About Torture
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Yesterday I turned 49 and said to my Self, it's enough. I've listened, given advice to others on how to make informed choices.Now I must speak up. I live in the Bible Belt of the South. Everything is attributed to God or his evil twin brother, Satan. It is rare to hear someone take ownership of their actions and make a statement that maybe it was people who were the cause of such destructions. I write a column in a local magazine on Reiki and up to now I have been subtle with my observations. Now I am guided to be bolder and to ask people to hold themselves accountable and not place blame on some evil force trying to sabatoge their attempts to enter Heaven. Most people don't need that kind of help. The 5 tenents of Reiki are Just for Today - do not anger, don't worry, be diligent, be grateful and be kind to others. Yet I am often asked "is it from God, isn't it from the eastern culture or from Buddist monks or Japanese? If Jesus didn't say it-it ain't true." Now I have a word for the God these people worship, iohayot. He is a punisher of his people, he created and sent an evil force to tempt his people, just in case they get close to Heaven's gate. I am the daughter of a Methodist minister and grew up in a Church atmosphere. I learned to read for myself, to analyze and question. Now I am satisfied. I am not religious, I am spiritual. I do not question why things happen anymore because I know there is always a reason. I don't anger when my truck won't crank, the power goes out or some inconvenience happens. I know there is a reason, I now ask myself 'wonder what I'm going to learn from this'? But I do believe we should be angry at ourselves, the collective of people out there who allow attrocities to happen. It's not God, if anything God is saddened when his people allow these things to happen then those same people say these attrocities happen because God is punishing them!I believe people need to wake from this 2000 year dream. Wake up and see religion for what it is, man-made like all the products we receive from China and other countries. I have studied so many religions and I am amazed at the rules, the standards, the rules and rules for this and that. Can anyone reccommend a religion whose bible needs no interpreter? Reiki is not a religion, it is a way of life and promotes healing. I chose this path because Reiki always goes to the source, never harms and always seeks the highest good. Reiki is right for me but there are other healing modalities. Pick a path and follow the light and be happy. Well, gotta go I've got to start work on my new article. Thanks for listening and be Blessed, Marcia.
RE - Marcia Reeves Thrasher | December 27, 2007 9:29 AM
Excelent post Marcia ! Just so you know "Christianity" is not a religion either, it is a Way of Life! Religion is to be bound by, to be tied to. You can be bound or tied to anything you want to be. Scientists/Atheists/Agnostics (and some religions)are are tied to whatever physical evidence they can fathom. It they can't understantd it or grasp and feel it ... it does not exist or is delusin or illusion. Faith one the other hand is the belief in something unproven, and that can be anything you want to believe. The problem arises when on set of beliefs is forced upon another's belief, either through self-righteouness, or egomania. And we are ALL (well maybe not ALL !) are ready and willing to subjugate, torture, abuse and crucify those that are in conflict with that ! ... The flag bearer and standard bearer of Christianity (also known as the Truth, the Light and the Way)was, is and ever shall be Yeshuah. And He left only one Command to those that believe as He did "My command to you is this, Love one another, as I have Loved you!" ... That would be Uncompromising, Unconditional Love ! If you are not ready to sacrifice yourself,(not anybody else !) for what you believe (and Yeshuah believed)in your heart (not your head) ... You are not a Christian, no matter what anybody else tells you !... "They will know you are Christian by you Love" (and no other Way)... What we got going on out there is not Christianity, it is Roman-ce and that is all due to Paul the Roman theology! ... The gift of Freewill is a crapshoot, and what you see is what you get. It will continue unless we ALL surrender to God (which is not very likely because of Freewill)... To me this is ALL, God's sense of humor, which nobody thinks is one dam bit funny ... but God ... (and me!)
LUV 2 U / LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
Wow!! Welome Macia :-)
About Torture
MASS GRAVES FOUND IN IRAQ
A mass grave and torture chamber have been discovered in Iraq by coalition forces there. Some 26 bodies were discovered there, and a room, stained with blood, was also found, containing chains hanging from walls and ceilings, and a bed connected to an electrical system. The death chamber was located in an area believed to be a base for al Qaeda terrorists operating in Iraq.
