Prayer.

As you would

from crimes

pardoned be;

So may

these prayers

set you

free.


(Adapted from the final words of The Tempest by William Shakespeare.)

Photo Credit: Michelangelo.

Bless Your Heart.

Bless you.

Bless your soul.

From Satan's evil web

recoil.

Bless you.

Bless your heart.

May evil from your life

depart.

Bless you.

Kindle love.

And ever with your spirit

give.

Bless you.

Bless your heart.


Photo Credit: Pinterest.

Scriptures.

                            

Great spiritual teachers attain a refined vision of God and humanity.

Unfortunately they are often unable to effectively communicate this vision to their disciples.

Therefore you get a lesser vision in scripture.

And so we must know the authors and writers of scriptures in order to discern the truth.

The authors and writers of the scriptures can only express their understanding of the vision according to what they themselves understand.

"The water takes on the color of the container." (Sufi saying).

And so we must decipher what we read. 


Photo Credit: Steel Wool Flickr via Compfight cc

The Confederate Flag.

The flag of Satan.


Photo Credit: Reader's Digest.

The Sedan Chair.

The epitome of human nature.


Photo Credit: Pinterest.
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Rock Music.

                            

To those who cannot believe my claim that rock music is Satanism I say this:

I was as disbelieving as you.

Mainly because this claim is associated with right-wing Fundamentalist Christians whose theology and sociology I cannot accept.

God may have revealed this truth to them but they misused this information for political purposes and misunderstood the complexity of their enemies' campaigns.

They took what rock musicians put out at face value - equating Satanism with peace and love and left-wing politics.

But Satanism wears a mask of populism which hides the evil that they do.

In fact Satanism is war and hate and Nazism - the opposite if what appears on the surface.

So I rejected the rumors which were circulating at the time.

But a series of negative spiritual experiences which I eventually traced to the rock music I was listening to caused me to reconsider.

I was as surprised as anyone to to discover that the rock legends we followed were evil.

But this did not lead to a Fundamentalist mentality.

My theology remained Progressive and although I returned to the Church I joined a Church which was relatively Liberal in its thinking.

So although I am a Progressive Christian I believe that rock musicians, celebrities, and sports stars are involved in modern Satanism.

They deceive and betray us.

And their activities form a web of evil which spans the collective unconscious and tempts and corrupts us constantly.

This is done through the mass-media.

But I do not believe that there is a real devil.

Nor do I believe in hell.

But the damage done through negative suggestion and backtracking remains.

We are poisoned and cursed.

We are distracted and disturbed.

We are brainwashed and controlled.

But God is real.

If we pray to Him with a sincere heart He will deliver us.

And show us His Salvation.
   

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Holy.

                            

One of the definitions of Holy is: free from sin and evil.

God is Holy.

In fact sin and evil are human inventions.

Take the human mind out of the world and where are sin and evil?

Nature cannot sin, nor can nature be evil.
It can be difficult or violent.
But not evil.

Likewise animals obey their instincts.
They cannot be evil.

Evil is an invention of the human mind.
It is the result of primitive dualism.

But dualism is not factual.
It is a theory.

Things come in all numerical forms.

For example the number 5 is sometimes called the human number because we have 5 fingers, 5 toes, 5 limbs, 5 senses.

There are trinities, decimal systems, and duodecimal systems.

All numbers are represented.

So to reduce everything to dualism is ludicrous.

And to say that God, who is everything, must be a mixture of the pairs of opposites is plainly wrong.

Because the pairs of opposites are concepts in our human minds, not realities.

There is no devil, no dark powers.

God is Holy.

He transcends our human notions of evil and sin.

God is wholly good.

There is no fear in Him.

He is Light without shadow.

Good without evil.

Love without hatred.

He is not Grey.

So beware of storytellers who tell you that the ultimate is a mixture of good and evil.

This merely creates evil where there was where there was only good. 


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No Punishment.

                                     

God does not punish us.

Therefore there can be no hell.

The notion that there will be a day of reckoning when everyone will be rewarded or punished is a myth.

This is a human expectation that has been projected onto God.

The fact that those in positions of authority tend to favor this approach is a sign of a lack of experience of God.

