Exploration Into Religion

If one comes to an area near ME, I'll go.

Hey folks,

I'm actually really sorry that due to reason Illnesses and Events, I'm NOT going to be able to make the trip. I would love to be there. To my friends in New York, I HIGHLY encourage you to go to this.

You all know that I'm a Christian. Some of you know that in the early years of my life I was on a quest. A quest for the Truth. In my late Teens and early Twenties, I started looking into Faith and Religion. I examined in detail Judaism, Catholicism, Christianity, Many different denominations of all three. Hinduism, Buddhism, some of the more the mystical Faiths.

Some I can conceive. Some are a bit out there for me. I understand that there is Truth in many. Problem with many, is that you have to wade through a bunch of man-made Traditions, in some cases, nullifies the Truth, to get to the Truth. Jesus himself warned us of this.

6He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:

11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Mark 7:6-13 Many other places Jesus points out the Difference between Faith and Traditions of Men, Matthew 7:21-23, John 8:31&32 /37-59, Romans 8, Just to name a few. I found this to be true, by actually spending time in various forms of Religion.

Now I know that I'm trying to cram a Lifetime of reasoning into a couple of paragraphs here, but I'm doing this for a reason. I have also been extremely open about my growing doubt of Islam. All we keep hearing, contrary to all the evidence, is that it is a peaceful Religion hijacked by a few radicles that want to twist it into authorization to commit genocide. To MURDER anyone that fails to believe as they. So like I have always done, I have started to look into Islam more in depth.

So anytime I see something like this, I HIGHLY encourage you, whatever your belief, to take the time and USE this valuable tool for your OWN understanding. What I'm talking about is this.

Coexist Foundation Sponsors Major Three Faiths Exhibit at New York Public Library
PR Newswire

NEW YORK, Oct. 14

“Three Faiths” Displays Magnificent Collection of Jewish, Christian and Muslim Manuscripts

NEW YORK, Oct. 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coexist Foundation announced today it is co-sponsoring a major new exhibition at the New York Public Library -- “Three Faiths.” The four month exhibit includes rare and treasured Jewish, Christian and Muslim manuscripts and sacred texts. “Three Faiths” also includes over 100 different educational programs across 80 different branches of the New York Public Library network, with the idea of creating a better understanding of these faith traditions in a globalized world.

“Coexist” is a non-profit foundation working around the world to promote, encourage and support engagement between Jews, Christians and Muslims. The foundation says it hopes “Three Faiths” will inform the discussion between these religious traditions and wider society by showing texts inspired by millenia of spiritual history. Three Faiths is on view from October 22, 2010 through February 27, 2011: some two hundred of the Library’s most inspiring sacred texts will be on display.

“Coexist is delighted to be sponsoring Three Faiths at the New York Public Library,” says James Kidner, Director of Coexist. “This unique exhibition will enable visitors not only to see this great institution’s magnificent collection of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim treasures, but also to explore the ways in which the history, culture, art, and theology of these three religions have influenced one another through the ages. This is a wonderful opportunity to take a journey into these faith traditions and learn how they can coexist in society today.”

The exhibition will showcase materials drawn entirely from the collections of The New York Public Library. Three Faiths illustrates the most important threads which run between the three: a belief in one, all-powerful God; the importance of the Prophets – notably Abraham; Divine Revelation; and the central role of Scripture. After introducing the key figures in these faith traditions, the exhibition explores the scriptures they produced or inspired, and the ways in which those texts have been used, for so many centuries, in the daily lives of ordinary people.

Alongside the exhibition, Coexist will also be supporting the NYPL's large-scale series of education programs for teachers, school-children, public sector workers and others to promote better understanding of these three religious traditions, their commonalities and their differences. And Coexist will be bringing in another of its partner organizations, Prince Charles’s School of Traditional Arts, to show how the artistic traditions of these three faiths have intertwined and influenced each other over the centuries.

