Thursday, January 19, 2006

Satan-God War and the Human Factor

Introduction

It has been said through the ages, and in many ways, but the gist always stays the same. Know your enemy, watch your enemy, study your enemy. This lesson is learned in games, such as chess, and in life, such as war. It has been proved over and over again that in life when you don’t play by the rule, you are doomed to failure.

Governments spend billions of dollars in technology, information and various field experts in order to gain military intelligence. Sportsmen learn every detail they can to get that sharper edge. For various reasons, spouses hire private detectives to spy on their mate.

It is not a small county, but the religion of Christianity, that is being victimized. A significant amount of the population has chosen to bury their heads in the sand instead of being knowledgeable about a dangerous, imposing enemy that is making war on them.

The entirety of mankind is like pawns on a checkerboard, with the opponents being God and Satan. Each making their moves in hopes that they will have the largest number gained at the finish. The difference between the opponent’s trophy is that God takes only the best. Even as a loser in comparison to numbers, God is the winner of the best harvest, the most pure souls.

This war started from a difference in opinion. The root that grew the difference of opinion in the angel Lucifer, is the same root that grows the faults of man.

This is a sad coincidence that mankind and angels share, but the chance for redemption is still open for humans. There is no redemption left to be given to Satan and every other fallen angel. For spite, for revenge, for any of a hundred reasons, Satan detours mankind away from God and their inheritance. He knows that God loves mankind. So he wants to hurt God by tempting the people to betray him, just as Satan did with the angels in Heaven.

*** Please note- The word Satanist in this article refers to the form of Satanism such is at www.joyofsatan.com and the Joy of Satan Yahoo group.

Introduction

It has been said through the ages, and in many ways, but the gist always stays the same. Know your enemy, watch your enemy, study your enemy. This lesson is learned in games, such as chess, and in life, such as war. It has been proved over and over again that in life when you don’t play by the rule, you are doomed to failure.

Governments spend billions of dollars in technology, information and various field experts in order to gain military intelligence. Sportsmen learn every detail they can to get that sharper edge. For various reasons, spouses hire private detectives to spy on their mate.

It is not a small county, but the religion of Christianity, that is being victimized. A significant amount of the population has chosen to bury their heads in the sand instead of being knowledgeable about a dangerous, imposing enemy that is making war on them.

The entirety of mankind is like pawns on a checkerboard, with the opponents being God and Satan. Each making their moves in hopes that they will have the largest number gained at the finish. The difference between the opponent’s trophy is that God takes only the best. Even as a loser in comparison to numbers, God is the winner of the best harvest, the most pure souls.

This war started from a difference in opinion. The root that grew the difference of opinion in the angel Lucifer, is the same root that grows the faults of man.

This is a sad coincidence that mankind and angels share, but the chance for redemption is still open for humans. There is no redemption left to be given to Satan and every other fallen angel. For spite, for revenge, for any of a hundred reasons, Satan detours mankind away from God and their inheritance. He knows that God loves mankind. So he wants to hurt God by tempting the people to betray him, just as Satan did with the angels in Heaven.

The Harvest

This spiritual war will conclude with the harvesting of souls. On that day, God will divide the chafe from the righteous, and will know each by the image it bears. This is figuratively similar to Jesus’ words when asked about the paying of taxes. Mark 12: 15-17 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye me? bring me a penny, that I may see it. And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said unto him, Cae`-sar’s. And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Cae`sar the things that are Cae`sar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. And they marveled at him.

In Malachi, the subject of tithes and offerings that is due to God is discussed. The subject of tithes is well known and well taught by church officials. However, the subject of offerings is smudged more now then ever before in history. In the times of the Old Testament, the offerings were understood to be sacrifices. The standard system of giving the best animal to be burnt for God at the temple has evolved into a superficial system. Paying extra money to God’s work is a nice deed. However, a person is not really paying it as an offering if the ‘offering’ doesn’t equal ‘sacrifice’. Commanding an activist convention is not an offering unless there is sacrifice involved. Neither is doing a good deed, if it is a tool of vanity or pride.

The meaning behind the words offering or sacrifice has seemed to have gotten lost in today’s material world. A small amount of meditation on this topic is most beneficial when considering Malachi 3: 8-11 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes to the storehouse, that there may be meat in thine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.

Views of Satanist Theology

This is only one more example of the short-sightedness of man. Once again man has fallen into the material trap and fallen out of the understanding of God. Many in the church does not see that the Christian theology is being slowly changed as Satan’s values are being more and more accepted.

