Saturday, 30 May 2009
The pre-recorded programme was broadcast on the Italian Rai channel on Good Friday afternoon.
Seven questions were chosen from thousands submitted for the Pope to answer during the 80-minute programme.
Most of the questions, from people across the world, dealt with the struggle with suffering.
TV viewers saw a split screen, with the Pope sitting in the Vatican library and those asking the questions filmed near their homes.
The first question was asked by a seven-year-old Japanese girl traumatised by the recent devastating earthquake and tsunami.
She asked why she and other children should have to feel afraid. The Pope replied that he had also asked himself the same question.
"We do not have the answers but we know that Jesus suffered as you do," he said.
Another question came from the Italian mother of a boy in a long-term coma. She asked if he still had a soul, to which the Pope replied that, yes, his soul is still present in his body.
"The situation, perhaps, is like that of a guitar whose strings have been broken and therefore can no longer play," he said.
"The instrument of the body is fragile like that, it is vulnerable, and the soul cannot play, so to speak, but remains present."
To a Muslim woman in the Ivory Coast who asked his advice about how to cope with the conflict that has afflicted her country, he said people should look to Christ as an example of peace.
"Violence never comes from God, never helps bring anything good, but is a destructive means and not the path to escape difficulties," he said.
He told Christian students in Iraq - when asked how to encourage fellow Christians not to flee the country - that the Church was encouraging dialogue between religions.
The BBC's Duncan Kennedy, watching the programme, said it would be viewed by critics as very controlled and a little sanitised...
There was no opportunity to ask tough questions of the Church, such as about the priestly sex scandals that overshadowed the Church's Easter celebrations last year.
But the Vatican will have viewed it as a first step in their overall effort to be more accountable and transparent, arising from accusations that the Church was failing to be open about the abuse scandal, our correspondent adds.
Until now, he has only ever taken questions from journalists on planes during foreign trips....
via BBC News - Pope Benedict appears in TV question-and-answer show.
It's about time the Pope pipped up. Plenty of people he oversees overseas could use practical prescriptions for peace. What else is the purpose of the position? Not to placate people, nor to persuade a population of puppets they are protected by some prosperous papal pallium. Pope powers, activate!
Credit: witchnest.blogspot.com
Friday, 29 May 2009
My Pagan Eye posts show photos that I find interesting - seasonal images, pagan sites, events, or just pretty pictures. If you want to send me a photo for a Pagan Eye post, please email it to badwitch1234@gmail.com Let me know what the photo shows and whether you want your name mentioned or not. For copyright reasons, the photo must be one you have taken yourself.
Links and previous related posts:
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/04/pagan-eye-apple-blossom.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/10/godfdess-of-week.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/07/apple-seeds.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2010/02/magical-uses-for-apple-wood.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/09/pagan-eye-fallen-apples.html
Tuesday, 26 May 2009
Monday, 25 May 2009
Credit: wicca-teachings.blogspot.com
"Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff" (see Luke 9:1-3).
He completely emptied himself of all possessions literally removing all his clothes and returning them to his earthly father as a way of announcing his desire to forsake all and follow Christ. Boy, he sure took the Bible literally didn't he? He was known for his devotion to the Eucharist and his care for the poor and the sick. A story is told of his followers asking him to come and rebuke a worldy sinful priest that they were traveling to see. "What are you going to say to him when you see him Francis? they asked. "I am going to ask him to show me his hands so that I may kiss them because those are the hands that bring me Christ in the Eucharist." Wow! The Lord often brings that story to mind when I have critical thoughts about my pastor or a sermon that "didn't meet my approval."
One of the things that brings me no small pleasure is seeing all the creches in all the churches, regardless of denomination during the Christmas season. For it was that tradition of bringing live animals and a baby in a manger to the Church that St. Francis initiated as a way to honor the Savior during Christmas in 1223.
In the last 2 years of his life he received the stigmata and as he was dying asked to have his clothes removed so he would die as our Lord did, naked. His last words were "Be praised, O Lord, for our Sister Death." He looked forward to seeing his savior Jesus after a life of service to Him.
"Most High, Glorious God, enlighten the darkness of our minds. Give us a right faith, a firm hope and a perfect charity, so that we may always and in all things act according to Your Holy Will. Amen."
St. Francis, I ask you today on your feast day, to pray for me to Jesus so that my heart will grow to love Jesus more than the things of this earth. Thank you!
