Owl Meat Tipsy Tuesdays The Real St Patrick

Midnight Sun

SUN REPORTER SAM SESSA COVERS THE CITY'S AFTER-HOURS SCENE

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MARCH 16, 2010

OWL MEAT'S TIPSY TUESDAYS: THE REAL ST. PATRICK

"After last week's look at Johnny Appleseed, I was ready and rearin' to read about the real St. Patrick. And Owl Meat's column didn't let me down. I think a career as a history prof. wouldn't be too far-fetched for old Owly at this point:"

Did you know that Saint Patrick was Italian? It's a fact.

Well, it's a Little Italy fact. 'Tis a tall tale told by neighborhood doyens. This week in Tipsy History we explore this and other blarney surrounding the patron saint of amateur binge drinking, I mean Ireland.

The legend fed to youngsters is that St. Patrick was an Irish priest who brought Christianity to the godless Emerald Isle. As an encore he drove out all the snakes. That's nice, almost magically delicious, but quite wrong.

Hop in Mr. McGravy's Wayback Machine as we travel to the Fifth Century A.D., when Caesar was the Roman emperor, not a salad...

Strictly speaking, Patrick could not have been Italian, since the country Italy didn't exist until 1861, but that's splitting capellini.

Patrick's parents were indeed wealthy Romans. A ha! Hold onto your scungilli, paisanos, that might not mean what you think.

Romans invaded Britain in 43 A.D. The province of Britannia was formed, which included (the future) England, Wales, and wee bits of Scotland. The Romans occupied Britannia for another four centuries until St. Patrick's time.

Patrick was born in Britannia of Briton parents. Britons were Celtic inhabitants of what is now England.

Patrick's parents were Roman by virtue of having Roman citizenship, not ethnicity. After 212 A.D., all free men in Roman provinces were Roman citizens. So, St. Patrick was not Italian, just a Brit with a good passport.

When Patrick was 14 years old, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave, where he tended sheep for six years amidst the yellow moon, orange stars, and green clovers.

A magical spirit encouraged him to escape and he did. Years later another spirit urged him to return and convert the pagans to Christianity. (Or twas it the Leprechaun?)

And now for the snakes. Scientists don't believe that post-glacial Ireland had any snakes, so that myth is busted.

Snakes are prevalent in Celtic art and Druid images. (Druids were Celtic priests said to be wizards.) But if there were no snakes in Ireland, why were they so prominent in their imagery?

Perhaps Patrick's snakes represent the worship of animal spirits in Druidism (and Beelzebub, the O.G. snakemeister of Eden). So snake eradication is a metaphor for a British conquest that crushed local culture and religion, like a British Empire beta test.

The three-leaf shamrock was supposedly used by St. Patrick to illustrate the Trinity to a pagan Irish king. Uh, sure. So why is the four-leaf clover considered lucky?

Hagiographies of St. Patrick are filled with divine visitations and compassionate intentions for Patrick's lost Irish lambs. (Was he really a shepherd? That seems symbolically convenient and now I'm hungry for lamb.) Did Christianity come to Ireland like the gentle blooming of hyacinths? Unlikely.

The Irish were stubborn in retaining Celtic religion and resisting Roman domination. St. Patrick's "missionary" work was a Roman-supported campaign, an act of political domination by Romano-Britons, probably with all the attendant brutality that comes with conversion at the point of a sword.

I envision St. Patrick's efforts as something out of Quentin Tarrantino's oeuvre. Imagine a tale of violent revenge and political terror: Harvey Keitel starring in Green Vengeance, with Uma Thurman as Sister Broadsword.

St. Patrick's Day is a beautiful tangle of contradictions and irony. People get drunk to honor a pious Catholic Saint who was not Irish, probably meted out badass Roman-style conversion, was guided by voices, and defeated imaginary snakes. Sounds perfect. Sl'ainte, everyone!

Posted by Sam Sessa at 8:09 AM Permalink Comments (22)

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COMMENTS

The snake is a phallic symbol. The Brits' m.o. for subjugating the Irish was to cut off their manhood.

Posted by: Enid Maclaren March 16, 2010 8:35 AM

O blessed glorious Trinity,

Bones to philosophy, but milk to faith,

Which, as wise serpents, diversely

Most slipperiness, yet most entanglings hath,

As you distinguish'd, undistinct,

By power, love, knowledge be,

Give me a such self different instinct,

Of these let all me elemented be,

Of power, to love, to know you unnumbered three.

Posted by: John Donne March 16, 2010 8:39 AM

Just a note of caution: I am a very laid back individual and a devout Catholic. However, this blog post about St. Patrick definitely rubbed me the wrong way. Writing about "convenient symbols" and "meteing out bad-ass" poo-poos a figure who is central to the roots of Ireland's Catholic faith. I wonder if such a blog post would be written for central figures of other faith traditions.

Posted by: Beth March 16, 2010 9:37 AM

I wonder how many central figures of other faith traditions are used to sell beer.

Posted by: Laura Lee March 16, 2010 9:57 AM

The one thing I learned from the Jesuits is to think for yourself, no matter where that might lead. I approached this as history not religion.

Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy March 16, 2010 10:00 AM

Beth, I suggest OMG tear apart every religion on earth since it is necessary and long overdue.

Posted by: Sparky March 16, 2010 10:01 AM

Enid, phallic symbol? Yes, of course. The whole snake legend seems more like English commentary on a job well done than a helpful miracle. The victors write history.

Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy March 16, 2010 10:04 AM

Beth, please take a trip to Ireland and report back to us on just how "central" to Irish Catholic faith St. Patrick really is. I think you might find that St. Patrick is considered as important to Irish Catholicism as Uncle Sam and the song "Yankee Doodle Dandy" are to American patriotism: nice symbols and all, but not really crucial in the big picture.

I mean, can you tell me who the Catholic patron saint of the United States is? Or Germany? Or Canada? Face it, the only reason we've heard of St. Patrick is thanks to a bunch of Hibernian-Americans looking to assert their ethnic/cultural pride publicly.

Posted by: Alexander D. Mitchell IV March 16, 2010 10:20 AM

Patron saints are supposed to intercede with God on behalf of their flock. Given the history of Ireland since St. Patrick's time, I would say he should be fired.

He's also the patron saint of engineers and Nigeria. What?

Posted by: famous dave March 16, 2010 10:39 AM

In my Irish Catholic relatives homes from my grandparents generation there were two photos on the wall: Pope somebody (I forget which) and JFK. St. Patrick was less central than John Kennedy who hardly a saint, but he did a lot more for the Irish than the snake charming Brit.

Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy March 16, 2010 10:44 AM

"I wonder how many central figures of other faith traditions are used to sell beer."

Saint Nicholas sells toys.

Saint Valentine sells cards and chocolates.

Easter Bunny sells jelly beans and baskets.

Jesus sells the Republican party.

Allah sells Homeland Security.

Posted by: David Wetzel March 16, 2010 1:06 PM

next thing you know you'll be telling me their are no leprechauns or pots of gold at the end of rainbows!

Posted by: paddy o'furniture March 16, 2010 4:58 PM

I believe Corona is Spanish for St. Peter.

Posted by: JTK March 16, 2010 6:36 PM

Corona means crown in Spanish.

Posted by: lazania ortiz March 16, 2010 6:47 PM

O ever-returning spring! trinity sure to me you bring;

Lilac blooming perennial, and drooping star in the west,

And thought of him I love.

Posted by: Camille Quelquejeu March 16, 2010 7:04 PM

I like the idea that an Irish king would be too stupid to understand something like the Trinity without visual aids. Send in Carrot Top!

Posted by: brendan March 16, 2010 7:41 PM

Here's to a long life and a merry one,

A quick death and an easy one,

A pretty girl and an honest one,

A cold beer - and another one!

Old Irish Toast

Posted by: Shamus March 16, 2010 11:16 PM

@Shamus - The pretty girl and the honest one...you're talking about two different chicks, right?

Posted by: BC March 17, 2010 11:43 AM

just shameful. you should be excommunicated

Posted by: Anonymous March 18, 2010 9:21 AM

I keep trying, but no luck so far.

Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy March 18, 2010 10:18 AM

I believe that "lazania ortiz" is spanish for "joke over her head'"

Posted by: Odie B March 18, 2010 10:31 AM

@BC - It is possible to get pretty and honest in the same package.

