Various Facts Proving the Bible's Accuracy and Divine Authorship
OUR GOD IS AN AWESOME GOD!
1. The earth free-floats in space (Job 26:7), affected only by gravity. While other sources declared the earth sat on the back of an elephant or turtle, or was held up by Atlas, the Bible alone states what we now know to be true – “He hangs the earth on nothing.”
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Modern Science In An Ancient (ICR)
2. Creation is made of particles, indiscernible to our eyes (Hebrews 11:3). Not until the 19th century was it discovered that all visible matter consists of invisible elements.
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All About Atoms (Jefferson Lab)
3. The Bible specifies the perfect dimensions for a stable water vessel (Genesis 6:15). Ship builders today are well aware that the ideal dimension for ship stability is a length six times that of the width. Keep in mind, God told Noah the ideal dimensions for the ark 4,500 years ago.
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Safety investigation of Noah’s Ark in a seaway (Answers In Genesis)
Noah’s Flood and the Gilgamesh Epic (Answers In Genesis)
4. When dealing with disease, clothes and body should be washed under running water (Leviticus 15:13). For centuries people naively washed in standing water. Today we recognize the need to wash away germs with fresh water.
5. Sanitation industry birthed (Deuteronomy 23:12-13). Some 3,500 years ago God commanded His people to have a place outside the camp where they could relieve themselves. They were to each carry a shovel so that they could dig a hole (latrine) and cover their waste. Up until World War I, more soldiers died from disease than war because they did not isolate human waste.
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The First Book Of Public Hygiene (Answers In Genesis)
Modern medicine? (Answers In Genesis)
6. Oceans contain springs (Job 38:16). The ocean is very deep. Almost all the ocean floor is in total darkness and the pressure there is enormous. It would have been impossible for Job to have explored the "springs of the sea." Until recently, it was thought that oceans were fed only by rivers and rain. Yet in the 1970s, with the help of deep diving research submarines that were constructed to withstand 6,000 pounds-per-square-inch pressure, oceanographers discovered springs on the ocean floors!
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Springs of the Ocean (ICR)
7. There are mountains on the bottom of the ocean floor (Jonah 2:5-6). Only in the last century have we discovered that there are towering mountains and deep trenches in the depths of the sea.
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Numerical Simulations Of Precipitation Induced By Hot Mid-Ocean Ridges (ICR)
8. Joy and gladness understood (Acts 14:17). Evolution cannot explain emotions. Matter and energy do not feel. Scripture explains that God places gladness in our hearts (Psalm 4:7), and ultimate joy is found only in our Creator’s presence – “in Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).
9. Blood is the source of life and health (Leviticus 17:11; 14). Up until 120 years ago, sick people were “bled” and many died as a result (e.g. George Washington). Today we know that healthy blood is necessary to bring life-giving nutrients to every cell in the body. God declared that “the life of the flesh is in the blood” long before science understood its function.
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Life in the Blood (ICR)
10. The Bible states that God created life according to kinds (Genesis 1:24). The fact that God distinguishes kinds, agrees with what scientists observe – namely that there are horizontal genetic boundaries beyond which life cannot vary. Life produces after its own kind. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, roses produce roses. Never have we witnessed one kind changing into another kind as evolution supposes. There are truly natural limits to biological change.
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Things You May Not Know About Evolution (ICR)
Creation - Evolution (ICR)
Evolution and the Bible (ICR)
The Fossil Record: Intermediate Links (ChristianAnswers.net)
Archaeopteryx A Feathered Reptile? (ChristianAnswers.net)
The Ape-Man: Missing Link (ChristianAnswers.net)
Biological Evolution Darwin's Finches (ChristianAnswers.net)
11. Noble behavior understood (John 15:13; Romans 5:7-8). The Bible and history reveal that countless people have endangered or even sacrificed their lives for another. This reality is completely at odds with Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest.
12. Chicken or egg dilemma solved (Genesis 1:20-22). Which came first, the chicken or the egg? This question has plagued philosophers for centuries. The Bible states that God created birds with the ability to reproduce after their kind. Therefore the chicken was created first with the ability to make eggs! Yet, evolution has no solution for this dilemma.
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What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg? (ICR)
The Egg/Chicken Conundrum (ICR)
13. Which came first, proteins or DNA (Revelation 4:11)? For evolutionists, the chicken or egg dilemma goes even deeper. Chickens consist of proteins. The code for each protein is contained in the DNA/RNA system. However, proteins are required in order to manufacture DNA. So which came first: proteins or DNA? The ONLY explanation is that they were created together.
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Things that are Made (ICR)
Evolution Hopes You Don't Know Chemistry: The Problem with Chirality (ICR)
Origin of Life: Critique of Early Stage Chemical Evolution Theories (ICR)
The Origin of Life: Theories on the Origin of Biological Order (ICR)
14. Our bodies are made from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7; 3:19). Scientists have discovered that the human body is comprised of some 28 base and trace elements – all of which are found in the earth.
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The elements of the periodic table sorted by their presence in human body. (Lenntech)
The Bible is a Textbook of Science (ICR)
15. The First Law of Thermodynamics established (Genesis 2:1-2). The First Law states that the total quantity of energy and matter in the universe is a constant. One form of energy or matter may be converted into another, but the total quantity always remains the same. Therefore the creation is finished, exactly as God said way back in Genesis.
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Modern Scientific Discoveries Verify the Scriptures (Institute For Creation Research)
16. The first three verses of Genesis accurately express all known aspects of the creation (Genesis 1:1-3). Science expresses the universe in terms of: time, space, matter, and energy. In Genesis chapter one we read: “In the beginning (time) God created the heavens (space) and the earth (matter)…Then God said, “Let there be light (energy).” No other creation account agrees with the observable evidence.
17. The universe had a beginning (Genesis 1:1; Hebrews 1:10-12). Starting with the studies of Albert Einstein in the early 1900s and continuing today, science has confirmed the biblical view that the universe had a beginning. When the Bible was written most people believed the universe was eternal. Science has proven them wrong, but the Bible correct.
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Modern Scientific Discoveries Verify the Scriptures (Institute For Creation Research)
18. The earth is a sphere (Isaiah 40:22). At a time when many thought the earth was flat, the Bible told us that the earth is spherical.
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Did Bible writers believe the earth was flat? (ChristianAnswers.net)
19. Scripture assumes a revolving (spherical) earth (Luke 17:34-36). Jesus said that at His return some would be asleep at night while others would be working at day time activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a revolving earth, with day and night occurring simultaneously.
20. Origin of the rainbow explained (Genesis 9:13-16). Prior to the Flood there was a different environment on the earth (Genesis 2:5-6). After the Flood, God set His rainbow “in the cloud” as a sign that He would never again judge the earth by water. Meteorologists now understand that a rainbow is formed when the sun shines through water droplets – which act as a prism – separating white light into its color spectrum.
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What causes a rainbow? (ChristianAnswers.net)
The Rainbow And The Cloud (ICR)
21. Light can be divided (Job 38:24). Sir Isaac Newton studied light and discovered that white light is made of seven colors, which can be “parted” and then recombined. Science confirmed this four centuries ago – God declared this four millennia ago!
22. Ocean currents anticipated (Psalm 8:8). Three thousand years ago the Bible described the “paths of the seas.” In the 19th century Matthew Maury – the father of oceanography – after reading Psalm 8, researched and discovered ocean currents that follow specific paths through the seas! Utilizing Maury’s data, marine navigators have since reduced by many days the time required to traverse the seas.
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Modern Scientific Discoveries Verify the Scriptures (Institute For Creation Research)
23. Sexual promiscuity is dangerous to your health (1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 1:27). The Bible warns that “he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body,” and that those who commit homosexual sin would “receive in themselves” the penalty of their error. Much data now confirms that any sexual relationship outside of holy matrimony is unsafe.
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Sex Habits Linked to Early Death, Disability (Fox News)
24. Reproduction explained (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:24; Mark 10:6-8). While evolution has no mechanism to explain how male and female reproductive organs evolved at the same time, the Bible says that from the beginning God made them male and female in order to propagate the human race and animal kinds.
25. Incalculable number of stars (Jeremiah 33:22). At a time when less than 5,000 stars were visible to the human eye, God stated that the stars of heaven were innumerable. Not until the 17th century did Galileo glimpse the immensity of our universe with his new telescope. Today, astronomers estimate that there are ten thousand billion trillion stars – that’s a 1 followed by 25 zeros! Yet, as the Bible states, scientists admit this number may be woefully inadequate.
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The Stars of Heaven (Institute For Creation Research)
26. The number of stars, though vast, are finite (Isaiah 40:26). Although man is unable to calculate the exact number of stars, we now know their number is finite. Of course God knew this all along – “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4). What an awesome God!
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The Stars of Heaven (Institute For Creation Research)
27. The Bible compares the number of stars with the number of grains of sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17; Hebrews 11:12). Amazingly, gross estimates of the number of sand grains are comparable to the estimated number of stars in the universe.
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The Stars of Heaven (Institute For Creation Research)
28. Rejecting the Creator results in moral depravity (Romans 1:20-32). The Bible warns that when mankind rejects the overwhelming evidence for a Creator, lawlessness will result. Since the theory of evolution has swept the globe, abortion, pornography, genocide, etc., have all risen sharply.
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Evolution and the American Abortion Mentality (ICR)
Is Creation One of the Traditional Values? (ICR)
Darwin's Influence on Ruthless Laissez Faire Capitalism (ICR)
Would China Benefit from Christianity? (ICR)
29. The fact that God once flooded the earth (the Noahic Flood) would be denied (2 Peter 3:5-6). There is a mass of fossil evidence to prove this fact, yet it is flatly ignored by most of the scientific world because it was God’s judgment on man’s wickedness.
30. Vast fossil deposits anticipated (Genesis 7). When plants and animals die they decompose rapidly. Yet billions of life forms around the globe have been preserved as fossils. Geologists now know that fossils only form if there is rapid deposition of life buried away from scavengers and bacteria. This agrees exactly with what the Bible says occurred during the global Flood.
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The Origin of Coal (ICR)
31. The continents were created as one large land mass (Genesis 1:9-10). Many geologists agree there is strong evidence that the earth was originally one super continent – just as the Bible said way back in Genesis.
32. Continental drift inferred (Genesis 7:11). Today the study of the ocean floor indicates that the landmasses have been ripped apart. Scripture states that during the global Flood the “fountains of the great deep were broken up.” This cataclysmic event apparently resulted in the continental plates breaking and shifting.
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Recent Rapid Uplift of Today's Mountains (ICR)
Continental Drift, Plate Tectonics, and the Bible (ICR)
33. Ice Age inferred (Job 38:29-30). Prior to the global Flood the earth was apparently subtropical. However shortly after the Flood, the Bible mentions ice often – “By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen” (Job 37:10). Evidently the Ice Age occurred in the centuries following the Flood.
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Recent Rapid Uplift of Today's Mountains (ICR)
Continental Drift, Plate Tectonics, and the Bible (ICR)
The Ice Age and the Genesis Flood (ICR)
34. Life begins at fertilization (Jeremiah 1:5). God declares that He knew us before we were born. The biblical penalty for murdering an unborn child was death (Exodus 21:22-23). Today, it is an irrefutable biological fact that the fertilized egg is truly an entire human being. Nothing will be added to the first cell except nutrition and oxygen.
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Is the unborn human less than human? (ChristianAnswers.net)
Cloning: Redefining When Life Begins Exposing Flaws in the Preembryo-Embryo Distinction (ICR)
35. God fashions and knits us together in the womb (Job 10:8-12; 31:15). Science was ignorant concerning embryonic development until recently. Yet many centuries ago, the Bible accurately described God making us an “intricate unity” in the womb.
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Does The Human Embryo Go Through Animal Stages? (ICR)
36. DNA anticipated (Psalm 139:13-16). During the 1950s, Watson and Crick discovered the genetic blueprint for life. Three thousand years ago the Bible seems to reference this written digital code in Psalm 139 – “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect [unformed]; and in Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.”
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Curiously Wrought (ICR)
37. God has created all mankind from one blood (Acts 17:26; Genesis 5). Today researchers have discovered that we have all descended from one gene pool. For example, a 1995 study of a section of Y chromosomes from 38 men from different ethnic groups around the world was consistent with the biblical teaching that we all come from one man (Adam)
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One Blood: The biblical answer to racism (ChristianAnswers.net)
Where Did The Races Come From? (ICR)
38. Origin of the major language groups explained (Genesis 11). After the rebellion at Babel, God scattered the people by confounding the one language into many languages. Evolution teaches that we all evolved from a common ancestor, yet offers no mechanism to explain the origin of the thousands of diverse languages in existence today.
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Language, Creation and the Inner Man (ICR)
On the Origin of Language (ICR)
39. Origin of the different “races” explained (Genesis 11). As Noah’s descendants migrated around the world after Babel, each language group developed distinct features based on environment and genetic variation. Those with a genetic makeup suitable to their new environment survived to reproduce. Over time, certain traits (such as dark skin color for those closer to the equator) dominated. Genesis alone offers a reasonable answer to the origin of the races and languages.
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Where did the human races come from? (ChristianAnswers.net)
Evolution and Modern Racism (ICR)
40. God has given us the leaves of the trees as medicine (Ezekiel 47:12; Revelation 22:2). Ancient cultures utilized many herbal remedies. Today, modern medicine has rediscovered what the Bible has said all along – there are healing compounds found in plants.
41. Healthy dietary laws (Leviticus 11:9-12). Scripture states that we should avoid those sea creatures which do not have fins or scales. We now know that bottom-feeders (those with no scales or fins) tend to consume waste and are likely to carry disease.
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The Dietary Law (Pacific Heath Center)
Bulletin Of The History Of Medicine (Johns Hopkins Institute)
42. The Bible warns against eating birds of prey (Leviticus 11:13-19). Scientists now recognize that those birds which eat carrion (putrefying flesh), often spread disease.
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The Dietary Law (Pacific Heath Center)
Bulletin Of The History Of Medicine (Johns Hopkins Institute)
43. Avoid swine (Deuteronomy 14:8). Not so long ago, science learned that eating undercooked pork causes an infection of parasites called trichinosis. Now consider this: the Bible forbid the eating of swine more than 3,000 years before we learned how to cook pork safely.
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The Dietary Law (Pacific Heath Center)
Relationship between pork consumption and cirrhosis. (NCBI)
Bulletin Of The History Of Medicine (Johns Hopkins Institute)
44. Radical environmentalism foreseen (Romans 1:25). Two thousand years ago, God’s Word stated that many would worship and serve creation rather than the Creator. Today, nature is revered as “Mother” and naturalism is enshrined.
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Earth Day, Environmentalism, and the Bible (ICR)
The Bible, Creation, and Ecology (ICR)
The Hyper-Environmentalists (ICR)
45. Black holes and dark matter anticipated (Matthew 25:30; Jude 1:13; Isaiah 50:3). Cosmologists now speculate that over 98% of the known universe is comprised of dark matter, with dark energy and black holes. A black hole’s gravitational field is so strong that nothing, not even light, escapes. Beyond the expanding universe there is no measured radiation and therefore only outer darkness exists. These theories paint a seemingly accurate description of what the Bible calls “outer darkness” or “the blackness of darkness forever.”
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The Outer Darkness (ICR)
46. The Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy) explained (Psalm 102:25-26). This law states that everything in the universe is running down, deteriorating, constantly becoming less and less orderly. Entropy (disorder) entered when mankind rebelled against God – resulting in the curse (Genesis 3:17; Romans 8:20-22). Historically most people believed the universe was unchangeable. Yet modern science verifies that the universe is “grow(ing) old like a garment” (Hebrews 1:11). Evolution directly contradicts this law.
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Modern Scientific Discoveries Verify the Scriptures (Institute For Creation Research)
Cosmic Evolution: The Big Bang and the Second Law of Thermodynamics (ChrisitanAnswers.net)
47.
Cain’s wife discovered (Genesis 5:4). Skeptics point out that Cain had no one to marry – therefore the Bible must be false. However, the Bible states plainly that Adam and Eve had other sons and daughters. Cain married his sister.
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Where did Cain get his wife? (ChristianAnswers.net)
Cain's Wife: It Really Does Matter! (ICR)
48. Incest laws established (Leviticus 18:6). To marry near of kin in the ancient world was common. Yet, beginning about 1500 B.C., God forbid this practice. The reason is simple – the genetic mutations (resulting from the curse) had a cumulative effect. Though Cain could safely marry his sister because the genetic pool was still relatively pure at that time, by Moses’ day the genetic errors had swelled. Today, geneticists confirm that the risk of passing on a genetic abnormality to your child is much greater if you marry a close relative because relatives are more likely to carry the same defective gene. If they procreate, their offspring are more apt to have this defect expressed.
