Thursday, May 1, 2014

True Spirituality--a Three Legged Stool

By Reverend Mark Hunnemann

"During most of the history of Christianity, doctrine, piety, and ethics have gone hand in hand." (Harold OJ Brown, 'Heresies', pg. 433)


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might." (Ephesians 6:10)

I have said on numerous occasions that "virtually all paranormal activity is demonic in nature".  Next time I want to explore this in-depth--clarifying what I mean and do NOT mean by this assessment. What about angels? And what kind of paranormal activity am I referring to? Next week...

This week, I want to discuss what true spirituality is. Francis Schaeffer wrote a marvelous book entitled True Spirituality, but this will not be a re-hash of the contents of his book, as superb as it is. Rather, I was convicted by how much modern evangelicalism has embraced a deficient, one-dimensional view of what it means to be a balanced Christian. Dr Brown's monumental analysis of heresies helped to clarify the basic issues.


True spirituality is defined, not by us, but by the bible. And the bible likens a healthy or balanced faith to a three-legged stool. It actually does not use that analogy, but the three-fold nature of biblical Christianity is found from Genesis to Revelation. With a three-legged stool, if any of the legs are missing or are weak, then it will be unsteady at best, and a disaster waiting to happen, at worst. The three "legs" of true spirituality are: biblical truth or doctrine, existential (moment-by-moment) piety--abiding in Christ or personal communion with Him, and ethics.(individual and social). In the last 2,000 years of church history, various "legs" have been emphasized at times, often to the neglect of one or both of the other "legs". Nevertheless, as Brown points out,"During most of the history of Christianity, doctrine, piety, and ethics have gone hand in hand." (Brown, Heresies) So, he spells out the three legs of true spirituality.


What does all this have to do with a biblical worldview analysis of the occullt and necromancy? A lot actually. Think about it--if being a faithful Christian only (or mainly) entails concern about me as an individual...MY salvation...MY sanctification...MY experience with Jesus, then concern for culture and society is lost. Indeed, there are Christian leaders today who think precisely that--they liken concern for issues like abortion, racism, and the occult as re-arranging the lounge chairs on the Titanic! "The world belongs to Satan and is going to hell anyway, so why worry about it? Just preach the simple gospel, and be simple Christians." It may not be stated so explicitly, but most evangelicals ascribe to this pietistic mentality of radical individualism, and the results are disastrous...leaving us with a one-legged stool.

1. The first leg of true spirituality is that of doctrine. Due to a confluence of issues in addition to pietism, there has never been a time in the history of the church where concern for solid orthodoxy has been weaker than it is today. Let me try to be more positive in how I state this--if you wish to make your life count maximally for the Lord, then you need to place a premium on theological/biblical truth. My dear friends, have we not been commanded to "contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3)? Then biblical truth should be like fire in our bones!

Theologians, Protestant and Catholic, have fallen prey to the notion of "progress", instead of faithfulness to a body of truth that has been delivered to us. Preachers (with some notable exceptions) have lost a passion for rich expository preaching.

On an old bulletin from the church I used to pastor--dated 1990,-there is the following quote at the top, "To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.." (William Temple) Do you see how all of those are directly related to our understanding of the whole counsel of God?

If you were to ask me what I thought the greatest need of the church is today, I would not hesitate to say that our most urgent need is a deeper understanding of the holiness of God the Father. That would have a domino effect, including a deeper spirituality.

Spiritual warfare is first a truth encounter, and then it is a power encounter, not vice versa..It has been said that American Christianity today is 3,000 miles wide and a half an inch deep....many millions profess Christ, but their doctrinal leg is weak or missing altogether.. Let us recover a passion for truth. Indeed, Jesus is the Truth.

People were burned and drowned for heresy in the past, and that is utterly reprehensible. However, they did understand something vital, which we have largely forgotten--heresy (serious doctrinal error) has a corrupting effect on culture, as well as on individuals.

