Disciple.

Big-hearted,

Good-tempered,

Strong-willed

Angel.

Generous,

Friendly,

Gentle

Giant.

Open your heart

to your fervent admirers.

Bare your soul

to the advent of Love.


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Prayers.

                            

We pray for those who have wealth and power in our world.

The corporate plutocrats, boards of directors, captains of industry, C.E.O.s, and businessmen who rule our world.

We pray that they overcome their fears and treat their workers and employees as human beings - not as units of productivity.

We pray that the small percentage of individuals who own most of the world's wealth share what they have gained with the poor and the starving.

We pray that they make our systems and workplaces more humane, more human-friendly places.

We pray that they abandon their evil plans to subjugate the masses to their will.

We pray that they abandon the use of slave labor.

We pray that they abandon the practice of land-grabbing.

We pray that they reject nepotism and corruption.

We pray for their health and well-being.

But most of all we pray for them to open their hearts.


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Violence.

                            

Violence is never the answer.

It merely replaces one oppressive system or individual with another.

Jesus said to bless those who curse you and to pray for those who abuse you.

So we pray for our oppressors.
Pray for them to open their hearts and allow people to live.
Pray for them to overcome their fears and share what they have gained with others less fortunate.

Only then will we escape the cycle of violence.


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Desire.

                            

Some say that desire is the cause of suffering.

But desire plays an important part in the perpetuation of life.

If we had no desire the human race would die out.

But like many things in life if desire is taken to extremes it becomes destructive.

So moderation is important.

I see little point in banning desire altogether.

Or developing a guilt complex about the inevitable.

So desire in moderation is a good thing.

And it is not to be feared.


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No Fear.

                            

You have nothing to fear from God.

God does not punish us.
God punishes no one.

God loves us.

We are His children.

Even children who have gone bad are still His children and He loves them.

You can make a mistake and be forgiven.

You might even learn something.

In fact it is inevitable that we will make mistakes.

So do not be afraid.

God knows us .

His mercy and forgiveness last forever.


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No Hell.

                            

Could it be that there is no hell?

Hell has always been out of character for a loving God.

Hell comes from dualistic thinking.

God is good and if we are good we go to Heaven.
But if there is a Heaven for good people then there must be a hell for bad people.

This is simple dualistic thinking.

It also contains a temptation.
The temptation to threaten people with hell in order to get them to do what you want.

The old Machiavellian carrot and stick.

But God does not punish us.
God punishes no one.

So there can be no hell.


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Fear of Hell.

                            

Fear of hell (which is fear of God) may be the driving force behind radicalism.

When we introduce liberalization and freedom there is often a backlash.

This backlash is motivated by fear of hell.

Usually more conservative religious people are terrified that we will all go to hell.

So they use violence and hatred to force us to return to moral purity.

But this violence and hatred betrays its origin in fear.

God does not use violence or hatred.

God loves us.

And "perfect love casts out fear"  1 John 4:18 (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.]

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Aquarius.

Gay colors

reflected

in the Water.


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Homophobia and Satanism.

                            

Most Fundamentalist Churches believe that Satan is gay or more precisely that gay sex is Satanic.

But when I saw a program on Satanism in the 1980s it depicted a young man making a pact with the devil in which he stated that he was prepared to engage in any sexual act except homosexual acts.

This would indicate that some Satanists are homophobic.

The basis of Satanism is that you make a pact with the devil to get whatever you want in this life and then you go to hell forever when you die.

This is trading pleasure for hell.

I believe that this is a ridiculous lie.

You can experience pleasure in life and still go to Heaven.

So don't believe those who tell you gay sex is Satanic.

Gay sex is the equivalent of straight sex.

God does not discriminate.


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Backlash.

                            

After the Renaissance came Savonarola.

After the Enlightenment came Fundamentalism.

After the Roaring 20s came Fascism.

After the 1960s sexual revolution came Reagan and Thatcher.

After Multiculturalism came racism.

After Clinton and Blair came 9/11.

After Obama came Donald Trump.

It would seem that whenever progress is made towards greater freedom and tolerance there follows a backlash of fear and violence.

This is a pattern that can be seen throughout history.

It happened after the Reformation.

It is happening still.

The good news is it is always 2 steps forward and 1 step back.

With the coming of the New Paradigm we can expect a backlash.

But the key is fear.

If we can allay people's fears we may be able to avoid violence.


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Schoolyard.

                            

The prevailing climate of the schoolyard is fear.

Fear of what we think others will do to us is the unconscious motivating factor for bullying.

It is well known that the bigger the school the more bullying occurs.  This is because there is less supervision and the students act in response to uncontrolled feelings of threat.

The bully says, "Be scared of me so that the big boys won't bully me."

But it is unlikely that the bully is aware of his own motivation.

It is only after many years of looking back that I can see the fear that motivated everyone.