Credit: pagan-space.blogspot.com
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Is possible to hate something that doesn't exist? I recently seen this movie called Heaven is real according to people that produced this movie it based off the real story of kid who had a NDE and saw heaven. I personally think because this kid was raised in highly religious family (his father is pastor) on top of him being very sick that he hallucinated everything. Would not world be different if God really existed. According to the bible humanity is full of sin and god created us with original sin. Why would a perfect creator make his creation imperfect? If God is in fact omnipotent than he has the ability to create perfection instead created imperfection, flawed existence. I don't even believe in some supreme being whatsoever I feel if such a thing could exist than why should I be consider inferior to something that also came out the universe. A person could argue that God is nontemporal and existences in timeless and dimensionless environment, but then I would ask how could timeless entity create something into a temporal environment which requires time which is impossible in a timeless and dimensionless existence. I don't know if whether people are stupid or just afraid of the truth. If God exist than why then doesn't it intervene in everyone's life simultaneously and unveil itself to all mankind then have debates over whose definition or variation of God is create. God doesn't order men to kill men or tell men to rape women, etc. God doesn't command any of these things, humanity does. The bible, Koran, Torah, Vedas, and etc. are not the law for an individual to live an ethical and moral life. If anything the Bible and Koran all religious texts are the opposite of living a truly ethical life. Theistic people could argue that an atheist can't disprove the existence of God, but neither can a Theist prove without a doubt there in fact is a God. If Jesus Christ was in fact god on earth, than god is a parasitic cancer that halts the progression of human advancement. I say that because why the hell did Jesus only cure some people if he is 100% God and 100% human, than he could effectively cure all disease on earth could have unveil the truths of universe to humanity but instead decided to create a cult and enslave people to his ideology. Jesus Christ never was god, it most likely he never existed in historical history the Romans were masters of faking documents they pretty much invented psychological warfare. What is God if not an inhibition on the minds of humanity? Why debate something that is impossible? What is purpose of a nonexistent entity? What is God if not just the holism of the human experience as a collective whole? How does one begin to talk about God if an individual can not first define something consistently? God shouldn't be believed in because it has no sound definition anyone could redefine the ideology of God to fit their ideology. At the end of the day there is no God, just nature and nurture. In another movie I thought about watching called God is(not) dead basically trying force Christian ideology into peoples minds. Who cares if god exists if it really exist it can prove itself. Why does god speak through a person and doesn't speak for itself. According to followers of the delusion God's voice is too powerful for mortal ears. I ask again If God is all powerful then it can make it possible for it to communicate to humanity plus it communicate to one human so why can't it talk to all humanity? Lastly prayer, why do people pray as if an all powerful being is going stop what it is doing and come help you, but according to theist mythology god is personal and exist everywhere all at same time therefore it has no terrible in answer prayers right.Prayers are answered by the individuals subconsciously there is no divine intervention if there was why do some many people die from natural disasters God could have prevented so much death, but instead it allowed them to die horrible deaths. What kind of benevolent being does that? They say God works in mysterious ways. (I wish I had defense lawyer as good as God's damn lol) that still doesn't explain why killed millions? It very strange that there is still a great attachment to such a thing. To those whom are believers or atheist what are your thoughts and feelings about ideology of God, not so much as whether if it exist or not, but the purpose of need of supreme being. See More
Friday, 22 May 2009
Credit: religion-events.blogspot.com
Monday, 18 May 2009
My thoughts have always been focused on being authentic and I have strived to be real in every respect when dealing with people. This has its up side and downside as it opens me up for frequent criticism from people who don't much like what they see. Being a leader of women I am in various settings where protocol determines what I wear or how I react. For example, to show up to a ladies luncheon in cut off jean shorts and a t-shirt would not be a good idea no matter how I feel about it. If someone disagrees with me about something I must be cautious in my reply both in verbal and non-verbal communication.
Being a leader also means people observe and scrutinize my actions and words and evaluate through their own perceptive grid what they see. An important thing to realize is that our perceptions are our reality, so even if I may think a particular thing is no big deal another person may hold it in a place of great importance. These things can cause women who are in leadership positions or aspire to be in leadership to have pause or to become frustrated with the frequent introspection that is required.
Sadly, our introspection can be motivated by the wrong things. When I am criticized I can choose to change the behavior because it will please others and cause them to think well of me. This is man-centered change for the purpose of improving my reputation before man. Or those around us can be great signposts that direct us to look to the heart of the matter.
I see within myself a desire to look good to others and yet I want to remain comfortable with inner sin. It is the fleshly desire to have all the right actions, correct protocols and wear the right "church face" and yet not care how my heart looks to God. Perhaps to say "not care how my heart looks to God" is incorrect. More accurately I could say that I have more of an emphasis on what people think than what God thinks. I doubt if I am alone in this desire... Maybe you are seeing that within yourself too as you ponder these words of mine.
The other aspect of my heart longs to be glorifying to God in all respects. I desire to die completely in my daily life to the sin that so easily entangles me. I want to break free from old sinful thought patterns that lead me still to these dead end places of self exaltation. I wish to knock the idols down and crush them under my feet and smash the altars of my heart- the high places- where I worship one other than God; where I worship me.