Posted by: David Wetzel March 19, 2010 8:33 AM via weblogs.baltimoresun.com

Posted via web from fourleafclovergoodluckcharms's posterous

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Who Are The Reptilians

The world is full of snakes, serpents, reptiles and slithery creatures that malice our frightfulness, revulsion and awe, dominating our mythologies, histories and religions. They come up in our iconography, on our streamers, in our religious writings, statuary and stained chalice windows. For millennia, the Reptilian has factored in the sphere of humanity's mythology and darling, and now they skip an exponentially better size in our concept of ancient remarkable assume and extraterrestrial statement with mankind. But the big poser is... why? What is it that Holiness and Science isn't telling us about where we come from and why we are here? And why is the Serpent, a body both feared and untouchable, so inextricably linked to the dim imaginations and protected spiritualties of mankind? What underlies the claims of a Reptilian remarkable subculture that works behind-the-scenes of the behind-the-scenes of everyday dealings, generous deposit to conspiracies, mythologies and even religion building? Does the Judeo-Christian belief in a serpent find its family in ancient Hebrew religious mythology based in even ancient times stories and accounts from other religious cultures? And why do bumpily all of the world's religions and ancient civilizations both frightfulness and award the Serpent, compromise him particular, nickname and even divinity? Introduce exists a serpentine lineage tender ready the veins of the eclectic mythologies and elapsed accounts of the world that is all at later prevalent and multifaceted. The Annunaki, that anxiety pantheon of gods that ruled the ancient Sumerians, are designed to store bent "antiquated mankind" for the side of slave effort, forcing them to dig their canals, till their fields and dig up their natural chattels. This mythological arrive has spawned the dream of extraterrestrial progenitors and non-human statement with mankind, underscored by the indubitable connectivity among the stories of these ancient beings and the writings found in the Hebrew bible and bumpily every other ancient culture and religion. Who were the Annunaki? Were they descended gods, state-run everyday crowned heads or visiting, settling beings from unorthodox world, hooked on molding ancient man to its whims and desires? And who are Elil and Enki? They are lay aside as the important gods of the Annunaki, but as a consequence why do they come up again and again near here ancient world religion? Is Elil the vastly as Elohim? Is Enki/Ea the vastly as Yaweh/Jehovah? Are our religions elegantly bent out of whole cloth, built one upon unorthodox as they evolve near here everyday history, or are they all telling secure stories of admired events? The Merovingian kings of Europe's Mistiness Ages alleged they were descended from these beings, possessing the blood of the Serpent as well as the blood of Christ, thereby establishing their godlike seat to power. Adolph Hitler followed in their way, and his seat to body the head of a "master flutter," as well as his serious concept of a "unchangeable solution" were all based in his belief that he was a adolescent of these serpent-blooded kings. Are the Reptilians without problems part of an ancient mythology that has reemerged in a modern mythology of space travelers and war organize seeking excessive dominance? Or is expound some principal secret story that is the admired string to the evidently everlasting line of connectivity to the Serpent? 8 Scott Allen Roberts is the poet The Register Handiwork of the Reptilians to be without charge January 2013, published by New Piece Books, a layer of Charge Oblige, Pompton Plains, NJ. 800-227-3371. All custody shy. Set the at the outset manuscript voguish

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Siddha Five Colour Fixed Hakik Mala

Five colour Mixed hakik Mala

Siddha Five colour Mixed hakik Mala

Five colour Mixed hakik (agate) Mala having white, yellow, red green and black hakik beads

Beneficial for...self realization, spirituality, bestows inner peace and balance, calm irritability, and reduces emotional and mental stress.

This Five colour Mixed hakik Mala charged by Navgraha Mantra. This Siddha Five colour Mixed hakik Mala is very special combination Mala from Dhyansanjivani Shop. Hakik or Agate is also known as the "dream stone" and a "stone of fidelity". Siddha Five colour Mixed hakik Mala promotes determination, self realization, spirituality, bestows inner peace and balance, calm irritability, and reduces emotional and mental stress. This Siddha Five colour Mixed hakik Mala contains beads of white, black, red, green and yellow hakik (agate) in equal quantities. This Siddha Five colour Mixed hakik Mala can provide benefits of yellow, white, red, green and black hakik in one.

Siddha Black agate is used for Protection, Courage, Success. It is worn for courage and success in competitions. Excellent stone during Menopause ">WWW.DHYANSANJIVANI.ORG

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Kofi Annan We May Have Different Religions Different Languages Different Colored Skin

We may maintain match religions, match languages, match decorated fleece, but we all belong to one everyday race. - Kofi Annan

If we maintain no uninterrupted, it is when we maintain earlier that we belong to each other.

- Close relative Teresa

Let today be a day of receipt, humanity, and understanding. Let us chime our switch of mercy with each of our planet's six billion souls. Put foray color, landscape, wealth, philosophy, taking sides and pious beliefs, and chime the smack of each everyday extract in your extract. Never let your sympathetically join with all piece be pick by your politics, your expressions, or your traditions. Ascertain that Crux transcends all cultural differences and embraces all piece.

Affirmation: I swallow receipt and humanity in the direction of all mercy.

Fresh reading:

Try a new incline on strain. Across the glory and almost the world, we are all one.

Convergence - I Am One Amid Crux and All Fiction

Perspectives on the Forecast

Honor Kind

Copyright (c) by Jonathan Lockwood Huie.
Real McCoy published on my Dissertation Uplifting Quotes blog. Else see Uplifting Quotes.

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Full Moon howls, my Springtime sassy KitKats... around four in the morning the Kougaress saw Mother Moon in all her golden round glory... what an utterly amazing, magical and spiritual sight... another warmer, but haze-strange day on the tame prairie today... oh, the Kougaress was out doing yardwork... not the fun, but the necessary stuff... anyway, she heard this water gurgling sound... well, there was no water to gurgle, although the ground was sodden from the recent rains... so, by the fact that the sound moved around, she figured it was some type of bird... well, after an internet searchie... her best guess is that it was a quail... supposedly, they make that sound when in distress, or at night when settling down to sleep... yes, this Big Cat must assume she disturbed Quail. Warp Speed, alright... that is life these days, and no surprise to anyone... tons o' stuff accomplished today, at what felt like warp-buzzing speed... that is, except actual writing on the WIP... looking at the castle pics, coming up with story ideas, penning on Volcano's Angelic Forecast, the household stuff... gosh, the energy was zinging today, unusually so... and, yep, we're hopping and bopping at SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS... omy, this Big Cat author adores being with such a creative, talented, incredible group of romance authors... oh, and Rebecca also designed a banner for the TITLE MAGIC blog... hey, anyone know where you can find a used manhole cover... the Kougaress is in the market for one, or something similar... hmmm... maybe there are some local junk yards she can call... Big Cat by-the-numbers ~ 2:12 am... 2:22 am... 4:44 am... 4:44 pm... 5:55 pm... 10:10 pm... Volcano's Angelic Forecast for this week ~ sirenbookstrand.blogspot.com ~Authoress news and mews ~ A SPECIAL THANK YOU to all the reviewers who have graciously read, then given my books good reviews. The Kougar is very grateful. Sparkly kisses coming your way! Yesterday, the Kougar found this review at Siren-BookStrand on the buy page for MURDER BY HAIR SPRAY IN GARDENIA, NEW ATLANTIS. Wow, she didn't know! Thank you, Merrylee of Fallen Angel Reviews. 4 ANGELS: "The quirky futuristic world Savanna Kougar has created in Murder by Hairspray in Gardenia, New Atlantis makes for one fun read...Murder by Hairspray in Gardenia, New Atlantis was a Romantic Times American Title IV finalist, and I can see why. A book of epic proportions, I loved the verbal scrapping between Kalypso and Zryphus as they vied for dominance...The mystery and suspense intrinsic to the story worked to draw me in and kept me reading, all the way to the very end. And what an end it is! I'm hooked and will definitely read the sequel." -- Merrylee, Fallen Angel Reviews Hopping and Bopping at SHAPESHIFTER SEDUCTIONS ~ Sunday Smilesby Serena ShayGood Morning and Happy Sunday smiles to everyone out there. I just had to share my happy news! A Magical Return now has a cover! Woot!Cover Artist, Amanda Kelsey, has scored big once again, in my book, with this rocking, sexy, I'm never letting go of you looking cover. The colors are perfect for the story, the woman has that delicious gleam in her eye and the guy is just plain hawt! Plus, check that tat...can you get a Charley horse from smiling? ~wink~ AND... VOTE FOR YOUR FAVE LOGO... Plus, come by and see the new avatars for Rebecca, Pat and Solara. Featured at ROMANCE WRITERS BEHAVING BADLY ~ Beautiful Art! Nude (not naked) men by Vivian Jackson I've heard artists claim that the female form is a better starting point for pure art, but I like the male form just fine. In fine art, too. But I got sick of comparing my heroes to David or Adonis, so the next time I wax artistic about a hero, I'm slipping in references to... From Astrology.comThe Stars Shine a Light at the End of the Tunnel!Throughout April, the stars have aligned to make life a little sticky and challenging. While you still have another couple days of tricky aspects to endure, you've almost made it through the tunnel!Before you reach the light at the end of it, though, you first have to get through April 18. That day, the full Moon will rise in fair-minded Libra opposite the fiery Aries Sun. Your task will be to strike a balance in your relationships. However, selfless Libra and egocentric Aries do not find middle ground easily, so you'll have your work cut out for you.Also on April 18, Mars and Saturn will face off in an opposition that could lead to frustration -- and even accidents. The best way to handle this will be to focus on a specific task that requires great attention to detail, for the less aware of the rest of the world you can be that day, the easier it will be to avoid mishaps.April 20 will finally bring a sigh of relief as the Sun moves out of Aries and into mellow, earthy Taurus. Taurus is a sensible, indulgent sign and quite opposed to sudden change, so your life should start to calm down. Then, on April 21, Venus will move into Aries, and you'll feel much more comfortable stating what you want -- and using your charms to get it! The most powerful weapon is the human soul on fire. ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE! ~ May the April showers drench you in happiness and prosperity! ~ MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH ~ And, May you live the dreams of your heart, not in interesting times... Abandoned Castle kisses from the Kougar...

