LOVELIGHT
Magazine
*****
November 2007*** Vol. 4, no. 11
*****
Managing Editors: Richard Shining Thunder Francis and
Adamaria Francis
Special thanks, acknowledgement, and deep appreciation to
the unique and fascinating friends who contributed to this issue. They are: Ramona Abella, Mary Butler, Pat Fields, Mick Gallagher, Pat Helms, Carol Lawson, Nathan Merritt, Ty Scharrer, Dennis Spencer, Geoffrey Stoermer, and Frank Tyrrell.
*****
*****
LOVELIGHT
MAGAZINE: WHAT WE'RE ALL ABOUT
Lovelight magazine is free, coming directly to your inboxscreen once a
month. We love to laugh.:) So, if you discover any jokes that make
you roar, please send them along to the efamily.:) But no bigoted, prejudiced, scatological, geruntological,
low-quality, or poor-taste humor, please.
But life is not all laughs.
So, we hope also to share with you some pleasant and happy
thoughts. Lovelight wants to
promote peace and harmony, and to aid you. If you are working on any religious, psychological, or
spiritual issues, we encourage you to write to us at rmfrancis@juno.comm
Also, if you come across any wise or touching pieces, not copyrighted,
fairly short, please share them with the efamily. Also welcome are practical tips, short pieces on personal
philosophies, interesting facts, wordplays, and general spirituality (but no
religion or "preachy" dogma, please.:). We reserve the right to make whatever changes we deem
necessary or desirable before inclusion in Lovelight.
As a subscriber, your email
name/address will not be shared.
Please share, send, or copy, this magazine, or any parts of it. Share it as widely as possible, with
all your friends, and all others.
Please use it on your
websites and bulletinboards. Also,
please have friends send us their emailaddress and subscribe. Subscriptions are free.
This is a "light" introduction to spirituality. And it is also great, fun reading. A collection of magazines is produced
once a year. We have published
three volumes, and this would make a sweet gift for a loved one. Happy reading!:)
*****
*****
UNFORGETTABLE CANINE BUDDY, sent in by Geoffrey Stoermer
Mary and her husband Jim had a dog named "Lucky,"
who was a real character. Whenever they had company for a week
end, they would warn their friends not to leave their luggage open because
Lucky would help himself. Inevitably,
someone would forget and something would be missing. They would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there
it would be, amid all of Lucky's other favorite toys. Lucky always
stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay
in the box.
Mary found out that
she had breast cancer. Something
told her that she was going to die. She scheduled a double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before, she cuddled with
Lucky. A thought struck her:
What would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked
Jim, he was Mary's dog through and through.
"If I die, Lucky
will feel abandoned," Mary thought. "He won't understand that I
didn't want to leave him."
That made her sadder than thinking of her own death.
The double mastectomy
was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated; and Mary was hospitalized
for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but
the little dog just drooped, whining and miserable.
Finally, the day came
for Mary to leave the hospital.
When she arrived home, she was so exhausted that she couldn't even make
it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made her comfortable on the couch,
and left her to nap. Lucky stood watching her, but he didn't come when
she called. It made her sad, but sleep soon overcame her, and she dozed.
When Mary woke, for a
second, she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her
head, and her body felt heavy and hot. But panic soon gave way to
laughter when Mary realized the problem: She was covered, literally
blanketed, with every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept, the
sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement, bringing his beloved
mistress all his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his
love.
Mary forgot about
dying. Instead, she and Lucky began living again, walking further and
further together every day. It's been 12 years now, and Mary is still
cancer-free. Lucky? He still
steals treasures and stashes them in his toybox; but Mary remains his greatest
treasure.
Please remember:
Live every day to the fullest. Each minute is a blessing from God.
And never forget the people who make a difference in your life are not
the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They
are the ones who care for
us. If you see someone without a smile today, please give her one of yours.
*****
*****
LOVELETTERS FROM FRIENDS, BUDS, AND PALS
From Ramona Abella:
Dearest Friend:
…I will continue to
visualize silver to your kidney….
CONGRATULATIONS
Adamaria!!!!! How exciting. May this be just the beginning of an
incredibly productive and outstanding career in helping people, families,
find their perfect home ![]()
The two new projects sound very
exciting. I read a book in the 70s called The Chosen. I think the story took place in Brooklyn
and told about the lives of Orthodox Jews. The Re-enchantment of the World-- WOW! Who would not want to read a book with such a title?
Excellent.
