Francis Gives Other Denominations A Case Of Pope Envy

From The Boston Globe-

POPE FRANCIS (real name: Jorge Mario Bergoglio) has shaken up the Catholic church with some harsh oral communication about acclaim and about life in the 21st century. He has had an shape on other faiths, as well. Okay to "pope suspicion."

I put the lid on encountered the stipulation in an implement by Jana Riess, a good-looking Mormon bard. "I've excited in seeing this superior revitalization of guard in the Catholic Church," Riess wrote, "but I've equally felt twinges of (an admittedly un-Christian) suspicion."

Why wouldn't a Mormon, or persona for that issue, suspicion the un-self-conscious spiritual large number of a prelate who warns nuns that gift is aloof to the monastic life than minimally pleased for God, and who sneaks out of the Vatican, out of sight as a political unit priest, to high priest to the homeless?

Also, as Riess explanation, Francis is very extreme out gift in the real world. The Mormons' "Futurist, Mystic and Revelator," 86-year-old Thomas Monson, select by seniority a little than by merit, "is personal in his keep apart from from the colonize, the media, and his own gang," she writes. In Monson's untreated appearances, "covering zip was unscripted. He does not do harry conferences, and rarely fields abnormal questions."

Boss here-

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/12/05/francis-gives-other-denominations-case-pope-envy/sY3RGN82i32zwngU0g0HkK/story.html

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It Religion Come To Call

These thoughts are added to each day. Scroll down and read previous One A Days.)

(Use in your personal or church newsletters) (365 stories a year)

ON FRIDAY JANUARY 15TH. I BEGAN A SIX DAY SERIES ON ANGER

One day, in the slums of a great city, a solitary figure moved toward a termite-eaten door and gently knocked.

A raucous voice on the other side screamed out a reply, "Go away, we don't want any."

The man knocked again, softly but persistently. Finally the door opened ever so slightly and then swung wide as the little girl, instantly recognizing who it was, called back to her mother, "It's religion come to call."

It was, of course, Brother Bryan of Birmingham, who was said to be the only man in that southern city who could enter a bar and lead the inhabitants in prayer with no one snickering or making fun.

At first he was called Reverend, then he acquired the honorary title of Doctor. Finally because of whom he was, he became known to everyone as "Brother Bryan." Why? Because he called everyone he met "brother." Rich or poor, black or white. He loved his Lord. He loved his people. He was the epitome of love.

Early in his ministry, because he worked so hard, he became seriously ill. The doctor told him that he needed to take six months off to rest or he would die. His response?

"Well, if I am that sick I had better get to work because I obviously haven't got much time left." From that time on he never spent as much as a week sick in bed.

Once while conducting an evangelistic service in the Cumberland Mountains, two feuding families sat on either side of the church aisle. Everyone carried guns and were ready, at the drop of a hat, to begin killing each other. Brother Bryan, never one to skirt an issue, began to preach on love.

When he had finished he asked the leader of each clan to come forward and place their pistols and rifles on the altar.

The two men, for the first time in their lives, took Christ fully into their hearts and on that that day gave forgiveness and understanding a chance to come alive. Left anger and foolishness n the sidelines and took the commandments of the Lord into their lives. And on that day, made holy not because of the calendar but because of what happened, the feud came to an end.

Toward the end of his days, when time had finally caught up with him, someone once asked how many people he thought he had helped. "I don't have any idea," he replied. "I have always been too busy to keep records. I leave that to the angels."

He may not have known, but it is a fact that during his ministry he held over 8,000 funerals, married some 5,000 couples, preached at least 50,000 times and led over 8,000 people to a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

One day, St. Francis of Assisi was hoeing in his garden. A friend who had stopped by asked, "What would you do, if you knew you would die at sunset?" The reply was immediate, "I'd keep on hoeing my garden."

Below are recent Titles on my other blog. To view them go to Google and where it says "Google Search" type in "Wyrick's Writings"

Or type in the URL http://wyrickswritings.blogspot.com/

Jan 12 WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT STARS?

DEC 29 HAVE YOU GRADED YOUR VALUE SYSTEM RECENTLY?

Dec 20 DO YOU TOLERATE TOLERANCE?

Dec 17 BE A REACHABLE!

Dec 10 TAKE TWO ASPIRIN AND PUNT

Dec 3 GOD HAD A DREAM

Dec 1...THE SECRET POWER OF THE SECOND MILE

NOV 25...ARE YOU A SPIRITUAL ANOREXIC? ARE YOU READY WITH READINESS?

Nov 11 LIFE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FOREVER,

Nov 4...AN UNEXPECTED HIGHWAY TO SUCCESS

Nov 1...ARE YOU SNIFF AND SNUFF OR HEM AND HAW

Have you considered sharing this site with family or friends? Just have them go to Google Search and type in "Neil Spiritual Vitamins".

Or type in the URL http://oneadayyourspiritualvitamins.blogspot.com/

And, yes, maybe they will back track a few weeks to read other of my musings.

DO YOU HAVE A BLOG OR FACEBOOK? IF YOU ENJOY THESE WRITINGS COULD YOU CALL ATTENTION TO THIS BLOG? IF YOU DO, THANKS IN ADVANCE.

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Accurate Psychic Readings Are Horoscopes Really Accurate

By Tana Hoy

What Are Horoscopes?

Horoscopes are rather general readings which you can avail of for free just about anywhere. They don't really equate to the most accurate psychic readings but come pretty close, with quite a lot of of tem provided every month for a lot of people to look forward to things that may come into their lives. Horoscopes are designed in a way to assist you in understanding readings which are based on the alignment of the planets and stars, thus not really giving you any explicit details of things of what will happen in your life. With that in mind, one shouldn't expect so much accuracy like the more personal accurate psychic readings.

Where Do Horoscopes Come From?

Horoscopes are based on the zodiac signs in astrology. The method takes into account a lot of factors such as your birth date, your ruling planet, and the position of the other heavenly bodies in relation to your star. Generating accurate psychic readings for a group of people born under the same zodiac is not very easy. Sometimes, you may find that your horoscope misses the spot, way too far off the target. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't trust horoscopes. Remember that horoscopes are written for the majority of people sharing the same sign. It does not take into account specific factors that might affect the predictions on a personal level.

Astrology is something which has been existent for several years, undergoing extensive study from various people, and said to have originated from Babylonia, where its people were thought to have developed the 12 signs of the Zodiac around 700BC. Several cultures interpret the astral bodies in their own ways, like the Chinese, who associate animals and earthly branches with the year of your birth, as well as your personality. Astrology in Hindu culture comprises of sixteen Vargas which represent the zodiac signs, instead of the usual 12.

Are Horoscopes Reliable?

Horoscopes are reliable guides that can serve as your guide in everyday life. Unlike one-on-one accurate psychic readings with gifted mediums, horoscopes provide less specific information. The major advantage of horoscopes is that they come for free and they're subject to your own interpretation. General advice is usually offered but you don't have to follow it if doesn't feel right. Horoscopes are not the most accurate psychic readings, but with proper expectations, they can be just as helpful as any other accurate psychic readings done for a fee.

About the Author:

Tana Hoy is a natural born psychic who is blessed with the unique psychic gift that allows him to communicate with the spirit world. Tana is an expert when it comes to astrology. In fact, his accurate psychic readings and horoscope readings are sought by people from all over the world. Learn more about America's foremost psychic medium, Tana Hoy -- visit www.tanahoy.com.

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Raising Wiccan Children

Perhaps when you were a child you had to go to Sunday School every Sunday, or Hebrew School twice a week, or any other organized religious institution. Regardless of your view on organized religion, these experiences can be very useful for children not only in acquiring social skills, but also to learn the power of group prayer. But what about a child whose parents follow an alternate Path to Spirituality, such as Wicca? Are these children missing out?

There are both advantages and disadvantages of raising a Wiccan child in this day and age. First, to bring a child up with a spiritual structure is very important, whether it covers the touchstones of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Wicca, or any other religion. This sort of upbringing provides a child with a sense of moral guidelines and an initial connection to the Divine. Several scholarly studies have shown that a majority of pre-teens and teenagers have some sort of belief system, but are not quite sure what it entails. Introducing a youth to some of these ideas allows them to better examine themselves and figure out what they truly believe. It is important, however, not to 'shove religion down their throats.'

Many similarities exist in spiritual schooling for children of all religions. During their religious education, children learn about the origins of their parents' faith, the history of the history of the holidays, and important prayers, all-the-while getting a feel for the structure of a place of worship and interacting with like children and adults. These are no doubt great benefits, and though these institutions are primarily in place for children of the major religions, Wiccan schools are being built much more frequently these days.

