com/p/special-contributors.html

BEYOND THE EDGE RADIO HOSTS "OPEN YOUR DOORS AND LOCK YOUR MINDS"

Beyond the Edge Radio's slogan is: "lock your doors and open your minds" according to them. But we think it's the other way around.

Beyond the Edge Radio finally released the podcast from their technologically challenged show. They claim that server issues kept them from being live and we are to take their word for it. As we reported, they along with the ownership of Jackass, um, Jackalope Radio, decided to record the show rather than do it live. [I was in the chat room THE OLD MAN] monitoring things.

What they did in mere minutes, not even most fraudulent para-celebs could match. They spouted so many lies and distortions of the truth it would make a owl's head spin.

Over the next few weeks we'll debunk all the lies. Of course, we won't make this blog all about them [as this is more publicity than this show has ever had]. But here are a few I'd like to address now.

#1 LIE - Ron Tebo and I work together 

That's not true. Ron has doubts that anything is real in the paranormal, while I'm a big believer in the paranormal. My work is what I do 24/7.

Ron and I never talked to each other on the phone until the fall of 2011. The number of emails we exchanged would not be more to two dozen.

I posted on his site as there were times he shared some of my blogs, like the breaking news story where Kelli Ryan was the first PRS client to come out and say that Paranormal State was fake. We shared an interest in exposing fake psychics and protecting young people from predators on the Psychic Kids Face Book page. So, Ron did not work for me nor I for him.

[We also talked about the time that Chip Coffey and Michelle Griffin made fun of me going blind].

#2 LIE - My Book "PARANORMAL REALITY: INVESTIGATING  PARANORMAL STATE" is full of gossip

We never included any gossip. The statement tells me they never bothered to read the book [they never asked for a copy]. They may consult with Dave Schrader, Bishop Long, and Janice Oberding from Paradacity and ask them if it contains any gossip. All will tell you it doesn't.

We could have gone down that road as many people sent us emails about how one cast member came out of the restroom with traces of cocaine on their nose. Another wrecked their car due to being drunk. We were sent info about the extremely odd sexual behavior of one cast member, and a regular guest para-celeb stole money from a very supportive friend. We chose not to turn the book into that. Private lives are respected. And, unless we could verify a fact as being real, we didn't include it.

Nothing we point out that happened on the show with a direct relationship to any episode has ever been disproven.

More to come in the weeks ahead.

LON "NOT A STICKLER FOR FACTS" STRICKLER GOES FOR GOSSIP INSTEAD OF FACTS

Lon decided to play with the big boys on Monday night and did a very bad showing. He posted links to some sites that make fun of me, Ron Tebo, the Ghost Divas and others:  http://eyeontheparanormal.homestead.com/

Ask yourself -- does this show a person interested in facts or simply making personal attacks?

He also tried to discredit me by posting an old Twitter account that I haven't used in about a year. Lon, here is the link to the Twitter account I use regularly. If you did your research, you'd see that it's included in my weekly blog and when you scroll down on the right side of the blog there's a Twitter Follow button beneath our list of blog followers. But, for your convenience, we'll add it here so maybe you can see it: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

AFTER THE EXORCISM – WHAT'S NEXT?  PART1

Lately, God has put this question into my sprit that people involved with deliverance/exorcisms should be asking…Now that through Christ and your faith and the faith of the client, the person has been freed, or delivered …what's next? Do you pack up your stuff, say a few prayers and head out the door to your next case?

As much as you look at the question of why did this happen to your client, as you build your case you need to be asking it again – why?

Not to say that each and every case you stumble onto or comes your way has a deep dark secret behind it, because that sounds like a cheap horror movie. Often you may know the superficial reasons for it, but is there something deeper inside the client that just is not showing itself to you?

Paul was probably the second most skilled exorcist behind Christ. The third most effective exorcist that ever was happens to be Abraham.

2 Corinthians Chapter12

1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 

2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 

3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 

4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.

5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 

6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 

7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 

12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 

13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!

14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.

15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?

16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 

17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 

18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?

19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 

20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 

21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Will go through this verse by verse next week.