** This statement is typical of how a “news story” can be slanted in a certain direction using half truth and erroneous statements. Typical erroneous statement “believed to be a base for al Qaeda terrorists” that statement has no basis for truth whatsoever, but will satisfy your own personal agenda and perspective ! As far as the torture chamber is concerned, what ever happened there is left completely up to your imagination, and we all know how perverted that can be (don’t we !)
The thought that any human being could deliberately and slowly torture another human being is beyond my ability to comprehend.
** Are you that dense, this has been going on since the beginning of Time! What part of “torture” don’t you comprehend ?
Causing another person to die by such means is unimaginable by me
** Come on Neale, we ALL know you better than that !
And yet, we know that this happens in our world -- and it may not always be the "bad guys" who are doing it...
BINGO ! And just who would you assume the “bad guys” or the “good guys” are ? Of course your new Nealist Perceptive Dictionary, sheds a whole “New Spirituality” light on all of that.
Such behaviors could only be exhibited by a race of beings believing absolutely in the separation of all things.
** Wrong! That would be the typical Congregationist Organized Religious Theology of “We will ALL be “One” or we will kill you !”
Conversations with God says that most of the world’s people adhere to a Separation Theology.
** I’m really beginning to wonder exactly who you are conversing with … it surely doesn’t strike me a pro-versing !
I have named the God of this theology Iohayot. That is an acronym for I’m Over Here And You’re Over There.
** Is that from Neal’s dictionary, or is there some other culture root for that word ?
This is as valid a name as any of the others that humanity has come up with, including Allah, Brahmin, God, Jehovah, Krishna, or Yahweh, and it’s far more descriptive of the actual concept of God held by most humans.
Uhhhh … are kidding me ? Listen Neale have you got your New Age Spiritual Dictionary to the publisher yet ? I’m sure we are ALL sitting on pins and needles, waiting for that to come out !
Religion is not noted for producing widespread agreement among people, yet whatever else the fervently religious may disagree on, most concur that God says: “I’m Over Here And You’re Over There.”
Wrong! “We are many parts, we are ALL, one body!” . . . .”I AM in you and you are in Me, without Me, you can do nothing !”
This description of human theologies is simplistic in the extreme, yet it is not that far from being an accurate, if very basic, summary of our beliefs. And these beliefs are killing us.
** Uhhhh is that what you believe ? Or is that what you believe all religions believe? Were you ever paying attention in your theology classes, or we you too busy looking at the babes or just sleeping /
bring an end to life as we know it on the earth.
** That happens every day, and it has been going on since the beginning of Time. Scientists call it “Evolution” religionists call it “Evilution”
God has to sometimes come “over here” to teach us a lesson.
** Yeah, it sorts goes like this “My command to you is this, Love one another, as I have Loved you” (not as you love yourself !) That would be Uncompromising, Unconditional Love . . . BINGO !
And so God comes down to punish us for our sins, make us pay for our offenses, or do whatever else is necessary to reestablish the natural order of things and bring Right into proper balance with that which is Not Right.
** Uhhhh . . .have you ,or anybody for that matter, witnessed God doing that ? Or is that just some more perception? (and perception is everything !)
This belief in a God who is “over there” and who wants and needs or desires or demands something from those of us “over here” is what allows humans to grant themselves the moral authority to inflict punishments of their own upon those who ignore God’s Word and disobey God’s Commandments.
** Wrong ! It is the gift of “Freewill” that allows us ALL to choose good or evil, Love or Hate, Intelligence over Ignorance, Compassion over indifference, Joy over Anger, etc, etc, etc. Would it be you to decide to take all the freewill aWay from everyone ?
We imagine and understand and declare ourselves to be acting in God’s name
** Uhhhh . . . You are, of course, including yourself in that statement . . . right ?
This idea is what allows humans to fly airplanes into buildings, killing thousands of innocent civilians all the while shouting, “Allah is great!”
