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Swami

“Love follows knowledge.” Thomas Aquinas

“The Study of philosophy is not that we may know what men have thought, but what the truth of things is. ”

“The study of truth requires a considerable effort - which is why few are willing to undertake it out of love of knowledge - despite the fact that God has implanted a natural appetite for such knowledge in the minds of men.”

“The things that we love tell us what we are.”

Thomas Aquinas
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Was the holocaust such a bad thing ?

Now I have got your attention, why are we continually reminded of the terrible things that the Germans did, even film and documentaries about them, even we have to be politically correct and no be anti Semitic.

Victims of Soviet genocide Mass murder of a type never before seen in human history was carried out in Russia by the Soviet government from 1917 until roughly 1953. That was the world's first modern holocaust, i.e. the systematic murder of millions of people by a government. The Soviet holocaust began years before the Nazis committed their holocaust.

Most of the murders committed during the Soviet holocaust were committed by people who were racially/ethnically Jewish [in fact, Jews, via their political activism, built the Soviet Union]. Granted, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin was not a Jew, and his predecessor Vladimir Lenin was only part-Jewish [however both were married to Jews]. But most of the top people who served in the Soviet government under both Stalin and Lenin were Jewish, and their names are well-known to many historians - for example Leon Trotsky, Lazar Kaganovich, Lev Kamenev, Genrikh Yagoda, Nikolai Yezhov ...YES JEWS !

Victims of Soviet genocide Interestingly, apart from the Soviet government, Jews also dominated many Eastern European communist governments , and as such they oversaw what might be referred to as micro-holocausts, i.e. the murder, torture and jailing of scores of other innocent citizens, most of them gentiles as well.

The Soviet holocaust is rarely mentioned in the West today. And when it is mentioned, it isn't referred to as a holocaust. The reason for that is because public mention of that holocaust - and calling it a holocaust - would cause the Nazi-committed holocaust to be significantly overshadowed. Such overshadowing would have major political, racial and financial consequences, not just for the Jews but for other people as well.


At least twenty million Russian citizens were murdered in the Soviet holocaust, and many more than that were imprisoned and/or tortured in some way. Many of the people who were murdered or oppressed were politically conservative or moderate Russians who simply opposed Soviet communism. But some of the people who were killed by the Soviets were political leftists who, for certain reasons, opposed the Soviet government, or, were seen as a political threat to the government.

Some Jews might make excuses for the Soviet holocaust. They might say that the Jews in Russia were only responding to anti-Semitism when they carried it out. But that's a weak excuse. Murdering 20 million people and enslaving millions more for decades is not an appropriate response to a social feature that was caused by Jewish behavior in the first place. Other Jews might say that the Soviet holocaust was not a 'real' holocaust. But of course it was: certain people were methodically murdered over a long period of time.
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Keys707

Spiritual Communications - Final

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Washington's own contemporaries did not question his Christianity but were thoroughly convinced of his devout faith--a fact made evident in the first-ever compilation of the The Writings of George Washington, published in the 1830s.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 KJV

And no matter what scientific names they call it, it's still spiritual power in operation in the realm of the spirit. If they were able to scientifically analyze it they'd probably call it natural--natural forces, natural powers. But the Lord has made a distinction between the things of the spirit and the things of the flesh. You usually think of the flesh and material things as natural, and the things in the realm of the spirit as spiritual and supernatural.

So whether they know it or not, they are using the power of the spirit. And if they don't have the Lord in their heart, it has to be the Devil no matter what good they are trying to do. There are literal spiritual forces behind the scenes with which they're dealing, and in so doing they're really playing with fire! They're really taking chances because they're not necessarily protected by the Lord. But if you're a child of God, none of these things can touch you!

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How wonderful it is if you have faith and you're the Lord's child! You see the good and you feel good and you praise the Lord and are thankful. You're on His channel and you're getting His vibes all the time. You're constantly hearing from Him and you're hearing His voice all the time in the mind's eye, your spirit. All day long and even at night in your sleep you're receiving the Lord's communication.

If you're in the Lord, then you're His child, and you don't have anything to worry about.--You shouldn't fear, you shouldn't worry. You know the Lord's protecting you, He keeps you, He hallows you round about and gives His angels charge over you.

Thank You, Lord, that you have not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Thou shalt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee, for perfect love casts out all fear, and greater is He that is in us, Lord, than he that is in the World. All we have to do is resist the Enemy and he will flee from us, Lord!

Help Thy children not to fear, Lord, not to worry, not to talk about the Devil or his power more than absolutely necessary. Teach Thy children and warn them to stay close to You, Lord, and in Your realm of protection.