About Coexist

Coexist works to promote, encourage and support engagement between Jews, Christians and Muslims, and between these communities and others, through education, dialogue and research. Founded in 2006, Coexist is an operational foundation which works around the world to forge new partnerships and programs aimed at helping people to understand what it means to be Jewish or Christian or Muslim today. It facilitates the building of bridges between these communities, and funds initiatives which inspire the wider public to understand faith better in twenty-first century society. They have included projects in the United States, England, India and Iraq. For information please visit the webiste: www.coexistfoundation.net

SOURCE Coexist Foundation I do truly wish I could make this. I can not. But if any of you are in the area, check it out. It may help you have a better understanding as to why you believe what you do. It make also open your eyes to a bigger reality.
Peter

Christianity Vs Islam

Special Sunday Edition "From the Emails"

Hey folks,

"Hey Pete. You were talking about your growing uncertainty of what some call peaceful Islam. You have also spoke out against what you see as the Mainstream Media and others being able to attack Christianity without reprisals. I thought that you might like to know you are not alone. Check out this piece in Human Events by Doug Giles. It almost sounds like something you would write. Peace to you."

Hey CS, thanks for sharing it. You are right. It is an excellent piece. Sorry for the delayed posting. Still under the weather, but here I am none the less. Here it is folks, From Human Events Online - Blame Stream Media: Christianity Sucks and Islam is Yummy? by Doug Giles

Man, don’t cha love how the Blame Stream Media© and their soft-brain disciples make Christians out to be fish-stickered, bug-eyed equals to incensed Islam? If you were to accept as true what some atheists, secularists and prattling gay activists say about Christians, you’d think the church is chomping at the bit to chop off some heads of unbelievers, glory to Gawd!

Yep, if you were to believe the barf belched out by the BS brokers on the Left, you’d stagger away Kool Aid drunk with the belief that there is little disparity between conservative Christians and militant Muslims.

As a matter of fact, you probably would be bamboozled into believing that Islam is a peaceful, Little House on the Prairie religion being temporarily hijacked by jihadist renegades, and Christianity . . . Christianity is the real charity-vacant, vicious cult that’s vying for the opportunity to seize the whip and whip us good.

Yes, the postmodern reality stylists are working their butts off trying to convince us TV-addled cattle of two primary things: 1) violent jihad is not based on the Koran and 2) All conservative Christians are theocrats ready to burn Lindsay Lohan at the stake, stone Jay Alexander in a nearby gravel pit and governmentally ramrod Christianity down everyone’s pie hole.

I haven’t seen this kind of ham-fisted, forced PR, farcical facade being parlayed upon the public since Michael Jackson tried to make out with Lisa Marie in an attempt to convince us all he’d found true love in an adult of the opposite sex.

Look, there’s no denying violent things have been done by the church and in the name of God, but that has been the exception and not the rule. In addition, when the church has spent time with its head up its butt doing bogus things, the church’s leaders have historically owned it when wrong, have not repeated the gaff, have grabbed the wheel and have effectively steered saints out of any erroneous, detrimental ditch.

Not so with Islam.

A few years ago mi amigo, Robert Spencer unleashed a book, Religion of Peace: Why Christianity Is and Islam Isn’t, which shredded the chipper Islam spin. Bob showed those who can still be shown anything factual the massive and fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity. That they are not equal no matter how much the blah blah blatherers of political correctness purport them to be. Their beliefs are not similar, nor their practices, nor their means to spreading their message—and to think otherwise, postmodern Pollyanna, could cost you your ass.

Spencer pointed out the crystal clear facts that clash with the current anti-Christian hype such as . . .

• Most Muslims do not condemn jihad.

• Christianity and Islam have neither similar traditions nor similar modern realities—Christian religious violence, real or imagined, does not mitigate the reality of jihad.

• A “Christian theocracy” in America is a figment of the Left’s imagination.

• The Islamic world has never developed the distinction between religious and secular law that is inherent in Christianity.

• Christianity has embraced reason—and Islam has always rejected it.

• The Koran does not invite interpretation, and Muslim leaders refuse to discuss how to fit their beliefs into modern society.

• Political differences and unwanted international interference are not, in fact, the cause of the turmoil in Iraq and Middle Eastern antagonism towards the west.

• Jews, Christians and peoples of other faiths (or no faiths) are equally at risk from militant Islam.

• The most determined enemies of western civilization may not be the jihadists at all, but the leftists who fear their churchgoing neighbors more than Islamic terrorists.

Listen, 21st century truth reconstructors . . . you’ve gotta relax. Please do us all a favor and go get healed from your bad Sunday school experience and lay down your church-grinding axe. Thinking people aren’t buying the “Christianity = Islam” smack.

You and I both know that regardless of what a few loopy CINO’s (Christians in name only) have done via violence in the name of the Father that it is not in the body of Christian doctrine to hack off the noggin of the obstreperous. There’s not even an obscure passage in the Book of Revelation that some demented clod could twist like your Gumby doll to make the Christian scripture green light your demise or anyone else’s.

