Cali Court Gets One Right Regarding Religion

Shawn McEvoy

The Wall Street Journal's Health Blog carried this story Tuesday: California Doctors Can’t Refuse Care to Gays on Religious Grounds. Jacob Goldstein writes:

The state Supreme Court ruled yesterday that doctors can't refuse to treat gays and lesbians, even when doing so goes against their religious beliefs.

Guadalupe Benitez said she was denied fertility treatment because she was gay. The rulings in the case went back and forth as it moved through the courts, but the state’s supremes decided yesterday that a California law that bars businesses from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation trumps the doctors’ right to freedom of religion.

"Thank God," I said to myself. Goodness, a lesbian is still a woman, and still has reproductive capabilities, does she not? If I refuse to treat her, am I doing more damage to the body of Christ and the gospel message, and completely missing a chance to treat her with love and kindness, vs. refusing on the grounds that society apparently will crumble if one more child is raised in a non-traditional family? If I'm going to choose a pro-life stance partly on the grounds that none can say with certainty what quality of life a child will have, that no one can know what decisions he or she will make or how the Lord might use them, then I must also allow that the same things can happen in the life of a child raised by a homosexual.

When I read Goldstein's posting, I instantly remembered fellow Crosswalk blogger Michael Craven's August 2007 posting about whether we as The Church should focus more on being evangelical, or missional. His piece began with an example - also from California:

I came across a small but disturbing story that grabbed my attention. A California pediatrician reportedly refused to treat a baby girl because her mother had tattoos. The doctor, whose name I won’t mention, says “his Christian faith has inspired him to enforce certain standards in his medical practice, and that means no tattoos, no body piercings, and no gum chewing.” The article goes on, “After taking one look at Tasha Childress, who has both tattoos and piercings, [the doctor] asked her and her daughter to leave.” The shunned mother, speaking about her daughter, said, “She had to go that entire night with her ear infection with no medicine because he has his policy; it isn’t right.”

This action deeply troubled me and I hope troubles you as well. However, it doesn’t completely surprise me either...

If the ruling of this week was partly brought about because of this calloused doctor's decision, which couldn't have been an isolated issue, then at least I can feel satisfied that the little girl and her mother did not suffer needlessly.

It's disheartening that we need to get this straight, or have courts decide it for us. Christian doctors, one would like to think, would be some of the most compassionate, most educated, most opportunistic among us. Their personalized chances to reveal their faith literally walk through their doors every day. In fairness, Goldstein's posting makes no mention to which religious faith any offending doctors might adhere. For all we know, Jewish, Hindu, and Islamic doctors might be just as unwilling to treat patients who are gay or have other "moral failings" (although... don't we all fail? Haven't we all sinned? Can you imagine if your youthful indiscretions, God forbid, ever came back to haunt you in the form of an STD or other issue, only to be refused treatment?). We're not talking about doctors who might have issue with performing an abortion or assisted suicide or lethal injection. In those cases, lives are being defended. Here, lives are being discarded.

Withholding medical healing in moral judgment is unconscionable when you consider how flawed the idea of withholding spiritual healing / salvation / the gospel is from Joe Sinner... particularly if he walks in your door and asks for it.

Find this article at: http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/mcevoy/11580720/

FACTBOX: Role of religion in U.S. election

(Reuters) - The race for the White House often comes down to so-called battleground or swing states, where the outcome may hinge on a few crucial votes.

Religion often plays a role in U.S. elections and might again in these states this November in the contest between Republican candidate John McCain and his Democratic rival Barack Obama.

Following are some facts, figures and possible scenarios about the main religious groups and their possible political impact.

EVANGELICALS

One in four U.S. adults count themselves as evangelical Protestant, a tradition with a strong focus on the conversion experience and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

The movement has become a key conservative base for the Republican Party, energized in part by a shared opposition to abortion rights and gay marriage.

It has become more fractured as some leaders stress a wider biblical agenda that includes tackling global poverty and climate change but polls show most white evangelical Protestants remain firmly in the Republican camp.

The latest poll by the Pew Research Center suggests 68 percent of registered voters among this group support McCain while only around a quarter back Obama.

But Obama's camp will work hard to win the support of younger and more centrist evangelicals in battleground states such as Florida and Colorado.

Evangelicals are heavily though not exclusively concentrated in the South and according to Pew surveys account for over 50 percent of the population in a handful of states such as Oklahoma which is solid Republican territory anyway.

But a wider definition of evangelical that includes blacks and Hispanics shows that closer to 50 percent of the adults of this faith line up with the Republicans and third with the Democrats, according to Pew.

This makes Hispanic evangelicals in swing states such as New Mexico and Colorado a key group that could tilt the balance in their states.

CATHOLICS

Almost one-quarter of U.S. adults are Catholic but their electoral clout is somewhat diluted by their distribution.

According to a June report by the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University in Washington, nearly four in 10 U.S. Catholics reside in New York, California and Texas, none of which are closely contested. The first two are solidly Democratic and Texas is Republican.

The report said states "where the Catholic vote could make a real difference are Florida, Ohio and Louisiana."

Catholics had strongly supported Hillary Clinton in her failed bid for the Democratic nomination and a number of polls have shown a fairly close race among Catholics with Obama leading among them nationally by a small margin.

Conservative Catholics tend to line up with evangelicals on issues like abortion but there are also many liberal Catholics in America who like the Democratic Party on economic issues.

MAINLINE PROTESTANT

The "mainline Protestant" traditions including the Episcopal, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. About one in five U.S. adults say they belong to one of these faiths.

White Protestants affiliated with mainline churches are lining up behind McCain, with 50 percent supporting him in the latest Pew poll versus 39 percent for Obama.

Wider surveys which have included black and Hispanic members of these traditions suggest a sharper partisan divide with both parties garnering the support or affection of around 42 percent of the members of these faiths.

JEWS

Surveys and polls consistently show most Jews lean heavily toward the Democratic Party.

But in battleground states such as Florida, where they account for close to 5 percent of the population by some estimates, the McCain camp may well try and woo some with his strong line on the battle with radical Islam.

The Obama camp may try to appeal to the liberal views held by many American Jews.

The Never Ending Battle of Religion and Science

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Sumaira_Zaheer]Sumaira Zaheer

The relationship between science and religion has been on the rocks ever since the beginning. Religion, whose knowledge is based merely on faith and beliefs in the supernatural things, which are too abstract to put into test to verify their credibility, relies on subjective methods for finding the truth.

Science on the other hand requires countless intricate experiments and laborious efforts of theoreticians to make sense of a data and to prove its credibility. According to science a thing is real unless its existence can be verified by tangible facts, while religion makes us believe in the divine concepts, for which we are too puny to ever understand them properly.

Although many great scholars and scientists say and have proved that when it comes to science and religion to talk about one is to talk about another. That is to say that science and religion are both different ways of finding the same truth. While religion thinks that science is deviating people from God, science works hard to find the proof of God. According to Richard Dawkins, religion makes predictions about the real world while science put them into testable scientific theories.

However, the two have co-existed besides all the differences, though not so peacefully but with mutual consent on both sides, which permitted both of them to carry on their individual missions without meddling into each others affairs. But before this mutual concord, the history of violence regarding religion against science is quite huge and might go back to the time when the first person on earth, for the first time in his and earth's life, might have made his first logical assumption, about the first thing that has been technically observed by him. Anyway let's not go too far, we all might be familiar with the Galileo affair, remember the poor the guy who was charged of felony for supporting the idea that Earth revolves around the sun instead of the vice versa. And after observing the skies with his newly, made-by-himself, telescope, he presented the model of the solar system almost exactly like what we study nowadays, and for that he was sentenced to a lifetime imprisonment by the Catholic Church. And that is not all, when Charles Darwin proposed the Theory of Evolution; he was opposed quite aggressively by various religious tenets for his blasphemous conjecture.

The same attitude was adopted by Islamic religious sects which led Islam's Golden Age of scientific developments during the 8th and 15th century, to its decline. Though many great scholars, physicist and mathematicians worked hard to produce great works of scientific discoveries of the age, controversies and protests were followed by others, who rejected modern science as infiltration of corrupt western thoughts. And according to them to prevent Islam from stagnation was to stick to the Islamic studies.