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We rest in You, Lord, we sleep in Thee, in the hollow of Thy arms, Thy hands, under Thy wings, Thy secret place. We abide under the shadow of the Almighty. It's like Your special force field around us, Lord, like an aura, a special kind of glory that protects us. We thank You for how You keep us and protect us!

May God help you to have good spiritual communication with Him and each other! May He help you to get your signals straight and not get your wires crossed! If you stay close to Him and each other, you will! If you stay in His Will and obey, you'll have a strong, clear channel and really get the picture tuned in loud and clear!--Amen? God bless and keep you in good spiritual communication with Him and us!






DeepTruths TFI [Posted Video - NEWNESS "NO MORE TEARS" | 8-YEARS IN CHRIST (VICTOR MARQ)
WhyNotAgain4love

Who is God? Does God exists?

This is one concept many people don't want to talk about, because they claim it is Religion. Others don't want to, because it is controversial and do not want to be 'crucified'.

When one hears about God or is ask about the concept of God, the first thing that comes to mind is the Biblical God, as if the Bible is the 'only and true' authority about God. Even some of the atheists that I have spoken to who do not believe in God, believe that something is responsible for the creation of the world. Is that 'something' God?

So, who is God? Does God exist?

One may not agree with my opinion, but it is mine, just like every others that may comment on this blog. I will like it to be respected (same as others) and not rain the 'Armageddon' curse on any comments here.

Here is my view:

The concept of God is mostly seen from the Bible's perspective, which is a big error. The Bible is NOT a true account of creation or of God. Rather the Bible is nothing but a historical document of a tribe (the Hebrew). And the God in the Bible, is that created by the Hebrews to support their historical account. And the concept and rites were borrowed from the Egyptians. And most of the stories (Adam, Eve, the serpent and the apple, Noah's flood, the tower of Babel, All Egyptians first male sons being killed, etc) are just mythical. They are not true stories. The Biblical God is NOT the truine or true God. The believe in the Biblical God, to me, is responsible for all the current problems (hatred, revenge, etc) of the world today. The Biblical God is a Despotic, tyrannical, hateful, vengeful, jealous, never forgiving God, who must be appeased or whose anger must be curbed with costly sacrifices of the lives and blood of animals. Can one imagine the bleating and the pains of these creatures as they are roasted alive (whole burnt sacrifice) to appease an 'all powerful' and just God?

Or which righteous and sympathetic God will cause destruction of his creation (children) simply, because they disobeyed him. Will any parents do that?

Or which righteous and just God will order the killings of other tribes simply, because they are 'not his own'. 1st Samuel 15 (2-3) Thus says the Lord of hosts, "I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey." Now, imagine the women running away with their infants and being clubbed and speared to death on the orders of Biblical God. Today, we all cry for the head of a police commissioner if a policeman shoots and kills a victim running away. Yet this is a true God.

Believe me, if the Biblical God is alive today, he will be before the International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.

This is not to say that the Bible is a complete trash. No. There are some writings in the Bible that society can benefit from. Books like Proverbs, Ecclesiates, and the mystical teachings of Jesus the Christ, are worth reading and very beneficial.

Does that mean there is no God? And does God exists?

There is God. The true God is the Creative Force or the Universal Breath that created the universe; the force that brought beings into existence. While the atheists may not believe in God, but by believing in something being responsible for creation, that something to me is God. This creative force is so powerful that it's vibrative protoplasts result in creation. It is the force existing in man that is referred to as the image of God.

Does God exist? Yes, in his vibrative force in us. Hence when Christ was asked about the Kingdom of God, he responded that the kingdom of God is in us. Luke 17 (21) "Neither shall they say, Lo here or lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is in you."

I like hear your comments.

THE TRIBE OF NAPHTALI Part 1

THE TRIBE OF NAPHTALI Part 1
(The people from the South Pacific Islands along with Argentina and Chile are from the Tribe of Naphtali. One of the lost tribes of Israel. God's Chosen people. Our forefather Israel had understanding of what would happen to his future generations after we became a nation in the last days.
He informed his 12 Sons of these future events that would take place in the last days so that this information could be passed down to us in order to find the main locations of our nation. And then the remnant of our people who are scattered throughout the earth.
According to the prophecies that was given to Jacob His son Naphtali would be scattered into the South America and the South Pacific regions of the earth in the last days including.
Let's eat...

