Pizza and Plato.

                            

It was better when we valued the rich cultural heritage brought by our immigrants.

Multiculturalism was a boon to our nation.

Before the post-war wave of European immigrants Australia's culture was a rather boring and cold British monoculture.

Immigrants brought valuable diversity and richness to that culture.

More recently Asian immigrants have added to that diversity.

Unfortunately fear of foreigners (xenophobia) has grown in Australia and now refugees, mostly from Muslim countries, are sent to off-shore detention centers for indefinite periods, some are even returned to their countries to face torture and death.

Fear rules our hearts.

It would be better to look at the positive contributions that Islamic culture can bring to our country.

Music, poetry, art, cuisine - all these things are positives that Muslims bring.

There are also problems.

But these problems cannot be resolved without dialogue.

Building walls and freezing others out is not the answer.

We should implement dialogues between the cultures in order to understand these differences and find solutions that will last.

Then we can be a truly multicultural society.


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Leaving Home.

                            

In The Book of Joy - conversations between the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu - there is a postlude in which the honored guests attended the Dalai Lama's eightieth birthday party at the Tibetan Children's Village in Dharamsala, India where the Dalai Lama is exiled.

During the celebrations several children spoke about leaving their families in Tibet and taking the dangerous journey across the snow-covered mountains to India.

The children broke down in tears as they recalled saying goodbye to their parents and families in their beloved homeland.

They said that they could not experience joy again until they experienced the love and care of teachers and friends in the Village.

This brought home to me the conviction that love is at the heart of human experience.

Without love we cannot feel joy, or hope, or even cope with life.
But when there is love we recover and feel as if we can live again. 


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White Privilege.

                            

One of the effects of globalization is migration.

People in Third World countries see the privileges that white people have and decide that they can never achieve that in their home countries.

They migrate to the West.

And people in First World countries, fearing that they will lose their privileges, resist that movement.

This is called protecting our borders.

And it is the basis of the latest political swing to the right.

This is inevitable, however.

As the world is transformed by globalization mass movements of population will result unless we address the problems of poverty and oppression.

Many of these problems are caused by the West.

White privilege was established at the barrel of a gun.

And it is sustained by military might.

Our precious democracies and civil rights are established by domination.

As we move into the Age of Aquarius this domination will be called into question.

And we may see a more equal, more just world.


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Marketing Tricks.

                                                  

Your Internet Service Providers sell your information to marketing companies who place images before your eyes in the hope that you will be hooked.

The purpose of this is to get money our of you.

But you have to be quick to recognize a hook when you see one.

They monitor your entries so that they know what your interested in, especially what you will spend money on.

So be aware that we are being manipulated.

And exploited unfairly.


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Church.

                            

When I was thirteen I refuse to be Confirmed into the Christian Church because my experience of institutional Christianity did not match my intuitive understanding of Jesus or God.

Like many of my generation I got involved with Eastern religion through Yoga and learned many helpful and enlightening practices.

But something was wrong.

And I set out to discover what was wrong with the world by studying mythology and ancient religions.

Eventually my experience led me back to the Christian Church.

The study of modern scholars and progressive theologians was very helpful.

What I have learnt from Progressive Christianity is that without forgiveness there can be no progress.

Jesus is the epitome of forgiveness.

Other lessons I have come to appreciate are:

Putting others before ourselves liberates us from the relentless self-obsession which is the source of much of our suffering. 

Gratitude for the spiritual assistance I have been given deepens my relationship with God.

But it is the practice of unconditional love that leads to the sanctuary - our heart of hearts - and union with God.

Jesus taught us to love God and love our neighbor.

So, far from rejecting Jesus and Christianity, I have found a way through the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth to form a closer relationship with God.


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Christianity for Baby-Boomers.

                                     

The Baby-Boomer Generation was betrayed by their rock stars and turned into the hedonistic Hippies.

But the ideals of the Baby-Boomers are ideally suited to Progressive Christianity.

If only the authorities of the Christian Churches had been ready they could have developed a style of Christianity that was not only acceptable to Baby-Boomers but was a refined quintessence of Jesus' teachings.

This is peace and love.

Jesus is the epitome of peace and love.

He is the Prince of Peace.

And his commandment is to love.

