By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Hello, and I hope and pray you are well. It has taken forty years of studying and thinking about worldviews to assemble the seven components of a worldview. I am especially indebted to James Sire and his "The Universe Next Door" for starting me on my voyage many years ago. The only truly unique or creative addition that I have added to this list is the question relating to what our purpose in life is (nobody else had included it in their list). At a personal, visceral level, as well as surveying the landscape of intellectual history, these seven questions cover the heart and soul of human existence.
Just a quick reminder as to why we are doing this series--my passion is to see(and equip others to see)the current paranormal craze through God's eyes. In doing so, we will get to the real reality behind what is happening and why.
Which brings me to our topic: what are the benefits of thinking with a biblical worldview? Before I answer, let me list the seven essential questions that are crucial to anyone's worldview:
1. What is God like (or Ultimate Reality)?
2. What is our purpose in life?
3. What is the nature of reality?
4. How do we know what is right and wrong?
5. What does it mean to be a human being?
6. Is history going anywhere?
7. What happens when we die?
Except for # 1, it makes no difference what order they are placed, in my opinion. What God is like is antecedent to all other knowledge.Whether Ultimate Reality is the Infinite/Personal God of the bible or merely matter/energy, is going to radically effect the answers to all of the other above questions. Make sense? That is why in discussions with others we need to camp on this issue first.Look at the list and see what I am talking about.
"Metaphysics is correlative with epistemology." Huh?! That is, what God is like will determine how we acquire knowledge of Him...or "it". For Christians, God communicates Person to person with us--beautiful beyond words! If Ultimate Reality is viewed as energy/matter, then obviously how we attain knowledge of "it" will differ radically from the biblical view. This is not abstruse theory ya'll, this is where millions live moment by moment.And, I might add, it is one reason the paranormal has become so hot.
Let us see how our worldviews can be a tool of analysis in four ways: self-analysis, analysis of other individuals, cultural analysis, and academic analysis. We will look at self analysis this time, and then focus on analyzing the paranormal community (cultural analysis)next time. We personally have to have clear vision before we can accurately "see" the mental landscape of others.
Certainly one of the most important benefits of thinking with a biblical worldview is self-analysis."To become conscious of your grasp of the fundamental nature of reality, to be able to tell yourself just what you believe about God, the universe, yourself and the world around you--what else could be more important? You would be able to live the proverbial examined life." (Naming the Elephant, pg 138..James Sire)It was Socrates who said that "the unexamined life was not worth living."
Put simply, the goal of thinking with a biblical worldview is to align as closely as possible your views/beliefs with what the bible teaches regarding these seven questions (I spend considerable time in my book in answering each question biblically). Is it not wonderful that we can have certitude regarding the most basic questions that have plagued, baffled and eluded the greatest minds throughout the history of mankind?! Here is where I am (for once!) showing restraint and not rambling on about how incredibly important self-analysis is.I would only add that clearing up distortions in our worldviews is of utmost importance.
A depth analysis of paranormal reality starts with a depth analysis of self...to ensure that our perceptual and evaluative vision is clear.
There is a new show "Ghost Mine". There is paranormal activity galore in this mine which is attributed a massacre of Chinese miners in the past. Evidently, the Chinese believed that if a person dies and their body was not buried in their home country, then their soul will roam restlessly for eternity.I only mention this in anticipation of next time when we look more closely at the paranormal community with a biblical worldview...
Looking inside the spiritual & literary worlds
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Issue 135 – Demonic Cancer, Fake Hauntings, Fake Murder Bordello, Fake Author Reviews & More!
By Kirby Robinson
UPDATE! Due to technical difficulties, the radio show will be airing this Monday, September 30.
The show will be called AN EYE ON FAKE HAUNTINGS [7 PST/ 10 EST]
Sorry I've been away for a few weeks with my caseload,
and trying to get a book out. Sometimes, something has to give. However, we
sure have some bad bad things to share with you.
Breaking News!
After running a story in the September 23 blog about
deceptive practices in the field of indie publishing, we
heard from one of the authors listed here: http://zonalert.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/the-fiverr-report-on-melissa-foster-fake-reviews-fake-awards-fake-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-6
This author contacted me via Facebook email and
absolutely denied any wrongdoing.