The title of Satanist has been claimed by more than one religious group. The Satanist group that is of most concern however is that of the sect of the Joy of Satan.

A thorough discussion of the differences between Christian and Satanist theology will help Christians to understand the spiritual war, and hopefully to understand the role that they must play in it. A Christian will have a better understanding of the ‘lost soul’ definition after seeing the real definition of a Satanist.

One thing that a Christian will notice immediately is the name of God is always referenced as Jehovah. Another thing is the way that the two theologies twist and wind around each other before eventually merging into a complex machine of gears, pulleys and levers.

The first step in combating Satan is to understand the theology. While the enemy’s army is well-versed in the cultural difference and teachings of both groups, the Christian group grasps hardly more than an inkling of their enemy. Knowledge of your enemy is always important. In the time of God’s judgment, our souls will be harvested for the heavenly feast or voided from him. While there is diversity in details and trails of scholarly thought, knowledge of the soul’s journey to a Heaven or Hell and knowledge of how to reach either is given in the Bible time and time again.

The Bible is recognized and invalidated due to the author’s slant. According to the Bible, the father of lies is what Jehova is, and the father of love is what Satan is. Satanists however, has made out that the Bible and God is the true enemy of the human race. Things such as the belief in alien life and human evolution theories unwittingly gives Satan circumstantial evidence to support the Satanist theology. The reason why the alien myths are so important to Satanism is- that Satan and Jehovah supposedly are of an alien race.

Satanic philosophy dictates that Jehovah doesn’t care for us. That he didn’t create man out of kindness, but for selfish reasons. Also, that mankind was created from a genetic process that combined a more animal-like being with another genetic code.

The reason for concocting a creature, such as man, was to create a work force that could mine out the humongous rock fields of gold, and yet still be intelligent enough to be trainable.

When the time came that mankind was no longer needed for work slaves, and so the guinea pig experiment of mankind could be terminated, Satan protected mankind from his ’business’ partner. He had grown to love mankind, and he couldn’t stand to kill mankind. Satan took on the task of raising mankind like a father to child. That is why God is allegedly the enemy of mankind, and all who follow him.

Satan’s rules of how mankind should live is different from Jehovah’s rules. The more aggressive tone and emotional quality, as in harm no children and protection of family at all costs, along with the natural laws of life, death and everything in-between, appeals to the animalistic side of human beings. This in conjunction with circumstantial evidence and popular alien culture beliefs creates a strong religious net that is not easily broken.

Satan has made a close connection to his army through excessive daily meditations and rituals. This same reasoning is also applied to the demons, working with them daily sets up a personal dependant relationship, almost like how a child is lured to gangs. That is not however, to say that the feeling of belonging is the only reason for a person to follow Satan.

There is several points to the answer of the question, ‘Why would anyone choose to worship and fight for Satan? ’ Of course, the answers that Satanists give is authored by Satan. Each answer is personal and unique, but the template for the answers never change. Each one is a story of how Satan duped them by throwing shadows on the truth. Satan has set himself up to look like a loving, protective and understanding ‘God-like’ being. He accepts mankind as-is, and tells humans “well done, my child.”

He has tricked many into believing that Jehovah’s angels are coming and attacking them, trying to kill them because they are followers of Satan. Satanists sacrifice the carnal energy of the body to Satan and his demons, so that they may keep up the good fight against all that may hurt them.

Satan’s Trickery

Satan is playing another one of his old tricks with a new twist here. This trick’s A-bomb was originally delivered by Jesus Christ to the Pharisees. Mathew 12:24-32 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I be Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathered not with me scattered abroad.

 

It is the mirrors that keep his magic touch working. Remove the mirror and the magician will be showed to be the scam that magic acts are. He could not stumble Jesus. Jesus Christ was too strong for him to defeat. So now his new trick is to defeat God by way of convincing the individual to commit an unpardonable sin, or at least the perception thereof. To a person that feels that God will never forgive their sin, there is little motive to worship God. Mathew 12: 31-32 Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Many times that a person perceives that they have committed the sin and feels discouraged, the sin is simply not present in God’s eyes. The Pharisees did not suffer from a mere comprehension problem. They was knowledgeable yet, they could not see the Divinity of Jesus. The sin of blasphemy is the essence of not only voicing a miscalculated opinion against the Holy Ghost, but the reality of not caring to see the truth of the Divinity.

The stereotype of a Satanist wearing black, that sacrifices children, having a lust for blades, and owning a gruesome collection of human skulls is not a true baseline representation of those that are of Satan, but it is what many Christians imagine finding since it is not taught as it should be.