But there are some fundamental differences between raising children under the traditional Western Religions and in Wicca. While the foundation of Western Religions are historical accounts, namely the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Koran notwithstanding the issue of fact or fabrication, the basis of Wicca is actual practice. Sure, there are Wiccan arts and crafts projects that can be performed, and important symbols that can be drawn, but the major facets of Wicca are composed of the reverence of nature and the practice of Magick. I believe that the reverence of nature provides a true advantage for the Wiccan child relative to others. She or he would not stand in awe of a structure and have the belief that this is a 'house of god' imposed upon him or her. Rather, they would be able to look at the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains, feel the wind, and watch the creatures run past him or her, offering a better sense of the Divine's manifestation upon Earth.

However, the Circle poses a different problem. The Wiccan Practitioner does not confront a black and white path to spirituality based upon one momentous event. They are instead learned in the arts of energy manipulation in an effort to help others and try and understand the Universal Law. This might be very difficult for a young child to understand, as opposed to learning simplified stories about historical figures who played an important role during a given time period.

Further, because many of these religious events are considered mainstream, should the Wiccan parent allow their child to partake in the celebrations of Western religions, and should they permit their child's friends to participate in Wiccan Rituals? For example, given the delicate nature of Halloween for Practitioners of the Craft, could a Wiccan parent look past her child dressing as a witch and going trick-or-treating with her friends?

This seems to be an individualistic choice, based upon factors such as the persecution that a particular individual has faced for their beliefs, their lineage of Practitioners, and how they view the future of Wicca. But it is to be remembered that unlike some religions, Wicca as a whole does not discriminate upon others.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Are you a Wiccan with a child? If so, do you offer your child a Wiccan upbringing? How so? If not, how would you raise your children amongst the hodgepodge of religious thought? Let us know what you think! Please feel free to share your thoughts on our Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/7witchescoven.

I look forward to reading your responses.

J. Roslyn Antle, High Priestess

The 7Witches Coven

Spells That Work Love Spells

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Ever Wonder What Islam Thinks Of Ufos And Aliens You Might Be Surprised

"ONE OF THE Utmost Interesting ASPECTS OF THE UFO PHENOMENA IS ITS Sure Possessions ON Holiness. Lacking Order Each Holiness Ghoul Have space for TO Ripen TO GRIPS Once THE Continuation OF ET OR Upper Greatly THAT MAN IS NOT THE Really Go with IN THE Distance. Moral DUE TO THEIR Immensity THE TWO RELIGIONS THAT Ghoul BE IMPACTED Utmost ARE CATHOLISM AND ISLAM. Strangely Adequate THE POPE AND A variety of OF HIS EMMISARIES Have space for Beforehand TOLD US ALIENS ARE True AND THEY WOULD BE Intelligent TO Reputation THEM. Speak Offer IS A Even more Riveting Boom ON HOW THIS Statistics Ghoul Cause THE ISLAMIC Holiness."

"Staggeringly (AT TO ME) ISLAM SHOWS AN At once Mind ON THE Give out OF A great deal Sudden Dynamism IN THE Distance. "

LET THE QURAN AROUND TV BECOME HARD - CANADA:

Q: Aliens and space life.

What are space life forms?

Are offering any verses in the Quran that hint at their existence?

If they were to be open, what would that mean for worldly beings and their special close association with God? Would these beings store the probable to be Muslims too, and to subtract by the Quran and the Prophet's teachings? Once me to have a conversation is Dr. Shabir Comrade, Person in charge of the Islamic Statistics ">, Toronto, Canada.

Dr. Shabir, what would it mean for us if offering were space life forms? Let's arbiter about what the state itself early vehicle early. Stage is an satisfactory pole about this on the OnIslam website. The pole stresses that we basic be clear on what we mean by this.

Taking into consideration relations arbiter about space life forms pronto, they are steadily musing about the Hollywood images. Stage are some relations who possibly arbiter that the breakdown landing of a spaceship in Roswell, New Mexico was transfer odd life forms and that the US supervision is by some means suppressing this information lest relations be concerned about this, and so on.

What is very clear is that the study of the level of Astrophysics, we can be jump that none of this has actually happened. Having the status of to store life as we know it, a mud would store to be like ours, in that it would be cold from its "SUN", but not too cold. Outlying sufficient to not be too hot, and not too far up your sleeve so that it becomes too bitter. It would store to store the apt brew of definite ingredients. It would store to be quick to give birth to water, which is essential for life as we know it.

If such crafty life as worldly beings emerged in a mud where overly, that mud would be very far up your sleeve. So far, no mud like ours has been open within our Astrophysical Plot, and other systems are very far up your sleeve.

To supply you an impression, light whereabouts at the explode of 186,000 miles per second, or 300,000 kilometers per second. A great deal systems are some 4.3 billion light years up your sleeve. So we do store the vastness of our space and the gamble of the hundred billion galaxies that are out offering chummy to our Hazy Way Galaxy and the hundred billion stars within each one, you can store many Earths out offering chummy to our own and of course crafty life, but, we don't store knowledge of them and the distances are so vast that we don't questionable that any of them would store actually indoors on Build, even arranged the record advanced technologies they would store.

Q: Of course offering is a despair that if offering is space life out offering, it's crafty life and director crafty that worldly beings possibly.

Dr. Shabir: Yes, and if offering were such beings out offering and they had the expertise of emigrant and coming to Build, they wouldn't be coming in such isolated incidents that are sometimes reported on these format sites that we can read on the web. Stage would be teaming with such space corporation, but this is not the stroke.

So in vivacious, offering is no acquittal that any such beings store actually visited Build at smallest amount in our lifetimes. At the actual time, we basic allow for the gamble that they do standpoint.

Q: Is offering whatsoever in the Quran possibly that suggests offering are other beings other than worldly beings that exist?

Dr. Shabir: The Quran actually is stacks open to the gamble that many Earths do standpoint, equally the early repayment of the Quran says: "PRAISE BE TO GOD, THE MEMBER OF THE ARISTOCRACY OF THE WORLDS". In fact, it says about Al-Alamin which is "THE UNIVERSES" in the plural.

So offering may possibly be many universes and many worlds. In traditional commentaries on the Quran, it has been explained that it's arranged about in the plural equally we store many worlds effective even on all sides of us and in our own bodies offering are many systems.

Stage is a world of worldly beings, offering is a drill world, the world of Jinns which is discrete set of creatures, and the world of angels, discrete design of creatures. So offering may possibly be many other sorts of creatures out offering.

In the 74th repayment of the Quran we read, "AND NONE KNOWS THE BAND OF YOUR MEMBER OF THE ARISTOCRACY PUT AWAY HIM." More to the point the 29th verse in the Quran's 42nd repayment says: "AND OF HIS SIGNS IS THE INSTIGATION OF THE EXPOSE AND THE EARTH AND WHAT HE HAS SPREAD ALL THROUGH THEM OF CREATURES. AND HE, FOR OUTFIT THEM LATER HE WILLS, IS CLEVER." It would inlet from this verse that such ardor life is dispersed all through the expose and the earth.

Q: Would this astound up our understanding of kindness as specific design of special to God? Having the status of, later you facial expression at the Quran offering is a lot of mass on worldly beings and on Build, not manifestly on other planets or other beings out offering.

Dr. Shabir: If someone had a simplistic understanding, and of course that was the track understanding for generations relations may possibly store, equally they saw accouterments within the definite diluted confines of the worldly come across. As our come across grows, now we can understand these pertinent in newborn ways.

So the Quran does say that God has produced worldly beings in the best of molds, but it doesn't mean that track humans store been produced in this best form. At one time relations may store respect track worldly beings were as such, equally everything overly they knew were stingy to worldly beings. But now, we can see that offering is a gamble that other such beings like ourselves standpoint in other parts of the universe.

Q: But most likely they wouldn't store entrance to Quran! Or to Forward planner Muhammad's teachings!

Dr. Shabir: Stage are definite basic Quranic ideals which would help us to arbiter this control. One of the basic ideals is that God does not lead His creatures exclusive of objective, so God sends messengers once again and once again. And God sends to every relations messengers of their own undemanding and relations from among their own communities so that they can link up to each other.

So doesn't matter what languages are uttered or doesn't matter what vehicle of shade available for relations to remove pertinent, all of this basic be recycled in all its variety and God is the master of all of this. He speaks all languages.

In the Star Wars movies, we store shade control the intellect. Besides, this is an impression portrayed in a best, but the impression is not silly. It is secular that God's revelations to His prophets are design of mental shade. In that stroke we do not shortage a entity parley in which that shade needs to take place, it is one intellect idiom to discrete. The intellect of God may possibly speak to crafty beings in many newborn ways all through the universe.