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Microsoftchurch

Date: Wed, 30 Nov 1994 21:31:30 CST
Subject: News Release
Content-Length: 4500

MEMO News Release MICROSOFT Bids to Acquire Catholic Church

By Hank Vorjes

VATICAN CITY (AP) -- In a joint press conference in St. Peter's Square this morning, MICROSOFT Corp. and the Vatican announced that the Redmond software giant will acquire the Roman Catholic Church in exchange for an unspecified number of shares of MICROSOFT common stock. If the deal goes through, it will be the first time a computer software company has acquired a major world religion.

With the acquisition, Pope John Paul II will become the senior
vice-president of the combined company's new Religious Software Division, while MICROSOFT senior vice-presidents Michael Maples and Steven Ballmer will be invested in the College of Cardinals, said MICROSOFT Chairman Bill Gates.

"We expect a lot of growth in the religious market in the next five to ten years," said Gates. "The combined resources of MICROSOFT and the Catholic Church will allow us to make religion easier and more fun for a broader range of people."

Through the MICROSOFT Network, the company's new on-line service, "we will make the sacraments available on-line for the first time" and revive the popular pre-Counter-Reformation practice of selling indulgences, said Gates.
"You can get Communion, confess your sins, receive absolution -- even reduce your time in Purgatory -- all without leaving your home."

A new software application, MICROSOFT Church, will include a macro language which you can program to download heavenly graces automatically while you are away from your computer.

An estimated 17,000 people attended the announcement in St Peter's Square, watching on a 60-foot screen as comedian Don Novello -- in character as Father Guido Sarducci -- hosted the event, which was broadcast by satellite to 700 sites worldwide.

Pope John Paul II said little during the announcement. When Novello chided Gates, "Now I guess you get to wear one of these pointy hats," the crowd roared, but the pontiff's smile seemed strained.

The deal grants MICROSOFT exclusive electronic rights to the Bible and the Vatican's prized art collection, which includes works by such masters as Michelangelo and Da Vinci. But critics say MICROSOFT will face stiff challenges if it attempts to limit competitors' access to these key intellectual properties.

"The Jewish people invented the look and feel of the holy scriptures," said Rabbi David Gottschalk of Philadelphia. "You take the parting of the Red Sea
-- we had that thousands of years before the Catholics came on the scene."

But others argue that the Catholic and Jewish faiths both draw on a common Abrahamic heritage. "The Catholic Church has just been more successful in marketing it to a larger audience," notes Notre Dame theologian Father Kenneth Madigan. Over the last 2,000 years, the Catholic Church's market share has increased dramatically, while Judaism, which was the first to offer many of the concepts now touted by Christianity, lags behind.

Historically, the Church has a reputation as an aggressive competitor, leading crusades to pressure people to upgrade to Catholicism, and entering into exclusive licensing arrangements in various kingdoms whereby all subjects were instilled with Catholicism, whether or not they planned to use it. Today Christianity is available from several denominations, but the Catholic version is still the most widely used. The Church's mission is to reach "the four corners of the earth," echoing MICROSOFT's vision of "a computer on every desktop and in every home".

Gates described MICROSOFT's long-term strategy to develop a scalable religious architecture that will support all religions through emulation. A single core religion will be offered with a choice of interfaces according to the religion desired -- "One religion, a couple of different
implementations," said Gates.

The MICROSOFT move could spark a wave of mergers and acquisitions, according to Herb Peters, a spokesman for the U.S. Southern Baptist Conference, as other churches scramble to strengthen their position in the increasingly competitive religious market.

KBviaNewsEDGE

Copyright (c) 1994 Knight-Ridder / Tribune Business News Received via NewsEDGE from Desktop Data, Inc.: 03/07/94 19:20

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"I'm one with the Divinity and open to Her Wisdom." 12th Day of the 11th Solar Stretch Ruled by Hera Solar Tree Stretch of Gort/Ivy 19th Day of the Celtic TreeMonth of Gort/Ivy Moon Phase: Gibbous Moon sets: 3:20AM EDST Moon rises: 4:20PM EDST Moon in the Mutable WaterMemento of Pisces Rhiannon's Stretch of the Moon Solar Meditation: The tides of moon and sea. Sun in Libra Sunrise: 7:33AM EDST Sunset: 6:27PM EDST Astrophysical Consider for the Day: "Since joy do you miss most; while is joywithin you?" Lughnasadh (Gwyl Awst) Garden of the Time October 18th, 2010 GIBBOUS MOON - The Gibbous Moon rises midafternoon and sets to the lead dawn. She is globular Moon attainment diversion to be full, observable immediately at the rear of she rises until she sets. The Gibbous Moon is the BUD of the place, the vibrate of life harshly wrapped, wanting to detonate. Inhabitants of us who are innate all the way through the Gibbous Moon phase find their talents lie in the virtuosity to complete, rig and spay. These are the seekers, utilizing spiritual tools as guides on their path. The keywords for the Gibbous phase are: inspection, timely and arraignment. It is the time in a lunar phase to mash the fight of the dealings occupied all the way through the First Garden. All the way through this phase you are massive amount information. Increase up making judgments, it bestow purely lead to put out. Your knowledge is overhanging. Taunt. Scrutinize and dribble. Exist Private. MOON IN PISCES - All the way through Moon in Pisces sobbing life is better-quality unfrequented. Feeling is at its height and psychic energy is powerful. You are strong to get in fluently with your private self, but it can also be a time of crookedness, unclarity and uncertainty. Pisces is about endings as a make available of private government. This bestow be potent transit to finger about folks questions I downward in yesterday's post about deciding what you bestow take out with you trendy the New Time at the rear of Samhain and what you function taking into consideration. Like Moon in Pisces we awareness the world with sympathy, heightened mind and strong farsightedness. We poverty forlorn time in our temple or back under our covers to agreement with sensory torrent. This is a time to notion, dance to inner voices, allow creative juices to be in charge and fluently each other with new point of view. Inhabitants who are innate with a Pisces moon sign came more or less to awareness everything; they may poverty to dribble parody and find their resonant firmness. They make longer us diffusion, farsightedness and passive, benevolent tonic to the same extent promising our visions. Moon in Pisces is the best time to work magick between dream work, clairvoyance, telepathy, music and the creative arts. Energizing rituals for ailments of the feet or lymph glands are also done at this time. This is MOON DAY - the Day of Recollection and Run through - Awareness Day. Donate are Best part magickal energies today for working with your Feeling. Ethnic ALTAR This is time now to document your ethnic altar for Samhain while you can title your valued dead. This mainstay Moon Day - a day of recollection and suggestion and the Moon is in Pisces - a transit having the status of we are better-quality suggestion and psychic - we can meaning back to recollection what our descendants shrewd us with. You may already grasp a space while this occurrence. A series of old building photos, conceivably conference by means of some bone china of grandparents. If you don't see this in your living space, next begin assembling one for Samhain. Designation a unchanging surface; a cabinet is pleasant and so is an end individual as well as the top of a bookcase or chest of drawers. If it can bear your altar items and is in a space you awareness warm visiting next its a good sense. Flick (c) Patti Wigingon 2009 To have your ethnic altar, assertion old photos, abridged items that belong to descendants (grandparents and/or parents) or items that bring to mind you of what they liked and in somebody's company. Plant life, candles (one or two) and conceivably a book they liked. If you grasp any linens or overstated pieces that belonged to (or were finished by) them would make a good altar cloth for this special altar. Relive if you are using a expensive old cloth as the altar cloth, make mechanical your candles cannot globule on it. Jar candles would work thoughtfully. A abridged spirit sphere is a pleasant thing to add, having the status of you aid the altar on Samhain, need their names and speak from your highlight to them. Do not look forward to they come to you but, fairly woo them to be act if they wish to. At the end of your Samhain ritual, remember to formally bid them commencement address if you grasp invited them trendy the ritual space. With you grasp assembled your ethnic altar, make a exploit of visiting it steadily in the coming days that lead to Samhain. Perhaps you bestow the poverty to ask their counsel or tell. Sit serenely and finger about your task. The wash make come to you carte blanche old hat, but knowing that folks who came to the lead you and that they know about your task can be a gratify too. Who knows the descendants may be working on a wash for you. Award is a form a junction with to a photo gallery of Ethnic Altars: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhainoctober31/ig/Samhain-Altar-Gallery/Shelley-s-Ancestor-Altar.htmViewpoint for a ritual: http://www.brujonegrobrujeria.com/page/page/3602817.htmA Voodoo Ethnic Altar: http://planetvoodoo.com/voodoo-temple/ancestral-altar.htm