According to many religious extremists, many attempts of horrendous scientific discoveries were made as a result of infidelity and disbelief in the divine power of the Almighty. But if we look at the history of scientists, we would find them as much devoted to their religion as they were to the science. Galileo was a devote catholic, his strong religious bearing led him to ponder more and more in nature and make numerous remarkable discoveries. Many Muslim scientists, most notably Avveroes, who was among the greatest contributors to the Golden Age of Islamic history was a devoted Muslim scholar.

This is only a fragment of huge backdrop of controversies, conflicts, banishments, imprisonments, accusations and even bloodshed against men of science for the sake of saving religious doctrines from destruction. But it's not only religion which taken the aggressive side against science, its science as well which keeps making doubtful assumptions about probability of God, and rejection of the existence of many principles that form the basis by many religious beliefs.

Even though many scientists are found to be devoted to both religion and science and are struggling hard to bring the two of them together, there are many scientists, when questioned about God, were are found to be non-believers of any kind of religion or God. For them only physical world exists. But the idea of a Godless world is quite frightening even to the non-believers. I can't imagine a world being left to the mercy of human beings, with no God to watch over us and guide us. What would happen to the faith and hopes of millions of people if they were to be told that there is no God and they have been praying, sacrificing, preparing for a better afterlife for nothing?

However, science is nowhere near in proving that. Science can suggest theory of evolution, trace back our ancestors, but can it trace their origin? Science itself says that nothing comes into being on its own accord than how did life first originated? What is the great source of power behind all that if it is not God? There is so much science has yet to discover to make assumptions like these.

Science has also succeeded in creating dents in faiths of numerous people who have respect for both sects. Because the world isn't divided into religious zealots and scientific nerds, what about those people who regard both science and religion equally important. The conflict between these two have led immense amount of confusion among people. They don't know what to believe in because if one proves a thing, the other rejects it.

But it is religion which gives answers when science fails. It fills up gaps which science has left empty. It is faith in the Almighty that helps the poor, the sick and the lonely to find his strength when science fails. While science creates weapons of mass destruction, it is religion which brings hope and peace to people in war. I'm not saying that science is only destructive or religion is only conservative. Both have done great things for the human kind. Faith works wonders everyday in people's lives, bringing them closer, bonding them with love and science make thousands of development each day to make life easier for us.

Science and religion are not contradictory to each other. Their methods may differ but they both struggle to find the same truth that connects us all together and that is, nearness to God.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sumaira_Zaheer http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Never-Ending-Battle-of-Religion-and-Science&id=953581

Rock Spirituality - The Religion of Rock

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Lacey]Matthew Lacey

Do you sometimes feel as though Rock N' Roll is your religion or spirituality. Is there a philosophy behind being a musician or a Rocker. I feel that there is. As a member of The Rock Warrior Alliance I adhere to the teachings of Rock Spirituality. Rock Spirituality is akin to water. It can change forms any times it needs to yet it is not something different when it changes.

Water in a bath tub takes the shape of the tub yet it is still water. Rock Spirituality has been known to take the form of many different religions and spiritualities. It as a hybrid of truth based on the teachings of love from Christianity, and Compassion and Wisdom from Buddhism. It is known to follow the Tao, It is Zen, and It is one with Allah. It's everything useful about religion and spirituality and a rejection of everything useless.

One of the main questions I get is, "Your different so what you consider useless is something I might find useful." If this is your question than I must say follow your own path. Not everyone can take the Rock Warrior Path. The Rock Warrior Path chooses you. You didn't choose to be born but you were. I didn't choose to be a Rock Warrior but I am. The Rock Warrior knows that being a Rock Warrior is just a title. In Rock Spirituality you choose your own tenets you consider useful as long as no harm is brought to others. The way of The Rock Warrior is not to hurt. Bruce Lee said Jeet Kune Do was not to hurt. Was Bruce Lee a Rock Warrior. You bet he was. He was a Rock Warrior who preferred Martial Arts to be his art.

Rocking and Music are both arts. Art is Art. JKD is only different in form, in space they are all expressions of the individual. JKD was not a set style with a set list of moves that never changed. It was a personal quest to discover what it meant to be free. New moves were added and removed depending on the individual. The Rock Warrior is no different.

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Approved By The Rock Warrior Alliance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Lacey http://EzineArticles.com/?Rock-Spirituality---The-Religion-of-Rock&id=1000405

The Mormon Religion Origin Is Not That Old

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=George_Kissi]George Kissi

The teachings of the Mormon faith are based on what they refer to as a divine ordination of their founder, Joseph Smith, in the year 1820. This Mormon religion origin is said to have occurred when Smith saw a vision of Christ, who gave him instruction on how to reestablish his true church on earth. According to Smith, Christ told him that Christianity had experienced a great apostasy from his original teachings, and Smith was being entrusted with instructions on how to restore true faith.

The Mormon religion origin is also based on the teaching that Joseph Smith saw these instructions as divinely ordaining him to establish a church according to these instructions. He felt that he was now the successor in a long line of priests that began with Aaron, the brother of Moses. This authority granted him the right to ordain other priests, ministers, and so on. He also felt that he had the authority to dictate rules and guides when it came to one's personal life, teaching that marriage and children were part of God's destiny for his followers. The Mormon religion origins established not just the Mormon Church but also gave its followers an entire manual that they needed to follow for every part of their lives.

While Mormonism claims to be Christian and to follow the teachings of the Bible and of Jesus Christ, Mormon religion origins deeply adhere to those original writings of Joseph Smith, some of which actually conflict with the Bible and with Jesus' own words.

For more information about the Mormon Religion Origin visit http://mormons.georgekissi.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=George_Kissi http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Mormon-Religion-Origin-Is-Not-That-Old&id=972710

The Religion of Bio-Psychiatry

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Dan_Edmunds]Dan Edmunds

If we examine the term 'psychotherapy' we will see that it literally means the 'healing of the soul'. Much of emotional distress is actually a spiritual problem, where an individual has lost meaning and hope. In today's society, we have lost sight of spiritual values and many have in turn decided to turn to the religion of bio-psychiatry.

Bio-psychiatry has a creed, the creed is that all problems of life are the result of so-called chemical imbalances. Any professional or individual challenging such conception is branded a heretic and subject to sanction.

The psychiatrist is the priest, and in some cases is also looked upon as a messianic figure. As the priest, the psychiatrist defines the Social Law and the infractions thereof.

The religion of bio-psychiatry has its 'sacraments.' The sacrament of initiation occurs at intake, and confirmation occurs when the individual is indoctrinated into the credo of bio-psychiatry and led to believe that their problems lie in 'wiring' problems in their brains.

The religion of psychiatry has absolution. Through their ritual, adults and institutions are able to be completely absolved from taking any responsibility for meeting the real emotional needs of a person or examining how their own actions and choices could have impacted the challenges faced by the individual.

Ordination occurs at the conferring of the Medical Degree and the completion of a residency in psychiatry.

The religion of bio-psychiatry has the 'sacrament' of Matrimony. Bio-Psychiatry is wedded to the pharmaceutical industry, and what a generous dowry the pharmaceutical industry has provided!

The American Psychiatric Association serves as the "Ecumenical Council" to promulgate the creed of bio-psychiatry and to institute the definitions of the Social Law and the infractions thereof.

The Bible of bio-psychiatry is the DSM-IV.

The Deity is the enormous ego of the bio-psychiatrists themselves.

by Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Edmunds http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Religion-of-Bio-Psychiatry&id=109330

I Do Not Follow Religion Per se - I Follow The Teachings Of The King James Bible As Best I Can

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Charles_Crosby]Charles Crosby

Now what is wrong with this statement? It looks innocent enough doesn't it?

"I do not follow religion per-se" What does this remark mean? In the Concise Oxford Dictionary it states: per-se - by or in itself; intrinsically. So this person doesn't follow religion essentially or in itself, but there is a 'but' in there somewhere, so what is this person actually saying? This person is saying they do not follow religion because it's essential but rather because they feel a certain loose attachment to it and follow it in a: "well we cannot deny it; the Christian religion exists, so there must be something to it. Otherwise all these people with whom I rub shoulders each Sunday, must be wrong and there is no way that that can be the case - it's been going on for two thousand years." Now, I am not saying this is the definite reasoning behind this persons thoughts but I would wager it's not far off. Aren't you judging this person, I hear you say? No, because as I said there is most definitely a 'but' in this person's statement. If they didn't follow religion - period, that is what they would have said, but they didn't. If they had, there would have been no 'per-se.'

