Duped
Ranked #6,896 in Culture & Society, #143,143 overall
Hoodwinked, Bamboozled, Led Astray
Even as a kid, things had to make sense to me, things had to be somewhat logical. You couldn't just tell me anything and I'd believe it, no matter what it was. Therefore, my quest for the truth regarding religion began at a fairly early age. My parents were devout Christians and literally force-fed the religion to me and my brother.
From day one we had no say in the matter, as is true for most children. If I told my mom that I didn't understand why we would burn eternally if we didn't follow the strict guidelines of the Christian faith (when hardly any of the adults in the church seem to follow them), or that it just doesn't make sense, I would have gotten a good ol' fashion butt whipping, just like most of the people reading this now.
Parents pass on their religious beliefs to their children. Muslim parents tend to have Muslim children, Christian parents tend to have Christian children, Hindu parents tend to have Hindu children. What amounts to brainwashing, is actually done under the guise of "saving your soul." For me, it was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Think about it; your parents did little to no research, they usually went by what the minister, bishop, or cardinal told them to do. Most people have never read the Bible all the way through, and those that have only understand bits and pieces. The scriptures they do not understand, or the portions of the bible that have evil overtones they simply ignore, or they will utter some trite response, such as, "God works in mysterious ways," or worse, attribute their ignorance to "blind faith." News flash to my Christian brothers and sisters: blind faith emanating from a Christian is just as dangerous as blind faith coming from a Muslim.
"Explaining the various thought processes that place people in a certain religion is not intended to serve as proof that the belief system is wrong, but rather to demonstrate that devout observation of the system is typically void of rational and independent thought. In other words, the religion was offered, accepted, practiced, justified, and passed on; but it was not seriously questioned. This is not a coincidence." ~ Jason Long, PhD
"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit." ~ Thomas Paine
The Bible is replete with metaphors, anthropomorphism's, and parables. It was written during a time when the majority of society was illiterate. Most of what was written was not designed to be taken literally, but put together in a storybook fashion so that the masses could understand the point to be made by the myriad authors.
When your great great grandmother told your great grandmother about "salvation" she did no research. When your great grandmother told your grandmother about "Jesus," she did no research, 99% of her information came from, more often than not, a philandering, greedy, child molesting minister. Your grandmother then passed her counter-factual information on to your mom, and here you are today, passing the same disinformation to your children, while you clearly see all around you, a big ass "fly in the ointment."
This 'Lens' brings together some of the thoughts and ideas of taskeinc, and those of many others, about religion, spirituality, and the pervading attitude regarding religion. It also touches on the tragic and macabre history of Christianity.
The emphasis in this hub is primarily on Christianity because I grew up in that particular faith, but most of what is stated is applicable to Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Protestantism, Scientology, Taoism, and the myriad other religions prevalent in our society.
There is one major exception: most other religions were not involved in torture, mutilation, mass murder and the destruction of human life, in the name of God, as the two religions with the most followers were, and still are to a great extent, Christianity and Islam.
Some of the articles, debates, and words included in this Lens are mine (taskeinc), and other editorials are from various authors, scholars, and religious dissenters. Their excerpts are included because I happen to agree with their opinion. I'm not saying I agree with everything the quoted author has written but I'm in agreement with the passages that are included in this composition. ~ taskeinc
From day one we had no say in the matter, as is true for most children. If I told my mom that I didn't understand why we would burn eternally if we didn't follow the strict guidelines of the Christian faith (when hardly any of the adults in the church seem to follow them), or that it just doesn't make sense, I would have gotten a good ol' fashion butt whipping, just like most of the people reading this now.
Parents pass on their religious beliefs to their children. Muslim parents tend to have Muslim children, Christian parents tend to have Christian children, Hindu parents tend to have Hindu children. What amounts to brainwashing, is actually done under the guise of "saving your soul." For me, it was like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.
Think about it; your parents did little to no research, they usually went by what the minister, bishop, or cardinal told them to do. Most people have never read the Bible all the way through, and those that have only understand bits and pieces. The scriptures they do not understand, or the portions of the bible that have evil overtones they simply ignore, or they will utter some trite response, such as, "God works in mysterious ways," or worse, attribute their ignorance to "blind faith." News flash to my Christian brothers and sisters: blind faith emanating from a Christian is just as dangerous as blind faith coming from a Muslim.
"Explaining the various thought processes that place people in a certain religion is not intended to serve as proof that the belief system is wrong, but rather to demonstrate that devout observation of the system is typically void of rational and independent thought. In other words, the religion was offered, accepted, practiced, justified, and passed on; but it was not seriously questioned. This is not a coincidence." ~ Jason Long, PhD
"All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit." ~ Thomas Paine
The Bible is replete with metaphors, anthropomorphism's, and parables. It was written during a time when the majority of society was illiterate. Most of what was written was not designed to be taken literally, but put together in a storybook fashion so that the masses could understand the point to be made by the myriad authors.
When your great great grandmother told your great grandmother about "salvation" she did no research. When your great grandmother told your grandmother about "Jesus," she did no research, 99% of her information came from, more often than not, a philandering, greedy, child molesting minister. Your grandmother then passed her counter-factual information on to your mom, and here you are today, passing the same disinformation to your children, while you clearly see all around you, a big ass "fly in the ointment."
This 'Lens' brings together some of the thoughts and ideas of taskeinc, and those of many others, about religion, spirituality, and the pervading attitude regarding religion. It also touches on the tragic and macabre history of Christianity.
The emphasis in this hub is primarily on Christianity because I grew up in that particular faith, but most of what is stated is applicable to Buddhism, Catholicism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Protestantism, Scientology, Taoism, and the myriad other religions prevalent in our society.
There is one major exception: most other religions were not involved in torture, mutilation, mass murder and the destruction of human life, in the name of God, as the two religions with the most followers were, and still are to a great extent, Christianity and Islam.
Some of the articles, debates, and words included in this Lens are mine (taskeinc), and other editorials are from various authors, scholars, and religious dissenters. Their excerpts are included because I happen to agree with their opinion. I'm not saying I agree with everything the quoted author has written but I'm in agreement with the passages that are included in this composition. ~ taskeinc
Contents at a Glance
Don't shoot the messenger
It's actually OK to shoot the messenger, I'm fine with it, because I knew the backlash and harsh words would come. I suppose most people can have an open mind regarding anything except religion. Why? Because the Bible and the Koran (Qur'an) suggest that you would be a heretic and guilty of blasphemy if you thought any other way. Here are a few examples from the Bible and the Koran:Bible
Matthew 12:31
- Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.
- And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
- All the congregation shall certainly stone him" and "when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death.
Koran
Chapter 9, Verse 5
- Fight and slay the pagans wherever ye find them, and seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem.
The present-day Christian response about religion, and a way to distance Christianity from other faiths' is a rather humorous one, "Christianity is not a religion." OK, please tell me exactly what it is if it's not a religion? That's not a rhetorical question, literally, I'd like to know, what is it? Place your answer in the comments.
A loving Divine Presence did not create such gibberish, Man did! EVERYTHING that emanates from our Creator is LOVING and DIVINE. PERIOD. Anything else, specifically WAR, is created by MAN. Everything Man tampers with takes own his destructive nature. Everything God touches is beautiful, awe-inspiring, and incredibly joyous.
Observe and feel the serenity and beauty of nature; quiet the mind, and you'll sense the true essence of God. It's not belligerent; it's not greedy; it's not jealous, punishing, or vindictive, but simply a compassionate and loving force.
Once religion was created and the masses bought into it, we lost our spiritual connection. Think about it, how can you spend a lifetime as one gender, one race, one paradigm or mindset, one culture, and actually believe that you will spend eternity in a state of nirvana, eternal bliss, euphoria, singing songs, sitting next to God?