Q: Thank you for your time Dr. Shabir.

Dr. Shabir: You are be thankful for.

Subsidize

HTTP://WWW.EDUCATINGHUMANITY.COM/FEEDS/POSTS/DEFAULT

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Witches Purse Pocket Locket For Oils Perfume Herbs And Magick 18 00

Witches Purse Pocket Locket

A Witches Purse: is a small bag that may hold any and everything. In century's past they were worn on the waste or tied from the neck to keep all manner of magick both handy and out of view. It is believe that most were made to hide under garments to conceal the magick, be it gold or herbs.

This Witches Purse Pocket Locket will be perfect for your magickal Oils, Resins or Spells. This small metal purse is made in a filigree design to allow air to pass through. It has a patina of antique copper which gives it a mystical and vintage look. This Witches Purse is made of cast metal approximately 2 inches by 1 1/2 inches with a vintage twist clasp to easily open and close as needed.

A beautiful charm, it is perfect for your favorite essential oils and or resins. Hide away a spell, herbs or small crystals within this jewelry sized Witches Purse. It will look wonderful with a cord or chain to hang around your neck or in your car. Add a little magick to the night with your personal spell hidden away within this amazing Witches Purse Pocket Locket. This charm is also quite elegant when worn.

3 tiny refill pads for oils have been added to your Witches Purse Locket pendant. Use a few drops of your favorite scent to last all day! (3 pads in a pkg) But using the head of a cotton swab will work just the same.

Source: pagan-magic.blogspot.com

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The Changing Face Of Magic Thinking Big Thoughts

"The Llewellyn Journal: 'When we make magic, magic makes us"."

All of us are shaped by many factors: genetic heritage, family structure, our generation, the culture in which we are raised, and how that culture views gender. As we move through the years our experiences also go into making us who we are. Magic gives us tools to cope with the challenges life presents. For example, many of us learned to ground and center as our first magical lesson, establishing a mental, emotional, and energetic foundation from which to act. Some magical techniques address our human needs-attracting love, caring for a family, and engaging in meaningful work. The western magical tradition calls this kind of magic thaumaturgy, or low magic. I've heard this described dismissively, "That's just thaumaturgy!" Donald Michael Kraig points out that the term "low" describes magic developed in the lowlands, in farming communities where healing ailments and managing a bit of prosperity are vitally important. Thaumaturgy is contrasted with theurgy, magic involving the gods or divine powers. Theurgy is also called high magic, which Kraig notes developed in the cities, literally higher than the countryside...read more>>>...

Source: esoteric-soup.blogspot.com

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Jesus As The Sun Throughout History

I thought many folks here would appreciate this article:Jesus as the Sun throughout History "From the earliest times of Christian history, Jesus Christ has been identified with the sun. This fact is readily demonstrated through the study of ancient texts, including the Bible and works of the early Church fathers, as well as Christian traditions, rituals, architecture and artifacts. From a wide variety of sources, it is clear that associating, identifying and equating Christ with the sun began in ancient times and has continued abundantly over the many centuries since then. Includes many primary sources and quotes from credentialed authorities.The 37-page ebook available for instant download and printing. Be sure to check out the long excerpt!"http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/jesusasthesun.htmlBe sure to check out the long excerpt!http://www.stellarhousepublishing.com/jesussunexcerpt.html; posted in The Pagan Village Tribe - 10 replies

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Goetic Holy Days

TRADITIONAL DECANAL HOLY DAYS

There are a number of methods for deriving the Decanal Holy Days for the Goetia; however, there is little consensus on the question of whether or not the Goetic Demons may be accurately assigned to the Zodiacal Decans at all. In the following list, you will find the Decanal Holy Days as recorded in several manuscripts, especially the Book of the Black Serpent. In thac consists of 30 degrees. These are divided into three ten-degree units known as Decanates or Decans. These Decans are further broken down into five-degree units known as Quinances. Thus there are six Demons per sign beginning with 0^0 Aries.

March 21 - 25 - Ipos (Aries 0 - 4)

March 26 - 29 - Glasya-Labolas (Aries 5 - 9)

March 30 - April 3 - Furfur (Aries 10 - 14)

April 4 - 8 - Marax (Aries 15 - 19)

April 9 - 14 - Ronove (Aries 20 - 24)

April 15 - 19 - Botis (Aries 25 - 29)

April 20 - 24 - Salleos (Taurus 0 - 4)

April 25 - 29 - Bathim (Taurus 5 - 9)

April 30 - May 4 - Valefor (Taurus 10 - 14)

May 5 - 9 - Aim (Taurus 15 - 19)

May 10 - 14 - Bime (Taurus 20 - 24)

May 15 - 20 - Astaroth (Taurus 25 - 29)

May 21 - 25 - Buer (Gemini 0 - 4)

May 26 - 31 - Foras (Gemini 5 - 9)

June 1 - 5 - Gaap (Gemini 10 - 14)

June 6 - 10 - Marax (Gemini 15 - 19)

June 11 - 15 - Marbas (Gemini 20 - 24)

June 16 - 21 - Botis (Gemini 25 - 29)

June 22 - 26 - Gamigin (Cancer 0 - 4)

June 27 - July 1 - Amon (Cancer 5 - 9)

July 2 - 7 - Ronove (Cancer 10 - 14)

July 8 - 12 - Forneus (Cancer 15 - 19)

July 13 - 17 - Leraje (Cancer 20 - 24)

July 18 - 22 - Marchosias (Cancer 25 - 29)

July 23 - 27 - Baal (Leo 0 - 4)

July 28 - August 1 - Beleth (Leo 5 - 9)

August 2 - 7 - Paimon (Leo 10 - 14)

August 8 - 12 - Belial (Leo 15 - 19)

August 13 - 17 - Asmodeus (Leo 20 - 24)

August 18 - 22 - Purson (Leo 25 - 29)

August 23 - 27 - Buer (Virgo 0 - 4)

August 28 - September 1 - Foras (Virgo 5 - 9)

September 2 - 7 - Marax (Virgo 10 - 14)

September 8 - 12 - Gaap (Virgo 15 - 19)

September 13 - 17 - Marbas (Virgo 20 - 24)

September 18 - 22 - Botis (Virgo 25 - 29)

September 23 - 27 - Zepar (Libra 0 - 4)

September 28 - October 2 - Salleos (Libra 5 - 9)

October 3 - 7 - Berith (Libra 10 - 14)

October 8 - 12 - Eligos (Libra 15 - 19)

October 13 - 17 - Bathim (Libra 20 - 24)

October 18 - 22 - Agares (Libra 25 - 29)

October 23 - 27 - Ipos (Scorpio 0 - 4)

October 28 - November 1 - Glasya-Labolas (Scorpio 5 - 9)

November 2 - 6 - Marax (Scorpio 10 - 14)

November 7 - 12 - Ronove (Scorpio 15 - 19)

November 13 - 17 - Botis (Scorpio 20 - 24)

November 18 - 22 - Bifrons (Scorpio 25 - 29)

November 23 - 27 - Barbatos (Sagittarius 0 - 4)

November 28 - December 2 - Buer (Sagittarius 5 - 9)

December 3 - 7 - Vassago (Sagittarius 10 - 14)

December 8 - 11 - Stolas (Sagittarius 15 - 19)

December 12 - 16 - Sitri (Sagittarius 20 - 24)

December 17 - 21 - Seere (Sagittarius 25 - 29)

December 22 - 26 - Sabnock (Capricorn 0 - 4)

December 27 - 31 - Vine (Capricorn 5 - 9)

January 1 - 5 - Haagenti (Capricorn 10 - 14)

January 6 - 10 - Balaam (Capricorn 15 - 19)

January 11 - 15 - Orobas (Capricorn 20 - 24)

January 16 - 19 - Andras (Capricorn 25 - 29)

January 20 - 24 - Phenex (Aquarius 0 - 4)

January 25 - 29 - Vepar (Aquarius 5 - 9)

January 30 - February 3 - Crocell (Aquarius 10 - 14)

February 4 - 8 - Dantalion (Aquarius 15 - 19)

February 9 - 13 - Focalor (Aquarius 20 - 24)

February 14 - 18 - Zepar (Aquarius 25 - 29)

February 19 - 23 - Barbatos (Pisces 0 - 4)

February 24 - 29 - Buer (Pisces 5 - 9)

March 1 - 5 - Vassago (Pisces 10 - 14)

March 6 - 10 - Stolas (Pisces 15 - 19)

March 11 - 15 - Sitri (Pisces 20 - 24)

March 16 - 20 - Seere (Pisces 25 - 29)