This is the part of me that says I will fight the desires of my flesh that want to remain comfortable. This part of me says that I have been a Christian too long to still be dealing with some of these same old things and to have my heart unaffected for change. It asks, "What is wrong with me that these things remain?" That answer is simple: my heart is unyielding and hardened toward change in these areas. These "pet" sins that I love so dearly mean much more to me than my desire to honor the Lord and I have ignored the Holy Spirit for so long that in these areas He is very quiet to my ears.
Can there be any other explanation for these ongoing sinful desires and habits of the heart? Is there any other reasonable discussion to be had on this topic? I think not. Oh this is not flagellation or self beat-up, it is a part of the reality of every Christian as the flesh battles against the Spirit and the Spirit fights against the flesh (Galatians 5: 15)
The next question is "now what?"
You are on this journey with me friend. You are along for the ride and by God's grace we will see true change from the heart as time goes on and we walk this journey in His steps.
Reference: 33witches.blogspot.com
Friday, 15 May 2009
As we identifiable previous explored on this blog, the hermeneutics of doubtfulness that highlight the modern assumed historical-critical craze, are rooted in the resurgence of Epicureanism in the old-fashioned modern instant by figures sweetheart Hobbes and Spinoza. Epicureanism assumes that religion is based on the ignorance of secular beings of the definite causes of outfit. Immoral priests experience such ignorance by meaningful fatherland that they identifiable uttered with the gods or God. This allows them to fraud fatherland concerning lithe up their power and money so that the priests can experience them. Following from these assumptions about the construction of religion, the creators of the HCM argued that biblical texts requisite be read as power show business by fatherland in ancient Israel and the old-fashioned Place of worship. By top quality what power leap by what revel or group of fatherland was at the same time as propounded, one may possibly tryst the impersonate and re-establish the expressive situation of the impersonate, even if one had no way in to that expressive situation or smear keep a note that it ever existed. For example absolutely event texts appeared to center these power show business within plump texts, the quarrel became (distinctively involving German scholars of the 19th and old-fashioned 20th centuries) that biblical texts were the permutation of unusual precedent texts that confined to a small area other conflicting power show business in the self-willed bygone situation that they were in black and white. They were amalgamated together by one or plentiful succeeding redactors, who hadn't done a very good job what elements of the precedent expressive settings and power show business (some of which contradicted their own tell somebody to interests!) had gotten downhill. Another time, this was asserted (and continues to be asserted) short 1. Especially give versions of these breezy minor texts that make up the plump ones (no one has ever found JED or P!) 2. Minus any smear way in or keep a note of the reconstructed expressive settings of these texts 3. Next the knowledge that authors can observe in fused styles, and suitably discovering fused styles in a impersonate does not without thinking devote fused authors.This understanding of secular beings as genuine fatalities of unusual power show business works for the most part well with the Gnostic theology on the warpath by the Place of worship Fathers. According to Gnosticism, secular beings are divine children of a inspirational divine foundation. They were at some direct towards in incalculable history wedged in the definite world by shoddy god called the Demiurge, and are ruled departed by morally wrong powers called Archons. The Gnostic salvation (in the Christian plan, Jesus) comes and gives special knowledge to secular beings about their divine person and suitably helps them recover their godhood. Consequently, very much sweetheart the Foodie worldview, the Gnostic assumes that humans are fatalities of powers elder than themselves and a knowledge of actual sincerity moral fiber help them unmask these powers and empty room.The dash pleasure of theology within mainline Protestantism is well explained by the coming together of these two traditions. On the one hand, nearby is the trusting wave of the HCM as exact. On the other hand, the resurgence of the Gnostic theology. The following takes some explaining. Tons members of the bureaucracies of the mainline Protestant Churches and plentiful members of their university and college faculties were entourage of the New Not here in the 1960s and its inoculation of Leninist philosophy concerning adulthood American politics. Collectivism assumes that secular beings identifiable released possibilities and are suitably quasi-divine (Feuerbach, who Marx took his philosophy of religion from, argued this fully to be exact). In prototypical Collectivism, the many are designed down from attaining full godhood by Capitalists. The New Not here add other marginalized groups beyond effort and suitably anyway adds other villains (white males, etc.). Such powers describe new caring of Archon, but now no aspiration spiritual powers, but now expressive and member ones. Marx got his basic fabric from Hegel, who got plentiful of his fabric from Jacob Boehme (a German Lutheran mystic) who took departed Kaballah and Hermeticism, which were severely won over by Gnosticism. So, Collectivism and by stand-in the politics