Let's now deal with the next part of this statement and ask the question: Should we follow the teachings of the King James Bible as best we can? Partly yes and definitely no, is the plain and simple answer to this question. I said partly yes to the first part because the King James Bible like all Bibles has errors within its pages. If, therefore, we go blindly believing every word that is written therein we are going to end up in big, big trouble. Not because The King James Holy Bible is not The Word of God, because it is. The problem is not with the Word of God but with the human influences and agendas of the men who have polluted and corrupted The Word of God when translating it, from the Hebrew in the Old Testament and from the Greek in the New Testament. In those original forms there is not much wrong with it, but in its English forms it's a minefield and we have to be very, very careful in how we study and read it.

So, to answer the first part of this question correctly; no, we should not follow the teachings of the King James Bible until we have thoroughly checked it out. This rule of thumb applies even more so to modern translations as they have even more errors than the King James Bible, especially the ESV and NIV Bibles - and surprise, surprise, these are mainstream Christianity's favourites!! To support this, my advice on this problem, there were people in the first century that Paul mentions as excellent examples of how we should behave when studying the Word of God i.e. never take anything on face value:

Acts 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Here we can see that these people were diligent in their searching of the Holy Scriptures to make sure all was correct.

Ok, moving on and back to the original question, where we have this strange remark of "As best we can." What exactly does this mean? Well, basically, it means we are following the teachings of the King James Bible under our own strength; our own abilities; our own effort; our own toil and struggles. This is all about the 'self' not The Lord Jesus Christ. We are doing the best we can, but what if our best is not good enough? Horror of horrors, what if we strive and struggle for the whole of our lives doing the best we can in following the teachings of the King James Bible only to be told by The Lord Jesus Christ, when we stand before Him, "Go away for I do not know you." What kind of shock will that be for this person and people like him/her? He or she is under the delusion that his/her name is written in the book of life, but nothing could be further from the Truth, if they think that salvation is all about them doing the best that they can.

Now, what's so wrong with our doing the best we can? Answer: it's there, right in the middle of that sentence - our doing. Therein lies the problem - he's doing the doing instead of accepting the fact that it's already all been done - for him. The Lord Jesus Christ's sacrifice took care of all the "doing the best we can." Why? Why, because for the very simple reason our best just isn't good enough, nor could it ever be good enough after a million years of striving and struggling to improve ourselves. This doing the best we can business is all blasphemous Old Covenant teaching - salvation by works. Even then, in those times, man doing his best wasn't good enough because animals had to be repetitively slaughtered and offered to God as sacrifices and/or as atonements for their failings when all their good enough-ness slipped or faded like the morning mist, as it always does, and they sinned.

Let's get this straight, if The Lord Jesus Christ thought that our doing our best was good enough then He wouldn't have come to this earth and suffered the degradation of an evil crucifixion and to take all our sins with Him. All of our sins - past, present and future, they have all been dealt with for all of humanity and for all time - once and once only. In turn, His Resurrection gave us the opportunity to be made anew - new people, perfect in The Father's sight. Our doing the best we can has nothing to do with it, it's all meaningless vanity. All our 'doing the best we can' amounts to, is self-improvement and anyone can enter a programme of doing that, even the unsaved. The problem is, all 'our doing' is worthless when we come to the matter of salvation.

This person then went on to say: "You know me, you know I fail, but I know Jesus forgives." Now what's wrong with this remark, because it all sounds so very sincere and Holy doesn't it - but is it? You see, straight away, we can see that this person does not understand Grace and Salvation, this person says "Jesus forgives" but does Jesus forgive? No, Jesus has already forgiven, He forgave mankind utterly and completely nearly two thousand years ago, it was all done there and then. This person thinks, like most of mainstream Christianity, that The Lord's forgiveness of our sins is a never ending on going process, when it is not, it was all done at Calvary - everything! (Please see my article "Is repetitive confession of sins Biblical?)



John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

This is the verse that this person does not understand. He/she doesn't understand that the Lord's word's here mean exactly what they say - "It's finished" What was finished - the conquering of death and sin, both things were defeated. Now when we're Born Again we should start living as if they are conquered and defeated, but many do not, they carry on as if The Lord Jesus Christ had never come, just like Old Covenant people, trying to overcome sin under their own strength - sin that has already been defeated and forgiven. This person also admits to repetitive failure stating: "You know me, you know I fail" Of course we fail, that's all part of the human condition. It is because we always fail that The Lord Jesus Christ came in the first place. He came and didn't fail and said: "If you believe in Me and keep on believing in Me you will not fail either, even though in your fleshly bodies you will fail." Now because this person is not under Grace, but under his/her own programme of self-improvement, the self-flagellation kicks in and his or her life is made permanently miserable and wretched by his/her own thought processes. This person is, in other words, held captive and in bondage to a self-imposed regime of salvation by works. This person will probably have learnt all this blasphemous nonsense from a ravening wolf in a pulpit at a 'church' near you. Please take this as a serious warning as your eternal Spiritual welfare depends upon it.



Then we have: "I know that on the day I take my final breath, and stand before the throne of God, my name will appear in the book of life." Here again we can see the mainstream Christian 'teaching' reveal itself. When this person takes his or her final breath they will die just like everyone else. (Please see my articles "When Christians die do they instantly "Go to be with the Lord?"") Furthermore, our names are written in The Book of Life when we are Born Again not when we take our final breath:

Phil 4:3 And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. From this evidence alone we can see how poorly taught this person is.

Finally, we come to the last part of this person's statement which reveals completely his/her deluded state of mind: "I accepted Christ May 6 1992. I also know that in the book of life, a column for what religion does not exist." If this person 'accepted' The Lord Jesus Christ on May 6 1992 then what this person is telling us is, that right from the word go Salvation was dependent upon him/her - it was all dependent upon this person's decision and not God's decision. John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. We must not underestimate the delusional arrogance encapsulated in this fantastical idea. This idea permeates mainstream Christianity as a whole not just the head of this silly person whom I am using as a living example.

The overall consensus within mainstream Christianity is this: the tail wags the dog - Ok, and don't you forget it! I decide whether or not I'm saved and when, not God. If I choose not to accept Jesus Christ then that's my prerogative, my privilege; who's in charge here anyway; who does this Jesus Christ think He is!!?? Now some of you may laugh at this scenario but make no mistake this is how they think and it is delusional error on a grand scale. Just to round off, we then have a lie and contradiction saying there is a column in the Book of Life which says religion does not exist. Well I have news for this person, there is no such column in The Book of Life because religion is the way of death not life. This person's delusional thinking is complete.

Following Jesus Christ is not religion!!

Charles Crosby.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_Crosby http://EzineArticles.com/?I-Do-Not-Follow-Religion-Per-se---I-Follow-The-Teachings-Of-The-King-James-Bible-As-Best-I-Can&id=635751

Religious Diversity Reshapes America

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Do You Have A Religious Addiction?

By Michael Tummillo

I used to be bound by a religious addiction, that is, until the Lord delivered me.

Looking back, I had no mind of my own where all things spiritual were concerned. I was subservient to whatever denomination I was affiliated with, bowing to manmade rules and dogmas both in Protestant and Catholic camps as I moved from one to the other. Though the Scriptures declare that "there is none good but God," I was considered a good soldier, loyal and obedient through and through and very adept at rule-keeping. I was driven by my religious addiction and was much more diligent about serving the church (the denomination anyway), subconsciously trying harder to "be good and be seen" than I was trying to get to know Jesus through His Word, fall in love with Him on a personal level, obey His doctrine and advance His Kingdom.

Frankly, I don't recall that kind of thinking ever entering my mind.

My thoughts of God were more along the lines of "Hope He saw that!" while I adhered to church policies and procedures like a champ. In all honesty, I never knew what Jesus really taught for I rarely cracked the pages of His book (the Bible). I was a "good" kid and the Christian world in which I had immersed myself at the time was generally fine with that as I excelled - at least in comparison to others. I fit in. I was one of their own and was even considered an example to be followed. One minister even called me "a churchman" before the congregation. Talk about stroking my ego...!
Don't get me wrong; good guys are more useful than bad guys and good-deeds-for-the-day actually DO tend to help people. Unfortunately, God's not impressed with our acts of self-righteousness, which are referred to as "filthy rags" in the Book of Isaiah. It's all about the motivation of the heart. Those who hope they're "scoring points" or making amends for past sins by their good works are sadly mistaken.