Your friendship, your presence and
Adamaria's, are more precious than any gold or jewels in my life. Your
love and wisdom have provided comfort, inspiration, grounding, and compass
during the most difficult times for the last twenty plus years. I am
infinitely grateful-- more than words can express-- for who you are and what you
so generously and patiently share.
Love and blessings to you,
***
From Pat Helms:
…I love to read our Lovelight. I need to read our Lovelight….
I promise I will catch up and will reap the rewards of Love
and Joy
and Laughter in finally reading October Lovelight. One of the things that I
treasure is that there is no time element to it; it fits
wherever and
whenever my soul can lap it up with no time boundaries. Amen and have I
told you how much you are Loved? Always,
Your Learning Panther (not
caught up to pouncing but feeling alive again)
***
From Dennis Spencer:
Dear Richard,
… Here is a new cult I've discovered: The School of Metaphysics. Actually it's not new; it's been around
for over 30 years. Anyway, I had
known about this school for years, and thought it would be a great place to
study, but was located in Missouri, obviously too far to commute…. I thought
having some "letters behind my name" (doctor of metaphysics) would
give me some credibility in the public's eye, when I open my spiritual center.
So, for the past nine months, I've been a student there.
The first cycle of lessons teach some effective
concentration and visualization techniques; also dream interpretation. However, they seem to be copied from the
Self-Realization Fellowship lessons. The more I got into the lessons, the greater the resemblance
became. "Red flags"
started going up when the school began to demand more of my time. I had little time to devote to my own
goals, and felt like I was becoming a "pitch man" for the school. If I hadn't learned what I had from you
about cult psychology, I might have been sucked in further, although I'm very
resistant to being manipulated. There
is definitely mind control going on there.
Then last week, I stumbled upon a web site that was a real
eye-opener. Many former students
were talking about their experiences in the School and about all the mind
control, manipulation, and backstabbing that goes on at the main campus. But here's the real kicker: The
chancellor of the school has been making sexual advances to the female staff
and students. This is apparently
common knowledge to those on the inside, but they just let it happen. When I read this, I wanted to throw up. Another case of abuse of power and
taking advantage of those who look up to him [the leader]. Is there no integrity left in this
world?...
…My initial plan was to get a degree… but what I found was
that it would take ten to fifteen years to do so, and then only if I jumped
through the right hoops, such as spending a year on the main campus.
There were so many things that began to turn me off about
this School, but I am very grateful for what you taught me about cults….
Peace and love,
*****
*****
CHUCKLING IN SUNLIGHT:
HUMORTHERAPY
A LOVENOTE TO THE DOGS, sent in by Geoffrey Stoermer
Dear Dogs,
It seems that lately things have gotten a smidge slack
around here. I feel it is time to
remind you of the rules that heretofore we have operated under. You are both cute dogs, but your
continued cuteness in no way negates our previous agreement. Let me remind you of a few details of
this agreement:
1. In exchange for room and board, you are to guard the
kingdom, from any and all bad guys, robbers, serial killers, etc. Feel free to bark maniacally at any of
those that should appear in the yard. Guarding the kingdom does NOT include barking maniacally at
bunnies, squirrels, cows, sheep and invisible things that only you can see,
especially between the hours of 5am (when I stumble out of bed to let you out)
and 8am (when I actually have to be out of bed to get to work). (And let me take a moment here to
remind you that the pizza guy is a potential bad guy. He is not your friend. Just because he comes bearing food, does
not allow him free and easy access to the kingdom. He is potentially way more dangerous than the bunnies that
you threaten to tear limb from limb.)
2. All of the stuff that lives in the toy basket is yours. Everything else is mine. Yours includes squeaky balls, random
bones, partially unstuffed stuffed animals, and chew ropes. Mine includes any and all shoes on the
floor (especially the expensive leather ones), underwear that missed the
hamper, bras, socks, dishtowels, the remote, the cell phone, the legs of my
grandmother's antique chair, and the vacuum. Did I mention shoes? ALL the shoes are mine. They come in pairs, not quads, for a
reason.
3. The cat gets to sleep on the bed. You do not. You
each weigh 50 pounds. The cat
weighs 12. You sleep smack dab in
the middle of the bed with all four feet spread out covering approximately 12
square feet apiece. The cat
sleeps in a neat little ball covering about 2 square feet. The cat does not bring fleas into the
house. You do. You dogs will never be allowed to sleep
on the bed. Quit sneaking up when
you think I'm not looking. Your 50 pounds of dogginess negates your stealth
superpowers. I know you are up
there!!