Fear of being called homosexual has always motivated poofter-bashing.

And since AIDS this has only gotten worse.

So any threatening behavior or fear will only make this situation worse.

The only way to deal with the schoolyard is to address the fear that infects everyone.


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Business as Usual.

                            

In the past the Church taught that Jesus was a human blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the world.

We were all saved through the blood of Christ.

So why did we have to earn our salvation through good works?

We're already saved, right.

Um.....

We are all born absolutely in sin.

But Jesus has paid the price.

So we are no longer born in sin.

Make sense?

In the past this kind of questioning was answered with a belting or torture (the official equivalent) so people shut up.

And the world went on as it was.


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Global Village.

                            

We now live in a global community.

No longer can we see only as far as our borders.

The Glass Curtain works both ways.

We can see out but they can also see in.

Issues like: modern slavery, land grabs, persecution of gays and lesbians, economic oppression, corruption, war, and starvation are global concerns.

And those who would build walls to block our sight cannot win.

Globalization has reached its final phase - people.

And we can escape our responsibilities no longer.


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Light.

                            

What is the relevance of Christianity in a world that is ruled by brutal corporate plutocrats who own everything and control the media, who even demand our philosophical assent?

A world where music and entertainment are saturated with evil.

These are dark days indeed.

But Jesus is the Light of the World.

He manifests the Light of God in our world.

And what is that Light?

To love God and love your neighbor.

To treat others as you would want to be treated yourself.

To have compassion and mercy for all living beings, even your enemies.

Surely this is needed more than ever.

But it must be remembered that it was the rich and powerful who crucified Jesus.

Sobering thoughts indeed.


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Priests and Ministers.

                            

When I say that those who have sold their souls to the devil will be exonerated because they were told by their priests and ministers that God was a sex-phobic moral dictator, you may ask then what becomes of those priests and ministers.

Although the ultimate responsibility for these things lies with priests and ministers it is not really their fault either.

They have an understandable belief in natural justice which they project onto God.  They also have a belief in tradition and these things have been handed down from generation to generation from ancient times.

But these things do not correspond to the reality.

God does not punish us.
He does not punish sinners and He does not punish priests and ministers - even if they are corrupt and selfish.

He gives everyone another chance.

And this includes the Pharisees and Sadducees of our world.


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Evil.

                            

It has been said that anything a person is doing to others they are doing to themselves.

So Satanists in our popular culture hate themselves and condemn themselves to hell.

They destroy themselves with their own evil.


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Three Steps.

                            

Step 1:  Love Your Enemies.

When you stop battling against evil and begin to return love for hate things improve.

Step 2:  No Rock Music.

When you realize that all rock music is Satanism and throw your C.D.s and D.V.D.s in the bin and listen only to sacred classical music things change.

Step 3:  Love God and Love Your Neighbor.

When you follow Jesus' teaching to love God and love your neighbor you are Home.


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Love-Life.

God is Love.

Jesus' only commandment was to love one another.

Love God and love your neighbor.

Then you will be alive!


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Life.

                           

The earth is full of life.

All life is interconnected.

The earth gave birth to life.

And life gave birth to consciousness.

Love is the source and the purpose of life.

We come from love and we return to love.

For God is Love.


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Sex.

                            

The basis of the popular rebellion against religion is that God is anti-sex.

This, of course, is demonstrably ridiculous.

God is the author of sex.

He has made us sexual beings.

So why would God be anti-sex?

The basis of religious objections to sex dates from ancient ascetic practices.

These are the source of St. Paul's hysterical writings on sex which the Christian Churches adopted.

You will not find these ideas in Jesus' teachings.

Jesus taught that God is Love.

And sex is closer to love than self-denial.

Those who practise self-denial seek to bargain with God.
They try to trade earthly pleasure for heavenly pleasure.

But you cannot bargain with God.

And why would God grant pleasure in Heaven if He was opposed to pleasure on earth?

These things are not logical.

And they insult God.

God is not opposed to sex.

Sex is an integral part of God's good creation.

And as such we should celebrate our sexuality as part of our redeeming love.


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A Voice in the Wilderness.

                            

"'Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.'"  Luke 3:11 (NRSV)

John the Baptist recommended honesty in dealing with money (Luke 3:12-14) and communism in relation to possessions.

This was practised by Jesus' disciples (Acts 2:44,45 & 4:32)

But you don't hear this preached in church very often.

It is indeed "'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness.'"  Luke 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.]

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Milk.

There is enough milk for everyone.


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The End of History.

                            

Communism is a violent totalitarian system.

It was defeated in Russia by the efforts of the Reagan administration and Pope John Paul II.

Unfortunately the victory was not claimed by democracy but by capitalism.

This is why Western capitalist captains declared The End of History.