They rule by the book - a ruthless Orthodoxy - not from real experience.

Those who have experienced the Divine know that God is wholly good, all-merciful, forgiving, and benevolent. 


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No Hell.

                            

Jesus said: "'love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return.  Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.'"  Luke 6:35 (NRSV)

If God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked then how can there be a hell?

"'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.'"  Matthew 5:44,45 (NRSV)

If God sends light and rain to evil people how can we say He punishes them in hell for ever?

To be children of God is to be like God.   

And Jesus says that God does not punish evil people.

Rather He loves them and helps them.

So we need not fear hell.

If God helps evil people how much more will He help those who love Him.


[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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Come and See.

                            

Twice in the early part of John's Gospel we are invited to "Come and see."

When the two disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus where he is staying he answers, "Come and see."

And when Philip calls Nathaniel he says to him that he has found the Messiah, "Come and see."

Jesus us the light of the world.

And we are all invited to "Come and see."


Photo Credit: Waiting For The Word Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Safe.

                            

"'"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."'"  Matthew 22:37 (NRSV)
"'"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."'"  Matthew 22:39 (NRSV)

When we love God with all our heart what we discover is that we are perfectly safe.

Our love is accepted.
Our love is requited.

Therefore it is perfectly safe to open your hearts.

In life in this world we seldom feel safe enough to open our hearts.

And if we do our love is often rejected.

Life on Earth is the vale of the broken-hearted.

But if we open our hearts to God He will not reject us.

This enables us to feel confident enough to open our hearts to others.

This is how the Kingdom of God expands.

We are all Children of God.

God rejects no one.

And He mends our broken hearts.


[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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Idols.

                            

There are many idols in our world:

Rock stars, celebrities, sporting heroes, money, possessions, fame, status, witches, false prophets, dogs, divas.....

These things are empty.

They cannot bring happiness.

Instead of human and material gods we should worship the One Living God which is Love.

Put our faith in Him.

Pray to Him when we are in distress.

Wait on Him.

And He will answer.


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The Invisible God.

                            

All too often we mistake the visible for the real.

There are many things in our world which are not visible but are very real.

For example: electricity, micro-waves, radio-waves, radiation, gravity, heat, desire, love.....

And the invisible source of all that exists is the invisible God.

God can be experienced through prayer, contemplation, and love.

God is real.

His mercy is infinite.

His forgiveness is eternal.

And His Love is unconditional.


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Freedom.

                            

The lie that sin will set you free from the oppression of religion is put out buy Satanists in rock music and popular culture in order to enslave you to evil.

Satan is not a liberator.

Satan is a ruthless dictator.

In fact religion, if practised well, sets you free.

Free to live, free to love.

Jesus mission statement from Isaiah includes: "'He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives....."  Luke 4:18 (NRSV)

So don't believe them when they tell you to sin.
This is a trick to make you more and more evil until you are Satan's slave.

But do not fear.

Satan is not a real being.

God will not damn you to hell.

There is no hell.

But listening to their music and watching their videos will place things in your unconscious mind which will lead to suffering.

Working across the collective unconscious they manipulate these words and images in order to control you.

So do not believe the lie that Satan sets you free.  It is backwards. 
Satan will enslave you.

But God can set you free.

Pray to God and open your heart.

Then you will be free!


[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: knowhimonline Flickr via Compfight cc

Fertility.

The Ancient Egyptians

flowered

from the detritus

of

fertile Nile mud.


Photo Credit: Ancient Egyptian Art.

An Adjunct of Love.

                            

Sex is an adjunct of love.

Sex is not a sin or even a moral consideration.

You will not fall or be condemned or damned.

You will not die.

Sex is not the dominion of the devil.

If there is a devil.

Sex is an aspect of God's good creation.

"God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply.'"  Genesis 1:28 (NRSV)

And before you say this excludes same-sex relations there is no indication that the "male and female" is exclusive.

Homosexuality exists in nature.

There are asexual plants.

Creation is diversity itself.

Homosexuality is an expression of that diversity.

And as such homosexuality is good.

So do not listen to those who tell you sex is bad.

Sex is the consummation of love.

And it is blessed by God.


[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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Fear of AIDS.