** Wrong! It is when you have reached a level in your personal Life that you are willing to sacrifice yourself (along with anybody else that you can drag into the funeral pyre !) that you can say “Allah is great!” or any other name you perceive as God. When you reach that point, there is nothing that organized society, religion, and or government can do about it ! . . . BINGO!
coins on which it is written, “In God We Trust.”
** Unfortunitly it is not in God we trust, but in money/power . . . and “Lust, for money/power is the root of ALL evil”
Yet there is nothing could make us think that we are doing these things to God except the thought that We And God Are One, and that is a thought a majority of us have summarily rejected.
** Not exactly. It is out perception of God that directs our actions. There are those that rule this world with Power/Money as their God. Others perceive Power/Control as their God (or at least the gift from God)
Separation Sociology produces a Separation Pathology. That is, pathological behaviors of self-destruction/
This is exactly what we are seeing on the earth today.
** Well it’s about time you said something substantial, instead of anti-religious rhetoric ! Oh yeah ! Don’t leave out “Self-Righteous Pathological Behavior”
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
and now I have two questions...
1) What is the point of today's blog? Are there really that many of us that don't know that each man-made religion attacks every other man-made religion using G-d as their reason and standard for doing so? Are there really so many of us that don't know that torture is going on (and that people die from it)... you don't have to go to war or to the other side of the world to find it either.
2) Re: “Your audio recordings of the books have been outlawed to be played on youtube. They have been posted by the user "alienx1976", and the videos have been removed due to a copyright claim by your office.”
Posted on Dec. 20 by a reader who cared and a youtube user who apparently thought/thinks the message(s) in the audio books important. There was no reply.
I know that Mr. Walsch won’t be answering my second question since I do not pay the $8 a month to be in the Messengers’ Circle, but maybe someone else can…
Why is there so much advertisement (i.e. Wednesday is Question and Answer Day on the blog...a time for exploring many of the questions that people have recently asked about the nine Conversations with God books and the New Spirituality. Here's this week's entry... Then at the end of the entry: (Ask Neale may be accessed on a daily basis in the Messengers’ Circle at Neale's personal website: www.nealedonaldwalsch.com. Each week Neale selects a question from those posted there and publishes it in this blog.)
And at other times: This week's prose...an excerpt from The New Revelations... or one of Mr. Walsch’s other books
And today: written by the author of Conversations with God, the worldwide best-selling series of books. )
for Mr. Walsch’s products included in the entries when each blog page includes the ad - “About Conversations with God... Read His Bio, Events, Free Resources, Books & Tapes, Get CWG Insights” next to (on the right) the entry? I mean if the goal here is to help people become more aware and attuned to God then why have all this sales pitching, for books and memberships or anything else, within the blog itself?
Cully
Re - Cully | December 27, 2007 1:02 PM
Come on Cully! You know why ... "Lust for money is the root of a blogging" (BTW you left out the tour boats, where you can sit at Neal's feet and listen to him rattle on about his books !)Ahhhhh! Shades of Jesus Christ !
LUV 2 U / LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
Oh, for goodness' sake! I thought the posting today was really good. Torture is a good example of one of the many actions, attitudes and beliefs that are very difficult for some of us to understand. Killing someone because he's gay is another example. Murdering a doctor who performs abortions is another. Flying into the World Trade Center for the glory of God is another.
The description of their relationship with the "god Iohayot" helps me understand why my brothers and sisters might be capable of such things. It's the best explanation I have ever heard; it rings true.
It applies not only to those extreme cases, but also to Marcia's Bible-belt neighbors who feel it is their loving duty to tell you you'll go to hell if you don't believe certain things. Or to Catholics who say, you are not welcome to Communion if you are not a Catholic, or not welcome to marry in the Church if you're divorced. It applies to a whole lot of behavior "in the name of God" that has wrought destruction for centuries.
And as for the advertisements - just like changing the channel, fast-forwarding or hitting "mute" on the TV, I just ignore them. The Note: at the top of today's blog entry is actually helpful for someone who may have stumbled onto the blog for the first time today. It orients the reader.