I was deceived in believing that I was not only impressing others but that God must surely be pleased as well. There were those who mistook my good-guy nature for devout Christianity; including Christian women. I felt accepted and, to my carnal mind, that's all that really mattered. At least, until the day came that I really needed Jesus and The Church and found I was left holding a bag full of nothing but powerless, meaningless, deceptive religion.

THE TRUTH SET WILL SET YOU FREE...WHEN YOU KNOW IT

Jesus taught that knowing the truth will set us free. Problem? In our reluctance to admit that we have any problems at all, we fall into denial, even where our spiritual lives are concerned.

The religious addiction is not so much an addiction to anything in particular as it is paying consistent homage to a demon Spirit of Religion - a literal entity - the very Spirit that drove the self-righteous Pharisees. Sure, it's much more socially acceptable to acknowledge that one has an addiction to religion than it is, say, to pornography or crack cocaine. That's because the human tendency is to judge what's on the outside because we really don't have time to deal with the spiritual and emotional bondages and burdens of individuals. Generally, so long as they show up for services, look good and smell good and sing along, we're OK with "them." They might be living a private Hell but the Church at large is content NOT to believe anything could possibly be wrong with one who is committed to the denomination, follows the rules and does the work of the group or attends services every time the door is open. Such a one is often lauded as a model of the faith.

Those afflicted with a Religious Spirit are often folks who have struggled with "other" addictions during the course of their lives (e.g. alcohol, drugs, sex) or are Adult Children of Alcoholics. Actor and Director Mel Gibson was recently arrested for drunk driving. An interview with Dianne Sawyer was re-run this morning where he admitted how easily he was addicted to almost everything including drugs and alcohol. That's the nature of the beast. Apparently, the transference of one addictive lifestyle for another is fairly common, and when addicts come to faith in Christ, such a transference of spirits often occurs. Such demons can be dealt with and commanded to leave but, sadly, far too few Believers believe that they have that authority...or they don't believe in demons at all (Satan loves that about us).

In many cases, an individual's relationship with God can be stunted by his/her upbringing. Let's face it, we're receptacles, taking in good and bad from day one, then dishing out whatever's been poured in. Some have been raised in a performance mode, jumping through hoops to gain approval from parents or always in competition with siblings. Perhaps they were compared to the kids next door. Likewise, where that person's spiritual life is concerned, they often struggle with trying to constantly gain acceptance or approval - in the eyes of the congregation, church leaders... and ultimately from God Himself. Though this type of misguided behavior can never satisfy, it's all many individuals ever know and it defines the lackluster Christian life of multitudes of pew potatoes from cradle to grave.
Such an addiction serves to attract other demonic characteristics such as self-righteousness, pride, false piety. As the afflicted person carries out his/her religious duties, a subconscious "look at me everybody" attitude gradually creeps in. Oftentimes, that attitude is simply a silent prayer such as, "God, I hope this pleases you" as that individual is never sure how much is enough. Have I prayed long enough? Did God hear that? Am I REALLY going to Heaven? Have I volunteered enough? Did I perform this or that duty often enough to appease the Father? How about the deacons? The religious addict never seems to grasp the fact that all their sins, past, present and future, were forgiven. These people tend to judge others by what they DO and themselves by their good intentions.

The discerning Christian can see Satan's claw prints all over this powerless, goody-goody behavior. Again, it's a deception that far too many have fallen into. I'm not only talking about Christians here. All the religions of the world are ruled by this type of Spirit. He can be found in churches, synagogues, mosques and temples around the globe. Bear in mind that the word "religion" means "return to bondage" according to Webster's Dictionary; Jesus, on the other hand, came to set us free.

GIVE ME A SIGN!

So, what is a religious addiction and how does one know when one has been so afflicted? There are some signposts we can be looking for but one must be brutally honest with one's self-assessment just as an alcoholic must finally admit to his addiction before he can receive and apply the help that's available. Confession, as you may know, means to agree with that which God already knows about us. 1 John 1:9 tells us "If we confess our sins (agree that we DO have a Problem and that Jesus IS the answer) He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

A Religious Spirit will rear its head when confronted with the truth. You can count on stirring up a demonic hornet's nest every time. Often these attacks are quite extreme as in the situations where I have personally been dealt death threats and received hate mail and have been booted of my Internet provider over 20 times, mostly by people who claim to be Christians, in response to my online Christian broadcasts. It's OK to simply disagree - or offer correction where one thinks I made a mistake. But some of these responses were quite excessive. The reason they reported me to AOL, I was told, was defined as "broadcasting objectionable material." I can't help but wonder if they respond the same way to off-color online humor, obscenity and the like.

I knew a converted Jewish woman who claimed that she was receiving extra-biblical revelation from God. Despite the willingness of others in the Body of Christ to offer correction, reproof, teaching, etc., she had little use for any of it so long as God was speaking to her. So much for being part of "The Body." Any "limb" that does its own thing is considered spastic, as I understand it. Most of her faith was based upon Old Testament teachings that suited her own needs. I confronted her on a number of occasions, one day causing her to cry and yell quite emotionally. In time, I helped her find a place to live, found her a job at the local university and even gathered a wardrobe for her as she owned very little. The response? She filed false charges against me. Oddly, her case never made it to court. Actually, she wound up in state jail herself after being convicted of a past crime that finally caught up with her. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you!

Jesus Christ had little trouble where demons of sickness and the Spirit of Death was concerned but He faced stiff opposition from those controlled by the Religious Spirit. Certainly, they did not know they had given place to such spirits. "Surely we represent the true religion of God," they must have thought. Who would want to be free of that which make them feel important and more righteous than others? For the chief priests and scribes who entertained religious pride and hardness of heart, even Jesus could not guide them to the Father. They had made their choice.

ARE YOU A TRUTH-SEEKER?

A thing is either true or it's a lie. It's that simple. That applies to the case of religious addictions as well. The same Spirit that motivated the Jewish religious leaders to conspire against and kill Jesus are still working today among people who know God. The Bible reveals many clues showing us signs that reveal when the Religious Spirit is present. It's an extensive list of 23 symptoms but, if you'd be interested in seeing what some of those tell-tale signs may be, perhaps as a guide for some self-assessment, simply hit REPLY and type HELP in the SUBJECT Bar. Protestant or Catholic, if this subtle spirit has crept its way into your life, don't delay. Deal with him today and experience the peace that passes all understanding and the unspeakable joy that Scripture promises you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael's mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Since 1999, he has broadcast nearly six hundred inspirational articles and a dozen booklets on subjects that will interest the thinking Christian, all designed to accelerate the process of spiritual development in God's people.

He is the founder of t.e.a.m. ministries (team1min@aol.com). An Author, Pastoral Counselor and Teacher, his eMail broadcasts, known as "Your Town for Jesus" are reaching millions around the globe WEEKLY. Write team1min@aol.com if you'd like to SUBSCRIBE.

A licensed/ordained minister, a Certified Workplace Chaplain, and a Professional Member of NIBIC, he has ministered in Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Baptist, Disciples of Christ, College and Cowboy churches. He is also a Speaker on the Christian Speaker Network and may be available to speak to your church or Christian group.

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When Caesar Plays God: When the State Oversteps Its Bounds

By David Ben-Ariel

Why was Jesus crucified? Because His gospel was highly politicized. It had everything to do with GOVERNMENT! God's people would do well to note that fact. His enemies accused Him of sedition. They distorted His Message to make it appear He was out to overthrow the government! (John 19:12). They led the rulers to believe Jesus was a dangerous individual, a real threat to public order and national security (John 11:48). Jesus had to be stopped! Both the political and religious authorities turned on Christ.

Why was Stephen murdered? Should he have just kept his opinions to himself? He blasted the religious establishment for their hypocrisy. Although he spoke the plain truth, they confused the issue by taking his words out of context. He undoubtedly did tell them that Jerusalem was going to fall and the Temple was going to be destroyed - just like Jesus prophesied - if they didn't quickly change course (Acts 6:8-15). He was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin (their religious court). They angrily condemned him to die for being so blunt (Acts 7).