The Soul experiences growth, reflection, and karmic lessons over many lifetimes from a plethora of diverse physical incarnations. Otherwise there would be little to no spiritual growth, the Soul would not expand, and the ability to learn and experience would be stagnant, one-sided, and horrendously flawed.
Religion was set up for control, to financially manipulate the masses, and to instill fear. Most people have such an overwhelming trepidation of death that they latch on to a particular religion almost as a crutch; as a way to somehow insulate themselves from the harsh reality that you will die one day. We have long forgotten the source from which we came.
Here's an appropriate quote from C. Hitchens about religion:
"Churches were established because of humanities fear of the weather, the dark, the plague, the eclipse, and all manner of other things that are now easily explained. When evil men realized the vast profits associated with widespread fear of the unknown, humanity was compelled, on pain of extremely agonizing consequences, to pay the exorbitant tithes and taxes that raised the imposing edifices of religion."
We all come from the same source. Unfortunately, most parents placed their children in a "religious box" at birth. When the child or adolescent began to proselytize about being "saved," "God's Wrath," "Jesus," "the mark of the Beast," "Allah," Buddha," "Muhammad," and so forth, this signified that the lid to the box had been closed, not to be opened again until the Spirit is set free at death. Possibly a "Near Death Experience" will awaken you, or some other life-altering event that forces you to think outside the box.
At the point of death, you'll realize it was all a horrendous scam, perpetrated by evil, greedy, ruthless men, motivated by power and control.
"Da Vinci Code" was a fictional account but I'll use a few quotes from the book, that are of course, susceptible to debate, to further demonstrate my point of how cunning Man has been throughout the ages.
- "So dark the con of man."
- "Many have made a trade of delusions and false miracles, deceiving the stupid multitude."
- "The fundamental irony of Christianity! The Bible, as we know it today, was collated by the pagan Roman emperor Constantine the Great." (He was baptized on his deathbed; before his demise, Emperor Constantine, like many during that time, worshiped the 'Sun' not "The Son").
- "The Bible is a product of man. Not of God. The Bible did not fall magically from the clouds. Man created it as a historical record of tumultuous times, and it has evolved through countless translations, additions, and revisions. History has never had a definitive version of the book."
- "Religious allegory has become a part of the fabric of reality. And living in that reality helps millions of people cope and be better people." "But it appears their reality is false."
To all the fundamentalist Christians out there, the religion called Christianity has raped, pillaged, maimed, abused, cajoled, duped, and murdered, all in the name of God mind you, for the past 200 centuries. When will we wake up? A fundamentalist Christian is just as dangerous as a fundamentalist Muslim, if not more. I subscribe to neither because I was able to escape from the colossal brainwashing called religion when I was 15 years old.
Immortality - Eternal Life
Dictionaryreference.com: Immortality: immortal condition or quality; unending life.Eternity: infinite time; duration without beginning or end.
For the sake of argument we are eternal beings one way or the other. We will live eternally, some say in 'Heaven' or 'Hell' either way, it's eternal life. Lets take eternity a step further by referring to Heaven as Nirvana and a blissful reunion with God, and we'll call Hell a 'dark void' and a permanent separation from God (can't go with the incessant burning, fire and brimstone, because it is a bit too far fetched and makes God out to be extremely cruel to come up with such a devastating eternal punishment for simply not believing in this, that, or the other).
We are eternal beings, made of energy; energy that was never created and can never be destroyed. We're immortal, so do you suppose your immortality started on the day you were born? If that were the case, you would not be immortal.
Time is only a factor in the physical, earthly realm, it plays no role on the immortal, eternal, spiritual plane. "The Soul is Timeless." Heaven or Nirvana, our spiritual home, has no starting date, has no ending date; it is eternal. Therefore, you have no starting date, no ending date, and no spiritual expiration date.
We don't recall what occurred in our lives prior to the age of 5 or 6 years. Regression therapy can take us back to early childhood memories and sometimes beyond our actual birth or incarnation into this life. So your birth date, or date of incarnation may be January 1, 1970 but being an immortal spirit, made in the SPIRITUAL IMAGE OF GOD, you have no starting date, and you have no ending date. Understanding this concept makes you wonder why we argue, fuss, and fight so vehemently over something so inconsequential as religion.
~ taskeinc
The whole of humanity is held hostage to religious quarrels that now feature the threat of nuclear war. Religion divides and poisons the minds of the masses. It has become a menace to civilization and a threat to human survival.
The Realness of God
"God is not dependent on our belief, for our belief or disbelief in God does not affect God - only us. God is not a member of any church or religion. It is the churches and the religions that are members within the vastness and the glory that is God. There is no one religion just as there is no "chosen" people or person, nor any single way of regarding what cannot be fully comprehended. We are all "sons" of God in the sense that we are all souls of God's creation, without gender, without form, without nationality, complete and whole and perfect as we explore the never-endingness of God's wonderment. A spark from the essence of All God Is resides in each and every one of us has an unbreakable connection, that thread or cord that ensures we remain a part of That Which We Could Never Leave."
Dr. P.M.H. Atwater
Dr. P.M.H. Atwater
Dr. P.M.H. Atwater Books
What is Energy?
If you ask a quantum physicist, "What created the World?", he or she is likely to tell you "Energy". If you ask the quantum physicist, "Describe energy," he or she might tell you this:
The Evolution of 4DQ Consciousness
- Energy can never be created or destroyed.
- Energy always was and always has been.
- Energy is always moving into form, through form and out of form.
- God can never be created or destroyed.
- God always was and always has been.
- God is always moving into form, through form and out of form.
The Evolution of 4DQ Consciousness
Many people fear death but simply don't realize that dying is much easier than being born. We come into a world filled with pain and sorrow, with joyful moments sprinkled in here and there.
We transition to a world of joy, peace, celebration, education, and study. After a lengthy period of rest, we realize we have more to learn, karmic issues to deal with, and we do it all over again. It's all part of the eternal path toward perfecting the soul.
Rebecca Rosen
Spirited
What the living and the dead have in common is that they're both made up of energy. In fact, everything in the Universe is made up of energy. Energy that never dies, but simply changes form.
Let me put it in relative terms: Think about water for a minute. In a cold, thunderous storm, water often forms into hail; while in a blizzard, water becomes wondrous snowflakes that flutter to the ground.
In both instances, water has solidified into an icy or nearly solid form, but once it hits the ground and begins to warm up, it turns back into water. Water eventually evaporates into moisture in the air and travels back up into the atmosphere and repeats the cycle again .. and again.
So, water changes form, but its essence, or spirit, remains the same. Likewise, our energy changes form when we leave the physical world, but our spirit remains the same. In other words, we never disappear. We continue to exist.
What This Means for You
Your physical body dies, but your spirit lives on. For some of you, the notion that our spirit is eternal may be a little too fantastic to accept. For others, it comes as no big surprise because you believed this all along. Either way, it's not my intention to challenge or validate your belief system, but only to share the messages that Spirit has passed on to me: that our time on Earth is a temporary gift, but our spirit has a permanent residence back "home."
Let's try another analogy. Imagine the ocean as the place our spirit comes from. Some call this Heaven, Source, Divinity, the Universe. Now imagine a teacup filled with some of that ocean water. That cup represents your physical body and the water inside it represents your spirit. When the cup cracks, or when the body dies, your spirit spills out and returns home.
A Word about Religion
"I leave religion out of my readings and my work because you can tune into your intuitive power and connect with Spirit whatever your personal beliefs are. I've found that bringing religion into the conversation has the potential to separate and alienate people. After countless readings with Spirit, I'm convinced that, in the end, we're all one. We all came from the same place and we'll return to the same place despite our personal beliefs or affiliations in life."
Let me put it in relative terms: Think about water for a minute. In a cold, thunderous storm, water often forms into hail; while in a blizzard, water becomes wondrous snowflakes that flutter to the ground.