Re - CJ | December 27, 2007 2:30 PM
And as for the advertisements - just like changing the channel, fast-forwarding or hitting "mute" on the TV, I just ignore them. The Note: at the top of today's blog entry is actually helpful for someone who may have stumbled onto the blog for the first time today. It orients the reader.
** And that pretty much explains why the world is the Way it is. "You can never go wrong, underestimating the intelligence (and over estimating the ignor-ance) of the Americam Public" (PT Barnum)
"The price of Liberty is eternal vigilance" (Thomas Jefferson)... What happens when they blame all the evil on the "Orients' ? hmmmmmmm!
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
The Divine does not kill. Death and torture are not Divine inventions. I do take the sick in my embrace, to heal them; however, I welcome only the Good within my being. Otherwise how would I heal the sick?
When one person meets another person, each person should bow his & her head to reach the level of the other person's heart. No higher and no lower than that. Once we have reached that level, we should simply state: "My head bows to the love in your heart".
This is how this world people will regain THAT which they have lost.
In Goldenlight,
AY
re: "Oh, for goodness' sake! I thought the posting today was really good. Torture is a good example of one of the many actions, attitudes and beliefs that are very difficult for some of us to understand." and
"The description of their relationship with the "god Iohayot" helps me understand why my brothers and sisters might be capable of such things. It's the best explanation I have ever heard; it rings true."
CJ,
there has been a lot of discussion about religious intollerance here, but what's the point... torture and murder are gross examples, all they serve to do is make people focus on how man-made religions has twisted and distorted G-d's plan and then people fall back into the "they are wrong and we are right" mentality that fosters "Separation Theology/Separation Sociology". Just look at what you, yourself wrote - "the god Iohayot"... there is no god iohayot, yet you even capitalized the first letter of the acronym I’m Over Here And You’re Over There. There is only one G-d, and G-d speaks to each and every one of us every day, all the time. No one needs a middle-man/woman yet we put more faith into what someone tells us about G-d than we do in what we know in our hearts and minds.
blessings,
Cully
Cully - Re: "the god Iohayot"... there is no god iohayot, yet you even capitalized the first letter of the acronym I’m Over Here And You’re Over There. There is only one G-d, and G-d speaks to each and every one of us every day, all the time. No one needs a middle-man/woman"
Yes, I know that. :)
Just using Neale's handy short-hand symbol for the phenomenon of "I’m Over Here And You’re Over There".
Torture is a very effective Way in causing pain, either in someone else or yourself! Don't know in many of you know this, but the Coliseum in Rome had these giant screws around the perimeter of the stadium. For years they thought they were only decoration, but have discovered since then, that the Romans (the blood thirsty lot that they were !) would bind up people and sit them on the screws and their body weight would drive the screw trouugh their entire body, killing them in the process... just to get the "crowd up" as they say in the sports biz!... That's probably where they got the expressions "He got screwed" and "He's really a tight-ass !"
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
Torture and murder in the name of "what God wants" as perceived through a highly selective lens of one particular religion is more than an extraordinary example of what is occurring in our world. Unfortunately, it is all too ordinary. It has become a commonplace for terrorists to at least claim to be killing in the name of religious ideals though they may have other ulterior motives for doing so such as the desire to suppress anyone who might dare to subvert an outdated and oppressive government.
But, before we can create a new reality, we have to accept the way things are and the way things are is that killing and tortuous acts occur because some people want to dominate and rule others and they do this under the guise of knowing what God wants. And, they do this because they perceive themselves as separate from everyone else in the world and because they perseive themselves as separate from God.
Rather than an awareness that God is within us speaking to us through us and cocreating with us right here, right now, they think they have to die and be granted admission to the kingdom of God and that the kingdom lies somewhere up in the sky. They look upon their fellow man or woman as an "other" whose otherness has to be annihilated and obliterqted to appease a vindictive and petty and judgmental God that doesn't even exist. If only they knew that God's love is unconditional.