Who Gave Ryan Buell Cancer?
Ryan Buell's incessant need for shameless self-promotion, and milking his unfortunate cult followers for money, now claims that demons could
have given him cancer.
http://global.christianpost.com/news/paranormal-state-star-demons-could-have-given-me-cancer-105156/
There are a couple of issues with what he says. 1. There
is no proof that he ever ran into a demon. Should he have run into any, Ryan
has no demonology training other than consulting with the infamous Lorraine Warren.
And Ms. Warren has proven repeatedly that she'll fake any type of haunting or
demonic activity for profit. 2. It might not have been demons. Even after
bowing out of his show in 2011, Mr. Buell continued to mock God. God might have
removed His protection and allowed the illness to enter his body. For God won't
be mocked by anyone, surely not a fake ghost hunter or a fake demon chaser. In
the book Never Mock God: An Unauthorized
Investigation into Paranormal State's 'I Am Six' Case, we've shown how Mr.
Buell mocked God throughout the run of his show.
Aron Houdini & the Klinge Brothers Might Not Be Kissing Cousins but
They're Close
Apparently, the false murder bordello is going to open
in October. Sadly, the owners have chosen to turn their backs on the truth and embrace
the lies.
Billed as the last living Houdini, Aron Houdini occasionally
shows up on some radio shows. He falsely claims that he's all about truth and
honesty yet works alongside such fakes as the Klinge Brothers.
Looks like Aron wants a BAD BAD THING award.
The Galena Murder Bordello DVD – What a Ripoff!
Yes, it's that bad.
1 The DVD won't play in your DVD player. If you're
using an older laptop you're out of luck as it won't play on that, either. This
DVD will only play on newer laptops and PC's.
2 Nowhere on the cover is the consumer warned of this.
3 The cover states a running time of 54 minutes. When
you load it into the laptop you see that you're in for a running time of 1 hour
28 minutes.
4 In a future book, we'll break everything down scene
by scene. Be warned that the production elements seen in this DVD are amateurish
at best and subpar overall.
If you want to throw away $16 [$10 for the DVD plus $6
for shipping and handling] that's entirely your decision to make.
Crazy people doing crazy things when it comes to demons!
A former exchange student in Boynton Beach, Florida attacks
senior citizen, claiming he's protecting her from demons. Full story:
It's no holiday in this Florida suburb! In Holiday, a
boyfriend tries to beat the demons out of his girlfriend.
Next week: more wacky paranormal news.
The EYE ON THE PARANORMAL wants you as a blogger!
Want to join the best team of paranormal reporters? Do
you want your blog to get hits and comments? If so, you can blog for us. Please
contact: freeallspirits@live.com
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/
Monday, September 23, 2013
Dalai Lama Speaks to Youth on Compassion & Love in Germany
In Hanover, Germany, the Dalai Lama met with school students, spoke to the press and gave public talks on ‘Young People’s Contribution to a Peaceful World’ and ‘Ethics for the Young Generation and Strength through Compassion and Solidarity’.
His Holiness visited Wunstorf, a small town of 40,000 people and met with the Mayor of Wunstorf, Rolf Axel Eberhardt and his wife on Thursday. He then travelled to nearby Steinhude on the southern shore of Lake Steinhude, where he was the guest of the local school meeting in a large marquee.
“You need education, but you also need a vision for the future,” said the 78 year Nobel Laureate. “It (education) should also involve instructions about our minds and emotions. The world has become smaller and what happens in one place has repercussions in another. Among the 7 billion human beings alive today we have many problems, including violence and war, which are man-made problems.”
His Holiness also shared his childhood life and his relation with his parents. His Holiness also noted the importance of learning ethics or moral values in education courses.
Later in the day, His Holiness then gave a public talk to over 4000 people at Badainsel Steinhude, where the Tibetan leader said that love and compassion are important for human beings to live together.
“Some people consider the practice of love and compassion is only related to religious practice and if they are not interested in religion they neglect these inner values. But love and compassion are qualities that human beings require just to live together.”