I read the Book of Acts, making it much more meaningful and relevant, during my detention in Jerusalem's Russian Compound jail. If you examine the evidence surrounding Paul's frequent arrests and imprisonments, you'll see a pattern of trumped up charges, misunderstandings and misguided zeal. It's a miracle that Paul didn't say "enough is enough" and quit. But God used him to provide for us a very human example, since we expect Jesus to act divine (I Tim. 1:16).

Many in jail proclaim their innocence, but God knows that I was an innocent politico-religious prisoner. The Leftist government in Israel was out to crush their opposition. As a Christian member of the Temple Mount Faithful, I represent all that the secular hate. I've been involved in many televised demonstrations to remind the government of its biblical responsibilities. Whether they listen or not is between them and God.

Living by Faith

The Israeli settlers whom Gerald Flurry (pastor general of the Philadelphia Church of God) once condemned are putting their lives on the line. By living in Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel) they are exercising their faith in God's Word that promises the Holy Land to Israel, not Ishmael. How cowardly for Gerald Flurry to throw rocks at their faith when he sits safe in his comfortable office in democratic America. God help him (and all the other Church leaders) to wake up to this aspect of the Bible of which too many remain ignorant. Thankfully, from subsequent articles in The Philadelphia Trumpet magazine it appears Mr. Flurry's understanding has improved.

God's people won't suffer the prophesied persecution (not that we're seeking it) until we take a PUBLIC STAND on religious matters that have political ramifications, just like Jesus and the apostles and prophets. It's an artificial separation between politics and religion. God's one government has two branches: Church and State (Malachi 4:4-5).

Spiritual issues are fought in the political arena of men's minds (2 Cor. 10:4). Whether we recognize it or not, our Israelite nations are engaged in a cultural war. Unless we join the struggle, promoting the biblical platform that pierces through the mental fog, how can we expect to be in any position to help influence our nation's direction away from the precipice (Rom. 10:14)? God's Church has a superficial understanding when they fail to put God's truth into practice and take political action (James 2:14-17)!

I was detained for a righteous reason. I'm closely associated with those who call for a return to biblical values. We uphold God's Law as our true Constitution. We plead with Judah (and Joseph) to obey God and not men; to put their trust in Him and not fear the UN; to restore the Temple Mount as the Temple Mount. If the Jews fail to listen to this opportunity for restoration, they'll self-destruct, falling apart at the seams. Israel faces the growing threat of a civil war and European intervention!

Warning the Jews

My enemies (if you don't have any, God is your enemy), knowing that I've written that the mosques must go - the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aksa mosques - have falsely accused me of being in a plot to destroy those beautiful abominations! It's the serpent up to his old tricks, telling half-truths and mixing it with outrageous lies. I did tell the GSS (Israel's Secret Police like the former East German Stasi) that I was thankful for the opportunity to clear the air and answer any questions. I didn't want to incriminate myself in any way - and they did try to entrap me - but I also didn't want to deny Christ the opportunity to testify before them (Mark 12:13).

All the while during my six and a half hours of interrogation, I prayed only to speak what God would have me to say; nothing more or less (Luke 20:12-19). I did clearly warn them that the "peace" process is a trap; that it's about to blow up in their faces, and that a German-led Europe is going to wage a new crusade to enforce the Vatican's version of peace. Catholic Europe will backstab and betray both the Arabs and the Jews. They'll push for Jerusalem to become "an international city" (Zech. 14:2), all under the cover of UN Resolution 181.

I maintained that the only explosives that I'm involved with is the bombshell I've written, Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. I continually referred them to it, stating that's where my beliefs are on public record (John 18:20). (Later I gave them a computer disk with my book on it to assist their alleged investigation). I told them I know that Israel won't take God's warning seriously, any more than those Jews who spurned Jabotinsky's efforts to save them from Hitler. (Ze'ev Jabotinksy warned the Jews of Hitler's fury but they thought he was just crying wolf). Nevertheless, God will intervene and save us after our worst time of suffering, and every survivor in Jerusalem will be holy.

That whole ordeal brought my name, and the fact that I've written a book, and that I'm a Sabbath-keeping Christian member of the Temple Mount Faithful, to Israel's attention (Philip. 1:12-14). It also increases my standing in the Jewish community who know I've willing to suffer to help try to save Israel from itself, and that I'm not bitter, but still expect Israeli citizenship. I've proven that I'm not a fair-weather friend. I plan on standing by Judah's side, even when they fall because they've refused to take the necessary actions to insure "Never Again." (Isa. 49:5; I Sam. 12:23).

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer in Ohio and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out Beyond Babylon.

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No God But God - Reza Aslan

By Paul Davis

"No god but God"

So said Saddam

The butcher of Baghdad

Before being executed

Did he serve God?

Certainly such could be refuted.

Islamic law in Muslim nations has muted

Freedom of religious expression

Shown the heart of Allah

And to the world taught a lesson

Violating many human rights

Troubled many souls with sleepless nights

Permitting the burning and bombing of churches

Continual killing of Jews of Christians

Now Islamic jihadists are killing Americans and Europeans

No god but God

Is a wonderful concept

For all other gods besides Jesus

We should wisely reject

Unlike Reza Aslan does project

Islam is not a religion

Firmly rooted in the prophetic

Jewish and Christian tradition.

The Torah and Bible call Islam

Erroneous and an abomination.

That should be quite obvious

Look around the world at Islam's murderous

Rage of religion, intolerant opinion

Hence it lacks spiritual dominion

For it spreads itself by violence

All other religions Islam meets with defiance

The prophet Muhammad

Is not one worthy of our reliance

This so-called prophet disobeyed his own doctrine

Marrying wives far more than four

More importantly, he fought in many religious wars

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life

Jesus the Savior did not engage in religious strife

Christ gently entreated humanity never killing anyone

Through His exemplary life the hearts of the world He won

Peaceably and graciously welcoming everyone

He even forgave them as to the cross they crucified Him

The religious fanatics crucified God's own Son

He who had for humanity come

To save us from ourselves and sin

To deposit the Holy Spirit to live within

To liberate us from intolerant dead religion

Victoriously Christ arose from the grave

In the power of the resurrection to save

Every tribe, kindred, tongue, and nation

To declare good news to all, an emancipation

From every false religious representation

To birth within the heart of man a new creation

That they might seek and know their heavenly Father

Lovingly embrace and accept one another

Tasting and experiencing the goodness of the Spirit

Lifting up their voice happily, that all might hear it

Beyond being cerebral, you can be spiritual

Beyond being religious, you can enjoy revival

Beyond being as Islam - intolerant and violent

You can surpass Islam's spiritual impotence

Bridge the divide and close the gap that does distance

Mankind from its Creator

Humbly kneel and implore

Christ will open religious prison doors

God is not the author of religion

Religion is man's creation

Religion is Satan's chief deception

The blessing of heaven

Intimately know God 24/7

Lift up your eyes

Awake and realize

That Islam is a religion of orphans

They don't know God as Father

Hence they are on edge

Not knowing the comfort of being a son or daughter

Nobody can get to the Father in heaven

But through Christ

For you He gave His life

God is not a killer, He is a life giver

Taste and see the Lord of glory is good

Be filled with the Spirit of truth and live as you should

Not in quarreling and contention

But joyously in divine celebration.

For whosoever calls upon Christ Jesus

Shall be saved

No do's and don'ts need to be made

Believe and receive

Christ will meet your heart's need

On the cross for you He did bleed

Therefore you need not to die for God

Because God in Christ already died for you

Repent of sin and in your heart invite Christ in

There is nothing left to do.

Simply believe and the Spirit of God will magnificently show you.

Fear not! Jesus Christ the captain of the hosts and Prince of Peace

Will give you triumph over tribulation and divine release.

Give God glory in the highest and experience peace on earth

It all begins through Jesus from whom comes spiritual new birth.

For Christ's kingdom is established by His Holy Spirit within

Conquer the heart's of mankind and this war on terror you'll win.


Paul Davis is a FL real estate professional, life coach (relational & professional), worldwide minister, and change master.

Paul is the author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.

Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served in many war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His Dream-Maker Inc. is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.

Paul's Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.

Contact Paul to minister, speak at your event or for life coaching: RevivingNations@yahoo.com, 407-284-1705.