If they only knew that God was within everyone and, indeed, talking to everyone all of the time, then they wouldn't be so quick to murder, to descriminate; they wouldn't be so quick to be intolerant and tortuous of others.
I do not condemn anyone's religion or belief system, calling it wrong or right whether it be part of a dogmatic organized religion or the ideas of NDW such as IOHAYOT. People can be as intolerant and have and hold as many intolerable beliefs as they want to, but there is a line drawn in the sand which cannot be crossed. At least not in a civilized world. How do we know when we cross the line?
There is a simple and wondrous guiding principle that we must abide by in order to live peacefully in the one world that we find ourselves living in and that is Love Your Brother as You Do Yourself or Do Unto Others As You Would Yourself. What was it Jesus said to some such would be evildoer, "if you only knew who you were [doing evil against] you wouldn't do that". Go to the jails, go to the sick, to the infirm, because that is where you will find me. The important gist of what he says is there is no other; I am that; I am He; I am she; I am you. When we kill others, we kill ourselves and we kill the present form of God.
We can't say murder is ok overthere simply because we don't want to call anyone wrong for doing it. We can't say oppression and violence and domination of a gender is ok simply because we don't want to call someone wrong for doing it. It is ok for all to believe what they want, do what they want, as long as their doing and believing does not infringe upon someone else's fundamental rights to happiness and Peace and a life lived free of torture.
Love and Peace,
Michelle
After seeing you in person at the 'Celebrate Your Life' conference a few years ago in Scottsdale, Arizona I normally wouldn't read your column. I came away from your presentation angry and disappointed that instead of focusing on your books and your conversations with God you chose instead to comment on your opinion of being anti-war (who isn't?) and commented on "what was wrong with those boys that they could fly over there and drop a bomb to kill people?". YOu were very antimilitary and the idea that you thought there was something wrong with our soldiers,airmen, that they were able to do what they had to do in order to serve their country was appalling to me.
I got up and left your presentation I was so disgusted. I think you are a man that thinks because you choose to 'listen to god' AT TIMES, and write down what you heard that EVERYTHING you hear is from god.
I assure you that you are not the only person who hears from God. We all do, it's simply that few accept it is truly God they hear.
It's in the same way that people who chose to fly airplanes into our buildings think God is telling them to do it. They think EVERYTHING THEY hear is from God too. I'm sure you never served a day in your life in service to our country, yet, your freedom of speech to say rude things about our brave airmen and soldiers was earned by the blood and lives of the people you put down. I have no respect for you. Like many of the people in the new age movement you are more about raising money for your own pocket or that of friends. That you choose to put a fund raising letter in your column instead of just donating to it from your own funds is proof of that. You are so high on your own self importance its not even funny.
I recently watched the film "Sir! No Sir!" A different time, a different war. It was about the vietnam war, now we are fighting the Iraq war. It seems different generations have different strong feelings (reactions) to war. Maybe I'm wrong, but what I do see is that the soldiers fighting (for us) today, were raised on violent video games and the the soldiers of the Vietnam War were not. There were over 500,000. deserters(I believe U.S. soldiers)in the Vietnam War and very few in comparison in the Iraq war today. The deserters back then felt it was wrong to be killing. Do our troops feel that way today? (whether it is their job or not?) There are many Iraq vets that are commiting suicide....this may be their struggle which does not seem to be accepted today. (not wanting to kill) I think this is what may be upseting Neale and as well as I.
SuzyW in Ohio
Dear Neale,
a good post, -thankyou! A very measured and well-thought-out piece of writing and, -I might opine, definitely 'part of the solution' not 'part of the problem!' ;)
I love what Michelle has said above, and well said SuzyW too. But feel sad that 'Kate' has made such an attack upon your good work and doubts that you are really coming from a heartfelt place, but more interested in cash (etc).
She may be right (?) but I kinda doubt it, but (given the nature of your article) it would daft of me to say "I am right" and, "she is wrong".
Sometimes we have to agree to disagree with our fellow beings. Certainly I see *respect* as being a key element in solving the world's problems, so I can 'respect' Kate, and respect that she differs from me, without constructing a load of separative walls between herself and myself...