4. Speaking of the cat- when he hunkers down into that little mound, lays his
ears back, squints his eyes and growls way back in his chest, HE IS NOT A HAPPY
KITTY. Leave him alone. He does not want to play with you. What he wants to do is poke your eyes
out and shred the skin around your face. He can do that, you know. Five of his 6 ends are really sharp and pointy. He has previously shown very little
restraint. Clearly, he enjoys
smacking you upside the head with a paw full of claws. Do not aggravate him. When he takes your head off after you
have cornered him, I will let him. You have been forewarned.
5. The cat is mean. He will lead
you down a path to destruction. He
likes to tear around the house winding you up. He does this knowingly and intentionally. When you chase him, I will only yell at you for careening into walls and
furniture. He knows this. Quit falling for it.
6. If you find something in the garbage can, assume that I
intend for it to be there. Plastic
tampon shells are not chew toys. Don't
eat them.
7. Also not for doggy consumption- anything you find in the
litter box. This is why you no
longer get to kiss me.
8. You are allowed to sleep on the furniture. You are not allowed to eat the
furniture.
9. Yes, I have to leave every day to go to work. No, you cannot go with me. That's why there are two of you, so you can entertain each
other. The cat gets to stay in the
house. You both have to stay on the porch while I'm gone. The cat does not chew things up. You do.
Quit whining about it. Your porch is air-conditioned. It's just like inside the house minus
the sofa. If you'd quit chewing up
dog beds, it would be just like inside the house. You have made your own proverbial bed by destroying two very
expensive dog cushions.
10. I have opposable thumbs. This
is why I get to be in charge. I
can open cans, doors, and bags of treats. I am the only one in the house that can operate the hose
sprayer. I'm also the only one
with a driver's license and a car. I win. Being
cute is no match for opposable thumbs.
While I in no way wish to suppress your rightful dogginess, I feel that
these very simple guidelines will allow us to continue to co-exist in peaceful
harmony. Please know though, that
should you choose to continue in willful violation of these rules, I WILL PUT
THE CAT IN CHARGE. He has just
been itching for a position in management.
Much thanks,
The Human
***
HOW TO MEDICATE YOUR CAT, sent in by Pat Helms
1. Pick up cat and cradle
it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position
right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat's mouth and gently apply
pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As cat opens mouth, pop pill into mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.*** 2.
Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and
repeat process.*** 3. Retrieve cat from bedroom, and throw soggy pill
away.*** 4. Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm, holding
rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of
mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of ten.***
5. Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.*** 6.
Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing
wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill
down ruler and rub cat's throat vigorously.*** 7. Retrieve cat from
curtain rail, get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to
buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines
and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later. 9.
Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink 1 beer to take taste
away. Apply Band-Aid to spouse's forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold
water and soap.*** 10. Retrieve cat from neighbor's shed. Get another pill. Open another beer. Place cat in
cupboard, and close door on to neck, to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.*** 11. Fetch
screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Drink beer. Fetch bottle of scotch. Pour shot, drink. Apply cold compress
to cheek, and check records for date of last tetanus shot. Apply whiskey compress to cheek to
disinfect. Toss back another shot.
Throw Tee shirt away and fetch new one from bedroom.***
12. Call fire department to retrieve the damn cat from across the road. Apologize to neighbor who crashed into
fence while swerving to avoid cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.*** 13. Tie the little
bastard's front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table, find heavy duty
pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large
piece of filet steak. Be rough about it. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat
to wash pill down.*** 14.
Consume remainder of scotch. Get
spouse to drive you to the
emergency room, sit
quietly while doctor stitches fingers and forearm and removes pill remnants from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order
new table.*** 15. Arrange for SPCA to collect mutant cat from hell and
call local pet shop to see if they have any hamsters.
**
HOW TO
MEDICATE YOUR DOG:
1. Wrap pill in bacon.***
2. Toss it in the air.
***
NOT QUITE WELL
YET, sent in by Ty Scharrer
A man who had been in a mental home for some years finally
seemed to have improved to the point where he was released. The head of the institution interviewed
him first.
He asked, "What do you
intend to do with your life?"
The inmate said, "I will certainly refrain from making my former
mistake. I was a nuclear
physicist, you know, and it was the stress of my work in weapons research that
helped put me here. I shall
confine myself to work in pure theory, where I trust the situation will be less
difficult and stressful."
"Marvelous,"
said the head of the institution.
"Or else,"
ruminated the inmate, "I might
teach. There is something to be
said for spending one's life in bringing up a new generation of scientists."
"Absolutely,"
said the director.
"Then again, I might
write. There is considerable need
for books on science for the general public. Or I might even write a novel based on my experiences in this
fine institution."