His Holiness then explained that one need to have tolerance and patience to protect the sense of compassion.
“Sometimes people take these qualities to be signs of weakness. But they’re not, he said. “Anger is a sign of weakness. Genuine compassion and self-confidence are based on deep inner strength, which is expressed through tolerance and forgiveness.”
His Holiness then visited the Vietnamese Vien Giac Monastery. He said that the teaching of the Buddha, whether in the west or east, remains the same although the cultural trappings may change. "But it is the teaching we should pay attention to rather than the culture," he said in his answer to a question by one of the Vietnamese devotees.
He then proceeded to the Hanover Airport from where he flew back to India.
Original article with photos:
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?article=Dalai+Lama+speaks+to+youth+on+compassion+and+love+in+Germany&id=34022
Opening a Can of Worms on "The Conjuring" -- Wednesday, September 25, 2013
By Kirby Robinson
Deception and unethical practices aren't limited to
the paranormal field but can be found within the world of independently
published authors on Amazon and other websites. Indie authors want you to think
that their books are better than those of long established authors with careers
that span decades and include Pulitzer Prizes. They amaze readers with claims
of dozens if not hundreds of highly ranked reviews while gathering hardly any
one-star reviews. How is this done? The fakery involved will leave you
scratching your head.
This isn't to say that there aren't legitimate success
stories within the indie publishing ranks -- there are. But for every real
success story there are turning out to be multiple suspect success stories that
can be traced back to fake reviews and distorted sales figures.
Read more about it here: http://zonalert.wordpress.com/2013/09/21/the-fiverr-report-on-melissa-foster-fake-reviews-fake-awards-fake-everything/comment-page-1/#comment-6
The case behind The
Conjuring. Not since The Exorcist
has a horror film that had any ties to a real case [outside of maybe the Texas Chainsaw Massacre] captured the
attention of America. The Perron family moved into an historic home in rural
Rhode Island, enduring 10 years of haunting by dark spirits. Ed and Lorraine
Warren once again play a part in it.
Over the course of our 2 hours together, we’ll study
as much information as we can. This is information that the supporters of these
hoaxes DON’T want you to know.
Showtime begins at 7 PM [PST] or 10 PM [EST]. See this page for more information: http://www.goddiscussion.net/2013/09/18/an-eye-on-the-fake-hauntings-wednesday-september-19-2013/
Here’s the previous show: Adios, Ghosts! The Myth-Busting Continues…http://www.blogtalkradio.com/god-discussion/2013/09/12/adis-ghosts-the-myth-busting-continues-1
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/
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Demons Are Real And They Can't Be Controlled
I have to discuss some topics that are graphic in nature but it has to be done in hopes it would help at least one person...some of this Blog will contain some disturbing content. Consider yourself forewarned.
We have people attempting to summon Incubus/Succubus demons for sexual pleasure and/or companionship. This is not safe and you will regret what you open up. Incubus/Succubus given legal ground are very hard to get rid of. We have people attempting Black Magic, Summoning Practitioners are fooled as they believe demons can be controlled and will do their bidding. The fact is these demons ONLY OBEY SATAN! Listen to me please....Do not be fooled. Do not let your curiosity get the better of your judgment! Seriously.....once you open yourself up to that it becomes very real. In a moment I will have scripture for you to read for yourself. I do not waiver outside of the Gospel, it's God's Word. Our instructions for life. No one is perfect. That is not what this is about. I'm receiving disturbing information and it concerns me. I will never say names of who confides in me or the church so this is my only way in doing so. Let Jesus Christ help you with any problems. There is no need to summon any dark force I beg of you. You will regret it. They can NOT be safely called upon.
There are many examples in the Bible that validate these demonic beings are very much real and the time they have is numbered. This is why I personally believe in my humble opinion the 2nd coming must be somewhat near. There are still more events that need to pass, but that's a whole other subject I can go over in another blog. It's not just the book of Revelations that discusses demons and what they're true nature is.
The following are verses from the Bible which speak about the enemy and his ways. There are more but here are many examples per request of a reader.