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The Blind Gunman (ICR)
49. Genetic mixing of different seeds forbidden (Leviticus 19:19; Deuteronomy 22:9). The Bible warns against mixing seeds – as this will result in an inferior or dangerous crop. There is now growing evidence that unnatural, genetically engineered crops may be harmful.
50. Hydrological cycle described (Ecclesiastes 1:7; Jeremiah 10:13; Amos 9:6). Four thousand years ago the Bible declared that God “draws up drops of water, which distill as rain from the mist, which the clouds drop down and pour abundantly on man” (Job 36:27-28). The ancients observed mighty rivers flowing into the ocean, but they could not conceive why the sea level never rose. Though they observed rainfall, they had only quaint theories as to its origin. Meteorologists now understand that the hydrological cycle consists of evaporation, atmospheric transportation, distillation, and precipitation.
51. The sun goes in a circuit (Psalm 19:6). Some scientists scoffed at this verse thinking that it taught geocentricity – the theory that the sun revolves around the earth. They insisted the sun was stationary. However, we now know that the sun is traveling through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is literally moving through space in a huge circuit – just as the Bible stated 3,000 years ago!
52. Circumcision on the eighth day is ideal (Genesis 17:12; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59). Medical science has discovered that the blood clotting chemical prothrombin peaks in a newborn on the eighth day. This is therefore the safest day to circumcise a baby. How did Moses know?!
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Biblical Accuracy and Circumcision on the 8th Day (Apologetics Press)
53. God has given us just the right amount of water to sustain life (Isaiah 40:12). We now recognize that if there was significantly more or less water, the earth would not support life as we know it.
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The Anthropic Principle: Is the Earth Fine-Tuned for Life? (ChristianAnswers.net)
54. The earth was designed for biological life (Isaiah 45:18). Scientists have discovered that the most fundamental characteristics of our earth and cosmos are so finely tuned that if just one of them were even slightly different, life as we know it couldn't exist. This is called the Anthropic Principle and it agrees with the Bible which states that God formed the earth to be inhabited.
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The Earth: Unique in All the Universe (ICR)
Design in Nature: The Anthropic Principle (ICR)
God By The Numbers (Christianity Today)
55. The universe is expanding (Job 9:8; Isaiah 42:5; Jeremiah 51:15; Zechariah 12:1). Repeatedly God declares that He stretches out the heavens. During the early 20th century, most scientists (including Einstein) believed the universe was static. Others believed it should have collapsed due to gravity. Then in 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were receding from the earth, and the further away they were, the faster they were moving. This discovery revolutionized the field of astronomy. Eisntein admitted his mistake, and today most astronomers agree with what the Creator told us millennia ago – the universe is expanding!
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The Battle for the Cosmic Center (ICR)
56. Law of Biogenesis explained (Genesis 1). Scientists observe that life only comes from existing life. This law has never been violated under observation or experimentation (as evolution imagines). Therefore life, God’s life, created all life.
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Chemical Evolution: Spontaneous generation; Stanley Miller Experiment(ChristianAnswers.net)
Evolution is Biologically Impossible (ICR)
The Myth Of Chemical Evolution (ICR)
Virgil's Aeneid, by Chance Alone? (ICR)
The Origin of Life: Theories on the Origin of Biological Order (ICR)
57. Animal and plant extinction explained (Jeremiah 12:4; Hosea 4:3). According to evolution, occasionally we should witness a new kind springing into existence. Yet, this has never been observed. On the contrary, as Scripture explains, since the curse on all creation, we observe death and extinction (Romans 8:20-22).
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How did bad things come about? (ChristianAnswers.net)
Extinction (ICR)
Chicxulub and the Demise of the Dinosaurs (ICR)
58. Light travels in a path (Job 38:19). Light is said to have a “way” [Hebrew: derek, literally a traveled path or road]. Until the 17th century it was believed that light was transmitted instantaneously. We now know that light is a form of energy that travels at ~186,000 miles per second in a straight line. Indeed, there is a “way” of light.
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Light travels in a path was foretold in the Bible hundreds of years before scientists discovered it (creationists.org)
59. Air has weight (Job 28:25). It was once thought that air was weightless. Yet 4,000 years ago Job declared that God established “a weight for the wind.” In recent years, meteorologists have calculated that the average thunderstorm holds thousands of tons of rain. To carry this load, air must have mass.
60. Jet stream anticipated (Ecclesiates 1:6). At a time when it was thought that winds blew straight, the Bible declares “The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit.” King Solomon wrote this 3,000 years ago. Now consider this: it was not until World War II that airmen discovered the jet stream circuit.
61. Medical quarantine instituted (Leviticus 13:45-46; Numbers 5:1-4). Long before man understood the principles of quarantine, God commanded the Israelites to isolate those with a contagious disease until cured.
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The First Book Of Public Hygiene (Answers In Genesis)
Modern medicine? (Answers In Genesis)
62. Each star is unique (1 Corinthians 15:41). Centuries before the advent of the telescope, the Bible declared what only God and the angels knew – each star varies in size and intensity!
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The Stars of Heaven (Institute For Creation Research)
63. The Bible says that light can be sent, and then manifest itself in speech (Job 38:35). We now know that radio waves and light waves are two forms of the same thing – electromagnetic waves. Therefore, radio waves are a form of light. Today, using radio transmitters, we can send “lightnings” which indeed speak when they arrive.
64. Laughter promotes physical healing (Proverbs 17:22). Recent studies confirm what King Solomon was inspired to write 3,000 years ago, “A merry heart does good, like medicine.” For instance, laughter reduces levels of certain stress hormones. This brings balance to the immune system, which helps your body fight off disease.
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Benefits of Laughter (Personal-Development.com)
Humor and Laughter: Health Benefits and Online Sources (helpguide.org)
65. Intense sorrow or stress is harmful to your health (Proverbs 18:14; Mark 14:34). Researchers have studied individuals with no prior medical problems who showed symptoms of stress cardiomyopathy including chest pain, difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and even heart failure – following a stressful incident.
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The Physical Dangers of Stress (Fitness Article)
66. Microorganisms anticipated (Exodus 22:31). The Bible warns “Whatever dies naturally or is torn by beasts he shall not eat, to defile himself with it: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 22:8). Today we understand that a decaying carcass is full of disease causing germs.
67.
The Bible cautions against consuming fat (Leviticus 7:23). Only in recent decades has the medical community determined that fat clogs arteries and contributes to heart disease.
68. Do not consume blood (Leviticus 17:12). A common ritual in many religions in the ancient world was to drink blood. However, the Creator repeatedly told His people to abstain from blood (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 3:17; Acts 15:20; 21:25). Of course, modern science reveals that consuming raw blood is dangerous.
69. The Bible describes dinosaurs (Job 40:15-24). In 1842, Sir Richard Owen coined the word dinosaur, meaning “terrible lizard,” after discovering large reptilian-like fossils. However in the Book of Job, written 4,000 years earlier, God describes the behemoth as: the largest of all land creatures, plant eating (herbivore), with great strength in its hips and legs, powerful stomach muscles, a tail like a cedar tree, and bones like bars of iron. This is an accurate description of sauropods – the largest known dinosaur family.
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The Great Dinosaur Mystery (ChristianAnswers.net)
How Do The Dinosaurs Fit In? (ICR)
Did Dinosaurs Survive The Flood? (ICR)
Dragons in Paradise (ICR)
Leviathan (ICR)
Dinosaurs And The Bible (ICR)
Dinosaur Mania and Our Children (ICR)
70. Pleasure explained (Psalm 36:8). Evolution cannot explain pleasure – even the most complex chemicals do not experience bliss. However, the Bible states that God “gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). Pleasure is a gift from God.
71. Life is more than matter and energy (Genesis 2:7; Job 12:7-10). We know that if a creature is denied air it dies. Even though its body may be perfectly intact, and air and energy are reintroduced to spark life, the body remains dead. Scripture agrees with the observable evidence when it states that only God can give the breath of life. Life cannot be explained by raw materials, time, and chance alone – as evolutionists would lead us to believe.
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Breath And Spirit (ICR)
On the Origin of Language (ICR)
72. Origin of music explained (Psalm 40:3). Evolution cannot explain the origin of music. The Bible says that every good gift comes from God (James 1:17). This includes joyful melodies. God has given both man and angels the gift of music-making (Genesis 4:21; Ezekiel 28:13). Singing is intended to express rejoicing in and worship of the Lord (Job 38:7; Psalm 95:1-2).
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Music—evidence of creation (Answers In Genesis)
73. Our ancestors were not primitive (Genesis 4:20-22; Job 8:8-10; 12:12). Archeologists have discovered that our ancestors mined, had metallurgical factories, created air-conditioned buildings, designed musical instruments, studied the stars, and much more. This evidence directly contradicts the theory of evolution, but agrees completely with God’s Word.
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Ancient civilizations and modern man (Answers In Genesis)
The mystery of ancient man (Answers In Genesis)
Language, Creation and the Inner Man (ICR)
74. Cavemen described in the Bible (Job 30:1-8). Four thousand years ago, Job describes certain “vile men” who were driven from society to forage “among the bushes” for survival and who “live in the clefts of the valleys, (and) in caves of the earth and the rocks.” Therefore “cavemen” were simply outcasts and vagabounds – not our primitive ancestors as evolutionists speculate.
75. Environmental devastation of the planet foreseen (Revelation 11:18). Though evolution imagines that things should be getting better, the Bible foresaw what is really occurring today: pollution, destruction and corrupt dominion.
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Creation and the Environment (ICR)
The Bible, Creation, and Ecology (ICR)
76. The seed of a plant contains its life (Genesis 1:11; 29). As stated in the Book of Genesis, we now recognize that inside the humble seed is life itself. Within the seed is a tiny factory of amazing complexity. No scientist can build a synthetic seed and no seed is simple!
77. A seed must die to produce new life (1 Corinthians 15:36-38). Jesus said, “unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” (John 12:24). In this verse is remarkable confirmation of two of the fundamental concepts in biology: 1) Cells arise only from existing cells. 2) A grain must die to produce more grain. The fallen seed is surrounded by supporting cells from the old body. These supporting cells “give their lives” to provide nourishment to the inner kernel. Once planted, this inner kernel germinates resulting in much grain.
78. The order of creation agrees with true science (Genesis 1). Plants require sunlight, water, and minerals in order to survive. In the first chapter of Genesis we read that God created light first (v.3), then water (v. 6), then soil (v. 9), and then He created plant life (v. 11).
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What is the order of events in the biblical Creation? (ChristianAnswers.net)
79. God created “lights” in the heavens “for signs and seasons, and for days and years” (Genesis 1:14-16). We now know that a year is the time required for the earth to travel once around the sun. The seasons are caused by the changing position of the earth in relation to the sun. The moon’s phases follow one another in clock-like precision – constituting the lunar calendar Evolution teaches that the cosmos evolved by random chance, yet the Bible agrees with the observable evidence.
80. The Bible speaks of “heaven and the highest heavens” (Deuteronomy 10:14). Long before the Hubble Space Telescope, Scripture spoke of the “heaven of heavens” and the “third heaven” (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Corinthians 12:2). We now know that the heavens consist of our immediate atmosphere and the vast reaches of outer space – as well as God’s wonderful abode.
81. Olive oil and wine useful on wounds (Luke 10:34). Jesus told of a Samaritan man, who when he came upon a wounded traveler, he bandaged him – pouring upon his wounds olive oil and wine. Today we know that wine contains ethyl alcohol and traces of methyl alcohol. Both are good disinfectants. Olive oil is also a good disinfectant, as well as a skin moisturizer, protector, and soothing lotion. This is common knowledge to us today. However, did you know that during the Middle Ages and right up till the early 20th century, millions died because they did not know to treat and protect open wounds?
82. Man is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). We are only beginning to probe the complexity of the DNA molecule, the eye, the brain, and all the intricate components of life. No human invention compares to the marvelous wonders of God’s creation.
Visit:
Mankind- The Pinnacle of God's Creation (ICR)
83. Beauty understood (Genesis 1:31; 2:9; Job 40:10; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Matthew 6:28-30). Beauty surrounds us: radiant sunsets, majestic mountains, brightly colored flowers, glowing gems, soothing foliage, brilliantly adorned birds, etc. Beauty is a mystery to the evolutionist. However, Scripture reveals that God creates beautiful things for our benefit and His glory.
Visit:
Beauty (oldpaths.com)
84. Strong and weak nuclear force explained (Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 1:3). Physicists do not understand what binds the atom’s nucleus together. Yet, the Bible states that “all things consist” – or are held together by the Creator – Jesus Christ.
85. Atomic fission anticipated (2 Peter 3:10-12). Scripture states that “the elements will melt with fervent heat” when the earth and the heavens are “dissolved” by fire. Today we understand that if the elements of the atom are loosed, there would be an enormous release of heat and energy (radiation).
86. The Pleiades and Orion star clusters described (Job 38:31). The Pleiades star cluster is gravitationally bound, while the Orion star cluster is loose and disintegrating because the gravity of the cluster is not enough to bind the group together. 4,000 years ago God asked Job, "Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?" Yet, it is only recently that we realized that the Pleiades is gravitationally bound, but Orion's stars are flying apart.
87. Safe drinking water (Leviticus 11:33-36). God forbade drinking from vessels or stagnant water that had been contaminated by coming into contact with a dead animal. It is only in the last 100 years that medical science has learned that contaminated water can cause typhoid and cholera.
Visit:
The First Book Of Public Hygiene (Answers In Genesis)
Modern medicine? (Answers In Genesis)
88. Pest control (Leviticus 25:1-24). Farmers are plagued today with insects. Yet God gave a sure-fire remedy to control pests centuries ago. Moses commanded Israel to set aside one year in seven when no crops were raised. Insects winter in the stalks of last year’s harvest, hatch in the spring, and are perpetuated by laying eggs in the new crop. If the crop is denied one year in seven, the pests have nothing to subsist upon, and are thereby controlled.
89. Soil conservation (Leviticus 23:22). Not only was the land to lay fallow every seventh year, but God also instructed farmers to leave the gleanings when reaping their fields, and not to reap the corners (sides) of their fields. This served several purposes: 1) Vital soil minerals would be maintained. 2) The hedge row would limit wind erosion. 3) The poor could eat the gleanings. Today, approximately four billion metric tons of soil are lost from U.S. crop lands each year. Much of this soil depletion could be avoided if God’s commands were followed.
90. Animal instincts understood (Job 39; Proverbs 30:24-28; Jeremiah 8:7). A newly hatched spider weaves an intricate web without being taught. A recently emerged butterfly somehow knows to navigate a 2,500-mile migration route without a guide. God explains that He has endowed each creature with specific knowledge. Scripture, not evolution, explains animal instincts.
Visit:
Instinct, Wise Behavior, Unlearned Knowledge And Abilities (oldpaths.com)
91. Animals do not have a conscience (Psalm 32:9). A parrot can be taught to swear and blaspheme, yet never feel conviction. Many animals steal, but they do not experience guilt. If man evolved from animals, where did our conscience come from? The Bible explains that man alone was created as a moral being in God’s image.
92. Pseudo-science anticipated (1 Timothy 6:20). The theory of evolution contradicts the observable evidence. The Bible warned us in advance that there would be those who would profess: “profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge (science).” True science agrees with the Creator’s Word.
93. Science confirms the Bible (Colossians 2:3). These insights place the Bible far above every manmade theory and all other so-called inspired books. In contrast, the Koran states that the sun sets in a muddy pond (Surah 18:86). The Hadith contains many myths. The Book of Mormon declares that Native Americans descended from Jews – which has been disproven by DNA research. The Eastern writings also contradict true science.
Visit:
DNA Evidence And The Book Of Mormon (ChristianAnswers.net)
94. Human conscience understood (Romans 2:14-15). The Bible reveals that God has impressed His moral law onto every human heart. Con means with and science means knowledge. We know it is wrong to murder, lie, steal, etc. Only the Bible explains that each human has a God-given knowledge of right and wrong.
95. Love explained (Matthew 22:37-40; 1 John 4:7-12). Evolution cannot explain love. Yet, God’s Word reveals that the very purpose of our existence is to know and love God and our fellow man. God is love, and we were created in His image to reflect His love.
Visit:
Is Man a "Higher" Animal? (ICR)
96. The real you is spirit (Numbers 16:22; Zechariah 12:1). Personality is non-physical. For example, after a heart transplant the recipient does not receive the donor’s character. An amputee is not half the person he was before loosing his limbs. Our eternal nature is spirit, heart, soul, mind. The Bible tells us that “man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).