In both instances, water has solidified into an icy or nearly solid form, but once it hits the ground and begins to warm up, it turns back into water. Water eventually evaporates into moisture in the air and travels back up into the atmosphere and repeats the cycle again .. and again.
So, water changes form, but its essence, or spirit, remains the same. Likewise, our energy changes form when we leave the physical world, but our spirit remains the same. In other words, we never disappear. We continue to exist.
What This Means for You
Your physical body dies, but your spirit lives on. For some of you, the notion that our spirit is eternal may be a little too fantastic to accept. For others, it comes as no big surprise because you believed this all along. Either way, it's not my intention to challenge or validate your belief system, but only to share the messages that Spirit has passed on to me: that our time on Earth is a temporary gift, but our spirit has a permanent residence back "home."
Let's try another analogy. Imagine the ocean as the place our spirit comes from. Some call this Heaven, Source, Divinity, the Universe. Now imagine a teacup filled with some of that ocean water. That cup represents your physical body and the water inside it represents your spirit. When the cup cracks, or when the body dies, your spirit spills out and returns home.
A Word about Religion
"I leave religion out of my readings and my work because you can tune into your intuitive power and connect with Spirit whatever your personal beliefs are. I've found that bringing religion into the conversation has the potential to separate and alienate people. After countless readings with Spirit, I'm convinced that, in the end, we're all one. We all came from the same place and we'll return to the same place despite our personal beliefs or affiliations in life."
The soul of man is like to water;
From Heaven it cometh
To Heaven it riseth
And then returneth to earth,
Forever alternating.
Plato's Cave Dwellers
Imagine some people living in an underground cave (all their lives). They sit with their backs to the mouth of the cave with their hands and feet bound in such a way that they can only look at the back wall of the cave. Behind them is a high wall, and behind that wall pass human-like creatures, holding up various figures above the top of the wall. Because there is a fire behind these figures, they cast flickering shadows on the back wall of the cave. So the only thing the cave dwellers can see is the shadow play. They have been sitting in this position since they were born, so they think theses shadows are all there are.Imagine now that one of the cave dwellers manages to free himself from his bonds. The first thing he asks himself is where all these shadows on the cave wall come from. What do you think happens when he turns around and sees the figures being held up above the wall? To begin with he is dazzled by the sharp sunlight. He is also dazzled by the clarity of the figures because until now he has only seen their shadow. If he manages to climb over the wall and get past the fire into the world outside, he will be even more dazzled. But after rubbing his eyes he will be struck by the beauty of everything. For the first time he will see colors and clear shapes. He will see the real animals and flowers that the cave shadows were only poor reflections of. But even now he will ask himself where all the animals and flowers come from. Then he will see the sun in the sky, and realize that this is what gives life to these flowers and animals, just as the fire made the shadows visible.
The joyful cave dweller could now go skipping away into the countryside, delighting in his new-found freedom. But instead he thinks of all the others who are still down in the cave. He goes back. Once there, he tries to convince the cave dwellers that the shadows on the cave wall are but flickering reflections of the "real" things. But they don't believe him. They point to the cave wall and say that what they see is all there is. Finally they kill him.
Plato's thought experiment clearly illustrates the limitations in comprehending and appreciating things that lie outside the confines of our body. Since the other members of the cave had never experienced any form of reality other than what they could see, they didn't even consider that it could exist.
If limitation is inherent because of the body's physical structure or the minds ingrained way of thinking, how can we get around it? It's very difficult to convince people to think about reality in a different way if they're unable to perceive it or they have a fixed opinion. How does one explain color to someone who has been blind from birth, or music to someone who has been deaf from birth, or taste to someone who has never tasted anything? If we explain the concept of light and sound as wavelength, or the taste of an apple as sweet and sour, this may allow an intellectual understanding to be reached, but this can never compare with the level of comprehension that comes with hearing beautiful music or tasting an apple.
These examples highlight some of the limitations that we have in perceiving "true" reality based upon our three-dimensional brain and senses, so even if we were to see what it was really like to exist on a fourth dimension, explaining it to others would only be possible through our three-dimensional brain and hence a fourth or fifth or other dimension would only be expressible in our three-dimensional world in terms of common 3-D shapes and objects.
Excerpts from What Happens When We Die written by Sam Parnia, M.D., PH.D.
Our true nature is as Ethereal Beings. Ethereal is defined as, "lacking material form or substance, unreal, as insubstantial as a dream."
We're made in the image of our Creator, which is a spiritual energy that can never be destroyed. We take on a physical body to navigate the density of Earth's atmosphere; to learn, and to deal with karmic issues.
Brief List of Holy Books
- Buddhism - Tripitaka. It's written in an ancient Indian language called Pali which is very close to the language spoke by Buddha himself. Buddhism is more of a Philosophy than a religion.
- Christianity - Bible - New Testament - The second portion of the Christian Bible, which contains 27 books that form the basis of Christian belief. These books include the sayings of Jesus, the story of his life and work, the death and resurrection of Jesus now celebrated as Easter, the teachings and writings of the apostles, and instruction for converting nonbelievers and for performing baptisms, blessings, and other rituals. The New Testament is believed to have been written c. A.D. 100, some 70 to 90 years after the death of Jesus. Old Testament - The Christian name for the Hebrew Bible. It is the sacred scripture of Judaism and the first portion of the Christian Bible. Scholars generally agree that the Old Testament was compiled from c. 1000 B.C. to c. 100 B.C.
- Confucianism - The Analects. A collection of Confucius' teachings thought to have been recorded by his students. They are considered the only sayings that can safely be attributed to him.
- Hinduism - Veda. Four Vedas make up the Samhita , a collection of prayers and hymns that are considered to be revelations of eternal truth written by seer-poets inspired by the gods. The 112 Upanishads describe the relationship of the Brahman , or universal soul, to the atman , or individual soul; they also provide information about Vedic sacrifice and yoga. The original texts of the Upanishads come from various sources and were written beginning c. 900 B.C.
- Islam - Koran (Arabic, al-Qur'an). The primary holy book of Islam. It is made up of 114 suras, or chapters, which contain impassioned appeals for belief in God, encouragement to lead a moral life, portrayals of damnation and beatitude, stories of Islamic prophets, and rules governing the social and religious life of Muslims. Believers maintain that the Koran contains the verbatim word of God, revealed to the prophet Muhammad through the Angel Gabriel. Some of the suras were written during Muhammad's lifetime, but an authoritative text was not produced until c. A.D. 650.
- Judaism - Talmud. A compilation of Jewish oral law and rabbinical teachings that is separate from the scriptures of the Hebrew Bible, or Old Testament. It is made up of two parts: the Mishna , which is the oral law itself, and the Gemara , a commentary on the Mishna . The Talmud contains both a legal section (the Halakah ) and a portion devoted to legends and stories (the Aggada ). The authoritative Babylonian Talmud was compiled in the sixth century.
- Scientology - The Factors. A Gift To Humankind by L. Ron Hubbard, April 1953. Unlike religions with Judeo-Christian origins, the Church of Scientology has no set dogma concerning God that it imposes on its members. As with all its tenets, Scientology does not ask individuals to accept anything on faith alone.
- Taoism - Tao-te-ching (The Way and Its Power). The basic text of the Chinese philosophy and religion known as Taoism. It is made up of 81 short chapters or poems that describe a way of life marked by quiet effortlessness and freedom from desire. This is thought to be achieved by following the creative, spontaneous life force of the universe, called the Tao. The book is attributed to Lao-tzu, but it was probably a compilation by a number of writers over a long period of time.