Non-violent non-cooperation is the essence of Jesus' action.

To love even your enemies and forgive those who abuse you is characteristic of Jesus' teaching.

But the Church was bound up with the establishment and conservative politics.

With the result that their manipulative doctrines were rejected.

Now we are beginning to develop Progressive Christian theology and doctrines that are compatible with Baby-Boomer ideals.

But the bird has flown.

The fertile ground of peace and love and non-violent non-cooperation has been betrayed and reconstructed.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll has ruined the Baby-Boomers and the conservative plutocrats have reconstructed them.

Now they watch and buy and enjoy expensive holidays.

Now they follow.

And the opportunity has been lost.


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Everything is Broken.

                                    

In 1989 when Generation X had done their worst and destroyed the idealism and spirituality of the 1960s and 1970s Bob Dylan released a song called Everything is Broken.

This refrain expressed perfectly the spirit of the time for the Baby-Boomer Generation whose hopes and dreams had been shattered.

In the time since then the Baby-Boomers rock legends have been resurrected but without the original idealism and spirituality.

Back in black.

The Baby-Boomers now look after their grandchildren and their ageing parents, go on expensive overseas holidays, watch must see T.V., and follow sports.

Glimmers of idealism appear on the Internet.

It is up to us to fan this spark into a raging fire.


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Blocking (It) Out.

                            

My generation was known for playing very loud rock music.

I have come to realize that what we were doing was blocking out the world.

We were blocking out everything around us which caused pain and listening to music that inspired pleasure.

What we didn't know was that the rock music we were listening to was evil.

Dark lyrics and dirge-like music were sabotaging our spiritual quest and addicting us to pleasure.

Now I see young people walking around with earplugs in listening to rock music day and night.

I believe they are blocking out the world and its pain.

What they don't realize, however, is that the rock music they are listening to is poisoning them and addicting them.

Rock music sows negativity and induces death.

They do not realize that their rock stars are evil.

So stop listening to rock music and try sacred classical music.

You will be amazed at the difference.

It will calm your jangled nerves and introduce you to Life.


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You Just Do It.

                            

The problem with evil in our world is that when they give you advice you just do it.

There is no understanding of how Satanists in the music industry and the popular culture deceive and sabotage everyone.

You are doing it now!

Listening to the Satanic voices in the music.

But make no mistake.
They will tempt you and betray you.
Even to hell.

But God does not judge us.

He forgives us.

And invites us Home.


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Death.

                            

Death is a theological fiction.

There is no state, no place, no condition; no substance, spirit, or kingdom of Death.

And there is no devil to rule it.

These things derive in Christianity from the writings of St. Paul.

Paul was educated in an extreme Pharisaic school which practised strict celibacy.

These ideas were imported from Persian mythology in the ancient world.

But they do not correspond to the reality.

In reality there is only God's Love.

Any lyrics or images of death come from Satanism in rock music and popular entertainment.

These may affect your mind.

But not your spiritual condition.

Or your fate.

So immerse yourself in God's abundant Life and Love.

And banish death from your mind forever.


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Navigating.

                            

Dealing with sexual expression as a single gay Christian is like navigating between whirlpools.

On one side is moral panic and fear leading to total abstinence.

On the other side is economic exploitation and cynicism leading to addiction.

We must navigate between these two extremes.

And not only that but we must negotiate the mental waters between moral condemnation and self-destructive negativity.

Sex is not bad or dirty as Satanists would have you think.

We do not need to be punished.

What we need is a positive attitude which is not controlled by evil.

A healthy moderation.

Only then will we be free.


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Bless the Lord.

                            

"The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed,
He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel,
"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love,"  Psalm 103:6-8 (NRSV)

"As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him."  Psalm 103:13 (NRSV)

In Psalm 103 David echoes the revelation of Moses then predicts the vision of Jesus.

These passages reflect the benevolent nature of God - a God who is loving and merciful like a father.

This is not the angry, vindictive God that some imagine - a projection of worldly authorities inspired by fear.

But the beautiful and constant Father of all.


[Scripture quotation (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 Path of Love.

The Path of Love

leads upwards

through

blossoming roses

to our true Home

in Heaven.


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(The image has been slightly modified.)

Love Him.