A more accurate description of a Satanist person is of a more socially balanced nature. The philosophy of a Satanist, revenge, lust and greed, is almost the same personality that is rampant in human civilizations.

The Satan Worshipper

The short end explanation of the why and how would anyone want to worship Satan is- the Satanists treat their ’God’ as a God, while we on the other hand treat God as an ‘idealistic being’. We hold up a template of a honest, caring, law abiding pacifist that we think God wants and try to measure up, and we feel guilty when we don‘t. Daily, we linger on our shortcomings instead of focusing on the eternal glory of God.

They hold themselves up to their Father with pride and thank him for loving them. They treat their Demons with respect, devotion and love, while we only mention our Angels in passing or in regards to our safety or our dead loved ones.

To understand more clearly how the Satanists battle for Satan, the acknowledgement of the following must first occur. Satanists are not followers of their God, but is in fact worshippers, in the strictest definition of the word, of Satan.. Nor is Satan an exact mirror image to that of the Christian’s Devil, but rather like a butterfly that has newly busted out of a cocoon. II Corinthians 11: 13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

When someone has given their selves to Satan, they become a soldier against Christianity. Unlike their Christian counterparts, they have marching orders. Hate toward Jehovah and his followers spurs Satanists to commit evil or violent crimes for the glory of Satan.

While Christian Sunday Schools tell stories of rainbows and teach charity to children, Satanists teach the rules of war, and the guidelines of life. Instead of a prayer fest, Satanists throw celebrations to worship Satan and network.

The God Follower

To all Christians, God has commanded to be watchful of the Devil, since he can and will take as many souls as he can. I Peter 5: 8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.

Christians know the enemy is Satan, and they know what he stands for- evil. Christians know the Satanists are his workers, his posse. They are of Satan and therefore they are also the enemy. Exodus 22: 18-20 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. Whosoever lieth with a beast shall surely be put to death. He that sacrificeth unto any God, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed.

Unfortunately, a narrow-sighted perspective that some Christian leaders have about Satan, is allowing Christians to fall prey because of the arrogant assumption that they know all that they need to know. The end situation is ironic, reminiscent of Looney Tunes’s Bugs Bunny with the Monster, with Satanists being Bug‘s Bunny and Christians the Monster (no pun intended). Many Christians have been fooled into thinking that the war is over, and that there is no army of Satan, other than the misguided souls of the world. Maybe to the point that many think Satan is nothing more than a list of evil principalities.

Jesus states that those who speaks of God and fights for God, will be persecuted. He has also told of why in John 15: 19- 22 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

When a person gives their soul to God, they become a soldier against Satan. Generally, Christians are not fighting the war against Satanists, despite God giving Christians the power to win this war. Luke 10: 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

 

The Battle

Study a moment Ephesians 6: 12 . For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

While it is true the Bible says Christians are ‘wrestling’ not against flesh and blood, it is not implying that the enemy (Satan) cannot work in the form of flesh and blood.

Many Christians try to do their best as a Christian warrior when it comes to pro-life activism and other ’in the news’ situations. The belief that signing petitions against the various forms of Satan’s work, showing charity to the brethren, and dutiful paying of tithes is what God has asked of mankind. Yet, this chore is not enough to overcome the Satanist’s work, if the work is in vice. Jesus speaks against the mere profession of his name as the ticket to getting through Heaven’s gate. Mathew 7 : 21-23 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Each person is charged by God to do the job that he has had determined for them. For example, Jesus asked more of one individual than the average follower. Mathew 8: 21-22 And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said into him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

To the teachers of his word, God gave the commandment to take the full responsibility of their station. The elder is so much more than a teacher of written word or the wise peacekeeper of the group. The elder is the vessel that God speaks to, and which God speaks through. It is upon them to wisely lead and to be watchful of the snares the devil is putting down. Their heart should be joyful in the Lord’s work, and not chastised by fear or ignorance.

I Peter 5: 1-3 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.

A Godly light is able to force the shadows to dissipate. Jesus’ words to Saul still rings true today to those that are called upon by God. Acts 26: 17-18 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

God described the armour and resources of his warriors in Ephesians 6: 10- 20 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with the truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

A soldier of God can do great things to help others. They can march in God’s name to protect unborn children. They can gather up support to protect the conservative views of family life. They can spread the word of God by bringing missionaries to the distant third-world countries where medical care and food supplies are desperately needed.

