False God.

What good is it to be faithful if you are faithful to a false image of God?

If you worship a God of vengeance, punishment, and judgement you are worshipping a false god.

And if you tell those who worship a God of mercy, forgiveness, and grace that they are wrong then you are hindering those who know the truth.

"'you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.'"  Luke 11:52 (NRSV)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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The Glittering Prizes.

In life we chase after the glittering prizes:

Wealth, fame, status, pleasures, possessions, power, kudos, supremacy.....

But the glittering prizes are empty boxes.

They do not bring happiness.

Only love can bring happiness.

It is love that we truly seek.

And to be loved is good.

But to love is even better.

And when we give our love to the One True God our love is requited. 

And we are Home!

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Secret Sabotage.

With the rise of the Millennials (born 1996-2010) we see a shift to the political left.

With planets in Sagittarius and Aquarius the new generation are positive and open-minded.

This is in stark contrast to Generation X who were politically conservative and worldly-minded.

But it is no use merely returning to the rock culture of the 1960s and 70s.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll ruined a whole generation.

And they will do it again unless we uncover the secret sabotage hidden in popular culture.

Popular culture contains a dark secret.

Rock stars, sportsmen, and celebrities turned to evil to in the belief that the devil can grant them fame, sex, and wealth.

And they think that their creations are magic.

So look closer and see through the darkness.

Midnights, murder, violence, and evil lurk beneath the mask of glamour and popularity.

The devil, the beast, witchcraft, death, and hell follow after them.

Their creations are poison.

And their intentions are evil.

And so we will not enter into the Age of Aquarius until we have left behind those creations that were inspired by Scorpio (the accursed sign of the Zodiac).

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Fire From Heaven.

When a Samaritan village rejected Jesus the disciples asked Jesus: "Do you want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?"  Jesus rebuked them saying: "You do not know the manner of the spirit you are of.  For the Son of man has not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."  Luke 9:54-56*.

By this Jesus meant that God is not violent and destructive but gracious and forgiving.  And that he, as God's messenger, was not an agent of punishment but of Salvation. 

(*NB Jesus' response is omitted from the NRSV Bible.)

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Peacemakers.

"'Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.'"  Matthew 5:9 (NRSV)

The Hippies have been called "unconscious agents of Satan" because of their rock stars.

But the Hippies were peacemakers.

They opposed war and employed non-violent methods to bring change.

So they could equally be called Children of God.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Everyone.

It is the same for everyone.

No matter what your color, race, religion, status, or sex it is always the same.

The soul is the Divine Spark that resides in the heart.

It is this soul that is your true self.

And it is this soul that is the source of love.

But this true self has been buried deep within the ramparts of fear that we have erected to protect ourselves.

So we must unlearn the lessons that fear has taught us and return to a state of childlike innocence.

Not with the naivety of childhood but with all the knowledge and wisdom that life has taught us.

And when we turn this love toward the God who created us we find that our love is requited.

For God is Love.

And Love is the source of Life.

Then we are Home!

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Evil.

Human beings invented evil.

Animals and plants cannot be evil, they may be hungry or afraid but they cannot be evil.

And God is wholly good.

So it can only be that some ancient human, confronted with the goodness of God, chose to believe that its opposite - evil - was desirable, even powerful.

The figure of a supernatural Devil developed from humans' experience of suffering and pain.

But these things are caused by ignorance and fear; there is no need for a supernatural Devil.

But once the concept of supernatural evil entered human consciousness there were always people disillusioned enough with God to choose evil.

And this continues to this day.

Rock stars, sportsmen, entertainers, writers - many of these have sold their souls and do evil in our world.

But they cannot win.

Because in the end the Devil does not exist.

But the evil they do remains.

This evil is hidden in rock music, on sporting fields, in entertainment and literature.....

This is the religion of death.

And it is hidden by darkness.

Most of it is subconscious.

And it wears a mask of glamour.

So look beneath the surface.

And uncover the negativity and evil that lurks beneath.

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A Clear Choice.

There is a clear choice between the mentality of the Beast and the mentality of the Kingdom of God.

The mentality of the Beast endorses violence, intimidation, force, lies, hate, hell, and evil.

The mentality of the Kingdom of God endorses non-violence, tolerance, respect, truth, love, heaven, and good.

The Beast represents ego and brutality.

The Kingdom of God represents humility and harmlessness.

The way of the Beast is the way of excess.

The way of the Kingdom of God is the way of moderation.

The Beast encourages vice and sin.

The Kingdom of God encourages the Beatitudes. (Matthew 5:3-12)

So there is a clear choice.

Make your choice.

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Fear of Homosexuality.

What is behind the persecution of gay and lesbian people is fear.

People are still in the grip of an irrational fear of homosexuality.