2. Personal piety is the second leg. This aspect gets most attention today. It is fruitless to argue which leg is most important, but certainly a personal, moment-by-moment walk with Christ is the essence of eternal life (which begins the instant one is saved..see John 17:1ff) The bible is emphatic that at the heart of true spirituality is a deep love for the Lord. Indeed, that is our purpose in life--the greatest commandment--to love God with all of our being. When it comes to our basic purpose in life, there is no variation from person to person--ALL of us are called to a love relationship with the Lord, which takes primacy over all other loves.

Few things are uglier, both to God and a watching world, than a dead orthodoxy. The Reformation of the 1,500's was a recovery of the centrality of the God of grace, and the grace of God.....the gospel. Oddly, perhaps the greatest hindrance to deep devotion FOR God is ministry/service TO God. But how can pastors--or how can we--expect to have victory over Satan if we are not strong in Him? John 15 reminds us that we can do nothing apart from our existential communion with Jesus. Let us resolve to awaken each day with a holy passion of relishing and delighting in our love for the Lord, and His love for us.

3. Ethics is the third leg. Harold OJ Brown points out in some detail how early Pietism (1,700's) devolved from a concern for individual and society, to just the concerns of the individual. Wherever the devil is attacking our culture, the church is supposed to be the first and last bastion of defense...as salt and light. The last leg in our three-legged stool of true spirituality is a passion for applying the gospel to the needs of our generation. But when preachers, as taught in seminary, see their primary calling as making the gospel relevant to the felt needs of the individual, then the ethical leg is severed.

In his last book The Great Evangelical Disaster, published in 1984, Francis Schaeffer pleads with Christians (especially leaders) to confront evil and error. He lamented that, as a whole (with notable exceptions), we were not confronting "the spirit of the age", and by default, we were accommodating the growth of evil and error. Hence, our culture was unraveling right before our eyes. Sadly, what Schaeffer said back in 1984 (selfish, individualistic pietism), has become even more ensconced in our culture in 2014. True spirituality, one that is biblically balanced and pleasing to the Lord, will confront the issues facing our generation. It saddens me that the historic stance of Christianity towards necromancy, has changed so radically in such a short time.So, where are the sermons on the paradigm shift to occultism? Abortion? When I took homiletics (preaching) in seminary, we were taught to do two things--work hard to be faithful to the true meaning of the text, and to work equally hard on sensitively applying the unchanging truth to the changing needs of our generation...wherever the devil is attacking, we are to attack!

Please search your own heart to see which leg of the 3 legged stool which you need to attend to. The Lord bless you and keep you.    Mark

"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.


The Real Supernatural World vs. the Fake One

By Lisa Grace 

With the prevalence of science fantasy and science fiction books and movies, the line between the real supernatural world and the fake have become blurred. 

The practice of magic, the use of Ouija boards, and tarot cards, have become common place and are no longer considered by society as dangerous and a form of attracting demons. 

On twitter and other forms of social media, you can get in touch with thousands of people who practice drinking blood, and practicing magic. Many believe because of the blurred lines, these practices are just “fun” and not a way to attract demonic activity. 

For this reason, I would love to see a distinction made between the real supernatural world and the fake one. 

In the book world, I believe it's time for a new genre. Science fiction and science fantasy are separate genres. In science fiction, you have stories that must fit into the science world based on known or plausible theories of science. 

Science fantasy includes but is not limited to the aliens, wizards, dragons etc... and things that do not exist in our world, and do not have to follow the 22 rules that hold our universe together. 

Books about the supernatural should be split the same way. We know certain supernatural creatures exist form the Bible. (Colossians 1:16, Romans 8:38) They are split into several categories: The Arch Angel (We are aware of only one from the Bible), Angels, Seraphim, Cherubim, Principalities, Authorities, Powers, Thrones, Might, Dominion, disembodied Demons, Nephilim, Giants, the women (in heaven), and the beasts before the throne. 