For additional info:
www.DreamMakerMinistries.com
www.CreativeCommunications.TV

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Spiritual Teachers of India

By Richard Pettinger

Throughout the ages India has been the home of numerous Spiritual Masters and Saints. They have each offered a unique message and inspirational example of how we might aspire to a more illumining life. These saints have shared their wisdom and light in a way to suit the needs of the age and circumstances. However at heart they share a common message which is to “Know Thyself”. This is the supreme goal of yoga and spirituality; to know and realise our sense of divine consciousness.

A selection of India's Great Saints

Sri Krishna. Sri Krishna has been described as the perfect Avatar. Even from his birth he embodied the Supreme Consciousness. To his mother and devoted disciple, Arjuna he showed that in his human body resided the entire universe. During his time with the Gopis of Brindaban, Sri Krishna showed the path of love, devotion and surrender. Sri Krishna also left the immortal legacy of the Bhagavad Gita, which is a transcript of the conversation between Arjuna and Sri Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. In the Gita Sri Krishna, explained in simple language, how any sincere seeker could realise God; through devoted action and meditation on God.

Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha took incarnation in a time of religious decline. The essential purity of Hinduism and been lost as priests concentrated on outer forms, rituals and sacrifices. Lord Buddha revitalised spirituality in India by teaching how a seeker through right action, right thought and meditation could discover his own spiritual essence within. Lord Buddha was born in palace with all the worldly comforts. However he sacrificed all the pleasures of the world to seek liberation from bondage. After attaining a state of Nirvana Buddha stayed in the world for many years selflessly teaching others how they may seek liberation. Lord Buddha did not explicitly talk about God but he did talk about the infinite peace, light and love that could be experience through meditation and spiritual practise.

Sri Chaitanya. Sri Chaitanya was a Bhakti saint of the Vaishnava tradition. Intoxicated with divine love Sri Chaitanya revitalised the devotional Vaishanvism tradition of Hinduism. As a young man he was a brilliant scholar who was an excellent debater. However in his early 20s he became tired of his worldly pursuits as he gained an ever-increasing realisation of God. Through meditation and devotion to Sri Krishna, Sri Chaitanya became absorbed in the ecstasy of God communion. Sri Chaitanya urged his followers and disciples to ignore the distractions of the world and devote themselves to spiritual practise.

Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna was an uneducated simple village boy who attracted the most learned scholars of Bengal to imbibe his spiritual wisdom and spiritual magnetism. At times people felt his devotion was so intense they mistook it for madness. Sri Ramakrishna was only mad in the sense that he was so absorbed in the divine consciousness that he struggled to act in the world. Sri Ramakrishna was unique because he practised the religious disciplines of different sects and religions. Through his own personal experience he was able to testify that all religions did lead to God. It was his firm belief that all religious paths could lead to the same goal. At the same time he taught that outer rituals were not important. The essences of true religion and spirituality were to love God without reservation. Sri Ramakrishna also taught many notable disciples who spread his message of spirituality and religious tolerance. In particular Swami Vivekananda most powerfully encapsulated his message of religious tolerance at the world parliament of religions in 1893.

Richard Pettinger is a member of Sri Chinmoy Centre and follows the guidance of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy.

Richard enjoys writing biographies of spiritual figures

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Christian Meditation - The Yoga Alternative

By Michael Hawkins

Meditation is a way to get in touch with our inner feelings, and Christian meditation is no exception in this regard. Many have discovered the physical techniques of hatha yoga to be beneficial - thus the invention of something called Christian Yoga.

The religious beliefs and practices of yoga go as far back in history as the Upanishads. The word yoga originated from Hindus, it was a religious custom of Hinduism that through the custom of certain disciplines one may achieve liberation from the limitations of the flesh, the deceiving of the senses, and the pitfalls of thought and on that account accomplish fusion with the objective of awareness.

Though developed in the ancient Hindu doctrine, the movements of Christian yoga are so boundless that they can adapt to or be adopted by any culture pattern or esoteric direction.

Countless classes in the U.S. direct the habit of yoga, as a purely physical course of study that home in on poses or asana, and conduct no religious teaching of any kind.

Proponents say that Christian yoga fills a call for good Christians who need the positive health effects of yoga but are put off by the habit's ancient Hindu roots. With this approach to Christian meditation on can combine the wonderful tangible benefits of yoga within the own spiritual beliefs.

The yoga has been known for many years, and was practiced by a selection of the Early Christians during the persecution. The love and spirit that humbled the Early Christians has been passed on to the men and women of today. Christian yoga is about unfolding some of these wonderful possibilities each one includes. It is about possibilities so remarkable that countless early Christians proved to be prepared to die in aid of holding a door open for other people to embrace them. Accept it and be renewed by following the Christian pathway, the Christian yoga.

In the Eastern system of belief though, Christian yoga is not barely an Eastern compilation of positions or breathing techniques. Rather the aspiration is to be ready for an influence that can change and revitalize. Eastern yoga attempts to forget the ego, the Christian direction aims at transforming the person. Christian yoga is pictured clearly in the New Testament in the description of Jesus' life as an allegory. It is a step-by-step way of change and the unravelling of a new life. As Jesus promised, this "heaven", this new consciousness of your essence, is not far away. It is already yours if you have come to know how to find it.

In Western, Christian yoga women have held an noteworthy role in its practice and teachings from it's early days. It's about global cycles of life, of mind and heart.

The critique against it

In spite of its acceptance, Christian yoga has also garnered disapproval.

Several Christians say that Christian yoga is just in disagreement with Christianity, while still articulating that it is not a religion in its own right. Others claim that there does not exist something called Christian yoga because it mixes up two different belief structures. Catholic priests in Mexico City, as an example, instructed their parishioners not to attend Yoga schools seeing as how this activity would come to "other gods and Eastern religion beliefs".

Albeit antagonists have accused that yoga's age-old Hindu traditions are incompatible with Christian faith, adepts mean that the training is a perfect channel for spiritual reflection. As Yoga can help you find positions in which one can meditate comfortably for long periods of time, it should be of interest to any kind of meditative practise.

If one is open enough to embrace the non-religious aspects of Yoga, it should certainly lend itself well to enhance Christian meditation as well.

Michael Hawkins is an active Yoga practitioner. He has written a "book for westerners" about Yoga, where Yoga's relationship to Christian meditation and other religious views is discussed. By reading it you gain valuable insight in what Yoga is, as well as what it isn't.

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Islamists And Their Leftist Enablers

By Aidan Maconachy

Sometimes I think the wrong people are fighting the so-called "war on terror". I say so-called because to call it a "war" is a bit misleading. The war in Iraq may include elements that identify with Al Qaeda, but much of it is internecine conflict between Iraqi factions, most of whom couldn't care less about a global caliphate or any other visionary schemes hatched by bin Laden and al Zawahiri.

But sticking with the "war on terror" angle for a minute. It's odd in a way that Christian fundamentalists are leading the charge - led by preachers like Pat Robertson, Michael Evans and Franklin Graham.

Fact is, Christian fundamentalists have a good deal in common with their Islamist counterparts. Both Islamists and Christian fundies are people of "the book", have a fondness for scriptural laws and moral prohibitions, male leaders, outsize places of worship, bombastic rhetoric and prophetic utterances. The males among them generally prefer the women to be at home with the kids and have dinner ready at the appointed hour.

Christian fundamentalists are frequently a subject of ridicule dished out by leftists, feminists and other progressive types. However the same crew of detractors is much less willing to raise even a murmur of complaint about the behavior of Muslim radicals.

Ironically enough, a possibly more significant struggle with Islamism is going on in the cities of Europe - not on the streets of Baghdad. The values the Islamists are keen to import, for example sharia law, are inimical to everything Western society stands for and yet you have people like George Galloway making common cause with Islamists, along with other left wing groups. The rationale behind this bizarre alliance-of-convenience in the UK is anti-Blair and anti-establishment thinking at root and it is legitimizing a trend toward Muslim extremism that is on the rise.

According to a recent British survey, 40% of Muslims between the ages of 16 and 24 claim they would rather live under sharia law. This is a more extreme opinion than that of their parents. Among Muslims over the age of 55 the figure is just 17%.

Of the young British Muslims surveyed 36% said that Muslims who convert to another religion should be killed and 75% said they would prefer it if Muslim women chose to wear a veil.