Despite the fact that AIDS is virtually cured and the fear that AIDS is punishment from God for homosexuality is disproved, people still cling to their fears.

So look at your attitude to homosexuality and ask yourself: What am I afraid of? 

Because there is nothing to fear from homosexuality.

And there is nothing to fear from God.

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After the Beast.

The Beast is materialistic, self-seeking, and shallow.

But it is also obsessed with power and control.

And it uses violence, intimidation, and force to achieve its ends.

But the Beast is not a thing or a being.

It is people.

People who embrace the mentality of the Beast.

But the time of the Beast is limited.

And there will come a time that is after the Beast.

This is a time when society returns to ideals and principles - to mercy, tolerance, and justice.

So we must endure the excesses of the Beast and look forward to a time when sanity returns.

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Winners and Losers.

Winners and losers.

Rich and poor.

Success and failure.

Power and slave.

These things dominate our world.

And people will use violence, hatred, and evil to win.

But at the root of this is fear.

Fear of losing and being humiliated, fear of poverty and starvation, fear of being called a loser.

But God is with the least and the last.   

He is not with the winners of this world.

He is with the poor, the meek, the failures, the powerless, the slaves.

So do not think you have to win to gain God's blessing.

God loves all His children.

And do not think you have to be tough and hard to survive in this world.

God loves a tender heart.

A heart full of compassion. mercy, and love.

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AIDS.

AIDS was caused by a virus.

It was not punishment from God.

The only guilt of the Gay Community was that promiscuity is a health risk.

And promiscuity was the result of Satanism in the popular culture.

Satanism sells sex and drugs and rock and roll.

And this is the source of promiscuity.

So Moderation is the solution to these problems.

If we practise Moderation there should be no further problems in relation to homosexuality.

Because AIDS was caused by a virus.

It was not punishment from God.

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Evil.

Evil is an idea.

It is the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

If Adam and Eve had not eaten the fruit they would never have thought that evil existed.

Because there is only one supernatural power and that is God.

And God is wholly good.

Ideas of evil based on Dualism have no substance in reality.

Satanism is based on a lie.

And those who worship Satan are sorely mistaken.

But that does not mean that there is no evil in our world.

There is sin caused by error and fear.

And there is evil caused by blaming God for suffering and turning out of hatred to an assumed opposite - Evil.

But if we didn't have the knowledge of good and evil we could not turn to evil.

So the knowledge of good and evil is the original sin.

Because evil only exists in the minds of humans.

There is no evil in Reality.

Because there is no evil in God.

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Gay Church.

I am an openly gay man and I go to church.

Not because church is perfect but because I want to show church people that gay men can be spiritual people and that gay men are OK with God.

I am a member of the Uniting Church in Australia.

And their policy is that gay people can be ordained as minsters and gay couples can be married in their churches.

So officially I am OK.

But I still encounter pockets of entrenched prejudice and a general apathy towards gay rights.

I don't get much sympathy from the parishioners.

There is more resonance with some ministers.

But not all.

And so the fight goes on.

My spirit is undaunted.

And my prayers will be answered.

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Brutality.

The brutal philosophy of the AFL* is the mark of the Beast in their foreheads**.

And this is no rash claim.

You will see players making the sign of the horns.

And commentators describing them as beasts.

The 666 rule is unambiguous.

And the run-throughs are flanked by the flames of hell.

Several clubs have used Satanic symbols in their advertising.

And the new Tasmanian club is called the Devils.

So do not tune in too closely to the AFL.

Its brutal images and words are Satanic.

(*Australian Football League)

(**Revelation 13:16)

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The Trickle-Down Effect.

Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher introduced Neo-Liberal Economics which cut big government and deregulated matkets.

They cut taxes for the rich and opposed unionism.

This put all the wealth and power in the hands of the rich corporate plutocrats.

To offset this Reagan claimed that there would be a "trickle-down effect" which would increase wealth for everyone.

But this never happened.

What happened was that the wealthy employers created an underclass of workers who had little money and no power.

They exploited everyone and kept the massive wealth that resulted for themselves.

So that now we have a workforce who are effectively wage-slaves to the corporations.

And the cost of living has skyrocketed.

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Aquarius.

The Christian Churches are dying.

Churches in the West are closing and their congregations are dwindling.

But God will not leave us without His Light.

Look to Aquarius.

The eleventh sign of the Zodiac.

Aquarius governs humanitarianism, freedom, Liberalism, equality, astrology, altruism, homosexuality, and technology.

And its enigmatic symbols of water and air contain a hidden secret.

But this is not the Flesh Failures of Hair.

Nor is it the excesses of the 1970s.

Out sexual relations must be tempered by moderation.

"Nothing in Excess"* is the motto at Delphi.