Other supernatural creatures are man-made, such as vampires, werewolves, zombies, aliens etc... 

I would like to see a split in the genre between the real supernatural and the rest.

What do you think?


Lisa Grace is the author of the Angel Series which has been optioned for a major motion picture. You can download the first book Angel in the Shadows, Book 1 FREE here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0052AI5W8 or here in any format: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/236544

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Issue 153 – The Eye is Changing Focus

By Kirby Robinson

The times are a changing and so is the Eye on the Paranormal. Effective later this week, we'll no longer be reporting on the paranormal. No more demons,  no more ghosts, no more debunking  of psychics fake para-celebs, no more fake  haunting cases…all of that has been done. I should point out that we're the only ones who have consistently debunked the fakers since 2008. Beginning next week, the Eye on the Paranormal is changing its focus. Here's our fun new schedule:

Sock Hop Sunday – We delve into the history of sock hops and how they influenced America from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Motivational Monday - Let us share positive motivational quotes that will jumpstart your week!

Tuesday Coupon Tips – Want to know where to find the best deals online and in your area? Why, right here, of course!

Wacky, Wacky Wednesday – Ooops, I can’t take it any longer. Well, I guess you can tell that I'm just kidding about the change of focus.

The times might be a changing, fake para-celebs might be complaining, fake psychics might be wishing, but the EYE ON THE PARANORMAL is not hopping aboard the PC train. Nope, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.

If anything, this blog is getting more hits everyday and are at an all time record high for the month of April.

"When my time on earth is gone, and my activities here are passed, I want them to bury me upside down, and my critics can kiss my ass!" I.U. Basketball Coach Bobby Knight.

I couldn't have said it better, Coach Knight.

On Monday, April 28, on Prime Time Paranormal Radio Show, I was given an ambush interview/infomercial for all things wrong within the paranormal field. But I didn't give in, get flustered, or even hang up the phone before the interview ended. I had a different impact than what the hosts along with the ambush tag team of Chip Coffey, Andrea Perron, and Bishop Long expected.

If they'd noticed [again, where were Chip's spirit guides?], that I wasn't even blogging that much. I'd started to lose interest in most things in the paranormal and was even thinking of just going with my other bloggers each week and leaving it at that.

Now that good old fire is back in the belly, my friends. In the days and weeks to come, we'll bring you the news and views about the paranormal field that you can't find anywhere else online.

Bad Psychics - Yes, we'll report on them. How they inflict harm but try to disguise their work in the name of the Lord. The master they serve tries to stay out of the light.

New Age – It's not a religion, it's a mash up of what they want to be true. The Christian GOD that I serve is not Allah, nor Buddha, nor is He one of the millions of Hindu gods floating around out there.

In the days prior to the end of days the Bible warned us that men would profess a love of God yet they hate him and will invade our churches.

Their false teachings must be exposed--and that we'll do.

Along with our regular mix of news and views.

The EYE is what might be the last free voice in the paranormal field. I also stand behind every one of my bloggers as having the right to express their views as they see fit.

Oh, and here is yet another reason why I do this. The following comment was made on my previous week's blog Issue 152 Ryan Buell Digs for Gold/Chip Coffey Gets the Shaft!

Here is yet another victim of Ryan Buell's fan club and how they were shafted:
"I paid $150 to join the PRS Coummnity..I only have borrow time and going to Dallas was a Bucket List for me..One Gold ticket two Silver money is gone ...my best friend flew from NJ to Louisiana....the day we are leaving for Texas...2:00am we receive a message the tour cancel...All I can say is Shame on you Ryan...your Judgement will be with God!"