Additionally, Christians aren’t longing for TBN to replace DC as our nation’s headquarters.

So chill, you shrill shredders of Christianity.

On the flip side, it is within the pages of the Koran to convert, conquer or kill non-Islamic people. And I’m a thinkin’ that no matter how much you work to besmirch Christianity and misinform on behalf of militant Islam, that if they had it their way, you, the secularist, would be a deceased grease stain on God’s green earth.

Therefore, gay guy, relax on the anti-Christian rhetoric, okay? Atheists, dial down and go back to studying monkeys (or whatever you do) and secularists, switch to decaf and exhale because you guys are barking up the wrong tree in trying to paint Christians as a coercive, could-be-violent, cabal like, militant Islam.

Radical Muslims, on the other hand, are the ones you need to sweat—because their book has zero tolerance for the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Jay Alexander—or anyone for that matter, who doesn’t lock step. You can bet your backside that if uncut Islam were in charge, Michael Bloomberg would be history, Drew Barrymore would be nevermore and Elton John would never be seen again.

The Judeo-Christian worldview (and subsequently, the great western traditions it under girds) is the only powerful cudgel in existence to ward off militant Islam. That’s what makes the Left’s lies about Christ’s Church and the Left’s desires to diminish it so diabolical. If the church’s presence and power gets marginalized via these secularists’s anti-Christian propaganda, then all I’ve got to say is, “I hope everyone is cool with wearing burkas.”

I have nothing to add.
Peter

Note: From The Emails is a weekly Segment every Friday, or occasionally anytime, that appears here at the OPNTalk Blog. Please feel free to Email any Articles, Comments, Thoughts, Whatever, that you may like to share to opntalk@gmail.com As always, you never know what you may see here.

IWA For Sunday 090510

Agree or not, this is just wrong.

Hey folks,

Time to wrap things up with the Idiot of the Week. Surprisingly, I find myself agreeing with CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad, who released the following statement.

"Just as all Muslims should not be blamed for the actions of a few extremists, neither should all Christians or all Americans be blamed for the intentionally offensive actions of the Dove World Outreach Center," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Pastor Terry Jones represents nothing but an extremist fringe."

He said the Dove World Outreach Center is only seeking cheap publicity and does not represent mainstream Christianity.

"Media professionals have a responsibility to put this publicity stunt in its proper context in their reports and commentaries," said Awad.

CAIR this week distributed a television public service announcement (PSA) that implicitly challenges the Quran burnings.

Now I am still having reservations about Islam itself, and I am finding it more and more difficult to distinguish the difference between "Peaceful Islam and "Extremist Islam," for reasons pretty well laid out in the Human Events Online peace. Yet, I encourage the MMD to follow Mr. Awad's advice and report the FACTS on this and not simply use it as an excuse to bash all Christians.

When I first heard this, I thought it was just another attention seeking Westboro Baptist Church Leader and Gay-Basher Extraordinaire Fred Phelps moment. I have and many have, spoke out against this Idiot on more than a few occasions. Unlike the Muslim Community, we in the Christian Community are quick to point out that this guy is NOT a Christian, nor does he represent TRUE Christianity.

Well, seems he might finally have some competition for the title of America’s most attention seeking hate filled Church Preacher. You see, on Sept. 11, Terry Jones, and his Dove World Outreach Center, will hold the first “International Burn a Koran Day” Ceremony on the steps of his church in Gainesville, Fla. According to the Church’s Website, the event was organized “in remembrance of the fallen victims of 9/11 and to stand against the evil of Islam. Islam is of the devil!”

Pastor, or Idiot, Terry Jones said this.

"We believe that Islam is of the devil, that it's causing billions of people to go to hell, it is a deceptive religion, it is a violent religion and that is proven many, many times," Pastor Terry Jones told CNN's Rick Sanchez earlier this week.

During this interview, he went on to say this.

"I mean ask yourself, have you ever really seen a really happy Muslim? As they're on the way to Mecca? As they gather together in the mosque on the floor? Does it look like a real religion of joy?" Jones asks in one of his YouTube posts.

"No, to me it looks like a religion of the devil."

Now unlike the Islam Community, Christians are speaking out against this.

The National Association of Evangelicals, the nation's largest umbrella evangelical group, issued a statement urging the church to cancel the event, warning it could cause worldwide tension between the two religions.