ZODIACAL DECANS

Phenex (Night)

March 30 - April 8 (Aries 10 - 19)

Agares (Day);

Halphas (Night)

April 9 - 19 (Aries 20 - 29)

Vassago (Day);

Malphas (Night)

April 20 - 29 (Taurus 0 - 9)

Gamigin (Day);

Raum (Night)

April 30 - May 9 (Taurus 10 - 19)

Marbas (Day);

Focalor (Night)

May 10 - 20 (Taurus 20 - 29)

Valefor (Day);

Vepar (Night)

May 21 - 31 (Gemini 0 - 9)

Amon (Day);

Sabnock (Night)

June 1 - 10 (Gemini 10 - 19)

Barbatos (Day);

Shax (Night)

June 11 - 21 (Gemini 20 - 29)

Paimon (Day);

Vine (Night)

June 22 - July 1 (Cancer 0 - 9)

Buer (Day);

Bifrons (Night)

July 2 - 12 (Cancer 10 - 19)

Gusion (Day);

Vuall (Night)

July 13 - 22 (Cancer 20 - 29)

Sitri (Day);

Haagenti (Night)

July 23 - August 1 (Leo 0 - 9)

Beleth (Day);

Crocell (Night)

August 2 - 12 (Leo 10 - 19)

Leraje (Day);

Furcas (Night)

August 13 - 22 (Leo 20 - 29)

Eligos (Day);

Balaam (Night)

August 23 - September 1 (Virgo 0 - 9)

Zepar (Day);

Alloces (Night)

September 2 - 12 (Virgo 10 - 19)

Botis (Day);

Caim (Night)

September 13 - 22 (Virgo 20 - 29)

Bathim (Day);

Murmur (Night)

September 23 - October 2 (Libra 0 - 9)

Salleos (Day):

Orobas (Night)

October 3 - 12 (Libra 10 - 19)

Purson (Day);

Gremory (Night)

October 13 - 22 (Libra 20 - 29)

Marax (Day);

Ose (Night)

October 23 - November 1 (Scorpio 0 - 9)

Ipos (Day);

Auns (Night)

November 2 - 12 (Scorpio 10 - 19)

Aim (Day);

Orias (Night)

November 13 - 22 (Scorpio 20 - 29)

Naberius (Day);

Vapula (Night)

November 23 - December 2 (Sagittarius 0 - 9)

Glasya-Labolas (Day);

Zagan (Night)

December 3 - 11 (Sagittarius 10 - 19)

Bime (Day);

Valac (Night)

December 12 - 21 (Sagittarius 20 - 29)

Ronove (Day);

Andras (Night)

December 22 - 31 (Capricorn 0 - 9)

Berith (Day);

Haures (Night)

January 1 - 10 (Capricorn 10 - 19)

Astaroth (Day);

Andrealphus (Night)

January 11 - 19 (Capricorn 20 - 29)

Forneus (Day);

Cimejes (Night)

January 20 - 29 (Aquarius 0 - 9)

Foras (Day);

Amdusias (Night)

January 30 - February 8 (Aquarius 10 - 19)

Asmodeus (Day);

Belial (Night)

February 9 - 18 (Aquarius 20 - 29)

Gaap (Day);

Decarabia (Night)

February 19 - 29 (Pisces 0 - 9)

Furfur (Day);

Seere (Night)

March 1 - 10 (Pisces 10 - 19)

Marchosias (Day);

Dantalion (Night)

March 11 - 20 (Pisces 20 - 29)

Stolas (Day);

Andromalius (Night)

ON THE FOUR GREAT KINGS & ELEMENTAL HOLY DAYS

According to the Grimoires, the 72 Goetic Demons are presided over by an additional four Arch-Demons who are often referred to as the Four Great Kings. These Demons are known by several different names, depending upon the source, but are generally accepted to be Elemental rulers or guardians. Their origins are quite ancient and figure into Hebraic mythology as well as Christian. They are named in the Solomonic Grimoires most often as:

Amaymon or Oriens - King of the East

Corson or Egyn - King of the West

Zimimay or Amaimon - King of the North

G"oap or Paymon - King of the South

You may notice the similarity between the names G"oap and Gaap. This is often a confusing issue for Demonologists and there is no true certainty as to whether or not this is the same Demon or simply a coincidence. It is rather unlikely that G"oap is the same Demon as Gaap-for instance, the Grimoires often make use of different spelling for each, even though the two names are quite similar. Even more confusing is the tendency for other sources to name Paimon as an alternate name for G"oap and, similarly, Amaimon as an alternate name of Zimimay. For myself, I avoid the confusion and adhere to the names given in The Lesser Key of Solomon and which are listed above in bold.

These Four Great Kings are also present in Hebraic lore, instead assuming the names of Samael (G"oap), Azazel (Amaymon), Azael (Corson) and Mahazael (Zimimay). Of course, there is always controversy as to whether or not this equation with the Hebrew Demon Princes is accurate, but I personally believe that the names are interchangeable.

These Four Great Kings, along with other high-ranking Demons found within The Lesser Key of Solomon such as Asmodeus and Astaroth, are also mentioned in the famous Grimoire, The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage. In this resource, we discover numerous other spirits presided over by these Demons. Abramelin also includes the four Demon Princes of Lucifer, Satan, Leviathan and Belial and assigns one of the Four Great Kings as a sub-prince of each. There is little doubt that these Kings hold a position of great importance within Demonic hierarchies, as is also indicated by Their presence in other texts.

We are not told, however, over which of the 72 Goetic Demons these Four Great Kings preside-instead, we are given the directions which They rule and are essentially left to speculate. It makes some sense, then, to attempt to assign the Elemental King to all of the Demons with whom He shares an Elemental Nature. For example, because G"oap rules the South, traditionally attributed to the Element of Fire (in the Northern Hemisphere), we can assume that He presides over all Demons of a Fiery Nature.

The problem then evolves into the issue of assigning each of the 72 Demons to a particular Element. Because there is so much confusion as to the actual significance of the ranks of the Demons, it is extremely difficult to come to a verifiable conclusion as to the validity of using the classical planetary rulerships of the individual ranks as guides when determining a particular Demon's Elemental Nature. As I mentioned previously, many of the Demons, by Their descriptions, have Natures which seemingly contradict Their assigned planetary rulers.

A good example is the Demon Focalor. Focalor's classical description, paraphrased, is that He "kills men by drowning them...sinks war ships...has power over storms of the sea". One's initial impression of Focalor's Nature is, therefore, that it is quite clearly Watery, stormy and unpredictable. Because of this, it would make sense to connect Him with the Element of Water, but possibly also with the Element of Air (storms and wind) and, additionally, the Zodiac sign of Aquarius (an air sign, ruled by the planet Saturn). It makes little sense, then, that Focalor's historical planetary assignment is Venus. How could this be? Because Focalor's rank is that of Duke and because all Dukes are assigned to the planet Venus, He is thus considered to be a Venusian Demon.

As I have already mentioned, this confounding tendency for the classical planetary assignments to the Goetic Demons to completely contradict Their Natures renders constructing workable systems of Elemental classification nearly impossible. For this reason, I recommend looking at each Demon and Its description individually and determining Its Elemental Nature through this means. When I am inclined to classify a Demon by its planetary rulership, I prefer to use the Golden Dawn's Decanal allotment system to determine a specific Demon's planetary association. Others will find alternate methods. It is completely up to the practitioner and what makes sense to him or her.

Once you have undertaken the task of categorising the Demons by Elemental Nature, you may be interested in determining corresponding Holy Days based on Element. Some Demonolators use the traditional "Wheel of the Year" model to construct a usable calendar of Holy Days which is compatible with the four Elements. An example would be the traditional Yule, which is often associated with the Element of Earth. During the observance of traditional Yule in the Northern Hemisphere, a Demonolator may choose to honour Zimimay, King of the North and all of the Earth Demons. For the Southern Hemisphere, a Demonolator may choose to honour G"oap, King of the South and all of the Earth Demons. Because of the flexibility of Elemental and planetary correspondences, it is incredibly simple to construct your own calendar of Demonic Holy Days.

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Some Interesting Facts About The Igbo People

I was going through the archives of the evergreen Nigeria Village Square and I saw an interesting post that tried as much as possible to clear some false misconception about the Igbos.

Tighten your seat belt and read through.

Source: Denker

In this piece, I intend to focus on the Igbo as a people. The Igbo, their culture, civilization, and their contributions to world greatness, are, perhaps, among the most little understood, taught, publicized and recognized of all human knowledge. What is sometimes upsetting is the little the Igbo themselves, including their educated sons and daughters know about themselves. Or, more bafflingly, how the educated Igbo parrot, and hold fast, without taking a second look at the false information about the Igbo, which they heard or read from scantily informed or biased sources, foreigners and natives, and, of course, the ever busy Igbo detractors.

