The Dalai Lama Talks Tech

Computers are one of life's mysteries and great wealth one of its distractions, he says

The Dalai Lama, master of the mind's inner technology, is confounded by the external technology that drives the planet. He put it like this: ``My computer literacy is zero. It's partly because it wasn't easy to learn, so I just gave up.''

He broke into his booming laugh.

This was Wednesday morning in his Peninsula hotel room, where His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, sat for a private interview with the Mercury News about money, technology and an ancient Buddhist prophecy. More about the prophecy later.

Back to computers. The Tibetan government in exile he oversees in Dharamsala, India, is well-wired with e-mail, computers and the Internet. A Bay Area devotee went to India to help put it together several years ago. It's a little surprising that the Dalai Lama, a famous tinkerer who disassembled and rebuilt watches for fun as a boy, hasn't jumped aboard the technological train.

But he cited precedent for his lack of interest: The fifth Dalai Lama, who was named Ngawang Losang Gyatso and lived from 1617 to 1682, once said he didn't "pay much attention to letter-writing skills because he felt he could always find someone to do it for him. Same for computers!''

He's busy enough.

The Dalai Lama, who wakes each day about 4 a.m. to pray, read and do prostrations, is in the midst of a five-day Bay Area visit for teachings, talk and ceremony through Sunday at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View.

He arrived for the interview without fanfare, wearing a pair of worn rubber flip-flops, bowing to his visitor and a photographer and settling into a sofa. He folded his feet beneath him on the cushion, lotus-style. With his closely shaved head, claret robe and spectacles, the Nobel Peace Prize winner, 65, looked to be the ``simple monk'' he calls himself. He zoomed in on questions and was never perfunctory with answers, though he sometimes struggled with his English. Then he turned to his longtime translator, Thubten Jinpa, for clarification.

The very fact of sitting in a Silicon Valley hotel room led to conversation about the vast sums of money generated here in recent years. Wealthy people sometimes are afflicted with a spiritual "restlessness"' because they rely on comforts at the sensorial level: good colors, good smells, good companions, including sex. But still, mentally, they are not necessarily happy. . . . The restlessness and unhappiness that occurs at the level of the mind is something that can only be addressed by a means that is mental. . . .

"Sophisticated machines produce very sophisticated articles,'" he said, "but cannot produce peace of mind. . . . If I go shopping and say, 'Please give me peace of mind. I will give you a million dollars,' I think the shopkeeper will laugh."

Though he is a religious man -- teacher, scholar, monk and, to Tibetans, the incarnation of divine compassion -- the Dalai Lama says he thinks most people do not derive their values directly from religious traditions. Given that reality, he said, a system of ``secular moral ethics'' must be taught to lift the lives and spirits of millions of people. The values he enumerated include nurturing what he calls a "warm heart," and a "sense of caring, a sense of sharing," as well as "self-discipline and contentment."

Oh, the prophecy.

It said that the dharma -- or teachings -- of Buddhism would pass to the land of the "red-faced peoples" 2,500 years after the coming of the historical Buddha, known as Shakyamuni. According to most calculations, those 2,500 years were up in the 1950s when the Dalai Lama fled Tibet. To some of his friends and followers, that means the Dalai Lama -- now an icon in the West -- is the inevitable expression of the prophecy.

Does he believe it?

"No."

He says there is more than one way to interpret the prophecy and to calculate the passage of time since the coming of Lord Buddha. He says the land of the red-faced man might be Tibet. And besides, this is precisely the type of statement the Dalai Lama steps away from. Tibetans call him a living god, but he describes himself as a political and spiritual leader in the real world.

Exiled from Tibet in 1959, the monk travels extensively in Europe and North America. Some might assume his goal is to spread Buddhism, but he said that's not so: "I'm propagating the value of human beings and religious harmony -- not Buddhism."

In fact, he said he sometimes feels "a little hesitant'' teaching about Buddhism in the West because he believes every religious tradition arises from a particular historical and cultural context, and, while people can change faiths, it's not necessarily advisable. A new tradition might not suit the convert and could end up causing "some confusion and some difficulties." That's why it is "better, safer, to keep your own tradition."

