Evil.

What are we to make of people who do what we would call evil in our world?

Things like: violence. murder, torture, crime, lies, intimidation, stealing, exploitation, and oppression.....

These things are "demons" which are urges twisted by fear and wounds.

These people are to be pitied because they are afflicted.

They are miserable and they suffer.

But God can remove these "demons".

This is what Jesus and the disciples did in ancient times.

It was their understanding that they were physical demons - evil spirits - within people.

We do not believe this.

  

But there are "demons" within people's psyches that can be removed.

They are urges that have been twisted by fear and wounds.

And we all have them.

So perhaps we are not so different from those we call evil.

It then becomes a matter of degree.

And God will not show mercy to some and not to others.

But what happens when we die?

 

My understanding of God is that He will show mercy and heal us.

Hell is out of character.

For God is Love.

And His Love will prevail.

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The Laborers.

On Sunday we had the Parable of the Laborers in which the master pays the workers the same wage no matter how long they worked. (Matthew 20)

This suggests that all will receive the same blessing in Heaven.

So what are we to make of statements like: "your reward is great in heaven" (Matthew 5:12) and "a prophet's reward" (Matthew 10:41) and the treatment of the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25.

My experience of God is that He shows mercy to everyone no matter what they have done.

And so He treats everyone equally.

I do not believe that God judges us according to our deeds.

And if we are forgiven others will be forgiven also.

But what of evil deeds and injury?

My understanding of these things is that they are caused by fear.

And things that are caused by fear are forgivable.

God does not conform to our human concept of Natural Justice*

God is merciful towards all His children.

And so the Parable of the Laborers is more true about God than other conceptions of rewards and punishments.

But what of injury and debt?

"For you say, 'I am rich. I have prospered, I need nothing.'  You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked."  Revelation 3:17 (NRSV)

These are those who are imprisoned by their fears and their deeds are to be pitied not judged.

And so the injury and debt that they have incurred will be forgiven and they will be free.

As we are free.

(*Rewards for good deeds and punishment for bad deeds.)

[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 Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

I would say: "You've got me in between the Devil and the Pharisees."

We are stuck between devil-worshippers at large in the community and Churches controlled by modern-day Pharisees.

We are tempted, corrupted, and poisoned by devil-worshippers in music, sports, and entertainment.

And we are threatened, misled, and controlled by those who usurp the power of God.

The Churches are dominated by those who enforce the traditional theology of sin and judgement.

And those who have appropriated the name of Jesus.

This is why Jesus was so critical of the Pharisees and why they killed him.

But there is an alternative.

Progressive Christianity does not enforce judgement or sin.

Rather we worship a God of mercy and love.

A God who forgives us and offers us grace.

This is not to say that God condones corrupt or bad behavior.

He does not.

But the fears that cause us to compromise our principles fall away.

And we become good people.

Transformed by the goodness of God.

And centered in a good and open heart.

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Rap Music.

Rap music is obscene, nasty, homophobic, monotonous, boring, and bad.....

It is no improvement on rock music.

And Satanism is rife within it.

Its fashions are ugly.

And its politics is fascist.

So don't assume that the next generation of musicians are exempt.

They are not.

Rap music is Satanic.

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Satanism.

The reason that I expose Satanism in rock music, sports, and entertainment is not for the purpose of judging them or punishing them.

The purpose is to reverse the negative practices that they sell which are counter to the way of God.

Hedonism, drugs, decadence, selfishness, excess, cynicism, recalcitrance, hate, and evil.....

All these things derive from Satanism in our popular culture and they undermine the way of God in the world.

Discipline, self-sacrifice, honesty, truthfulness, generosity, cooperation. benevolence, goodness, and love.....

These things are in harmony with the Kingdom of God.

And spiritual qualities: mercy, forgiveness, grace, faith, prayer, and study of the scriptures - these things prepare us for the presence of God.

God is real.

The devil is a chimera.

But the damage done by those who choose the devil leads to suffering and suicide.

And it is not just bands who are openly Satanic.

All rock music is Satanic.

It is sex and drugs and rock and roll.

It sells the lie "money for nothing and your chicks for free".

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

This is the truth which plagues our world. 

And we should recognize it for what it is.

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The Light.

When the Light rises it illuminates the good.

But it also shows what is hidden.

And what is evil.

So it shows the face of God is Mercy.

And the inmost nature of God is Love.

But it also shows those who have turned to evil.

Satanists in rock music, sports, and entertainment.

And those who use Nazi propaganda techniques.

Scapegoating and lies.

So be prepared.

And face the truth.

We have been misguided and we have been betrayed.

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The Beast.

The Beast represents those who use violence, brutality, and force to dominate others.

And the devil gives it his power.

The Beast may overpower even the elect.

For a time.

But in the end the Beast's dominion is taken away.

And those who endure are saved.

So the domination of Generation X and the corporations will come to an end.

And the propaganda of the political right will be exposed.

Then the New Age will begin.

And the prophecy will be fulfilled.

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The Bodi Tree.

As the Buddha sat under the Bodi tree he vowed:

"I will sit here until I find the ultimate meaning of life and suffering."

He had experienced the religion of the day and studied under the best teachers but he still felt that he did not have the answers.

And so he set out to find the truth himself.

And he did.

He realized that the true self is the Divine Spark that resides in the heart (which he called the Buddha Nature) which expresses itself through love and compassion.

No longer did he hanker after the things of the world.  

He had found the answer within himself. 

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Sex and Drugs.

Rock music invariably pushes sex and drugs.

Love songs degenerate into a turn-on 

And yoga is compromised with drugs.

Both these things are condemned by religious authorities.

And they can result in damnation by them.

But God will not judge us for something which is not entirely our fault.

These things are implanted in our minds by subliminal messages and backtracking*.

We are not to blame.

God will forgive.

And invite us into Eternal Life.

(*These are planted deliberately by Satanists hidden in rock music and entertainment.)

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He Had It All.

He had it all:

A good job, a three-figure salary, a beautiful wife, a big house, luxury cars, investments, beautiful children.....

But it wasn't enough.

He still wasn't happy.

Because he lacked one thing:

A good heart.

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