Tag Archives: religion

The fertility of mind

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The fertility of mind
Author: Dr. Preeti Batra
The most distinguishing species on earth, the human beings are blessed as they,ve been given mind to think. Though this mind can make choices between right and wrongs, yet we tend to adopt negativities around us faster than the positive things. The reason is how much do we work onthe fertility of our mind. An infertile mind will always be more destructive as its perspective is very limited. A limited perspective accepts religion as a matter of birth.
To broaden the perspective of an individual depends upon the fertility of his mind. As we work on to increase the fertility of our mind we become a constant and continuous learner.Life always gives us choices.We learn by making mistakes, or by listening to persons having broader perspective. Jesus Christ, Rahim , Kabir , Mirabai, Ramakrishna Paramhamsa are some of those great preachers who had highly fertile minds. For them religion is a matter of heart. We get birth according to the past karmas  and we are bound to get a name from the family in which we are born. We follow certain rituals as per the community to which our family belongs. 
It is undoubtediy indispensible to follow certain customs and rituals But at the same time it is also important to define our relationship with god. To understand our relationship with God we must work to increase  the fertility of our mind by:
1.Thinking all humanbeings as children of God and so loving them as our own self.
2. By mortification of our own ego by practicing it in our daily life
3. Surrender in deep love to him with whom our relationship is eternal.
The great thinkers on religion taught LOVE as the biggest religion and so obviously it is the matter of heart. Love each living being on earth as you love yourself as all living beings are made by same ingredients by which God made you……..
No matter where they were born, how they were born the great saints like Sai Baba, Swami Shradhananda, Rehman, Yeeshu Masih, Guru Nanak Dev  always taught us that God is one  and there are endless ways to form relationship with him. To attain communion with God ,it is very important to have doubtless faith on him. This is how a soul establishes its beautiful relationship with GOD. So, what religion to follow to establish an eternal relationship with God depends upto a great extent on the fertility of a person’s mind

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5779519

Shinto – A General Summary of the Religion

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Shinto – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Shinto is an adopted word from the Chinese meaning “Way of the Gods”.  It is the indigenous spirituality of the Japanese.  Shinto’s spirituality was initially recorded in written form of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century.  The Kojiki is the oldest chronicle and a collection of numerous myths of Japan.  The myths concern the origin of the four islands of Japan.  These myths are responsible for the inspiration that sparked the religion of Shinto.  The written documents showed that Shinto was an unorganized folklore and mythology, and not a unified religion.  Shinto currently has between 200 – 300 million followers mainly in Japan consisting of approximately 3% to 5% of the world’s religious population. 
Kami is a concept that the Shinto people utilize within their religion.  Kami are defined in English as “spirits”, “deities”, “souls”, or “principles”.  These terms are at times linked to natural forces such as wind, trees, rocks, ponds, lakes, rivers, seas, land, mountains, and many other abstract items of the world.    Kami is also linked in some situations being human-like and in both material and immaterial cases (animistic). 
The people of Japan abide by both Shintoism’s and Buddhism’s doctrines when using various rituals and practices.  For example the vast majority of Japanese utilize Shinto’s rules for life’s rituals and practices and for the afterlife rituals and practices Buddhism’s rules are generally used. 
Due to the various different practices of the Shinto faith, many Japanese believe it is imperative to separate Shinto into 5 various categories.  These categories are as follows:

Shrine Shinto:  This category happens to be the most popular type of Shinto that has ties dating back into Japan’s history.  Shrine Shinto is associated with making wishes, good luck charms, and a variety of gatherings celebrating various events.

Folk Shinto:  This Shinto deals with folk spirits and deities and various practices including possession, and healing (Shaman) that originate from Confucianism, Buddhism, Daoism, and other various older traditions.

Sect Shinto:  This particular type of Shinto is a legal division originating in the late 19th century in an effort to separate God and country.

Imperial Household Shinto:  The Imperial Family performs religious rites at three shrines located on the Imperial grounds.

Koshinto Shinto (old Shinto):  This Shinto is a restoration of a dated Shinto prior to the origination of Buddhism. 

The kami (spirits) date back to at least 100 BCE and are separated from our physical world by a Torii or gate.  It is a red symbol that marks an entrance to shrines.  
The three beliefs that stand out from the various others are the impurity belief, purification and the afterlife beliefs. 

Impurity:  There are various deeds that create ritual purity for a good, positive personal and family future.  Logically, good deeds create good days or good weeks and so on.  Inversely, bad or poor deeds create negative or bad days.  One should choose to follow or select goods deeds because it is the right thing to do, not because of the reward.

Purification:  Purification rites are performed regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, annually, etc…).  Shinto considers the performance of these rites essential and the “lifeblood” of one’s life.  Shinto Priests bless Japanese buildings often to ensure the purification process of the Japanese environment.  Misogi is a purification ritual concerning activities, such as going long periods without sleep (sleep deprivation), breath training, and standing under a waterfall. 

Afterlife:  Yomi is the land of the dead.  It is a desecrating, horrific, putrid location where the deceased end up.  It is the underworld for the dead where horrible creatures guard the exits to keep the dead within Yomi to rot indefinitely.  The myth states that once the deceased has eaten at the hearth of Yomi, they cannot go back to the land of the living.  Yomi is frequently compared to Hates or Hell.

The Shinto shrine is used to house one or multiple kami (Shinto spirits).  It is the most important dwelling for the security and safekeeping of important and sacred items.  The kami is enshrined by a honden.  The honden enshrines the kami and is marked by a mirror or statue at the back of the shrine.  The Inari Shrines is the largest shrine network in Japan with 32,000 shrines.  The following are the general rules when visiting a shrine:

Anyone can visit a shrine (one doesn’t need to be Shinto to visit).
One must bow prior to entering.
Perform the following procedure: Temizu – Wash your left then your right hand, then rinse your mouth without spitting the water back into the supply and don’t drink the water.  Wash your feet if need be, then wash the handle last.
There is a bell located at the shrine.  You may ring the bell as you enter before you begin your prayers.  Leave a modest donation in the donation box, and then begin your prayers.
There may be staff at the shrine to enforce certain rules and to assist the visitors as well.  Be polite and respectful to them at all times. 