"An interesting
possibility," said the director.
"And finally, if none of
these things appeals to me, I can always continue to be a tea-kettle."
***
THE
FINAL LETDOWN, sent in by Mary Butler
A father asked his 10-year old son if he knew
about the birds and the bees.
"I don't want to
know," the child said, bursting into tears. "Promise me you won't tell me."
Confused, the father
asked what was wrong. The boy
sobbed, "When I was six, I got the 'There's no Easter Bunny' speech. At seven, I got the 'There's no Tooth
Fairy' speech. When I was eight,
you hit me with the 'There's no Santa' speech. If you're going to tell me that grown-ups don't really get
laid, I'll have nothing left to live for!"
***
SOME QUOTATIONS FROM FAMOUS PEOPLE, sent in by Ty Scharrer
1. "I had a rose named after me and I was very
flattered. But I was not pleased
to read the description in the catalog:
'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'"--Eleanor
Roosevelt***2. "The secret of
a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the
two as close together as possible."-- George Burns***3. "Santa Claus
has the right idea-- visit people only once a year."-- Victor Borge***4. "I
was married by a judge. I should
have asked for a jury."-- Groucho Marx***5. "Only Irish coffee
provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine,
sugar and fat."-- Alex Levine***6. "My luck is so bad that if I
bought a cemetery, people would stop dying." -- Rodney Dangerfield***7. "I
never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it."--
W.C. Fields
***
LAWS OF A ZIGGY
(LOSER) sent in by Ty Scharrer
1. Law of Mechanical Repair-- After your hands become coated
with grease, your nose will begin to itch, or you'll have to pee.***2. Law of
the Workshop-- Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible
corner.***3. Law of Probability--
The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of
your act.***4. Law of the Telephone-- If you dial a wrong number, you never get
a busy signal.***5. Law of the Alibi-- If you tell the boss you were late for
work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning, you will have a flat
tire.***6. Variation Law-- If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you
were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now (works every
time).***7. Law of the Bath-- When the body is fully immersed in water, the
telephone rings.***8. Law of Close Encounters-- The probability of meeting
someone you know increases dramatically when you are with someone you don't
want to be seen with.***9. Law of the Result-- When you try to prove to someone
that a machine won't work, it will.***10. Law of Biomechanics-- The severity of
the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.***11. Law of the Theater-- At
any event, the people whose seats are farthest from the aisle arrive last.***12.
Law of Coffee-- As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will
ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.***13. Murphy's
Law of Lockers-- If there are only two people in a locker room, they will have
adjacent lockers.***14. Law of Rugs/Carpets-- The chances of an open-faced
jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to
the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.***15. Law of Location-- No matter where
you go, there you are.***16. Law of Logical Argument-- Anything is possible if
you don't know what you are talking about.***17. Brown's Law-- If the shoe
fits, it's ugly.***18. Oliver's Law-- A closed mouth gathers no feet.***19. Wilson's
Law-- As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making
it. (This one is true every
time.)***20. Doctors' Law-- If you don't feel well, make an appointment to go
to the doctor; by the time you get there, you'll feel better. If you don't make an appointment, you'll
stay sick.
*****
*****
HERBAL HEALING, sent in by Pat Fields
I have a small booklet here entitled "Herbal Healing
for Dummies"
On page 14-- under "Germ Warfare: Treating Bacterial Infection," it
says
"Here's a list of the most powerful antibacterial
essential oils. These are
killer oils that knock out common intestinal, skin, and lung
infections,
including staph, strep, and pneumonia. The test results on these oils are
certainly
impressive. Thyme
oil proved to be as potent as standard antibiotic drugs !
Bay laurel, Cinnamon, Clove bud, Garlic, Oregano, Savory, Thyme.
The preceding essential oils are strong antiseptics, but the
problem is that they're also potent skin irritants. You can use these oils, but do so carefully and always
when greatly diluted. Rather than risk burning your skin with thyme oil, use a salve that contains the oil. Because using these oils safely is
tricky, one alternative is to use
the herbs themselves. (The whole herb, from which an oil is extracted, contains the
essential oil.)
The following bacteria-fighters tend not to be quite as
strong as the killer oils, but they're still powerful. These oils produce the opposite effect
by reducing swelling
and irritation. Bay rum (pimento), Benzoin, Cardamom, Eucalyptus*, Frankincense,
Geranium, Helichrysum *, Lavender*, Lemongrass, Marjoram*,Myrrh*, Myrtle*, Pine*
Rose*,Sage*, Sandlewood, Tea tree*,Vetivert (the oils with
asterisks seem to
be the most potent according to studies.)