Genesis 49(Kjv)
1 And Jacob called unto his sons, and said, Gather yourselves together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the >>>LAST DAYS.<<<
2 Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
Genesis 49:21(Kjv)
21 Naphtali is a hind let loose: >>>HE GIVETH GOODLY WORDS.<<<
(According to the Bible, in the last days the Tribe of Naphtali would have a major trait found in their way of life like there ceremonial dance, greetings, and all around warrior spirit. Here are some examples of "goodly words" such as: Aloha, Aloha kakahiaka etc. These words are known worldwide.)
Deuteronomy 33:23(Kjv)
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the >>>WEST<<< and the >>>SOUTH.<<<
(God said in the last days the people of Naphtali will possess the West and the South. Which are the Hawaiian and Fiji Islands which = (West), and (South) = Argentina and Chile. Notice in this scripture, another indicator is the blessings of a beautiful habitat.
The Fiji Islands are a part of the most beautiful locations on earth. When it says "O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord:" God said he would bless the tribe of Naphtali in the last days with very fertile and beautiful land.
Deuteronomy 33:23(Kjv)
23 And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favor, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the >>>WEST<<< and the >>>SOUTH.<<<
(In Biblical time the Tribe of Naphtali settled their land in North of Israel. Not the West and the South. You can see the difference on the map of Israel that I have provided as evidence.)

ADDITIONAL REFERENCES
A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Armageddon
by David Hatcher Childress
Early Theories on the Polynesians: Darker races were considered the
sons of Ham, while lighter races, such as American Indians and
Polynesians, were considered the sons of Shem.
Buddha Is Hiding: Refugees Citizenship, the New America
by Aihwa Ong wrote in this book that,
“Part of the appeal of Mormonism
was its claim that Native Americans and South Pacific Islanders could
trace their ancestral origins to migratory lost tribes mentioned in the Book of Mormons”.
Nature Culture and History: The “Knowing” of Oceania by K. R. Howe
pg.61
"Early Nineteenth-century scriptural interpretation had
Pacific islanders descending from Shem and as one of the Lost Tribes of Israel that eventually wandered off, degenerating into the Pacific."
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lindsyjones

Britain's Burka Blues

Britain's Burka Blues: "I'd Like to Thank Boris Johnson"
by Denis MacEoin • September 3, 2018 at 5:00 am



"As a Muslim woman, I'd like to thank Boris Johnson for calling out the niqab" — Title of an article by Dr. Qanta Ahmed in The Spectator.

"his is a point that we Muslims seem to be unable to get across to non-Muslims – there is no basis in Islam for the niqab.... That's why Muslim nations are themselves regulating and banning the niqab and burqa..." — Dr. Qanta Ahmed, The Conversation, January 2017.

Some observers feel that it is especially painful to see Western feminists marching and wearing black face masks in order to protect Muslim women's right to wear them, but failing to support the rights of other Muslim women who plead not to be forced into them.

We are expected to feel guilty if we dare to question what some Muslim women themselves question: if shariah law is really the most wholesome lifestyle for many women.


To many, female Islamic clothing, from hijabs to niqabs and burqas, represents the powerful oppression of women's rights. They look as if they could be symbols of the undue pressures on women to conform to a patriarchal, deeply misogynistic code and the punishments that can be and often are inflicted on women for even a slight avoidance of the rules. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
On August 5, Britain's former Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, published an article in The Daily Telegraph. Entitled "Denmark has got it wrong. Yes, the burka is oppressive and ridiculous – but that's still no reason to ban it", the article created a furore both within and outside his own Tory party, and for more than one reason.

Johnson is currently the strongest candidate to replace Theresa May as Prime Minister, given her increasing weakness as a leader, largely due to the problems surrounding Brexit and her inability to create a suitable deal for it. This is relevant to the furore. Johnson is an ambitious politician who is given to making controversial comments. "I'd Like to Thank Boris Johnson"
by Denis MacEoin

Note: I never thought there is another side of this fiasco from some muslim women themselves.

It is relieving to know.
Johnny_Sparton

Is the end near?

Now....I don't know....this is just shear speculation...nothing more. I am writing this as to see what you think and maybe what you can add or disprove.

Back in the late 1990's, I have a very deep and long conversation with an elderly gentleman who believed the end was near us. He said from when the time, in the bible, when the hand wrote on the wall....the writing, the old man told me, was a number. He told me, add that number to the year when the hand wrote it on the wall and you will have the year when everything will end.

In addition, he told me that our whole money system will be reset and we will be forced to accept a number. If a person does not accept that number, it will not be good. For starters, you will not be able to buy or sell. Also, if you do accept it, you are in essence accepting Satan.

Here comes the politics. Trump has claimed that he was going to bankrupt our nation. This would basically reset our whole financial system. If he bankrupts our country, what will he replace money with? What will it do to the world? What will be our new way of buying and selling?