Music plays a very essential and important role in Shinto’s tradition.  The Kagura is a traditional dance of Shamanic origin.  The word is said to be derived from the word kami or Kura meaning “seat of kami” or “site where the kami is received”.  A mythical story exists explaining how the dance, the Kagura came about.  The story begins with the sun goddess, Amaterasu getting angry at her brother, so she ran from him and hid in a place where he couldn’t find him, a cave.  Due to the sun goddess hiding in a cave, the world became very dark and cold.  All of the other gods and goddesses became very concerned about Amaterasu’s well-being.  They derived a plan to try and draw Amaterasu out of the cave by playing music, dancing, and being loud (sounding like they were all having a good time).  This made Amaterasu peek her head out a bit, but not come out all of the way, so the kami gods tricked her by telling her that there was a sun goddess outside of the cave that was better then her.  This drew Amaterasu completely out of the cave to see what was going on and then the planet was again bright and warm. 
There isn’t one core sacred source of text for Shinto.  There are various books that hold the history and have stories within them that explain the Shinto beliefs, practices, and rituals.  The books that hold this information are as follows:

The Kojiki – The Record of Ancient Matters – This book holds the history of Shinto.
The Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki – Japan’s chronicles.
The Rikkokushi – 6 National Histories – Shoku Nihongi and Nihon Shoki.
The Jinno Shotoki – Japanese history and politics of Shinto.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5778297

Primal Faith Religions

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Primal Faith Religions
Author: William Bailey
In a nut shell, Primal Faith traditions are religions that have been in existence since the beginning of recorded history.  They are considered to be both pre-historic and pre-literate.  Primal, Indigenous, and traditional religions are terminologies that are used when referring to Primal Faiths.  These religions are the initial sources of human religion.  Primal religion is also referred to as the “mother” of all religions.  An integral part of primal religions are symbols and myths.  Due to the fact that these groups of religions are extremely old in age, most will not be exercised in faith today however, some aspects of the ancient faiths may still exist as rituals or specific beliefs in other practiced religions such as Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Chinese folk religion. 
The initial problem with global religious conversion was a lack of planning however, as time progressed selected primal faiths began to transform global politics towards their way of life.  As these selected religions began their domination process, others were simply forgotten.  Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism were among the top three dominating religions.  Today Christianity and Islam are still the two top religions of the world at 33% and 21% respectively.  Christianity denominations are as follows: Catholic, Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, Pentecostal, Anglican, Monophysite, AIC’s, Latter Day Saints, Evangelical, SDA’s, Jehovah’s Witness, Quakers, AOG, Nominal, etc…  Islam denominations are as follows: Shiite, Sunni, etc…  Although “Pagan” and “Idolators” were the titles that were used to refer to as Christians and Islamic faiths respectively, these titles are extremely negative in nature.  As this dissertation is written not to offend any religious beliefs, the negative titles used above are as an academic piece of information.  If in fact any person is offended by these documented reference terms, I sincerely apologize. 
The characteristics of primal Faith are as follows:

Oral canon, a section of oral stories of sacred nature, not written.  Oral stories have a unique way of making a story come to life however text has a way of preserving exact information and descriptive phrases.
A very wavy line between the spiritual and secular dimensions.
A pre-technology world base religious system.
Religions that deal with all aspects of life, nature and spirituality.
Life consists of two divisions, work and social.  Work and social were not considered to be opposite sides, but two items of the same concept, life.  Practicing religion was considered to be a part of life, not a separate part of life.  One practices religion the same as one breathes, every moment and without thinking.
Primal faiths acquired the characteristic of “eternity”, not, “forever”.  Forever deals with the sense of time.  Time carries with it the concept of having to “keep track” of something.  Eternity however doesn’t require a watch or calendar.  It simply is timeless existence. 
Rituals have two characteristics: 1. Play acting or performing concepts of a specific faith or religion.  2. The ritual carries substantial significance for the faith or religion.
Two concepts, harmony and balance are what make up a well achieved life and all items that interfere with this harmony must be dealt with swiftly.
Primal religions both have multiple Gods and believe that God and humans work together to create a well-balanced life.  Christianity however believes that there is only one God and God is above us all.
Magic is utilized in Primal Faiths or religions.

The afterlife of a human of a Primal faith is unique.  The body of a dead individual is thought to have gone limp due to the absence of the spirit.  The spirit has thought to have gone to the invisible world where only spirits may enter.  Due to the method of beliefs and ritual passing (orally), the “story teller” may see to it to add, alter, or delete any information or tell the “story” in a unique flamboyant style. 
Primal Indigenous
The Primal Indigenous religions (also known as Tribal Religionists, Animists, and Ethnic religionists) are a way of life, not only a religion and it includes thousands of various religions as well.  It concerns the lives of approximately 300 million individuals within the locations of Asia and Africa.  Other sources have the religions population at between 100 and 457 million.  These totals include African Primal Indigenous religions, Shamanism and Paganism.  Many data bases and religious category indexes have Asia and India having the majority of Primal Indigenous population.  The Primal Indigenous religions are recorded as to fit into one category due to being documented in the pre-literate and pre-technological era.  They have been discovered to have been in various different countries, continents, and areas however they share similar basic common ways of life and religious concepts.  As previously stated, religion is their way of life. 
Primal Indigenous religions are known as being henotheistic (acknowledging the belief of more than one God however, only worshiping one God).  Everything that exists is thought to be connected, the material world, the immaterial world, the living, and the dead.  As Primal Faith members have no distinction and combine their work and social lives, so do Primal Indigenous religions.  They carry various superficial differences however, they practice mirrored core beliefs.
Again, as Primal Faith dates their beliefs and rituals to pre-literate, so do the Primal Indigenous.  Their beliefs and rituals are passed down through stories told by its members from generations through time.  These stories covered areas such as world views and operations, societal discoveries and workings, and of course their religious workings, having no separation from their daily life. 
Throughout my research I have come across the same messages countless times.  The messages are as follows:

Their social, family and religious lives are all the same to the Primal Indigenous and Faith individuals.
The basic core beliefs are the same regardless of territory, country, continent, or area.
The physical and spiritual worlds are one and the same.
Time is not linear, but timeless and eternal.
Beliefs and traditions are known through myths passed down in an oral fashion as well as all other messages throughout the Primal faiths.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5778088

Spiritism – A General Summary of the Religion

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Spiritism – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Spiritism is a philosophy, religion, and a way of life originated in the 19th century by French educator Hypolite Leon Denizard Rivail, Pen name Allan Kardec (1804-1869).  Rivail began using his pen name “Allan Kardec” after his communication with a spirit whom identified itself as “Zefiro”.  He decided to continue to use the name Allen Kardec when writing of his Spirit communications.  The Spirit writings were generally written for high school students at that time.  His first published book on Spiritism signed “Allan Kardec” was published April 18, 1857 entitled “The Spirits Book”.  The subject was over a thousand answered questions that people had posed to Kardec in recent years.  The book incidentally became the first of the five books that makes up the Spirtist Codification.
There has been some debate on the official religious status of Spiritism.  Various classifications consist of philosophy, a way of life, religion, and a brank of science.  It has been listed in numerous religious data banks as a Christian denomination, specifically of the “Marginal Christian” denomination group, which consists of approximately 1600 denominations such as Spiritualist, Spiritist, and many other Marginal Christian denominations.  Coincidentally, Camille Flammarion (French Astronomer and author) who happened to deliver Kardec’s Eulogy when he passed away in Paris March 31, 1869, voiced her opinion on Kardec’s classification of his Spiritism invention as “not a religion but a science”. 
To understand Spiritism one must first understand Allan Kardec.  It wasn’t until he was in his 50′s when he discovered his interest in spirits and strange phenomenon.  During the time of his initial interest, there was a large and notable need for assistance in this area, specifically within the United States and France (the vast majority of the people affected by spiritual events were found to be of the “high society” crowd). 
Allan Kardec was not formally trained above the high school level in any area.  He had never attended a college or university.  All of his knowledge was accumulated through self-education and research.  Kardec developed a common sense approach of educating himself within the spirit world and all that it implies.  He took his time and developed questions to ask those who were in the field.  Through his research methods, experiments, and persistence, he became not only well versed in the spiritual world; he became a teacher, and founded a new and popular philosophy, science, way of life and religion.
The principle fundamentals of Spiritism and the Spiritist Doctrine are outlined in Kardec’s seminal work, his first of five books written (Spirits Codification) The Spirits Book.  The two fundamentals are (1) The basic foundation of the belief in spirits, the spirit world and (2) The communication between the two worlds (physical and spirit worlds).  
Spiritism is based on the Spirits Codification which consists of five books written and published by Allan Kardec (Hippolyte Leon Denizard Rivail).  These books are as follows:

The Spirit’s Book (1857):  This book contains guidelines of various concepts such as God, the Universe, Morals, Man, Society and his culture.  It describes the fundamentals of spirits, their manifestations, and an introduction of the spiritual world itself.
The Medium’s Book (1861):  The processes, procedures, and concepts dealing with techniques that are used within the spiritual realm.  It deals with spirits on a more specific level, how a medium develops his or her skills, and the difficulties that come with mediumship.
The Gospel According to Spiritism (1864):  A selection of passages that specifically show the core fundamentals of Jesus’s teachings.  Additionally the book lists a specific passage that acknowledges life throughout the universe – John 14, 1-3 “The houses in the realm of my father are many”.  Kardec interprets this verse as the existence of life on planets other than are own. 
Heaven and Hell (1865):  A small library of interviews with spirits of those who have passed on.  These interviews not only supply proof of the communication between the two worlds, but they also are intended to improve one’s education of the spirit world.  I t outlines the passage from physical to the spiritual life, angels and devils, and how the soul transforms after death.
The Genesis According to Spiritism (1868):  The attempts to make peace between religion and science with the concentration of issues being the evolution of the Earth, premonitions, and miracles.

Writers such as Leon Denis, Arthur Conan Doyle, Camille Flammarion (an Astronomer, author and speaker of Kardec’s Eulogy at his funeral) added supplements to Kardec’s five books that make up the Spiritist Codification.
The belief in spiritual life is only the initial stage of the Spiritist Doctrine.  The essential stage of evolution is within the spirit world and through a series of incarnations in the physical world.  Life within the physical world in very short term, one’s true life is within the spirit world.  When in the spirit world one has the unlimited resources and time to learn and develop.  Once reincarnated the spirit is free and can return back to the physical world to continue the learning process as well.  Five essential principle points of the Spirit Doctrine are as follows:

God exists and has an exact title of, “The Supreme Intelligence and Primary Cause of Everything”.
Spirits were created simple and ignorant however, they own the power to slowly perfect themselves.
The natural perfection process referred to in number two is reincarnation.  Through reincarnation one has the limitless opportunity to learn from various situations and gain endless amounts of intellectual and situational expertise.
Spirits can communicate with the physical world and people.  When it comes to the unknown many people may react by responding with fear or anger. 
Numerous planets throughout the universe are populated with intelligent life.  We are unable to see these beings in the same way we are unable to see spirits, they live on a different plane of existence.