97. The cause of suffering revealed (Genesis 3; Isaiah 24:5-6). The earth is subject to misery, which appears at odds with our wonderfully designed universe. However, the Bible, not evolution, explains the origin of suffering. When mankind rebelled against God, the curse resulted – introducing affliction, pain and death into the world.
98. Death explained (Romans 6:23). All eventually die. The Bible alone explains why we die – “The soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18:20). Sin is transgression of God’s Law. To see if you will die, please review God’s Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). Have you ever lied? (White lies and fibs count.) Ever stolen? (Cheating on a test or taxes is stealing.) Jesus said that “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). Have you ever looked with lust? Then you’re an adulterer at heart. Have you ever hated someone or called someone a fool? If so, the Bible says you are guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22; 1 John 3:15). Have you ever used your Creator’s name (Lord, God, Jesus, or Christ) in vain? This is called blasphemy – and God hates it. If you have broken these commandments at any time, then by your own admission, you are a blasphemer, a murderer, an adulterer, a thief, and a liar at heart. And we have only looked at five of the Ten Commandments. This is why we die.
99. Justice understood (Acts 17:30-31). Our God-given conscience reveals that all sin will be judged. Down deep we know that He who created the eyes sees every secret sin (Romans 2:16). He who formed our mind remembers our past offense as if it just occurred. God has declared that the penalty for sin is death. Physical death comes first, then the second death – which is eternal separation from God in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). God cannot lie. Every sin will be judged. His justice demands it. But God is also rich in mercy to all who call upon His name. He has made a way for justice to be served and mercy to be shown.
100. Eternal life revealed (John 3:16). Scientists search in vain for the cure for aging and death. Yet, the good news is that God, who is the source of all life, has made a way to freely forgive us so that we may live forever with Him in heaven. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God desires a loving, eternal relationship with each person – free from sin, fear, and pain. Therefore, He sent His Son to die as our substitute on the cross. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Jesus never sinned, therefore He alone qualified to pay the penalty for our sins on the cross. He died in our place. He then rose from the grave defeating death. All who turn from their sins and trust Him will be saved. To repent and place your trust in Jesus Christ, make Psalm 51 your prayer. Then read your Bible daily, obeying what you read. God will never let you down.
101. The solution to suffering (Revelation 21). Neither evolution nor religion offers a solution to suffering. But God offers heaven as a gift to all who trust in His Son. In heaven, “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).
102. The Bible is inspired by the Creator. Therefore it is no surprise that life’s ultimate questions are answered within its pages. The Bible reveals the purpose of our existence. Scripture alone explains where our conscience came from. And no other source explains the root cause of death. Seeing that all die, wouldn’t it be wise to search for the remedy in the only book that proves it was inspired by God? The Bible offers the only remedy for sin, suffering, and death. God’s Word presents the only perfect, sinless Savior – one who died for our sins and rose from the dead. Jesus is the Creator (John 1; Colossians 1). He said “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). And He promises His followers: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish” (John 10:28). Your eternal destiny will be determined by your choice. There is only one provision for sin. Jesus died in your place. Only by faith in Christ’s finished work will you be saved. This is God’s free gift offered to all. Please do not let pride, religion, opinions, or love for sin separate you from God. No sin is worth an eternity in hell. Please heed Jesus’ words – “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). If you do, you will live in heaven with our awesome Creator forever!
February 15, 2010
February 11, 2010
The Mind-changing Myths of AVATAR
Blending Hinduism, Shamanism and Goddess Spirituality
By Berit Kjos - February 7, 2010
"We...need to reawaken something very old...our understanding of Earth wisdom. We need to accept the invitation to the dance -- the dance of unity of humans, plants, the Earth." Deep Ecology
"I propose that Cameron is alluding to that tenth avatar of Vishnu becoming manifest as the US marine in Pandora's universe. The deliberate choice of the blue skin instantly, magically and metaphorically relates our protagonist to two previous avatars namely Rama and Krishna." Sita Wadhwani, Mumbai Editor
"When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed... gray. It was like my whole life, everything I've done and worked for, lost its meaning.... I live in a dying world." Avatar-forums.com
"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." 1 John 5:19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Imagine a new world! Visualize its beauty! Flow with your feelings! Become one with all!
But what about reality?
The tall, long-tailed natives of Pandora, a distant earth-like moon, fit into a unified spiritual network that links all of nature. They ride through the skies on powerful birds, climb the stony walls of magnificent hanging mountains, worship their goddess, and despise the corporate monstrosity that has invaded their habitat in search of priceless resources.
Those earthly intruders intend to excavate Pandora's most sacred spot. To avoid war, they brought a scientific team trained to befriend the indigenous Na'vi people and persuade them to move.
That team includes latecomer Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine replacing his slain twin brother. After some training, his mind and consciousness would periodically be transferred to his Na'vi-like avatar -- a body originally made to match his brother's DNA.
Remember the Hindu word avatar? It refers to an incarnation or manifestation of a Hindu god. The most common avatars are incarnations of the god Vishnu, and they include the mischievous flute-playing Krishna (pictured below) and the bow-and-arrow carrying Rama (pictured above). Both are pictured with bluish skin -- just like the native Na'vis.
Testing his new avatar legs, tail and body, Jake heads for the forest, admires the flowers, and faces a rhino-sized beast. This strange world is nothing like the gray, polluted earth he left behind!
Moments later, a snarling panther-like thanator chases him deeper into the woods where he meets the beautiful Neytiri who aims her bow and arrow at him. Fortunately, she receives a message from her mysterious goddess through a cloud of white flower-like creatures that settle on Jake -- a clear sign that the goddess [Eywa] wants Neytiri to befriend this ignorant stranger. But first she scolds him for causing the death of other terrifying pursuers.
Hmmm. Do you wonder why Neytiri carries a bow and arrow when all life is one?
Jake does his best to follow the sure-footed Neytiri (climbing, leaping, etc.) back to Hometree, her clan's sacred domain. She introduces him to Mo'at, her psychic mother who happens to be the tribal tsahik (shaman speaking for Eywa). She tells her daughter to train this "dreamwalker" in their native ways. Some of the clan warriors look skeptical.
Jake is a good pupil, and his lessons on pantheistic unity soon shift his loyalty from his worldly mission to the tribe and Eywa. So when his commander prepares to destroy Hometree and much of the sacred forests, Jake springs into action. Through psychic linkage, he tames and rides the fiercest bird of all -- the mighty Toruk, who became his "spirit animal" through a ritual Spirit Quest. Speeding above the forests, he gathers Pandora's tribes for war.
He prays to Eywa for help, and she answers his plea. She summons birds and beasts of every kind. With such an army, how could they lose?
Her final "miracle" is to transfer Jake's life from his injured earthly body to his Na'vi avatar. Now, he's one of them!
It all sounds good to earthlings who love the myth of pantheistic oneness! No wonder thousands of viewers became depressed (even suicidal) after their virtual experience of Pandora's wonders. To them, dropping their 3-D glasses into the recycling bin at the exit means a dreaded return to a dull reality! Ponder the potential effect of this seductive journey on those who love fantasy more than facts:
"Ever since I went to see 'Avatar' I have been depressed. Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them. I can't stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film... I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora...'" (Mike at Avatar-forums.com)
The reality behind this mind-bending, feeling-based mythology is the existence of an occult spiritual system. Avatar's promotion of pantheism and panentheism (see Glossary of Religious Terms) point to the "spiritual unity" at the heart of Hinduism, Native American shamanism and the worship of Mother Earth. They all clash with God's truth.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness!" Isaiah 5:20-21
1. Hindu gods and their avatars
Writer and director Sudipto Chattopadhyay believes that Cameron's choice of the title (Avatar) reflects a Hindu perspective:
"The ancient Hindu scriptures have forever reiterated that whenever the world would be on the brink of disaster and mankind faces extinction... the divine Lord Vishnu would consider it his duty to manifest himself in mortal, palpable form to save mankind from the impending doomsday. ...the Avatar is meant to be the savior, the messiah of his own race and people."
In Cameron's mythical movie, planet Pandora was certainly facing a major disaster, and Jake -- incarnated in his Na'vi avatar -- seems to be the saving avatar. After all, he was chosen and approved by the goddess herself!
Chattopadhyay is not the only one affirming the Hindu suggestions in this movie. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, repeats the need for intervention through an avatar -- though he may not approve of this movie:
“'Avatar', a Sanskrit term, means descent or incarnation. Hinduism is shaped by its traditional belief in the incarnation of Vishnu (the Preserver in Hindu trinity) into ten forms to establish dharma (divine law), which include Matsya, Kurma... Rama, Krishna, Buddha.... Hindus believe that without such intervention, the entire created universe would have gone into decline."
For a glimpse of the dark side of Hinduism please read Let the Little Children Come.
2. Goddess spirituality
"The spiritual sense of our place in nature... can be traced to the origins of human civilization," wrote Al Gore in his 1990 book, Earth in the Balance.
Mr. Cameron would probably agree. Since he and Gore seem to think alike on some issues, ponder this next statement. Here Al Gore suggests that,
"a goddess religion was ubiquitous throughout much of the world until the antecedents of today's religions.... The last vestige of organized goddess worship was eliminated by Christianity. ...it seems obvious that a better understanding of a religious heritage preceding our own by so many thousands of years could offer us new insights..."
Useful "new insights" from "goddess worship"? What might they be? In his next statement, Mr. Gore gives us a clue:
"The richness and diversity of our religious tradition throughout history is a spiritual resource long ignored by people of faith [Christians?] who are often afraid to open their minds to teachings first offered outside their own system of belief. But the emergence of a civilization in which knowledge moves freely and almost instantaneously throughout the world has... spurred a renewed investigation of the wisdom distilled by all faiths. This panreligious perspective may prove especially important where our global civilization's responsibility for the earth is concerned."
Finally, Gore quotes Dr. Karan Singh, a Hindu environmentalist who wrote, "The Earth is our mother, and we are all her children." That should arouse fear rather than comfort, for when we look back to ancient goddess-worshipping cultures, we see unspeakable cruelty.
"...they speak a vision of their own heart... They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, 'You shall have peace' and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16
3. Native American pantheism, animism and shamanism
According to Al Gore, Native American religions "offer a rich tapestry of ideas about our relationship to the earth." He quotes Chief Seattle, who supposedly asked this question:
"Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? . . . This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all."
Sounds like Pandora, doesn't it? And it's just as unreal. Those words were actually written by Ted Perry for a 1971 environmental movie. It was just the message they needed to persuade viewers of their point of view!
Likewise, the mythical Na'vi present "right" ideology. Largely patterned after today's idealized views of Native Americans, they draw viewers into an unforgettable encounter with the "illusions of oneness." Few realilze that behind the "beautiful side of paganism" lie the same human tendencies that bring pain and destruction to all parts of the world: greed, violence, competition, and war.
The late Dr. Clark Wissler, Curator Emeritus of the Department of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History, was recognized as a world authority on Native Americans. In his book, Indians of the United States, he describes all the admirable aspects of their culture: their love for their children, their hospitality and their beliefs.
He also had the courage to expose the sad facts. Stripping away the popular myth of perfect harmony, Wissler shows us that Native Americans struggle with the same human nature we do. Look at some popular myths in the light of additional facts.
· Harmony with nature? To stampede a herd of buffalo, hunters might set the grass on fire behind the flock. The escaping herd would "flounder into a swamp or tumble over a cliff." (pp. 270, 14)
· Preserver of life? "The early Indian hunted the wild horse for food, which may be one of the reasons why they became extinct long before white men came to America." (p.287)
· Peace with each other? "The elders of neighboring tribes talked peace... but the marauding traditions were so carefully fostered that raiding for blood, captives, and plunder was on the level of second nature."(p.63)
· Respect for all life? The Iroquois, noted for democratic self-government, "planned to destroy the Huron. It was not to be a war of subjugation; they hated the Huron intensely.... After taking the first town, the massacred the entire population. If they took captives, it was to torture them to death."(p.131)
I don’t want to diminish the wrongs committed against Native Americans: killing, selling alcohol, taking their land, ignoring treaty obligations… Yet our children need to see these tragic violations in the light of the whole truth. Apart from our Creator and Savior, human nature everywhere will express its selfishness and violence. If we dismiss uncomfortable facts in order to prove a false ideal, we perpetuate the lies. We also hide the only solution that works –- trusting and following God.
Filling minds with occult visions will surely immunize the masses against the Truth of God. His reality is incompatible with mystical fantasy! Yet people have, through the ages, chosen to compromise God's truths with their imagination. Remember the moral condition of the masses back in Noah's days:
"...every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
Similar conditions will prevail when Jesus returns. (See Luke 17:20) Today's occult movies and computer games, playing on the imaginations of impressionable children, could open a "Pandora's Box" of paganism and spiritual bondage. So let's heed His warnings:
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:8
By Berit Kjos - February 7, 2010
"We...need to reawaken something very old...our understanding of Earth wisdom. We need to accept the invitation to the dance -- the dance of unity of humans, plants, the Earth." Deep Ecology
"I propose that Cameron is alluding to that tenth avatar of Vishnu becoming manifest as the US marine in Pandora's universe. The deliberate choice of the blue skin instantly, magically and metaphorically relates our protagonist to two previous avatars namely Rama and Krishna." Sita Wadhwani, Mumbai Editor
"When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed... gray. It was like my whole life, everything I've done and worked for, lost its meaning.... I live in a dying world." Avatar-forums.com
"...the whole world is under the sway of the evil one." 1 John 5:19
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
But what about reality?
The tall, long-tailed natives of Pandora, a distant earth-like moon, fit into a unified spiritual network that links all of nature. They ride through the skies on powerful birds, climb the stony walls of magnificent hanging mountains, worship their goddess, and despise the corporate monstrosity that has invaded their habitat in search of priceless resources.
Those earthly intruders intend to excavate Pandora's most sacred spot. To avoid war, they brought a scientific team trained to befriend the indigenous Na'vi people and persuade them to move.
That team includes latecomer Jake Sully, a paraplegic Marine replacing his slain twin brother. After some training, his mind and consciousness would periodically be transferred to his Na'vi-like avatar -- a body originally made to match his brother's DNA.
Remember the Hindu word avatar? It refers to an incarnation or manifestation of a Hindu god. The most common avatars are incarnations of the god Vishnu, and they include the mischievous flute-playing Krishna (pictured below) and the bow-and-arrow carrying Rama (pictured above). Both are pictured with bluish skin -- just like the native Na'vis.
Testing his new avatar legs, tail and body, Jake heads for the forest, admires the flowers, and faces a rhino-sized beast. This strange world is nothing like the gray, polluted earth he left behind!
Moments later, a snarling panther-like thanator chases him deeper into the woods where he meets the beautiful Neytiri who aims her bow and arrow at him. Fortunately, she receives a message from her mysterious goddess through a cloud of white flower-like creatures that settle on Jake -- a clear sign that the goddess [Eywa] wants Neytiri to befriend this ignorant stranger. But first she scolds him for causing the death of other terrifying pursuers.
Hmmm. Do you wonder why Neytiri carries a bow and arrow when all life is one?
Jake does his best to follow the sure-footed Neytiri (climbing, leaping, etc.) back to Hometree, her clan's sacred domain. She introduces him to Mo'at, her psychic mother who happens to be the tribal tsahik (shaman speaking for Eywa). She tells her daughter to train this "dreamwalker" in their native ways. Some of the clan warriors look skeptical.
Jake is a good pupil, and his lessons on pantheistic unity soon shift his loyalty from his worldly mission to the tribe and Eywa. So when his commander prepares to destroy Hometree and much of the sacred forests, Jake springs into action. Through psychic linkage, he tames and rides the fiercest bird of all -- the mighty Toruk, who became his "spirit animal" through a ritual Spirit Quest. Speeding above the forests, he gathers Pandora's tribes for war.
He prays to Eywa for help, and she answers his plea. She summons birds and beasts of every kind. With such an army, how could they lose?
Her final "miracle" is to transfer Jake's life from his injured earthly body to his Na'vi avatar. Now, he's one of them!
It all sounds good to earthlings who love the myth of pantheistic oneness! No wonder thousands of viewers became depressed (even suicidal) after their virtual experience of Pandora's wonders. To them, dropping their 3-D glasses into the recycling bin at the exit means a dreaded return to a dull reality! Ponder the potential effect of this seductive journey on those who love fantasy more than facts:
"Ever since I went to see 'Avatar' I have been depressed. Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them. I can't stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film... I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora...'" (Mike at Avatar-forums.com)
The reality behind this mind-bending, feeling-based mythology is the existence of an occult spiritual system. Avatar's promotion of pantheism and panentheism (see Glossary of Religious Terms) point to the "spiritual unity" at the heart of Hinduism, Native American shamanism and the worship of Mother Earth. They all clash with God's truth.
"Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness!" Isaiah 5:20-21
1. Hindu gods and their avatars
Writer and director Sudipto Chattopadhyay believes that Cameron's choice of the title (Avatar) reflects a Hindu perspective:
"The ancient Hindu scriptures have forever reiterated that whenever the world would be on the brink of disaster and mankind faces extinction... the divine Lord Vishnu would consider it his duty to manifest himself in mortal, palpable form to save mankind from the impending doomsday. ...the Avatar is meant to be the savior, the messiah of his own race and people."
In Cameron's mythical movie, planet Pandora was certainly facing a major disaster, and Jake -- incarnated in his Na'vi avatar -- seems to be the saving avatar. After all, he was chosen and approved by the goddess herself!
Chattopadhyay is not the only one affirming the Hindu suggestions in this movie. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, repeats the need for intervention through an avatar -- though he may not approve of this movie:
“'Avatar', a Sanskrit term, means descent or incarnation. Hinduism is shaped by its traditional belief in the incarnation of Vishnu (the Preserver in Hindu trinity) into ten forms to establish dharma (divine law), which include Matsya, Kurma... Rama, Krishna, Buddha.... Hindus believe that without such intervention, the entire created universe would have gone into decline."
For a glimpse of the dark side of Hinduism please read Let the Little Children Come.
2. Goddess spirituality
"The spiritual sense of our place in nature... can be traced to the origins of human civilization," wrote Al Gore in his 1990 book, Earth in the Balance.
Mr. Cameron would probably agree. Since he and Gore seem to think alike on some issues, ponder this next statement. Here Al Gore suggests that,
"a goddess religion was ubiquitous throughout much of the world until the antecedents of today's religions.... The last vestige of organized goddess worship was eliminated by Christianity. ...it seems obvious that a better understanding of a religious heritage preceding our own by so many thousands of years could offer us new insights..."
Useful "new insights" from "goddess worship"? What might they be? In his next statement, Mr. Gore gives us a clue:
"The richness and diversity of our religious tradition throughout history is a spiritual resource long ignored by people of faith [Christians?] who are often afraid to open their minds to teachings first offered outside their own system of belief. But the emergence of a civilization in which knowledge moves freely and almost instantaneously throughout the world has... spurred a renewed investigation of the wisdom distilled by all faiths. This panreligious perspective may prove especially important where our global civilization's responsibility for the earth is concerned."
Finally, Gore quotes Dr. Karan Singh, a Hindu environmentalist who wrote, "The Earth is our mother, and we are all her children." That should arouse fear rather than comfort, for when we look back to ancient goddess-worshipping cultures, we see unspeakable cruelty.
"...they speak a vision of their own heart... They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, 'You shall have peace' and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16
3. Native American pantheism, animism and shamanism
According to Al Gore, Native American religions "offer a rich tapestry of ideas about our relationship to the earth." He quotes Chief Seattle, who supposedly asked this question:
"Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? . . . This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all."
Sounds like Pandora, doesn't it? And it's just as unreal. Those words were actually written by Ted Perry for a 1971 environmental movie. It was just the message they needed to persuade viewers of their point of view!
Likewise, the mythical Na'vi present "right" ideology. Largely patterned after today's idealized views of Native Americans, they draw viewers into an unforgettable encounter with the "illusions of oneness." Few realilze that behind the "beautiful side of paganism" lie the same human tendencies that bring pain and destruction to all parts of the world: greed, violence, competition, and war.
The late Dr. Clark Wissler, Curator Emeritus of the Department of Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History, was recognized as a world authority on Native Americans. In his book, Indians of the United States, he describes all the admirable aspects of their culture: their love for their children, their hospitality and their beliefs.
He also had the courage to expose the sad facts. Stripping away the popular myth of perfect harmony, Wissler shows us that Native Americans struggle with the same human nature we do. Look at some popular myths in the light of additional facts.
· Harmony with nature? To stampede a herd of buffalo, hunters might set the grass on fire behind the flock. The escaping herd would "flounder into a swamp or tumble over a cliff." (pp. 270, 14)
· Preserver of life? "The early Indian hunted the wild horse for food, which may be one of the reasons why they became extinct long before white men came to America." (p.287)
· Peace with each other? "The elders of neighboring tribes talked peace... but the marauding traditions were so carefully fostered that raiding for blood, captives, and plunder was on the level of second nature."(p.63)
· Respect for all life? The Iroquois, noted for democratic self-government, "planned to destroy the Huron. It was not to be a war of subjugation; they hated the Huron intensely.... After taking the first town, the massacred the entire population. If they took captives, it was to torture them to death."(p.131)
I don’t want to diminish the wrongs committed against Native Americans: killing, selling alcohol, taking their land, ignoring treaty obligations… Yet our children need to see these tragic violations in the light of the whole truth. Apart from our Creator and Savior, human nature everywhere will express its selfishness and violence. If we dismiss uncomfortable facts in order to prove a false ideal, we perpetuate the lies. We also hide the only solution that works –- trusting and following God.
Filling minds with occult visions will surely immunize the masses against the Truth of God. His reality is incompatible with mystical fantasy! Yet people have, through the ages, chosen to compromise God's truths with their imagination. Remember the moral condition of the masses back in Noah's days:
"...every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Genesis 6:5
Similar conditions will prevail when Jesus returns. (See Luke 17:20) Today's occult movies and computer games, playing on the imaginations of impressionable children, could open a "Pandora's Box" of paganism and spiritual bondage. So let's heed His warnings:
February 6, 2010
New Age Spirits in the Church
KUNDALINI WARNING - Urgent
-by Andrew Strom.
I just saw the video of Rick Joyner announcing that Todd Bentley
is back ministering every night at Morningstar in North Carolina
and now they have so-called "revival" manifestations eerily similar
to Lakeland. They also announced that they are streaming these
big meetings every night on their new TV channel - and they are
greatly promoting the whole thing.
Now I am a tongues-speaking Pentecostal myself - but can I ask
a simple question here please? What kind of "spirit" was it
operating in the Lakeland revival - when the leader and main focal-
point of the meetings (Todd Bentley) was having an adulterous
affair behind the scenes? Was it truly the "Holy" Spirit that was
anointing something so sensual and unholy? And now that Todd
divorced his wife and married his mistress - are we supposed to
welcome him back and this "anointing" with him? What is going
on here? Rick Joyner has been warned very specifically by high-
level ministries not to do what he is doing now - bringing Todd
Bentley back into the limelight. And yet it seems he does not
care. Apparently the "manifestations" are all that matter.
So what exactly are these 'manifestations' if they are seemingly
at home in such an unholy environment? Are they from God at
all? (I am talking here about the violent "jerking", uncontrollable
laughter, bodily contortions, drunkenness, 'portals', strange "angel"
encounters, etc.) Why do we not see such an 'anointing' in the
Bible? Why aren't Jesus or the apostles promoting these
manifestations if they really are true Revival? Why instead do we
see these things all the way through the New Age and Hinduism,
etc? Do we not realize that many false religions have their own
version of "laying on of hands" that results in these very types of
manifestations? This 'spirit' is not in the Bible - but it is all the
way through Kundalini-type Hinduism! Don't you think this should
alarm us?
WHAT is KUNDALINI?
If you search for Kundalini and Shakti on the Internet, you will find
that multitudes of people in the New Age and Eastern religions
still experience these powerful manifestations. Often this is with
the help of a Guru, who touches them on the forehead so that
they can experience a "Kundalini Awakening".
As researcher Robert Walker wrote in 1995:
"The meetings which mystic Hindu gurus hold are called 'Darshan'.
At these meetings devotees go forward to receive spiritual experience
from a touch by the open palm of the hand, often to the forehead,
(this is exactly what I saw happen at the one and only Benny Hinn
meeting I went to in Kansas City in 1993.)
by the guru in what is known as the Shakti Pat or divine touch.
The raising of the spiritual experience is called raising Kundalini…
After a period when the devotee has reached a certain spiritual
elevation they begin to shake, jerk, or hop or squirm uncontrollably,
sometimes breaking into uncontrolled animal noises or laughter
as they reach an ecstatic high. These manifestations are called
'Kriyas'. Devotees sometimes roar like lions and show all kinds
of physical signs during this period. Often devotees move on to
higher states of spiritual consciousness and become inert
physically and appear to slip into an unconsciousness..."
And as the guru Shri Yogãnandji Mahãrãja wrote:
"When Your body begins trembling, hair stands on roots, you laugh
or begin to weep without your wishing, your tongue begins to utter
deformed sounds, you are filled with fear or see frightening visions…
the Kundalini Shakti has become active."
In China there is a popular Kundalini-type movement called 'Qigong'.
When a Chinese Qigong spiritual master spoke in the USA in
1991, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that many in the crowd
began to experience "spontaneous movements". The master told
his audience, "Those who are sensitive might start having some
strong physical sensations - or start laughing or crying. Don't worry.
This is quite normal."
When you see videos of these "kriyas" or other Kundalini-type
manifestations, you would often swear that you are watching a
modern "Impartation"-type church meeting. (And I say this as
someone who believes strongly in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I just
don't believe in "alien" anointings infiltrating the Body of Christ!
There is a big difference between Kundalini and the real Holy Spirit).
Since 1993-4, I believe a foreign spirit has been allowed to invade
the church - first through Rodney Howard-Browne's ministry - then
Toronto, then the Prophetic movement (which I was part of at the
time) and on into Lakeland and many other ministries and
movements. I urge people now to "test the spirits" just as we are
commanded to in Scripture. Do not let just anyone lay hands on
you. This is a powerful spirit and it has the backing of a lot of
big-name ministries. In fact, these men and women are the very
ones responsible for allowing it to spread right through the body
of Christ. And one day they will be answerable to God for doing so.
We are specifically warned in the Bible that the Last Days will be
a time of "seducing spirits," false prophets, 'lying signs and
wonders,' and that we always need to watch for "angels of light"
masquerading as the real thing. Why does the modern church
not take these warnings seriously? Aren't we living in the very
days that the Bible warns about?
Right now I need to do something that I have never done in such
a way before. I have never before published a list of ministries or
movements to watch out for. But this time I have to. This sickness
has gone on long enough. I urge you to cut yourself off from
the following ministries and their tainted "anointings" my friends.
Even though some of these people say "good things" at times, it
is simply not worth having any involvement with them due to the
tainted anointing that they endorse or minister in themselves.
Here is the list-
(1) Todd Bentley.
(2) Rodney Howard Browne - the so-called "Holy Ghost Bartender."
(2) Rick Joyner or anyone connected with Morningstar Ministries.
(3) John Arnott & any connected with TACF (The "Toronto Blessing").
(4) Peter Wagner of the 'New Apostolic Reformation' who claims
to be head of a worldwide network of 'apostles' - who publicly
endorsed Lakeland and will soon preach at Toronto TACF alongside
other "false anointing" advocates.
(5) Mike Bickle and IHOP Kansas City (-I lived nearby for over
two years - and know how much they are into all this stuff. Mike
Bickle promotes it in his book).
(6) Bob Jones - the Kansas City prophet whose ministry is utterly
tainted by it all.
(7) Patricia King and anyone else from 'Extreme Prophetic.'
(8) John Crowder & anyone connected with "Sloshfest."
(9) Bill Johnson of Bethel church, Redding - who says some
good things but publicly endorsed Lakeland and promotes the "false
anointing" very strongly behind the scenes.
(10) Heidi & Rolland Baker of IRIS Ministries - who do good work
amongst the poor in Mozambique - but who have also carried
and promoted this tainted anointing for years.
(11) Randy Clark, Wes & Stacey Campbell, and other key
figures from the "Toronto blessing."
(12) The Elijah List - and "almost" anyone featured on it.
Of course there are a huge number of lesser-known preachers
and ministries who carry or endorse this Kundalini-type "anointing"
around the world. But I have concentrated here on the most
influential that I know of. It really is an enormous issue in the
church. I urge anyone who is a supporter of any of the above
ministries to really check them out thoroughly. If you find (as I have)
that they carry or endorse this false Kundalini spirit in the church,
then please stop supporting them in any way - and whatever you
do, don't let them "lay hands" on you!
I am putting everything on the line to be "naming names" like this.
But I believe it is that serious. How on earth did we get to the point
where "kriyas" just like Hinduism are spreading through the church?
Please share this information with everyone you know, email, blogs and boards,
etc. These people are trying to "relaunch" this whole thing right now. Help
us get this warning out.
NOTE: See the video in the previous post (Hereeee we go again!) which shows "kriyas" and other Kundalini-type manifestations.
-by Andrew Strom.
I just saw the video of Rick Joyner announcing that Todd Bentley
is back ministering every night at Morningstar in North Carolina
and now they have so-called "revival" manifestations eerily similar
to Lakeland. They also announced that they are streaming these
big meetings every night on their new TV channel - and they are
greatly promoting the whole thing.
Now I am a tongues-speaking Pentecostal myself - but can I ask
a simple question here please? What kind of "spirit" was it
operating in the Lakeland revival - when the leader and main focal-
point of the meetings (Todd Bentley) was having an adulterous
affair behind the scenes? Was it truly the "Holy" Spirit that was
anointing something so sensual and unholy? And now that Todd
divorced his wife and married his mistress - are we supposed to
welcome him back and this "anointing" with him? What is going
on here? Rick Joyner has been warned very specifically by high-
level ministries not to do what he is doing now - bringing Todd
Bentley back into the limelight. And yet it seems he does not
care. Apparently the "manifestations" are all that matter.
So what exactly are these 'manifestations' if they are seemingly
at home in such an unholy environment? Are they from God at
all? (I am talking here about the violent "jerking", uncontrollable
laughter, bodily contortions, drunkenness, 'portals', strange "angel"
encounters, etc.) Why do we not see such an 'anointing' in the
Bible? Why aren't Jesus or the apostles promoting these
manifestations if they really are true Revival? Why instead do we
see these things all the way through the New Age and Hinduism,
etc? Do we not realize that many false religions have their own
version of "laying on of hands" that results in these very types of
manifestations? This 'spirit' is not in the Bible - but it is all the
way through Kundalini-type Hinduism! Don't you think this should
alarm us?
WHAT is KUNDALINI?
If you search for Kundalini and Shakti on the Internet, you will find
that multitudes of people in the New Age and Eastern religions
still experience these powerful manifestations. Often this is with
the help of a Guru, who touches them on the forehead so that
they can experience a "Kundalini Awakening".
As researcher Robert Walker wrote in 1995:
"The meetings which mystic Hindu gurus hold are called 'Darshan'.
At these meetings devotees go forward to receive spiritual experience
from a touch by the open palm of the hand, often to the forehead,
(this is exactly what I saw happen at the one and only Benny Hinn
meeting I went to in Kansas City in 1993.)
by the guru in what is known as the Shakti Pat or divine touch.
The raising of the spiritual experience is called raising Kundalini…
After a period when the devotee has reached a certain spiritual
elevation they begin to shake, jerk, or hop or squirm uncontrollably,
sometimes breaking into uncontrolled animal noises or laughter
as they reach an ecstatic high. These manifestations are called
'Kriyas'. Devotees sometimes roar like lions and show all kinds
of physical signs during this period. Often devotees move on to
higher states of spiritual consciousness and become inert
physically and appear to slip into an unconsciousness..."
And as the guru Shri Yogãnandji Mahãrãja wrote:
"When Your body begins trembling, hair stands on roots, you laugh
or begin to weep without your wishing, your tongue begins to utter
deformed sounds, you are filled with fear or see frightening visions…
the Kundalini Shakti has become active."
In China there is a popular Kundalini-type movement called 'Qigong'.
When a Chinese Qigong spiritual master spoke in the USA in
1991, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that many in the crowd
began to experience "spontaneous movements". The master told
his audience, "Those who are sensitive might start having some
strong physical sensations - or start laughing or crying. Don't worry.
This is quite normal."
When you see videos of these "kriyas" or other Kundalini-type
manifestations, you would often swear that you are watching a
modern "Impartation"-type church meeting. (And I say this as
someone who believes strongly in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I just
don't believe in "alien" anointings infiltrating the Body of Christ!
There is a big difference between Kundalini and the real Holy Spirit).
Since 1993-4, I believe a foreign spirit has been allowed to invade
the church - first through Rodney Howard-Browne's ministry - then
Toronto, then the Prophetic movement (which I was part of at the
time) and on into Lakeland and many other ministries and
movements. I urge people now to "test the spirits" just as we are
commanded to in Scripture. Do not let just anyone lay hands on
you. This is a powerful spirit and it has the backing of a lot of
big-name ministries. In fact, these men and women are the very
ones responsible for allowing it to spread right through the body
of Christ. And one day they will be answerable to God for doing so.