                            

Fear of AIDS drives homophobia.

From moral panic and damnation.

To straightening and torture.

To violence and hate.

It is fear that inspires it.

So now that AIDS is no longer a death sentence.

We must pray that we all overcome our fear and return to life and peace.


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Myron.

                            

During the gay rights movement of the 1970s Gore Vidal published a novel called Myron.

In it the alter ego of Myra Breckinridge (now returned to the male gender) is trapped in the movie Siren of Babylon.

At the time gay people were popular, even glamorous.

But we were unaware that another demographic saw us as wicked fornicators and perverts.

This became painfully obvious when AIDS hit.

It is interesting that the heterosexual members of the sexual liberation movement did not suffer the censure of society to the same extent.

This reveals both fear (of AIDS) and prejudice (against gay people).

So, now that AIDS is no longer a death sentence, the reaction to homosexuality should begin to abate. 

More rational debate should show that Biblical objections based on archaic rules and regulations are no longer valid.

And modern gay relationships based on love are not immoral or perverted.

Homosexuality may be genetic, it occurs in the animal kingdom, and it is part of the diversity of God's good creation.

God loves gay people as they are.

He does not wish to punish them or change them.

He loves us like His gay sons.

So don't be swayed by those who tell you that God hates gays.

God loves gays.

And we will all go to Heaven when we die.


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The Lotus Flower.

The Lotus Flower

has its roots

in the mud

at the bottom

of the water.

Photo Credit: Pinterest.

Eunuchs.

                                  

Modern scholars have said that the word eunuch was used in the ancient world to describe any man who could not have children.

This was said to include men with a homosexual orientation.

This is quite important because the only possible reference to homosexual men that is attributed to Jesus uses the word eunuch. 

In the context of speaking about men who did not marry Jesus said: "'For there are eunuchs who have been so since birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.'"  Matthew 19:12 (NRSV)

Now it is evident that Jesus was not merely talking about men who had been castrated because no one is castrated for the sake of the kingdom of heaven.  This refers to voluntary celibacy.

So if we take the wider interpretation of the word eunuch to include homosexual men then Jesus is  saying that some men are born homosexual.

This is important because St. Paul's objections to homosexual acts is based on the false premise that all men are born heterosexual.  And that those who act in homosexual ways are perverting their natural God-given heterosexuality.

So Jesus' attitude is in line with our modern understanding of homosexuality.  That some men, and indeed women, are born with a homosexual orientation.

Therefore they are acting in a way that is perfectly natural and good to them.

If we can accept that homosexuality is a part of the diversity of God's good creation then there can be no further objections to homosexuality on religious or moral grounds.


[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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God's Name.

                            

It was once said to me that the way you tell whether an experience is truly spiritual or not is by its effects.

A truly spiritual experience will have entirely good effects, there will be no bad effects at all.

Whereas an experience which comes from another source may have bad effects.

Once we have had a real spiritual experience - i.e. contact with the real God - we begin to know His Name - i.e. His true nature.

And His true nature is entirely good, entirely benevolent, and entirely loving.

There is no punishment, no judgement, no violence in God.

To realize this is to know His Name.

And once we know His Name we can differentiate between what comes from God and what does not.


Photo Credit: pr1001 Flickr via Compfight cc
(The image has been slightly modified.)

Reclaiming Gay Sex.

                            

Since the advent of AIDS in the 1980s gay sex has been demonized and persecuted by religious people all over the world.

This attitude, which marks both Christians and Satanists alike, is the result of moral panic and fear.

But gay sex is not demonic. 

Gay people are not evil.

And gay sex is not the arena of the devil.

Same-sex attraction was celebrated in ancient Greece.

And the love of David and Jonathan was recorded in the Bible without condemnation.

In fact David calls it "passing the love of women".  2 Samuel 1:26 (NRSV)

It was not for his love of Jonathan that David was criticized.

So, now that the AIDS crisis has largely passed, we can reclaim gay sex for good and for God.

The frescoes of Michelangelo record the beauty of same-sex love in the Holy of Holies of the Catholic Church.

And this timeless beauty is emulated by bodybuilders the world over.

Homosexuality is part of the diversity of God's good creation.