Spiritism believes that Jesus is the “greatest moral example” for all mankind.  Jesus came to the people of Earth to walk the path and show mankind how to live by example.  Jesus’s teachings (Gospels) are known and practiced by Spiritists however the Gospels are interpreted in a Spiritist’s manner.  Some actions and occurrences that occurred in the teachings of Christ are interpreted as nature’s law and not achieved by miracles.  The most essential rule within the Spiritist Doctrine is to see that spiritual evolution occurs in a steady and consistent manner. 
The IBGE, Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics calculated that 1.3% of the Brazilian population is Spiritists, which makes Spiritism the third largest religion in Brazil with Catholicism and Evangelical being first and second respectively.  The worldwide Spiritism population is approximately 20 million with the possibility of syncretism making the overall adherents a much greater number.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5770308

Scientology – A General Summary of the Religion

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Scientology – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Lafayette Ronald Hubbard born March 13, 1911well known as L. Ron Hubbard, incorporated the Church of Scientology in Camden, New Jersey in 1953.  L. Ron Hubbard is responsible for and founded the religion of Scientology, believing that people are immortal and have simply forgotten their true nature.  He was first known as an American pulp fiction writer specifically of science fiction and fantasy.  He was born in Tilden, Nebraska and traveled throughout Asia and the South Pacific after his father, a Naval Officer, was stationed in the country of Guam.  Hubbard attended George Washington University in Washington D.C. in the earlier 1930′s.  Shortly after attending Washington University he began his writing career, served as a Marine in the Reserves, and in the Navy as well at the time of World War II as a Commander.  His stent as a Commander for the Navy was cut short due to being “unsuitable” to command.  At the end of his military service term he developed gastrointestinal problems (ulcer in his duodenum). 
Hubbard then developed Dianetics “the modern science of mental health”, ideas and practices regarding the relationship of one’s mind and body and metaphysics (a branch of philosophy that explains the nature of being and the world, and the properties of space and time of objects and their existence).
Dianetics method (referred to as “auditing”) is to remove the subconscious mind (reactive mind) which is responsible for preventing people to better themselves such as being more ethical, aware, saner, and happier.  Generally, Dianetics reportedly investigates the mind’s conscious or analytical mind, subconscious or reactive mind, and the somatic mind.  The auditing process makes you face your fears.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger if you use the experience in the proper manner.  The Scientologist auditor asks a number of questions about the painful experience(s).  By asking selected questions directly about the experience, you face your fear, rid your subconscious mind of the control you allowed the fear to have over your mind, thereby ridding yourself of the “reactive mind” and allowing yourself to be happier, more aware, etc…  
Dianetics originated and continued to expand through direct experiences of Hubbard himself.  Dianetics “forms a bridge between” general semantics and cybernetics which were ideologies referring to education originated by Alfred Korzybski (Korzybski was popular in science fiction at the time).  Dianetics has been known as a mixture of Oriental philosophy and Western technology.  Some ailments that are the focus of Dianetics assistance in curing are:

Eliminating unwanted emotions.
Numerous psychosomatic ailments.
Arthritis
Allergies
Asthma
Eye ailments
Some headaches
Ulcers
Death
Some cardiac ailments.

Dianetics ended up being part of the “doctrine” for the Scientology religion.  The auditing procedure used in Dianetics and facing your fears to overcome the emotional stops in life are key factors in Scientology.  The auditing courses along with the “study material” are offered after specified donations are received.  Despite unfounded remarks from certain critics, Scientology is recognized as a religion in the United States (with the accompanied tax-exempt status) and other countries as well.  The Church of Scientology enforces the beliefs and rituals of the Scientology religion and aides the local communities with financial contributions and congregational assistance for various social service groups such as the Narconon anti-drug program and the Criminon prison rehabilitation program.   Other organizational assistance is offered through volunteer help when needed as well.   
“The Way to Happiness” is a booklet specifying the moral guidelines for the Scientology religion.  To state that Scientology has been criticized in the 20th century in various ways is an extremely large understatement.  The term “cult” has been overly used when referring to Scientology.  Accusations of “financial defrauding” have been thrown at The Church steps of Scientology, endlessly.  Financial requests and implied requirements have been and are still today involved with various other religious denominations, in fact some of the major world religions that cover a major piece of the globe require or “request a donation” for certain rituals or practices, thereby making the money requested by Scientology for various rituals in no way different.  In fact, Scientology is one of the very few religions that call the “donations” for what they truly are, fees.
The critics that have publicly criticized Scientology’s donation procedures and have gone as far as harassing them, have been aggressively pursued within the legal arena with multiple law suits, standing by their religious ethics as being completely lawful and within the common practice of all religious communities.  These consistent legal battles and the fact that no legal suit has been ruled against Scientology, supports Scientology’s moral toughness and validity, showing society that they are confident in their legal practices.
The following are various beliefs and other sources of controversy of the Scientology religion:

The term for souls is “thetans”.
Thetans are reincarnated numerous times and have been reincarnated to living beings on other planets (another source of controversy, surprised?).
It has been said that some of Scientology’s teachings are not taught unless the member has paid the proper fee (in some cases thousands of dollars).
Psychiatry is a practice that Scientology would like to disappear (it is said to be in most cases very destructive.  Again another object of controversy).
The auditing as describe is the heart of the religion.  It works 100% of the time when a well-trained Scientologist performs the auditing and the member truly wants to better their life.
All Scientology beliefs deal with the thetan (true identity of an individual which is a good and omniscient core that has unlimited originality and creativity.
Thetans are reincarnated over and over in new bodies.  This process is termed assumption.
There are two main parts of the brain, reactive (is like a sponge that absorbs all mental or emotional pain and trauma), and the analytical mind functions radically which is responsible for consciousness.  The reactive portion takes mental pictures which are not able to be seen by the analytical or conscious mind.  These pictures that are not available to the conscious mind are called engrams (very agonizing and painful).  As these engrams accumulate people stray further from their true identities.  A main goal in this religion is to avoid this.  Auditing is the procedure that alleviates the accumulation of engrams and allows the individual to acquire their reality as a thetan.

There are eight churches in existence today with the largest in Hollywood, California.  The centers are named “Celebrity” Scientologist Churches.  They are all open to the public however they are mainly designed for Scientologists.  Some of the celebrities that are Scientologist include John Travolta, Kristie Alley, Lisa Presley, Isaac Hays and Tom Cruise.  