The Anti-Christ is suppose to be a very charismatic person and is said to have the answer for everything...all of the problems we face.

There is technology out there that would allow us to be all individually tracked and with databases, individually monitored.

In the Book of Revelations, it said in the end, the seven trumpets will sound....and there are seven Trumps.

If you look at all the seals each of the trumpets are said to break....it is interesting when you look at today's day.

Just something I was thinking of.
socrates44online today!

Women and Witchcraft

In the earliest European societies, dating back prior to four thousand B.C.E., people were grouped into tribes. Life was organized around survival. A male's ability to hunt was integral to the societal system, but far more important was the power of women to give birth, thereby sustaining the continuity of the tribe.

Women were also the healers of these early European societies. It was primarily the women who tended to the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of their people. Often, women were the religious leaders of their tribes, guiding people through the different stages of their lives.

The diverse abilities of women were thought to be sacred. These sacred female powers became personified into the figure of a goddess, a deity thought to be the mother of all life. It has been established by scholars that a goddess was probably Europe's primary deity until as recently as three thousand B.C.E. (Eisler 1-7).

Female leaders in religion became increasingly rare in the centuries leading up to the witch persecutions. These women continued to represent feminine authority. They were the sibyls of Greece, the Witches and Druidesses of Celtic Ireland and Britain, women who were now separated from society, but still sought out as well as feared. To the male dominated establishment, these women were now a threat. In a society where God is male, women become devalued.

Witchcraft was (and is) the survival of fragmented pagan belief systems mainly collected from the folklore of Celtic Britain and Ireland. European Archeologist Marija Gimbutas notes that the women called witches "were greatly feared since they continued to represent the power of a formidable Goddess on Earth" (20). When the Catholic hierarchy absorbed Britain and Ireland, it encountered the Celtic people, whose religion and way of life was still contrary to the ideal that women should be obedient to men. The church henceforth set out to eliminate these belief systems, as they had tried to do to the continental pagan religions who were also matrifocal in origin, and they accused these other religious groups of devil worship.

The most harmful work of propaganda ever directed at women was the Malleus Malificarum, or Witches' Hammer. This book set a standard of misogyny so great that Western civilization is still influenced by its hateful ideas. Historian Selma Williams examined the "Malleus" for its sexist content and found statements such as: "A woman is by her nature more quicker to waver in her faith and consequently quicker to abjure the faith, which is the root of witchcraft" (qtd. in Williams 39).

Throughout the witch persecutions, the use of healing techniques was a major issue in the charging and convicting of a suspected witch.The female healers of Europe represented a threat to the church hierarchy, which supported the rising male medical profession. These male doctors catered to the upper class who could afford them. 

The practice of medicine by women was a threat to the Church because medicine contained the power over life and death, a power belonging to God alone, and delegated to his male representatives on earth. 

The sexuality of women was probably the most significant issue involved during the witch persecutions. During those times, in an era when sex was viewed as sinful, women could not hide their obviously s*xual natures: they became pregnant; they gave birth; they menstruated. Negative attitudes about sex were translated into negative attitudes about women, and reflected themselves strongly in witch trial procedures. In the Christian religion, we are often reminded of the temptation of sex; however, in the times of the Witch Persecutions, the church often mentioned s*xual temptation as being inherent in women, therefore making her an obstacle on the path from man to God (Cavendish 3057).


Abridged from:

Keys707

On Pride and Humility - Final -

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Humility is something that is gained and practiced as we grow in wisdom and grace. Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary defines “humility” as: a prominent Christian grace. It is a state of mind well pleasing to God; it preserves the soul in tranquility and makes us patient under trials - Biblically speaking, humility is the opposite of pride. And according to one thesaurus source, some other antonyms for humility are: arrogance, assertiveness, egoism, pretentiousness, and self-importance.--Pamela Rose Williams

[Continued - Final]

I don’t mean we’re to go around bragging about all our sins and failures to everyone that comes along, including the whole congregation, just to show how honest we are and how humble we are! This is pride, too! He that is humble knoweth not that he is humble, believe it or not. If you think you are, you probably aren’t. “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall!”5 Just about the time you think you’ve got it made, God will stick a pin in your little balloon, all the hot air will vanish, and you’ll fall flatter than ever before. Pride makes it even harder to forgive yourself, even though you know God will forgive you.

Be honest with yourself and give God the glory for anything good about you. That’s usually a pretty good rule. “What hast thou that thou hast not received?”6 “Every good and perfect gift cometh down from above.”7 Give God all the glory. Remind yourself that you’re nothing without Him. Even make fun of yourself. Make a joke of it! Get a kick out of how ridiculous you are and what silly things you do, as my mother used to do about her absentmindedness. She was always telling funny stories on herself and of the crazy things she did to remind herself and you that the only good thing about her was God.