He expanded on this Wednesday at the Shoreline, during the first of three days of teachings on the Heart Sutra, a pagelong discourse at the center of Buddhist thought. Before the Dalai Lama were more than 7,000 people, many of them Buddhist students or converts to Buddhism. Some may have been surprised to hear him say there are certain Buddhist notions that Christians shouldn't necessarily probe, as they could undermine their own beliefs in God as creator..

But there are ways that religions and their ``many truths'' can enrich one another. For instance, he mentioned a group of ``Christian brothers,'' friends of his, who ``incorporated into their Christian practice methods for cultivating single-pointedness of mind . . . meditations and visualizations regarding compassionate behavior.''

Then he said Buddhism would benefit by emulating the Christian tradition of community service in education, health and other fields. That Buddhist institutions have often neglected to serve their communities was brought home by a German friend who visited Nepal and returned complaining that "he saw many large monasteries built by lamas. However, there were very few hospitals and schools built by the monasteries."

"There's nothing else the Buddhists can say but, 'He's right,'" the Dalai Lama said.

At the Shoreline, the Dalai Lama was seated, again lotus-style, on a raised platform behind which stretched a massive backdrop depicting the Himalayas and the Potala Palace, the towering centerpiece of the city of Lhasa, Tibet. The Dalai Lama grew up inside the gilded cage of the palace -- and escaped from it 42 years ago, slipping past the Chinese military and crossing the Himalayas to safety in India.

The men and women in the crowd listened raptly to the Dalai Lama's explanations, spoken in Tibetan and translated by Jinpa, who wore a sport coat and slacks amid 200 robed monks filling the stage.

The scene was bursting with typical colors of Tibet: maroon, saffron, blue. The audience, in shorts, T-shirts and sun hats, seemed to have arrived from a different world.

Yet Tom Flynn, director of a Buddhist retreat center in Soquel and a main event organizer, pointed out to the assembly that there was something very right about the day. It was entirely appropriate, he said, for the Dalai Lama to come to Silicon Valley.

After all, it used to be called the Valley of Heart's Delight.

By Richard Scheinin, San Jose Mercury News , May 18, 2001
http://www.tibet.ca

Pyramid Power

By Rev. Dr. Fred Lee

The University of San Diego recently released a statement that says that they have scientifically proven that the proton aspect of the individual atom is 4% smaller today than it was 20 years ago. I think it would be safe to say that this has everything to do with the recent Solar Flare activity. The radiations that are being exhibited by these Solar Flares are indeed the waveform of protons. Another study of interest shows that solar neutrinos are not penetrating the Earth's crust to any great extent only, "0.025%". Obviously, the solar flare activity is our solar systems effort to feed a deficit that is being created by the buildup of various Solar and Cosmic Radiation.

Throughout the ages the atmosphere on planet Earth has undergone many changes. We have remnants of prehistoric animals that were able to grow to unbelievable size. Considering the fact that Japan tried to build a Pyramid 1/10 scale of the Pyramid of Cheops, and were unable to do so, with modern-day knowledge and technology, I think it would be safe to assume that the environment at the time of the building of the Pyramid of Cheops was of a lesser density. I feel that this is confirmed by many different findings, including dinosaurs.

As I have spent many hours and even days into years considering the big questions in life, I have come to the conclusion that the Pyramid of Cheops was developed to relieve this buildup of solar and cosmic energy. When you read about the Pyramid of Cheops, there are many interesting points to be considered.

One point is the fact that the Pyramid is aligned in a very purposeful way. We know that it had a Gold Capstone. Researchers have found that there is a pit at the floor of the Pyramid, that appears to go down toward the center of the earth indefinitely. Remnants of red chalk have been found near the base of the Pyramid. It is said that the bodies of dead animals have been found within the Pyramid in a state of being that shows no decay, even after prolonged periods of time. I read one statement that said that a carton of milk could be left in the Pyramid for a prolonged amount of time without spoiling. This is verifiable proof that the Pyramid, at some point in time interacting with or absorbed some type of unique energy.