And Aquarius covers everyone.

("Nothing in Excess" is engraved on the entrance stone of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi).

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The Beast.

The Beast represents anyone who is violent in action (right hand*) or mentality (forehead*).

And this includes religious people who think that God acts violently towards human beings who sin or transgress.

God is non-violent (Ahimsa).

He does not punish us.

He does not judge us.

God loves us.

We are His beloved children.

And His Mercy and Grace are infinite.

(*Revelation 13:16)

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David.

"'for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance; but the lord looks on the heart.'"  1 Samuel 16:7 (NRSV)

This is why David was chosen as king ahead of his more impressive brothers, even though he was the youngest.

And David went on to write the Psalms that still inspire us today.

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Innocent.

Fundamentalist and Evangelical Christians blame Hippies and Gays for Satanism in our popular culture.

And they label left-wing politicians as literally Satanic.

All these people are innocent.

Satanism does exist in our popular culture.

But it is not all left-wing.

And it is not all gay.

Satanism in our popular culture derives from rock stars, sports men and women, and celebrities who have turned to Satan for fame and fortune.

They are famous people and many are women. 

But the religious-right has abused this knowledge for political advantage using demonization to create scapegoats in the way that Hitler did in Nazi Germany.

This, however, does not mean that there is no Satanism in our culture.

It exists in entertainment, sports, and advertising.

And much of it is right-wing.

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John.

There are three Johns in the New Testament:

John the Baptist, John the Disciple, and John the Divine.

Many traditional Christians claim that John the Divine, who wrote the Book of Revelation, is one and the same as the disciple John,

But I disagree.

It is hard to imagine two pieces of writing more different than the Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation.

The Gospel of John is all about Light, Life, and Love.

The Book of Revelation is violent, vengeful and vindictive.

It includes a curse at the end upon anyone who changes the words of his book.

This was a common practice in the ancient world.

But I find it hard to reconcile with the beautiful words of John in his Gospel and letters.

And John the Divine says of himself that he shared with them the persecution of the early church.

This is significant because if he was the disciple John he would surely have said that he shared with Jesus his ministry on earth.

But he does not.

And so the violent and disturbing passages in the Book of Revelation must be questioned.

It seems to me that the Book of Revelation is a number of apocalyptic writings cobbled together and exaggerated.

It repeats itself and digresses constantly.

And its essential nature is not consistent with my experience of God.

My experience of God is that He is merciful, forgiving, and gracious.

He does not use fear.

And He does not punish or judge.

God is Love.

And His way is non-violent.

So do not get hung up on the vivid visions in the Book of Revelation.

They are not in keeping with the nature of God.

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Youth Politics.

Idealistic youth demonstrations in Bangladesh and Thailand are transforming the political landscape of Asia.

In Bangladesh they toppled the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina who fled the country.

In Thailand they are poised to challenge the unelected Senate and the conservative Constitutional Court and rewrite the military-drafted Constitution.

There have been huge demonstrations in Hungary against the arch-conservative government of Viktor Orban.

And in America we have seen the largest demonstrations in history.

There is little doubt that this new generation is politically aware and active.

They are peaceful and law-abiding and they respect the democratic system.

Youth culture will sweep away the last vestiges of autocratic conservatism and the rule of unelected plutocrats.

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Trump.

".....and he opened his mouth to boast and utter blasphemies....."

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Left of Center.

What Satanists do on the left is push decadence and hedonism.

Sex and drugs and rock and roll is designed to corrupt you to such an extent that your soul is damned to hell.

But it is no use merely switching to the right because on the right Satanists trigger punishment and judgement, severity and death.

Both these positions are extreme.

And both these positions are wrong!

God looks on the heart.

And the heart is located slightly left of center in the body.

This is the case for all living creatures.

For God is Love.

And the heart makes concessions according to understanding.

So do not overindulge in pleasures.

And do not be too rigid in your moral code.

But center yourself in the heart.

And give love to all God's creatures.

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Violence.

God does not use violence.

Violence and severity are attributes of the Beast.

Violent and vengeful passages in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation misrepresent the nature of God.

God is Merciful, Forgiving, and Gracious.

He does not prosecute our errors.

His Love is steadfast and reliable.

His image is the Lamb - tender, innocent, and vulnerable.

And His Salvation is everlasting.

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Fear.

Fear is at the root of all the lies, violence, war, corruption, hate, abuse, treachery, and evil in our world.

And so, rather than trying to win out against our enemies, we should be addressing the fears that divide us.

Ultimately this can only be done by trusting the Love of God.

God loves us like our mother only more so.

And our mother will not abandon us.

And if she does God will take us up.

"If my father and mother forsake me,

the Lord will take me up." 

Psalm 27:10 (NRSV)

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Crisis.