of the New Not here, are on the whole secularized versions of the ancient Gnostic myth.Next the combination of these two tradition, it's easy to see why the theology of the mainline Protestant significance is the way it is. According to this theology (educated in utmost sermons and university courses) Jesus educated expressive justice and unmasked unfit power contact, i.e., gave special knowledge of the limitlessness of secular possibilities and their hurdle by uncanny powers (whatever form they may take!). The share out of the avant-garde Place of worship thus is anyway to see further than these power contact and opportunity them for the fat communal. Frequently time decoding the Bible is part of this, as for taster in the model of Feminist biblical scholars sweetheart Phyllis Trible identifiable argued that women had a share out as prophets in ancient Israel which the biblical texts identifiable dormant. She actually addressed the ELCA abode pact on this direct towards in the 90s. How she gained way in to this knowledge is whatever thing no one can establish. In all this, Christian traditionalism tumble by the hard shoulder or is co-opted concerning the fat grid of this Gnostic myth. At last, Christian traditionalism is not sustainable in these denominations what churchly hermeneutics, which be sure about that the Scripture really is from God and buried agreeably on the patch of the like of support has been precisely deserted. Gnostic hermeneutics yields Gnostic theology.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Blot 11:20-26Mar 11:20 And in the dawn, as they conceded by, they saw the fig tree shriveled up from the roots. Mar 11:21 And Peter ability to Tribute saith unto him, Master, belief, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered publicized. Mar 11:22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Peculiar Rely on IN GOD. Mar 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this uttermost, Be thou cloistered, and be thou cast within the sea; and shall not disquiet in his peak, but shall What if that inhabitants matter which he saith shall come to pass; he shall take whatsoever he saith. Mar 11:24 Therefore I say unto you, For instance matter soever ye appetite, once ye Willpower, be included that ye progress to them, and ye shall take them. Mar 11:25 And once ye stand praying, Justification, if ye take prerequisite chary any: that your Begin moreover which is in illusion may Justification you your trespasses. Mar 11:26 But if ye do not Justification, neither behest your Begin which is in illusion Justification your trespasses.
By the use of a nickel, I gave these 5 aspects of an effective prayer life.
ON THE HEADS SIDE:
* The first thing you see is the Head of Jefferson, a precedent introduce. That represents the Gone Elevation OF Poise - Celebrate what God has done in the beyond. (v. 20-21)
* In God We Syndicate represents the THEOLOGICAL Elevation OF Poise - Syndicate, Peculiar Rely on in God - (v. 22)
* Privilege (2COR. 3:17) represents the Intuitive Elevation - What if (V. 23)
ON THE TAILS SIDE:
* E Pluribus Unum provokes a plead (FOR INSTANCE DOES THAT MEAN?) and represents the Good enough Elevation - ASK (V. 24) (Mat. 7:7-11, Lu. 11:9-13) Incidently, E Pluribus Unum is latin for "Out of tons, one"
* Fixed represents the Capable Elevation - Justification (v. 25-26)
I Target THAT Also Time YOU Play against AT A NICKEL IT Energy Reminiscence YOU OF THESE FIVE ASPECTS OF AN Durable Poise Vivacity.
BLESSINGS!LISA
Source: invocation-rituals.blogspot.com
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Source: witch-selena.blogspot.com
That is the stereotype at least.
But when you first try yoga what you quickly discover is that the intensity of yoga varies but is ultimately quite the workout because your arms and legs will feel the burn as if you are doing an intense workout. (More so if you've never done yoga before.)
There are many different disciplines of yoga (my favourite ashtanga yoga, but that gets into a whole mental discipline and the physical movements of yoga is only one eighth of the practice), but regardless if you are doing yoga for exercise then the level of intensity can sometimes surprise you.
The end result is you end up burning calories, but how can this be for just a bunch of stretches and poses?
Well for starters you are burning calories just by breathing. Your stomach and lung muscles are moving constantly. With yoga you practice your breathing at the same time while making a series of motions, which initially will feel like cardio exercises (cardio burns calories!), but some of the poses are more intense on various muscles and those muscular motions burn extra calories too.
The end result is that yoga is a full body workout and burns a lot of calories.
Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga is the most familiar form of yoga for Westerners, and the kind usually taught in beginner-level classes. Hatha yoga emphasizes breath control and flowing postures that are simple and easy to learn. You can expect to burn 175 calories per hour, or the same amount of calories you would burn by walking 2 miles in 1 hour.
Ashtanga Yoga (Just the Poses)
Ashtanga yoga poses are more intense than Hatha yoga, but still places emphasis on breath control and flowing postures. The typical class has a series of 6 poses that increase in difficulty. A typical Ashtanga class will burn 300 calories in 1 hour, or the same as walking 4 miles in 1 hour. Full Ashtanga Yoga also includes self purification, moral codes, breath control, withdrawing from the senses, concentration and meditation exercises. Most people don't do the full thing and only practice the yogic postures.