1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 155 helpful votes
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 John 3:8 ESV / 101 helpful votes
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
John 8:44 ESV / 73 helpful votes
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 61 helpful votes
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV / 58 helpful votes
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
John 10:10 ESV / 56 helpful votes
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Revelation 12:9 ESV / 47 helpful votes
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Romans 16:20 ESV / 40 helpful votes
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Helpful Not Helpful
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV / 31 helpful votes
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Luke 10:18 ESV / 30 helpful votes
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Matthew 16:23 ESV / 27 helpful votes
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 25 helpful votes
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 4:27 ESV / 24 helpful votes
And give no opportunity to the devil.
James 4:7 ESV / 23 helpful votes
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Revelation 20:2 ESV / 20 helpful votes
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
I wish everyone a fabulous week. God Bless.
Written by Jennifer Auld
We have people attempting to summon Incubus/Succubus demons for sexual pleasure and/or companionship. This is not safe and you will regret what you open up. Incubus/Succubus given legal ground are very hard to get rid of. We have people attempting Black Magic, Summoning Practitioners are fooled as they believe demons can be controlled and will do their bidding. The fact is these demons ONLY OBEY SATAN! Listen to me please....Do not be fooled. Do not let your curiosity get the better of your judgment! Seriously.....once you open yourself up to that it becomes very real. In a moment I will have scripture for you to read for yourself. I do not waiver outside of the Gospel, it's God's Word. Our instructions for life. No one is perfect. That is not what this is about. I'm receiving disturbing information and it concerns me. I will never say names of who confides in me or the church so this is my only way in doing so. Let Jesus Christ help you with any problems. There is no need to summon any dark force I beg of you. You will regret it. They can NOT be safely called upon.
There are many examples in the Bible that validate these demonic beings are very much real and the time they have is numbered. This is why I personally believe in my humble opinion the 2nd coming must be somewhat near. There are still more events that need to pass, but that's a whole other subject I can go over in another blog. It's not just the book of Revelations that discusses demons and what they're true nature is.
The following are verses from the Bible which speak about the enemy and his ways. There are more but here are many examples per request of a reader.
1 Peter 5:8 ESV / 155 helpful votes
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 John 3:8 ESV / 101 helpful votes
Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
John 8:44 ESV / 73 helpful votes
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
2 Corinthians 11:14 ESV / 61 helpful votes
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
2 Corinthians 11:3 ESV / 58 helpful votes
But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
John 10:10 ESV / 56 helpful votes
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Revelation 12:9 ESV / 47 helpful votes
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Romans 16:20 ESV / 40 helpful votes
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Helpful Not Helpful
2 Corinthians 4:4 ESV / 31 helpful votes
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Luke 10:18 ESV / 30 helpful votes
And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Matthew 16:23 ESV / 27 helpful votes
But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
Ephesians 6:12 ESV / 25 helpful votes
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 4:27 ESV / 24 helpful votes
And give no opportunity to the devil.
James 4:7 ESV / 23 helpful votes
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Revelation 20:2 ESV / 20 helpful votes
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.
I wish everyone a fabulous week. God Bless.
Written by Jennifer Auld
Friday, September 20, 2013
Children Cutting -- Demonic?
By Evangelist Stephen Piersall,
God’s Preservation Ministry, sfprs.org/
With our children now, back in school the topic of kids cutting came up the other day. Our children today live under a different level of stress than we did growing up in the 1950-1960’s. Back in the day, we got up, ate breakfast, put on the clothes Mom picked out for us, hopped on the school bus, attended classes, mingled with friends at our lockers, hopped onto the bus, came home did our homework, went outside to play until the supper (not dinner) time, then outside again until the streetlights came on. Our only big vices were smoking, drinking, and marijuana.
Kids today still have similar vices. However, it is fair to say they have much more to choose from; smoking, drinking, street drugs, prescription drugs, bullying, school shootings, single parents, no Father’s in their lives, financial pressure, clothes have to be in style, video games, social media, all kinds of electronic devices, evil movies and music, role models, and cutting.