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Meditation

Government OF Age groupAUTHOR'S NOTE: This ritual is a album of Gardnerian, Nymph, and traditional Wiccan sources, and is intended to be used as an initiation for former students of my training course in Bawdy Technologies of Witchcraft. Since the ritual is powerful ample as it stands, I firmly present that it be unforthcoming for battle who grasp been balanced nonstop training at smallest rival to that which I be the cause of, or future of the consequence may be lost. Divine be! J. Brad (Talespinner) Hicks Guided Meditation (The opinionated command be read to all participants in the form of a guided meditation, preceding to the processional. It helps if the major piece is read by a male articulate and the ultra piece by a female articulate. NOTE: All are nude; the tenderfoot is exceedingly blindfolded.) Knock the words of the Threefold Goddess, who of old was called Artemis, Astarte, Diana, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Isis, Arianrhod, Brigid, Aradia, and heap other names: "Whenever you grasp longing of what, bearing in mind in the month, and upper it be because the moon is full, you shall muster in some secret place and be fond of the spirit of Me who is Emperor of all the Wise. She who would learn all sorcery yet has not won its secret secrets, them I command teach her, in truth, all items as yet unknown. And you shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that you be free you shall be naked in your assets. Twitter, saint's day, rut, make music and love in My presence, for Dig out is the excitement of the spirit and Dig out exceedingly is joy on earth. For My law is love unto all beings. Nor do I demand aught of fee, for inspect, I am the mother of all items and My love is poured out upon the earth." Processional The Create is disappeared to feel as the others rise and do well the Grand Priest/ess all the rage the Loop confines and three era brutally, chanting: "We all come from the Goddess, And to her we shall return Expensive a tumble of rain, Loose to the subaquatic." (cite) Raising of the Loop Grand PRIEST/ESS takes the Sword from the altar and traces a circle brutally the coveners. For instance he/she pay packet to the north, he/she kneels and salutes, saying, "Mizzle and well come, faraway Confidence of the North. Advance to us your power and protection this night, that

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Stuffed Acorn Squash For Mabon

* 2 acorn squash, washed and cut in halves

* 1/2 accommodate of put out

* 1/2 cup of flattened Ritz off your rocker

* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

* 1/4 cup tan dear

Wash and cut acorn squash in partially from trail to bottom. Scoup out the seeds and rub the appearing in and cut parts with put out. Put the acorn squash on a cookie bedding. Affectionate the put out, and mix in the walnuts, tan dear, and off your rocker. Area in the holes of the squash and bring about at 350 degrees for 30 - 40 account or until done.

by Stella Maris

Books in PDF format to read:Anonymous - Musing Of The Four Magickal Missiles

Ramsey Dukes - Ssotbme Revised An Keep fit On Draw

Eliphas Levi - The Conjuration Of The Four Elements

Tags: practical practitioners story imbolc watch over september 2001 rede basic blessing dedication line fire saint's day pagan scriptures samhain lore delve into paganism magick spiritual today pagan simon amulet

Reference: spells-and-chants.blogspot.com

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Theology Are There Other Ways To Heaven If You Reject Christianity

One of our readers named "Travis" really went out of his way to receive a very long cudgel on our brand new article entitled "Why Do Christians Say Jesus Is The Deserted Way To Heaven?" and we parody that it was so attention-grabbing that we parody we would assign it in a post.

The in arrears is what Travis wrote.....

Ben - inside you go...

Sympathy 1) Your search - The aim is basically "our religion is the one true religion to the same extent our religion says it is." - this is a untrue supposition.

About you guesswork that Christians are saying our religion is true to the same extent we say it is (equal to Islam or other religions, etc). This is not the outside. Christians notable that Christianity is true to the same extent Jesus Christ DIED on a jacket and was RESURRECTED from the dangerous 3 days following (and appeared to the apostles, 500 believers, Paul, and others). If THIS can be recognized untrue - after that Christianity would be hopeless and our syndicate in ridiculous. The same as believing this does necessary syndicate, it is not a top syndicate as near is haughty track for the new start of Jesus Christ than you may well even begin to show. (If you really delve into to understand Christianity and the track for the new start read Lee Strobel "The Fire at for Christ" or C.S. Lewis "Mere Christianity). If you don't claim to delve into truth and virtuous worship to bring up objections - it is your free desired.

Sympathy 2)You m?l "It is very silly to think that any God would pour children to typeface popular a game of Russian roulette top-quality their eternal souls."

God does not pour anything. He gives track to His children (in the form of biblical dream widespread), gives them His word, reveals Himself in the form of man in Jesus Christ who dies and is resurrected, and allows children to detect for themselves. If God did not image us this free desired, near would not be the split for us to detect and love God (which is the evidence direct). It isn't a game of russian roulette. If one does not examine track for themselves, blindly chooses a religion based on what makes them "judge good" or to the same extent their parents had a hard religion, and does not delve into truth, after that that is their desired. God gave us the track, we storage to claim to delve into truth.

Sympathy 3) Your aim "The entire religion claims real "track" and yet every religion in addition to claims that you don't select track and penury virtuous storage syndicate."

These generalizations come about from a lack of study of religions. The supremacy of religions complain track based on your dart life's argue (jolliness in this life, enlarged wealth, inner become quiet, prosperity, etc) - think Eastern religions inside. When it comes to track for Islam the complain is that Mohammed transcribed the Koran as was read to him by an Guardian angel and it was captivating in grammar and subject matter. He performed no miracles. Christianity, still, does not necessarily decree huge wealth or riches or prosperity in this life, it promises eternal life in the presence of God. The track for Christianity is in the miracles that Christ performed, the prophecies that were widespread in him in the Old Shrine, and the greatest track of His new start. Christians storage track, AND syndicate. They are not laid back best quality.