"The NAE calls on its members to cultivate relationships of trust and respect with our neighbors of other faiths. God created human beings in his image, and therefore all should be treated with dignity and respect," it said in the statement.

When is the last time you heard "Peaceful Muslims" speak out against 9-11, the notion that all non - Muslims be killed, and or the "Ground Zero Mosque." You don't. That is part of the problem.

But any time you have a Christian Kook stand up and attempt to do something that is AGAINST Christianity and it's principles, you have no shortage of Christians standing up against them.

So even if you agree, that at least in appearance, Islam is far from a peaceful Religion, you have to understand that Burning the Koran is just plain wrong. It goes completely against what we stand for in America. It's called the First Amendment. What if the Muslims were Burning the Bible? Would you be OK with that? Of course not. Congratulations Idiot Terry Jones, you ARE the Idiot of the Week, for calling on others that you lead to do what is against God and America. People like you should not be Pastors. Ever wonder why you only have a 100 count membership?
Peter

Sources:
CNN - Church plans Quran-burning event
CAIR Press Release.

Wonder WHY People Think Obama Is Muslim?

Seriously?

Hey folks,

I love this piece by ALAN FRAM, Associated Press Writer. Poll: Growing number incorrectly call Obama Muslim. Why "incorrectly?" Says who? You know, as they say, ACTIONS speak louder than words. People are picking up on this.

WASHINGTON – Americans increasingly are convinced — incorrectly — that President Barack Obama is a Muslim, and a growing number are thoroughly confused about his religion.

Nearly one in five people, or 18 percent, said they think Obama is Muslim, up from the 11 percent who said so in March 2009, according to a poll released Thursday. The proportion who correctly say he is a Christian is down to just 34 percent.

First, Obama is no Christian. You can not be filled with as much HATE as he, be FOR Infanticide, {He Voted FOR it in Illinois as a Junior Senator.} and go around apologising for America's Greatness, {A Country FOUNDED on Judeo- Christian principles} and be a "Christian." Oh, he can call himself whatever he wants. I could call myself King of the World. Does it make it so? Also TRUE Christians are friends with the Jews. Something of which we know he is NOT.

The largest share of people, 43 percent, said they don't know his religion, an increase from the 34 percent who said that in early 2009.

The survey, conducted by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center and its affiliated Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, is based on interviews conducted before the controversy over whether Muslims should be permitted to construct a mosque near the World Trade Center site. Obama has said he believes Muslims have the right to build an Islamic center there, though he's also said he won't take a position on whether they should actually build it.

In a separate poll by Time magazine/ABT SRBI conducted Monday and Tuesday — after Obama's comments about the mosque — 24 percent said they think he is Muslim, 47 percent said they think he is Christian and 24 percent didn't know or didn't respond.

In addition, 61 percent opposed building the Muslim center near the Trade Center site and 26 percent said they favor it.

So lets look at his relationship with the Muslim World. He meets with those that Hate us, and APOLOGISES to them. He invites Little Hitler, who should be Nuclear Armed any day now, to a Hot Dog BBQ. {Idiot} He talks about sending Muslim Lead Countries OUR tax dollars to educate their Females. {Which they would not do anyway. They would take the money though} He disses our Allies and friends. He compares Israel's enemies, some of which are OURS as well, to American Blacks during slavery. Not kidding. Then, DURING A WAR, he says to our Enemy, "Yeah, go ahead, build a Victory symbol near Ground Zero. We have no problem with that." Not only that, he HIRES the the Ground Zero Imam, YOU are paying for, to go on a taxpayer funded trip to tout America in the Middle East. Oh don't worry though, he has been told "No personal business while you are there." {Sigh}

That's right folks, YOU, will pick up the $16,000 tab for Rauf's travel expenses, plus a $200 dollars a day speaking fee on the trip. He will be beginning today in Bahrain and continuing through Sept. 2 to Qatar and Abu Dhabi. This is the SAME Imam who will not denounce Hamas. This guy is NOT our friend. He is NOT someone I want MY stolen Tax money going to. You?

So whenever you hear that people wonder if Obama is a Muslim, all you have to do is look at his ACTIONS. Look at what he DOES. Look at what he doesn't do. Then you can CLEARLY see WHY people think this way.
Peter

Sources:
AP - Poll: Growing number incorrectly call Obama Muslim
NY Daily News - No fund-raising for Ground Zero mosque on U.S. dime, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf told

Scientology Religion or Cult

I say Cult.