One of the things that the election of Donald Trump has done is embolden conservative, anti-gay governments around the world to defund and criminalize same-sex relations to such an extent that activist groups and shelter organizations are facing an ongoing crisis.

Corporate and business sponsors are deserting in droves as Trump's ideological war takes hold.  

Many centers will have to close and other services will have to be scaled back.

And all this while facing an increase in violence and hate crimes.

Trump is using the Bible to justify hate.

And those Christians who support him must be held responsible for his crimes.

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Staighteners.

Those who harass gay people and try to straighten them are wasting their time.

Homosexuality can not be changed by subtle sabotage or force.

The best they can hope for is a hypocritical pretense that will not last.

Homosexuality is love.

And love is from God.

God loves his gay sons and daughters.

He does not discriminate.

So leave us alone.

And let our love flourish. 

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The Heart.

It is no use justifying yourself by the intensity of your feelings.

Passion is not Love.

And lawlessness is not freedom.

We are called to practise some principles and ideals.

Honesty and compassion are allies of the love in our hearts.

But if you have a black heart that is full of darkness and hate.

A heart that is merciless, sadistic, and vicious.

A heart that is blind and will not love.

This is spiritual death.

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Punishment.

The Old Testament teaching that God brings misfortune upon people as punishment for sin and disobedience is obsolete.

It is refuted in the Book of Job and in the New Testament.

But this mentality survives to this day as Prosperity Theology.

And it infects many Christian Churches.

The reaction of Fundamentalist and Evangelical Churches, particularly in the United States, to the AIDS crisis is a classic example.

They said that AIDS was punishment from God for the sin of homosexuality.

And that homosexuals would go to hell.

But these claims have long been disputed, even within the Christian Churches.

AIDS is cured.

There is no longer any pretext for their prejudice.

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Passion.

Generation X have Neptune in Scorpio.

They are all passion and no principles.

They justify corruption and violence by the intensity of their feelings.

And they normalize hate and evil.

But this is no high road.

It is the low road of pragmatism and base passions.

But it has been endorsed by the religious right and backed up by corporate-owned media.

It is the way of the world.

Not the way of God.

And it should be recognized as such.

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Thou Shall Not Kill.

In the Old Testament God tells the Prophets to kill sinners and idolaters.

And they killed the disobedient of their own free will.

But this is to disobey the Commandment not to kill.

Some of the Prophets put words into God's mouth.

These are assumptions or hallucinations inspired by unconscious fears.

But if they kill in God's name they have not reached full enlightenment.

Because God is non-violent.

God is beyond our human assumptions.

God is not a projection of worldly authorities.

He does not punish and judge.

God is transcendent - beyond sin and evil.

So do not take everything in the Bible at face value.

Any instruction to kill or use violence or force is mistaken.

And it should be overridden by the Commandments not to kill, or hold a grudge, or take revenge.

In the East God is non-violent - Ahimsa.

And we should be non-violent as well.

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Non-Violence.

Many people wonder why God does not make the world a better place.

The world is full of lies, violence, war, corruption, hate, abuse, treachery, and evil.....

God does not intervene to stop these things.

But that does not mean that He condones them.

When the world becomes dark and violent He sends a messenger to announce the Light.

God does not use violence to enforce His message.

But the powers of this world will not listen to His messengers.

They stiffen their necks and cling to the power they have won.

And this includes the religious authorities our world.

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

"From the day that your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them day after day; yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks.  They did worse than their ancestors did."  Jeremiah 7:25,26 (NRSV)

They adhere to the theology of punishment and judgement, the carrot and stick of heaven and hell.

And they attack and persecute any dissent.

God's message is non-violent.

It is a message of mercy, forgiveness, and love.

But few will hear this message and act on it.

[Scripture quotations (marked NRSV) are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission.  All rights reserved.]

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Politics.

If you reject the political left it is no use merely turning to the political right.

The political right sells the idea that strength and economic pragmatism are the answers to all the world's problems.

They claim spiritual rectitude and enforce social conservatism.

But the political right does not reflect the ways of God.

They are mean-spirited and stiff-necked.

They oppose social welfare and use force and coercion.

And they have succumbed to the temptation to use Nazi propaganda techniques: demonization, scapegoating, and lies.

These are not the ways of God.

God is merciful, forgiving, and compassionate.

And His inmost nature is Love.

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Unconscious Agents.

The Hippies and Baby-Boomers stood for peace, love, justice, and equality.

And as such they were unconscious agents of Jesus Christ*.

But the unholy alliance of the religious right, Generation X, and the corporations destroyed these ideals and principles.

And so the right wing killed Jesus.

And evil prevailed.

(*The philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King was based on the teachings of Jesus Christ.)

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