One Holy Book after another promises paradise to believers and damnation to all others. Deuteronomy tells believers to have no mercy on apostates .. "You must stone him to death, since he has tried to divert you from Yahweh, your God" .. death is the punishment for anyone breaking the Ten Commandments; and "those that deny Our revelations shall be punished for their misdeeds," says the Koran. .. Sam Harris
The Malleability of the Human Mind
by Jason Long, PhD
If philosophers, theologians, and scientist have struggled with the concept of existence for millennia without arriving at a definite solution, our naive assessment from childhood that a divine entity simply wished it were so certainly requires a reevaluation.
Why do a majority of Americans believe in the ability to predict specific details in the distant future, the existence of winged messengers living in the sky, the worldwide Flood as told in Genesis, and the resurrection of a man who was dead for three days? How can these people believe they are enlightened enough to insist upon the veracity of these outlandish beliefs when studies show they know so little about them?
They believe simply because they want to believe, they believe because they have always believed, and they believe because others around them believe. The vast majority of those who believe such things will stick to those beliefs throughout life despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
While ideas from other religions might seem ridiculous to Christians, most of them believe in an omnipotent deity that will torture his underlings forever if we do not worship him. While God could choose any method of interaction he wanted, people rarely stop to consider if God would manifest himself in that way.
The reasons given for belief are driven not by rational thought and reasoned argumentation, but by psychological factors that maintain what society has given the religious believer through indoctrination.
Some Muslims taught themselves it's normal to believe that Allah would provide a paradise for suicide bombers, and they are constantly able to recruit them. The Mormons taught themselves it's normal to believe in a prehistoric Jewish kingdom in America, and they are constantly able to find scholars who will attest to its existence. Christians taught themselves it's normal to pray to an earthly savior who miraculously rose from the dead, and they are constantly able to find "evidence" of his benevolence. Members of each group have their faiths because they are lifelong members of a society that has continually reinforced the "special" nature of their beliefs. What one society perceives as normal, another perceives as a collective delusion.
Explaining the various thought processes that place people in a certain religion is not intended to serve as proof that the belief system is wrong, but rather to demonstrate that devout observation of the system is typically void of rational and independent thought. In other words, the religion was offered, accepted, practiced, justified, and passed on; but it was not seriously questioned. This is hardly a coincidence.
It should not be a shocking discovery that parents pass on their religious beliefs through their children. Muslim parents tend to have Muslim children, Christian parents tend to have Christian children, Hindu parents tend to have Hindu children. Such consistent tradition simply cannot be maintained by chance alone. A child's environment must affect his religious affiliation to an extensive degree. In fact, all children are born without specific religious ideas and remain in a state of impressionability until influenced by the religious convictions of their parents or other similarly motivated individuals. Likewise, the parents are probably members of their religion because their parents were also members. How far back does this blind tradition continue? How do we know that the first person converted for an intellectually justifiable reason?
Instead of initiating an honest and impartial analysis of the new evidence that science and enlightened thinking have provided, people simply bury their heads in the sand and continue to believe whatever religion their ancestors thought they needed, or were perhaps conquered with, centuries ago. They were instilled with the beliefs as children, and they will maintain them as adults.
Psychologist Richard Petty and John Cacioppo have explained how high-fear messages, such as the indoctrinated idea of a god who is always watching everyone's actions so as to later separate the righteous from the wicked, can be so upsetting that the audience engages in defensive avoidance and refuses to think critically about them. The effectiveness of the message depends on three factors:
Why do a majority of Americans believe in the ability to predict specific details in the distant future, the existence of winged messengers living in the sky, the worldwide Flood as told in Genesis, and the resurrection of a man who was dead for three days? How can these people believe they are enlightened enough to insist upon the veracity of these outlandish beliefs when studies show they know so little about them?
They believe simply because they want to believe, they believe because they have always believed, and they believe because others around them believe. The vast majority of those who believe such things will stick to those beliefs throughout life despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
While ideas from other religions might seem ridiculous to Christians, most of them believe in an omnipotent deity that will torture his underlings forever if we do not worship him. While God could choose any method of interaction he wanted, people rarely stop to consider if God would manifest himself in that way.
The reasons given for belief are driven not by rational thought and reasoned argumentation, but by psychological factors that maintain what society has given the religious believer through indoctrination.
Some Muslims taught themselves it's normal to believe that Allah would provide a paradise for suicide bombers, and they are constantly able to recruit them. The Mormons taught themselves it's normal to believe in a prehistoric Jewish kingdom in America, and they are constantly able to find scholars who will attest to its existence. Christians taught themselves it's normal to pray to an earthly savior who miraculously rose from the dead, and they are constantly able to find "evidence" of his benevolence. Members of each group have their faiths because they are lifelong members of a society that has continually reinforced the "special" nature of their beliefs. What one society perceives as normal, another perceives as a collective delusion.
Explaining the various thought processes that place people in a certain religion is not intended to serve as proof that the belief system is wrong, but rather to demonstrate that devout observation of the system is typically void of rational and independent thought. In other words, the religion was offered, accepted, practiced, justified, and passed on; but it was not seriously questioned. This is hardly a coincidence.
It should not be a shocking discovery that parents pass on their religious beliefs through their children. Muslim parents tend to have Muslim children, Christian parents tend to have Christian children, Hindu parents tend to have Hindu children. Such consistent tradition simply cannot be maintained by chance alone. A child's environment must affect his religious affiliation to an extensive degree. In fact, all children are born without specific religious ideas and remain in a state of impressionability until influenced by the religious convictions of their parents or other similarly motivated individuals. Likewise, the parents are probably members of their religion because their parents were also members. How far back does this blind tradition continue? How do we know that the first person converted for an intellectually justifiable reason?
Instead of initiating an honest and impartial analysis of the new evidence that science and enlightened thinking have provided, people simply bury their heads in the sand and continue to believe whatever religion their ancestors thought they needed, or were perhaps conquered with, centuries ago. They were instilled with the beliefs as children, and they will maintain them as adults.
Psychologist Richard Petty and John Cacioppo have explained how high-fear messages, such as the indoctrinated idea of a god who is always watching everyone's actions so as to later separate the righteous from the wicked, can be so upsetting that the audience engages in defensive avoidance and refuses to think critically about them. The effectiveness of the message depends on three factors:
- The unfavorableness of the consequences that will occur if the recommended actions are not adopted, which is 'absolute' because hell is complete (and often asserted to be eternal) agony.
- The likelihood that unfavorable consequences will occur if the recommended actions are not adopted, which is 'absolute' because the perfect Bible says so.
- The likelihood that unfavorable consequences will not occur if the recommended actions are adopted, which is 'absolute' because, again, the perfect Bible says so.
How can a physical Hell be real? Energy cannot burn; energy does not 'gnash teeth;'' a scorpions bite has no effect on energy. Physical pain only exist in Earth's atmosphere, not in the spiritual realm.
The invention of Hell, and it's various macabre descriptions comes from man, not a loving presence in the Universe, that we all came from and will return to.
Spiritual Subterfuge
Read, read, read is what I preach (pardon the pun) to my children. Almost daily they hear this chorus about the necessity of reading. Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body. Our society's lack of reading clearly explains why people are so spiritually gullible and unaware. As a whole, we refuse to read. When and if we do read it's limited to the bible, a love story, or some other work of fiction.
Let's look at death; most people fear the "grim reaper." Why? Fear and ignorance are the culprits. We fear an eternal damnation. The prophecies in the book of Revelation tend to scare the hell out of people (once again, pardon the pun). You would be surprised the burden that's lifted when/if you ever realize that hell is just a story created by man. A story created in order to intimidate you into giving a good portion of your income to the church. It was true thousands of years ago, and it is true today. Don't believe me? You think I'm a "blasphemer?"
Let's break the "tithes" or "tithing" down and analyze this religious phenomenon. The median household income in the United States is about $50,000 annually. That averages out to $4166 per month, multiplied by 10% for tithing, equals $416 per month. This is the amount that should go to the church. That's a car note. Most middle income couples make at least 20k to 30k more than the medium income. If you give less than your allotted 10% are you're going to hell? Does God give you a pass? Or can you make it up in other ways?