Hey folks,

We're back. OK. I have always had a problem with Scientology. I have always thought of it as a Cult. So when I saw this interview. I had to share it. Read it for yourself, and draw your own conclusions.

Ex-Scientologist Reveals Details Behind 'Dangerous Cult,' Tom Cruise in New Book

Most people know very little about Scientology aside from the fact that Tom Cruise, John Travolta and other celebrities are a part of it, and that it's had its fair share of controversy over the years. A new book is looking to pull back the curtain on the mysterious religion founded by L. Ron Hubbard, and the author certainly knows her stuff. Amy Scobee is a former Scientologist who was in the church for more than two decades, and worked in the all-important Celebrity Centers portion of the organization. In her just-released book, 'Scientology: Abuse at the Top,' Scobee details all of the troubling things she saw that made her flee what she once called her trusted religion, but now refers to as a "dangerous cult." Scobee spoke exclusively to PopEater over e-mail about her shocking book, her time with Tom Cruise and other Scientology bigwigs, and the (her words) brainwashing, systematic violence and slave labor camps she saw during her 27 years there. Her terrifying claims.

Could you explain your role within the Church of Scientology?

I worked in the upper management of Scientology for two decades. For a good portion of that time, I was responsible for the international network of Celebrity Centers, which service people in the field of the arts, government and sports -- people with high profiles in the world who are capable of creating a lot of influence on the population.

You were a member for 27 years. What was the spark plug for your departure?

I became less and less tolerant of the abuse that I witnessed as it got more and more harsh. People were very unhappy, family members were being separated, David Miscavige [the current "leader" of Scientology] committed assault and battery on my friends on numerous occasions. I could not justify continuing to support such an organization bent on threats and severe human rights violations, which were a dichotomy of the stated goals and reason I joined in the first place. I wanted to help people and create a better world based on love and compassion for mankind.

Why is there such a big push to recruit celebrities to Scientology?

A strategic priority for Scientology is to bring in big-name celebrities as they can influence whole populations. If they endorse Scientology, then masses will want to join, as well. That means expansion, more money, more members who in turn bring in others. The stated goal for Celebrity Center is to make celebrities into "walking success stories" of Scientology so they promote their success and attribute it to what they learned in Scientology.

In the press, there's often articles that are negative towards the Church. Why would they want to attract more celebrities, and in turn, more attention?

They think that any negative press is just a result of "disgruntled ex-members" and should be ignored.

Tom Cruise is by far the most known Scientologist. What types of interaction did you have with him during your time there, and what can you say about him as a person?

I met Tom Cruise and members of his family. I did a project to locate Scientologists for him to hire in order to fill specific positions in his household -- such as executive housekeeper, maid, cook, nanny. Personally, I do not have much respect for Tom at all for a few very important reasons. First of all, I think he has abused his "power" as a well-known figure to gain special favors from Scientology. I know of several examples of this, including the fact that I was personally assigned to select his personal entourage, which had nothing to do with my job at the time. I was a full-time staff member in the Sea Organization. I did not get paid for that service, I did not get thanked for that service. I was at the International Management base in Hemet when he came to do Scientology services for an extended period of time. The staff members there were not set up to service a celebrity at that property. People were pulled off their own jobs to cater to him. I knew of people [Sea org members] doing his laundry, supervising him in the course room, supervising his counseling, the music studio conference room was converted to a course room for him, many staff members were utilized to establish audio-visual facilities in his home. Many staff members had to stay up day and night, because on the 500 acre property there were some brown patches on the lawns -- it's in the middle of the desert in Hemet. Those brown patches could be seen by helicopter per David Miscavige, and Cruise was going to arrive via helicopter, so we laid sod for days -- night and day.

The other factor is that Tom Cruise has proclaimed David Miscavige to be a "LEADER OF LEADERS" and announced to all Scientologists attending the International Association of Scientologists Event in 2004 that David Miscavige was the best leader and said that he should know "because I've met them ALL." That's an arrogant statement, plus David Miscavige viciously beats his staff members. So to give Miscavige all this praise puts in concrete to Scientology followers to listen to this "leader" who has NO BUSINESS being in that position because he's DANGEROUS.

Recently, reports surfaced claiming that David Miscavige played Tom Cruise's confession tapes -- which are meant to be private -- to fellow church members for a laugh over drinks. Does that seem like something he'd do, or have you known this to be true?