The expression The End of History comes from the writings of Carl Marx who claimed that the end of history would see the victory of the common people.

The captains of Western capitalism hated Marx so much that they used his own expression to describe his defeat.

Socialism, however, is neither violent nor totalitarian.
And the defeat of Soviet Communism has not seen its demise.

The victory of Western capitalism has seen the world become a colder, more violent place.  The disparity between rich and poor is at the greatest level in history.

The common people have no power.
Governments are in thrall to rich corporations and individuals.

Democracy is almost dead.

It is to be hoped that the plutocrats who now rule our world will modify their behavoir sufficiently to allow people to live in peace.

If not, however, we may see people taking up arms once again to overthrow corrupt elites.


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Malicious.

                                       

I am the Walrus, Lucy in the Sky, Strawberry Fields, Tommy, The Real Thing, Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, Beauty and the Beast, The Devil Inside, Bad, and many more rock songs represent malicious attempts to sabotage any spiritual search we may have embarked on.

The intention is to tempt us to transgress the rules of any religious group we may be associated with in order to damn us to hell.

This is the influence of Satanism hidden in rock music.

So be wary of any influence which suggests that you use drugs to achieve enlightenment.

It is most likely malicious.


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The Life.

He who believes in me shall never die.


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The World.

                            

The way of the world is the way of power and might.

The way of the devil is to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10:10)

That is why Jesus calls them children of the devil (John 8:44) because they steal, kill, and destroy.

"Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts."  Zechariah 4:6 (NRSV)

The way of God is non-violent.

God punishes no one.

It is the way of truth.

God's Light reveals the truth.

That is why I will not sing "God of power and might."

He is not a God of power and might.

He does not use force or coercion.

He is a God of Love.

He is a God of mercy.

And His forgiveness is infinite.

"'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.'"  Matthew 5:9 (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.]

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Out of Sight.

                            

We never see the starving, the destitute, the refugees on our T.V. unless it is to demonize them.

The corporate plutocrats who own our media do not want us to see them.

We might demand that something be done to help them.

And they are afraid that they might have to pay for it.

So it is out of sight/out of mind.


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Fear or Faith.

                                   

When we allow fear to control us we become part of the problem.

We say, "God has forsaken the earth."

We have little faith.

If we had faith in the Love of God we would not be afraid.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear."  1 John 4:18 (NRSV)

Were we to believe that God cares for us we would not need to build up huge reserves of money and possessions.  There would always be enough.

We could live with less.

And less is more.


[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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Good People.

                            

Good people tend to think that other people are good like themselves.

This naivety, some might call it gullibility, is the primary reason for the rise of evil in our world.

Evil people deceive good people and pose as saints, even saviors and messiahs.

And because these evil people are in positions of influence - mostly through the popular media - they lead good people astray.

So be careful who you follow.

They may not be as good as you think.


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Rage, Rage.

                                          

In 1984 when Generation X began to rise and Reagan and Thatcher ruled I heard Sir Lawrence Olivier quote Dylan Thomas: "Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Although the original poem is about human death the quote resonated with the time - the dying of the idealism and spirituality of the 1960s and 1970s.

In the I-Ching there is a hexagram called "Darkening of the Light" which refers to a time when the light is withdrawing and the darkness rising.

Only now can we see what was lost. 


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Multicultural Welcome.

Ni Hao Ma?

Konichi wa.

Namaste.

Ciao.

Yasou.

Salaam.

Shalom.

Peace.


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The Way of God.

                                                                 

The Way  of God is the way of mercy.

The way of non-violent forgiveness and Love.

It is a way of peace.

God does not judge us as earthly authorities do.

God does not punish us.

There will be no Day of Judgement.

There will be no hell.

God is trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast in love.

God is responsive when called upon.

And He wishes to communicate.

Above all the Way of God is the way of the heart.

We can give thanks for that.


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(The image has been slightly modified.)

Inconvenient.

                            

Many people reject what I say because it is inconvenient.

Unorthodox beliefs about Jesus and Christianity are highly inconvenient.  They put you out on a limb and they force you to take risks.

Uncustomary views about Satanism in our popular culture are most inconvenient for a population which is addicted to celebrity.

But a commitment to the truth requires us to act with courage and integrity.

Only then will God say, "Here I am."


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The Truth.

                            

Jesus said, "'I came into this world to testify to the truth.'"  John 18:37 (NRSV)  And, "'But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.'"  John 8:45 (NRSV)

I have discovered a Satanic conspiracy centered in popular rock music.

But you do not believe me.

I am committed, however, to the truth.

Inconvenient and dangerous as that may be.

I am vindicated by my experience and I am justified by God.

So don't discard what I say.

It is the absolute truth.


[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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The Light.

                            

We are subject to fears in the darkness.

But when the Light comes it reveals that our fears are groundless.

And what is the Light but Love.


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