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5761871

Wicca – Religious Magic

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Wicca – Religious Magic
Author: William Bailey
When people hear the word Wicca, they envision a witch on a broom stick flying through the air.  With the growing number of tragedies and destruction in the world, people are losing faith in their traditional ways.  More and more, people are jumping ship and crossing over to other religions looking for answers to questions they have been asking their whole life.  One religion that has seen some increase in memberships is the Wiccan religion. 
Within the Wiccan religion there are witches who practice magic and witchcraft.  Wicca embraces religion when performing rituals and spells.  Religion and magic work simultaneously to a degree.  They work so well together that one can’t tell where the religion stops and the magic begins.  Simply put, religion and magic co-exist within the Wiccan religion.  Religion fuels magical spells during Wiccan rituals.  When executing rituals, the practitioner calls to the deities, asking the Goddess and God to aid them in their quest.  This develops a strong relationship between the deities and the practitioner.  For those who question if Wicca should be categorized as a religion, the previously stated relationship between the deities and the practitioner should clear up any mystery. 
Magic has numerous definitions from various sources.  The magic that is utilized by practitioners in the Wiccan religion deals with Earthly natural energies and forces.  There are 3 main sources of energy: personal power, Earth power, and Divine power.

Personal power:  Simply put, Personal power is our life force.  Without it we wouldn’t exist.  We obtain energy from numerous natural resources such as the sun, the moon, the water, and food.  We logically reduce our energy level by physical exertion.
Earth power:  Earth powers lie within the Earth, the Earth’s soil, craters, boulders, trees, and all of Mother Nature’s creations.  These powers are utilized in certain rituals.
Divine power:  Divine power is the energy that lies within the deities of the Goddess and God.  It’s the power of creation.  This power created the universe, nature, mankind, and all creatures great and small. 

The Wiccan practitioner works in harmony with all powers and energies.  They invoke the deities to bless their spells with power.  They give their personal power to the Goddess and God asking them to bless them in a specific spell that the practitioner wishes to work.
Practitioners that have been practicing magic many years have admitted that they don’t know how the magic works, only that it does.  The positive side to the lack of magical understanding is that you don’t have to know how it works, as long as it does what it’s supposed to do.  Many people get in their cars and drive to work every day without knowing how the engine works, but it works all the same. 
Magic is spells and rituals of a positive nature that are powered through the Goddess and God of the Wiccan religion.  Wiccans don’t perform evil or negative spells or rituals.  Any form of evil magic is considered to be against the Wiccan religion, the Goddess and the God.  Practitioners that perform evil magic will receive their punishment. 
Many people have been scared into thinking that magic is bad or evil.  Hollywood has their part in scaring society.  Every time you look, there’s a movie on the big screen showing how a few witches wreaked havoc in some small town.  Practicing magic is no more dangerous than riding a bike, stay on the side walk and you’ll be fine.  Practice magic with good intentions and all will be fine.  

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ezine/5754861

Atheism – A General Summary of the Religion

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Atheism – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Atheism is a rejection of the existence of any type of deity.  Depending on what dictionary you read the definition of Atheism varies, for example older dictionaries define it as a belief that there is no God, or a complete denial of any deity.  Other dictionaries define Atheism as sinfulness, paganism, heathenism, or even wickedness.  The Greeks define Atheism as “without gods”.  The Universal Life Church Monastery states “There are no universally known scientific tests for disproving the existence of spiritual things; therefore, atheism is a religion based on faith.”  The 1998 edition of Macmillan Information New Encyclopedia: World Religions states that Atheism is neither a belief system nor a religion.  It may however be an individual’s religious belief, thereby making it a non-religion.    
In the 18th century the criticisms of religion combined with society’s skepticism, created the perfect atmosphere for Atheism to flourish.  Atheists are generally extremely skeptical of the supernatural or spirit world due to the lack of proof.  Atheists have defended their beliefs by pointing out the various differences within numerous other religions.  They figure that each religion and denomination makes whatever rules and rituals benefit themselves the best.  Atheists believe that religions are a made up system that society clings to when they don’t have an answer to their questions, or solutions to their problems.  They also believe that religions do more harm than good, referring to the numerous religious wars and the more recent religious groups that organize horrific disasters that take thousands of people’s lives. 
Practical Atheism, apatheism, and pragmatic atheism, are three ideologies that refer to the same religious concept of a godless society.  Natural phenomena’s horrific destruction is explained by anything other than a divine’s interaction however, the existences of deities are not disputed.  The absence of motivation and interest in all religious activities are two of many forms that practical Atheists can take.
Two arguments of Theoretical Atheism are Ontological and Epistemological.  Ontological arguments are specifically explicit arguments against the existence of all gods.  Plato and Averroes, known philosophers that have publically announced their theories and arguments for the existence of God, are prime examples that Theoretical Atheists argue.  Theoretical Atheists are in all actuality Physical Ontologists, which are people who believe that everything that exists is only the equivalent of its physical properties and nothing more. 
The Epistemological arguments deal with Agnostics and Theological noncognitivism.  Agnostic Atheism logically has the combined characteristics of both Agnosticism and Atheism.  Agnostics believe that there has not been any evidence that a deity exists, therefore they don’t believe in a deity.  An Atheist simply doesn’t believe in a deity whatsoever.  An Agnostic Atheist is an Atheist because they don’t believe in a deity and they are an Agnostic because they claim there is no evidence that a deity exists.  Theological noncognitivism has a basic logical approach to religion, no proof no existence.  For example, George H. Smith (verificationist) believes the word “God”, carries with it absolutely no meaning or concept.  He insists that “God” has mainly contributed negatively to society, making the almighty “God” inconsequential. 
Well known Philosophers Ludwig Feuerbach and Sigmund Freud believed that religion was a matrix.  For those of you who have not seen the movie “The Matrix”, the movie was about the wool being pulled over the eyes of man, blocking man from the real world.  In this case the wool is society’s invention to make sense of, and act as, an emotional buffer.  This invention and buffer I speak of is religion.  It is used by some who need some sense of structure in their spiritual lives.  It is used by some to make their life bearable from the horrors they have seen, have caused, or are currently living.  It is used by some by denying it (religion) exists.  The bottom line, religion is used by everyone.  Some believe that God is a creation by governments and organizations to enslave mankind, and others believe he exists as the creator of all things great and small. 
Axiology is the study of right and wrong, and beauty and harmony.  It also favors humanity over any existence of gods.  The belief in gods simply weakens a person’s motivation to solve their own problems.  By seeking out salvation and believing that God will provide for those who follow his ways and simply believe in him will ultimately shift man’s motivational trouble shooting skills into neutral.  Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher categorized himself as an “atheist existentialist”.  He concentrated his concerns with man’s efforts rather than denying God’s existence.  Sartre’s efforts were solely concentrated with positive efforts and motivational tactics for man to get off of his ass and “save him from himself”. 
The difficulty in calculating accurate worldwide atheistic demographic statistics lies within the problems of specific definitions between the faithless religions.  A published survey in the Encyclopedia Britannica of 2005 puts the world’s Atheist’s numbers at 2.3%.   This percentage didn’t take account for atheistic beliefs within other religions.  A poll in late 2006 published in the Financial Times gave rates for Atheists in six countries, Spain 11%, Germany 20%, Great Britain 17%, France 32%, Italy 7%, and the lowest was The United States at 4%.  Other various polls showed that approximately 64% of Japanese are non-believers, agnostics, or atheists.  Other non-believers, Atheists, and Agnostic polls show the following numbers: Finland 60%, Denmark at a high 80%, Sweden at a higher 85%, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania staggered in the low single digits. 
Criticism of atheism obviously stems from its disbelief in God.  Where the theist and deist critics believe their arguments are more than sufficient, the atheists see them as unbelievable and fanaticized.  The atheists are not alone in their beliefs.  Believe it or not, the religion of Agnosticism also backs the theist and deist critics.  They believe that the jury is still out and the evidence doesn’t quite support that god doesn’t exist.  Philosopher Blaise Pascal gives atheism the benefit of the doubt by stating “Atheism shows strength of mind,” however he also points out their faults in their theories by adding ” but only to a certain degree”, he then continues to point out other faults by saying that atheists don’t seek the truth and refuse to recognize the signs of God.  It is believed by numerous religions that atheism has had a very bad effect on those who believe in life after death, another of Pascal’s points of negativity on atheism.  To add to the list of criticisms on atheists, Christian author Alister McGrath stated that studies have shown that the belief in God has benefited people’s health, and happiness.  That said, atheist Gregory Paul adds that developed countries that have a larger percentage of atheists within their society have a better overall financial picture.  