Power Yoga
Power yoga is a Westernized form of Ashtanga yoga, which moves quickly between poses to increase your heart rate. Because of this, most classes typically last 30 to 45 minutes, rather than 60. The calories burned are approximately the same as a full 60 minute Ashtanga class.
Vinyasa Yoga
Vinyasa yoga is usually combined with the Ashtanga form to create one dynamic class. The emphasis is placed on flowing from one pose to the next, particularly during the sun salutation. Vinyasa classes typically burn 445 calories per hour, or the same amount as jogging at a slow pace for 60 minutes.
Bikram or Hot Yoga
Bikram yoga, also known as "hot yoga," is performed in a room heated to 105 degrees and with a humidity of 40%. This guarantees that you will sweat a lot as you perform the 26 postures in a typical class. One session of bikram yoga burns 630 calories per hour, or the same as swimming the butterfly stroke for an hour.
Most practitioners who use yoga as their primary form of cardio opt for the higher-intensity classes and aim for making it to class 3 times a week, for a 90 minute session. If you want to burn calories while doing yoga, go for the more intense classes and work on "growing" or stretching into each pose constantly throughout the class.
Studies show that people who find an exercise they enjoy will stick with it and make it a part of their routines more readily than people who feel forced into exercise they don't like. If yoga is your favorite form of exercise, find ways to increase your calories burned and then make it your primary cardio routine. You will reap the added benefits of increased muscle tone, core stability and decreased stress as well as a vigorous cardio workout.
Many people also argue that yoga creates mindfulness of everything that you do outside of practice, this includes food choices. People who practice yoga tend to eat less, and make healthier choices for their meals. Yoga has also been shown to reduce cravings in between meals.
When someone starts practicing yoga they lose an average of six pounds in the first two months. Plus yoga builds strength and endurance in core muscle groups. The new muscle tissue leads to an increase in metabolism and more calories burned per day.
When beginners are ready to take it up a notch, more intense practices such as Ashtanga (or power) yoga and Bikram (hot) yoga, burn as many calories as an hour long jog!
Yoga is not only fantastic for strength, injury prevention, and flexibility, it's a definite path toward weight loss.
Plus the practice tends to attract people who are genuinely nice, and we all enjoy making new friends who are genuinely nice people. Its an added perk!
Credit: asatru-religion.blogspot.com
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
From Phranakorn Have a bath comes HANUMAN: THE White Monkey Participant ( or HANUMAN KLOOK PHUN), directed by Sakchai Sriboonnak.
Here's the official synopsis:
In the ancient time preceding Burden of Siam was inherent, award was the time because armies of invaders came to fill the land and were unrelentingly massacring realm. One priest anonymously gathered drawings of diverse flora and fauna from all supercilious the world. He bonded the drawings in to a book with complete sparkle powers. As a result he gave the book to two headman of one Thai contest to use these drawings to tattoo on his event and defiance the invaders. One time the land is rid of vandals and stillness income, the sacred book necessitate be not speaking into diverse segments and accepted on to the highest trusted disciples to defender and stack it. All segments of the sacred book necessitate never fall in to hands of those who track honorable power.
The time accepted and ages went by, the sacred book past anew emerged into the hands of rivals. All stories guarantee that they were impregnable being they were cozy by tattoos with sparkle powers. One time the segments of the sacred book past anew thump, the blood dash of the sparkle flora and fauna begins.
Yes. Regard passes and ages go by. And the ancient warrior gods get angry to defiance anew. Nevertheless in the field of a singlet, rawhide khakis and blusher. Sponsored by Honda.
SEE ALSO:
* Oblige kit at ThaiCinema.org
(Posters via Deknang's forum on Popcornmag.com)ATTENTION: This is a post from Wise Kwai's Thai Have a bath Publication. The url for the in good health blog is http://thaifilmjournal.blogspot.com. If you're seeing this post anywhere besides your direct cultivate reader or a attach of social-networking sites, so it might be soul distorted opposed to the spirit in which it is prepared on your own initiative held.
Saturday, 2 May 2009
In an e-mail from Pastor Mark Lomax of the First African Presbyterian, Church in Lithonia Georgia, who I wrote about in that posting, I received several suggestions of books to read on the subject, including "African Religions and Philosophy "by John S Mbiti and "Black Religion and Black Radicalism: An Interpretation of the Religious History of African Americans" by Gayraud S. Wilmore. I have about ten pages left of Wilmore's book and I'm halfway through another book which uses a great deal of Mbiti's book, that is, "The Spirituality of African Peoples: the search for a common moral discourse", by Peter J. Paris.