If you read the clues, it becomes very clear that when the Pyramid of Cheops was in use, it was utilized to induct, Solar and Cosmic energy, and then direct the energy to relieve the buildup of various energies, "Solar Neutrinos, etc.".

Visualize the Pyramid of Cheops with it's Gold Capstone upon it, and the outer walls of the Pyramid coated with Red Chalk. Red is the lowest frequency in the visible energy frequency band. Now, understand that the Pyramid is being bombarded 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, 365 days a year, by Solar and Cosmic radiation. The Red Chalk would naturally attract and induct like frequency energy. The inducted energy would be refracted inward, "because of the geometric design of the Pyramid" , toward a deficit that would be created by the Gold Capstone. It is this process, that created the pit that has been found, as well as the unique energy findings.

This energy buildup I'm talking about is obviously the cause of the evolution of earthquake activity, and the list goes on.

I know that most people will say, "Nice Theory", and never think of it again. It's too bad, there are answers to all of life's problems. I have developed over 50 videos that target the big questions, and I offer some very comprehensive answers.

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/user/revdrlee777?feature=mhee

GOODBYE Donn Shy

By Reap Paden

When I started getting involved in the paranormal one of the things that struck me first was the bickering that always seemed to be going on between this group and that group.Fights over who had rights to some grainy out of focus picture that only showed a lack of ability to hold still while pushing a button.

It seemed people were constantly bad mouthing others for the sole reason of making themselves look better. NOTE: Whenever you find the best way to make yourself look good is to tear down the honest work of others there is a flaw in your thinking process, have it checked out.

Groups would argue over names, members, 'haunted' locations, drunk/drug using members, type of equipment being used, method, how good they looked on TV, who's story was the most real, who had the coolest t-shirts, who was an 'expert', and who knew the most 'famous' paranormal celebrities, (note: That list does not include chip coffey. He is a list all his own, see "moronic lunatics who use children for their own gain, lie about having super-powers, laugh at the medical conditions of others when they think no one is looking, and clearly have serious mental health issues which need addressing yet lack anyone who cares enough to get them the professional help they need " yes the title is long but the list is short. Chip Coffey's name is on it 3 x).

Between the infighting and drama sometimes it was hard to find much to like about the paranormal community. I can name 3 or maybe 4 people off the top of my head who never contributed to that feeling. Out of all the people I've met, helped, criticized, fought with, befriended, hated, pointed and laughed at, ther are just these few people who truly did stand out above the rest. One of them was Donn Shy. i can't tell you that I was her best friend or that I ever even had the chance to meet her in person. I can't tell you what song she would sing while she got dressed in the morning and I can't tell you who broke her heart the most times. I can't speak to every accomplishment in her life and there are a thousand other things that I will never get a chance to know about her. I can speak to some things I do know.

There have been times when I was not very well liked in the paranormal community, but Donn Shy never jumped on the hater bandwagon. She didn't judge and she didn't talk out of both sides of her mouth. She would talk to me about some new drama going on without ever being negative to either side just accepting people for what they were and there were a few times her demeanor helped me to temper my own anger so that I could see the story a bit more clearly. Donn helped support so many people including myself and her efforts made the paranormal community a more interesting endeavor. She helped make it possible that people got a chance to meet and listen to the personalities they found interesting. She brought people together and the dialog that resulted from her work made the world a more interesting place.

Donn Shy accepted people for what they were, people. I wasn't going to take a much deserved jab at chip coffey in this piece. I at first thought it would cheapen the words. Then I heard Donn Shy's voice "Reap, you troublemaker" followed by her laugh and realized there was no way for me to cheapen her memory she would have accepted anything I had written for exactly what it was, priceless memories of a friend taken too soon expressed in my own way.
   