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Taoism – A General Summary of the Religion

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Taoism – A General Summary of the Religion
Author: William Bailey
Tao (pronounced “Dao”) refers to a philosophical or religious tradition called Taoism or Daoism.  Dao is generally translated as “the way”, “the path”, or “principle”.  The general goal of Taoist’s practices is to establish harmony with all living creatures.  The Dao is a universal principle that encompasses everything from human being’s interactions to the creations of galaxies.  The complete comprehension of all aspects of Taoism can’t be achieved by reason alone, the concept of intuition must be combined with reason in order to grasp the religion’s complete concept.  Although Taoism originated in China, its influence expanded outward to reach neighboring countries and has a strong grasp on modern day China.  
There are arguably several categories of Taoism:

Philosophical Taoism – Made up of a philosophical school that teaches the texts of Dao De Jing.
Religious Taoism – A group of organized Chinese religious movements that originated during the Han Dynasty.
Folk Taoism – Simply, a Chinese folk religion.

The Three Jewels of the Tao are ethical standards of the Taoism religion.  The Three Jewels are moderation, humility, and compassion.  Generally, Taoists focus on nature, health, humanity’s relationship with the universe, and the issue of non-action (action through inaction) or wu wei. 
Lao Tzu, known by many other names such as Laozi, Lao Tse, Lao Tu, Lao-Tsu, Laotze, Laosi, and Laocius was a mystic philosopher of China considered to be the founder of Taoism and the author of Tao-te-ching, the Taoism Bible.  He is also thought of as a deity in Taoism and being “One of the Three Pure Ones” or “Taishang Laojun”.  Lao Tzu existed in 6th Century BCE and is believed to be a collective of historical figures.  There have been multiple arguments on whether or not Lao Tzu was a mythical figure or an actual human being.  Theories include that he was a collective of historical figures, or he was a human being who lived between the 5th and 4th Century BCE.  Many place Lao Tzu within their family lineage.   He’s a major noble figure within the Chinese culture and is an ancestor of the Tang imperial lineage.  Lao Tzu’s momentous teaching elements are as follows:

Non-action:  We have all been flustered with too much to do and too little time to accomplish the various many tasks.  Lao Tzu’s teaching of non-action deals with the foolish and the wise.  He points out that the foolish attempt to accomplish everything and inevitably accomplish nothing, when the wise take it slow and free their mind of chaos and accomplish everything.  When one is in tune with the Tao they too will achieve what they want. 
Simplicity:  People in general make life much more complicated than it actually is.  If one can break down and simplify their life, the gratification one may receive will be much greater than any materialistic satisfaction.
Duality:  This concept deals with opposites and logic.  There is no up without a down, no left without right.  Opposites are what give meaning to everything.  We wouldn’t know what cold is without knowing what hot is.  One can’t exist without the other.
Non-intention:  Virtue is moral excellence or a positive trait or quality.  Many of us perform an act in order to receive a pat on our backs.  True virtue comes without effort.  True virtue flows naturally and doesn’t require a pat on the back, a that-a-boy, or other gratifying efforts.
Wisdom:  Defining wisdom is difficult.  Numerous philosophers have various ideas on what constitutes wisdom.  Wisdom is not only the collection of knowledge.  You must have an incredibly deep comprehension of knowledge in numerous areas and the ability to see the right and wrong of a situation, while properly judging the situation as well.  Insight and intuition are necessities as well.  The arsenal of knowledge, knowing right from wrong, acting properly on that situation, and the acquisition of insight, is the difference between reading the teachings of the Tao and living the Tao. 
Non-contention:  Violence begets violence.  Peaceful solutions are the way of the Tao.
Humility:  The ingredients of ignorance are egotism and arrogance.  The more you know the more you realize what little you know and the more humble you become.