Yet, this chore is not enough to overcome the Satanist’s work, if the work is in vice. Jesus speaks against the mere profession of his name as the ticket to getting through Heaven’s gate. Mathew 7 : 21-23 Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Hard Fight

The second step the Christian Church needs to do, if they want to be victorious, is to face the fact that there is a flesh and blood enemy that wishes to physically and mentally harm Christians. Although not all Satanists wish to harm all Christians, the threat is caroled by enough that the situation is dangerous for the common Christian. Some merely feel that the religious leaders and Christian politicians should be targeted along with anything that respectively is Jehovah approved.

Satanists are working feverishly to bring an anti-Jehovah thought pattern into existence. Promotion of sex, violence, revenge and hatred actions is in the glory of Satan. In all ways that they can, glorification of Satan and the destruction of Christianity is their one true physical goal. When God’s army is attacked, God’s army needs to use the armour we have been given, with the body God has given us.

It is important that Christians as a group start defending against physical and mental attacks from Satanists. The best defense is offence as military organizations well know.

Instead of bugging office walls, Christians should be as a fly on the wall in the internet chat rooms and email groups that conspire against Christians. Blindly net surf, gathering knowledge of Satanist sites here and there.

Threats and voiced hatred should be reported to the appropriate federal authorities. These nests need to be shut down. Information of threats or threatening persons should be shared within the Christian culture. This action kills two birds with one stone. First, the perpetrators are known and can be turned in. Secondly, there is the opportunity to reach out to others that needs a hand. Not everyone that claims to be a Satanist is. Just like everyone that wears Nascar Racing jackets and hats is not racecar drivers.

All types of bodily threats should be considered dangerous, even if black magic is going to be the weapon used. Whether or not a demon can gain entry to the life of a Christian is not at debate. The impulse, to ‘kill all the Christians’ as many Satanists say ,is a real intent. It is not only a few crackpots that carol this plan, but hundreds and possibly thousands of Jehovah haters within U.S. borders.

Ignoring threats that seem trivial, can and will lead to destruction somewhere. If a person wants to get something done bad enough, there is no limit to the ways that can be tried. There is also the multiplication factor to consider. For instance, Crystal Meth cookers teach an average of ten people annually to cook Meth. Then each of ten repeats the process, bringing the total to 110 cookers.

Get the idea?

Summary

God has led many armies into war against evil, and God’s armies are the victors. This could still be true today, if the Christians Warriors would open their eyes and decide to fight the war on Satan’s evil and his passionate worshippers, instead of only praying that God will take care of them and deliver them from evil.

After all, Jesus communed with sinners. He did not feel or act that he was superior to anyone. Instead, his words were comforting to the sinners that needed him, and the implication of his words also carried a big stick against anyone that would speak ill of his misguided flock. Another close examination of this moment, might bring forth another insight to the signs of what God considers to be those persons past the redeemable boundaries. Mathew 9: 11- 13 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners? But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what thou meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

Posted by Mary at 17:29:53 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Sunday, November 6, 2005

Satanism in Today’s Society

UPDATE:

Very much to my surprise, I recieved an email from the Church of Satan this evening. The Church of Satan, on the news page of their website, has included a mention of my name,  and a direct link to the article.

Check out my newest big accomplishment at http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/11655/satanism_in_todays_society.html

The Church of Satan granted my request for an interview. Anyone and everyone should read it, especially if you have children that think Satanism is Devil Worshipping. 

Posted by Mary at 16:26:23 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, July 18, 2005

The Door

The door of life

 

The door of life, the door of death, the knob that turns with single breaths.
Mankind lives, with the fear, the door of death is always near.
Little does he know, they are the same, for that reason he lives so tame.
But when the reaper, comes a'knockin, what he learns will be so shocking.
To the body, death is the end,to the soul new life begins.
Posted by Mary at 01:08:53 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Saturday, July 16, 2005

House Fire on St. Rt. 124

“There was little we could do to save the house, being as old as it is”, the fire chief explained.

On Friday afternoon, around 5:30, the fire department was called to a house fire on State Rt. 124, approximately one-half mile past the Corner Market towards Latham, Ohio.
 
It was reported by Benton Fire Chief Steve Fields that the fire had been started by a boy. He was in the garage filling the gas tank of a lawn mower when the gasoline exploded.
 
“There was little we could do to save the house, being as old as it is”, the fire chief explained. As the fire crew worked hard to extinguish the flames, fire consumed nearly the entire house.
 
Traffic was jammed on both sides of St. Rt. 124. Motorists waited long periods of time before they could see the burning house although, billows of black smoke was seen for miles around. 
 
The fire chief also reported that the residents had escaped the house and that no one had been seriously hurt in the house fire.
 
 
More photos can be seen in the July 15, 2005 album.
 