This video might remind you of some fake-para celebs …

Meanwhile over on Beyond the Edge this is what they're doing:

  

NEW BOOK COMING OUT JANUARY 30, 2012

Paranormal State Exposed will be available in eBook format on Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook and at Smashwords.

By the way, if you write about the paranormal, are reliable, and want to join this rag tag army, we still have openings. So contact us at: freeallspirits@live.com

NEXT WEEK - DELIVERANCE FROM DEMONS: NOT THE END -- ONLY THE BEGINNING.

THE WORLD WIDE PRAYER CIRCLE

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Human Rights and Universal Responsibility

By The Dalai Lama

“Our world is becoming smaller and ever more interdependent with the rapid growth in population and increasing contact between people and governments. In this light, it is important to reassess the rights and responsibilities of individuals, peoples and nations in relation to each other and to the planet as a whole. This World Conference of organisations and governments concerned about the rights and freedoms of people throughout the world reflects the appreciation of our interdependence. No matter what country or continent we come from we are all basically the same human beings. We have the common human needs and concerns. We all seek happiness and try to avoid suffering regardless of our race, religion, sex or political status. Human beings, indeed all sentient beings, have the right to pursue happiness and live in peace and in freedom. As free human beings we can use our unique intelligence to try to understand ourselves and our world. But if we are prevented from using our creative potential, we are deprived of one of the basic characteristics of a human being. It is very often the most gifted, dedicated and creative members of our society who become victims of human rights abuses. Thus the political, social, cultural and economic developments of a society are obstructed by the violations of human rights. Therefore, the protection of these rights and freedoms are of immense importance both for the individuals affected and for the development of the society as a whole.

“It is my belief that the lack of understanding of the true cause of happiness is the principal reason why people inflict suffering on others. Some people think that causing pain to others may lead to their own happiness or that their own happiness is of such importance that the pain of others is of no significance. But this is clearly short-sighted. No one truly benefits from causing harm to another being. Whatever immediate advantage is gained at the expense of someone else is short-lived. In the long run causing others misery and infringing upon their peace and happiness creates anxiety, fear and suspicion for oneself.

“The key to creating a better and more peaceful world is the development of love and compassion for others. This naturally means we must develop concern for our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate than we are. In this respect, the non-governmental organisations have a key role to play. You not only create awareness for the need to respect the rights of all human beings, but also give the victims of human rights violations hope for a better future. When I travelled to Europe for the first time in 1973, I talked about the increasing interdependence of the world and the need to develop a sense of universal responsibility. We need to think in global terms because the effects of one nation's actions are felt far beyond its borders. The acceptance of universally binding standards of human rights as laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and in the International Covenants of Human Rights is essential in today's shrinking world. Respect for fundamental human rights should not remain an ideal to be achieved but a requisite foundation for every human society.

“When we demand the rights and freedoms we so cherish we should also be aware of our responsibilities. If we accept that others have an equal right to peace and happiness as ourselves do we not have a responsibility to help those in need? Respect for fundamental human rights is as important to the people of Africa and Asia as it is to those in Europe or the Americas. All human beings, whatever their cultural or historical background, suffer when they are intimidated, imprisoned or tortured. The question of human rights is so fundamentally important that there should be no difference of views on this. We must therefore insist on a global consensus not only on the need to respect human rights world-wide but more importantly on the definition of these rights.

“Recently some Asian governments have contended that the standards of human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are those advocated by the West and cannot be applied to Asia and others parts of the Third World because of differences in culture and differences in social and economic development. I do not share this view and I am convinced that the majority of Asian people do not support this view either, for it is the inherent nature of all human beings to yearn for freedom, equality and dignity, and they have an equal [right] to achieve that. I do not see any contradiction between the need for economic development and the need for respect of human rights. The rich diversity of cultures and religions should help to strengthen the fundamental human rights in all communities. Because underlying this diversity are fundamental principles that bind us all as members of the same human family. Diversity and traditions can never justify the violations of human rights. Thus, discrimination of persons from a different race, of women, and of weaker sections of society may be traditional in some regions, but if they are inconsistent with universally recognised human rights, these forms of behaviour must change. The universal principles of equality of all human beings must take precedence.