*****
*****
SCIENTISTS
VERIFY TREATMENT FOR OLD BRAIN INJURIES
This
discovery could help the almost 400,000 brain-injured service-members And veterans
returning from Iraq.
Today, the prestigious
peer-reviewed journal, Brain Research, published an article that verifies rats with
an old traumatic brain injury can be healed with a protocol perfected by
treating humans since 1978.
Traumatic brain injury is a condition that denies oxygen to certain parts
of the brain, which causes inflammation, cell death, and loss of use. Intermittent treatments with pure
oxygen, called Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) saturate these oxygen-deprived
tissues with up to ten times the amount of oxygen we breathe. HBOT has now been shown to restore
function and heal these old brain injuries. It is approved for other kinds of wound care.
Lead author of the
study, Paul G. Harch, M.D., Hyperbaric Medicine Fellowship director at
Louisiana State University School of Medicine, New Orleans, who teaches other
doctors how to use pressurized oxygen as a drug, stated, “We have now
demonstrated that rats can be treated for chronic traumatic brain injuries just
like we’ve treated humans for their brain injuries for the past 21 years.” This treatment, originally developed to
treat injured divers, carbon monoxide poisoned patients, and wound patients,
has now been used by hundreds of doctors around the world to treat thousands of
patients with different types of chronic brain injury. In 2002 and 2004, Dr. Harch presented
some of his case experience to Congress, Walter Reed Brain Injury Center,
Bethesda Naval Hospital, and the National Institutes of Health. Since traumatic brain injury is the
signature injury in the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars, the military has indicated
as many as 300,000 soldiers might have suffered some traumatic brain
injury. This animal research now
verifies and underpins the human experience.
With this study, the
American Association for Health Freedom (AAHF), in conjunction with the
International Hyperbaric Medical Association, is announcing the Brain Injury
Rescue and Rehabilitation Project (BIRR), coordinated across the nation with
clinics willing to treat our brain injured service members with hyperbaric oxygen.
A recent study released by the military states
between 154,000 and 392,000 service members and veterans returning from Iraq
have suffered at least mild brain injury, and 30% of service members treated at
Walter Reed have mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury. Brenna Hill, Executive Director of AAHF
stated, “To date U.S. military medicine has not implemented hyperbaric oxygen as
standard of care, though some high ranking officers have been able to
receive treatment. This latest study should show that it
is time that hyperbaric oxygen was available for all who have sacrificed for
our country.” Together, AAHF and IHMA is requesting $10 million from Congress
to coordinate and conduct treatment for 400 veterans. This is a sufficient
group for this randomized and controlled trial to verify or refute the findings
of the civilian physicians who have treated many patients and have expertise in
this treatment.
Don't forget to visit www.healthfreedom.net, read more information on BIRR, contact Congress, and support AAHF.
American
Association for Health Freedom
4620 Lee
Highway, Suite 210
Arlington,
VA 2220
Phone: 1.800.230.2762 or 703.294.6244
Fax: 703.624.6380
E-mail: office@healthfreedom.net
About AAHF
The American Association
for Health Freedom is the politically active voice at the federal and
state level for the right of the consumer to choose and the practitioner to
practice. We ensure health freedom
by lobbying Congress and state legislatures and crafting legislation; acting as
a government watchdog and filing comments on proposed rulings; educating the
public, press, and decision-makers on integrative medicine; initiating legal
activities (e.g., lawsuits, amicus briefs, petitions), and joining and forming
significant coalitions.
AAHF was founded in 1992 in direct response to the problems
faced by practitioners and consumers in the United States. Medical freedoms were and continue to be
threatened by the government agencies, the allopathic medical community,
insurance companies, and state medical boards around the country. It is clear that health freedom needs a
strong advocate on Capitol Hill, in the state legislatures, in the courts, and
with the media. AAHF is that
health freedom champion.
*****
*****
VIRUS
ALERT, sent in by Frank Tyrrell
BAD Virus ---CNN announced -- Snopes confirms as real.
Here is a link to the snopes page:
http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp
(ihttp:// www.snopes.com/computer/virus/postcard.asp
PLEASE SEND THIS TO EVERYONE
ON YOUR CONTACT LIST!!
A new virus has just been
discovered that has been classified by Microsoft As the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered yesterday Afternoon by McAfee . This virus simply destroys Sector
Zero from the Hard disk, where
vital information for its functioning are stored. This virus acts in the following manner: It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your
list with the title: "You've
received a Post Card from a Family member". As soon as the supposed virtual card is
opened, the computer freezes so
That the user has to reboot. When
the ctrl+alt+ del keys or the
reset Button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently Destroying the hard disk.