In what I am sure is God's providence, Hans Cornelder placed an article, Out of Africa about a book concerned with Christian origins in Africa on Presbyweb. The book is, "How Africa Shaped the Christian Mind: Rediscovering the African Seedbed of Western Christianity" by Thomas C. Oden. Ordering that book turned up several other good books; one I have been reading along side Wilmore's book. That book is "The Decline of African American Theology: From Biblical Faith to Cultural Captivity", by Pastor Thabiri M. Anyabwile. The other is "On Being Black and Reformed: A New Perspective on the African-American Christian Experience," by Anthony J. Carter.
I have other books on this subject; as I said I am buried in books, and, of course, still reading. But several items jumped out at me as I was reading tonight so I thought I would share them. One of them is the intentional push toward grounding Black theology in Black cultural concerns as shown in Wilmore's book, "Black Religion and Black Radicalism".
The other, a quote which resounds with clear biblical sounds, is from "The Decline of African American Theology" and is totally different. The author is an African Pastor from the Cayman Islands. Anyabwile writes:
"...does Christian theology, black or white, really leave room for an 'out with the old, in with the new' attitude toward the doctrine of Christ? Is one left to simply choose or fashion an understanding of Jesus' life, ministry and being as one chooses? Are there no consequences for what position a person takes? Moreover, can any source for developing a Christology be used as if it is equal with or determinative of the meaning of any other source?
While all people are equal, made in the image of God, and therefore of infinite worth, not all ideas are true or worth believing. And, if, as Jesus teaches, the critical question is 'Who do you say that I am?' then the stakes for answering correctly are extremely high. In the High Priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus defines eternal life as knowledge of God the Father and of himself, whom the Father sent (Jn 17:3). Moreover, in his discussion with the Samarian woman at the well, Jesus makes it plain that accuracy in our knowledge of God is one of two determining factors in God-satisfying worship. The Father seeks those who will worship him in Spirit and in truth (Jn 4:21-24). All other worship violates the first and second commandments, which prohibit both the carving and mental fabrication of idols to worship." (168-169)
The quote covers all of the idolatrous theologies being formulated today. And the author doesn't just look at Liberation theology but also at some Pentecostal heresies such as Oneness Pentecostalism and the prosperity gospel. There is much more ahead and I will eventually put together a much larger article on this subject.
Friday, 1 May 2009
Origin: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com
This is what theologians for several centuries have been crying for; what many of them have professed to see through the fog of doubts, disillusion and despair, like a star glowing in the high heavens.
I am not a theologian; I am a doctor, a psychologist. But as a doctor, I have had experience with thousands of persons from all parts of the world-those who came to tell me the stories of their lives, their hopes, their fears, their achievements, their failures. I have studied carefully their psychology, which is, and which must be, my guide.
Out of my experience with those thousands of patients, I have become convinced that the psychological problem of today is a spiritual problem, a religious problem, Man today hungers and thirsts for a safe relationship to the psychic forces within himself. His consciousness, recoiling from the difficulties of the modern world, lacks a relationship to safe spiritual conditions.
This makes him neurotic, ill, frightened. Science has told him that there is no God, and that matter is all there is. This has deprived humanity of its blossom, its feeling of well-being and of safety in a safe world. As modern man is driven back upon himself by doubt and fear, he looks inward to his own psychic life to give him something of which his outer life has deprived him.
In view of 'the present widespread interest in all sorts of psychic phenomena-an interest such as the world has not experienced since the last half of the seventeenth century-it does not seem beyond the range of possibility to believe that we stand on the threshold of a new spiritual epoch; and that from the depths of man's own psychic life new spiritual forms will be born.
Look at the world about us, and what do we see? The disintegration of many religions. It is generally admitted that the churches are not holding the people as they did, particularly educated people, who do not feel any longer that they are redeemed by a system of theology.
The same thing is seen in the old established religions of the East- Confucianism and Buddhism. Half the temples in Peking are empty.
In our Western world millions of people do not go to church. Protestantism alone is broken up into four hundred denominations. Contrast this state of life and thought with that of the Middle Ages. In those centuries almost everyone went to Mass every morning. The whole life was lived within the church, which became a tremendous outlet of psychic energy.
Instead, we have today an intricate and complicated life full of mechanical devices for living. A life crowded with motor cars and radios and motion pictures. But none of these things is a substitute for what we have lost. Religion gives us a rich application for our feelings. It gives meaning to life.
Man in the Middle Ages lived in a meaningful world. He knew that God had made the world for a definite purpose; had made him for a definite purpose-to get to heaven, or to get to hell. It made sense.
Today the world in which all of us live is a madhouse. This is what many people are feeling, Some of those people come to me to tell me so. All that energy which was the origin of the rich blossom of man's emotional life during the Middle Ages, and which found expression in the painting of great religious pictures, the carving of great religious statues, the building of the great cathedrals, has gone flat,)It is not lost, because it is a law that energy cannot be lost. Then what has become of it? Where has it gone?