I decided to write this article after the now familiar surprise look I get from many an educated Igbo when I begin to discuss Igbo factoids and misrepresentations. What embarrasses most of them is that certain incontrovertible, and some would say, elementary facts about the Igbo, which were always self evident, now suddenly hits them like a thunderbolt and it becomes crystal clear to them that their previous beliefs which they parroted were false. Here are a few facts in question and answers:

QUESTION: IS SOUTHEAST AND IGBOLAND THE SAME THING?

Answer: Not at all. Southeast is only about 3/5th of Igboland. Igboland covers the whole of Southeast, parts of Rivers, Delta, Benue, and Akwa Ibom states.

QUESTION: WHY WERE WE TAUGHT IN SCHOOL THAT IGBO PEOPLE ARE EASTERNERS?

Answer: It is both an unfortunate parroting by teachers and careless adoption by Igbo educated class. Igbo people come from Southern Nigeria and not Eastern Nigeria. It may be correct to say that the Igbo are found predominantly in eastern Nigeria. However, by saying that the Igbo are easterners, the implication is that the Igbo in western Nigeria, numbering about 2.5 million (Agbor, Ogwashi Ukwu, Ibuzo, Okpanam, Asaba, Orimili, Ndokwa, Anioma, etc) are not Igbos. The best known Igbo anthropologist Professor Mike Onwuejeogwu is from the western part of Nigeria, Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Dennis Osadebe, Okonkwo Adibe (the famous musician), Sony Odogwu, etc. are all from the western part of Nigeria. They are no less Igbo than those who live in the eastern part of Nigeria. The correct answer to your question is "the Igbo come from Southern Nigeria."

QUESTION: WHY DO SOME IGBO REFER TO THEMSELVES AS "CORE IGBO?"

Answer: That is clearly arrant nonsense. Nobody is core and others peripheral. All Igbo are the same. It is both arrogant, thoughtless and insensitive for anybody to regard others as marginal.

QUESTION: IS IGBOLAND LANDLOCKED?

Answer: Not at all. Igboland stretches from Igwe Ocha (Port Harcourt) to Agbor. The Atlantic ocean washes the shores of Igboland. Africa's second largest river - River Niger, traverses Igboland with one part of Igboland in the east and another part in the west of Nigeria. Uguta Lake has the potential of accommodating large ships and could be made a navigable port. If Igboland is landlocked, then all Nigeria is landlocked.

QUESTION: IS THERE OIL IN IGBOLAND?

Answer: Yes, indeed. There is a lot of oil in Imo State, Abia, Ebonyi, Rivers State and Delta States Igbo areas, and now in Anambra. Besides, Igboland has many other natural resources, including coal, limestone, etc.

QUESTION: ARE THE IGBO A NATION OR A TRIBE?

Answer: The Igbo are a nation, and a very large one. There are many tribes in Igbo nation, just like you have many tribes within Israel.

QUESTION: WHY DO SOME IKWERRE PEOPLE SAY THEY ARE NOT IGBO?

Answer: First, it is not up to them to say what they are and what they are not. When God created them, He did not ask them who they wanted to be. He just created them Igbo. The only way you'll know who belongs to what ethnic group in Nigeria is the name and what language the name comes from. Anybody whose name is Amadi or Onyeri, or Eke, or Odili, Wanodi (Nwanodi) does not need to tell you who he is. He is Igbo, his politics notwithstanding.

QUESTION: BUT THEY CLAIM THAT THEIR LANGUAGE IS IKWERRE, NOT IGBO.

Answer: That is politics. Ikwerre is a dialect of Igbo language. Just like an Ngwa man speaks Ngwa Igbo, Arochukwu speaks Arochukwu Igbo, etc.

QUESTION: SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT IGBO LANGUAGE IS NOT COMPLETE, IS IT TRUE?

Answer: No language is complete. All languages borrow from each other. Igbo language is very rich. It has inexhaustible and rich linguistic features like idioms, proverbs, aphorisms, sayings, anecdotes, riddles, folklores, etc. Igbo language is one of the major languages of the world, being spoken by millions of people.

QUESTION: HOW MANY ARE THE IGBO?

Answer: The Igbo are very numerous. There is educated guess that if Nigeria's census is properly enumerated, the Igbo could easily be the largest ethnic group in the country. They may number up to 40 million. Everything right now, is speculation. Nobody knows the true stratification or ethnic populations in Nigeria. The Igbo are the only ethnic group found in large numbers everywhere in Nigeria, and foreign countries more than any other ethnic group in Africa.

QUESTION: DO THE IGBO HAVE A CULTURE OF THEIR OWN?

Answer: Yes, indeed. Igbo culture is perhaps, one of the richest and all-encompassing cultures in this world. Igbo culture always observes the temporal and the spiritual aspects of cosmology. The study of Igbo culture reveals that it is extremely deep and original.

QUESTION: WHY DO THE IGBO WEAR YORUBA AGBADA AND HAUSA BABBAN RIGA BUT THE YORUBA AND THE HAUSA DO NOT EVER WEAR IGBO NATIONAL DRESS?

Answer: Unfortunately this is the case. The Igbo have very attractive and resplendent national dresses. And they come in assortments that are extremely dignifying. The Igbo take up foreign cultures more readily than other Nigerians, and they seem not to care that nobody reciprocates their carefree attitude to life. Most ethnics promote their cultures and show off what makes them unique. Actually, it is still the same so-called educated Igbo class who behave in such disgraceful and the devil-may-care attitude.

QUESTION: WHY DO THE IGBO CALL THEMSELVES BIAFRANS?

Answer: Great question. Some people have the idea that Biafra originates from the Bight of Biafra. But that is wrong. There was the Kingdom of Biafra that ruled most of the ancient world about 50,000 years ago. Unfortunately, nobody talks about it, for whatever reason, I do not know. But, it is in the ancient maps of the world. If you wish I'll make a copy and send to you.

QUESTION: WERE THE IGBO ALSO TAKEN INTO SLAVERY DURING THE SLAVE TRADE?

Answer: Yes. The Igbo slaves themselves gave account of their travails in slavery. Olauda Ekwuano an Igbo ex-slave who bought his freedom in Britain was the first slave to write about his experience in slavery. His book has become a classic. You ought to find it and read it. Also, other Igbos who were brought to America revolted and some walked back on water and were said to have returned to Africa. Several books have been written about them. One of such books is "Ibo Landing." It is available in bookstores like Barnes DID THE IGBO KNOW MATHEMATICS?

Answer: Yes, indeed. There are such inventions as "Okwe" and "Mkpisi" which the Igbo used to resolve figures.

QUESTION: DID THE IGBO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BANKING?

Answer: Yes. Igbo banking was more in the nature of Savings and Loans. The authentic Igbo savings and loans invention called "Isusu' in which contributions are pooled each week and one person, who has the need, collects, is still in practice. Igbo slaves took this invention to the Caribbean Islands where they still practise it and call it "Sue Sue."

QUESTION: SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT IGBOLAND IS TOO SMALL FOR THE IGBO, THAT THEY HAVE NO ALTERNATIVE THAN TO LIVE AS NIGERIANS: IS THIS TRUE?

Answer: False. Igboland is a large country. Do every Igbo need to stay and work in Igboland? No. Everywhere in the world, some will stay home while others venture abroad in search of opportunities. Igboland is large enough for the Igbo. And it is a very rich and hospitable part of the world. It has rich soil for agriculture, abundant rainfall, good sunshine, and table land in many parts. Its land space and population are more than that of over half of the present countries in the world.

QUESTION: WHERE DID THE IGBO COME FROM?

Answer: That question is still being asked. There are very intriguing theories or histories now being studied. You may have heard of the Jewish angle, the Egypt angle, and the Origin of man angle. This twenty-first century, hopefully, will resolve the mystery.

QUESTION: WHY DO PEOPLE SAY THAT THE IGBO ARE NOT UNITED?

Answer: Those who say so, do so out of ignorance. The Igbo are famous for their unity. In the colonial period and the First Republic of Nigeria, the Igbo were always envied for their unity. Under Igbo Union, they accomplished many things. They were feared by others for this. Since after the war, the Igbo are gradually recovering and getting rid of the individualism they developed brought about by their war experience which enabled them to survive as a disinherited people. Now, there are vigorous efforts to reunite them and return them to their old glory which served them well in the past.

QUESTION: SOME PEOPLE SAY THAT THE IGBO ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING BOUGHT BY SOME OTHER NIGERIANS, AND THAT THEY "SELL" THE IGBO IN THE BARGAIN; IS THIS TRUE?