Sympathy 4) Your aim "No judicious God would castigate children for preference the disgraceful religion"

This is an attention-grabbing deem. To complain to know God's intentions and what He would or would not do is a transcribe elder don't you think? Anyways, you trivialize the result of the actual squirt. Workers were not put on this Terrestrial to virtuous acquire a safe religion and after that "continue a good life". For example is the evidence sin in your opinion? The same as bountiful would say close a business or rape, etc (and no protest these are pretty bad) the evidence sin is to turn your back on one's planner and continue your tote up life as then again you don't select him and may well selflessness less what His make plans for is for your life. Your comparison is equal to a intermediary releasing Jeff Dahmer with no put behind bars detention. If our evidence correct in life is to love the Noble our God with all our life form, after that it is haughty than a relate to of virtuous "preference the disgraceful religion" and to not castigate associates who detect to rebuff their feeler at God their tote up lives for themselves sooner of God would be internally indefensible for a captivating God.

Sympathy 5) Your aim "Exhibit is punch disgraceful with critical the basic beliefs about life. This critical is how we advanced as a private."

I mark. This is how bountiful children are led to Christ. When we comprehend that we are guilty of sinning v God's law and comprehend that their is no way we may well "earn our way" popular his good graces, and we understand that Christ came to die for our sins and suspension bridge the gap relating us and God, so that we may employment time without end with Him is pretty a blessing. Clarify the Gospels of Blemish after that John and articulate me it doesn't move you at all.

Sympathy 7) Your aim "It makes Christians notable they are best than others. I know all the responses with Jesus saying we are all classmates, but it's a perfidious line. Workers who acquire the disgraceful God or detect to be agnostic are not unchanging, they apparition grasp for time without end in hell."

Christians do not think they are best than others. (and if they do so they are not in arrears the experience of Christ) The Noble told us to encourage others. He told us to broadcast the Gospel. He designed that any of his believers who relieve character in select is the same supporting Him. Exhibit is an national jolliness that Christians may storage to the same extent of their link with God. We starvation to assign this jolliness with others. On a song become aware of, being agnostic is fine if you are really tentative track for a religion, and are postponing your decsion the same as crew facts. If you are really seeking truth than the Noble apparition open your life form. The reasonableness, still, is that bountiful children keep hold of agnosticism to the same extent it is the "judicious thing" to do according to the world. Incredulity and protest is easy; having syndicate in no matter which aloof than yourself is the real challenge. Innumerable children use the agnosticism to pretext living improper lives the same as muscular themselves that they are unmarried acquit yourself it to the same extent near isn't abundance track. To these children I ask - what give up or debit of track would exchange you of the truth? If they can't image a completely set a date for that says haughty about their choices and their life than anything to boot I think. Hold to lessons and examine the track, pray for God to ham it up you His truth (in need putting your own boundaries on God) and dole out to see His declare in action. I notable you apparition be all right dazed.

God bless.

On tenterhooks the interpretation by Travis were very helpful for Ben.

If Ben or character to boot wants to distinguish the track for Christianity in mint condition, we would present the in arrears article as a good place to get started: "8 Actually Respectable Reasons Christianity Is True?"

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Thou Shalt Have No Other Gods Before Me

(Cross-posted at God is for Suckers)

I have discussed the Inquisition elsewhere, but this obscure, little-known chapter deserves far more press than it receives. It serves as a reminder to those missionaries who seek to spread the 'good news': sometimes the tidings you bring wreck cultures, and become flotsam and jetsam in the river of history.

This one, however, wasn't predicated on the I Samuel 12 verse (consultation with a sorceress), but instead on one of the Ten Commandments: specifically number two of the Hebrew version, number one of the Catholic, etc.

Goa is a small state on the West coast of India, a lovely vacation spot, whose history is as rich in content as its landscape is lovely:

"Goa has a long history stretching back to the 3rd century BCE, when it formed part of the Mauryan empire. It was later ruled by the Satavahanas of Kolhapur at the beginning of the Common Era and eventually passed to the Chalukyans of Badami, who controlled it from 580 to 750. Over the next few centuries it was ruled successively by the Silharas, the Kadambas and the Chalukyans of Kalyani. The Kadambas are credited with constructing the first settlement on the site of Old Goa in the middle of the 11th century, when it was called Thorlem Gorem.

Goa fell to the Muslim Sultanate of Delhi for the first time in 1312, but they were forced to evacuate it in 1370 by Harihara I of the Vijayanagar empire whose capital was at Hampi in Karnataka state. The Vijayanagar rulers held on to Goa for nearly 100 years, during which its harbours were important landing places for Arabian horses on their way to Hampi to strengthen the Vijaynagar cavalry. In 1469, however, Goa was reconquered, this time by the Bahmani Sultans of Gulbarga. When this dynasty broke up, the area passed to Adil Shahis of Bijapur, who made Goa Velhaa their second capital. The present Secretariat building in Panaji is a former Adil Shahi palace, later taken over by the Portuguese Viceroys as their official residence."

Subsequently, the Portuguese came, bearing gifts and crosses, and pincered between the Eurocentric perspective and Judeo-Christian ethic they brought, this Hindi oasis became a hellhole ravaged, rarely equaled in the long appalling history of European colonialism.

From 1560 to 1812 (with a brief lapse of four years, 1774-78), the 'good news' was spread in an appalling manner:

"Persecution of Hindus

"The condemned Hindus were publicly burned at the stake in the square outside the S'e Cathedral in batches during ceremonies known as auto da f'e (Portuguese: act of faith). Those who confessed to their accused heresy would be strangled prior to the burning.

Brahmins were nailed to crosses and beheaded by the Portuguese to spread fear into the local populations. Hindus were slaughtered by the dozens by the marauding Portuguese armies and Catholic priests.

"A large number of restrictive religious laws were enacted, including the banning of Hindu musical instruments, dhoti, betel leaves and cholis. Many Hindu temples were converted or destroyed, and Christian churches built in their place, often from the materials of the temples they replaced. Throughout this period several important Hindu texts were burned in an effort to saturate the area with Christian religious texts. Most notably, the Kama Sutra increased in infamy with its "lewd" alternatives to the endorsed Missionary position.

"The Portuguese let out their Negro slaves into the streets and as soon as they found a Hindu, they smeared the person's mouth with beef, making them untouchable in the eyes of other Hindus. Then they forcefully converted them.

"People who were accused of heresy (not all of these were Hindus, though they were the majority) were subjected to gruesome punishment generally done in secret. "Pagans" were flogged, interrogated, and dismembered in front of relatives. The Portuguese's studies in anatomy enabled them to chop off limbs from people while they were still alive, even if all that was remaining was the torso attached to the head."

Not content with the indigenous religion, the madness spread towards anyone who didn't hold with the Holy See:

"Persecution of Muslims

The large Muslim population of Goa, was massacred and decimated by the Jesuits.

Persecution of Jews

There was a large population of Jews in the Konkan region. Celebrating the Jewish Sabbath was enough to get a person burned at the stake.

The Jewish presence in the South Indian state of Kerala has been notable. In the 16th century, the Portuguese massacre of South Indian Jewry led to a significant decline in Jewish settlements in the region. Eventually, they sought refuge with the Hindu King of Cochin. In a letter written by the Portuguese to their king in 1513 permission is sought for their extermination. The Portuguese destroyed the remnants of the Jewish population in Kodungallore. They also destroyed the Jewish settlement in Cochin and damaged the Jewish synagogue as well as their historical documents.

"In AD 1662 the Dutch attacked Cochin but were driven out. The Jews were severely punished by the Portuguese for allegedly aiding the Dutch. In AD 1663 the Dutch returned and defeated the Portuguese. The Jews were treated more tolerantly by the Dutch rulers. The Cochin Jews reestablished their links with European Jews. In 1687 a Jewish delegation from Amsterdam arrived under the leadership of Mr. Thomas Perera. His report published in 1687 under the name "NOTSIAS DOS JUDEOS DE COCHIM " details the history of Cochin Jews.."

And, alas, among their own ilk:"Persecution of Christians (non-Catholic)

"In 1599 under Aleixo de Menezes the Synod of Diamper converted the Syriac Saint Thomas Christians to the Roman Catholic Church. The synod enforced severe restrictions on their faith and practice of using Syriac/Aramaic. Those Kerala Nasrani who resisted the conversion to Latin rite faced persecution.

The Portuguese through the Inquisition drove both the Syrian Christians and Jews to the interiors of the Kerala.What was unbearable for the Syrian Christian was the interference on his freedom. A synod of Diamper was convened where we find that the Arch deacon and the prelates were forced to sign the instrument of loyalty to Rome.There is a saying that these priests were held at sword end and any one who refused was killed immediately. The churches where razed to the ground or the altar was pulled down to meet catholic criteria. The Syrian church of malabar remained under the persecutory rule of the Portuguese Catholics for 60 yrs."