Alas, the age of children cutting themselves has dropped steadily from college freshmen to be now fifth graders. This epidemic has no specific demographic. It has spread across all cultures, social classes, and age groups. Many professionals are claiming they are constantly hearing from their patients have been bullied, lost their self-confidence, victims of sexual abuse or molestation. It also releases endorphins producing a quick rush like a “high” making this behavior addictive.
A friend of mine years back had a daughter who cut herself every day. She stated it was like a “rush.” The same as getting high on drugs fueled by loneliness, depression, and isolation led her into cutting. She did not have the stable family life. Her parents were always fighting; the norm was to hear yelling and screaming as soon as she got off the school bus. She at no time felt loved or accepted, and her mother did everything for her. She never learned to be responsible nor have the emotional skill set to cope with her life.
It overwhelmed her and she became secluded. This depression and isolation opened the door for deeper and darker demonic torment. She spoke of hearing voices telling her to cut or die, “Just do it!” Her cutting became a routine way to gain attention to her. This filled the void she had and was hunger for love and attention. She was afraid if she stopped, the attention would go away. When the school reported it to her parents, she felt betrayed and quit school. She was feeling guilty for trusting anyone in the first place. Instantly, she felt it was wrong to ask for help, and this was God’s concern. Except she did not know God and who else could she blame for her rotten life. It was not until a few of us banded together and started taking an interest in her, sort of like a “mission of God.” Helping her realize Jesus would forgive her, and getting to know the unlimited love, he has for us, in time she could stop cutting.
David Rosen, MD, MPH, is professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan and director of the Section for Teenage and Young Adult Health at the University of Michigan Health Systems in Ann Arbor. He offers parents tips on what to watch for:
Over time, the cutting typically escalates — occurring more often, with more and more cuts each time, Rosen tells WebMD. “It takes less provocation for them to cut. It takes more cutting to get the same relief — much like drug addiction. In addition, for reasons I cannot explain but have heard often enough, the more blood the better. Most of the cutting I see is quite superficial, and looks more like scratches than cuts. It’s the sort who when you put pressure on it, it stops the "bleeding".
A guideline to parenting has to change rapidly to keep pace. The evil one and his demons have ramped up their influence on our youth. If evil can take the focus of God away from the church, and the nuclear family that we knew, he has won the battle. Instead of getting on our knees as a family praying to God, they have a tendency to blame God. Battles may be lost, but the war is already been won with Jesus shedding his blood for us. We need to ban together as children of God and become more active parents, and bring up our children knowing and accepting God’s forgiveness and love.
If you have identified these signs in your children, please seek out a counselor and speak to your Pastor about Deliverance ministry. Do not delay in getting the help your child needs. Counseling is important and necessary but cutting also involves “Legal Rights” given to the demonic spirits. They need to be confronted and be cast out.
Each case is different; however, in the Deliverance ministry, we want to address the spirits of suicide and death quickly. Once those are gone, we can begin the process of dealing with the other aspects of deliverance and healing aimed at the open doors/emotional traumas that led them to cut in the first place. Deliverance ministry is like an “onion,” we must peel it layer by layer. Anyone who claims they can just “cleanse” or “Bless” your home and all is well. Beware of False prophets!
God’s Preservation Ministry, sfprs.org/
With our children now, back in school the topic of kids cutting came up the other day. Our children today live under a different level of stress than we did growing up in the 1950-1960’s. Back in the day, we got up, ate breakfast, put on the clothes Mom picked out for us, hopped on the school bus, attended classes, mingled with friends at our lockers, hopped onto the bus, came home did our homework, went outside to play until the supper (not dinner) time, then outside again until the streetlights came on. Our only big vices were smoking, drinking, and marijuana.
Kids today still have similar vices. However, it is fair to say they have much more to choose from; smoking, drinking, street drugs, prescription drugs, bullying, school shootings, single parents, no Father’s in their lives, financial pressure, clothes have to be in style, video games, social media, all kinds of electronic devices, evil movies and music, role models, and cutting.