Answer: The same parroting and recycling of unfounded talk. When you hear such a talk, challenge the one who is mouthing it to give you evidence, or to cite an example of such an Igbo person. He is likely to say "what of Jim Nwobodo?" Tell him that the Igbo number about 40 million, if it would be fair for the action of one person to represent the integrity of the other 3.99.9 million. The truth is that an Igbo is like any other human being, when he sees where he can take advantage of a situation, he goes for it. It has nothing to do with "selling." Were we not told that fish clusters where the river was deepest or that the dog follows he who has crumbs? Not long ago in the history of Nigeria, other Nigerians were also running after the Igbo for crumbs because the Igbo were in position to call the shots. Things will not remain as they are today. In fact, things are changing fast.

QUESTION: WHY ARE OTHER NIGERIANS ALWAYS PERSECUTING THE IGBO?

Answer: I have always tried to know myself. I am one of those who believe that the Igbo are among the most peaceful people on earth. But, because of the fact that they are very hardworking, ambitious, and not afraid to live anywhere, or take up any task, they tend to be resented by their less ambitious and successful neighbors or hosts. When you confront a non-Igbo to say what specific offense the Igbo have committed against them, oftentimes they draw blank, or engage in fabrications, which they insist must stand for a fact. The Igbo believe in live-and-let-live. It is virtually impossible for any Igbo to rise against their guests or hosts. It has never happened in Nigeria, or elsewhere. It is an abomination in Igboland for a host to cause his guest harm. Instead, a guest is considered metaphysically and physically under the protection of the host. All Igbo deities forbid doing harm to a guest. The Igbo are accused of "loving money." I suppose the charge is based on the fact that they work hard and acquire money in the bargain. One would like to believe that the outcome of hardwork is good harvest and hopefully prosperity. If anybody takes offense at the prosperity of a hardworking person, then the Igbo or for that matter any other person or persons, have no apologies to render.

QUESTION: DO THE IGBO HAVE THEIR OWN SYSTEM OF JURISPRUDENCE BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE WHITE MAN?

Answer: Yes. The Igbo had a system of resolving conflicts. The elders were presented with cases that could not be satisfactorily settled within the family or kindred. Matters where veracity must be ascertained, the Igbo resort to spirituality. Oath-taking is a matter left to the spirits to settle. Those who swear falsely were expected to be killed by the spirits within a given period. After the period, he is acquitted and he could celebrate with public merry-making. The Igbo did not have any prisons, but they could ostracise a culprit, exile him, or send him into slavery or to serve to a deity.

QUESTION: WHY DON'T THE IGBO TEACH THESE THINGS YOU ARE TELLING ME TO THEIR CHILDREN?

Answer: In the pursuit of what they taught was the "new way" either from Europeans or o Christianity, the Igbo began to distance themselves from their heritage, and in the process became lost in the wilderness of a world they hardly understand. They have learned their lesson the hard way. The twenty-first century will lead them back home.

Note: This article was posted in 2006.

Main Source :

Nigeria Village Square

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The Deuteronomic Concern For Women

Portion 1: The Status of Women in Israelite TravelPortion 2: The Deuteronomic Arise for WomenIn Portion 1 of my study on the chuck of women in Israelite union, I wrote that "the snob appeal of women as folks of worth and righteousness at period [is] betrayed by the convivial realities manufacture in Israelite union." In Portion 2 of my study, I wish to educate how the reforms of Josiah and the book of Deuteronomy ready an probability at instructive the snob appeal of women in Israelite union the whole time the seventh century B.C.E.The best struggle to comprehension with the deep and convivial inconvenience confronting Israelite union in the tardy monarchic generation is found in the book of Deuteronomy. The book of Deuteronomy was an probability at grassy a special stare at of convivial liability in the life of every Israelite for the insignificant, slaves, women, and for intimates in union who were indigent and did not relish the whole refrain from of the law.The book of Deuteronomy is calculated by the heap of scholars to be a investigate of the Grab of the Conformity. The book of Deuteronomy revises old laws and introduces new ones in order to give it some thought the needs of Israelite union in the subsequent partial of the seventh century B.C.E.The book of Deuteronomy is presented as an piece of the Assortment law revealed by Yahweh at Balloon Sinai. According to the book, Moses introduced the laws of God to the new while of Israelites in prepare for their entrance now the Promised Condition. This piece of the law was overly an invitation to the relations of Israel to commit themselves to the press-gang of the do business Yahweh had align with them.The deteriorate of the deep and convivial life in the Northern Put in at in the days of Amos and Hosea and the deep syncretism in Judah in the days of Manasseh promoted an annulment of benefit ethics and a fail to see of the press-gang of the do business and the ancient traditions of the nation.In 622 B.C.E., the whole time the rebuilding of the temple in the days of Josiah, king of Judah (640-609), the book of the law was found by the body in the temple. The book found in the temple reasonably was an or else paraphrase of Deuteronomy. The reading of the book flagrantly Josiah vastly.In a showiness in the temple, the king invited the relations to revamp the do business and to develop by the press-gang of the Torah of Moses. In accrual to the deep reforms of the Israelite cult, display was overly a reformulation of dependable laws to form the chuck of the needy and the broken in Israelite union.The book of Deuteronomy reflects the growth of humanism in Israel. Deuteronomy contains dependable new laws and diverse revisions of old ones company with the broken in Israel. These laws became elemental while of the changes brought by the monarchy and by the bead of the convivial structures in Israelite union.Discrete aspects of the Deuteronomic transform flagrantly women for the outshine. The reformulation of Assortment laws in the days of Josiah overly served to aver the relations who lived in the seventh century B.C.E. to capture the words of Yahweh once more and to revamp their enthusiasm to the God of Israel.The book of Deuteronomy emphasizes Israel's ripeness in Egypt. Deuteronomy reintroduces the laws and press-gang of the God who had redeemed a relations from the locate of servitude in Egypt to make them a special relations with a ordinary foresee. Israel was called to be a deep community wherever the impartiality of God would be manifested to the whole world.Including the diverse theological emphases of the book, three plus point problem. The if at all possible was that Yahweh, the God of Israel, valued Israel with a special love, even later than the nation did not plus point his love. Now Israel had to love God with their whole so (Deuteronomy 6:5).Split second, Israel had served other gods, but now Israel had to send Yahweh distinctively (Deuteronomy 6:4). Deuteronomy emphasizes the wonder of Yahweh in the life of Israel. To finish, the book of Deuteronomy relates compliance to God to the weekly life of each addition of the community. For instance Israel was united to God by the press-gang of the do business, each addition of the community had to pleasure further Israelite with impartiality.Israel, as God's relations, was a special relations, a relations separated from the other nations and as such, the weekly life and the benefit direct concerning the members of the community had to sparkle this link with God.The press-gang of the do business sought after everyday correctness and convivial impartiality of each Israelite. The insignificant, the slaves, the orphans, the widows, and the other needy folks in Israel became the beneficiaries of the changes introduced by the convivial reforms of Deuteronomy. In accrual, display was a real struggle to form the snob appeal of women in Israelite union by emphasizing the righteousness of women and by bringing them rally round from some of the injustices authorized by from the past laws. This promotion of the snob appeal of Israelite women came by investigate of from the past laws found in the Grab of the Conformity and by the conduct yourself of new laws straight-talking sad the lives of women in Israelite union.In introduction posts, I will demonstrate how the book of Deuteronomy is concerned with the peppery status of women in Israelite union. I will assess dependable laws and study how Deuteronomic laws reconsider and form the laws in the book of Exodus to partnership some convivial injustices in Israelite union, fantastically injustices in opposition to women.To be continued.Next: "The Tenth Demand (Deuteronomy 5:21)"Claude MariottiniTutor of Old TributeNorthern Baptist SchoolTags: Conformity Dogma, Deuteronomic Laws, Deuteronomy, Israelite Laws, Women

Origin: magic-and-spells.blogspot.com

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Was Jesus Wrong Examining The Justice Of A Perfect God

"By Ian"

Where do atheists and non-believers go?

That's a question that seems to be universally answered in all religions. The answer? You probably know it. Those who do not believe, no matter how good they are, go to hell, where they suffer for eternity for their idiotic and selfish choices while on earth. Pretty much every non-liberal Christian theologian, such as Billy Graham and Greg Laurie, says that those who don't believe in Jesus are in for an eternity of suffering.