The best way to respect someones actions in  life is to keep them alive and make sure others have a chance to know a person they will never meet for the wonderful person they were while here with us. Since nothing ever really goes away once it is on the internet I figured I would gather a bunch of those memories  from people who knew her well and some who only had a brief interaction and put them in one place to make it easier for people to recognize the type of person we lost when Donn Shy passed away. Thanks to everyone who provided these memories.


When I first started doing The SLAB, Donn was one of our biggest supporters. She used to hang out in the chat room and keep things rolling in there.She used to she was always giving us moral support. Not because we were paying her but because she was a genuinely nice person and loved doing things for others in the paranormal community. We really miss her.
-Randy Ivy

She has stayed with us and "just chilled." She has been with us at many events, and behind the scenes for fun. She has also, supported me from day one. Regardless of my changing, growing, learning and new views on life and the "un" known. She was a one of a kind, and a true kind individual in a world of division. She never "believed" nor was a "debunker." She was always a true Skeptic. Donn Shy was one of the very rare individuals that always promoted, supported and cared for anyone with a point of view that may help to contribute to an actual realization to facts. She was not only a dear friend, but a very open minded skeptic that sought only real answers to the questions that "haunt" us all. Rest In Peace" Donn. If there are answers to the questions that we all seek. You have spent a lifetime searching for them and found them. The rest is up to us to do the same. The one memory that I will always have of you, is the smile, hugs and fun that you always shared with me over the years.
-Ed and Lisa Craft

Donn Shy's passion for the paranormal, and always positive message set her apart from the "norm" of the field. Her kindness, generosity, and genuine qualities set the bar high for those with paranormal pursuits. Her friendship is unparalleled. It was an honor working with her on the show, and she is deeply missed.
-Kathy Barts, Host of ParaChallenged Radio


Donn was the one that brought the STU to live stages everywhere. One thing about her I always remember is Love everyone regardless how they feel about you. Miss her
- Scott Gruenwald

Donn was one of the most compassionate and caring people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. In this "paranormal arena" that all too often sees discord and infighting, I can honestly say I never heard Donn say an unkind word about anyone. Her heart was in the right place always, her laughter was infectious and she would often times sacrifice her own goals for the benefit of others. Now she's crossed to the other side and has all the answers she was seeking as an investigator - and I'm incredibly jealous of her for that!
-Patrick Burns

"Donn Shy was known as the 'Paranormal Publicist'... she worked tirelessly to promote people within the paranormal community she aligned herself with.... never herself. Her radio show, 'The Green Room" was one of my favorite broadcasts. Donn appeared on Encounters with us many times, and I appreciated her enthusiasm and dedication to furthering the cause of the paranormal. She will be missed by many - she never talked in a negative way about anyone... she blessed us all all with dignity and grace"
-Tim Yancey

Without Donn Shy's wonderful smile and light, there is a void in the paranormal community!
-Keith Age

Donn was an angel down on this earth as well as now above. She want a true friend and associate to Spooked Television. We miss her very much but know shes doing PR now for the big boss in heaven above. bless her and her family.
-The Booth Brothers

She was the first person to support you and offer a hand. That's what I remember about her. She was after me to write a book and she would promote it. She was a really great person. I knew she was terminal its just terrible. But, I'll bet she is back and forth to Queen Mary her ghost love.
-Moebanshee

Donn Shy was such a fixture in the paranormal community and if there was an event or a party you could be sure Donn would be there. I know every time I would go to an event I would immediately start looking for Donn’s funny hat that she had become famous for in the crowd. Without fail I would spot her and head over to give her a big hug.

I knew all was right when I saw Donn was on the scene. I will truly miss my little ritual and Sadly, I doubt Donn even knew that I always made sure to find her just to give her a hug and see how she was but it really had become a habit of mine. Things just wont be the same without her around but she left a big impact on the paranormal community while she was here. Her tireless efforts to advance the field will not be forgotten. She truly was loved and appreciated by all who knew her.
-Bob Davis, Planet Paranormal

Donn Shy - is a paranormal investigator and documentarian for The Pasadena Paranormal Research Society.