Yesterday in just a few hours this
virus caused Panic in New York , according to news broadcast by CNN. This alert was received by an employee of Microsoft itself. So don't open any mails with subject: "A Post Card from ..
" As soon as you get the mail, delete it !! Even if You know the sender !!! Please pass this mail to all of your
friends. Please forward this to
everyone in your address book. I'm
sure most people, Like myself,
would rather receive this notice 25 times than not at All!
*****
*****
MIDDLE EAST WARS,
sent in by Mick Gallagher
Cheryl's Daily
Diatribe:
The Middle East Conflict-- has it Been Engineered by
Extremist Rightwing Christians and Zionists Hoping to "Force" the
"Rapture"?
There is absolutely no doubt in my
mind that bush and Sharon are colluding to force the Middle East into a
massive, all-out war as a way to stay in power. But bush plans to have the last laugh. By encouraging Sharon to escalating
excesses, bush hopes to bait Arabs everywhere-- including Iraq-- into taking
aggressive action, even all-out war. This would of course give bush the pretext he's sought for
launching an attack on Iraq and embroiling America in a war…. But the other
part of bush's plan is just as vicious. By encouraging the bloodthirsty egomaniac Sharon, he may
succeed in destroying Israel without ever lifting a finger himself.
It seems insane that Sharon has staked his country's security on an
alliance with bush-- a man who describes himself as a fundamentalist Christian
(which by definition means anti-Semitic), whose mentor Billy Graham was
blatantly anti-Semitic, whose family actively traded with the Nazis in WWII and
who has himself made anti-Semitic comments. This is like getting into bed with a rattlesnake and assuming
you won't get bitten.
But, there is another dimension to the
Middle East insanity very, very few know about: the unholy alliance between the
Christian right and their Jewish counterparts, the Zionists. While sane people around the world view
the Middle East conflict as "mere" political wrangling with religious
undertones, the rightwing Christians and Zionists see the conflict as a prelude
to the final chapter in the fulfillment of Biblical scriptures-- at least as
interpreted by paranoid schizophrenics with religious delusions such as Jerry
Falwell, Pat Robertson, and their Rabbinical counterparts in Israel and America.
These people welcome the current
bloodbath with "rapturously" open arms; it means the "final
Chapter" is imminent, at the conclusion of which the faithful will ascend
to heaven and the rest of us heathens will die a horrible death. (These people
are such great human beings.)
I did not know about this whacked
out movement until very recently. I
thought this type was confined to small, relatively powerless cults such as the
Jim Jones or Hale-Bopp folks. But it seems that the rightwing Judeo-Christian
"coalition" is not only just as whacked out as these cults, it is
far, far larger and has friends in very high political places-- including, it
is very likely, bush himself...
First, I will give you some background, which was provided to me by a
very reliable source.
The reason why the Christian
right has been funneling money into the West Bank is because they are trying to
force the Rapture.
According to Evangelical
Christian beliefs, the Jews will rebuild the Temple Mount. When that happens
the Lord will take all Born Again Christians up into heaven with him where they
will live at his right hand for ever and ever.
But the Jews will not rebuild
the Temple Mount because they are all impure from having stepped upon the earth
which has dead people buried in it. In order for them to be pure, they must get a pure red heifer
that was born in Israel and burn it. The ashes will be mixed with water and this will be used to
purify the builders and priests of the temple.
Reverend Clyde Lott , an
Evangelical cattle breeder, has been working with American-Born Rabbi Richman
and West Bank settlers to genetically create a perfect red cow. The West Bank is currently populated
with Palestinian Muslims who are sworn to protect the Al Aqsa Mosque which must
be destroyed because it currently sits exactly where they intend to build the
Temple Mount. They also need a
male who has taken his bar mitzvah (he would be at least 13 years old) who has
been raised "in a bubble" never touching the earth or anything that
has become ritually unclean.
According to the Jews, the
Messiah will come once the temple is built.
According to the Christians,
the Jews will almost all die once the Temple is built and an antichrist
immediately moves into it. According
to the Muslims, both the Christians and the Jews will die violent and bloody
deaths if they attempt to destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque.
No, I am not hallucinating!
We are about to see the
biggest mass suicide ever.