Yes -- David Miscavige talked about people's private confidential information. I witnessed this myself. I included some specifics of this in my book regarding another celebrity. He also did it to staff -- snickering about things that came up in their confessionals and TELLING the specifics to whoever was at the meeting with him at the time. He did that to me. And he did that to many, many others. Including calling all-base staff briefings and reporting embarrassing details about supposed transgressions in order to intimidate people. One of my friends told me how Miscavige and he were standing outside when staff were walking between buildings -- like for lunch break or something -- and he pointed to random people giving "tid-bits" on each one as they passed, to "prove" how much "in the know" he is. It's a complete violation of the priest-penitent privilege and a total invasion of privacy.

What was the Church's reaction to his showdown with Matt Lauer?

I was already out of Scientology when that happened. I saw the show and thought Tom was being very arrogant towards Matt Lauer. I don't know what the Church response was because I wasn't there, but I presume they would have patted Tom on the back for "standing up" to Lauer and telling the world how bad psychiatric drugs are for people.

Scientology often gets criticized for mobilizing when there's a tragedy (9/11, the Haiti earthquake) as people feel they're trying to recruit. What can you share on that?

They ARE trying to recruit and create good PR for Scientology -- "good works, well publicized" is the goal, so as to become more accepted in society and to bring in new members. People are instructed to video [tape] their actions and get media if they can so this can then be shown at their very frequent PR events to "prove" to their members how much they are accepted and expanding and doing good for the world.

Do you think more and more celebrities will lean towards Scientology as time goes on, or has it hit its high point star-wise?

No. Scientology celebrities are already beginning to turn away and have publicly resigned their membership. Award-winning writer/director Paul Haggis, actor Jason Beghe and actor Larry Anderson are a few recent examples. I think more celebrities will walk away as they discover the truth and cease turning a blind eye to the blatant human rights violations so many people are exposing inside Scientology.

During an interview with ABC, you detail your experience with Scientology's purification treatment. You eventually began taking massive amounts of niacin, which led to some side effects. Could you detail that?

The purification program is supposed to be relatively short, where you exercise for a period of time per day and then sweat in the sauna in order to rid the body of any residual drugs and toxins. Miscavige decided that executives in International Management were "incompetent" as they were "dead heads" due to past drug histories being "unhandled." So he decided to create a weird variation of the purification program where many of us were put in the sauna 5 hours per day for MONTHS at a time. I was on it for 8 months and I know of several others who were on even longer. You take high dosages of niacin -- 5000 mg per day -- while on this program. I got freaked out that my body was being damaged. I had gray matter coming out of my pores and I asked if it could please be checked into by the lab or doctor, which was never done. This is the point when I started to plan my escape from that place. I felt trapped, and at risk both physically and mentally. And it didn't help to have an abusive and nasty leader dictating our lives at that point either. I was sent to Florida and I left from there in March 2005.

What good things are there that Scientology does that people may not know about?

I believe that the study technology has really helped people because I've read many rave success stories -- where people who could not learn before obtained simple tools to be able to read and learn and increase their competence as a result. One doesn't have to be a Scientologist to apply the basic tools of study, such as using a dictionary to clear words and terms one doesn't understand in order to obtain a conceptual understanding of what you are reading and to study a subject on a gradient and to balance the significance with the actual mass of what you're learning -- such as LOOK at the piece of equipment while reading the manual!

Scientology believes that one is a spiritual being that has lived before and will continue to live. This is not unique to Scientology, but a basis of a lot of religions. They do promote a moral code of love and compassion and following the laws of the land, which is helpful to those who will actually apply those concepts.

What are some of the worst things?

-- Family disconnection and their manipulation, blackmail and control through the threat of being cut off from family, which has devastating effects, and being denied your "only road to salvation as a spiritual being."

-- The Rehabilitation Project Force, which I cover in detail in my book. This is a slave labor camp within the Sea Organization where people who have supposedly messed up get sent for sometimes years and years. They are separated from family, segregated from the rest of the group, made to run everywhere, put on hard manual physical work and paid 1/4 the regular staff pay -- about $12 per WEEK. I've known several people on that program for over a decade for minor offenses. It's inhumane and that "program" should be shut down.

-- The way Scientology goes after critics. It's their policy to utterly annihilate the credibility of anyone speaking out against the "church." They have done brutal things in the past along these lines and are still pulling these stunts currently. I've been followed by private investigators – sometimes several at a time, my family's house watched, they've tried to get my in-laws (never even in Scientology) to kick me out of the family, which they refused and dismissed as a completely insane and evil proposal. They put out publications with vicious false and defamatory information about me to hopefully make the readers think I was incapable of accurately reporting on my observations with regards to their illegal activities.