Donn is also a photographer, videographer, and writer, and is the freelance publicist for Inner Light - Global Communications, working directly with Tim Beckley, Mr. UFO. Donn is also known as The Para-Publicist, with a growing list of clients of her own.

Donn’s fascination with the paranormal started at a very young age. Growing up hearing stories from friends, family, and neighbors about ghosts and hauntings only fueled the desire to learn more. Thus began 35 years of personal study and research.

Feeling the need to collect her own evidence, she began investigating in 2002. Proof was obtained as Donn saw her first shadow person on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California in March 2008, and a week later witnessed an actual ghost in Volcano, California.

Shy has collected quite a number of Class “A” EVPs from various locations such as The Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA., Waverly Hills Sanitorium in Louisville Kentucky, and The Wolfe Manor in Clovis, CA., along with some very interesting video files.

Shy has a few interesting experiences within the paranormal realm that also drives her curiosity.

Donn’s enthusiasm for all things paranormal is a driving force that keeps her fascinated and always looking for more.

Donn Shy is missed much by many........

Issue 64 – Paranormal Unity or Paranormal Propaganda?

By Reporter X

DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed by guest bloggers and special reporters aren't necessarily those of the blog owners. As for other guest bloggers, reporters or special contributors, we ask that they stick with the facts when reporting a story.

Keep current and follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/eyeonparanormal

Those people who know who I am have asked what has happened to Reporter X's last two reports. One has been severely edited and the other has been removed completely with no explanation.  

We hear the cry every day calling for PARANORMAL UNITY. This is now the way to go. Do not raise objections to others' methods. Do not even dare say a case is fake or raise questions about the claims surrounding a case. Do not question that para celebrity you see on TV or shell out your hard earned pay by hearing them speak or buying their book (invariably penned by a ghost writer). And so what if their theories are made up to fit the show they are on? And the worst thing you can do is to question if a paranormal reality show is fake, as that is now an unpardonable sin.

Is this for the good of the paranormal community to learn, grow and help those who need it? They claim it is; as now is the time to kiss, make up, hold hands and put on a unified front for the good of all. That’s complete propaganda, ladies and gentlemen. It has nothing to do with that. What it comes down to can be summed up in three words: EGO, FAME, MONEY.

They want you to buy whatever they are selling. Their goals are not to learn and expand and help. Their goals are money, fame, grow their ego, be on TV, sell a book, and maybe, just maybe, the biggest prize of all: a movie deal.

Over the past two weeks I have tried to deal with a case that has all of the above and more. The propaganda police want me and others to go away so the road can be open for them to peddle their wares.

These people who run about screaming "Unity! Unity!" do not listen to the nay- sayers, the controversial bloggers or the investigative paranormal reporters. They spread the lie to only listen to us, and repeat after us: see no evil, hear no evil, as all is good in the paranormal community.

What they are really saying if they ever could be honest with themselves is this:

We are the gods of the paranormal. Information flows from us! We pass it onto the lowly public as we see fit.

This week I was reading a review copy of a paranormal nonfiction book that is due out soon. This book is written by a well known para celeb. This fake para celeb is such an expert in their field that they are known throughout the world. Does this individual acquire such knowledge from years of training and study? No! It is gained from being on a fake para reality TV show. (Moms tell your kids who want to be heart surgeons to forget about school. All you need to do is get on a reality show and in just three seasons they can perform heart transplants!).

That is the thinking that rules this community. If you dare question an investigation it is bad enough but when you actually prove there is something erroneous that’s not cool. The attack dogs are unleashed, the trolls show up, the lawyers are called, and the fight is on.

I say this to all of the paranormal unity/paranormal propaganda people--this voice will never be silenced. I will speak the truth, report the facts, expose the things they would prefer we never know. Why? Because decency is good. Decency keeps them honest. Decency brings some balance to the field. And without it there is no limit to the deceptions they can perpetrate.