We are specifically warned in the Bible that the Last Days will be
a time of "seducing spirits," false prophets, 'lying signs and
wonders,' and that we always need to watch for "angels of light"
masquerading as the real thing. Why does the modern church
not take these warnings seriously? Aren't we living in the very
days that the Bible warns about?
Right now I need to do something that I have never done in such
a way before. I have never before published a list of ministries or
movements to watch out for. But this time I have to. This sickness
has gone on long enough. I urge you to cut yourself off from
the following ministries and their tainted "anointings" my friends.
Even though some of these people say "good things" at times, it
is simply not worth having any involvement with them due to the
tainted anointing that they endorse or minister in themselves.
Here is the list-
(1) Todd Bentley.
(2) Rodney Howard Browne - the so-called "Holy Ghost Bartender."
(2) Rick Joyner or anyone connected with Morningstar Ministries.
(3) John Arnott & any connected with TACF (The "Toronto Blessing").
(4) Peter Wagner of the 'New Apostolic Reformation' who claims
to be head of a worldwide network of 'apostles' - who publicly
endorsed Lakeland and will soon preach at Toronto TACF alongside
other "false anointing" advocates.
(5) Mike Bickle and IHOP Kansas City (-I lived nearby for over
two years - and know how much they are into all this stuff. Mike
Bickle promotes it in his book).
(6) Bob Jones - the Kansas City prophet whose ministry is utterly
tainted by it all.
(7) Patricia King and anyone else from 'Extreme Prophetic.'
(8) John Crowder & anyone connected with "Sloshfest."
(9) Bill Johnson of Bethel church, Redding - who says some
good things but publicly endorsed Lakeland and promotes the "false
anointing" very strongly behind the scenes.
(10) Heidi & Rolland Baker of IRIS Ministries - who do good work
amongst the poor in Mozambique - but who have also carried
and promoted this tainted anointing for years.
(11) Randy Clark, Wes & Stacey Campbell, and other key
figures from the "Toronto blessing."
(12) The Elijah List - and "almost" anyone featured on it.
Of course there are a huge number of lesser-known preachers
and ministries who carry or endorse this Kundalini-type "anointing"
around the world. But I have concentrated here on the most
influential that I know of. It really is an enormous issue in the
church. I urge anyone who is a supporter of any of the above
ministries to really check them out thoroughly. If you find (as I have)
that they carry or endorse this false Kundalini spirit in the church,
then please stop supporting them in any way - and whatever you
do, don't let them "lay hands" on you!
I am putting everything on the line to be "naming names" like this.
But I believe it is that serious. How on earth did we get to the point
where "kriyas" just like Hinduism are spreading through the church?
Please share this information with everyone you know, email, blogs and boards,
etc. These people are trying to "relaunch" this whole thing right now. Help
us get this warning out.
NOTE: See the video in the previous post (Hereeee we go again!) which shows "kriyas" and other Kundalini-type manifestations.
February 3, 2010
Hereeee we go again!
Todd Bentley's wife manifests a kundalini spirit as she shares her dream of talking to Oral Roberts and seeing dancing elephants - note the snake-like "hissing" as the spirit begins to manifest...
The following link shows a picture of a "chakra" elephant - popular in New Age eastern religion.
http://yogadharma.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/ganesh-ganapati.jpg
The Mask below is used by pagans around the world to represent animal powers, nature spirits, or ancestral spirits. In pagan rituals, the wearer may chant, dance and enter a trance in order to contact the spirit world and be possessed by the spirit represented by the mask. The mask pictured represents the mythical Hindu elephant god, Ganesha.
Is it any wonder that a dancing ELEPHANT was part of her dream???
There is absolutely NO doubt that her dream was purely a demonic one, and sadly apparently both her and Todd will be spreading this very dangerous spiritual WILDFIRE throughout many lukewarm undiscerning churches!
Pray that Todd and Jessa's eyes will be opened and that they will seek deliverance from these foul familiar spirits. Pray also for God's protection over the many that will fall into this deception by ignorantly believing that it's of God.
WARNING: The manifestation of this spirit is pretty graphic, cover yourself with prayer as you watch.
The following link shows a picture of a "chakra" elephant - popular in New Age eastern religion.
http://yogadharma.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/ganesh-ganapati.jpg
The Mask below is used by pagans around the world to represent animal powers, nature spirits, or ancestral spirits. In pagan rituals, the wearer may chant, dance and enter a trance in order to contact the spirit world and be possessed by the spirit represented by the mask. The mask pictured represents the mythical Hindu elephant god, Ganesha.
Is it any wonder that a dancing ELEPHANT was part of her dream???
There is absolutely NO doubt that her dream was purely a demonic one, and sadly apparently both her and Todd will be spreading this very dangerous spiritual WILDFIRE throughout many lukewarm undiscerning churches!
Pray that Todd and Jessa's eyes will be opened and that they will seek deliverance from these foul familiar spirits. Pray also for God's protection over the many that will fall into this deception by ignorantly believing that it's of God.
WARNING: The manifestation of this spirit is pretty graphic, cover yourself with prayer as you watch.
February 2, 2010
Letter to Charles Stanley: Is In Touch Getting Out-of-Touch with Biblical Gospel?
LTRP Note: In a January 4, 2010 article, "Mystical Spirituality Paradigm Saw Major Growth in 2009," we made reference to the January issue of Charles Stanley's popular magazine In Touch. In that issue was an article by a Joseph Bentz who highlighted the spiritual journeys of two women, whom Bentz claimed are both converted to the Christian faith. Both women today can be considered significant proponents of the new spirituality. We stated:
While we are not suggesting that Charles Stanley is a contemplative now because of the inclusion of this article, we believe it is a perfect example of a steady blending of contemplative and New Age to the point where eventually no one will notice the difference, and what will be known as Christianity will be mystical.
This week, we received an email from someone who has followed Charles Stanley's ministry for many years and who is very concerned about the apparent lack of spiritual discernment in the In Touch magazine. A few years ago, we spoke with one of Stanley's top assistants, with the hope that he would ask Charles Stanley to read A Time of Departing and/or Faith Undone, which we sent to the assistant for Dr. Stanley. We never heard whether he read the books, but seeing Anne Lamott and Sara Miles names in his current issue of In Touch is very disheartening. Why won't Christian leaders bring themselves up to speed on these matters and begin warning rather than abetting?
The Letter to Charles Stanley (used with permission):
Dear Dr. Stanley:
Regretfully, I again must write this followup letter to the one I wrote you dated January 4, 2010 regarding the In Touch magazine article in the January 2010 issue by Joseph Benz titled, "I Didn't Want to be a Christian but....How Running Away Can Take you on an Unexpected Journey."
I had a phone call on Friday, January 15, from a young woman on the In Touch staff regarding my letter. I'm sorry that I did not get her name, but I had just finished a call on which I was still focused and neglected to get her name. I may perhaps be mistaken, but I assumed she was one of the editors at the magazine. The young woman expressed the intent of the author was that God could reach anyone, and I wholeheartedly agreed with that, as I am a testament to that indisputable fact. I, in turn, expressed my concerns that the two women Mr. Benz focuses on in the article, Anne Lamott and Sara Miles, both authors, by their own words, deeds, and indeed, lifestyles do not show a biblical conversion. In fact, the copies of interviews given by Lamott and Miles since their "epiphanies" which I am enclosing with this letter portray no such Christian conversion. In fact, Sara Miles is a lesbian in a 14+-year "marriage" relationship with her lesbian lover. Gay and proud of it she is. Your caller seemed surprised at that, even though it was mentioned in my previous letter, and you can read Ms. Miles own declaration of that fact and her other unbiblical beliefs in the enclosed materials. Anne Lamott, on the other hand, is braggadocios in the fact that in each of her books she uses the "F" word in describing her "conversion," and states she was "F* by Jesus."
LTRP Note: Most In Touch readers are probably not familiar with any problems associated with Anne Lamott. But Lamott, mentioned in several Lighthouse Trails articles, reveals her true spiritual sympathies when she endorsed the back cover of the made-popular-by-Oprah book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. The book is about Gilbert's search for spirituality, which took her to India and eastern meditation. Her book is a virtual primer on New Age thinking. Lamott not only endorsed the back of her book but also has spoken with her at various events. Of Gilbert's book, Lamott states: "This is a wonderful book, brilliant and personal, rich in spiritual insight."1 The basic theme of Eat, Pray, Love is that we are all divine.] Lamott also has her endorsement on the back cover of one of Joan Borysenko's books, someone who underwent shamanic initiation and had powerful occultic experiences.]
I had also stated in my earlier letter that I was concerned that those reading the article would purchase the 2 books noted within the footnotes without researching the authors simply because the titles appeared in the In Touch magazine. Your [seemingly] young staff member said rather astonishingly that she had not thought along those lines. She also said that Mr. Benz was a well-known and respected author and professor. I do not care what credentials Mr. Benz carries. If in my own research I am providing you with copies of interviews from Lamott and Miles regarding their "spiritual" journeys, how could Joseph Benz not be privy to the same information or more about their professed conversions? Did the good professor read the books they authored, or does he blindly write his articles and books without research? If he has read their books, if he did research on the 2 subjects, is it not academic arrogance to foist upon the readers of In Touch magazine a false impression that Lamott and Miles had a conversion to the Jesus of the Bible, which is not evident in any of their own words over the many years of their "born-again" conversions. Mr. Benz has presented another Jesus, a false one at that, and he has done it deceptively within the pages of In Touch magazine.
In an article titled, "Neo-Liberal Stealth Offensive," author Phil Johnson , executive director of Grace to You ministry [John MacArthur] and lay pastor at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA, states, "The gospel's most dangerous earthly adversaries are not raving atheists who stand outside the door shouting threats and insults. They are church leaders who cultivate a gentle, friendly, pious demeanor but hack away at the foundations of faith under the guise of keeping in step with a changing world. No Christian should imagine that heresy is always conspicuous or that every purveyor of theological mischief will lay out his agenda in plain and honest terms. The enemy prefers to sow tares secretly, for obvious reasons. Thus Scripture expressly warns us to be on guard against false teachers who creep into the church unnoticed (Jude 4), wolves who sneak into the flock wearing sheep's clothing (Matt 7:15), and servants of Satan who disguise themselves as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15)."
I am not the only one who is waiting a response, Dr. Stanley. My close brothers and sisters in Christ are waiting, my pastor and other pastors are waiting a response, and others not known to either of us personally are waiting for a response. In fact, in the enclosed article from the morebooksandthings blog, some are questioning if In Touch has begun to get out of touch with the true Gospel. You may be completely unaware of Mr. Benz's January article, although the young woman caller did assure me that you had more input than I might think you had in the day-to-day operations. I do know that Joseph Benz has written for In Touch in the past. As I have stated previously, it is interesting that he used The Message in his In Touch magazine article for Scripture quotation, particularly in light of the fact that Eugene Peterson is a contemplative mystic. The one phrase that keeps crossing my mind is, "birds of a feather flock together."
Dr. Stanley, I care about you, In Touch, and First Baptist Atlanta. My previous letter sets forth my high regard for you. I do hope that you will publicly quell the questions this January article has raised. I would, however, like to raise one other question. Do you perhaps have tares amongst your staff at In Touch? The good folks at Lighthouse Trails at lighthousetrailsresearch.com devote their entire ministry to contemplative spirituality, emergent church, and the "New Christianity." I highly recommend this internet site as a point of research and reference to you and your staff, if you are unaware of their ministry.
Please know that I come to you with this matter in the love of Christ and in the calling of the Holy Spirit, earnestly contending for the faith.
Sincerely,
B. Anderson
Ohio
LTRP Closing Remarks: We want to reiterate that our purpose in posting this about Charles Stanley is not embarrass or denigrate the work he has done in the past but to illustrate the seriousness of this situation.
Interview excerpt with Sara Miles (2007) by San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Chronicle: You are married to a woman who you've been with for almost 14 years. How do you reconcile Christian teachings that oppose same-sex relationships with your own beliefs as a Christian?
Sara Miles: Which Christian teachings? I think it's kind of simple to say that the Bible says this or that thing is good or bad. The Bible is a collection of documents that is remade every time somebody reads it. And Christianity is a religion that over the centuries has adapted to incredibly different cultures, so people reinterpret and reinterpret and reinterpret [the Bible]. I also don't feel like once the last pages of the King James Bible were assembled that God stopped talking to Christians. The conversation between God and the church is not finished.
Related Article:
Mystical Spirituality Paradigm Saw Major Growth in 2009
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=2600
While we are not suggesting that Charles Stanley is a contemplative now because of the inclusion of this article, we believe it is a perfect example of a steady blending of contemplative and New Age to the point where eventually no one will notice the difference, and what will be known as Christianity will be mystical.
This week, we received an email from someone who has followed Charles Stanley's ministry for many years and who is very concerned about the apparent lack of spiritual discernment in the In Touch magazine. A few years ago, we spoke with one of Stanley's top assistants, with the hope that he would ask Charles Stanley to read A Time of Departing and/or Faith Undone, which we sent to the assistant for Dr. Stanley. We never heard whether he read the books, but seeing Anne Lamott and Sara Miles names in his current issue of In Touch is very disheartening. Why won't Christian leaders bring themselves up to speed on these matters and begin warning rather than abetting?
The Letter to Charles Stanley (used with permission):
Dear Dr. Stanley:
Regretfully, I again must write this followup letter to the one I wrote you dated January 4, 2010 regarding the In Touch magazine article in the January 2010 issue by Joseph Benz titled, "I Didn't Want to be a Christian but....How Running Away Can Take you on an Unexpected Journey."
I had a phone call on Friday, January 15, from a young woman on the In Touch staff regarding my letter. I'm sorry that I did not get her name, but I had just finished a call on which I was still focused and neglected to get her name. I may perhaps be mistaken, but I assumed she was one of the editors at the magazine. The young woman expressed the intent of the author was that God could reach anyone, and I wholeheartedly agreed with that, as I am a testament to that indisputable fact. I, in turn, expressed my concerns that the two women Mr. Benz focuses on in the article, Anne Lamott and Sara Miles, both authors, by their own words, deeds, and indeed, lifestyles do not show a biblical conversion. In fact, the copies of interviews given by Lamott and Miles since their "epiphanies" which I am enclosing with this letter portray no such Christian conversion. In fact, Sara Miles is a lesbian in a 14+-year "marriage" relationship with her lesbian lover. Gay and proud of it she is. Your caller seemed surprised at that, even though it was mentioned in my previous letter, and you can read Ms. Miles own declaration of that fact and her other unbiblical beliefs in the enclosed materials. Anne Lamott, on the other hand, is braggadocios in the fact that in each of her books she uses the "F" word in describing her "conversion," and states she was "F* by Jesus."
LTRP Note: Most In Touch readers are probably not familiar with any problems associated with Anne Lamott. But Lamott, mentioned in several Lighthouse Trails articles, reveals her true spiritual sympathies when she endorsed the back cover of the made-popular-by-Oprah book, Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. The book is about Gilbert's search for spirituality, which took her to India and eastern meditation. Her book is a virtual primer on New Age thinking. Lamott not only endorsed the back of her book but also has spoken with her at various events. Of Gilbert's book, Lamott states: "This is a wonderful book, brilliant and personal, rich in spiritual insight."1 The basic theme of Eat, Pray, Love is that we are all divine.] Lamott also has her endorsement on the back cover of one of Joan Borysenko's books, someone who underwent shamanic initiation and had powerful occultic experiences.]
I had also stated in my earlier letter that I was concerned that those reading the article would purchase the 2 books noted within the footnotes without researching the authors simply because the titles appeared in the In Touch magazine. Your [seemingly] young staff member said rather astonishingly that she had not thought along those lines. She also said that Mr. Benz was a well-known and respected author and professor. I do not care what credentials Mr. Benz carries. If in my own research I am providing you with copies of interviews from Lamott and Miles regarding their "spiritual" journeys, how could Joseph Benz not be privy to the same information or more about their professed conversions? Did the good professor read the books they authored, or does he blindly write his articles and books without research? If he has read their books, if he did research on the 2 subjects, is it not academic arrogance to foist upon the readers of In Touch magazine a false impression that Lamott and Miles had a conversion to the Jesus of the Bible, which is not evident in any of their own words over the many years of their "born-again" conversions. Mr. Benz has presented another Jesus, a false one at that, and he has done it deceptively within the pages of In Touch magazine.