Get a big laugh out of yourself! Help others to laugh at you, too! Even remind God of what a joke you are. “He remembereth our frame, that we are dust.”8 “As a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear Him.”9 God has a sense of humor, too, and maybe you can help Him laugh it off, if you’re honest about it, confess it, and tell Him you’re sorry!—David Brandt Berg10

*

Grasp the truth of God by using the way he himself provides, since he sees the weakness of our footsteps. That way consists first, of humility, second, of humility, and third, of humility. Unless humility precede, accompany, and follow up all the good we accomplish, unless we keep our eyes fixed on it, pride will snatch everything right out of our hands.—Augustine of Hippo

*

I have undertaken to translate the Bible into German. This was good for me; otherwise I might have died in the mistaken notion that I was a learned fellow.—Martin Luther

*

Vinicio Riva, a disfigured Italian man, became world famous when Pope Francis greeted him with a hug. It was a powerful moment. Yet, it is quite a contrast in many ways. I’ve been to the Vatican and it does not scream, “Care for the poor.” Traditionally, the Pope literally sits on a gold throne. This Pope, however, Pope Francis, hugs those whom the world unabashedly avoids. The Pope, one of the most important and powerful people on the planet, does not avoid society’s “rejects.” He accepts and embraces them, literally. That’s reflective of a pattern of humility reflected by lifestyle choices, the move away from pageantry, and an embrace of the marginalized. Might we take up this posture of humility? How may we be known for embracing the outcast with humility and grace?—Ed Stetzer

5 1 Corinthians 10:12.
6 1 Corinthians 4:7.
7 James 1:17.
8 Psalm 103:14.
9 Psalm 103:13.
10 Originally published February 1971, adapted.




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socrates44online today!

A New Muslim Renaissance is Here

American Muslims are becoming thought, cultural leaders and reviving perspectives on religious inclusion

History is witness to a time past when the Islamic civilization produced globally unparallelled architecture, literature, science, philosophy, theological discourse, and cultural influences – influences so strong it made European nobles want to dress like Muslims. Critics of Islam and Muslims scoff at this romanticism, asserting that Muslims have not produced anything great since the Middle Ages and most likely will never again. The inherent bigotry and even fallacy of that argument aside, for those critics I have to say, look out, a new Muslim renaissance is upon us.

In the midst of growing anti-Muslim sentiment in the US since 9/11, or perhaps thanks to it, this generation of Muslims is abandoning the traditional professions expected from immigrant parents (doctors, engineers, business people) and entering fields we all once thought were closed to us. The last decade has seen a steady and sure emergence of American Muslims as artists, writers, performers, activists, media personalities and intellectuals (on a global scale Muslims rank as top intellectuals). Inside the DC beltway you see evidence of this shift as well. Young American Muslims are working in national security, public diplomacy, foreign policy, politics – we have our share of hacks and wonks now too.

In a climate where America still finds itself in an uncomfortable dance with Islam, the fact that Muslims themselves are becoming thought and culture leaders in America has tremendous prospects. Anti-shariah bills loom large across the country, violence against Muslims happens and is encouraged, the homeland security apparatus is still figuring out how to work with Muslims as partners and not suspects, and a large swath of the public cannot even stomach something as innocuous as Muslims being in a patriotic coca-cola ad. But instead of being cowed, young American Muslims have reacted by demanding to tell their own stories, become influencers, and claiming their rightful place in US institutions and discourse.

This dynamism hasn’t been limited to the intersection of American Muslims with the prevailing culture. In the past five years American Muslims are leading movements to revive or reform perspectives on religious inclusion, most notably the inclusion of women and LGBTQ Muslims in sacred spaces.

On the issue of women’s leadership, inclusion, and status in Islam, there is a clear call to revive the traditions of female scholarship, leadership, and open mosque spaces. It’s no small thing that the Grand Mufti of Egypt Shaykh Ali Gomaa has acknowledged the permissibility of women leading men in prayer in the Western context after the persistence of female North American Muslim activists and scholars on the issue. A movement to explore the spaces allotted women in American mosques has lead to a larger discussion on what it means to be “Unmosqued”, or be part of a generation that feels little relevance and connection to any place of worship. “Muslim feminism” is being taken seriously by Western Muslims as the antidote to patriarchal expressions of Islam. The long standing idea, from the colonial period onward, that mosques and religious leadership are male spaces is finding its match not in a global Muslim arena, but in a Western Muslim one.

(Continued in Comments section)
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