I wish I could tell my readers more information, but the Pike Co. Sheriff’s office would not answer any questions.
 
For the record, this is why I don’t allow large bonfires only feet away from my house.
 
 
 
 
Posted by Mary at 02:51:13 | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sunday, July 10, 2005

Poem: September 11, 2001

September 11, 2001,
a new way of living just begun.
Three jetplanes into busy buildings flew
with many scared souls and terrorist crews.
A fourth into American soil dived,
the courageous willing to die to save lives.
Then came Anthrax, a micro killer
sent unsuspectingly through the mail in letters.
'War!' we cried for, war we got,
to get revenge on an evil lot..
All I can do is choke and cry,
when my children ask 'Will I die?'
The peace we knew is now changed,
civilians, not soldiers, are killed or maimed.
Two armies, two religions, two sides,
hatred growing in leaps, bounds, and strides.
An end to this? Most see none,
until the earth is blow-ed to kingdom come.
 
List of victims names'. 

 

Posted by Mary at 20:41:07 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, June 27, 2005

Local Writer Wins National Contest

I made the Newspaper! Read IT! I wrote the peice myself.and the News Watchman printed it word for word!

When Blog.com decided to reinvent itself with a new look, it turned to the global community for inspiration. The ‘Be Witty and Win’ competition to find the new campaign slogans was held from May 19 to May31. With over two hundred entries received withinLocal Writer Wins National Contest

that time, Blog.com admits it was extremely tough narrowing the field down to the top winners. On June 20, Rose Hunt of Pike County received confirmation that she was a lucky winner. Blog.com had selected her tagline, Blog.com- your world, our eyes, as one of the best. She was generously gifted a five year Platinum Blog.com account worth over several hundred dollars.

Rose Hunt is a native Pike County resident and former student of Waverly High. After putting college on hold 16 years ago, she centered her life around her husband and their three children. Even during this recreational period of time, writing poetry remained a close passion.

February of 2004 proved to be her first real step into the outside world with the publishing of “How I met my First Love” essay in Country Living magazine. “This latest success is only part of the beginning.” Rose said. “I plan to immediately use the gift. I thank God for the opportunity to make my dreams reality.”

“And I thank my wonderful family for the love and support that is a necessity to any woman wanting to break into a late start career.”

You can visit her at www.rosehunt.blog.com. “But”, she said gleefully, “it is under renovation. Which means everyone can watch one of their own climb their way to the top.”

Posted by Mary at 06:50:19 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Saturday, June 25, 2005

Obesity in the Christian World

The acknowledgement of good and bad was the practicality of your moral ethics working for you, but are you using it faithfully when it matters?

With the majority of the population, estimated at 90% in the U.S., being oriented with some form of a religious belief system, there should be no doubt about whether spirituality plays a part in our everyday lives. Even those people who have turned away from their prior beliefs make urgent decisions based on the belief system that is embedded into the sub-conscious.

Choices that are made through life, ethical, spiritual and physical, is the texture we weave our life into. Every individual’s reality affects the reality of another, this is easily proven by going up to a sad stranger with your bright smile and telling them to have a blessed day. Now imagine going up to a smiling person and verbally abusing them because they are suffering from a disease.

The acknowledgment of the first scenario as good and the second as bad was the practicality of your moral ethics working for you, but are you using it faithfully when it matters?

According to the director of the CDC, obesity is a chronic disease of epidemic proportions, with a conservative estimate of nearly one-third of the population being obese. The ASBP, American Society of Bariatric Physicians, estimates that 33 to 40 percent of woman and 20 to 24 percent of men are trying to lose weight at any given time.

Obesity is a chronic disease that wins second place in the preventable death category.

Given the two variables, the percentage rate of obesity and the percentage of those that have a religious orientation, we can assume that around ninety percent of those that are overweight are centered with a belief system. Yet, the two topics are like mixing oil and water in a boiling pot.

That is not to say that the belief system of an individual is an unimportant factor in the subject of weight loss. It is a well known fact that health is tied to positive thinking, the very thing that is sought for by followers of all religions and belief systems. There have been well documented cases of miracles and healings of different diseases on those of various faiths.

Within the catch all net of the Web, lies gems of online support groups for those trying to lose weight., with some of which are meant for pre- or post- weight loss surgery patients and their supporters. Wise words from others trekking the tedious journey of weight loss lightens the burden of stress, and caring messages massage the sore muscles that kink the back of courage.