In an article titled, "Neo-Liberal Stealth Offensive," author Phil Johnson , executive director of Grace to You ministry [John MacArthur] and lay pastor at Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA, states, "The gospel's most dangerous earthly adversaries are not raving atheists who stand outside the door shouting threats and insults. They are church leaders who cultivate a gentle, friendly, pious demeanor but hack away at the foundations of faith under the guise of keeping in step with a changing world. No Christian should imagine that heresy is always conspicuous or that every purveyor of theological mischief will lay out his agenda in plain and honest terms. The enemy prefers to sow tares secretly, for obvious reasons. Thus Scripture expressly warns us to be on guard against false teachers who creep into the church unnoticed (Jude 4), wolves who sneak into the flock wearing sheep's clothing (Matt 7:15), and servants of Satan who disguise themselves as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:13-15)."
I am not the only one who is waiting a response, Dr. Stanley. My close brothers and sisters in Christ are waiting, my pastor and other pastors are waiting a response, and others not known to either of us personally are waiting for a response. In fact, in the enclosed article from the morebooksandthings blog, some are questioning if In Touch has begun to get out of touch with the true Gospel. You may be completely unaware of Mr. Benz's January article, although the young woman caller did assure me that you had more input than I might think you had in the day-to-day operations. I do know that Joseph Benz has written for In Touch in the past. As I have stated previously, it is interesting that he used The Message in his In Touch magazine article for Scripture quotation, particularly in light of the fact that Eugene Peterson is a contemplative mystic. The one phrase that keeps crossing my mind is, "birds of a feather flock together."
Dr. Stanley, I care about you, In Touch, and First Baptist Atlanta. My previous letter sets forth my high regard for you. I do hope that you will publicly quell the questions this January article has raised. I would, however, like to raise one other question. Do you perhaps have tares amongst your staff at In Touch? The good folks at Lighthouse Trails at lighthousetrailsresearch.com devote their entire ministry to contemplative spirituality, emergent church, and the "New Christianity." I highly recommend this internet site as a point of research and reference to you and your staff, if you are unaware of their ministry.
Please know that I come to you with this matter in the love of Christ and in the calling of the Holy Spirit, earnestly contending for the faith.
Sincerely,
B. Anderson
Ohio
LTRP Closing Remarks: We want to reiterate that our purpose in posting this about Charles Stanley is not embarrass or denigrate the work he has done in the past but to illustrate the seriousness of this situation.
Interview excerpt with Sara Miles (2007) by San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Chronicle: You are married to a woman who you've been with for almost 14 years. How do you reconcile Christian teachings that oppose same-sex relationships with your own beliefs as a Christian?
Sara Miles: Which Christian teachings? I think it's kind of simple to say that the Bible says this or that thing is good or bad. The Bible is a collection of documents that is remade every time somebody reads it. And Christianity is a religion that over the centuries has adapted to incredibly different cultures, so people reinterpret and reinterpret and reinterpret [the Bible]. I also don't feel like once the last pages of the King James Bible were assembled that God stopped talking to Christians. The conversation between God and the church is not finished.
Related Article:
Mystical Spirituality Paradigm Saw Major Growth in 2009
http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=2600
January 29, 2010
November 24, 2009
November 15, 2009
November 4, 2009
Hollywoods Unwritten Rule
Columbine Effect
by Jason Kovar
In the latter half of the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union squared off as enemies in a massive arms race that subsequently plunged the world into what has become known as the "Cold War." However, in the 21st century, the Cold War is no longer against a foreign aggressor on the other side of the globe, but at home in our nation's schools. Our new arms race is against the youth and now Americans are scrambling to face this enemy within their own borders. In a 3/19/01 article entitled "The Columbine Effect," Time magazine reported on dozens of schools that have been forced to undergo Columbine like tragedies as the progeny of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold continue to reenact the nations newest social ill- school shootings. Moreover, scores of students live in fear in our nations educational institutions as the likelihood of school shootings becomes more and more of a real threat. This article will present eye-opening evidence that will account for the mayhem and carnage that now plague our youth.
It has been argued that the gross effects of the nonstop and influential media cannot be glossed over or denied. By way of comparison, the 20th century's most lethal propaganda machine was Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Hitler positioned Joseph Goebbels as his Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda for the brainwashing of a nation through the utilization of film. Goebbels clearly stated that cinema was "one of the most modern means of mass persuasion" and "that film was one of the most modern and far reaching means for influencing the public that has ever existed." The haunting results of this era are tragic. Does our modern day American media elite influence the populace for ill? Hollywood insider, David Puttnam, the producer for the films The Mission and Chariots of Fire, made an amazing statement that bears striking resemblance to Nazi Germany's mindset:
"Movies are powerful. Good or bad they tinker around inside your brain. They steal up on you in the darkness of the cinema to form or conform social attitudes...In short, cinema is propaganda."
And what is the bottom line effect of this "propaganda?" Shock rocker Marilyn Manson, who has stated that his controversial goal is to bring an end to Christianity, clearly understands it. He stated: "The more bad movies, bad TV shows, and bad music I hear, the dumber I think it's making America." Far beyond an intellectual dumbing down of the youth, the entertainment industry is systematically hardening the hearts of the youth from following in the footsteps of what many contend to be appropriate.
As Marilyn Manson observed, the effects of the television and motion picture industry reach far and wide. One thoughtful observer commented: "TV is not unlike letting your children play in a toxic waste dump. I mean they're going to get sick from this stuff." Too late, they already are – Columbine ad infinitum. Ken Wales, former vice president at Disney studios and veteran producer to more than twenty feature films clarifies the reality of this cinematic sickness:
"As a member of this industry I wish that there were hundreds of stars and writers and directors standing here with me. I suppose they are out protesting toxic waste! Let me tell you there happens to be toxic waste in other areas besides our rivers. That happens in the pollution of our minds, our souls and our spirits!"
The National Institutes of Mental Health has over 1,000 studies confirming that TV violence and aggressive behavior are conjoined. This is amazing, for if the medical community released over 1,000 clear studies revealing that cancer was caused by milk, the dairy business would go out of business overnight. Yet 50,000 TV's continue to be sold each day in our country alone. One TV network study found that television programming is implicated in 22 percent of juvenile crime. Hollywood's incredible influence even has the ability to sway upstanding citizens to destructive ends. Homicide rates doubled in 10 to 15 years after TV was first introduced into specific areas of the United States and Canada.
Interestingly, the networks know the ramifications of their shows yet refuse to curb their violent content. Popular media personality Steve Allen adamantly turned on the medium that had previously brought him his success, declaring: "TV is leading children down a moral sewer." Could he be right? World renown for a liberal mindset, media mogul Ted Turner thinks so and believes movies ignite violent behavior like a tinderbox. He explains:
"You know that everything we're exposed to influences us…Those [violent] films influence us, and the TV programs we see influence us. The weaker your family is, the more they influence you…The problems with families in our cities are catastrophic-but when you put violent programs before people who haven't had a lot of love in their lives, who are angry anyway, it's like pouring gasoline on the fire."
The evidence strongly implicates Hollywood's top brass in actively pursuing some type of social revolution in the culture. Film actor and director, Dennis Hopper, has successfully portrayed druggies, alcoholics and psychotic characters, and has stated the purpose of his films as the following: "What we're doing is ------ with the rules. There should be no rules, man." Researchers from George Washington University found that Hollywood's producers, writers and directors view themselves as:
"…crusaders for social reform in America. They see it as their duty to restructure our culture into their image."
The belief systems of those who run Hollywood are for the most part opposite the mainstream views held by the vast majority of Americans. Newsweek magazine reported a survey that was conducted by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. It concluded:
"The Center found that on issues of sexual morality, abortion and religion, the people at the top in television and movie making were far more liberal than the rest of the country."
This is a sobering fact considering that two out of every three executives feel that film "should be a major force for social reform."
Eddy Manson, a popular composer for motion pictures stated this "social reform" is accomplished through manipulation, stating:
"We manipulate people like crazy in films…It's a tremendous release. I can make you feel any emotion I want you to feel at any time. It's a Machiavellian power we project gut to gut."
And what is the culture being manipulated to receive? The renowned Gus Van Sant, acclaimed director of My Own Private Idaho, answered this question when he offered a memorable statement of the Hollywood artistic credo:
"I believe the properly manipulated image can provoke an audience to the Burroughsian limit of riot, rampant sex, instantaneous death…The raw materials of inspiration include elements as primal and potentially frightening as violence, sex, and death…the primitive world of blood and flame is still with us."
Today's images become tomorrow's realities.
Filmmakers primarily effect change by specifically targeting the emotions of their audiences. Even George Lucas, who has what many consider to be a "clean" image is part of the equation. He stated:
"I'm very much of a visual filmmaker, and very much of a filmmaker who is going for emotions over ideas." And, "Emotionally involving the audience is easy. Anyone can do it blindfolded, get a little kitten and have some guy wring its neck."
Fascinatingly, filmmakers like Lucas hold little regard for their easily manipulated audiences. Lucas has openly declared:
"Popcorn pictures have always ruled. Why do people go see these popcorn pictures…Why is the public so stupid?…I just understood what people liked to go see, and Steven [Spielberg] has too, and we go for that."
With these kinds of accusations leveled at the movie going public by Hollywood's elite, it becomes increasingly difficult to defend the industry.
Clive Barker, a homosexual activist and award-winning creator of countless horror stories turned movie, including Hellraiser and Nightbreed, has a clear purpose for his fans. By cloaking his own belief systems in the seduction of the story, Barker slyly uses his films to blindside his audiences with his own philosophies and usher a change into their lives in the process. He says:
"The idea of getting up in the morning and saying, 'I'm going to scare the hell out of somebody' or 'I'm going to create some wonderland and not connect it with some transformative story, something which is going to take the reader and change them a little bit,' doesn't interest me. I need to have the energy, the motive force of a story which is going to change people." Further, "I do love story. I do love the energy that comes from story, which is making people feel things, often things they don't even want to feel. I love trapping people in the process of a story into feeling something where they're perhaps blindsided by the feeling they're having."
What types of stories and feelings does he like to change his viewers with? He said:
"I always used to side with the demons. I never used to care two hoots about the hero. I was interested in the dark, mysterious creature that the hero faces."
How has Hollywood's tampering with the emotional makeup of individuals through aggressive images influenced our society? One of the industry's skilled directors, Alan J. Pakula, who directed All the President's Men and Presumed Innocent, replies:
"Movie violence is like eating salt. The more you eat, the more you need to eat to taste it at all. People are becoming immune to the effects: The death counts have quadrupled…they're becoming deaf to it. They've developed an insatiability for raw sensation."
One horror star openly commented on TV violence, stating: "We're getting away with murder." Sadly, they are not. The old saying that you reap what you sow bears true. We are reaping a society of psychopaths who engorge themselves with violence on a daily basis. As a result America is the most violent nation in the world bar none. Our reputation precedes us as being a wicked, barbarous people in the eyes of other countries because of the messages we send in our movies.
The impact that movies have on their viewers is due to the purposeful way their creators design them. Alfred Hitchcock, considered the horror film director and Master of Suspense in his day declared his intent:
"The point is to draw the audience right into the situation-instead of leaving them to watch it from outside, from a distance…If you played the whole scene straight through… you would lose your power over the audience. They would watch the scene without becoming really involved in it, and you would have no means of concentrating their attention on those particular visual details which make them feel what the characters are feeling."
The powers Hitchcock's films have wielded have been a detriment to society.
Renowned forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Park Dietz, is a FBI consultant, UCLA professor, and media consultant. He has served as expert witness on many notorious cases such as those of attempted Reagan assassin John Hinckley Jr., O.J. Simpson, and Joel Rifkin. Many of his colleagues concur that Dietz has changed the practice of forensic psychiatry. "He has become the model for psychiatrists testifying in court," says Hinckley's prosecuting attorney, Roger Adelman.
Concerning sex offenders, Dietz explains in his characteristically blunt way how someone ends up with a perversion: "You don't have to have a genetic predisposition… You can take any boy and make a pervert out of him," he contends, merely by associating something specific over and over again with sexual arousal. One British study found that it took only 20 minutes to condition a teenage boy to become aroused by looking at a picture of a boot. First the boys were shown slides of naked women wearing boots, then just the boots. The association was that strong. Joel Rifkin, Dietz discovered, was hooked on a specific scene in the Hitchcock film Frenzy, in which the killer attempts to strangle the victim right before she consents to become intimate with him. "For Rifkin, that was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, and he ended up strangling 17 prostitutes in the same way."
A recent meting of Hollywood screenwriters billed it's gathering, "Guns Don't Kill People…Writers Do." In their discussion of the topic, at least one veteran writer declared: "We who create entertainment must honestly acknowledge and urgently address the responsibility we all have to eliminate excessive or gratuitous or unpunished violence. Otherwise, children will continue to kill children." Screenwriters admit their responsibility to the adverse decay of influence affecting those who place these films before their eyes.
One of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful screenwriters, Ben Hecht, painted a grim picture of the effects of his own industry. He confessed:
"Movies are one of the bad habits that corrupted our country. Of their many sins, I offer as the worst their effect on the intellectual side of the nation. It is chiefly from that viewpoint I write of them- as an eruption of trash that has lamed the American mind and retarded Americans from becoming a cultured people."
Scriptwriter, Kevin Williamson, partnered with his lifelong idol, Wes Craven, to produce the blockbuster Scream series aimed primarily at teens. Williamson's other productions include Scream 2, Scary Movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Dawson's Creek, The Faculty and Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Amazingly, his exploitation of violence possibly surpasses that of even Craven, known primarily for his Nightmare on Elm Street series. Scream contains numerous scenes of blood and gore, which just fifty years ago would have been condemned as depraved. Sarah Michelle Gellar of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, also starred in Williamson's Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer. She haphazardly praises Williamson for his ability to twist people's minds and realizes the effects of these types of films. She stated:
"I think Kevin Williamson almost began a new genre of horror. It's intelligent horror, it's horror that scares your mind, and I think that what can be done is that the [audience] can be scared in reality…The thought of actually killing someone on the road, the thought of someone actually stalking you in your school or your house…it plays with the mind."
The minds of the youth are at the breaking point. James Fox, Dean of the Criminology Department at the Northwestern University, uses computer modeling to show future trends. The forecast? Murder. "This is the lull before the crime storm, " he says. "There is a tremendous crime wave coming in the next ten years and not by hardened criminals but by the young and ruthless, young people who are turning murderous." In the year 2005, the number of teenagers age 14-17 will peak. This age group commits far more murders, up 165% between 1983 and 1993, and according to Fox, the nation's murder rate will follow suit. Fox says teenagers are exceedingly more threatening than adults:
"Because…murder is just not the taboo that it once was. A lot of that is television. Now, kids have become desensitized. They'll rent movies and play their favorite scenes-often the most violent-over and over. What do you think the effect is on a kid when his first exposure to sex is a brutal rape scene? That is a very powerful image…Kids are the least deterrable."
He is spot on. Consider eighteen-year-old Pete Roland who acquiesced to the messages in the slice and dice films and brutally gang-murdered his friend. One of the baseball bats used to beat in the brains of the victim had the words "the ultraviolence stick" written on it, a phrase from Stanley Kubrik's A Clockwork Orange, about violent gangs in England. While ritualistically beating him, he chanted, "Sacrifice for Satan." After his capture, Roland reflected back on his decent into Satanism, stating: "I gave up my soul, but I didn't get anything back. Satan stole it." Carl Raschke of the University of Denver, a leading authority on the occult, as well as an expert witness at Roland's trial, explained that Roland was immersed into beliefs that led him to a state of "diminished competence." What formed these beliefs and in Roland's words cost him his soul? Raschke tells us, explaining that it was no wonder he acted the way he did considering that
"He became obsessed with horror movies, of which his favorite was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. At the end of the summer of 1987, Roland had assured himself that 'killing is a way of life.'"
A world famous murder case in Liverpool, England, regarded two eleven year old boys who were caught on camera leading James Bulger, a small two-year-old along the railroad tracks to his death. Sadly, the murder was found to be a direct result of the movie Child's Play and it's indoctrinating glorification of murder. Child's Play revolves around a doll named Chuckie who is possessed by an evil spirit. The story line comprises his rampage on a murderous killing frenzy connoting sacrifice to his occult gods. These messages were continuously instilled as one of the boys admitted to repeatedly watching the film over and over again just before the murder. The judge presiding over the case pointedly deliberated:
"The horror movie depicts a baby doll who comes to life and gets blue paint splashed in its face. There was blue paint on the dead child's face…. The movie depicts a kidnapping. James was abducted by the two older boys before they killed him…. The climax of the movie comes as two boys murder the doll on the train, mutilating the doll's face…. James was first mutilated and bludgeoned by the older boys and then left on a railroad track to be run over."