The culture war that is shaping up shouldn't be interpreted as an attack on Islam, so much as a defense of secular values and the vital importance of minimizing the role of religion - all religion - in civil society. The reason it should not be viewed as anti-Islamic is because there are a significant number of Western Muslims who have no sympathy whatever for the veiling of women, let alone the introduction of sharia law. Moreover nowhere in the Quran does it stipulate that women must wear a niqab, the full face veil at the center of a row in UK schools.

Religious women, in Turkey as an example, live perfectly devout lives without resorting to Saudi veiling habits. In many instances the insistence on wearing the niqab in UK schools and work places, is more of a political statement than a religious one. It's a way of expressing militant disapproval about everything from the war in Iraq to the values of Western society.

From a different perspective, the veil is a symbol of separation. It is bound to have a psychological effect on the young woman wearing it - an effect that certainly won't help her to integrate with the school community. The veil announces her religion before she can even introduce herself. It objectifies her as "the Muslim" and serves as a visual reminder that she is "other".

A lot of effort has been expended in the West over the past few decades to break down sexist barriers. Girls are taught to be assertive. They are taught to view themselves as an equal to any boy. They are encouraged to take responsibility for their sexuality and life choices. Significant strides have been made to break down the barriers that traditionally kept females at one remove from their male peers.

It's not unreasonable to require Muslim immigrants to adapt. After all they chose to move to a culture that is for the most part secular. There should be no prohibition on the practice of their religion - simply the entirely reasonable expectation that they don't make the public practice of a religious lifestyle an obstacle to integration.

Aidan Maconachy resides in Ontario, Canada. He has a BA Hons and a BEd. He taught in the UK and Canada, and has been a contributor to a variety of magazines and newspapers over the years. You can visit his blog at http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/

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Fact to Fiction: The Brutal Truth about the Practice of Stoning

By Brooke Sikula

“Like humans void of soul or mind, they jeered and yelled as they went about selecting their most jagged stones.” – David Hearne, excerpt from Hulagu's Web.

Stoning is a brutal and outdated practice that is kept alive only by Muslims under Sharia rule. Although it has been practiced since biblical times, every other culture has systematically ceased the practice in favor of more humane forms of punishment. The torturous sentence leaves the victim in agony. David Hearne, in his book Hulagu's Web, shows us how painful it can be. “Terror ripped through her mind…then suddenly the first stone smashed into her…” (Hulagu's Web, 64) The only solitude the punished has is that they will soon die.

Stoning is typically a punishment for adultery, although it can also be use for cases of incest and other sexual or “moral” crimes. Typically, a stoning victim is first wrapped in cloth and buried up to the waist for men, or up to the chest for females. Then the crowd is to throw stones at the victim. However, it is very important that, “… no stone should be thrown that should kill with the first or second blow, or so small as a pebble to do no injury to the condemned.” (Hulagu's Web, 64) Stoning is a unique form of punishment in that there is no single executioner. The simplistic act of gathering the victim’s peers around him creates killers out of everyone.

Today, stoning is only practiced in Islamic culture in order to maintain the submission of its women and those in the lower cast. Only those impoverished or socially unimportant are punished by stoning. This barbaric act parallels those of the 4th century Theodosius who punished those who did not share his religious views. He ordered all non-Christian temples be destroyed and that all heathens be executed unless they convert. His decree now lives on in the hands of religious Islamic tyrants that now employ the brutal act of stoning. These acts of barbarism and violence far outweigh the moral transgression of those condemned.

Stoning has been in practice since biblical times. In the Old Testament, God is quoted as requiring stoning as a punishment for breaking one of the Ten Commandments, particularly for committing adultery. However, in the New Testament, Jesus is believed to have replaced that type of punishment for a more humane punishment. He is quoted as having challenged, “he that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” This is why stoning has slowly been replaced with punishments that require less involvement of ones peers.

As we realize the impact of such a brutal death, we realize that we have no right to take part in killing another when we too have sinned. This imparting of sin on all those who partake in it is the very reason most cultures have abandoned the practice.

We already see a disintegration of the practice of stoning in Islamic culture. Only those under Sharia rule still practice it. In this culture, there is no distinction between religious and governmental law. Religion is governmental law. More information on Islam and Sharia law can be found at http://answering-islam.org.uk/.

Among the countries that still practice stoning are Afghanistan, Iran, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates. Other Islamic countries denounce the practice as inhumane and indicate that the Qur’an provides no grounds for such a vicious practice. Those who practice stoning claim that it is demanded by Islam and have gone so far as incorporating it into their countries penal codes.

From these deep rooted laws regarding stoning, there have been a few recent cases of global interest where stoning has been received as a punishment. In December 2004 a woman in Iran was scheduled to be stoned to death after spending five years in prison for committing adultery. She was one of over 100 to be stoned to death in Iran last year alone. In Nigeria, a woman was sentenced to stoning after giving birth to a baby more than nine months after divorcing. To her good fortune, this sentence was overturned. More instances of recent convictions resulting in stoning can be found at http://www.religioustolerance.org/isl_adul1.htm. With international efforts to stop stoning, the rulings are being overturned with more frequency, hopefully giving less credibility to Sharia law.

David Hearne shows us a heart-wrenching account of a stoning in his book Hulagu's Web. He shows us that not only does the victim suffer the agony of the stoning, but also her anguish is unfelt by the executioners who relish their license to kill. “A spray of blood and spit now accompanies her cries of pain…The gore pleased [him], and he gleefully watched the proceedings to ensure that no one used a stone of the wrong size.” (Hulagu's Web, 64-65) Through this account we can see that the emotional involvement of crowd creates the wrong message. Instead of invoking fear of being stoned themselves, the crowd comes to enjoy a good stoning and thrives off of it. In this fashion, stoning is no longer a form of punishment, rather a form of entertainment that breeds murderers out of ordinary people.

For those doing the stoning, it is a social event that becomes more of a religious sport than a true act of moral self-righteousness. An actual video of a stoning can be viewed at http://www.iran-e-azad.org/stoning/. The footage taken in Iran illustrates a party like atmosphere of those carrying out the execution. It is reminiscent of the family picnics at the old Wild West hangings or the popularity of people watching the slaughter of gladiators in early Rome.

Like other diabolical methods of torture, stoning has gone out of style as society realized that having others participate in the punishment of another, even a criminal, devalues life. Stoning also creates fear and terrorizes the minds of others. The Guillotine, whipping, pouring acid on someone or gouging their eyes out with iron have all been gleefully practiced over the ages by zealots. Regardless of the how brutal, none of these punishments have stood the test of time. Even those founded in the name of religion have died out because they are cruel and inhumane.

As these diabolical methods have failed, it is important to note one punishment continually in practice: Jail. Imprisonment has been a popular form of punishment because having “…her face pulverized by the stoning,” (Hulagu's Web, 64) seems a little extreme no matter what the crime. Even though so many cultures have migrated towards this type of punishment, it is hard for westerners to understand why Sharia Muslims still sanction a punishment this inhumane.

As stoning is done in the name of Allah, Hearne has his character yelling “God is great.” (Hulagu's Web, 63) The crowd is egged on even more as they become more involved with the stoning. Perhaps the worst part about stoning is that it brings ordinary God fearing people to actually fear life itself. They are put into a perpetual state of fear such as Hearne’s Senator Laforge who imagines her own stoning in a nightmare. (Hulagu's Web, 63) Unable to let the memory go, people in these countries under Sharia rule cower and are plagued with fear of their life ending in such a brutal manner.

Stoning is an act of insanity and must be stopped. That humans should gather around and throw stones with the intent to take another human life is a hideous thought. Though fiction, David Hearne’s book shows us that an individual can be gripped with fear over governmental prosecution. It is the passion shown in his book that gives us cause and hope for change in the world.

For more information on joining the international fight against stoning, visit the following links:

http://www.stopstoningnow.com/

http://www.free-minds.org/stoning.htm

After traveling to over 20 countries, Brooke Sikula has finally settled down in Ventura, CA. She enjoys quilting, home improvement projects and spending time with her husband and 1 year old son. Brooke has a B.A. in History and Spanish and currently works as a freelance writer.

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Herbert W. Armstrong Was Ahead of His Time!

By David Ben-Ariel

I'm often accosted by some who mindlessly cut and paste a list of Herbert W. Armstrong's "failed prophecies." I respond Herbert Armstrong was ahead of his time and served as an early warning system. What follows is one of these many exchanges:

...is it really enough to dismiss this written record as "being
ahead of his time?"