Taoism’s various divisions teach from various articles of faith including the Tao-te-ching.  Although there are various different elements among the different divisions, there are common beliefs and theological themes.  These beliefs and themes are as follows:

Wu-wei (non-action)
The Yin Yang symbol.
Embodiment (the body and mind are fused into one) and pragmatism (a practical approach to affairs and challenges).
The practices that inevitably achieves nature’s order within oneself.
The absolute common theme of all Taoist’s divisions is to achieve a joyful and peaceful life.
Vitality (Both mental and physical strength).
Peace
Flexibility
Spontaneity
Refinement
An overall positive demeanor.
Detachment
The overall knowledge and comprehension of the ways of life.

Taoism belief in spiritualism deals with the concept of “microcosm” and the five elements.  Taoists believe that every individual is a microcosm (a counterpart or miniature part) of the universe.   When Individuals gain knowledge of the universe, they gain knowledge of themselves.  One’s body is directly related to the five elements, organs, directions, phased, agents, movements, steps, or stages.  The five elements or also known as the “Wu Xing” are as follows:

Wood or tree (pinyin: mu)
Earth (pinyin: tu)
Fire (pinyin: huo)
Metal (pinyin: jin)
Water (pinyin: shui)

Sexuality in Taoism is looked upon as a positive and vital component of one’s life.  There is however an emphasis on moderation and self-control.  Absolutely no forced, brutal, or rough sexual activity is condoned within the religion.  Abstinence is looked upon in the same manner as well, it’s considered to be equally hazardous.  Achieving orgasms by both men and women is said to bring vitality to one’s life.  Taoists believe that if a man brings a woman to orgasm, he himself may boost his own vitality.  Orgasms build energy to nourish the mind and may increase the life of individuals.
Meditation in Taoism is common in the west and has become similar to one’s wisdom by viewing their surroundings and current events throughout the world.  Although meditation’s current fame is based on yoga, Taoism is very different.  While a Taoist may sit alongside a yoga student, there will come a time when the Taoist may stop meditating and get up and do whatever it is they choose to do.  This scenario serves the non-action concept of Taoism.
According to a 2002 demographic study the vast majority of the China population is Taoists and Buddhists with a small Christian population of between 3% and 4% and an even smaller amount of Muslim population between 1% and 2%.  The global population of Taoism is 0.1%

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The Age of Aquarius – The New Age Movement

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The Age of Aquarius – The New Age Movement
Author: William Bailey
Paganism and traditions that embrace similar beliefs are erupting within the 21st century.  Members of the Government, the film industry, the religious community, and various other members and organizations of the globe are steering towards the religious beliefs and viewpoints of the New Age of Aquarius embraced by the New Age Movement (NAM). 
Randall N. Baer is a former naturopathic doctor who was an internationally known authority in the area of crystals, sacred sciences and spiritual teachings.  He co-directed the Starcrest Academy of Interdimensional Law and science in Northern New Mexico.  Baer met his maker as his car ran off of a mountain pass.  He had recently completed a lecture tour in New Mexico on the New Age Movement prior to his accident.
Randall Baer became a born again Christian after becoming a member of the New Age Movement for a substantial amount of time.  After his departure from the NAM he wrote a best-selling book titled, “Inside The New Age Nightmare”.  He wrote that NAM’s agenda is to completely revolutionize the foundations of the entire world.  This calls for the restructuring of the globe’s population and creating an enlightened “One World Federation” with nation’s borders no longer being a priority.  World peace will be a priority however the most enticing proposition will be the unlimited number of opportunities for those who choose to follow the New Age way.   This is an ultimate form of evil enticement, the Antichrist’s way of tempting mankind.  The Age of Aquarius is apparently being used as an avenue for the New Age Movement, to pave the way for the antichrist in establishing the New World Order. 
Texe Marrs is an American writer who runs a Christian Ministry, “Power of Prophecy Ministries” in Austin Texas.   Marrs has written a book titled “Mystery Mark of the New Age”.  In his book he writes of a “Battle Plan” and goals of the NAM.  Among these goals are the following:

Christianity will be discredited and Christians will become accursed.  They are to be branded an ignorant and inferior human species.
A planetary crisis will be precipitated by Satan’s human world leaders.  The New Age Kingdom will be realized from this crisis.
A great world leader and statesman will than appear to bring order to chaos.  He will be Satan’s hand-picked man: the Beast, or Antichrist, with the number 666.
New Age leaders, especially those who control the world’s TV and radio broadcast media, will mount a tremendously powerful campaign on behalf of this World Leader, causing the entire world to believe in his perfection and infallibility.
After assuming the reins of power, the great World Leader will usher in a period of universal peace and prosperity.  His magnetism and Charisma will enable him to establish himself at the helm of a One World Government, One World Economy, and a One World New Age Religion.
Consolidating all power and might, the great World Leader will finger Christians and Jews as “public enemies” who are a constant danger to world peace, justice, and sharing.  The arrest and imprisonment of Christians will commence.  The entire world will applaud their persecution.
Every man, woman, and child who not yet been initiated into the Mystery of Iniquity will take a mark and receive the “Luciferic Initiation.”  They will then discover the awful truth, but it will be far too late.  Their fate will have been sealed.
All who refuse the mark and the “Luciferic Initiation” and who refuse to worship the image of the Beast will be put to death.
The whole world will be deluged with Satan’s demons, who will eagerly and hungrily possess human bodies.
After the whole world has been conquered, Satan’s final treacherous act will be to assault the very gates of Heaven.