-- Another key thing is INFORMATION CONTROL. This is a form of mind control. If one controls what you can and can not see or hear, one is unable to make a rational decision about that matter. Scientology specializes in information control -- one is banned from upper levels of "spiritual enlightenment' if it is discovered that you read anything negative about Scientology or talked to someone about it. People are put in for routine confessionals to find out if you "committed this sin." So you are careful to avoid any contact with the media when it comes to Scientology or to read about any exposure about what is going on at the highest echelons. If the general public knew, they would stop supporting Scientology. They would walk away. They'd have the INFORMATION to be able to make that decision. Instead, all they hear is what the head of Scientology (Miscavige) reports at their frequent PR events -- how the expansion is better than ever and popularity of Scientology is at an all-time high, etc. They applaud, thinking it's all wonderful and donate a lot of money for the cause to "keep the expansion going." It's very sad. I want people to have the truth. When I informed a family member of mine, who had been a dedicated Scientologist for about 30 years, what was really going on at the top of his church, he chose to walk away and he has officially resigned. That's the logical thing to do. He still believes the technology itself is beneficial, but will no longer support that organization – in fact he has also now requested all of his money back.

Something dangerous about Scientology is that they truly believe that they are the "only salvation" for mankind. They therefore consider they can do all sorts of things -- even if it breaks the law -- because it's "the greatest good" and forwards their overall mission to ensure everyone's future eternity. Crush a critic into silence, lie on national television, beat a staff member who is not behaving as you'd like, blackmail people using family disconnection and other threats to keep them in line, use personal information obtained on people to smear their name, keep people on the RPF for years, force staff to work around the clock for almost no pay, hide evidence that could be damning if it were discovered -- on and on. They are fanatics about being the ONLY salvation and the end justifies the means.

Germany recently declared Scientology a cult. Do you think that's an accurate definition?

Yes -- I believe Scientology is actually a dangerous cult. By definition, a "destructive cult" is a religion or other group which has caused or has a high probability of causing harm to its own members or to others. Some researchers define "harm" in this case with a narrow focus, specifically groups which have deliberately physically injured or killed other individuals, while others define the term more broadly and include emotional abuse among the types of harm inflicted. Both physical and spiritual/mental abuse has occurred, and from what I understand is continuing to occur, within Scientology -- at its highest ranks. I observed quite a bit of such destructive action and this is detailed in my new book.

Is there a single most-shocking incident or occasion that stands out in your mind from your time in Scientology?

Yes -- my realization that I had just spent 27 years of my life supporting what I now realize is a dangerous and destructive cult -- a so-called "religion" that hides behind its status as a "church" to cover up crimes and major human rights violations. My own personal integrity is intact and I am determined to expose the abuse to hopefully put it to an end.

Amy Scobee spent YEARS in it. So is she a disgruntled ex member, or someone that know what she is talking about. I'll let you decide.
Peter

Organized Religions Not True Faith

Hey folks,

I know that some of you LOVE your “Religion.” and try to follow what it says is the truth, and to try your best to follow what it says to do. I have no problem with you, or your RIGHT to practice your religion.

My problem, as I have discussed MANY times over the years, is when people tell me that I cannot eat meat. Not ever in some, and not on Friday in others. Tell me I cannot smoke. Tell me I cannot drink a glass of wine, or have a beer every now and again. When some people tell me I have to pray to an intercessor to get to God. Tell me I have to GO to a BUILDING once a week and I have to confess my Sins, or what they consider Sins, to a man for forgiveness.

I have a problem when someone tells me I have to go without this or that to “prove’ my faith, certain times a year. When someone tells me, that this all knowing, all loving, all caring God, is just sitting on the edge of his seat, waiting for me to Sin, so he can send me straight to Hell. To be tormented for all of eternity. I have a problem when someone tells me God told them to kill someone. I have a problem when I’m told that what the Bible use to say, no longer applies and NOW to be all inclusive, we have to change it around to fit today. BIG PROBLEM with that. None of this is in the Bible.

I have a problem with Idols, with Witchcraft, with Nature controlling man. I have a problem with lies, distortions, and man-made traditions. Yes folks, I have a problem with organized religion itself. To much man, not enough God.