So paranormal unity police and the paranormal propaganda unit do not come knocking, because I refuse to listen. I have my eyes and ears focused on the truth which is the one thing they are clearly not selling.

With that I now must depart from this blog for good. I have been told that I can no longer post my reports and insights into a case that will remain nameless.

I already have a new place where I can do my reporting. Google my name and you will find the location. Be good my friends! (Give it a week or so to get into the search engines).

The Dalai Lama on Human Rights & Universal Responsibility

By The Dalai Lama

No matter what country or continent we come from we are all basically the same human beings. We have the same 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. 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.

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 shortsighted. 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.

We need to think in global terms because the effects of one nation's actions are felt far beyond its borders. 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?

All human beings, whatever their cultural or historical background, suffer when they are intimidated, imprisoned or tortured. We must 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.

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 recognized human rights, these forms of behavior 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 peoples' 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.

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. 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.

There still remains a major gulf at the heart of the human family. By this I am referring to the North-South divide. 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 the 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.

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 one self, one's own family or one's nation, but for the benefit of all humankind. Universal responsibility is the best foundation for world peace.

World Conference on Human Rights Vienna, Austria 15 June, 1993.

Excerpts from the Dalai Lama's Address

FREE eBook "South of Sunset"

Beginning today, the Eye on the Paranormal will happily promote any Kindle, B&N and/or Smashwords authors who are running free [or discounted] ebook deals! 

I've updated the South of Sunset ebook cover and added a section describing what the title means to those of you who aren't familiar with Los Angeles.

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What's it all about? HOLLYWOOD. A name that needs no introduction. Such a world-renowned name conjures up images of movies, sunglass-wearing stars, palm trees, plastic surgery, drug habits, the proverbial overnight success … and the happy ending. In this collection of original short fiction, the author takes us into the minds of an assortment of losers, dreamers, successes, wannabes, and has-beens. A conglomeration of fact and fantasy, the time period ranges from the mid-80s to the present. "South of Sunset" isn't just a location ... it's where myth and reality merge. 

The action within these seven stories takes place in various Los Angeles locations; all the main characters happen to reside south of Sunset Boulevard.

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Demons & Thought Theft...Think Again (Please)‏

By Rev. Hunnemann

The story is told of a preacher who would write notes in the margin of his sermon outline; one  said: "Logic weak here...raise your voice." he he-that is one way to get a point across...raise the decibel level. Long on attention grabbing ,but short on actual persuasion. I mention this because I want to keep the decibel level low, while trying to explain a familiar topic. All of us have wondered if demons can read our minds, and most
of us would say "No, they can't" What I have not seen, other than a rather loudish, "Only God can read minds!", is a systematic attempt to explain WHY...so here goes.

What nudged me to do some musings (I dig musing :) ) on this topic was a comment made in the Paranormal Church blog. A woman raised this issue and then said, :"Angels read each others minds now, and when we die our souls will do the same with each other.So, why can't demons read them...".Now, so mesmerized was I at this point, you could have driven a steamroller through my living room and I would not have noticed! When really engrossed in thought, I fly away to a different world...inaccessible.Upon return to semi-sanity, here are some thought re: demons reading our minds.

1.True mind reading is a divine perogative--an extension of His omniscience..see #7

2.In Mark' gospel, and scripture in general, the miracles of Christ are given as a validation of His divinity (divine Messiah) In Mark 2: 1-12 is a wonderful story of where four friends of a paralytic lowered him from the roof so that Jesus might heal him--it was so crowded they could not get in otherwise. Jesus was delighted with their faith and told the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven.In v 7 it says that the scribes were thinking to themselves that Jesus was blaspheming because only God can forgive sin. v.8 Immediately, we are told that Jesus knew what they were thinking (real mind reading) and He then asked them which was easier: to forgive a man's sins or to heal a paralytic. Since the process of sin forgiveness is invisible Jesus gives them empirical evidence of ability to forgive sins, and therefore is God...and he does this by healing the paralyzed man. The miracle proved his deity,but note that central to this whole divine validation is Jesus reading their minds.It is the first of three miracles designed to show He is God: he reads minds, he forgives sins, he heals a paralytic. So, to say that only God can read minds is actually an integral part of this text.