“It is mainly the authoritarian and totalitarian regimes who are opposed to the universality of human rights. It would be absolutely wrong to concede to this view. On the contrary, such regimes must be made to respect and conform to the universally accepted principles in the larger and long term interests of their own peoples. The dramatic changes in the past few years clearly indicate that the triumph of human rights is inevitable.

“There is a growing awareness of people's responsibilities to each other and to the planet we share. This is encouraging even though so much suffering continues to be inflicted based on chauvinism, race, religion, ideology and history. A new hope is emerging for the downtrodden, and people everywhere are displaying a willingness to champion and defend the rights and freedoms of their fellow human beings.

“Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom and dignity. It is not enough, as communist systems have assumed, merely to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. The deeper human nature needs to breathe the precious air of liberty. However, some governments still consider the fundamental human rights of its citizens an internal matter of the state. They do not accept that the fate of a people in any country is the legitimate concern of the entire human family and that claims to sovereignty are not a license to mistreat one's citizens. It is not only our right as members of the global human family to protest when our brothers and sisters are being treated brutally, but it is also our duty to do whatever we can to help them.

“Artificial barriers that have divided nations and peoples have fallen in recent times. With the dismantling of the Berlin Wall the East-West division which has polarised the whole world for decades has now come to an end. We are experiencing a time filled with hope and expectations. Yet there still remains a major gulf at the heart of the human family. By this I am referring to the North-South divide. If we are serious in our commitment to the fundamental principles of equality, principles which, I believe, lie at the heart of the concept of human rights, today's economic disparity can no longer be ignored. It is not enough to merely state that all human beings must enjoy equal dignity. This must be translated into action. We have a responsibility to find ways to achieve a more equitable distribution of world's resources.

“We are witnessing a tremendous popular movement for the advancement of human rights and democratic freedom in the world. This movement must become an even more powerful moral force, so that even the most obstructive governments and armies are incapable of suppressing it. This conference is an occasion for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to this goal. It is natural and just for nations, peoples and individuals to demand respect for their rights and freedoms and to struggle to end repression, racism, economic exploitation, military occupation, and various forms of colonialism and alien domination. Governments should actively support such demands instead of only paying lip service to them. As we approach the end of the Twentieth Century, we find that the world is becoming one community. We are being drawn together by the grave problems of over-population, dwindling natural resources, and an environmental crisis that threatens the very foundation of our existence on this planet. Human rights, environmental protection and great social and economic equality, are all interrelated. I believe that to meet the challenges of our times, human beings will have to develop a greater sense of universal responsibility. Each of us must learn to work not just for oneself, one's own family or one's nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the key to human survival. It is the best foundation for world peace.

“This need for co-operation can only strengthen humankind, because it helps us to recognise that the most secure foundation for a new world order is not simply broader political and economic alliances, but each individual's genuine practice of love and compassion. These qualities are the ultimate source of human happiness, and our need for them lies at the very core of our being. The practice of compassion is not idealistic, but the most effective way to pursue the best interests of others as well as our own. The more we become interdependent the more it is in our own interest to ensure the well-being of others.

“I believe that one of the principal factors that hinder us from fully appreciating our interdependence is our undue emphasis on material development. We have become so engrossed in its pursuit that, unknowingly, we have neglected the most basic qualities of compassion, caring and cooperation. When we do not know someone or do not feel connected to an individual or group, we tend to overlook their needs. Yet, the development of human society requires that people help each other.

“I, for one, strongly believe that individuals can make a difference in society. Every individual has a responsibility to help move our global family in the right direction and we must each assume that responsibility. As a Buddhist monk, I try to develop compassion within myself, not simply as a religious practice, but on a human level as well. To encourage myself in this altruistic attitude, I sometimes find it helpful to imagine myself standing as a single individual on one side, facing a huge gathering of all other human beings on the other side. Then I ask myself, 'Whose interests are more important?' To me it is quite clear that however important I may feel I am, I am just one individual while others are infinite in number and importance.

“Thank you.”

A speech given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the United Nations World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, Austria, June 1993.