However, when you point out how unjust and cruel such a fate that is, you'll get one of the now-standard fundamentalist stock answers, such as: "God is perfect and just", "God cannot stand sin God cannot behold evil God doesn't send you to hell, you send yourself there", "It's your choice to go to hell", "Our sinful natures mean that we cannot enter heaven", etc. You've probably heard all the excuses trying to explain the justice in sending people to hell for all eternity with no hope of justice or release.

The first answer, "God is perfect and just" is a curious one. The typical descriptions of God in the Christian tradition is that God is perfect, omnipresent, benevolent and just. Such a being, according to logic, would be better then his (or her) creations. This God would be more loving then we are, more caring then we are, and more just then we are. This God would be everything good. But could such a God embody our worst traits as well? Could a perfect, benevolent, just God embody rage that is worse then ours, get more angry then we possibly can, and be more cruel then we can?

If God does (I should say now that I do believe in God, even though I am an ex-Christian) have both those features, embodying our best and worst traits to a degree that we can't even imagine, then God seems more like a giant human then a benevolent being, a giant human who's temper tantrums can and (if you believe the bible) have wiped out millions of people (who are this being's pride and joy) in gruesome and terrible ways.

God is described as being Just. That is, God is fair, balanced and better at giving justice then we can be. If God is benevolent as is is often claimed to be, then God's justice would ultimately be restorative. It would heal and undo all the hurts. Our justice system does not work that way. It's focused on punishment, rather then healing and rehabilitation. God is sometimes described as being a judge.

The problem here however, is that God's justice, as described by fundamentalists, is, for the lack of a better word, stupid. We are sometimes told that God cannot stand the presence of sin or evil (which begs the question of why a benevolent, all-loving God apparently throws a temper tantrum or scowls in disgust at the sight of human mistakes, AKA sin), that no sin and no imperfections are allowed in heaven, which is perfect. Thus, according to one argument put up by Christian fundamentalists, even one sin is an irreparable stain that cannot be allowed into heaven. Furthermore, it is an offense to God, and because God is perfect and holy, even that one little imperfection is worthy of being punished endlessly, over and over and over again.

Our justice system is not perfect. But even we, as humans, know that punishing someone again and again and again and again for the same mistake is not just. Only sadists enjoy giving pain. Normal, sensible people can see that it's not right to to punish someone for longer then need be. A murderer may be deserving of punishment, yes, but is it right to continuously punish him with pain over and over again, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year for year after year after year after year? Or, is it right to punish him with solitary confinement twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty five days a year for year after year after year after year? In the beginning, perhaps it would make sense, when the memory of his act of brutally murdering someone would be fresh, and the anger for retribution would be great. But after a time, people would start to realize how cruel it would be to keep going in that manner. Could you imagine watching someone, no matter how evil, being tortured non-stop every day for years? Watching him or her scream in pain for years... doesn't that seem like a horrible thing to watch?

The problem with God giving an eternity of hell due to one little mistake can be compared to our justice system giving everyone the same sentence, no matter what they've done.

"Your honor, this man has murdered a family, raping the wife in the process and bashing the skulls of the children in with a mallet."

"Life in prison with no parole! Next case."

"Your honor, this woman killed her boyfriend by dropping a bowling ball on his head."

"Life in prison with no parole! Next case."

"Your honor, this young man painted some graffiti inside his school's bathroom."

"Life in prison with no parole! Next case!"

"Your honor, this woman shoplifted some bananas from a grocery store."

"Life in prison with no parole! Next case!"

"Your honor, this man went ten miles over the speed limit in a city street."

"Life in prison with no parole! Next case!"

Sounds crazy, no? Yet this is essentially the case of fundamentalist god's justice. Eternity in hell with no parole, no matter what you've done. Your only crime in life could be stealing a pack of cards from a store, and you'd be sent to hell for all eternity (while flawed and mistake-filled people who believe in Jesus get to go to God's perfect heaven, despite the fact that they are chock full of sin and far from perfect).

Doesn't that sound unnecessarily cruel? Even our system, flawed as it is, establishes guidelines and rules for how long a person should be punished. If you shoplift for example, your time of punishment will be far less then that of, say, Hitler. If you're good and work at making up for what you've done, then you can get out of prison early. Yet a perfect god lumps all crimes together and punishes then endlessly without even bothering to try and correct. One would think that a benevolent and perfect God, who's more just then we are, would have a system that ultimately heals and corrects, rather then punishes endlessly for no reason.

Therefore, we essentially come to the big question: Was Jesus wrong?

Jesus talks about hell more then heaven in the Christian bible. In the four gospel accounts you can find him talking about how people will be punished for eternity, how the wheat will be separated from the chaff, etc. Jesus, it seemed, believed in punishment after death. If we take the gospel accounts as is, Jesus believed in eternal punishment for those who did not believe. Perhaps his most famous saying in regards to this comes from his description of the day of judgment. You've no doubt heard about it, when he will gather those and say "Welcome, for I was hungry and you fed me, etc" and then he will gather everyone else and say "Depart from me because I was hungry and you did not feed me, etc."

However, have you ever noticed that this famous scene seems to value works and deeds over beliefs? Even those who believed in Jesus, yet didn't feed, clothe, and help those in need were sent to everlasting punishment. Jesus, it appears, believed more in doing good works in this account. Many theologians now believe that getting to heaven is a matter of balancing belief in Jesus and doing good works, but is it possible... just possibly... that the belief in who goes to heaven is really wrong?

Now we come to our big moment: Examining the justice of a perfect God.

For this purpose, we will assume that God is benevolent, above human frailties, that God is just and that God is better then us. These are some of the traits that are agreed upon by most religions that believe in God, and they will serve our purpose for this article.

The question of who is going to heaven and who is going to hell is one that has caused untold amounts of dread and despair over the centuries. Traditionally, you have to be a member of the right faith, do the right things, and believe in God. But let's try taking a look at it from God's point of view.

God is in heaven and wants everyone to come home. God however, will not force people to come to heaven because God will not violate man's free will. Therefore, God faces the following situation: God has to create a system that is just and fair in regards to who goes where after they die. This system has to apply to ALL the people who will ever live. It has to be a system that is above religions and above religious belief. It has to apply to the first caveman to the modern day businessman. What kind of system must God create?

Fundamentalist Christians would say that Jesus, and his sacrifice for our sins, is the answer. However, this is not correct. All those who lived before Jesus died in sin, and thus, because they cannot be forgiven (because for some strange reason, the Christian god's mercies end at death. Aren't they supposed to be everlasting?), they are doomed to hell. Some theologians believe that they will be judged according to how they lived, and how well they embodied Jesus' teachings without knowing them, but this brings up an odd paradox. It is better to live a good life without knowing of Jesus' teachings and thus get to heaven on the merit of a technicality, then to know about Jesus and risk going to hell. And even then, this system is still not perfect because belief in Jesus is mandatory in getting to heaven. Thus, if we follow this system, the overwhelming majority of all the people who have ever lived will go to hell and be with Satan forever. In this model, God gets a minuscule amount of souls to himself while Satan gets at least 90 times as many as God does. Thus, God is the loser in this competition. He looses more souls then he gets. His system of justice, through Jesus, is a complete failure in getting people to come to heaven because the overwhelming majority go to hell simply because they do not believe in Jesus. Personal merit and character are not taken into consideration.

However, there is a better method that is perfectly just in deciding who goes where, regardless of personal beliefs. What is that method? Cause and effect. For every action, there is a reaction.

Let's imagine for a moment that the spiritual world, assuming it exists, exists in layers, similar to pancakes piled up on top of each other. Each layer corresponds to the type of people in it. The very lowest layer would be people who are hateful, cruel, sadistic and mean, people who have no goodness in them. The middle layer would have people who are neither evil nor perfect. Between the middle layer and the top, we have people who are good, kind, generous and all-around nice people. At the top would be those who are overwhelmingly good, as well as God.

The way this system would work is that upon death, an individual goes to where they fit in. They would go to where they fit in with others who are exactly like them. Birds of a feather, flock together, so to speak. If you are a good, kind, and nice person, then you would have nothing to fear upon death. Even if you are an atheist, you would go to be among others who are like you in disposition and character. With this system set in place, it is perfectly just because everyone gets exactly what they have earned in regards to character and how well you have lived your life. This system ensures that everyone, no matter what time they have lived, no matter what religion they follow (if they follow one at all), has an equal chance of getting to heaven. Thus, all the good people of the world would go to a happy place, while all the mean and nasty people would go to a bad place.

Near death experiences, if you believe that they are glimpses of the spiritual world, do seem to point in this direction.