The news initially hyped the story at its onset, but conveniently failed to report the ultimate determinant.
By way of comparison, just as Timothy McVeigh bombed an Oklahoma building and is fully responsible for acting out his perverse fantasies of murder, so is Hollywood. For example, take a drug dealer on the street that sells drugs to your children, or somebody else's children. Is he responsible, or is it just the child's fault when he dies? Obviously, both neglected to heed what was right, but because he supplied the drugs, the dealer is responsible. In fact, the law states that the higher that you are in the distribution chain, the more culpable you are. Hollywood's higher placement in the distribution chain denotes them as guilty.
In Houston, Texas, Scott May, mind drenched in violent/horror movies and the occult, Viciously attacked his date after viewing The Cutting Edge. May reported to authorities that he had an infatuation with murder for some time. He stated:
"I love knives. I like to go to the movies a lot. A lot of people get stabbed in the movies. I really liked the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A lot of people got stabbed in that."
Hailed as one of the most notorious movies for inciting viewers to duplicate crimes is Silence of the Lambs; a movie that revels in a serial killer's escapades of mutilation, murder, and cannibalism. The same week that Silence of the Lambs won the Oscar for the Best Picture, a man decapitated his handicapped mother while yelling, "I'm Hannibal the Cannibal!" as he was taken into custody by police.
It's no coincidence ABC found that 22-34 percent of young felons imprisoned for violent crimes said that they had consciously imitated crime techniques learned from watching television programs. After viewing a screening of his film, Natural Born Killers, director Oliver Stone declared: "This movie is great. It makes you want to go out and kill somebody." This controversial movie was reported to be a favorite among the Columbine killers, who watched it repeatedly before being worked up into a frenzy for their mission of death.
Oliver Stone's philosophy is worth repeating:
I think America has to bleed. I think the corpses have to pile up. I think American boys have to die again. Let the mothers weep and mourn."
Countless innocent people have died and others have lost their loved ones to callous acts that are encouraged by the images of the silver screen. The messages that the Clive Barker's of the movie screens disseminate to their fans are deemed by many to be irresponsible. However, in reply, Barker has stated:
"That's my responsibility, to kill as many people as possible…And some of that truth may not be palatable to anybody. My responsibility is not to give a ---- about that. My responsibility is not to care."
Hollywood is transforming the culture and doesn't even bat an eye.
As previously mentioned, Natural Born Killers as well as The Basketball Diaries, which depicts Leo DiCaprio dressed in a black trench coat as he blows away classmates at his school, have both been implicated as the influential factors in Eric Harris's and Dylan Klebold's Columbine killing spree. In fact, the head of New Line Cinema, who made The Basketball Diaries, admitted that the movie might have caused the carnage at Columbine. He stated: "It could be that our movie was the final moment of dark inspiration, the last straw that caused the crimes."
The parents of Cassie Bernall, one of the victims of the Columbine massacre who was specifically targeted for her faith in Jesus Christ, knows the veracity of these facts all too well. In a personal interview, Brad Bernall, Cassie's father, stated that he was shown a video the two murderers made prior to the killings in which they made their intent clear. Their goal in their own words was "to shoot Christians in the [expletive deleted] head." They also mocked the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets worn by Christians and said: "What would Jesus do? What would I do…I would shoot you in the head." Mr. Bernall said that he strongly believes that the media has purposely covered up these facts and turned a blind eye to other obvious truths. Mr. Bernall credits his ability to weather the incredible loss of his daughter to his own faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus promised that those who lose their lives for his sake would find them and that not one hair on their head would perish because of the eternal life that he gives his followers. Mr. Bernall knows this to be true of his daughter.
Jesus warned that there were two paths that human beings could go by. He said:
"Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter that way. For the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it." Matthew 7:13-4
What road are you on? The road that the vast majority of this world is on or the road that God wants you on?
Hollywood is rapidly funneling the world onto the spiritual broad path of rebellion that is directed away from God. Satan is identified as the leader of this rebellion against God and is described as a real and incredibly powerful being in the Bible. The apostle Peter wrote:
"Be sober, be on the alert, your adversary the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour"
The Bible states that Satan is the one who deceives the whole world into following him through his deceptions. Crafty to the core, Satan knows that he does not have to get someone to fall on their knees and worship him to get their soul for eternity. He just has to keep them from worshipping God through the distractions this world offers.
The Scriptures definitively say that "we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6 This means that if you are honest with yourself, you will acknowledge instances in your life when you have done things you know to be wrong. As a result, the book of Romans states that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 God is perfect and the wrongs, or sins, that we have committed in our lives separate us from Him. Isaiah 59:2
The Ten Commandments are absolute in their instruction. "You shall not lie." There is no room for leeway. If you have ever lied, it makes you a liar. "You shall not steal." If you have ever stolen anything – even something as small as a paperclip – you are a thief. Down through the commandments we could go; if you have ever lusted after a woman, Jesus said it was as the sin of adultery. If you have ever uttered God's name in vain, you are a blasphemer. And so on. Every person who has ever lived has not perfectly kept these commandments. Therefore, before God every person has fallen short and is guilty. You cannot escape this. The result of this is eternal separation from God for eternity in fiery torment as punishment for our disobedience to God's holy calling. It is akin to a rapist who stands before a judge. The judge has a responsibility to act righteously and execute judgment on the offender for his actions. Justice demands this. God's judgment upon us is no different.
But God is also a God of love and His answer to the disease of sin and the eternal penalty of hell was to become a man in the person of Jesus Christ and to live a sinless life. He then allowed Himself to be murdered on the cross as a payment for the penalty of our sins that demands to be met. He Himself paid the price that each person should pay themselves. Forgiveness for sins through His sacrifice is available for anyone who will turn from their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Life is short- the Bible refers to it as a vapor. The pulse that you feel in your wrist will one-day cease to continue and you will be accountable to your Creator. Will your last breath on earth be your first breath in heaven or your first breath in hell? The Book of Acts says, "There is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 Your Creator made you and lovingly gave up His life for you. Jesus is the only remedy for the true ailment of the world- the sin problem. Take the gift he offers you. The word repent in Greek means to do an about face, a 180-degree turn. Repent and turn from your sin through placing your trust in Jesus. Read the New Testament, pray, and find a good church that preachers the truth of the Word of God. If you have received this gift then you are a part of the family of God.
The world system that we live in runs contrary to the life God calls us to. The Scriptures tell us that the world is engaged in a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of mankind at every level. Children have steadily been force-fed a diet of information that overtly attacks the Word of God and makes this spiritual war quite evident. This is, and continues to be, the deliberate aim of the American schools system that has in many ways replaced the family and now father the nations youth.
John Dewey, known as the father of the American school system, proclaimed:
"I am convinced that the battle for mankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers that correctly perceive their role as proselytizers of a new faith which will replace the rotting corpse of Christianity."
Is it any wonder that kids have progressed to the point of killing each other as animals when in fact the evolutionary philosophies they are indoctrinated into teach that that is exactly what they are? School shootings, motivated by Hollywood's destructive images, are par for the course.
In conclusion, Satan is thoroughly using the Hollywood elite to thwart Gods plan for people's lives by filling their minds with ungodly propaganda. As the television screenwriter Lloyd Billingsley observed:
"In the unwritten constitution of television…God is effectively written out of existence and Judeo Christian values on such things as adultery and divorce are disregarded."
Satan is taking advantage of the world through this medium and it is therefore important to guard yourself against its seductions. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, whose aim it is to establish the kingdom of antichrist on the earth for his master Satan, wrote the following:
"Many of you have read my writings identifying TV as the new God. There is a little thing I failed to mention up until now- television is the major mainstream infiltration of the New Satanic religion."
Violence is not the only influential aspect of film: sexual immorality and perversions, drugs and occult messages also carry tremendously powerful abilities to sway the culture for the worse. We have already witnessed the confessed powers film holds over its viewers and documented unfortunate cases where people have even lost their very lives as a result.
In conclusion, we would do well to consider a letter from a prison inmate who perceptively enunciated the amazing leverage that film's messages had on fellow inmates:
In many (perhaps most) prisons…would it surprise you to learn that the favored genres are those containing the most naked flesh engaging in fornication, the most horrific gore and the most gratuitous violence? I've observed groups of convicts watching violent films…A gruesome bloodbath may bring forth much response-everything from increased attention to involuntary facial expression (clenched teeth, twitches) and quite often inappropriate responses (smiles, laughter, cheers, etc.). These inappropriate responses ultimately translate to joy at the suffering of others. It doesn't matter in the least whether good guys or bad guys get killed, as long as somebody gets killed. …I spoke with an older repeat offender…[who said], 'Sometimes I watch a video and get real angry. Takes me an hour or so afterward to stop being p----- off. I don't like that. I've tried very hard for a long time to get over my anger, but these videos bring it out.'
Drastic changes in personality can happen in the space of a ninety-minute film. Allow me to be blunt: IT IS AN ABSURDITY TO BELIEVE THAT THE EFFECT OF SEX AND VIOLENCE IN MOVIES IS ANY DIFFERENT UPON YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN THAN IT IS UPON ME AND MY FELLOW INMATES. A short while ago many of us stood in the same ticket lines as you. We've sat in the same movie theaters, watching the same movies. We've rented videos from the same video stores as you. The world system touches every life, and every person is led into sin in the same ways, through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the sinful pride of life. How many minds out there are being programmed right now to do the things that could result in their joining us in prison? How many young people are being desensitized, emotionally manipulated to follow harmful role models and conditioned to accept aberrant sexual behavior as normal? How many hearts are being turned to stone?"
Very wise words from a man rightly using his life in seeking to warn others of real perils from the popular film menu that is predominantly offered to our world. Let his encouragement not be in vain.
by Jason Kovar
In the latter half of the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union squared off as enemies in a massive arms race that subsequently plunged the world into what has become known as the "Cold War." However, in the 21st century, the Cold War is no longer against a foreign aggressor on the other side of the globe, but at home in our nation's schools. Our new arms race is against the youth and now Americans are scrambling to face this enemy within their own borders. In a 3/19/01 article entitled "The Columbine Effect," Time magazine reported on dozens of schools that have been forced to undergo Columbine like tragedies as the progeny of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold continue to reenact the nations newest social ill- school shootings. Moreover, scores of students live in fear in our nations educational institutions as the likelihood of school shootings becomes more and more of a real threat. This article will present eye-opening evidence that will account for the mayhem and carnage that now plague our youth.
It has been argued that the gross effects of the nonstop and influential media cannot be glossed over or denied. By way of comparison, the 20th century's most lethal propaganda machine was Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler. Hitler positioned Joseph Goebbels as his Minister of Enlightenment and Propaganda for the brainwashing of a nation through the utilization of film. Goebbels clearly stated that cinema was "one of the most modern means of mass persuasion" and "that film was one of the most modern and far reaching means for influencing the public that has ever existed." The haunting results of this era are tragic. Does our modern day American media elite influence the populace for ill? Hollywood insider, David Puttnam, the producer for the films The Mission and Chariots of Fire, made an amazing statement that bears striking resemblance to Nazi Germany's mindset:
"Movies are powerful. Good or bad they tinker around inside your brain. They steal up on you in the darkness of the cinema to form or conform social attitudes...In short, cinema is propaganda."
And what is the bottom line effect of this "propaganda?" Shock rocker Marilyn Manson, who has stated that his controversial goal is to bring an end to Christianity, clearly understands it. He stated: "The more bad movies, bad TV shows, and bad music I hear, the dumber I think it's making America." Far beyond an intellectual dumbing down of the youth, the entertainment industry is systematically hardening the hearts of the youth from following in the footsteps of what many contend to be appropriate.
As Marilyn Manson observed, the effects of the television and motion picture industry reach far and wide. One thoughtful observer commented: "TV is not unlike letting your children play in a toxic waste dump. I mean they're going to get sick from this stuff." Too late, they already are – Columbine ad infinitum. Ken Wales, former vice president at Disney studios and veteran producer to more than twenty feature films clarifies the reality of this cinematic sickness:
"As a member of this industry I wish that there were hundreds of stars and writers and directors standing here with me. I suppose they are out protesting toxic waste! Let me tell you there happens to be toxic waste in other areas besides our rivers. That happens in the pollution of our minds, our souls and our spirits!"
The National Institutes of Mental Health has over 1,000 studies confirming that TV violence and aggressive behavior are conjoined. This is amazing, for if the medical community released over 1,000 clear studies revealing that cancer was caused by milk, the dairy business would go out of business overnight. Yet 50,000 TV's continue to be sold each day in our country alone. One TV network study found that television programming is implicated in 22 percent of juvenile crime. Hollywood's incredible influence even has the ability to sway upstanding citizens to destructive ends. Homicide rates doubled in 10 to 15 years after TV was first introduced into specific areas of the United States and Canada.
Interestingly, the networks know the ramifications of their shows yet refuse to curb their violent content. Popular media personality Steve Allen adamantly turned on the medium that had previously brought him his success, declaring: "TV is leading children down a moral sewer." Could he be right? World renown for a liberal mindset, media mogul Ted Turner thinks so and believes movies ignite violent behavior like a tinderbox. He explains:
"You know that everything we're exposed to influences us…Those [violent] films influence us, and the TV programs we see influence us. The weaker your family is, the more they influence you…The problems with families in our cities are catastrophic-but when you put violent programs before people who haven't had a lot of love in their lives, who are angry anyway, it's like pouring gasoline on the fire."
The evidence strongly implicates Hollywood's top brass in actively pursuing some type of social revolution in the culture. Film actor and director, Dennis Hopper, has successfully portrayed druggies, alcoholics and psychotic characters, and has stated the purpose of his films as the following: "What we're doing is ------ with the rules. There should be no rules, man." Researchers from George Washington University found that Hollywood's producers, writers and directors view themselves as:
"…crusaders for social reform in America. They see it as their duty to restructure our culture into their image."
The belief systems of those who run Hollywood are for the most part opposite the mainstream views held by the vast majority of Americans. Newsweek magazine reported a survey that was conducted by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. It concluded:
"The Center found that on issues of sexual morality, abortion and religion, the people at the top in television and movie making were far more liberal than the rest of the country."
This is a sobering fact considering that two out of every three executives feel that film "should be a major force for social reform."
Eddy Manson, a popular composer for motion pictures stated this "social reform" is accomplished through manipulation, stating:
"We manipulate people like crazy in films…It's a tremendous release. I can make you feel any emotion I want you to feel at any time. It's a Machiavellian power we project gut to gut."
And what is the culture being manipulated to receive? The renowned Gus Van Sant, acclaimed director of My Own Private Idaho, answered this question when he offered a memorable statement of the Hollywood artistic credo:
"I believe the properly manipulated image can provoke an audience to the Burroughsian limit of riot, rampant sex, instantaneous death…The raw materials of inspiration include elements as primal and potentially frightening as violence, sex, and death…the primitive world of blood and flame is still with us."
Today's images become tomorrow's realities.
Filmmakers primarily effect change by specifically targeting the emotions of their audiences. Even George Lucas, who has what many consider to be a "clean" image is part of the equation. He stated:
"I'm very much of a visual filmmaker, and very much of a filmmaker who is going for emotions over ideas." And, "Emotionally involving the audience is easy. Anyone can do it blindfolded, get a little kitten and have some guy wring its neck."
Fascinatingly, filmmakers like Lucas hold little regard for their easily manipulated audiences. Lucas has openly declared:
"Popcorn pictures have always ruled. Why do people go see these popcorn pictures…Why is the public so stupid?…I just understood what people liked to go see, and Steven [Spielberg] has too, and we go for that."
With these kinds of accusations leveled at the movie going public by Hollywood's elite, it becomes increasingly difficult to defend the industry.
Clive Barker, a homosexual activist and award-winning creator of countless horror stories turned movie, including Hellraiser and Nightbreed, has a clear purpose for his fans. By cloaking his own belief systems in the seduction of the story, Barker slyly uses his films to blindside his audiences with his own philosophies and usher a change into their lives in the process. He says:
"The idea of getting up in the morning and saying, 'I'm going to scare the hell out of somebody' or 'I'm going to create some wonderland and not connect it with some transformative story, something which is going to take the reader and change them a little bit,' doesn't interest me. I need to have the energy, the motive force of a story which is going to change people." Further, "I do love story. I do love the energy that comes from story, which is making people feel things, often things they don't even want to feel. I love trapping people in the process of a story into feeling something where they're perhaps blindsided by the feeling they're having."
What types of stories and feelings does he like to change his viewers with? He said:
"I always used to side with the demons. I never used to care two hoots about the hero. I was interested in the dark, mysterious creature that the hero faces."