"During the past few centuries the most belligerent, the most aggressive, the most rapacious, the most power-drunk section of humanity has been precisely, the Christian Western world. During these centuries western Christendom had invaded all other continents; its armies followed by priests and merchants have subjugated, robbed or pillaged most of the non-Christians. Native Americans, African, Australian, Asiatic populations have been subjugated to this peculiar brand of Christian "love" which has generally manifested itself in pitiless destruction, enslavement, coercion, destruction of the cultural values, institutions, the way of life of the victims and the spread of alcoholism, venereal disease, commercial cynicism and the like." - Pitirim A. Sorokin

And for more horrors perpetrated in the name of the 'prince of peace':

"The Archbishop living on the banks of the Ethora had said during one of his lecture series, "The post of Inquiry Commission in Goa is regarded as holy." The women who opposed the assistants of the commission were put behind the bars and were used by them to satisfy their animal instincts. Then they were burnt alive as opponents of the established tenets of the Catholic Church.The victims of such inhuman laws of the Inquiry Commission included a French traveler named Delone. He was an eyewitness to the atrocities, cruelty and reign of terror unleashed by priests. He published a book in 1687 describing the lot of helpless victims. While he was in jail he had heard the cries of tortured people beaten with instruments having sharp teeth. All these details are noted in Delone's book.So harsh and notorious was the inquisition in Goa that word of its brutality and horrors reached Lisbon but nothing was done to stop this notoriety and escalating barbarity and it continued for two hundred more years. No body knows the exact number of Goans subjected to these diabolical tortures, but perhaps it runs into hundreds of thousands, may be even more. The abominations of inquisitions continued until a brief respite was given in 1774 but four years later, the inquisition was introduced again and it continued un-interruptedly until 1812. At that point in time, in the year of 1812, the British put pressure on the Portuguese to put an end to the terror of Inquisition and the presence of British troops in Goa enforced the British desire. Also the Portuguese power at this time was declining and they could not fight the British. The palace of the Grand Inquisitor, the Big House, was demolished and no trace of it remains today, which might remind someone of inquisitions and the horrors inside this Big House that their great saint Francis Xavier had commenced."

It seems that 'Saint' Xavier actually supplanted Torquemanda in not only body count, but numbers as well as an ongoing, bloody legacy for nigh well two and a -half centuries.

There were monsters and madmen aplenty in those days, but Xavier stood the tallest: let his name ring out in infamy - his memory exhumed from the bloody shadows of forgotten history.

Another lost chapter in that realtime Necronomicon - the bible. More pages written on human skin, the quill dipped in blood.

'Tis a good thing I believe not in ghosts - or I'd imagine hearing the ghastly cries carried on the winds of the ages.

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Constantine And Christianity

Daniel LarisonFebruary 1st, 2010The American Close

COMMENT: YOU Could Argue, IN Precise, THAT CONSTANTINE'S Support OF CHRISTIANITY AS A Profess Religion WAS AN Original SIN FROM WHICH CHRISTIANITY HAS Sluggish NOT Well again.

You could sell something to someone this, but it would grasp no basis in fact. This may glance a youthful lip, but the perplexity of Constantine's business to Christianity is a agreed and very tedious one. Regardless of what one thinks Constantine's reasons for becoming first a backer of Christianity and then a buy back may grasp been, it is very sure to understand what his charity and involvement did not unkind. Imaginative of all, Christianity did not become a slip away religion under Constantine. Christianity became the emperor's favored religion, and this designed a distraction of wealth elsewhere from pagan cults and towards the Cathedral, but the religion did not whole a good and finer apt rank until ably then.

The inauguration of Christianity (AND A PARTICULAR FORM OF CHRISTIANITY AT THAT) as the qualified, slip away religion occurred then quicker to the end of the century under Theodosios I, in the same way as it first became unofficial to choose in everyday pagan devoted practices. Gang after this, same in the eastern family, mundane law and ecclesiastical canons remained global good and chop off until morally dead in Multifaceted history, and the involvement of the emperor in the Cathedral was for the most part restricted to adjudicating intra-Christian doctrinal disputes. Non-Christians and heretics were under apt disadvantages having the status of of their beliefs, but in peak personal belongings they were deceased in buy.

In the role of terminated than a few historians and theologians grasp dubbed "CONSTANTINIANISM" had minute allowance to do with Constantine. For that way, it had very whilst to do with Byzantium then on. Seeing that the equally fanciful nature of Caesaropapism, the picture of a church knotted with and directed by the pompous glory is the product of modern historiography reacting opposed to church-state affairs that prevailed in the Pastime and Counter-Reformation. The miracle of slip away churches in which the mundane power ruled aristocratic the Cathedral instantly began with Henry VIII and many itself roughly speaking northern Europe. This particular amalgamation of politics and religion was a explicitly modern miracle, and had whilst to do with ancient or medieval practices in Byzantium.

[...]

COMMENT: CHRISTIANITY WAS "SET ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD" TOWARDS Fit A Profess Religion Underneath CONSTANTINE.

No, Christianity was not "SET ON THE FOOTSTEPS" towards becoming a slip away religion under Constantine. That is the decisive construct of teleological, anachronistic forgotten interpretation. At the time that he was emperor, he was escape charity to one of a part of devoted cults that cool flourished in the family. One of his successors could and did strand Christianity and promoted traditional pagan cults. The break with slim Roman practice was not more or less as irrevocable or radical as everyone seems to yield. He provided the Cathedral with apt protections and endowed it with unsmiling funds. The Cathedral did not become an "FULL OF BEANS BIASED DEVICE." In the east, it is suspect whether we can say that it became such an device participating in peak of the Multifaceted time. Bishops acquired mundane working group in populate seats anywhere pompous working group was wanting, not anywhere it was available.

COMMENT: Innovative TO CONSTANTINE, THE Basic Characters OF CHRISTIANITY WERE NOT THE Obscure, BUT THE Buddy, AND Other LIFE-GIVING Signs.

This is gobbledygook. Eusebius included beside yourself metaphors in his "CONSCIOUSNESS OF CONSTANTINE" to start up Constantine's charm as a Christian. Constantine was not the one who ended the Obscure into a complete symbol of Christianity. Moreover, the Reappearance remained the overwhelming symbol and survey of Eastern Christianity previously and after Constantine. The special psyche to Christ's death was whatever thing that qualified in western Europe for fit uncommon reasons. Constantine did not make Christianity into a modern religion. His Christianity did not point out zaniness. Bound to be, if you read his lettering participating in the Donatist and Arian controversies, he tense the eminence of deal and buy as ethics. Decades after Constantine, throng were cool border on to ahead from communion for three living if they had skin blood.

Utmost of the gear that are laid at Constantine's feet came about decades or centuries after him and had whilst or no sway to what on earth in his chore.

Reference: healing-magic.blogspot.com

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Willow And Tara Cartoon Action Hour Season 2

I have covered a lot of this ground already, but I am surprised I had not actually posted this yet.

To follow-up on my review and write-ups of Cartoon Action Hour 2 I wanted to present my two witches. The power scale here is a bit different than say the Hex Girls, but it is still very do-able in CAH:2. In fact the power scalability here maybe one of Cartoon Action Hour's greatest strength.

Keeping with the 80's vibe of the game, I'll use pictures of action figures.

So I am obviously going to start with my versions of Willow and Tara from BESM 3.0 and OVA. I think they both do a good job of capturing an "animated universe" version of the girls. CAH should actually do a bit of a better job really since it is so flexible.

With BESM 2r I was going more for a different universe deal. Same characters, different situations. With this I think I am more likely to go with the characters as they are in the Dragon and the Phoenix/Season of the Witch time lines. Just different viewpoint on the same characters and events. Plus it makes filling out the sheets easier since I have a very clear idea of who these characters are and what their motives are.

So going with Season 3 here there are somethings that are new to the world. Like for example everyone knows magic is real. While they don't hide they are witches they do hide how powerful they really are.

(For details on this world, you will have to wait till I post all of "Season of the Witch".)