What I would say

to all his admirers

is:

Love Him.


Love esteems Him.

Love edifies Him.

Love redeems Him.

Love respects Him.

Love satisfies Him.

Love honors Him.

Love heals Him.

Love blesses Him.

Love saves Him.


Love Him.


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Revelation.

                                      

An Alternative Interpretation*:

The Hippie Generation can be represented as woman (Venus/Libra) clothed in the Sun (Leo); the Great Red Dragon is the Devil (Scorpio/Mars) which is the Satanism in rock music.

The woman fled into the wilderness to Hippie communes in the bush.

The water poured out from the mouth of the serpent is the flood of evil unleashed by Generation X in the 1980s.

And the Dragon went off to make war with her children - Generation Y and the Millennials.

But the Dragon (Scorpio) is defeated.

And superseded by New Jerusalem (Aquarius).


(*Astrology was the major instrument of prophecy in the ancient world.)

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Winner Takes All.

                            

Since the 1980s a winner takes all mentality has dominated world culture.

The idea that winning justifies anything has replaced any kind of ethics.

Winning justifies: violence, subterfuge, lies, deception, intimidation, force, extortion, betrayal, crime, murder, and hate.

Our corporate masters have been tempted and corrupted by evil forces in our culture.

And their brutal regime dominates everything.

Pray for them to abandon the evil that they do and return to a philosophy of ethical conduct that is not just a smokescreen.

Look into the novel 1984 and you will find the source of many of their methods.

But Big Brother is not a benevolent dictator.

His methods are evil itself.


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A Church.

                            

A church should not be a moral police station.

A church should be a center of love.

A church should not tell everyone what they can do and what they can't do.

A church should meet the needs of the community.

A church should not be a center of institutional navel-gazing.

A church should look out into the wider world.

Secure in the Love of God we should give love out into the world.


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Supposed To.

                            

When we first become involved with religion it seems to be all about what we're supposed to do.

Because God is good it's all about being good.

We're supposed to volunteer, we're supposed to give money to charities, we're supposed to pray, we're supposed to be honest and truthful, we're supposed to fear God etc......

But, although these things may mostly be good, this is not in fact how God intended it to be.

Most of these things are done out of fear - fear of damnation and hell.

What God intended was not to terrify us into being good but to inspire us to love.

And this involves overcoming our fears.

If we open our hearts we may still do many of the same things but we will not be doing them out of fear we will be doing the out of love. 


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Sand.

                            

Satanism is built on a foundation of Dualism.

The whole philosophy of Satanism is based on the idea that reality is dualistic.

Iranian Dualism contended that God (Ahura Mazda) created a world that was all life, light, and truth and the devil (Angra Mainyu) created a world which was all death, darkness, and falsehood;  the real world was the result of the battle between these two conflicting forces.

These concepts infected Judaism during the Persian Empire and subsequently entered into Christian thinking.

The point being that if you think dualistically and God is all good then there must be a devil who is all evil.

But this is not necessarily the case.

God is transcendent - i.e. beyond sin and evil.

Sin and evil are not the creation of some supernatural devil but the result of human ignorance and fear.

So Satanism is built on sand.

Once humankind realizes that our dualistic thinking does not correspond to the reality then the dubious edifice of Satanism will collapse like a house of cards.

God (and reality) are holistic - i.e. everything is a part of the whole that is God.

There is no need for a supernatural devil to explain sin and evil.

Human ignorance and fear are quite sufficient.

So my contention is that there is no devil in reality.

Only God's Love.


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My Cup.

After the arrows

of my enemies

have ceased.

You prepare

for me

a welcoming feast.

You open

your Home

and open

you Heart.

My Cup

runneth over

with Love.


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(The image has been slightly modified.)

Sin.

                            

Who told you to sin?

Who told you sin is fun?

Who said sin is harmless?

Satanists in rock music.

The wages of sin is death to God. (St. Paul)

This is what they believe.

They have betrayed you into death.

We live in darkness and evil.

Open your eyes!


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Popular Satanism.

                  

Because there is no Satan in reality does not mean that there are no Satanists.

Our modern, scientific world does not believe in a supernatural devil.

Devil worship is thought to be a fringe phenomenon which does not have much influence in our society.