There is a deluge of weight loss sites that welcome all that register, although some are specific to gender, age, region or religion. For almost every condition known to man, there is at least one support group that defines the role of the broken body or spirit. Psychologically, this can be very beneficial to members that have little or no family support, or those that have closed their selves off from society.

While many seek comfort within an open online weight loss community, sometimes their comfort is fleeting. By making the careless mistake of offending someone else’s sensibility with an off-handed remark of the Divine, they become the new target for displaced anger. In some cases, communities have set the rule of “Do not mention God, Buddha or any other topics not directly related to weight loss.” By setting the rules of the playing field, questions on mind, body and spirit can be put to rest, and more action focused on the physical goal.

This form of religious discrimination is designed to help and support the members without the distraction of arguments and passionate theological debates. The catch 22 is the fact that most people will tell you, except for Atheists, that the Divine is not an invisible part of them, but rather an indistinguishable part.

As a morbidly obese person, the resulting health and mental problems faced are multiplied since there is much discrimination directed at them from the public. Stereotypes of what a fat person is, or isn’t, is generally degrading and cruel. Labels like lazy, weak willed, stupid and worthless hang over the heads of sufferers. Even in the knowledgeable medical field, including Bariatric professionals, health care workers hold true to the biased belief that it is an ethical disease that dieting and exercise would cure.

Unfortunately, there is also prejudice against weight problems by the religious community. As one Christian lady so bluntly phrased it, “But then that is the way of the world- people are cruelly judged when they are overweight and the religious community does not tend to be gentler in that regard.” With that in mind, does it surprise you that suicides contributed to the factor of obesity and the stigma thereof is as high as five times that of other factors?

Christianity seems to be set apart from other belief systems with their perspective of Obesity being a sin against God. Although nearly all, if not precisely all, spiritual groups do recommend being healthy in body and soul, the lone system of Christianity is filled with possible sins that could be a downfall to Hell.

Gluttony is only one of the major sins in this religion. Many obese Christians have had to wait out sermons given by pastors that used the sin of Gluttony as an example time and time again. Weight troubles are seen as self-imposed problems, the result of sin. If the sin was gone, so would the weight be.

A Christian is very likely have feelings of guilt due to their inability to rid themselves of the sin. Phrases like “you should pray more” or “you should take better care of God’s temple” make more rounds than a door-to-door salesman, and adds to the sore feeling of failure.

Generally, the Christian-based weight loss groups can be split into two types. The logical weight loss programs that combine common sense and medicine with support from faith, and the ‘God will heal me’ programs that doesn’t realistically deal with solutions.

As you can see, the logical program would produce more and faster results than the faith only program. It is these faith only groups that can become detrimental to the health and mental well being of the obese Christian. These programs are out of sync with the ‘God helps those that help their selves’ philosophy, and is silently killing those who cannot muster up the faith to beat morbid obesity.

Within the internet however, a new tree of life is growing, one that has its roots in medical solutions, a trunk made of faith, strong branches of common sense and painted leaves of joy. It is the logical, faith groups for support of pre-or-post weight loss surgery patients that is blazing this new frontier.

Once again, Christianity has set itself apart from other mainstream religions and belief systems. While all belief codes essentially want the best for the believer, the sin of vanity is assumed to have befallen the obese person that considers weight loss surgery. Biased views of what God wants, and doesn’t want, becomes an integral part of the discrimination of obese people, even by individuals that don’t consider themselves to be practicing Christians.

Judgment also befalls patients when others think the money would be better spent on charity than a vanity surgery. The grouping of weight loss surgery with plastic surgery such as face lifts and breast implants is an unfair viewpoint, mostly made by those that are ignorantly prejudice.

However, these same discriminators is agreeable with plastic surgeries that are corrective in nature, such as for burn victims or birth defects. There is no requirement that the patients had not caused their predicament. Nor is there any perceived sin in deciding to have surgery.

The matter of organ transplants have been in debate for yours. Questions of what God wants is not assuredly answered with Bible scriptures since there seems to be points for both sides of the do or don’t situation. However, the large percentage of Christians that fully support the organ transplant surgeries do not consider whether the organ receiver has caused the damage that needs fixed, such as a liver diseased due to alcoholism or lungs diseased from chain smoking.

Ironically, some formerly-overweight church members participate in the mental torture of those that are overweight and those that choose surgery. More insanely, what they perceive as ‘taking the easy way out’ is honestly a viable life threatening process that demands and requires the near absence of both vanity and gluttony.

The high level of discrimination might be a contributing factor to the low frequency of Christian WLS support group meetings in the U.S. Therefore, being that the online Christian WLS community is of like minded peers, the e-mail groups have become more than friendly words, but have become the safe haven where everyone is family, and where discrimination is being kept to a minimum.