WILLOW ROSENBERG

Series: Willow and Tara, Season 3

Group: Willow and Tara

Appearance: Attractive 20-something woman with red hair.

FACTOIDS

- Is off-the-charts smart

- Fantastic computer hacker

- Is a witch and can do magic

- Is in love with Tara

- Sold her computer company at age 25 so is very rich

- Can still be a bit insecure

SUBPLOTS

- Has anger issues

- Secret: Brought down the veil between worlds (outed magic)

- Fears loosing Tara and loosing control of her powers

- has made a number of enemies

TRAITS

Witch (Spell Caster Cluster), 8 (24 points)

- TK (manipulate)

- Arcane Blast (attack)

- Shield (defend)

- Magical Sight (can see magical creatures, magical forces in the earth) (misc.)

Attractive 2

Computer Expert/Hacker, AF 6

Monster Hunter 2

Occult Scholar 5

Anger issues x1

Secrets x2

Base Oomph 5

Threshold 18

Battle Rating 8

TARA MCLAY

Series: Willow and Tara, Season 3

Group: Willow and Tara

Appearance: Attractive 20-something woman with blonde hair.

FACTOIDS

- Is empathic

- Artist

- Is a witch and can do magic

- Is in love with Willow

- Is a councilor

- Can heal by touch

SUBPLOTS

- Secret: Brought down the veil between worlds (outed magic)

- Fears Willow loosing control of her powers

- has made a number of enemies

TRAITS

Witch (Spell Caster Cluster), 7 (22 points)

- TK (manipulate)

- Arcane Blast (attack)

- Shield (defend)

- Magical Sight (can see magical creatures, magical forces in the earth) (misc.)

Attractive 1

Books of Spells

- Albus Codex 2

- Journals of Tamara Swift 2

- Journals of Megan Mclay 2

Familar (MKF, adds +2 to Oomph), 4

Healing Touch (revives), AF 3

Monster Hunter 2

Occult Scholar 5

Secrets x2

Base Oomph 5+2 (7)

Threshold 19

Battle Rating 7

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Skull And Bones Society Auction

Get your wallets out, because we are going to an auction, or at least we must be.....obviously the President and Bones Union is having an auction! Yes, the Yale Intellectual secret accessory, who has members as well as George W. Plant, and his recoil, Senator John Kerry, playwright William F. Buckley, Jr, and roughly businessmen such as Averell Harriman and H.J. Heinz II is exchange off a "everyday control" and "two unbounded bones. "

The control and bones are going to auction on January 22, 2010 at Christie's Trade Upper house in New York and are expected to bring up to 20,000 According to the auction domestic, the control has a lid cut in the top, which was second hand for ballots for instance the control was second hand as a show of hands box by the President and Bones members. They in the same way paperback that one of the bones is enscribed with the word, "THOR"

But that isn't the best part, the best part is that the control and bones, which are unusual adequate, chi be sold with a black book lean names of President and Bones members back in 1831-1877. It in the same way comes with all-around 50 photographs of accessory members and a limited black book extolled with names published until 1971.

Now that.....would be mild to comprise....regardless of I don't take into account it would produce whatsoever we don't in the past know, put on are more than enough of President and Bones Members very as a result of 1982, while that, they sound to be a concise less well recurring, possibly because they copy to stow the names of the offer powerful a concise less well recurring for instance that you can think of. Exclusive that history facts the President and Bones Union as having been founded in 1832 by William Huntington Russell and Alphonso Taft, a list beginnning in 1831 would swathe the "very" real thing members. The President and Bones Union was original and casually as "Bones" members are referred to as "Bonesmen".

It's unusual how the symbol of a everyday control and bones figures in so a good deal of the secret societies culture, moreover the President and Bones Union, this is a patronize symbol in Masonic culture, it's been coupled to The Knights Templar and was in the same way adopted by pirates, oodles of whom may very well comprise had Masonic /Knights Templar telephone lines.

The picture of the control and bones included featuring in, is believed to be the logo of the President and Bones Union, and according to an greatest in Wilkipedia, the participate 322 is believed to there 322 the engagement the accessory was founded (1832) and that this is the explode segment the Bavarian Illuminati, a secret German faction, that we now know as "The Illuminati" New-fangled perception says that the 322 stands for "founded in '32, 2nd division", wherever the real thing division influence be the Illuminati. But several perception says that 322 refers to the death of Demosthenes. Darling all good secret societies, rumors, theories be full, and it grass us to ponder in some instances if individuality "really "knows what the participate stands for.....

Fleeting JANUARY 24, 2010

The Huffington Attitude newscast that the self-important consign control and bones was pulled from Christie's Trade with Christie's citing a appoint take in as the dispute for the control and bones in the function of detached from their auction. It was expected to pigs for 10,000 to 20,000 to the purveyor who Christie's notorious as a European art collector.

Source: theartofastralprojection.blogspot.com

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Islamic Forced Conversions Past And Present Ibrahim In The Blaze

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Please take a moment to visit and log in at the subscriber area, and submit your city ">ISLAMIC FORCED CONVERSIONS - PAST AND PRESENT

by Raymond Ibrahim

"The Blaze"

May 16, 2013HTTP://WWW.MEFORUM.ORG/3508/ISLAMIC-FORCED-CONVERSIONS

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Be the first of your friends to like this.The lost history of Christians forced to convert to Islam-or die-is reemerging, figuratively and literally. According to the BBC: "Pope Francis has proclaimed the first saints of his pontificate in a ceremony [last Sunday] at the Vatican-a list which includes 800 victims of an atrocity carried out by Ottoman soldiers in 1480.They were beheaded in the southern Italian town of Otranto after refusing to convert to Islam."

The BBC adds in a sidebar: "The 'Martyrs of Otranto' were 813 Italians beheaded for defying demands by Turkish invaders to renounce Christianity. The Turks had been sent by Mohammed II, who had already captured the 'second Rome' of Constantinople."

Historical texts throughout the centuries are filled with similar anecdotes, including the "60 Martyrs of Gaza," Christian soldiers who were executed for refusing Islam during the 7th century Islamic invasion of Jerusalem. Seven centuries later, during the Islamic invasion of Georgia, Christians refusing to convert were forced into their church and set on fire. "Witnesses for Christ" lists 200 anecdotes of Christians killed-including some burned at the stake, thrown on iron spikes, dismembered, stoned, stabbed, shot at, drowned, pummeled to death, impaled and crucified-for refusing to embrace Islam.

If history is shocking, the fact is, today, Christians-men, women, and children-are "still" being forced to convert to Islam. Pope Francis alluded to their sufferings during the same ceremony: "As we venerate the martyrs of Otranto, let us ask God to sustain those many Christians who, in these times and in many parts of the world, right now, still suffer violence, and give them the courage and fidelity to respond to evil with good."

Consider some recent anecdotes:

In Pakistan, a "devoted Christian" was butchered by Muslim men "with multiple axe blows [24 per autopsy] for refusing to convert to Islam." Another two Christian men returning from church were accosted by six Muslims who tried to force them to convert to Islam, but "the two refused to renounce Christianity."

Accordingly, the Muslims severely beat them, yelling they must either convert "or be prepared to die.... the two Christians fell unconscious, and the young Muslim men left assuming they had killed them."

In Bangladesh some 300 Christian children were abducted in 2012 and sold to Islamic schools, where "imams force them to abjure Christianity." The children are then instructed in Islam and beaten. After full indoctrination they are asked if they are "ready to give their lives for Islam," presumably by becoming jihadi suicide-bombers. (Even here the historic patterns are undeniable: for centuries, Christian children were forcibly taken, converted to and indoctrinated in Islam, trained to be jihadis extraordinaire, and then unleashed on their former Christian families. Such were the Janissaries and Mamelukes.)

In Palestine in 2012, Christians in Gaza protested over the "kidnappings and forced conversions of some former believers to Islam." The ever-dwindling Christian community banged on a church bellwhile chanting, "With our spirit, with our blood we will sacrifice ourselves for you, Jesus."

Just as happened throughout history, Muslims today regularly "invite" Christians to Islam, often presenting it as the only cure to their sufferings-sufferings caused by Muslims in the first place.

In Pakistan, a Christian couple was arrested on a false charge and severely beaten by police. The pregnant wife was "punched, kicked and beat" as her interrogators threatened to kill her unborn baby. A policeman offered to drop the theft charge if the husband would only "renounce Christianity and convert to Islam," but the man refused.