Alas, the age of children cutting themselves has dropped steadily from college freshmen to be now fifth graders. This epidemic has no specific demographic. It has spread across all cultures, social classes, and age groups. Many professionals are claiming they are constantly hearing from their patients have been bullied, lost their self-confidence, victims of sexual abuse or molestation. It also releases endorphins producing a quick rush like a “high” making this behavior addictive.
A friend of mine years back had a daughter who cut herself every day. She stated it was like a “rush.” The same as getting high on drugs fueled by loneliness, depression, and isolation led her into cutting. She did not have the stable family life. Her parents were always fighting; the norm was to hear yelling and screaming as soon as she got off the school bus. She at no time felt loved or accepted, and her mother did everything for her. She never learned to be responsible nor have the emotional skill set to cope with her life.
It overwhelmed her and she became secluded. This depression and isolation opened the door for deeper and darker demonic torment. She spoke of hearing voices telling her to cut or die, “Just do it!” Her cutting became a routine way to gain attention to her. This filled the void she had and was hunger for love and attention. She was afraid if she stopped, the attention would go away. When the school reported it to her parents, she felt betrayed and quit school. She was feeling guilty for trusting anyone in the first place. Instantly, she felt it was wrong to ask for help, and this was God’s concern. Except she did not know God and who else could she blame for her rotten life. It was not until a few of us banded together and started taking an interest in her, sort of like a “mission of God.” Helping her realize Jesus would forgive her, and getting to know the unlimited love, he has for us, in time she could stop cutting.
David Rosen, MD, MPH, is professor of pediatrics at the University of Michigan and director of the Section for Teenage and Young Adult Health at the University of Michigan Health Systems in Ann Arbor. He offers parents tips on what to watch for:
- Small, linear cut marks. “The most typical cuts are very linear, straight line, often parallel like railroad ties carved into the forearm, the upper arm, sometimes the legs,” Rosen tells WebMD. “Some people cut words into themselves. If they are having body-image issues, they may cut the word ‘fat.’ If they’re having trouble at school, it may be ‘stupid,’ ‘loser,’ ‘failure,’ or a big ‘L.’ those are the things we see pretty regularly.”
- Unexplained cuts and scratches that appear often in the same area. “I wish I had a nickel for every time someone says, ‘The cat did it,’,” says Rosen.
- Mood changes like depression or anxiety, out-of-control behavior, changes in relationships, communication, and school performance. Kids who are unable to manage day-to-day stress of life are vulnerable to cutting, says Rosen.
Over time, the cutting typically escalates — occurring more often, with more and more cuts each time, Rosen tells WebMD. “It takes less provocation for them to cut. It takes more cutting to get the same relief — much like drug addiction. In addition, for reasons I cannot explain but have heard often enough, the more blood the better. Most of the cutting I see is quite superficial, and looks more like scratches than cuts. It’s the sort who when you put pressure on it, it stops the "bleeding".
A guideline to parenting has to change rapidly to keep pace. The evil one and his demons have ramped up their influence on our youth. If evil can take the focus of God away from the church, and the nuclear family that we knew, he has won the battle. Instead of getting on our knees as a family praying to God, they have a tendency to blame God. Battles may be lost, but the war is already been won with Jesus shedding his blood for us. We need to ban together as children of God and become more active parents, and bring up our children knowing and accepting God’s forgiveness and love.
If you have identified these signs in your children, please seek out a counselor and speak to your Pastor about Deliverance ministry. Do not delay in getting the help your child needs. Counseling is important and necessary but cutting also involves “Legal Rights” given to the demonic spirits. They need to be confronted and be cast out.
Each case is different; however, in the Deliverance ministry, we want to address the spirits of suicide and death quickly. Once those are gone, we can begin the process of dealing with the other aspects of deliverance and healing aimed at the open doors/emotional traumas that led them to cut in the first place. Deliverance ministry is like an “onion,” we must peel it layer by layer. Anyone who claims they can just “cleanse” or “Bless” your home and all is well. Beware of False prophets!
Thursday, September 19, 2013
History and Responding to the Paranormal
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
What can the past teach us about how to respond to the paranormal? Recently two events occurred that thrust that question into prominence. The two events were: the fiftieth anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and September 11.They may seem unrelated, but let me explain.