I was in the Dollar Store one day and this particular store always plays gospel music. That's fine; I have no problem with gospel music. This particular day, however, something came over me when I heard what sounded like an "Old Negro Spiritual." It sounded like one of those very soulful, religious, Mahalia Jackson songs from decades ago. By the way, I have the utmost respect for the late Ms. Jackson. Anyway, as I listened it dawned on me that, these are the type songs that were sang in, and originated from the cotton fields, from the slave quarters centuries ago. Look back on the history of Black People in America and you'll realize that the majority of Black America today are the descendants of slaves brought to America on slave ships. You know the story. Once on American soil, those slaves were forbidden to read. Their masters clearly enforced the law, "You cannot read. It is illegal for you to read." The slave master did all the reading, mostly from the bible, and it was solely up to him to interpret what was read. It was the slave masters responsibility to interpret the "good book" for your ancestors. Keep in mind, the slave masters interpretation of the bible justified slavery during that epoch in American History. This is the same religion that has been passed down to the African American today. This applies to the European American as well; your ancestors passed your religion down to you as well. The difference is, those unwilling pioneers from Africa did not practice the Christian religion that was forced upon them. If you are OK with this concept, then you have to be OK with the belief that the genocidal atrocity that was slavery, was necessary to save the souls of black people.
I look back on my Christian/Baptist upbringing and take myself back to Sunday morning worship service. I think about Ms. Daniels, a lifetime member of Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church. She would sit in the same seat and instead of saying "Amen" from time to time, her words of approval were, "Sho-nough, Sho-nough." I'll translate that for the ebonically challenged, she was saying, "Sure enough, sure enough." What I see clearly now is that Ms. Daniels and the majority of the older members of the church could not read. Thus, their interpretation of the bible, religion, and spirituality came almost entirely from the philandering, pedophiliac, minister (not all the ministers of G.B.B.C. were pedophiles but that's another subject). Well, guess what, Ms. Daniels, and many other elders of churches across America, passed their religious interpretation on to their offspring, from the time they entered the world. Sho-nough, sho-nough!
Remember in church when the "Spirit" would move people to "shout." Remember the "shouting" in church? This is when an individual (usually female) would be "touched by the Holy Spirit" in a way that would make them scream uncontrollably and they would have to be restrained by members of the "Deacon Board", or be ushered out into the hall. Where is that "shouting" today? You don't see that in churches today. The shouting has been replaced by "speaking in tongues" (ecstatic speech or prayer using an unintelligible language that is considered a gift of the Holy Spirit). Back-in-the-day, shouting, or being "happy" in church, was also considered a "gift of the Holy Spirit." Did God or the Holy Spirit alter his gift-giving or did Man alter it?
~ taskeinc
Let's look at death; most people fear the "grim reaper." Why? Fear and ignorance are the culprits. We fear an eternal damnation. The prophecies in the book of Revelation tend to scare the hell out of people (once again, pardon the pun). You would be surprised the burden that's lifted when/if you ever realize that hell is just a story created by man. A story created in order to intimidate you into giving a good portion of your income to the church. It was true thousands of years ago, and it is true today. Don't believe me? You think I'm a "blasphemer?"
Let's break the "tithes" or "tithing" down and analyze this religious phenomenon. The median household income in the United States is about $50,000 annually. That averages out to $4166 per month, multiplied by 10% for tithing, equals $416 per month. This is the amount that should go to the church. That's a car note. Most middle income couples make at least 20k to 30k more than the medium income. If you give less than your allotted 10% are you're going to hell? Does God give you a pass? Or can you make it up in other ways?
I was in the Dollar Store one day and this particular store always plays gospel music. That's fine; I have no problem with gospel music. This particular day, however, something came over me when I heard what sounded like an "Old Negro Spiritual." It sounded like one of those very soulful, religious, Mahalia Jackson songs from decades ago. By the way, I have the utmost respect for the late Ms. Jackson. Anyway, as I listened it dawned on me that, these are the type songs that were sang in, and originated from the cotton fields, from the slave quarters centuries ago. Look back on the history of Black People in America and you'll realize that the majority of Black America today are the descendants of slaves brought to America on slave ships. You know the story. Once on American soil, those slaves were forbidden to read. Their masters clearly enforced the law, "You cannot read. It is illegal for you to read." The slave master did all the reading, mostly from the bible, and it was solely up to him to interpret what was read. It was the slave masters responsibility to interpret the "good book" for your ancestors. Keep in mind, the slave masters interpretation of the bible justified slavery during that epoch in American History. This is the same religion that has been passed down to the African American today. This applies to the European American as well; your ancestors passed your religion down to you as well. The difference is, those unwilling pioneers from Africa did not practice the Christian religion that was forced upon them. If you are OK with this concept, then you have to be OK with the belief that the genocidal atrocity that was slavery, was necessary to save the souls of black people.
I look back on my Christian/Baptist upbringing and take myself back to Sunday morning worship service. I think about Ms. Daniels, a lifetime member of Greater Bethlehem Baptist Church. She would sit in the same seat and instead of saying "Amen" from time to time, her words of approval were, "Sho-nough, Sho-nough." I'll translate that for the ebonically challenged, she was saying, "Sure enough, sure enough." What I see clearly now is that Ms. Daniels and the majority of the older members of the church could not read. Thus, their interpretation of the bible, religion, and spirituality came almost entirely from the philandering, pedophiliac, minister (not all the ministers of G.B.B.C. were pedophiles but that's another subject). Well, guess what, Ms. Daniels, and many other elders of churches across America, passed their religious interpretation on to their offspring, from the time they entered the world. Sho-nough, sho-nough!
Remember in church when the "Spirit" would move people to "shout." Remember the "shouting" in church? This is when an individual (usually female) would be "touched by the Holy Spirit" in a way that would make them scream uncontrollably and they would have to be restrained by members of the "Deacon Board", or be ushered out into the hall. Where is that "shouting" today? You don't see that in churches today. The shouting has been replaced by "speaking in tongues" (ecstatic speech or prayer using an unintelligible language that is considered a gift of the Holy Spirit). Back-in-the-day, shouting, or being "happy" in church, was also considered a "gift of the Holy Spirit." Did God or the Holy Spirit alter his gift-giving or did Man alter it?
~ taskeinc
Zeitgeist
"The more you begin to investigate, what we think we understand, where we came from, what we think we're doing, the more you begin to see we've been lied to. We've been lied to by every institution, what makes you think for one minute that the Religious Institution is the only one that's never been touched? The Religious Institution's of this world are at the bottom of the dirt. The Religious Institutions in this world are put there by the same people who gave you your government, your corrupt education, who set up your International Banking Cartels..."
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist
Near Death Experiences
Some people erroneously believe one must have a certain religious affiliation or believe in God to have a pleasant afterlife experience. However, even in this physical world, one does not have to be religious to experience love and happiness. In the same vein, to have a pleasant afterlife experience, one does not have to be religious . Experiencers say it is not the religion one professes which matters. It is the spiritual condition of their inner nature that matters. People primarily motivated by fear, anger, hatred and evil, will generally find themselves together with like-minded people after their death. ~ Kevin R. Williams
Simple logic suggest that a loving, merciful, caring God would not demand of its' progeny, "Give me - the church, your pastor, Jesus, whomever - 10 % of your earnings, off the top, before taxes, before anything you do, or plan on doing with your hard-earned income, to prove your love and obedience to me. If you do not do this, I still love you, but the consequences of not doing so are eternal damnation in a place of unremitting pain and suffering until the end of time and beyond."