Furthermore, if you listen to
the Christians, there also has to be a war with Persia (Iran) around this same
time. "
My source also included the
following excerpt:
["According to Clyde
Lott, the intent of many Evangelical Christians who are helping Israel today is
to speed along the time when they will be raptured into Heaven, leaving behind
a world in chaos and flames. "It's very sad, but I would say the interest
in the Christian world is to see the Temple rebuilt from the Antichrist
perspective, for the rapture of the Church, and that's a very selfish point of
view," Lott says, "The very people who are advocating this are the
ones that are very Semitic in their feelings". Although Evangelical
theology forecasts the destruction of the Jews in the Last Days, Lott believes
that the Jews are God's Chosen People and that the Bible clearly states that
God favors those who help Israel."
[This is the sad result of confusing Jehovah with God.]
Most Israelis understand the
subtext of this alliance, but they are loathe to disclaim it. "Basically,
we're a doormat for them to get to their own eschatological culmination,"
Rabbi Richman says, "It's a pretty scary thing, because the whole rapture
thing that is popular in some Evangelical circles, which calls for a
fulfillment of the hard times for Jacob, is essentially an invitation to
genocide."
And yet, knowing this, Rabbi
Richman and the others happily accept the support of those who would destroy
them."]
Now that you have digested at
least some of this, consider bush's actions for the past several months. Without even needing to invoke a
conspiracy theory, his behavior suddenly makes sense-- in a bizarro world way. Thus, you have his constant use of the
words "evildoers" and his passage of judgment on other nations as
"evil," his obsession with attacking Iraq and, if he had his way,
also Iran (the modern-day counterparts to "Persia-- at least close enough
for government work!), his willingness to use nuclear weaponry (after all,
Armageddon is part of the plan), his creation of a shadow government, his
seemingly inexplicable refusal to make any effort to restrain Sharon, his
surrounding himself with fundies, regardless of their qualifications (only the
"pure" can participate in the "glory" of the final hours!),
his determination to knock down the wall between church and state,… etc.
So, simply put, we may well
have a pack of religious nutcases running the U.S. government as well as in
control of Israel. Is it any
wonder that the situation in the Middle East has reached the current level of
insanity? Sharon has intentionally
provoked the current showdown, exhibiting a flagrant lack of concern for human
life, be it Jewish, Muslim, or Christian. Yes there are Palestinian suicide bombers, but, as R. D.
Laing once said, some forms of insanity are in fact just sane reactions to an
insane situation.
I have no doubt that,
with bush and Sharon at the helm, the insanity will get much, much worse before
it gets better-- which it never will as long as these two madmen remain in
power.
Meanwhile, as these extremists
use the "Holy Land" as a playground for acting out their delusions,
the Palestinians are paying the heaviest price: Here are journal entries from
those trapped in Ramallah.
© 2002. Cheryl may be contacted at cherylseal@hotmail.com.
*****
*****
NATIVE WISDOM,
sent in by Carol Lawson
"Peace... comes within the souls of men when they realize
their
relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its
powers,
and when they realize that at the center of the Universe
dwells
Wakan-Tanka [spiritual Mind], and that this Center is really
everywhere. It is within
each of us."
--Black Elk (Hehaka
Sapa) OGLALA SIOUX
If we are to know peace we must look within ourselves. In order to do
this, we must learn to be still. We must quiet the mind. We must
learn to meditate. Meditation helps us locate and find the Center
that is within ourselves. The Center is where the Great One resides.
When we start to look for peace, we need to realize where it
is--
within ourselves. When we experience conflict we need to pause for a
moment and ask the Power within ourselves, "How do you
want me to
handle this?" By
asking the Higher Power for help, we find peace.
When we are aligned with
spiritual values, we cannot be in fear or conflict. When we are aligned to spiritual values, we have the Creator
whispering solutions in our ears. Unity
is one of the spiritual values. When
we value unity, we value solutions. If we think this way, then we have no conflict within
ourselves.
from whitebison.org
*****
*****
WE ALWAYS HAVE A CHOICE, sent in by Nathan Merritt
John
is the kind of guy you love to love.:) He is always in a good mood and always has something positive
to say. When someone would ask him
how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be
twins!"
He was a
natural motivator. If an employee
was having a bad day, John was there, telling the employee how to look on the
positive side of the situation. Seeing
this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, "I
don't get it. You can't be a
positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
He replied,
"Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You
can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can
choose to be a victim or I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me
complaining, I can choose to accept her complaining or I can point out the
positive side of life. I choose
the positive side of life."
"Yeah,
right, it's not that easy," I protested.
