The Kingdom.

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force."  Matthew 11:12 (NRSV)

"The law and the prophets were in effect until John came; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is proclaimed, and everyone tries to enter it by force.  But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one stroke of a letter of the law to be dropped."  Luke 16:16 (NRSV)

By this Jesus means that you cannot just take the Kingdom of Heaven you must observe the commandments of the law - and the first commandments of the law are to love God and to love your neighbor.

John the Baptist preached honesty and charity - this was preparation for the full revelation of Jesus that is love.

This is why the practise of Yoga requires restraints and observances (Yamas and Niyamas) - these are  preparation for union* with God.

But we are not to apply these principles fanatically.

The Middle Path of Moderation recommended by the Buddha allows for concessions according to understanding.  This is the prerogative of love.

(*Yoga means union.)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Guilt Complex.

The Hippies have a guilt complex.

Because they took drugs in their youth they unconsciously blame themselves for all their problems.

But we were set up from the beginning.

The drug culture which dogged the Hippie Generation was deliberately created by rock musicians who followed the dark teachings of Aleister Crowley.

Aleister Crowley advocated the use of drugs in conjunction with Yoga in order to develop special powers.

And his apprentices - the rock stars - pushed drugs onto their unwitting fans.

So we should not blame ourselves but the rock stars who sold their souls* for fame and fortune.

Their evil influence is to blame not us.

So you can clear your conscience, forgive yourself, and pray for healing and Salvation.

(Aleister Crowley's writings include instructions for making deals with the devil.)

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Open Your Heart.

I pray for employers to open their hearts to their workers.

I pray for Fundamentalists to open their hearts to gays and lesbians.

I pray for nationalists to open their hearts to immigrants.

But what is it that stops us opening our hearts to others?

Fear.

Only fear.

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Peace.

We pray for Peace.

We pray for Diplomacy.

We pray for Tolerance.

We pray for Compassion.

We pray for Reconciliation.

We pray for Love.

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East and West.

The God of Yoga and Eastern religion is the same God as the God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

If we surrender our claims to exclusivity we will go a long way to eliminating religious conflicts in our world.

And a closer investigation will reveal that at the heart of each religion is the same reality - the Love of God.

And the errors of each religion resemble each other:

Legalism, Asceticism, Rigidity, Retribution.....

Provisional theories based on fear and Dualism are all superseded by the Love.

So the whole world is in the hands of a Loving God.

And it is God's business to transcend our differences and establish His Loving Reign over all the Earth.

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Pseudo-Religious.

Rock bands who are pseudo-religious are likely to be secretly Satanic.

Rock stars and celebrities who present themselves as religious but create contradictory material are not the real thing.

Satanism in rock music and entertainment has been common since the 1960s.

They present themselves as saviors and messiahs but they are false prophets and magicians in the ilk of Simon Magus.

So don't be fooled by a pseudo-religious facade.

Rock music is Satanic.

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The Hill of the Lord.

"Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

who do not lift up their souls to what is false,

and do not swear deceitfully."

Psalm 24:3,4 (NRSV)

[ Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

Photo Credit: g3min.org