A loving Creator would not offer such a scenario because the origins of the aforementioned quagmire are rooted in greed and evil. Greed and Evil are characteristics of Man, not God. To adhere to a doctrine of forcible love and obedience would be perpetual blackmail at the highest degree. ~ taskeinc
Simple logic suggest that a loving, merciful, caring God would not demand of its' progeny, "Give me - the church, your pastor, Jesus, whomever - 10 % of your earnings, off the top, before taxes, before anything you do, or plan on doing with your hard-earned income, to prove your love and obedience to me. If you do not do this, I still love you, but the consequences of not doing so are eternal damnation in a place of unremitting pain and suffering until the end of time and beyond."
A loving Creator would not offer such a scenario because the origins of the aforementioned quagmire are rooted in greed and evil. Greed and Evil are characteristics of Man, not God. To adhere to a doctrine of forcible love and obedience would be perpetual blackmail at the highest degree. ~ taskeinc
The Laws of Spirit
"You refer to 'Spirit' - do you believe in God? Do you have a religion?" "You don't have to believe in the sun to delight in the warmth of the morning light. It is simply obvious. That is how I know God. And as to my religion, I've sat in the shining temples of the Israelites and under the glorious spires of the mosques of Islam; I've knelt in the great cathedrals and bathed in the light of Christendom; I've sat in the sweat lodges and passed the pipe, lived as a shaman on the African plains, meditated in Buddhist temples, and inhaled the sweet aroma of incense on the banks of the Ganges. And everywhere, I've found the same Spirit in all religions - a Divine Will that transcends time, belief, and culture - revealing the universal laws that are the treasure of God.
Excerpt from "The Laws of Spirit" by Dan Millman
Excerpt from "The Laws of Spirit" by Dan Millman
"The Universe does not judge us; it only provides consequences and lessons and opportunities to balance and learn through the law of cause and effect. Compassion is the recognition that we are each doing the best we can within the limits of our current beliefs and capacities."
Awaken to the Truth
When we realize that the ancient, pre-Christian world was filled with stories about superhuman gods, goddesses and heroes of all cultures whose purported lives on Earth were replete with miracles of all manner, we must recognize that it is only by extraordinary human perseverance that one particular set of fabulous tales from one particular culture has become accepted as "true," while all the rest are deemed "myths." In actuality, the acceptance as "history" of such patent fairy tales as the son of God born of a virgin who miraculously heals the sick, raises the dead, walks on water, transfigures on a mount, resurrects from death and ascends into heaven ranks as cultural bias and extreme prejudice, not reality. It is high time that this fallacious development and lopsided injustice be exposed and the whole of the human cultural record be embraced.
Let's focus a moment on the "son of God born of a virgin who miraculously heals the sick, raises the dead." Here are other mythological figures in ancient antiquity that existed before the Jesus figure with identical characteristics and pretty much the same story.
There were myriad mythological Solar Messiah's whose exact same story was told long before the birth of the last "Messiah." Those mythological figures were:
Why is this the case? Here's the answer. The birth sequence, Dec. 25th, is completely astrological. The Star in the East is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which on Dec 24th aligns with the 3 brightest stars in Orions Belt. These 3 bright stars in Orions belt are called today what they were called in Ancient times, the "Three Kings." The Three Kings and the Brightest Star Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on Dec. 25th. This is why the 3 Kings "follow" the star in the east in order to locate the "sunrise" or "the birth of the sun."
And why was Jesus historized instead of the others? A multinational cabal largely composed of Jews, Samaritans, Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians created the Jesus character and later the Christian tradition, in order to unify the Roman Empire under one state religion. The legend of Jesus Christ as a historical figure was further solidified at the Council of Nacea in 325AD.
It can be concluded that the mythical figure of "Jesus Christ" was largely contrived in order to raise the Jewish religion and scriptures to the forefront of religious ideologies, to fulfill the biblical "prophecy" that the Jews are the "chosen people," that their nation is the "Holy Land" and that their tribal writings represent "God's Word."
As stated in the Old Testament:
"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth."
Let's focus a moment on the "son of God born of a virgin who miraculously heals the sick, raises the dead." Here are other mythological figures in ancient antiquity that existed before the Jesus figure with identical characteristics and pretty much the same story.
There were myriad mythological Solar Messiah's whose exact same story was told long before the birth of the last "Messiah." Those mythological figures were:
- Horus - 3000 BC
Born of a Virgin
Born on Dec 25th
Dead for 3 Says - Resurrected - Attis - Greece - 1200 BC
Born of a Virgin
Born on Dec 25th
Dead for 3 Days - Resurrected - Mithra of Persia - 1200 BC
Born of a Virgin
Born on Dec 25th
12 Disciples
Performed Miracles
Dead for 3 Days - Resurrected
Aka: the "Truth," the "Light" - Krishna - India - 900 BC
Born of the virgin, Davakie
Star in the East
Performed Miracles
Dead for 3 Days - Resurrected - Dionysus of Greece - 500 BC
Traveling Teacher
Performed Miracles
Turned water into wine
Aka: "King of Kings," "God's only begotten Son," "Alpha and Omega"
Dead for 3 Days - Resurrected - Jesus Christ
Born of a Virgin
Born on Dec 25th
Aka: the "Truth," the "Light," "King of Kings"
Dead for 3 Days - Resurrected
Why is this the case? Here's the answer. The birth sequence, Dec. 25th, is completely astrological. The Star in the East is Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, which on Dec 24th aligns with the 3 brightest stars in Orions Belt. These 3 bright stars in Orions belt are called today what they were called in Ancient times, the "Three Kings." The Three Kings and the Brightest Star Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on Dec. 25th. This is why the 3 Kings "follow" the star in the east in order to locate the "sunrise" or "the birth of the sun."
And why was Jesus historized instead of the others? A multinational cabal largely composed of Jews, Samaritans, Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians created the Jesus character and later the Christian tradition, in order to unify the Roman Empire under one state religion. The legend of Jesus Christ as a historical figure was further solidified at the Council of Nacea in 325AD.
It can be concluded that the mythical figure of "Jesus Christ" was largely contrived in order to raise the Jewish religion and scriptures to the forefront of religious ideologies, to fulfill the biblical "prophecy" that the Jews are the "chosen people," that their nation is the "Holy Land" and that their tribal writings represent "God's Word."
As stated in the Old Testament:
"For you are a people holy to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, out of all the peoples that are on the face of the earth."
Dogma, Dharma, and Karma
Propaganda can be a very powerful tool. Entire governments in Russia and Nazi Germany once used it very effectively, and it's still being utilized in China and North Korea. In the United States, we see how advertising agencies and the media employ it every day. As for so-called journalists, they seem to always follow the old axiom of "bad news makes headlines," so a tragic story is like money in the bank.
Propaganda works so well because it basically programs the human mind, so you always need to be aware of what types of messages you're receiving - especially when it comes to religion and society. When you're subjected to continual negative programming, it has such an effect on your soul that it can hamper its spiritual growth.
If you go to a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque, really listen and find out whether your religious leader tends to stress the negative or the positive. If it's the latter, you can take joy in your faith and truly worship God in the way you want. But if it's the former, watch out. Be aware that you're being programmed with negativity such as bigotry (sermons should never put down other beliefs or certain practices); the fear of God (remember that our Creators are only loving and merciful); guilt (be wary if everyone is called a "sinner" or "unworthy," if you're told that your soul will not be saved unless you do such and such, or if you're asked for money over and over again); and hypocrisy (no one dogma or creed is the only way to salvation).
excerpt from Mystical Traveler by Sylvia Brown
Propaganda works so well because it basically programs the human mind, so you always need to be aware of what types of messages you're receiving - especially when it comes to religion and society. When you're subjected to continual negative programming, it has such an effect on your soul that it can hamper its spiritual growth.