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

EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of our books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?" [Now in Paperback!], "Never Mock God: An Unauthorized Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case" [also in paperback!], "Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal State Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/




Tuesday, April 29, 2014

From Sadness to Hope - the Power of Compassion

Tokyo, Japan, 19 November 2013 - A short drive through Tokyo’s busy streets brought His Holiness the Dalai Lama to the Zojoji Temple today. This grand institution belongs to the Jodo shu, one of the Pure Land traditions of Japanese Buddhism, dedicated to the single-minded recitation of the Nembutsu, a prayer to Amitabha Buddha. A Zojoji Temple has stood on this site for more than 500 years, but was badly damaged during the last war. The Daiden (Hondo), that His Holiness visited was rebuilt, combining ancient and modern traditions, in 1974. He was received at the steps to the temple by the Chief Abbot Yagi and escorted inside to a seat from which he could observe the prayers led by the Abbot to poignant musical accompaniment.

His Holiness was invited on this occasion at the behest of ‘Live On’ a non-profit organisation begun by Terumi Okaku to help prevent suicide and support children, who have lost parents as a result of disease, disaster, suicide, terrorism and war, through the grieving process. She explained that she was inspired to do this by her own experience of grief after her mother took her own life and she lost a brother in an accident. Her goal is to help people find hope as a way out of grief.

“I am very happy to be here in this magnificent temple, where monks have just performed prayers to Amitabha,” His Holiness began when it came to his turn to speak. “And I am impressed by the experiences of Ms Okaku, who works so hard to relieve the bereaved of their grief and depression. Working to allay the suffering of others on the basis of your own experience is particularly effective. I am reminded of the well-known verse of dedication:

May the supreme and precious awakening mind
Arise where it has not yet arisen.
And where it has declined or does not exist,
May it flourish and keep growing.

“It is clear that the greater your sense of altruism, the more you work for the welfare of others, the greater will be your own satisfaction. And when you come to die you’ll be able to go with confidence. As you dedicate yourself to working for others, your own interests will incidentally be fulfilled. Selfishness and self-centredness, on the other hand, lead to anxiety and suspicion, poor health and a decline in well-being.”

He commented that all the major religious traditions talk about love and compassion, although they differ in their philosophical approach because of the differences of time and place in which they arose. In Buddhist literature there is no mention of a pure and eternal god, nor of an intrinsically existent self. Everything is described as existing in dependence on other factors.

Although the Buddha had spoken about suffering when he taught the Four Noble Truths, that is no grounds for feeling depressed. Rather we should examine what gives rise to suffering and take on the challenge of overcoming it. He said that helping others who suffer to cope and overcome their grief as Ms Okaku had earlier described is a great gift of kindness.

His Holiness clarified that we experience two levels of pain, physical and mental, and that while physical pain tends to have a physical cause, mental suffering usually derives from our own way of thinking. For this the 8th century Indian master, Shantideva, offers practical advice:

Why be unhappy about something
If it can be remedied?
And what is the use of being unhappy about something
If it cannot be remedied?

Among the prepared questions was one that asked whether in the context of non-violence it is acceptable to fight back in the face of danger. His Holiness replied:

“Try to take the short and long-term benefit into account. But also keep in mind that the difference between non-violence and violence is not necessarily in the quality of the action you take, but in the motivation with which you do it. Seeking to deceive others with sweet words out of a selfish motivation is a form of violence, whereas forceful action with an altruistic motivation is non-violent.”

This prompted another questioner to ask about the self-immolations that have recently taken place in Tibet. His Holiness recalled that during the Cultural Revolution a Chinese Abbot had taken such action to protect his monastery and other monks had protested similarly against the Vietnam War. He pointed out that, very sad as such events have been, people with such courage could have sought to harm others and deliberately avoided doing so.

When he invited questions from the public, a young man wanted to know the proper attitude for falling in love. His Holiness told him he had no experience, but reflected that while physical beauty is good, inner beauty is much more important to the creation of a lasting relationship with someone.

“When you find a potential partner,” he added, “don’t be in a hurry to settle down, get to know each other first.”