King's speech is a painful reminder of past racism; thankfully, I think we have made great strides. I have mentioned before that I had the honor of being introduced to the singular teaching of Dr. Francis Schaeffer...a man who had an uncanny ability to perceive trends in culture, critique them biblically, and show how the Lordship of Christ extends to all aspects of human culture.
He mentioned that our culture had a Christian ethos 100 years ago, but (and this is my main point)there were certainly serious inconsistencies. For example, he noted that we had done a very poor job when it came to race (with some notable exceptions) He further stated that each generation was responsible for applying the changeless gospel to the needs of their own generation. For 35 years since I first heard that assessment and challenge, I was 'haunted' about WHAT ISSUE WAS MY GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS CULPABLY BLIND TO? Was there a "racism" equivalent in our culture that our kids would rise up and call us..uuhh, "blind and obtuse about"?Or,at the very least inconsistent...
I have the same feeling today as I did nearly 40 years ago--how could so many godly Christians be silent regarding an issue that was so obviously grievously wrong? We are all descended from Adam...how could Christians support institutionalized hatred? (that is precisely what it was) So,I kept asking myself and praying: "Lord, please show me if we have a grievous blind spot in my generation." I humbly assert that I believe God answered my prayer.
In 2009 I was as blind as a bat to the raging paranormal inferno, but one fateful Wednesday night I watched an episode of "Ghost Hunters." I almost fell off the couch as I realized two things-I just saw real supernatural, demonic activity, and I had an unsettling feeling that I had been culpably ignorant of a juggernaut that was changing the spiritual landscape of America...indeed the world.Instantly, I felt "called" to research this phenomenon for the glory of our Triune God.
It did not take long for me to realize that the paranormal craze was, in fact, perhaps the most serious blind spot in the Christian community today.My generation was just as guilty of collectively dismissing a hugely significant issue.You will please forgive me if I say that: I have a dream...that the pastors in America would awaken from their lethal slumber and begin equipping their sheep to discern supernatural evil.
I will be more brief with 9/11. It is the anniversary of terrorist attacks on our soil--The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pan Am flight.(the following quote was thought to be from the Reformer, Martin Luther, but apparently there is some doubt. Regardless, I quote it with brief comment).
"If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the Truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battle front besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
If this quote expresses biblical truth (and I believe it does), then the overwhelming majority of bible preachers are not confessing Christ, and are flinching and fleeing. It hurts to write that, but when was the last time you heard a sermon on "What does the Bible say about Ghosts"? What other issue has over 50% of US adults in its grips?
I was a pastor for 15 years, so I know the diverse hats they wear and the many stressors. But in preaching class in seminary, we were taught two main things-prayerfully do the hard work of understanding the Holy Spirit's intent for that text (it's meaning, AND prayerfully and sensitively apply the text to the significant issues we face, as individuals and as a society. Simple...one-two approach to preaching, but the application aspect has been collectively horrendous.
The worst spiritual terrorist attack in our nations history is being ignored or dismissed as so much rubbish (with some notable exceptions). God have mercy on our country...especially our pastors.
To round out my reference to 9/11 let me mention this. Historically, there have three philosophical tests for truth--the correspondence theory (does the belief correspond to reality?); the coherence theory of truth (is the belief or worldview internally consistent?); and the existential test for truth (can the person live with his beliefs?)
I want to apply the existential theory to the notion of ghosts. The tragedy of 9/11 is precisely the kind of deaths that the paranormal community predicts will cause souls to be trapped...(sudden, traumatic deaths...leaving unfinished business). According to the "death criteria" of the paranormal community, most of those who died on 9/11 may well be stuck here."That is a cruel, low blow Hunnemann...how dare you!" On the contrary, 9/11 reminds us that it is impossible to live consistently with your beliefs regarding ghost formation.It is your belief in trapped spirits which is cruel...I am simply extending it out consistently to its logical conclusion. I must stop there for now, but this needs to be spelled out over and over, to break through the fog of fascination with ghosts.
What can the past teach us about how to respond to the paranormal? Recently two events occurred that thrust that question into prominence. The two events were: the fiftieth anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech and September 11.They may seem unrelated, but let me explain.