Tactics or evil plans such as these have been seen numerous times in the past.  A new world order, a single faith, leader, and global monopolies have all been discussed as possibilities and foretold.  The book of Revelations shows us the end of the world with destruction, pain, and anguish, however the sole individual goal the NAM allegedly wishes to accomplish which I believe to be unattainable is the last.  It is said that Satan will return home to wreak havoc upon his creator.  All of the goals within the Battle Plan are attainable except the last.
It’s believed that New Age beliefs and goals are being not only considered, but spoken of within certain religious circles.  The all too popular one-world order goal of the NAM appears to be closer to being accomplished.  The Bible warns us of occurrences such as this, the stretching of our moral bounds, and the growth and wide spread loss of faith by abandoning and forsaking our church systems and faith.

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New Age Movement – Core beliefs & Crystal Healing

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New Age Movement – Core beliefs & Crystal Healing
Author: William Bailey
The New Age Movement (NAM) is generally an assembly of Metaphysical thought processing systems, hopes, dreams, an assemblage of various theological concepts, and potential prospects bound together by specific teachings of salvation.  Within the NAM mankind is the central divine individual.  Man is considered to be the creator and with the powers of creation, man is the deliverer of harmony and peace for all mankind. 
The NAM has two core beliefs, Evolutionary Godhood and Global Unity.  Evolutionary Godhood consists of the next spiritual step in evolution.  Within the development process, man will shortly make his transition and reach new spiritual perspectives.  New Age traditions and practices are designed to challenge and allow one to exceed their potential. 
Common practices with the NAM are as follows:

Astral projection: Astral Projection is when your soul travels from your body, communicating with other various spirits that guide you or speak through you.
Crystal usage:  Crystals are used to purify one’s body and mind’s energy system (This will be covered in more detail later in the article).
Visualization:  Using mental imagery in order to imagine that you are an animal, or being healed of an illness, or being in the presence of a divine being.

The NAM teaches that man is good and divine, which opposes God’s word in the Bible, Romans 5:12, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men; for that all have sinned:”  It teaches that man is divine by nature, thereby having divine qualities.  The average New Age Movement member believes that they are divine and is able to create their own reality, which also opposes the Bible.  The Bible says that God is the one and only creator of the universe and mankind as in Isaiah 44:24, “…I am the Lord that maketh all things’ that stretcheth forth the heavens alone’ that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;” 
The second and last core belief of the NAM is Global Unity.  There are three divisions of Global Unity: Man with Man, Man with Nature, and Man with God.  Man with Man teaches that all of mankind will acquire divine relationships with one another in harmony.  The overall teaching of Man with Man involves achieving the following goals:

Economic unity
A single world leader that will unite the world.
A single harmonious economic whole.
A single world religion.

Man with Nature deals with the logical concept that if God is all, then nature is also a part of God, therefore man is in tune with nature.  The relationship between Earth and nature is a common theme with American Indian Philosophies, thereby making these philosophies popular with the NAM.  Since the teachings of NAM states that God is all and nature is a part of God, then man and nature are all on the same level.  All animals, nature, and man are all brothers of this planet and therefore need to live in harmony together.  Again, this theory of the NAM is opposed to the Bible as in Genesis 1:26, “…Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 
Man with God deals with the NAM teachings that state that man is divine by nature, and once man begins to comprehend and believe that this is true, man will see their purpose in life.  The final and ultimate goal is for man to see their true good selves, and then everything in life will fall into place.  Once again, this opposes the Bible’s scriptures as in Romans 3:10, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” and in Romans 3:12, “…there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” 
Crystal Healing
Crystals consist of molecules that are arranged in a highly specific ordered pattern.  Many common forms of matter form crystals.  These crystals, when shaped properly, vibrate and are utilized for radio communications and other electronic devices.  The NAM uses these crystals for healing purposes.  Crystal healing is an alternative healing technique that uses stones as well as crystals for healing.  The healer places the crystals at various positions on the body according to the chakras.  Chakra refers to wheel-like vortices that exist within the surface of the subtle body of all living beings, according to traditional Indian medicine.  Chakras are concentrated areas of energy that flow from a location on one’s body.  They rotate in a fan shaped formation and both receive and transmit energy.  There are various systems that consist of different numbers of chakras.  The most common system is in the west and consists of seven chakras.  Chakras are either represented as wheel like or flower like.  In the wheel like representation, spokes within the circle resemble a wheel or chakra.  In the flower like representation, petals are placed around the circumference of the circle.  The seven Chakras are described below (They run from the tail bone to the top of the head):

The Crown Chakra (Violet colored):  Located on the top of the head.
The Third Eye Chakra (Indigo colored):  Located on the eyes.
The Throat Chakra (Blue colored):  Located as indicated, on the throat.
The Heart Chakra (Green colored):  Located as indicated, on the heart.
The Solar Plexus Chakra (Yellow colored):  Located on the abdominal area.
The Sacral Chakra (Orange colored):  Located on the pelvic area.
The Base/Root Chakra (Red colored):  Located on the tail bone area.

Chakra points run along parallel to the spine or inside the spine itself within a channel, otherwise known as a “nadi” or “Sushumna”.  The chakras are known to contain the petals or spokes (as stated before when describing the morphology of the chakras), and the spokes branch off like nerves throughout the body.  The stones or crystals may be positioned at the hands or feet of the individual to be used as a grounding effect. 
The concept of crystal healing dates back as far as ancient Egypt.  Jade amulets were located within the tombs and burial chambers.  The powers of the stones were used to guide their souls through the afterlife.  Hopi Native Americans of Arizona, Hawaiian Islanders, and the Chinese still utilize crystal healing powers today. 
Modern day critics call crystal healing power a pseudoscience, and believe that people who have claimed to have felt a difference after crystal healing have experienced a placebo effect.  Christians and Roman Catholics alike believe that crystals have no intrinsic powers whatsoever. 

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