To an enquiry about developing moral integrity, His Holiness replied that the world over, modern education is aimed at material progress and development. However, we all receive the seed of affection and respect for others when our mothers shower affection on us as infants. What we have to do is cultivate that seed because affection and warm-heartedness are the foundation of moral integrity. Scientific findings bear out the positive consequences of fostering such values. His Holiness cautioned that just as it is much harder to cure cancer when it is fully developed, if we wish to effect change through education we need to start training children early.

Someone asked His Holiness what is the most important point if we want to help each other and he answered simply: “Love and compassion.” To a question about emptiness he said:

“To understand what ‘form is emptiness, emptiness is form’ means, you have to know that it doesn’t mean that form does not exist. Rather it is not intrinsically existent; it depends on and is designated on other factors. Nagarjuna declared that the instruction about dependent origination is the treasure of the Buddha’s teaching. The purpose of the teaching of emptiness is to undermine our tendency to reify things, which gives rise to anger and attachment, which leads to suffering.”

In the afternoon, His Holiness opened a meeting with Japanese scholars of Tibetan studies by telling them that depending on where people are in the world and what the natural environment is like, different kinds of culture come about. By some accounts there have been Tibetans in Tibet for 30-40,000 years. They were mostly nomads, who, if they had a good horse and a sword, would roam at will and if they came up against opposition would crush it. But with the coming of Buddhism, Tibetans became gentler and more peaceful. He said:

“Usually I describe Tibetan culture as a culture of non-violence, a culture of peace, ultimately derived from compassion. Although we eat meat, we respect all forms of life. Such values, in the light of the violence we see in the world today are worth preserving. I want to express my appreciation to you for the interest you take in Tibetan affairs.”

Among questions that were asked, an historian wanted to know about a thangka of Palden Lhamo belonging to the Dalai Lamas and the whereabouts of a seal associated with their rule, which he said he did not know. An anthropologist from Hiroshima wanted to know about the apparent contradiction he saw between the Buddhist teaching of impermanence and sustainable development. His Holiness agreed that there has to be change. And the representative of a group of young Tibetologists expressed a strong interest in the prospect of creating Japanese links to the Mind & Life Institute. His Holiness approved of their enthusiasm saying:

“In the modern world more people have faith in science than in spiritual paths, but we need to find ways for people in general to learn to deal with their destructive emotions. The Mind & Life Institute is indeed doing good work in this direction in exploring and implementing secular ethics in the USA, in Europe, Thailand, Hong Kong and, next April, here in Japan.”

original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1034-from-sadness-to-hope---the-power-of-compassion

Monday, April 28, 2014

Bad Bad Thing Monday – Duggar Family Scandal & Fake Cell Block Psychic

By Kirby Robinson


It's a bad bad Monday for the fakes, but first, some good news…

Tonight I'll be exposing more fakery as I make a guest appearance on Prime Time Paranormal radio show.

Monday, April 28, 2014 at 6 [PST] / 9 [EST]

Prime Time Paranormal with George R. Lopez & Michael Boler


http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dead-air/2014/04/29/prime-time-paranormal-kirby-robinson-joins-us-paranormal-blogger-author-more


The second bit of good news is that if you've been scammed by a psychic, private investigator Bob Nygaard can help you get your money back.



Doug Phillips, "Leader of Christian ministry followed by the Duggar family from TLC's 19 Kids And Counting is accused of using teenage girl as 'personal sex slave' in $1m lawsuit..." Read here:



Vicki Monroe, the Cell Block Psychic, is yet another grief vampire we can live without.



Even a fake psychic should have seen this ending badly for them.
"Judith Maria Broughton, has been indicted in U.S. District Court in Texas for stealing more than $150,000 of her father's Social Security retirement benefits. The indictment says she took the benefits from Nov. 10, 1997, through Aug. 31, 2011." Here's the whole story:



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

EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of our books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?" [Now in Paperback!], "Never Mock God: An Unauthorized Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case" [also in paperback!], "Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal State Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/



Saturday, April 26, 2014

Are Psychopaths Demon Possessed Or Oppressed?