... I wonder if this is part of the way forward for us? To first align ourselves with wholesome, wholehearted, loving 'theory' about how best to live in this world, ~ and then try to sincerely 'walk our talk'?
With love,
A little UK learner :)
Isn't it about Time, considering all the inteligence in this entire world, that we have not come to the realization that ...
WAR IS TOTAL, ABSOLUTE FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE !
WAR IS STUPID, AND THOSE THAT PARTICIPATE IN IT ARE STUPID !
WHAT IF THEY GAVE A WAR ... AND NOBODY SHOWED UP !
LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
Re - michelle | December 28, 2007 9:18 AM
There is a simple and wondrous guiding principle that we must abide by in order to live peacefully in the one world that we find ourselves living in and that is Love Your Brother as You Do Yourself or Do Unto Others As You Would Yourself.
** Here's the down side to that (there is alWays a downside !) If you do not Love yourself, and or hate yourself, how does that manifest (or womanifest) itself in your relationship with the rest of the world ? Especially in Light of all this rampant "Organized Religious Guilt BS" ... That is why this guy, named Yeshuah, came along and set the standard for Love - "My command to you in this, Love one another, as I have Loved you !" ... That's Uncompromising, Unconditional Love ! . . . When will they ever learn ? When will they ever learn !
LUV 2 U / LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
Yes! Well said, Wisdum!
SuzyW in Ohio
The good thing about Neale being able to generate income doing what he does, is that then he is able to reach more people and do more good. There are those that put down Oprah because she makes so much money.....I say, it's wonderful, for then she has the capability to to good things she's always wanted to do for others. Same with Neale. Thankyou neale and Oprah.
SuzyW in Ohio
"If you do not Love yourself, and or hate yourself, how does that manifest (or womanifest) itself in your relationship with the rest of the world ?"
very, very nice point, Wisdum.
The feelings and energy one expresses for the self is a mirror reflecltion of the energy one feels and expresses to the other and to the world in general.
Always there is a choice between Love or Fear. We only hate what we fear. Hatred of the self is unresolved fear, fear that hasn't beenworked through.
We can choose Love of Self or Hatred of the Self, and whatever choice we make will reflect in our outward expression with the other and with the world.
We can only love the other unconditionally if we express that same unconditional love to ourselves; we can best experience the joy and peace of knowing our oneness with God who resides within every one of us, if we extend ourselves to the other in joy and peace, rather than in hatred and fear.
Love and Peace,
Michelle
Re -michelle | December 29, 2007 8:38 PM
We can choose Love of Self or Hatred of the Self, and whatever choice we make will reflect in our outward expression with the other and with the world.
** Excellently put Michelle! You see, everybody is trying to come up with an answer, but the Truth of it all is that "There is no answer !" It is all about choice and freewill, and that is bent and twisted through our own personal perception (and perception is everything!) I am so far beyond all this religious and a better Way,bullshit, that all of mankinds vain attempts at making this "Kingdom of Hell" better than the "Kingdom of Heaven" is just ludicrous! We are the onlt creatures on this planet that have to deal with all this crap... and to my it is ALL just God's sense og humor, which nobody thinks is "One" dam bit funny, but God ! (and me too!)
We can only love the other unconditionally if we express that same unconditional love to ourselves;
** BINGO !
we can best experience the joy and peace of knowing our oneness with God who resides within every one of us, if we extend ourselves to the other in joy and peace, rather than in hatred and fear.
** Well, Michelle, it appears to me you reached out for the "Gold Ring" and got it ! Congratulations ... Now, if we ALL can figure out a Way to deal with "Lust for money is the root of ALL evil"(and all the corruption it gathers) we just might make some headWay in this "Uncompromising, Unconditional Love School", and perhaps we will finally "Learn" to live with each other, just like ALL the other living creatures on this planet ! (Dam ! What about the rest of the Universe and Galaxies ? Crap!... We've only just begun!)
LUV 2 U / LUV 2 ALL
Wisdum
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