But why is there so much discrimination against obesity? It affects millions of people from all walks of life. It is almost impossible for a person not to be able to name at least three obese people that they know well. Obesity is not an indicator of maliciousness, criminal activity, mental illness or retardation. It is not contagious.

So generally speaking, the discrimination is without a logical sturdy foundation. Yet, it thrives and bears many fruits of hate and anger.

Or is there a foundation? One might consider in their pondering of the situation, that the problem of obesity is not a soul’s dilemma, but a problem of the physical body we live in, that we survive in.

Our minds still hold the same instinctive nature that mankind’s ancestors depended on to survive. We still subconsciously evict the people, plants and animals that are different from what we know, so that we don’t receive physical harm through them. It’s not only obesity, it’s anything that we instinctively coil from (disfigurements, handicaps, growling dogs, weird looking fungus’), but also dangerous situations, such as burning houses and flying bullets.

‘Equal children play best’ because they feel safe, physically and mentally. Is that to say it’s excusable behavior? No. There is never excusable discrimination. But it does provide a valid link to understanding the biased human mind, and more specifically the Christian human mind. The basis of ignorant discrimination in the ‘raw’ human mind’s fight for survival is subconsciously transferred to maintaining the high ethical code for the soul’s survival into heaven.

To die is to lose the physical problems and ailments of this life. Since reincarnation is suggested in various other mainstream religions, the pressure to live right is tempered by the assumed knowledge of doing better in the next life around.

Christianity has no such law of try and try again. The finish line is the end of the chance to prove oneself. The final judgment decides the soul’s eternal rightful residence. With the perceived sin of gluttony and other variable ignorant ideas, the survival instinct perceptively kicks in and protects the soul from outer sources.

So, with the coupling of mind and soul protective instincts, there arises an unfortunate amount of fear. Knowledge can overcome fear, and love of the fellow man can overcome discrimination. Love and caring for neighbors and enemies is a tenet of the Christian faith. The chances are good that with facts and correct guidance, discrimination will be replaced with Divine love for all.

In what way can the religious community be de-programmed? First of all, it takes more than one person to change the discriminatory habits of a multitude. And it cannot be overcome in a matter of hours or days.

The embarrassed or ashamed obese individual may not be willing to point out to others the misconceptions of obesity. Yet, this is one of the requirements to bringing about change.

Scientific and medical data should be cited to others, so that pointing out their conception of a lazy and weak willed individual is not received as a rationalism from the obese person. Information should not be given only to the selected few that are tolerant, but to those that are cruel with their intolerance.

The authorities within the church should be confronted with the problem. Once again, medical data should be gone over with a calm mind and a loving and forgiving heart. For every scripture that defines the discriminator’s perspective, a variety of scriptures can define what God says is the ultimate truth.

History has taught that major changes don’t happen overnight, so patience and commitment must become an integral part of the war on discrimination.

A pre-made sermon to speak with your clergy and church members could follow the following model of presentation:

2 Kings 7: 3,5- focus on the fact that God uses everyone to do his work.

Galatians 5: 22-23- focus on these fruits as fruits of God

Romans 8: 26- focus on that God knows we are of physical bodies and are prone to sin even when the spirit doesn’t want to. This goes for every sin, every temptation, including prejudice.

John 15:17- how God wants us to treat each other, in love

Galatians 6: 7- everyone reaps what they have sown. And each person only answers for their sin, not the sin of others

2 Corinthians 10: 3- the bible says our enemies are not flesh and blood, we war with Satan, the real enemy.

Ephesians 6: 12- who is our real enemy? Satan and darkness.

Isaiah 54:17- those that are being used as a weapon of the Devil will not prosper

James 3: 2-8- tame the tongue

Mathew 12: 34-35- what treasure does tongues come from

James 3: 13-16- let them show themselves

1 Corinthians 13: 11-13- as you grow spiritually, so should you grow out of worldly acts and things. charity is charity of the soul, such as love, mercy, acceptance, tolerance and forgiveness.

copyright 2005, Rights retained by Rose Hunt

Posted by Mary at 20:58:23 | Permalink | Comments (12)

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

My First Contest Win!

I have entered different types of writing contests during the last two- three years. With the exception of receiving a ‘door prize’ from the Oprah site, this is my first success.

In May, Blog.com announced a contest in the hopes of finding its new promotional slogan, a winning tagline. Over two hundred taglines were received. Out of this, ten entries were selected as winners. Out of the ten, one was mine, ‘your world, our eyes’.