The answer is that it is in man's unconscious. It may be said to have fallen down into a lower storey. Take the example of a business man-successful, rich, not yet old. He is perhaps forty-five. He says, "I have made my fortune; I have sons who are old enough to carry on the business which I founded. I will retire. I will build a fine house in the country and live there without any cares and worries."
So he retires. He builds his house and goes to live in it. He says to himself, "Now my life will begin." But nothing happens. One morning he is in his bath. He is conscious of a pain in his side. All day he worries about it; wonders what it can be. When he goes to the table he does not eat. In a few days his digestion is out of order. In a fortnight he is very ill.
The doctors he has called in do not know what is the matter with him. Finally one of them says to him: "Your life lacks interest. Go back to your business. Take it up again." The man is intelligent, and this advice seems to him sound. He decides to follow it. He goes back to his office and sits down at his old desk and declares that now he will help his sons in the management. But when the first business letter is brought to him, he cannot concentrate on it. He cannot make the decisions it calls for. Now he is terribly frightened about his condition.
You see what happened. He couldn't go back. It was already too late. But his energy is still there, and it must be used. This man comes to me with his problem. I say to him: "You were quite right to retire from business. But not into nothingness. You must have something you can stand on. In all the years in which you devoted your energy to building up your business you never built up any interests outside of it. You had nothing to retire on." This is a picture of the condition of man today.
This is why we feel that there is something wrong with the world. All the material interests, the automobiles and radios and skyscrapers we have, don't fill the hungry soul. We try to retire from the world, but to what? Some try to go back to the churches. A few are able to do this. But many are not finding this entirely satisfactory. They are like the business man who tried to go back to his desk. And these people come to me, asking me to help them to find a meaning in their lives. What shall I tell them? Among them comes a man who is only slightly neurotic.
He says to me: "I am not really very sick. Perhaps I should not be here at all taking up your time. But I know you are busy with the human mind. I thought, therefore, that you might be able to tell me on what terms I may live. I have the feeling of being forlorn and lonely in a world that makes no sense." I say to him: "My dear man, I don't know any more than you do the meaning of the world or the meaning of your life. But you-all men-were born with a brain ready made. It took millions of years to build the brain and the body we now have.
Your brain embodies all the experience of life. The psyche, which may be called the life of the brain, existed before consciousness existed in the little child.
"Now, suppose that I am in need of advice about living, and I know of a man who is already thousands of years old. I go to him and say, 'You have seen many changes; you have observed and experienced life under many aspects. My life is short-perhaps seventy years, perhaps less-and you have lived for thousands of years. Tell me the meaning of life for me.'
" When I say this to my patient, he cocks his ears and looks at me. "No," I say, "I am not that man.
But that man speaks to you every night. How? In your dreams." I go on: "You are in trouble. You feel that your life has no orientation. I cannot tell you what to do. But let us ask the Great Old Man. He will tell you. Go away for a few days, and you will have a dream. Come back and tell me about it."
He goes away; he comes back and brings me a dream. It is difficult to work out. But we do work it out together, and it tells us something about him. Certain people lose connection with life because they have made mistakes, or because they are living the wrong way, in a life that is intellectual only. The dreams they bring to a psychologist will take up these things first. All dreams reveal spiritual experiences, provided one does not apply one's own point of view to the interpretation of them.
Freud says that all man's longings expressed in his dreams relate to sexuality. It is true that man is a being with sex. But he is also a being with a stomach and a liver. As well say that because he has a liver all his troubles come from that one organ. Primitive man has little difficulty with sex. The fulfillment of his sexual desires is too easy to constitute a problem. What concerns primitive man-and I have lived among primitives, and Freud has not-is his food: where he is to get it, and enough of it.
Civilized man in his dreams reveals his spiritual need. When modern science disinfected heaven it did not find God. Some scientists say that the resurrection of Jesus, the virgin birth, the miracles-all those things which fed Christian thought through ages, are pretty stories, but none the less untrue. But what I say is, Do not overlook the fact that these ideas which millions of men carried with them through generations are great eternal psychological truths.
Let us look at this truth as the psychologist sees it. Here is the mind of man, without prejudice, spotless, untainted, symbolized by a virgin. And that virgin mind of man can give birth to God himself. "The kingdom of heaven is within you."
This is a great psychological truth. Christianity is a beautiful system of psychotherapy. It heals the suffering of the soul. This is the truth which man has clung to through the ages. Even after his consciousness has listened too long at the door of modern materialistic science, he clings to it in his unconscious. The old symbols are good today. They fit our minds as well as they fitted the minds that conceived them.
Deep in the unconscious of each one of us are all the attempts of that Great Old Man to express his spiritual experiences. Suppose I ask you to stay in my house. I tell you that it is well built, comfortable; that our life is pleasant; that you will have good food. You can swim in the lake and walk in the garden.