Everything in God's Super Universe is regulated by vibration, electrical current and frequency... the higher our Soul's level of vibration and frequency, the higher and further we are able travel throughout the Divine Realms and God's Super Universe. What is interesting about the Realm is that our energy automatically brings us right to the place that either most interests us or resembles our own energy. Source

When we manifest unconditional love, our soul vibration are so high that the only place we can fit into is heaven. People don't go to heaven because of their good deeds, but because their soul vibration of spiritual love fits in and belongs there. After death, people gravitate into groups according to the rate of their soul's vibration. Birds of a feather flock together. This connection between the level of soul vibration we have in determining the level of heavenly vibration we realize after death is the same principle as putting a coin into the slot of a coin counter. The coin just naturally fits to its proper location. So it is with the soul. After death, our soul naturally fits in the level of heaven we have developed within us. In fact, while we live on earth our soul actually dwells, not only within us, but also in the spiritual realm we will find ourselves in after death. Source

If God wants to get the most number of people to heaven, God would have to create a system that applies to everyone, regardless of personal belief. A system that allows you to go where you fit in is not only more fair and just then the fundamentalist Christian idea of simply believing in Jesus, but it makes more sense. With this system of justice in place, both the Christian, the Buddhist, the atheist and the agnostic all have an equal chance of getting to heaven. It all depends on the personal character, on what's inside. With the fundamentalist mindset, only the Christian has a chance of getting to heaven. It all depends on what you believe, not personal character.

One system, Jesus, has God losing the vast majority of souls to Satan. The other system ensures that everyone has an equal chance of going to God, no matter what they believe. If God wants to be fair and just, then the system that ensures fairness and equality is the better choice.

If God is just, and if God is genuinely good, then that means that any justice God would give would eventually be healing and restorative. Thus, the individual who is in hell, according to the fundamentalist, has no hope whatsoever. But could it not be possible that God, if God is better then us and our justice, would allow individuals the chance to get out of hell (the lower levels) when they decide to make up for what they've done? God, I think, would be overjoyed when a spirit decides to take responsibility for their actions and make up for them. Therein lies the beauty of the system of cause and effect. If you decide to make up for whatever crime you have done, you will be allowed to do so. It will not be a pretty or easy process, but you would eventually succeed at making up for what you have done. That means that Hitler, even though it would probably take countless centuries, would eventually make up for what he did in life. Inevitably, he would make it to heaven when the justice is complete, and when all the hurts have been healed. Would that not be the sign of a great God, a God who can heal and bring Hitler back from hell? Such a God would be more worthy of worship then a god who simply ignores those who are suffering in hell.

Though we cannot know for certain what happens after death, we can theorize about what comes. To some, it will be endless, dreamless sleep. To others, it will simply be a continuation of life in another form. If this life in a different form does exist, then it would make sense that a perfect, benevolent, and loving God would be just, in that every person would receive what they have earned, regardless of what they believe religion wise. Such a perfect God, not needing worship, would be more interested in our character rather then our religious beliefs, in how we treat others.

The word "eternity" in the New Testament has been questioned recently, as to if it refers to, literally, eternity, or that which pertains to an age (therefore meaning that those who will be punished for eternity will really only be punished for an age). Perhaps the word "eternity" has indeed been mistranslated, and we have all had to deal with the consequences of an image of a cruel and mean God who, while perfectly loving, will throw all non-Christians into hell (or his son, who is just as mean in that regard). Perhaps Jesus did believe in punishment after death (after all, being with murders and cruel people is not fun at all), but perhaps he believed that this punishment, of being with others who are like you, would eventually come to an end, that all things would be healed, that all the hurts would be repaired for all things, not just good Christians (one can find hints of this in the bible, such as how he came to die for all men, to save all men, etc).

Perhaps Jesus believed that a benevolent and perfect God, being just, would allow everyone to receive what they have earned, and that those who got cruelty, hate, and anger would eventually be healed and brought back to goodness.

Such a God, to me, just makes more sense.

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The Lbrp And Other Banishings

Jason Miller is answering a long list of reader's questions. In one of them, he BRIEFLY addressed the LBRP. He said, "In 99.99999999% of the magic that has been taught on the planet, there is no analogy to the daily banishing fixation that pollutes Ceremonial Magic." I don't think he'd disagree if I said he said they are unnecessary.

In a way I agree with him. I don't formally banish when I work with the Helpful Deity. Though I do relax, meditate, focus and then work. In a way, this is banishing mundane thoughts etc from myself. So, it is somewhat comparable to an LBRP. Please note the phrase 'somewhat comparable' does not mean 'the same as'.

I think it is safe to say that Jason's opinion is that one runs the risk of pissing off various spirits one is ejecting from a given area. He may be right. I think I remember him saying that it is also robs one of many helpful interactions from spirits as you're constantly ejecting them from your sphere. If he didn't sat that, I am.

Those that think you can not attract the desired forces/power/energy you need to attract without doing a banishing prior to the working are likely incorrect.

Doing an LBRP based upon the fear of that 'something' may mess up the spell is wrong. Using the LBRP and its variants like LIRP of Fire to focus a rite is correct. Using it as one layer of protection magick is also correct. If you succeed in seriously calling large parts of four archangels, you'll do pretty well. If you get little slivers of your own misperceptions, it won't help at all.

However, assuming any of the above is "the" purpose of the LBRP or BRH and therefor doing them is 'pollution' is also incorrect.

The point of constant banishings is to mimic a process called Tzim Tzum:

"Tzimzum describes the first step in the process by which God began the process of creation by withdrawing his own essence from an area, creating an area in which creation could begin. "

Yes, this can be applied to all acts of ceremonial magick. However, the point of GD is to become self-creative. The constant banishings slowly aid the process of removing the accumulated junk that attaches to us that make us less pure. Those acts combined with initiations, meditations, proper attitudes, self-assessment etc are a very important of the personal alchemical work of the tradition.

That is not to say that they are a) necessary for all acts of magick or b) there are not other systems that help one on a spiritual path. I am merely saying that as part of the GD system, they are necessary to work within that system, in most cases.

Origin: master-of-pentagram.blogspot.com

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Isa Rune Of Ice

ISA IS THE THIRD RUNE OF THE SECOND AETT. IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ELEMENT OF ICE. ICE BEING FROZEN WATER IS SOLID AND NON-MOVING. IT REPRESENTS A RESISTANCE TO CHANGE. AND METAPHORICALLY IT IS THE "RING PASS KNOT," THAT IS SPOKEN OF IN ALL SPIRITUAL QUESTS. THAT BEING AN OBSTACLE OR OBSTACLES THAT HAS TO BE SURMOUNTED BEFORE ONE CAN GO FORWARD ON THEIR JOURNEY TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE GOD-FORCE.

ISA CORRESPONDS TO THE LETTER "I" IN THE ALPHABET. IT IS CONNECTED WITH VERDANDI, THE NORN WHO RULES THE PRESENT. SINCE IT IS THE PRESENT THAT KEEPS THINGS AS THEY ARE, PRESERVES AND CONSERVES. ISA IS CRYSTALLIZED SPIRIT INTO MATTER. IT IS A PERIOD OF ABSOLUTE STILLNESS AND THE SOLIDIFYING FACTOR IN ALL THINGS.

THE RUNE ISA REPRESENTS "INTENSE FOCUS" ON A PARTICULAR MATTER. IT CAN CAUSE ONE TO BECOME IMBALANCED, BECOMING OBSESSED BY ONE PARTICULAR SUBJECT. MATERIALISM OR PURSUIT OF WEALTH COULD BE CONSIDERED SUCH A FOCUS.

ISA ENFORCES THE IDEA OF UNITY OR FOCUS ON A SINGLE POINT IN LIFE. THIS MAY BE DETRIMENTAL OR LEAD TO EGOMANIA OR DULL STUPIDITY.

BUT THERE IS A POSITIVE SIDE TO ISA. IT IS A GREAT RUNE TO USE FOR PROTECTION; AS IT CAN STOP OR "FREEZE" NEGATIVE FORCES FROM COMING AT YOU IN THEIR TRACKS. MAGICAL WARFARE IS RARE, BUT IF ONE IS SUBJECT TO PSYCHIC ATTACK "THIS" IS ONE OF THE RUNES TO USE IN YOUR ARSENAL.

ISA IS A POWERFUL FORCE FOR CONCENTRATING THE "WILL" WHEN ONE FEELS THAT THEY HAVE BECOME TOO SCATTERED OR THAT LIFE HAS BECOME CHAOTIC.

"ICE," OR ISA IS ALSO A WAY FOR YOU TO CONSTRAIN OR CONSTRICT THOSE ELEMENTS THAT YOU WISH TO "FREEZE" OR BRING TO A STANDSTILL.

BRIGHTEST OF BLESSINGS,

LORY

Credit: paganism-new-age.blogspot.com

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