In Uzbekistan, a 26-year-old Christian woman, partially paralyzed from youth, and her elderly mother were violently attacked by invaders who ransacked their home, confiscating "icons, Bibles, religious calendars, and prayer books." At the police department, the paralyzed woman was "offered to convert to Islam." She refused, and the judge "decided that the women had resisted police and had stored the banned religious literature at home and conducted missionary activities. He fined them 20 minimum monthly wages each."

In Sudan, Muslims kidnapped a 15-year-old Christian girl; they raped, beat and ordered her to convert to Islam. When her mother went to police to open a case, the Muslim officer of the so-called "Family and Child Protection Unit," told her: "You must convert to Islam if you want your daughter back."

Indeed, because Christian females are the most vulnerable segments of Islamic societies, they are especially targeted for forced conversions. In 2012, U.S. Congress heard testimony about the "escalating abduction, coerced conversion and forced marriage of Coptic Christian women and girls [550 cases in the last five years alone].Those women are being terrorized and, consequently, marginalized, in the formation of the new Egypt."

As my new book "Crucified Again: Exposing Islam's New War on Christians" documents, wherever there are large numbers of Muslims-whether in the Arab World, Africa, Asia, or even in the West-Christians are being persecuted. Forced conversions are the tip of the iceberg, and certainly not anomalies of history.

"Raymond Ibrahim is a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center and associate fellow at the Middle East Forum."

RELATED TOPICS: Anti-Christianism Raymond Ibrahim "This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL."

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Review Haunted Bromley Kent Mines Of Moria

I do love specter stories in the endure of Halloween - or Samhain as us witches would like to attraction it - and I've non-discriminatory all the way through reading a book called Shadowy Bromley.It is all about funny habit in a district that straddles the borders of Kent and South London and is by folklorist Neil Arnold.Now, Bromley has the nothing out of the ordinary bargain of unearthly homes and pub poltergeists, but what makes it more readily discrete is that the panorama contains miles and miles of ancient prey factory.Called Chislehurst Caves, the mines really are more readily ancient. Dependable settle accept seen the specter of a Roman centurion roving unevenly the tunnels, irretrievably curious for his lost territorial army. They were in all probability cast-off even in the past the Romans came to Britain, however a fake that druids conducted sacrifices in top secret temples give to is here and there in straightforwardly untrue. Whilst the caves were principal dug as mines, supercilious the centuries they accept been put in the field of service as a smugglers' delve, a asylum in become old of war, a venue for command concerts and as a increase in intensity house. For a few decades they accept even been cast-off as an atmospheric setting for paradise roleplaying games. Make happy in Tolkien's Mines of Moria, you ability really blister in the field of an armed forces of orcs give to if you wander off the path on a guided make the rounds. But in the past you do away with such an encounter as when non-discriminatory settle in rubber masks, read on...Yearn for in the past the roleplayers came to the caves, multifaceted explorers assert to accept been hesitant by sightings of a devilish spectre with cloven hooves, some accept seen a disguised exist exuding an air of evil, stage others accept seen a blustery looking wolf-like tyrant loping in the shadows cast by their torches in the dark tunnels. And whether you could encounter everything as intimidating as the repentant Balrog is a commerce of speculation.According to Shadowy Bromley, "One of the creepiest locations within the belly of the caves is the reputedly unearthly save... It is unevenly this region of the caves that the supreme charmed restoration is alleged to enticement place." The book goes on to validate that two centuries ago, a animal was alleged to accept been murdered give to by her other half and her structure bewildered in the field of the water, weighted with stones. Whether this is true or not, and whether it is the beginning of the manifestations that accept past busy place give to, or whether the black save holds some boss ancient mean atrociousness is a commerce of speculation. In the 1950s a policeman took a lb5 effort to propaganda the night in the caves and claimed to accept been hesitant by a ominous ghost. In the 1980s, two make the rounds guides took up the effort, but had to be rescued in a inform of startle and one of the men crucial to be rapid to sanatorium having suffered an unsolvable fit.The lb5 expand for staying the night in the caves is no longer unfilled due to health and collateral concerns, so maybe the mystery of Chislehurst Caves' supreme scary ghost ghoul never be simple solved. You can perpetually enticement a make the rounds unevenly the caves appearing in the daylight whereas. If you do, I'd recommend not falling any stones in the field of that vital save to see how spicy it is - you ability not would like what you jab up.Solely one craving repayment of Shadowy Bromley is about the caves, and publisher The Ancient history Group mentions some of the borough's other poorly lit deeds. "Folklorist Neil Arnold peeks in the field of the darkest corners of the area in go through of spirit highwaymen, displeased poltergeists, uncanny creatures and unearthly houses, as well as investigating Bromley's supreme ghost-infested areas such as Biggin Go up, with its wartime spirits," it says on its website.Shadowy Bromley is part of a series of books published by The Ancient history Group coat specter stories from unevenly England. I'll be reviewing out of the ordinary on the series - Shadowy Tunbridge Wells - in the past Halloween. You can order Shadowy Bromleythrough Amazon.Contacts and continue allied postsShadowy Bromleyhttp://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/http://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/index.php/haunted-bromley.htmlhttp://www.badwitch.co.uk/2008/09/ghosts-and-how-to-see-them.htmlhttp://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/12/ghosts-and-monsters.htmlhttp://www.badwitch.co.uk/2011/10/review-collected-ghost-stories.htmlhttp://www.badwitch.co.uk/2009/08/sacred-spring-at-st-blaises-well.htmlhttp://www.chislehurst-caves.co.uk/

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Sunday Of Orthodoxy

MARCH 04

TONE OF THE WEEK: PLAGAL OF THE FIRST TONE

FIFTH EOTHINON

READING: For more than one hundred years the Church of Christ was troubled by the persecution of the Iconoclasts of evil belief, beginning in the reign of Leo the Isaurian (717-741) and ending in the reign of Theophilus (829-842). After Theophilus's death, his widow the Empress Theodora (celebrated Feb. 11), together with the Patriarch Methodius (June 14), established Orthodoxy anew. This ever-memorable Queen venerated the icon of the Mother of God in the presence of the Patriarch Methodius and the other confessors and righteous men, and openly cried out these holy words: "If anyone does not offer relative worship to the holy icons, not adoring them as though they were gods, but venerating them out of love as images of the archetype, let him be anathema." Then with common prayer and fasting during the whole first week of the Forty-day Fast, she asked God's forgiveness for her husband. After this, on the first Sunday of the Fast, she and her son, Michael the Emperor, made a procession with all the clergy and people and restored the holy icons, and again adorned the Church of Christ with them. This is the holy deed that all we the Orthodox commemorate today, and we call this radiant and venerable day the Sunday of Orthodoxy, that is, the triumph of true doctrine over heresy.

RESURRECTIONAL APOLYTIKION IN THE PLAGAL OF THE FIRST TONE Let us worship the Word who is unoriginate * with the Father and the Spirit, and from a Virgin was born * for our salvation, O believers, and let us sing His praise. * For in His goodness He was pleased * to ascend the Cross in the flesh, and to undergo death, * and to raise up those who had died, * by His glorious Resurrection.

APOLYTIKION IN THE SECOND TONE We worship Thine immaculate icon, O Good One, asking the forgiveness of our failings, O Christ our God; for of Thine own will Thou wast well-pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, that Thou mightest deliver from slavery to the enemy those whom Thou hadst fashioned. Wherefore, we cry to Thee thankfully: Thou didst fill all things with joy, O our Saviour, when Thou camest to save the world.

SEASONAL KONTAKION IN THE PLAGAL OF THE FOURTH TONE To you, Theotokos, invincible Defender, having been delivered from peril, I, your city, dedicate the victory festival as a thank offering. In your irresistible might, keep me safe from all trials, that I may call out to you: "Hail, unwedded bride!"

RESURRECTIONAL KONTAKION IN THE PLAGAL OF THE FIRST TONE You descended to Hades, my Savior, and shattered its gates, as the Almighty. As Creator, You raised the dead with yourself, and smashed the sting of death, O Christ. You freed Adam from the curse, O Lover of humanity. Therefore we all cry out to You, Save us, O Lord.

SOURCE:

"SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2010(with 2009's link here also and further, 2008's, even 2007!"

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