3. Nowhere in the bible is Satan or his demons said to read minds...BIG omission if true

4. What appears to be demonic mind reading is really demonic influence. They project thoughts into your mind, which sounds like your "mind-voice"...no raspy voices and hisses in the mind. Then they turn around and tell you what you were thinking about, trying to seem like they have the ability to read your mind. But all they have done is parrot back what they projected in there. So simple...so crafty...so persuasive to the undiscerning.

5. In my opinion, mind reading by another creature would be tantamount to mind-rape...an unnerving access or forced entry into our most secret, sacred, private place. God's goodness would not allow this unwarranted intrusion.

6. As a corollary to #5, Satan tries to convince us he can read our minds because it instills fear.

7. "The Lord knows the thought of man" (Ps.94:11);"You percieve my thoughts from afar" (Ps.139:2) there are many verses in the bible which speak of God knowing what is in our minds or hearts.In Ps.139:1-6 David is worshiping God for His omniscience--in that context His knowledge of our thoughts is stated. Though intelligent, filthy spirits are not all-knowing.

8. In a section that is dealing with this very issue of who is privy to our thoughts, we read ..."No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit." (1 Cor.2:11) The stress is on inability...Inaccessibility to our thoughts by anyone but God is similar to the fact that only God Himself knows what He is thinking.Nobody has the ability to know our thoughts, or God's thoughts.It is as if Paul said. "Only a person;s own consciousness is aware of his secret thoughts, just like nobody but God is privy to His own unrevealed thoughts." The Holy Spirit, as part of the Trinity, knows and reveals to us God's thoughts...or some of them. Do you see the force of this argument....Only God knows His own thoughts, and only we know our own thoughts.If you question the latter then, you must question God as well...and we are all in agreement that demons cannot (inability) read God's mind.To me, this text is conclusive...BUT...

9. What of the point that angels read each others minds now, that we will read each others minds in heaven, and that must mean that demons can read our minds now.....Well, do angels really read each others minds....NO! Let me explain, and I admit of using some conjecture. Unfettered mind reading is a mind-rape as we said. Angelic communication, as well as soul-to-soul communication in heaven, will be achieved via passive receiving and active transmitting.The angel or soul that is "talking" is the active transmitter of thought, and the one listening is the passive receiver of that information.Then the roles are reversed when the receiver wants to answer--he then actively transmits his thoughts to the others mind, while the others mind receives it.But, and this is crucial, at no point is the angel or soul having their mind "read".There is not involuntary or forced access to our minds, even in heaven. The problem arose when this person wrongly assumed that, for mind-to-mind communication to happen, we must  "get into another person's head or mind".That assumption is a non-sequitur...meaning, it does not folllw (wrong conclusion) The back and forth of mind-to-mind communication does not entail accessing the contents of the other's mind...just transmission and reception.There must be some form of mental telepathy between angels now, and our naked souls in heaven (before we get our glorified bodies).

A body-less soul, even in heaven,is incomplete.. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. (2Cor.5:3) It is a fascinating paragraph, which speaks of our desire to be clothed with our glorified bodies. These "spiritual" bodies will be physical in nature, but perfected and endowed with new powers...much like Jesus's post-resurrection body in which He was able to walk through walls or just appeared, but He ate fish as well (yeeaa!) (Luke 24:43) "And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish, and He ate it as they watched." No vaporous apparition was He! He HAS a glorified human body now, and will for all eternity. But in this state, His communication was NOT telepathic...it was voice to eardrums. The purpose of salvation is not to free us from the prison house of the soul--the physical body--which is what Plato taught...and Gnostics. Rather, the gloriously grand sweep of redemption is to restore to us the fullness of our perfected humanness. Only a gloriously excellent Savior could bring about such a glorious salvation!