King's speech is a painful reminder of past racism; thankfully, I think we have made great strides. I have mentioned before that I had the honor of being introduced to the singular teaching of Dr. Francis Schaeffer...a man who had an uncanny ability to perceive trends in culture, critique them biblically, and show how the Lordship of Christ extends to all aspects of human culture.
He mentioned that our culture had a Christian ethos 100 years ago, but (and this is my main point)there were certainly serious inconsistencies. For example, he noted that we had done a very poor job when it came to race (with some notable exceptions) He further stated that each generation was responsible for applying the changeless gospel to the needs of their own generation. For 35 years since I first heard that assessment and challenge, I was 'haunted' about WHAT ISSUE WAS MY GENERATION OF CHRISTIANS CULPABLY BLIND TO? Was there a "racism" equivalent in our culture that our kids would rise up and call us..uuhh, "blind and obtuse about"?Or,at the very least inconsistent...
I have the same feeling today as I did nearly 40 years ago--how could so many godly Christians be silent regarding an issue that was so obviously grievously wrong? We are all descended from Adam...how could Christians support institutionalized hatred? (that is precisely what it was) So,I kept asking myself and praying: "Lord, please show me if we have a grievous blind spot in my generation." I humbly assert that I believe God answered my prayer.
In 2009 I was as blind as a bat to the raging paranormal inferno, but one fateful Wednesday night I watched an episode of "Ghost Hunters." I almost fell off the couch as I realized two things-I just saw real supernatural, demonic activity, and I had an unsettling feeling that I had been culpably ignorant of a juggernaut that was changing the spiritual landscape of America...indeed the world.Instantly, I felt "called" to research this phenomenon for the glory of our Triune God.
It did not take long for me to realize that the paranormal craze was, in fact, perhaps the most serious blind spot in the Christian community today.My generation was just as guilty of collectively dismissing a hugely significant issue.You will please forgive me if I say that: I have a dream...that the pastors in America would awaken from their lethal slumber and begin equipping their sheep to discern supernatural evil.
I will be more brief with 9/11. It is the anniversary of terrorist attacks on our soil--The World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pan Am flight.(the following quote was thought to be from the Reformer, Martin Luther, but apparently there is some doubt. Regardless, I quote it with brief comment).
"If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the Truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battle front besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
If this quote expresses biblical truth (and I believe it does), then the overwhelming majority of bible preachers are not confessing Christ, and are flinching and fleeing. It hurts to write that, but when was the last time you heard a sermon on "What does the Bible say about Ghosts"? What other issue has over 50% of US adults in its grips?
I was a pastor for 15 years, so I know the diverse hats they wear and the many stressors. But in preaching class in seminary, we were taught two main things-prayerfully do the hard work of understanding the Holy Spirit's intent for that text (it's meaning, AND prayerfully and sensitively apply the text to the significant issues we face, as individuals and as a society. Simple...one-two approach to preaching, but the application aspect has been collectively horrendous.
The worst spiritual terrorist attack in our nations history is being ignored or dismissed as so much rubbish (with some notable exceptions). God have mercy on our country...especially our pastors.
To round out my reference to 9/11 let me mention this. Historically, there have three philosophical tests for truth--the correspondence theory (does the belief correspond to reality?); the coherence theory of truth (is the belief or worldview internally consistent?); and the existential test for truth (can the person live with his beliefs?)
I want to apply the existential theory to the notion of ghosts. The tragedy of 9/11 is precisely the kind of deaths that the paranormal community predicts will cause souls to be trapped...(sudden, traumatic deaths...leaving unfinished business). According to the "death criteria" of the paranormal community, most of those who died on 9/11 may well be stuck here."That is a cruel, low blow Hunnemann...how dare you!" On the contrary, 9/11 reminds us that it is impossible to live consistently with your beliefs regarding ghost formation.It is your belief in trapped spirits which is cruel...I am simply extending it out consistently to its logical conclusion. I must stop there for now, but this needs to be spelled out over and over, to break through the fog of fascination with ghosts.
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