As a prize, a very generous one I think, was five free years of a Platinum Blog.com account. A prize that I have promised myself not to waste. A prize that I couldn’t have afforded no matter how much it would help my writing career.

I told a Friend today about the win. She said, “I guess you’re more talented than we all thought!” If she would read what I write instead of sitting it aside with the promise to read it later, She would know. I know she never reads books or anything except the phone bill, but I guess I wanted to hear someone else say it was good, or that it needed work.

I asked her why she said that. I shouldn’t have been surprised. I guess when you hear lots of people talk about sky high ideas that never get off the ground, a pessimistic attitude develops toward such fantasies.

I guess I’ll try to keep my writing geared at the world that likes to read. After all, one success deserves another! And another! And another!

Posted by Mary at 06:21:31 | Permalink | Comments (2)

Friday, June 17, 2005

Broken Child

 

The following poem is dedicated to Destiny Zimmerman. Born March 17, 2005- Died June 7, 2005 at the murderous hands of Robby L Rutter, age 27

 

The face we show and the faces we see,  are not as solid as the dreams we dream.

They are but an illusion of images, a curtain with which to hide, a caring smile to wear while the damage is denied.

So it is not within the eyes to look, nor is it within a smile, to see the deeds behind his face, you look at the broken child.

He hid behind the gentle facade, and the loving mother he decieved. Now her precious Destiny is laid, beneath the flowers and the grass so green. 

To him destiny comes like a shadow slithering on the black moon. Both unseen and unheard, in the void it stirs, hungry for his soul in its tomb.

Scream and fight as hard as he might, no mercy he’ll receive. For in the judges chamber and within the hearts of men, there’s no forgiveness to be had, and neither is sympathy.

And within the jailer’s chamber, there’s little forgiveness to give. Like trying to catch fire, through a flour sive.

Destiny is gone, and the mother greives. Because she looked into his face, and not at his evil deeds.

 

 

Please, watch your children. The choice to pull the plug on your child’s life support is more terrible than you could imagine. Even more so if the child isn’t sick with some disease, but rather the victim of abuse. If you are being abused yourself, take your children and leave immediatly! A ’sorry’ now will be meaningless when it is too late.

 

Posted by Mary at 02:41:01 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Thursday, June 2, 2005

Writer’s Whiteout

Writers of every type face brain whiteouts from time to time. If you have ever sat staring at a blank page while trying to think of what to put on it, you have been a victim of whiteout.

Whiteouts are not to be confused with common Writer’s Block. The temporary infliction of Writers Block induces laziness, where as whiteouts is the mental form of clogged arteries. It can last for years with only short reprieves. Writer’s have been known to spend hundreds of dollars in search of an instant cure. Searching in tropics, forests, and other get-away spots for the cure, they are usually left penniless and disappointed.

Whiteouts usually last only a matter of hours although, without proper care in extreme cases, the condition can cause career damage. Some writers have tried to ignore the problem and ultimately wrote such bombs as Loving Dust Bunnies and One More for the Trail.

If you or a loved one is victimized by its parasitic presence , there is not many safe avenues of action other than eating a bowl of alphabet soup or cereal until the symptoms of whiteout have been banished. As a low calorie alternative, shows like Sesame Street or other toddler oriented programs can be watched, permitting they are on the Recommended Programs for Learning list.

In the event that this has no effect, the patient might consider more unconventional treatment. The public library houses some of the best bookworms within its rows of literature. The enthusiastic tendencies of such can be liberally administered in doses of two hour visits twice a day until whiteout has cleared up. Caution should be respected when dealing with librarians as they do have the tendency to fine for unapproved usage time for services and materials.

It is presumed that victims, primarily those with deadlines, who do not seek treatment may become victims of spontaneous combustion also. This theory is not documented with any scientific facts and still remains an urban legend to this day.

One note-worthy case of spontaneous combustion occurred during a book signing in a small Ohio town of the U.S.. This event is still under investigation, but the unofficial word is that the writer did not burn do to Whiteout, but rather from a unhappy reader that threw the writer’s work at him after lighting it with gas and matches.

Whiteout is not discriminatory. Whiteout can strike at any time, to anyone. So please don’t treat those that have contracted it as undesirable or contagious. Remember to show respect, because next time it could be you suffering.

For more information on this condition, please call your local Muse. If it is an emergency situation, meaning you are on fire at this moment, run to the nearest water hole and jump in. After the danger has passed, you can then proceed with prior instructions.

Posted by Mary at 05:54:28 | Permalink | Comments (1) »