"Yes,
it is," he said. "Life
is all about choices. When you cut
away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people
affect your mood. You choose to be
in a good mood or bad mood. The
bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
I reflected
on what he had said. Soon thereafter,
I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a
choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several
years later, I heard that he was involved in a serious accident, having fallen
some 60 feet from a communications tower.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, he was released
from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw him about six months after the accident.
When I asked
him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wann a see my scars?"
I declined
to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the
accident had taken place.
"The first
thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born
daughter," he replied. "Then,
as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to
live or I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose
consciousness?" I asked.
He continued, "The paramedics were
great. They kept telling me I was
going to be fine. But when they
wheeled me into the e.r. and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors
and nurses, I got really scared. In
their eyes, I read, 'he's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big burly nurse
shouting questions at me," said John. "She asked whether I was allergic to anything. 'Yes,' I replied. The doctors and nurses stopped working
as they waited for my reply. I
took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity!'"
Over their laughter, I told them, "I
am choosing to live. Operate on me
as if I am alive, not dead." He
lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing
attitude. I learned from him that
every day, we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything . Therefore do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:34)
After all, today is the tomorrow that you
worried about yesterday. You have
two choices now: 1. Delete this,
or 2. Forward it to the people you care about. (You know the choice that I made.:)
*****
*****
RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY: A FEW
THOUGHTS, by Frank Tyrrell
A close look at the world of
"endless religion & philosophy" reveals several billion people
doing their best to approach the divine Reality via the techniques of their
various cultures. And they are
quite sincere in their search.
Against this backdrop of a quite universal
urge to find and worship their creator, we have various micro-minority
religious cults screaming that everyone else is wrong and only they have
it right. Among this group we find
Scientology, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, The Way
International, and many others; these include Jehovah's Witnesses, who
infamously claim that the universal God of love and mercy is soon to swoop down
from the heavens and murder off 99.99998% of his erring, but ignorant, children
on this planet. This is error; and
as such, it is evil.
]Jesus said to] Worship God in Spirit. Isn't it possible we are created in his
"image" in that we are each indwelt by an actual spark of the
infinite deity? And to worship God
in Spirit we should strive to do so from that spirit-- as opposed to attempting
to do so from the human mind.
Worship God with truth? Isn't it possible that truth does not
consist merely of the correct arrangement of words, but that truth does consist
of unconditional love, peace, joy, goodness and all those other most beautiful
characteristics of a spirit-dominated life?
For most of us who have left the religious
cults, didn't we do so just because we did not find the fruitages of the spirit
we were promised there? The
organizations we left were in service to themselves, not to us. We knew there had to be more.
Gathering together in groups every time
one turns around, singing songs, listening to leaders delivering the same old
information in the same old way, dodging embarrassing questions, lying in the
name of the God of Truth, hating in the name of the God of Love, peddling
worthless literature from door-to-door and reporting the time; sacrificing
love, marriage, children, an education; giving up our own lives and that of our
children on the alter of outrageous medical practices, shunning the very ones
we should love the most-- these things cannot be the Way.
It cannot be that God wishes us to
subscribe to a belief in things which are spiritually repugnant, unholy, and
untruthful. It cannot be that
entering the kingdom is accomplished at the price that our own sense of mercy,
justice, and truth should be outraged by submission to an outworn system of
religious forms, absurd organizational demands, and meaningless ceremonies.
And sincerely searching for the right
direction, asking to know God's will and then seeking to do it then is a
superior form of worship. And the
greatest act of worship? Since god
is Love, then the expression of this Love to all others who chance to be in our
sphere becomes the very highest form of worship.
*****
*****
NEW
SCIENCE: THE LATEST DISCOVERIES
The following are taken from: World Science
Invite friends to join World Science!
Do your friends or colleagues a favor. Just click here to open an invitation email you
can send them so they can join you in subscribing to World Science at
no charge. Feel free to change the
email text (although you might want to leave the subscription
instructions unchanged.)
This is the World Science newsletter. To cancel your subscription, please reply to this email address with
"cancel" in the subject line. To subscribe, write to this email address with
"subscribe" in the subject line. To change the address where you
receive the newsletter, simply subscribe the new address and cancel the old
one.
Any article on the World Science site may be reproduced on another
website, on condition that it is reproduced along with a link to the
World Science homepage, http://www.world-science.net.
Linking to the page of the original article is
optional.
***
* Other
universes may be detectable, published
study claims:
If there are other universes, then one or more of
them might leave a mark on ours, researchers say.
http://www.world-science.net/exclusives/071011_universes.htm
***
* When our
vices get the better of us:
What happens in the brain when we just can't say no?
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/071011_self-control.htm
***