If you go to a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque, really listen and find out whether your religious leader tends to stress the negative or the positive. If it's the latter, you can take joy in your faith and truly worship God in the way you want. But if it's the former, watch out. Be aware that you're being programmed with negativity such as bigotry (sermons should never put down other beliefs or certain practices); the fear of God (remember that our Creators are only loving and merciful); guilt (be wary if everyone is called a "sinner" or "unworthy," if you're told that your soul will not be saved unless you do such and such, or if you're asked for money over and over again); and hypocrisy (no one dogma or creed is the only way to salvation).
excerpt from Mystical Traveler by Sylvia Brown
Interracial Dating/Marriages
Ever wonder why some "Christian" women and men have such a problem with interracial dating and marriages? Those that say they don't have a problem will quickly come back with, "I don't have a problem with it but I wouldn't do it." Are you not exhibiting some form of prejudice when you would not even consider dating outside your race? The retort to this is, "just not my preference." Some Caucasian Christian women and men simply won't date outside of their race and refuse to offer, nor do they feel it necessary to explain their actions, and of course, that's certainly their prerogative. Whatever the case and race may be, do you think you would actually reside in heaven for an eternity with such an attitude toward people? Do you think our Creator would simply ignore this fact about your personality, about your character, about your spirit?If an interracial couple were to walk into some predominantly white or predominantly black churches in America they would not be welcomed. They may not be asked to leave, but the tension and stares would be so unsettling it would certainly make the pair very uncomfortable. Is this the type of love God wants us to have toward one another? Or is this the "conditional" love that emanates from your religion? Most churches/religions inadvertently and in covert and subtle ways, actually promote separatism. "I'm saved, I'm a Christian, so I'm going to Heaven." "You're a Muslim/Buddhist, but I'm not one to judge, God will be your judge." Translation: "I'm a Christian, I'm saved, you're going to Hell." Too bad Hell doesn't exist. If there were a Hell, it would be right here on Earth.
~ taskeinc
God, Churches, and Hell
The word God has become empty of meaning through thousands of years of misuse. People have never glimpsed the realm of the sacred, or the infinite vastness behind the word God. They use it however, as if they know exactly what they are talking about but actually have no clue.
This misuse gives rise to absurd beliefs, assertions, and egoic delusions, such as"My/Our God is the only true God, and your God is false." The word God has become a closed concept. The moment the word is spoken, a mental image is created, no longer of an old man with a white beard but a mental image is engendered nonetheless. A mental representation of someone or something outside of you, and almost always a male image.
"The Power of Now" Eckhart Tolle
_______
Hell is identification with the outer self. Hell is not a place; hell is not somewhere that we go when we are dead; hell is not punishment handed out to us by something or someone else - it is rather our contracting, sinning, separating activity of choosing the wrong self to identify with. We identify with that which we are not, we identify merely and only with the empirical ego, the self lacerating identity is nothing other than hell. Hell is a horrendous case of mistaken identity. We have forgotten who and what we are, a transcendental self plugged straight into spirit, speaking with the word of God and shining with the radiance of the Goddess. But we identify only with the finite self, the objective self, the self that can be seen, and not the self that is the seer, divine, infinite and eternal.
Ken Wilber, Forward from Entering the Castle by Carolyn Myss
_______
Souls who need lots of healing and recovery which would include the mentally ill, those who have taken their own lives, and those who committed evil acts or caused harm to others, are taken to a place where they are cocooned in intense healing energy to restore their depleted spirit. The rest of us who are not in such dire need of healing gravitate to the spiritual level that corresponds with our energy, or vibration. The level we ascend to depends on our thoughts, words, and deeds while on Earth. Our addictions, unhealthy behavior, and negative thoughts follow us into the spiritual realm and when we review our lives, it becomes strikingly clear why we should have let those habits go - they block our spiritual growth.
Think of spiritual growth and evolution from a scale of one to ten. The lowest level (#1) is what many of you call "Hell," which isn't really a place, but a state of mind where we're disconnected from ourselves and separated from Source. Hell is the absence of light and love, and it's created by negative thoughts and behavior. Anyone filled with hate and darkness resides here and will stay in this self-created dark hole until the soul chooses otherwise. The sooner the soul can let go of the fear-driven ego, the faster it can lighten, brighten, and grow.
Excerpts from "Spirited" by Rebecca Rosen
_______
Are you Saved?
Are you ready for eternity? At "such-and-such" church, we provide you the opportunity to be saved, and know for sure you will go to heaven. Join our church, pay your tithes, declare the "Lord Jesus" as your Savior, and you will be SAVED! Oh, but don't stop paying your tithes because you might not be "saved" anymore. That's a rather gray area, so we don't know if you will go to hell if you don't pay your 10 percent "to the Lord."
taskeinc
This misuse gives rise to absurd beliefs, assertions, and egoic delusions, such as"My/Our God is the only true God, and your God is false." The word God has become a closed concept. The moment the word is spoken, a mental image is created, no longer of an old man with a white beard but a mental image is engendered nonetheless. A mental representation of someone or something outside of you, and almost always a male image.
"The Power of Now" Eckhart Tolle
_______
Hell is identification with the outer self. Hell is not a place; hell is not somewhere that we go when we are dead; hell is not punishment handed out to us by something or someone else - it is rather our contracting, sinning, separating activity of choosing the wrong self to identify with. We identify with that which we are not, we identify merely and only with the empirical ego, the self lacerating identity is nothing other than hell. Hell is a horrendous case of mistaken identity. We have forgotten who and what we are, a transcendental self plugged straight into spirit, speaking with the word of God and shining with the radiance of the Goddess. But we identify only with the finite self, the objective self, the self that can be seen, and not the self that is the seer, divine, infinite and eternal.
Ken Wilber, Forward from Entering the Castle by Carolyn Myss
_______
Souls who need lots of healing and recovery which would include the mentally ill, those who have taken their own lives, and those who committed evil acts or caused harm to others, are taken to a place where they are cocooned in intense healing energy to restore their depleted spirit. The rest of us who are not in such dire need of healing gravitate to the spiritual level that corresponds with our energy, or vibration. The level we ascend to depends on our thoughts, words, and deeds while on Earth. Our addictions, unhealthy behavior, and negative thoughts follow us into the spiritual realm and when we review our lives, it becomes strikingly clear why we should have let those habits go - they block our spiritual growth.
Think of spiritual growth and evolution from a scale of one to ten. The lowest level (#1) is what many of you call "Hell," which isn't really a place, but a state of mind where we're disconnected from ourselves and separated from Source. Hell is the absence of light and love, and it's created by negative thoughts and behavior. Anyone filled with hate and darkness resides here and will stay in this self-created dark hole until the soul chooses otherwise. The sooner the soul can let go of the fear-driven ego, the faster it can lighten, brighten, and grow.
Excerpts from "Spirited" by Rebecca Rosen
_______
Are you Saved?
- "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Lord, and believe in your heart that GOD has raised Him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9
- "For whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans 10:13
- "Judge not that ye be not judged." Matthew 7:1
Are you ready for eternity? At "such-and-such" church, we provide you the opportunity to be saved, and know for sure you will go to heaven. Join our church, pay your tithes, declare the "Lord Jesus" as your Savior, and you will be SAVED! Oh, but don't stop paying your tithes because you might not be "saved" anymore. That's a rather gray area, so we don't know if you will go to hell if you don't pay your 10 percent "to the Lord."
taskeinc
Eleanor Roosevelt's response when she was asked if she believes in
in reincarnation, "I don't think it would be any more bizarre for me to
show up in another lifetime than it was for me to show up in this one."