My contention, however, is that there are many famous rock stars, celebrities, and sportsmen who believe in the devil and have sold their souls for fame and fortune and a rock star reception.

Most of them are following the rock legends of the 1960s and 1970s who practised covert Satanism as set out by Aleister Crowley in his writings.

This is perceived to have been so successful that many have been tempted to follow in their footsteps.

And the reason that their cover ups work so well is precisely because we don't believe in the devil.

But how does it work if there is no devil?

If you look at the writings of Aleister Crowley and others you will find that they claim that the serpent (Kundalini) of Yoga is Satan and the mind powers which are developed by taking drugs in combination with practising Yoga are in the power of the devil.

This, of course, is metaphysical sleight of hand.
But many choose to believe it out of greed and lust.

The mind powers they develop work through the collective unconscious directly and indirectly through backtracking and subliminal images.

Their influence is entirely negative (backwards).

So young people who walk around with earplugs in listening to their music day and night are being poisoned and crippled.

They aspire to sex, and money, and evil.

Generations have suffered intensely from their influence through drugs, divorce, depression, suicide, and atheism.

It is not possible to make sense out of our modern world unless you realize that this evil influence is affecting everyone.

It is negative, it is isolating, and it kills.

It corrupts those in power.

And it preys on the vulnerable.

It scapegoats minorities.

And it blames the Church.

Have you noticed that since the 1960s Church attendances have been dropping?

Now, 50 years later, churches are empty.

And atheism is the norm.

This phenomenon is the direct result of Satanism in rock music and the popular culture.

It affects you subconsciously so you are unaware of its influence.

In fact you will deny that it exists and defend the culprits.

So.....

Wake up!

Open your eyes!

And see!

 
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Life.

                            

You bathe in the water of the silvery sea.
Diving and swimming in the cool morning light.

Your body is full of beautiful life.
Tanned and muscled like a Grecian athlete.

You breathe in the wind.

You rejoice in the water.

You display the innocence of the unobserved.
You delight in the freedom of the unrestrained.

I dare to approach you.

And enter the sacred heart of Life.


Photo Credit: Eduardo Correa.

Gay is Love.

Gay is Love.

Our passion is vital.

Our hearts full of hope.

Our courage invincible.

Our pride is undaunted.

Our purpose unshaken.

Our time is the future.

Our vision is vivid.

Gay is Love.


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Gay in Spirit.

Can gay men

Flower

In the Holy Spirit?


Can our love

Blossom

Here?


We seek

Your Blessing

On our love.


And aspire

To Heaven

When death is near.


Photo Credit: Jim French.

It's Not God's Fault.

                            

One of the main reasons why God gets the blame for everything is because the Church does not reflect God's true nature.

God is merciful, forgiving, compassionate, and loving.

But the Church has traditionally been judgemental, negative, demanding, even hateful and violent.

God's Love takes away our fear.

The Church is ruled by fear.

We should look at the hierarchy of the Church as the Pharisees and Sadducees of our time - those who Jesus criticized.

Whether it be lust for power or a desire to rule the Church has had poor motivation.

Whether it be too rigid Orthodoxy or spiritual immaturity the Church has not been ready.

It is time to revise the negative theology which has been used to justify the Machiavellian mass control techniques of the Church.

And return to the Gospel of Love.


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Lies, Misinformation, and Fake News.

Our media is being used by its corporate owners to misrepresent the facts in order to manipulate the electorate and the zeitgeist.

Strategic pieces appear in our news media purporting to clarify the social position of the generations in relation to culture and politics.

But these pieces are deliberately slanted against the political left and any suggestion of idealism or spirituality.

Fascist leanings are called populism.
Baby-Boomers are called the establishment.
And generation is set against generation.

This is divide and rule.
Keep the generations competing against each other and reinforce the Status Quo.

In this way the rich corporations control and distract the masses in order to win the day.

No wonder nothing works.


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Wolves.

                               

Part of the reason we cannot see the evil in our world is because most people are good.

And we project our goodness onto other people who may not be good at all.

We think that they are like us.

But they may not be.

Evil will often take on the guise of goodness in order to lead people astray and consign their souls to hell.

If that were possible.

So do not assume that others are good like you.

They may be wolves in sheep's clothing.


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