With these beliefs in your mind you decide to come, and you enjoy your stay. But suppose, when I ask you, I say to you: "This house is unsafe. The foundations are not secure. We have many earthquakes in this region. Besides all that, we have had illness here. Someone recently died of tuberculosis in this room." Under those conditions and with these ideas in your mind, do you enjoy your stay in that house?
That medieval man we have talked of had a beautiful relationship with God. He lived in a safe world, or one that he believed to be safe. God looked out for everyone in it; he rewarded the good and punished the bad. There was the church where the man could always get forgiveness and grace. He had only to walk there to receive it. His prayers were heard. He was spiritually taken care of. But what is modern man told?
Science has told him that there is no one taking care of him. And so he is full of fear. For a time, after we gave up that medieval God, we had gold for a deity. But now that, too, has been declared incompetent. We trusted in armies, but the threat of poison gas defeated them. Already people talk about the next war. In Berlin they have built dugouts under the streets for retreat from poison gas attacks. If they go on talking in this way, thinking this way, the next war will explode of itself. Naturally enough, in a world of this sort, everybody gets neurotic.
Even if the house you live in is really safe, if you have the idea that it is not, you will suffer. Your reaction depends entirely on what you think. In making this point to my students, I say: "How do you measure a thing? By its effects. And usually by its terrible effects. An avalanche occurs which wipes away a dozen farms, kills scores of cows, and you say, 'An elephant of an avalanche!' Now, tell me, what is the most destructive thing you know of ?" In turn we consider fire, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, diseases. Then I say, "Can you think of nothing more terrible than any of these things? What about the World War?"
Ah, yes! High explosives. "But," I say, "do high explosives make themselves? Do they declare war. It is the psyche of man that makes wars. Not his consciousness. His consciousness is afraid, but his unconscious, which contains the inherited savagery as we l as the spiritual strivings of the race,) says to. him, "Now it is time to make war. Now is the time to kill and destroy." And he does it.
The most tremendous danger that man has to face is the power of his ideas. No cosmic power on earth ever destroyed ten million men in four years. But man's psyche did it. And It can do it, vain. I am afraid of one thing only-the thoughts of people. I have means of defense against things. I live here in my house happily with my family. But suppose they get the illusion that I am a devil. Can I be happy with them then? Can I be safe?
All of us are subject to mass infections. I Mass infections) are greater than man. And man is their victim. He shouts and parades and pretends that he is the leader, but really he is their victim. They are the up rush of earthly and spiritual forces from the depth of the psyche. Turn the eye of consciousness within to see what is there. Let us see what we can do in small ways. If I have planted a cabbage right, then I have served the world in that place. I do not know what more I can do. Examine the spirits that speak in you. Become critical.
The modern man must be fully conscious of the terrific dangers that lie in mass movements. Listen to what the unconscious says. Hearken to the voice of that Great Old Man within you who has lived so long, who has seen and experienced so much. Try to understand the will of God: The remarkably potent force of the psyche. I say: Go slow. Go slow. With every good there comes a corresponding evil, and with every evil a corresponding good. Don't run too fast into one unless you are prepared to encounter the other. I am not concerned about the world. I am concerned about the people with whom I live. The other world is all in the newspapers. My family and my neighbors are my life-the only life that I can experience.
What lies beyond is newspaper mythology. It is not of vast importance that I make a career or achieve great things for myself. What is important and meaningful to my life is that I shall live as fully as possible to fulfill the divine will within me. This task gives me so much to do that I have no time or any other. Let me point out that if we were all to live in that way we would need no armies, no police, no diplomacy, no politics, no banks. We would have a meaningful life and not what we have now-madness. What nature asks of the apple-tree is that it shall bring forth apples, and of the pear-tree that it shall bring forth pears. Nature wants me to be simply man. But a man conscious of what I am, and of what I am doing. God seeks consciousness in man.
This is the truth of the birth and the resurrection of Christ within. As more and more thinking men come to it, this is the spiritual rebirth of the world. Christ, the Logos-that is to say, the mind, the understanding, shining into the darkness. Christ was a new truth about man. Mankind has no existence. I exist, you exist. But mankind is only a word. Be what God means you to be; don't worry about mankind which doesn't exist, you are avoiding looking at what does exist-the self You are like a man who leans over his neighbor's fence and says to him: "Look, there is a weed. And over there is an-I- other one. And why don't you hoe the rows deeper? And I why don't you tie up your vines?" And all the while, his own garden, behind him, is full of weeds. ~Carl Jung [1934]; C.G. Jung Speaks; Pages 67-75.
Image: The Return of Persephone by Frederic Leighton
Credit: mysteryvoodoo.blogspot.com