Yes. Why don't you just be honest and admit you hate Herbert W. Armstrong because he spoke the plain truth that CANNOT be refuted? that your traditional Churchianity is merely baptized paganism the Bible condemns as part of Mystery Babylon? For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals; that sheeple like you bleat they're born again and don't have a clue what they're talking about, since we're born again at the Resurrection only; that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth - not float off to Heaven; that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from God; the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God? Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?

Haven't I refuted Herbert Armstrong by showing his timing was off?

No. The Apostle Paul also thought Christ would return in his lifetime. He was ahead of his time, as he, like Herbert W. Armstrong, later realized.

The enemies of God and Herbert W. Armstrong can't refute the plain truth of the Bible that anybody can read and see for themselves. That's why they have such a murderous hatred against Christ in him, just like the "religious" violently opposed Jesus for standing up for the TRUTH over their tradition.

May such misguided folks repent of their mob mentality against God's servants, and learn to go against popular error instead and start teaching the plain truth of the Bible (that contradicts their present idolatrous traditions). Otherwise they'll die in their sins and traditional darkness (John 15:22).

...by what criteria did he speak truth?

Mr. Armstrong spoke the plain truth by the criteria of the Bible that counterfeit Christianity has rejected for their own traditions. The Bereans were noble for checking out what Paul said compared to THE BIBLE - not compared to their traditions (Acts 17:11).

...are you denying he said the things I posted?

I said Mr. Armstrong was ahead of his time. The PRINCIPLES of prophecy he spoke of remain absolutely true: a final revival of the unholy Roman Empire is prophesied and the EU is forging ahead with that Frankenstein Monster now.

I'm stating categorically that what you've thrown up against Mr. Armstrong is a DIVERSIONARY TACTIC, a dishonest attempt to discredit him, since you can't refute the black and white of the Bible he taught on the plain points I've made and you know it. Who do you think you're fooling by such pretense? God? Man? Why play your foolish games?

Proof that you're offering lame excuses is because every one of your popular traditional ministers or groups have taught and said worse things that, unlike HWA, aren't even true according to biblical prophecy, such as Russia attacking America (when Mr. Armstrong alone warned it will ultimately be a German-led Europe that attacks us that even some Protestants now agree is true) and yet we never see you get all hot and bothered about them or post against them or call them false prophets. Why your glaring double standard? Perhaps you're too blind to see it yourself, but now that it's been brought to your attention, prayerfully think about it and see this is the plain truth.

"For exposing your SUNday as a pagan counterfeit of the biblical Sabbath; your pagan holidays you've sought with your replacement theology to replace the biblical festivals'" --

I believe Judaizers were addressed by Paul, not by me.

According to your vain traditions and popular error, Paul would be a Judaizer since he kept and taught the biblical Sabbath and festivals, just like Jesus did and will command all nations to keep when He returns and reigns in Jerusalem.

Are you in denial of this plain truth? It says Christ will command both Jews, Israelites and Gentiles, all nations, to keep the Feast of Tabernacles - not pagan Xmas or Easter (should tell you a lot right there!)- when He reigns from Jerusalem with the glorified Saints, then brilliant God-beings. Is Jesus a Judaizer? Rather, your kind are Roman wolves in sheep's clothing with your replacement theology, seeking to demonically replace the Sabbath with pagan Sunday, the biblical festivals with your hollow days of pagan origins that GOD HATES, and you do many other similar things with your idolatrous and tinsel traditions.

"that God is not the sadist traditional Christians make Him out to be; that the meek inherit the Earth - not float off to Heaven;" --
who said anything about floating off? I have specifically said our hope is in the new earth.

Thankfully, you're correct about the New Earth, but your traditional Churchianity teaches folks go to "heaven or hell" when they die, which is a RELIGIOUS LIE. And I see you still misrepresent God as a sadist rather than a loving God who puts the wicked out of their misery, who mercifully destroys them completely in the Lake of Fire and lets them return to dust while the rest become divine.

"that you're not an immortal soul, eternal life is a gift from
God;" --
Yes, a gift already given to all.

Another RELIGIOUS LIE. Why don't you believe the clear teachings of the Scripture rather than Catholic-Babylonian doctrines of demons? Satan said, "You shall surely not die." In other words, you're an immortal soul! Yet God's Word says the soul that sins it shall die, and Revelation speaks of the second death (from which there is never a resurrection), and Jesus spoke about destroying both body and soul in "Hell fire." Why don't you believe Him? God isn't the sadist you counterfeit Christians with your serpentine ministers make Him out to be.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not PERISH (death), but (on the other hand) have everlasting life." Life or death - those are the only two choices. Not life and life. And who would consider it a gift if they had eternal life in torment? You're not even being logical or biblical. "The wages of sin is DEATH, but the gift of God is eternal life" (Romans 6:23). Life or death, plain and simple. And "no murderer has eternal life dwelling in him" (I John 3:15).

"the wicked will be destroyed, ashes under our feet; we can
become literal God-beings, members of the Kingdom-Family of God? Why don't you just confess and forsake your sins of murderous hatred against HWA for slaughtering your "sacred cow" and exposing it as religious bull from Babylon?" --

I don't believe you ever answered as to why HWA was lying to you
about the Greek language, his sole basis for his beliefs; that it does not concern you......

Why are you still wrestling dishonestly, desperately, with YOUR straw man? I've clearly shown how biblical it is to know and believe and teach we're to become literal God-beings and I don't need to know Greek to read it in the Bible and believe the simplicity that is in Christ.

Why are you so dishonest and trying to squirm around clear statements like "flesh and blood does NOT inherit the Kingdom of God," and "we shall see Him as He is for we shall be like Him," and even as we've born the human image of Adam, so we'll bear the divine image of Christ, the FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHREN.

Why don't you believe those clear Scriptures that you're afraid to address and go off on your little tangents, dishonestly? Why don't you let the Truth set you free from your lying traditions? Why resist the Holy Spirit of truth? You should praise God for exposing such darkness to you and be glad to forsake the Babylon you're in enslaved within. Regardless, it's your choice: you can become dust or divine, have eternal life or eternal death. But, like God, I encourage you to CHOOSE LIFE.

David Ben-Ariel, a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, shares a special focus on the Middle East and great interest in Jerusalem, reflected in hard-hitting articles that help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Visit the Herbert W. Armstrong blog.

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Restore Israeli Sovereignty Over the Temple Mount

By David Ben-Ariel

The Wakf, the militant Muslim authority that oversees Jerusalem's Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest site and Islam's alleged third holiest site (following Mecca and Medina) continue to show blatant disregard for Jewish, Christian and biblical history and non-Muslim sensitivities.

Matti Friedman's AP article -- "At Temple Mount Holy Site, What Is Treasure?" -- exposes how the Wakf engaged in unsupervised and illegal gouging of the Temple Mount (the holy site of both Solomon's Temple and Zerubbabel Temple enlarged by Herod that Jesus and the apostles worshipped in), removing tons of its historically rich soil and callously dumping it in the nearby Kidron Valley (that I've walked through many times, climbing the Mount of Olives). Such atrocious acts reveal a serious lack of proper respect for archaeology and other religions and serve as an indictment against the Wakf and the Israeli government for looking the other way.

However, this serious breach of religious respect and tolerance for non-Muslims is nothing new, as a Muslim mob overran the biblical patriarch Joseph's Tomb, site of a synagogue, burnt the Torah scrolls and murdered the rabbi who supervised the site, as well as a Druse officer trying to protect it, and utterly trashed the holy place. And who can forget the Muslim terrorists holed up in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, using the baptismal font as a latrine and abusing the New Testaments there? Not to mention the daily religious discrimination upon the Temple Mount where they illegally forbid Christians and Jews from praying or reading the Bible.

These are the concrete actions of the leaders of the "Palestinian" community, documented actions that are in stark contrast to the virtues they profess to the Western media about religious tolerance and freedom of access to religious sites within "Palestine."

It's past time the
Israeli government act responsibly and change the deplorable status quo upon the Temple Mount, and restore Judaism's holiest site as the Temple Mount, hosting a "a House of Prayer for all peoples" as envisioned by the Prophets.

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Restore-Israeli-Sovereignty-Over-the-Temple-Mount&id=363716