Ok my para-beauties this weeks blog is kind of disturbing. I caution anyone who is 18 and under. These subjects must be discussed and not many can take these kinds of discussions. I find them highly disturbing and wonder why I am led to write about such disturbing subjects. I'm guessing because it needs to be told and brought to light. I surely don't feel all Psychopaths are demon possessed. This blog is simply just my opinion on the subject from research I've conducted. I'm certainly not making any claims.

Psychopath Or Demon Possessed?

Below is what I found on oodeger.com. It was way too much to post so check out the website for yourself. I happen to believe all this is very possible.

 Elder, how does one understand if a person is demon possessed and not a psychopath?

-That can be discerned by any ordinary doctor - a pious doctor will perceive it immediately.  When those who suffer from demon possession approach anything sacred, they flinch. That makes it perfectly obvious they are demon-possessed. If you give them a little holy water or make the sign of the Cross over them with a Holy Relic they will react vigorously, because the demons inside them are being "cornered" (whereas if they are psychopaths, they will not react at all).  Even if you are wearing a Cross and you approach them, they become disturbed and are shaken.  Once, during a night-vigil on the Holy Mountain, the fathers told me that they could sense that one of the laity present was demon-possessed.  I sat in the pew next to his, and touched him with my cross, which had a small sliver of the Precious Cross inside it.  He sprang up from his seat, then went and sat at the other end.  When the churchgoers began to leave, I went and stood near him very discreetly. The same thing happened.  I realized that he was indeed demon-possessed.

Psychopaths Appear Normal

The world imagines psychopaths as crazed killers within horror stories, but most are not murderers. They are, however, capable of killing the spirit and can literally destroy the sanity of those involved with them.

Psychopaths can and do kill without remorse. Psychopaths often endanger civilization and see nothing wrong with their amoral acts, yet do not (consciously) choose this disorder. The psychopath is innately and partially blinded. Presenting as mentally healthy, the emotional part of their being for whatever reasons is dying, or dead. A psychopath is not complete and cannot help who he or she is (or isn’t), although still can be accountable for their actions. A lack of conscience makes many people extremely cruel, although not every psychopath is doomed to become a bad person.  Most are not in prison, although prisons are full of psychopaths. The psychopath, according to latest research, is just as likely to be the neighbor.

These are the 7 deadly sins -

Did you know that these Psychopaths actually Identify with a lot of the 7 deadly sins? How many of these did your psychopath identify with?

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation.

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires.

Lust is craving for the pleasures of the body.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. Pride goes hand in hand with this as well.

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness.

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

Anger is present in the person who spurns love and chooses  instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.

This subject could literally take up a year or more of blogs/writing. This is just some thought on the subject and just a few things to think about. We have the Love and protection of Jesus Christ so we need not fear anything. Christ shed His blood for us. This battle has been won people. Satan knows his time is near. It must be near for the world to be in the shape that it is in. Think about it.....No man knows the hour or time. I'm certainly not claiming that.

Written By Jennifer L Auld

New Radio Show Appearance Monday, April 28, 2014

By Kirby Robinson

New radio appearance this Monday, April 28, 2014 at 6 [PST] / 9 [EST]

Prime Time Paranormal with George R. Lopez & Michael Boler

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/dead-air/2014/04/29/prime-time-paranormal-kirby-robinson-joins-us-paranormal-blogger-author-more

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


EARN EXTRA MONEY! If you have a website, forum or blog you can set up an Amazon Associates Affiliate Program link and sell the Kindle version of our books. "Is the Long Island Medium the Real Deal?" [Now in Paperback!], "Never Mock God: An Unauthorized Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case" [also in paperback!], "Investigating Paranormal State," "Paranormal State Exposed" and "Paranormal Teachings: The Best of Shedding Some Light" and earn money. You can also sell other books and products that Amazon offers. Here's the link: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/