How has Hollywood's tampering with the emotional makeup of individuals through aggressive images influenced our society? One of the industry's skilled directors, Alan J. Pakula, who directed All the President's Men and Presumed Innocent, replies:
"Movie violence is like eating salt. The more you eat, the more you need to eat to taste it at all. People are becoming immune to the effects: The death counts have quadrupled…they're becoming deaf to it. They've developed an insatiability for raw sensation."
One horror star openly commented on TV violence, stating: "We're getting away with murder." Sadly, they are not. The old saying that you reap what you sow bears true. We are reaping a society of psychopaths who engorge themselves with violence on a daily basis. As a result America is the most violent nation in the world bar none. Our reputation precedes us as being a wicked, barbarous people in the eyes of other countries because of the messages we send in our movies.
The impact that movies have on their viewers is due to the purposeful way their creators design them. Alfred Hitchcock, considered the horror film director and Master of Suspense in his day declared his intent:
"The point is to draw the audience right into the situation-instead of leaving them to watch it from outside, from a distance…If you played the whole scene straight through… you would lose your power over the audience. They would watch the scene without becoming really involved in it, and you would have no means of concentrating their attention on those particular visual details which make them feel what the characters are feeling."
The powers Hitchcock's films have wielded have been a detriment to society.
Renowned forensic psychiatrist, Dr. Park Dietz, is a FBI consultant, UCLA professor, and media consultant. He has served as expert witness on many notorious cases such as those of attempted Reagan assassin John Hinckley Jr., O.J. Simpson, and Joel Rifkin. Many of his colleagues concur that Dietz has changed the practice of forensic psychiatry. "He has become the model for psychiatrists testifying in court," says Hinckley's prosecuting attorney, Roger Adelman.
Concerning sex offenders, Dietz explains in his characteristically blunt way how someone ends up with a perversion: "You don't have to have a genetic predisposition… You can take any boy and make a pervert out of him," he contends, merely by associating something specific over and over again with sexual arousal. One British study found that it took only 20 minutes to condition a teenage boy to become aroused by looking at a picture of a boot. First the boys were shown slides of naked women wearing boots, then just the boots. The association was that strong. Joel Rifkin, Dietz discovered, was hooked on a specific scene in the Hitchcock film Frenzy, in which the killer attempts to strangle the victim right before she consents to become intimate with him. "For Rifkin, that was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen, and he ended up strangling 17 prostitutes in the same way."
A recent meting of Hollywood screenwriters billed it's gathering, "Guns Don't Kill People…Writers Do." In their discussion of the topic, at least one veteran writer declared: "We who create entertainment must honestly acknowledge and urgently address the responsibility we all have to eliminate excessive or gratuitous or unpunished violence. Otherwise, children will continue to kill children." Screenwriters admit their responsibility to the adverse decay of influence affecting those who place these films before their eyes.
One of Alfred Hitchcock's most successful screenwriters, Ben Hecht, painted a grim picture of the effects of his own industry. He confessed:
"Movies are one of the bad habits that corrupted our country. Of their many sins, I offer as the worst their effect on the intellectual side of the nation. It is chiefly from that viewpoint I write of them- as an eruption of trash that has lamed the American mind and retarded Americans from becoming a cultured people."
Scriptwriter, Kevin Williamson, partnered with his lifelong idol, Wes Craven, to produce the blockbuster Scream series aimed primarily at teens. Williamson's other productions include Scream 2, Scary Movie, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Dawson's Creek, The Faculty and Teaching Mrs. Tingle. Amazingly, his exploitation of violence possibly surpasses that of even Craven, known primarily for his Nightmare on Elm Street series. Scream contains numerous scenes of blood and gore, which just fifty years ago would have been condemned as depraved. Sarah Michelle Gellar of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, also starred in Williamson's Scream 2 and I Know What You Did Last Summer. She haphazardly praises Williamson for his ability to twist people's minds and realizes the effects of these types of films. She stated:
"I think Kevin Williamson almost began a new genre of horror. It's intelligent horror, it's horror that scares your mind, and I think that what can be done is that the [audience] can be scared in reality…The thought of actually killing someone on the road, the thought of someone actually stalking you in your school or your house…it plays with the mind."
The minds of the youth are at the breaking point. James Fox, Dean of the Criminology Department at the Northwestern University, uses computer modeling to show future trends. The forecast? Murder. "This is the lull before the crime storm, " he says. "There is a tremendous crime wave coming in the next ten years and not by hardened criminals but by the young and ruthless, young people who are turning murderous." In the year 2005, the number of teenagers age 14-17 will peak. This age group commits far more murders, up 165% between 1983 and 1993, and according to Fox, the nation's murder rate will follow suit. Fox says teenagers are exceedingly more threatening than adults:
"Because…murder is just not the taboo that it once was. A lot of that is television. Now, kids have become desensitized. They'll rent movies and play their favorite scenes-often the most violent-over and over. What do you think the effect is on a kid when his first exposure to sex is a brutal rape scene? That is a very powerful image…Kids are the least deterrable."
He is spot on. Consider eighteen-year-old Pete Roland who acquiesced to the messages in the slice and dice films and brutally gang-murdered his friend. One of the baseball bats used to beat in the brains of the victim had the words "the ultraviolence stick" written on it, a phrase from Stanley Kubrik's A Clockwork Orange, about violent gangs in England. While ritualistically beating him, he chanted, "Sacrifice for Satan." After his capture, Roland reflected back on his decent into Satanism, stating: "I gave up my soul, but I didn't get anything back. Satan stole it." Carl Raschke of the University of Denver, a leading authority on the occult, as well as an expert witness at Roland's trial, explained that Roland was immersed into beliefs that led him to a state of "diminished competence." What formed these beliefs and in Roland's words cost him his soul? Raschke tells us, explaining that it was no wonder he acted the way he did considering that
"He became obsessed with horror movies, of which his favorite was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. At the end of the summer of 1987, Roland had assured himself that 'killing is a way of life.'"
A world famous murder case in Liverpool, England, regarded two eleven year old boys who were caught on camera leading James Bulger, a small two-year-old along the railroad tracks to his death. Sadly, the murder was found to be a direct result of the movie Child's Play and it's indoctrinating glorification of murder. Child's Play revolves around a doll named Chuckie who is possessed by an evil spirit. The story line comprises his rampage on a murderous killing frenzy connoting sacrifice to his occult gods. These messages were continuously instilled as one of the boys admitted to repeatedly watching the film over and over again just before the murder. The judge presiding over the case pointedly deliberated:
"The horror movie depicts a baby doll who comes to life and gets blue paint splashed in its face. There was blue paint on the dead child's face…. The movie depicts a kidnapping. James was abducted by the two older boys before they killed him…. The climax of the movie comes as two boys murder the doll on the train, mutilating the doll's face…. James was first mutilated and bludgeoned by the older boys and then left on a railroad track to be run over."
The news initially hyped the story at its onset, but conveniently failed to report the ultimate determinant.
By way of comparison, just as Timothy McVeigh bombed an Oklahoma building and is fully responsible for acting out his perverse fantasies of murder, so is Hollywood. For example, take a drug dealer on the street that sells drugs to your children, or somebody else's children. Is he responsible, or is it just the child's fault when he dies? Obviously, both neglected to heed what was right, but because he supplied the drugs, the dealer is responsible. In fact, the law states that the higher that you are in the distribution chain, the more culpable you are. Hollywood's higher placement in the distribution chain denotes them as guilty.
In Houston, Texas, Scott May, mind drenched in violent/horror movies and the occult, Viciously attacked his date after viewing The Cutting Edge. May reported to authorities that he had an infatuation with murder for some time. He stated:
"I love knives. I like to go to the movies a lot. A lot of people get stabbed in the movies. I really liked the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. A lot of people got stabbed in that."
Hailed as one of the most notorious movies for inciting viewers to duplicate crimes is Silence of the Lambs; a movie that revels in a serial killer's escapades of mutilation, murder, and cannibalism. The same week that Silence of the Lambs won the Oscar for the Best Picture, a man decapitated his handicapped mother while yelling, "I'm Hannibal the Cannibal!" as he was taken into custody by police.
It's no coincidence ABC found that 22-34 percent of young felons imprisoned for violent crimes said that they had consciously imitated crime techniques learned from watching television programs. After viewing a screening of his film, Natural Born Killers, director Oliver Stone declared: "This movie is great. It makes you want to go out and kill somebody." This controversial movie was reported to be a favorite among the Columbine killers, who watched it repeatedly before being worked up into a frenzy for their mission of death.
Oliver Stone's philosophy is worth repeating:
I think America has to bleed. I think the corpses have to pile up. I think American boys have to die again. Let the mothers weep and mourn."
Countless innocent people have died and others have lost their loved ones to callous acts that are encouraged by the images of the silver screen. The messages that the Clive Barker's of the movie screens disseminate to their fans are deemed by many to be irresponsible. However, in reply, Barker has stated:
"That's my responsibility, to kill as many people as possible…And some of that truth may not be palatable to anybody. My responsibility is not to give a ---- about that. My responsibility is not to care."
Hollywood is transforming the culture and doesn't even bat an eye.
As previously mentioned, Natural Born Killers as well as The Basketball Diaries, which depicts Leo DiCaprio dressed in a black trench coat as he blows away classmates at his school, have both been implicated as the influential factors in Eric Harris's and Dylan Klebold's Columbine killing spree. In fact, the head of New Line Cinema, who made The Basketball Diaries, admitted that the movie might have caused the carnage at Columbine. He stated: "It could be that our movie was the final moment of dark inspiration, the last straw that caused the crimes."
The parents of Cassie Bernall, one of the victims of the Columbine massacre who was specifically targeted for her faith in Jesus Christ, knows the veracity of these facts all too well. In a personal interview, Brad Bernall, Cassie's father, stated that he was shown a video the two murderers made prior to the killings in which they made their intent clear. Their goal in their own words was "to shoot Christians in the [expletive deleted] head." They also mocked the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) bracelets worn by Christians and said: "What would Jesus do? What would I do…I would shoot you in the head." Mr. Bernall said that he strongly believes that the media has purposely covered up these facts and turned a blind eye to other obvious truths. Mr. Bernall credits his ability to weather the incredible loss of his daughter to his own faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus promised that those who lose their lives for his sake would find them and that not one hair on their head would perish because of the eternal life that he gives his followers. Mr. Bernall knows this to be true of his daughter.
Jesus warned that there were two paths that human beings could go by. He said:
"Enter by the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many enter that way. For the gate is small and the road is narrow that leads to life and few are those who find it." Matthew 7:13-4
What road are you on? The road that the vast majority of this world is on or the road that God wants you on?
Hollywood is rapidly funneling the world onto the spiritual broad path of rebellion that is directed away from God. Satan is identified as the leader of this rebellion against God and is described as a real and incredibly powerful being in the Bible. The apostle Peter wrote:
"Be sober, be on the alert, your adversary the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour"
The Bible states that Satan is the one who deceives the whole world into following him through his deceptions. Crafty to the core, Satan knows that he does not have to get someone to fall on their knees and worship him to get their soul for eternity. He just has to keep them from worshipping God through the distractions this world offers.
The Scriptures definitively say that "we all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way." Isaiah 53:6 This means that if you are honest with yourself, you will acknowledge instances in your life when you have done things you know to be wrong. As a result, the book of Romans states that "all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 God is perfect and the wrongs, or sins, that we have committed in our lives separate us from Him. Isaiah 59:2
The Ten Commandments are absolute in their instruction. "You shall not lie." There is no room for leeway. If you have ever lied, it makes you a liar. "You shall not steal." If you have ever stolen anything – even something as small as a paperclip – you are a thief. Down through the commandments we could go; if you have ever lusted after a woman, Jesus said it was as the sin of adultery. If you have ever uttered God's name in vain, you are a blasphemer. And so on. Every person who has ever lived has not perfectly kept these commandments. Therefore, before God every person has fallen short and is guilty. You cannot escape this. The result of this is eternal separation from God for eternity in fiery torment as punishment for our disobedience to God's holy calling. It is akin to a rapist who stands before a judge. The judge has a responsibility to act righteously and execute judgment on the offender for his actions. Justice demands this. God's judgment upon us is no different.
But God is also a God of love and His answer to the disease of sin and the eternal penalty of hell was to become a man in the person of Jesus Christ and to live a sinless life. He then allowed Himself to be murdered on the cross as a payment for the penalty of our sins that demands to be met. He Himself paid the price that each person should pay themselves. Forgiveness for sins through His sacrifice is available for anyone who will turn from their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ.
Life is short- the Bible refers to it as a vapor. The pulse that you feel in your wrist will one-day cease to continue and you will be accountable to your Creator. Will your last breath on earth be your first breath in heaven or your first breath in hell? The Book of Acts says, "There is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 Your Creator made you and lovingly gave up His life for you. Jesus is the only remedy for the true ailment of the world- the sin problem. Take the gift he offers you. The word repent in Greek means to do an about face, a 180-degree turn. Repent and turn from your sin through placing your trust in Jesus. Read the New Testament, pray, and find a good church that preachers the truth of the Word of God. If you have received this gift then you are a part of the family of God.
The world system that we live in runs contrary to the life God calls us to. The Scriptures tell us that the world is engaged in a spiritual battle for the hearts and minds of mankind at every level. Children have steadily been force-fed a diet of information that overtly attacks the Word of God and makes this spiritual war quite evident. This is, and continues to be, the deliberate aim of the American schools system that has in many ways replaced the family and now father the nations youth.
John Dewey, known as the father of the American school system, proclaimed:
"I am convinced that the battle for mankind's future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers that correctly perceive their role as proselytizers of a new faith which will replace the rotting corpse of Christianity."
Is it any wonder that kids have progressed to the point of killing each other as animals when in fact the evolutionary philosophies they are indoctrinated into teach that that is exactly what they are? School shootings, motivated by Hollywood's destructive images, are par for the course.
In conclusion, Satan is thoroughly using the Hollywood elite to thwart Gods plan for people's lives by filling their minds with ungodly propaganda. As the television screenwriter Lloyd Billingsley observed:
"In the unwritten constitution of television…God is effectively written out of existence and Judeo Christian values on such things as adultery and divorce are disregarded."
Satan is taking advantage of the world through this medium and it is therefore important to guard yourself against its seductions. Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, whose aim it is to establish the kingdom of antichrist on the earth for his master Satan, wrote the following:
"Many of you have read my writings identifying TV as the new God. There is a little thing I failed to mention up until now- television is the major mainstream infiltration of the New Satanic religion."
Violence is not the only influential aspect of film: sexual immorality and perversions, drugs and occult messages also carry tremendously powerful abilities to sway the culture for the worse. We have already witnessed the confessed powers film holds over its viewers and documented unfortunate cases where people have even lost their very lives as a result.
In conclusion, we would do well to consider a letter from a prison inmate who perceptively enunciated the amazing leverage that film's messages had on fellow inmates:
In many (perhaps most) prisons…would it surprise you to learn that the favored genres are those containing the most naked flesh engaging in fornication, the most horrific gore and the most gratuitous violence? I've observed groups of convicts watching violent films…A gruesome bloodbath may bring forth much response-everything from increased attention to involuntary facial expression (clenched teeth, twitches) and quite often inappropriate responses (smiles, laughter, cheers, etc.). These inappropriate responses ultimately translate to joy at the suffering of others. It doesn't matter in the least whether good guys or bad guys get killed, as long as somebody gets killed. …I spoke with an older repeat offender…[who said], 'Sometimes I watch a video and get real angry. Takes me an hour or so afterward to stop being p----- off. I don't like that. I've tried very hard for a long time to get over my anger, but these videos bring it out.'
Drastic changes in personality can happen in the space of a ninety-minute film. Allow me to be blunt: IT IS AN ABSURDITY TO BELIEVE THAT THE EFFECT OF SEX AND VIOLENCE IN MOVIES IS ANY DIFFERENT UPON YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN THAN IT IS UPON ME AND MY FELLOW INMATES. A short while ago many of us stood in the same ticket lines as you. We've sat in the same movie theaters, watching the same movies. We've rented videos from the same video stores as you. The world system touches every life, and every person is led into sin in the same ways, through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the sinful pride of life. How many minds out there are being programmed right now to do the things that could result in their joining us in prison? How many young people are being desensitized, emotionally manipulated to follow harmful role models and conditioned to accept aberrant sexual behavior as normal? How many hearts are being turned to stone?"
Very wise words from a man rightly using his life in seeking to warn others of real perils from the popular film menu that is predominantly offered to our world. Let his encouragement not be in vain.
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