And gay sex is the consummation of love.

It inspires intimacy and tenderness between men.

And as such it is part of God's plan for humanity.

Which is that we should love one another.


[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: Pinterest.

Good and Evil.

                            

No good man is entirely good and no bad man is entirely bad (Mahabharata).

When we approach God and receive forgiveness for our mistakes we are expected to forgive others in turn.

And not just minor errors or misdemeanors but major mistakes as well.

God is the Father of everyone.

Good and evil.

And a Father does not condemn any of his own children.

So major errors or crimes are forgiven as well.

God writes off the debts.

He allows us to begin again.

And abide in His Love.


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(The image has been slightly modified.)

A Pound of Flesh.

                            

Sometimes some people will commit you to judgement and make you pay.

They want their pound of flesh.

And this can happen in the Church.

If you are politically incompatible or are perceived to have transgressed some people will want to make you pay.

But, as in the play, they must show mercy.

The letter of the law should not be applied.

Whole generations have been punished for their perceived transgressions.

And projected guilt can manufacture a political victory.

So show mercy, even to your enemies.


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Jesus.

                            

There have been many enlightened teachers in the history of mankind but Jesus is the best.

Jesus' vision of God is truly revolutionary.

It captures and reflects the radical Love of God.

Only Jesus tells us to love our enemies.

Only Jesus forgives his murderers.

Only Jesus calls God Papa.

Jesus is the sign-post to the Living God.

And Jesus' teaching to love God and love our neighbor leads directly to the One True God.

So, rather than being obsolete, Jesus is needed more today in this time of darkness than ever before.


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Breaking Down the Walls.

                            

When we read the Bible it becomes apparent that God is in the business of breaking down the walls that divide us.

In the Old Testament God speaks of foreigners joined to the Lord, even of eunuchs (banned from the Temple) within His walls. (Isaiah 56)

God often speaks of those excluded: the widow, the orphan, the alien.....those who are neglected by society.

"for my house shall be called a house of prayer, for all people."  Isaiah 56:7 (NRSV)

In the New Testament Jesus speaks to women (forbidden in Jewish society) and foreigners: the Samaritan woman by the well and the Syrophoenician woman.

The first convert to Christianity was a black Ethiopian eunuch.

And when Arab peoples were excluded from His religions God sent the prophet Mohammad to them.

So it should be no surprise that in the Age of Aquarius God has manifested in the Gay community.

God stands on the other side of the wall and says: "Here I am."

He does this in order to break down the walls between us.

So that His House can be a House of Prayer for all peoples.


[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 Churches.

                            

It would seem that young people consider that the Churches have nothing to offer.

The Church is perceived as an evil institution which bullies women and castrates men.

It reinforces right-wing politics.

It justifies hatred.

And it threatens you with hell.

The child sexual abuse scandals were just the last straw.

But the Church also does a lot of good:

It funds aid for the homeless and the hungry.

It sends aid to foreign countries.

It advocates for asylum seekers.

And it supports victims of domestic violence.

Unfortunately it also persecutes gays people.

And it supports dictators.

But not all Churches are the same.

The Uniting Church in Australia supports gay membership and leadership.

It has women ministers.

And it supports a strong Social Justice agenda.

So the Church may have something to offer if you are careful about which Church you choose.

The reality of a relationship with God is extremely valuable.

You experience hope, joy, and love.

But not without problems.

You may be hindered, obstructed, even attacked.

But the real God will help you.

Pray to God with a sincere heart.

And He will guide you.


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Discrimination.

                            

Many Christians will tell you to read your Bible.

But the Bible must be read with discrimination.

Violent, perverse, legalistic, contradictory, judgemental, moralistic, and ideological passages must be questioned, even ignored.

This is in conflict with Fundamentalists who claim that the Bible is the literal word of God.

But the Bible is not infallible.
Many passages contradict each other.
Some passages are repeated.
Others are missing.

This is because the Bible is a library of writings collated over hundreds of years.

Each passage is written by an author who can only relate what he himself understands.

Therefore the image of God in the Bible evolves over time.

From the primitive tribal god Yahweh to the Universal God of Jesus.