Life After Death
Mary T. Brown
"Religion is an individual choice. We don't have to belong to a certain religion in order to find enlightenment. The God Force lives within each one of us and doesn't damn us for [religious rituals] flying on Friday or for going hat-less in church.The soul incarnates into a specific religion for karmic reasons in order to help fulfill its destiny. We've no right to impose our own beliefs on others. Formal religious training isn't a requirement for redemption. It's a grand goal to live a good, useful life of service - a goal that can be achieved within or outside of structured religion.
In spirit there's no such thing as religious prejudice or persecution. This type of behavior is limited to the physical world. The greatest form of worship is found in respecting all life and living with integrity. In this way we pay homage to the God that lives within everyone.
We damn ourselves into troubled situations by our own behavior. Fearful living is a form of hell we create for ourselves on the earth plane. Love and understanding will free us from the bondage of this state of mind.
Freed from the fear of eternal damnation and similar abstract threats, we're able to discover what our true beliefs are rather than blindly adhering to doctrine we don't fully understand. We can then discover our own absolute goodness and live richer, more fulfilled lives."
According to the Bible
Each of the moral mishaps (except murder), listed below, according to the bible, means you're going to Hell.
The list is so broad it means that a good 98% of the people on this earth are going to Hell. Of course, if you "repent" and show remorse you can be forgiven and allowed to enter the "pearly gates."
Does this apply to murder? And what about homosexuality? An issue that's been sidestepped in moral and religious discourse like the cross-over dribble. And what about the persistent back-sliders?
Does this apply to murder? And what about homosexuality? An issue that's been sidestepped in moral and religious discourse like the cross-over dribble. And what about the persistent back-sliders?
- Abomination
- Adultery
- Cowardice
- Discord
- Dissension
- Drunkenness
- Envy
- Fits of rage
- Greed
- Hatred
- Homosexual offenses
- Idolatry
- Impurity
- Jealousy
- Lying
- Murder
- Orgies
- Prostitution
- Selfish ambition
- Sexual promiscuity
- Slander
- Sorcery
- Unbelief
- Witchcraft
Thomas Paine, "The Age of Reason"
Before his arrest and imprisonment in France, knowing that he would probably be arrested and executed, Paine, following in the tradition of early eighteenth-century British deism (a religious and philosophical belief that a supreme being created the universe, and that this can be determined using reason and observation of the natural world alone, without the need for either faith or organized religion), wrote the first part of The Age of Reason, an assault on organized "revealed" religion combining a compilation of inconsistencies he found in the Bible with his own advocacy of deism, calling for "free rational inquiry" into all subjects, especially religion. ~ WikipediaThomas Paine Quotes:
- All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions, set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.
- Any system of religion that has anything in it that shocks the mind of a child, cannot be true.
- It is not a God, just and good, but a devil, under the name of God, that the Bible describes.
- Belief in a cruel God makes a cruel man.
- Human nature is not of itself vicious.
- The Christian religion is a parody on the worship of the sun, in which they put a man called Christ in the place of the sun, and pay him the adoration originally payed to the sun.
- My mind is my own church.
- Of all the tyrannies that affect mankind, tyranny in religion is the worst.
- Reason obeys itself; and ignorance submits to whatever is dictated to it.
- Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
- That God cannot lie, is no advantage to your argument, because it is no proof that priests can not, or that the Bible does not.
- But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants is the liberty of appearing.
Eleanor Roosevelt's response when she was asked if she believes in
in reincarnation, "I don't think it would be any more bizarre for me to
show up in another lifetime than it was for me to show up in this one.
"Duped" Link List
- Bishop Eddie Long Reaches Settlement Out of Court
- Atlanta megachurch pastor Bishop Eddie Long has reached a settlement out of court with the four young men who accused him of sexual misconduct, lawyers for both sides of the case said Thursday. Eddie Long was accused last year of coercing four men he mentored into sexual relationships.
- Book Review from the Economist
- One holy book after another promises paradise to believers and damnation to all others. Deuteronomy tells believers to have no mercy on apostates, You must stone him to death, since he has tried to divert you from Yahweh, your God.
- Brain-Washing Techniques Used by Religious Groups to Convert Others
- Some believe the music itself within a church can be part of a brain-washing technique to secure members to a movement. One author, Kenneth Sublett, believes that some charismatic celebrity preachers who use seminars and special musical worship teams are part of a brainwashing brigade, organized in a way that people have difficulty defending themselves.
- Chapter One - End of Faith
- The young man boards the bus as it leaves the terminal. He wears an overcoat. Beneath his overcoat, he is wearing a bomb. His pockets are filled with nails, ball bearings, and rat poison. The bus is crowded and headed for the heart of the city.
- Did a Historical Jesus exist?
- Amazingly, the question of an actual historical Jesus rarely confronts the religious believer. The power of faith has so forcefully driven the minds of most believers, and even apologetic scholars, that the question of reliable evidence gets obscured by tradition, religious subterfuge, and outrageous claims. The following gives a brief outlook about the claims of a historical Jesus and why the evidence the Christians present us cannot serve as justification for reliable evidence for a historical Jesus.
- Historical Jesus or Jesus Myth: The Jesus Puzzle
- That Jesus was a man who lived and preached in Palestine during the early first century, who gave rise to a faith movement centered upon himself which would go on to become one of the worlds great religions ..
- Origins of Christianity: Quest for Historical Jesus
- This controversy has existed from the very beginning, and the writings of the Church fathers themselves reveal that they were constantly forced by the Pagan intelligentsia to defend what the non-Christians and other Christians alike saw ...
- Religion: Divisive, not Divine
- Many people wish to use religion as a way to heal divisions and achieve peace. This should seem like a strange tactic, given how much of a role religion plays in conflict and strife.
- Spirituality without Dogmas: Best Spirituality Ever
- About free, un-dogmatic and inspiring spirituality. Videos, links, books and debate. For me dogmas just don't work. I'm a spiritual person, but I don't really like the idea of anybody telling me what I have to believe.
- The sea of faith and violence by Johann Hari, The Independent (U.K.)
- Faith is - by definition - a process that bypasses any need for evidence; it is a psychological mechanism based solely on personal instinct. After briefly noting the bloody paths this has led humanity along - such as the Spanish Inquisition ..
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RhondaSueDavis
Jun 19, 2011 @ 4:07 am | delete
- God cannot be put in a box, and no one does it alone. Thank you for all your thought and sharing of this lens. I for one do not accept the faith of my fathers, my faith is one that must stand before my maker and He does make Himself known. ( and that is not found in the footnotes of doctrine booklets used in many bible studies)
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Serenia
May 22, 2011 @ 3:12 pm | delete
- Are you sure you are not a Deist? You mention almost every single deist argument in refuting the truth of christianity and other religions. This is an excellent lens. I am Liking, Favouriting and Bookmarking it. I do plan on creating a Deist lens of my own soon, I have been a Deist for the the last 20 years.
I too was raised in a very religious (protestant baptist) home and I started thinking about hiow hypocritical my church was when I was 16. I was not permitted to stop attending church until I was 19. I had asked to stop going to church on my 18th birthday but my parents said NO. They obviously thought that if I waited a year I would either change my mind or still want to leave. They did not bother to tell me this though So when I asked again on my 19th birthday they immediately said yes. I was very surprised. It was not until several years later before I figured out why I had to wait.
It took me several years to determine what my new belief would be.I beleived in a supreme creator (intelligent designer if you will) but NOT in anything else. This creator was NOT the same as the god of the bible. This creator also did not interfere. Humans alone were and are responsble for the bad things that are happening.
It took me another 15 years before I found out that I was not alone and that my belief had a name. It was called Deism. The best decision I ever made was to leave the church and have the freedom to decide for myself and NOT have someone else make the decision for me.
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taskeinc
May 23, 2011 @ 12:09 am | delete
- Thanks for the very well versed comment. I actually don't refer to myself as anything other than a spiritual being made of Energy .. Energy that can never be destroyed .. I stopped labeling myself many years ago, and that includes political labels as well.
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