And many of the words put into the mouth of God in the Old Testament must be considered suspect.

The new revelation of Jesus that God is our loving Father and we are His children transcends the Old Testament God of vengeance and judgement.

And now we are realizing that God does not punish us at all.

Therefore there can be no hell.

A father does not condemn his own children.

The carrot and stick religion of heaven and hell is designed to keep the masses under control.

It is not an aspect of God at all.

"'Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the City that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it!  How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing.'"  Matthew 23;37 (NRSV)

Jesus said that the world did not know God.

And it still does not.

The vision is granted to a precious few.

And their vision is soon corrupted.

So read your Bible with discrimination.

And collect the fragments of light from among the shards of pottery that contained them.


[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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Satanism in the World.

                            

There is Satanism in rock music, sports, and entertainment.

It curses and poisons us.

We are disturbed and distracted.

But it is hidden behind a mask of glamour and celebrity.

It is disguised as harmless fun and pleasure.

But it is not harmless.

Drugs, divorce, depression, hedonism, excess, insanity, suicide.....

All these things derive from Satanism in our world.

And it is from this that we need Salvation.


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Her Career.

                            

Some women will sell their souls for fame and power.

They will consort with Satanists in the media who will advise them how to sell themselves.

They can be good girls or bad girls.

They can be divas.

Or they can be sex kittens.

Either way she is promoting her career.


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Death and Love.

                            

When a fan discovered hidden messages and backtracking in the Beatles' music it was all about death.

And this is the secret of 1960s rock legends.

Death is a spiritual state which equates to separation from God.

St Paul said: "the wages of sin is death."  Roman 6:23 (NRSV)
And: "the one who has the power of death, that is the devil."  Hebrews 2:14 (NRSV)

Death is the basis of Satanism and black magic as taught by Aleister Crowley - the icon of 1960s rock bands.

But this is not restricted to 1960s artists.

These practices continue in rock music up until the present day.

Rock music encourages sin in the hope of death and damnation.

But when the waters of Aquarius come it is all about love.

The mysterious waters of Aquarius are thought to be the secrets of spiritual knowledge.

And this is all about love.

The concept of unconditional love is the doorway to the heart.

The symbol of the sign of Aquarius is the Egyptian hieroglyph for water.

And the jar that the Water Carrier holds is the Egyptian hieroglyph for the heart.

So the water that flows from the jar is the love that flows from our hearts.

This is none other than the water of life which the Bible speaks of:

"'"Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water."'"  John 7:38 (NRSV)

"Then the angel showed me the river of the waters of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb."  Revelation 22;1 (NRSV) 

So open your heart and give love.

And you will live. 


[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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Add Up.

                            

In my experience anyone who thinks that because they are doing God's work in the world that God will supply money to finance it is in serious trouble.

It has to add up.

God will not produce money out of mid-air to fund what we presume He wants us to do.

Even if we are doing what the Church wants us to do it still has to add up.

So don't imagine that the Church cannot go bankrupt.

With dwindling numbers and no new members the Church is in serious financial trouble.

It must be downsized.
Expensive properties must be sold.

Real estate must be rationalized.
Churches must be closed.

There will be a remnant.

But it still has to add up.


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Voices.

                            

My thesis is that the voices which torment people with schizophrenia are evil.

They come from evil around us in society and work through the collective unconscious.

Rock music is secretly Satanic.

This has been the case from the beginning.

Who was it who told young people to take drugs in the first place?

It was the rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

And the mental illness which resulted is not all chemical in nature.

Schizophrenia is a kind of clairaudience.

And the voices they hear are the result of evil which is hidden from us.

So a spiritual approach in conjunction with medication can be helpful.

Prayer and contemplation and study can help to counter negative voices.

Sacred choral music may also be helpful.

You may even experience helpful voices.

This may be the key to schizophrenia.

But a word of warning.

Anyone who says that you are possessed by evil spirits is mistaken.

The voices are to do with the collective unconscious and as such relate to real individuals and perceptions around us.

Exorcism is not an appropriate response.

This approach can be quite damaging to people who hear voices and have hallucinations.

A spiritual blessing may help.

But archaic worldviews will not.

We must stay with modern psychological realities if we are to have any success. 


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