I have discussed this issue over the years in various forms and every now and then, someone asks me, is this not being a hypocrite? How can I quote the Bible, and tell people that it says, all you have to do is ask for, and accept the gift of Salvation given by Jesus The Christ, and be saved, then say others are wrong? Am I not doing the same thing that other religions do, when they say their way is the only way and that we must follow them? The answer is NO. I’m not. Why? Because what I’m saying to you is straight from God. I am not adding to it, nor am I taking away from it. I am not changing it in anyway. I am not attempting to fit it into an agenda. I’m not asking you for money. {Smile} I have NOTHING to gain or lose if you decide to or not to do it. I am simply telling you what it says. I am pointing out the path. It is up to you to follow it.

Every now and then, we have stories that pop up in the news, that brings this type of discussion back to the forefront. Like this one from CSM - Spurred by Carter, some Baptists meet to build bigger tent By Jane LampmanWed Jan 30, 3:00 AM ET

Jimmy Carter has taught the gospel of Christ in Baptist Sunday Schools for 60 years – even while governor of Georgia and many times during his presidency. But in his travels, he has encountered a less flattering view of his religion.

“Not only young people in America, but in the many countries where Rosalynn and I have worked, when you mention Christianity, the first thought that comes to people's minds is dissension and divisiveness,” says former President Carter in an interview. “Not between Baptists and Methodists, but among Baptists, among Anglicans, among Methodists.”

To spark a new era of cooperation, he and other prominent Baptists have called a three-day meeting in Atlanta, which begins Wednesday. Some 20,000 people will gather to form a New Baptist Covenant and demonstrate that Baptists with theological differences can work together on the basis of Jesus' teachings. Organizers insist that they're not creating a new denomination or making a political statement (although some conservatives have said the aim is to boost Democrats in an election year). With blacks joining whites and Latinos, many Baptists see it as a historic moment.

Of course this IS ALL about politics, and winning the Presidency for the Democrats. But that is really not my issue here. The point is, God doesn’t change. He is the same yesterday, today, and will be the same tomorrow. The very fact that we have different denominations of the same “Religion” PROVES that they are WRONG.

“This is an opportunity to reenvision what it means to be Baptist, and especially to build bridges across racial and denominational divides in a way that has never been done before,” says David Gushee of Mercer University's school of theology. “It's really a vision of the Christian faith that is driving this.”

But the PROBLEM is, in the family of God, there is NO Black, White, Rich, Poor, or any other divisions. If you want to put a color on the Family of God, it would be red. The color of the blood Jesus shed for you and me.

Again, the very fact that we HAVE Black churches, White Churches, Rich Churches, Poor Churches, proves they are wrong.

With the theme of Unity in Christ, one aim is to forge local partnerships among Baptist groups based on Jesus' message on his ministry as found in Luke 4:18. Special workshops will deal with Christian obligations not only to spread the gospel, but also to promote peace with justice, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, care for the sick, and welcome the stranger.

18 The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,to release the oppressed,”

Jesus was saying that THIS Spirit was upon HIM. Now I understand that this same spirit comes into us as well, and these are things we should do. But nowhere does it say “but also to promote peace with justice”, or “shelter the homeless” , nor does it say ANYWHERE to “welcome the stranger.” These are man-made additions that are there to change the message to fit agendas. Jesus’s main concern was dealing with one’s soul. Everything else is secondary. There were wars in Jesus’s time. There were oppression by men. What Jesus was saying here was to free people from the prison of Sin, not go to the local jail and release those guilty of being there. You did not see Jesus protesting the Government. You did not see Jesus calling for world peace. He was talking about freeing individuals and teaching them faith in having a one on one relationship with God.

The four major black Baptist conventions are key players in the gathering, along with Latinos and whites. “This will be the first time in 160 years that black and white Baptists have met in a major meeting in harmony,” Carter says.

They should have always been together. Man is who messed it up.

Meeting bridges political divide Besides Democrats Carter and former President Clinton, who joined with Baptist leaders last year to announce this week's meeting, participants include Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Charles Grassley of Iowa, along with bestselling author John Grisham.

Speakers have been told to avoid politics altogether.

Yeah OK. Folks all this is a lame attempt to get some of the Religious vote in the General election for the Democrat side. Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Charles Grassley of Iowa are there to simply say that this is NOT political. But we all know it is.

Unity remains a tough challenge for Baptists, however. Leaders of the politically and theologically conservative Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the largest US Protestant denomination, at 16 million members, are not participating, though pastors and members may do so.

“What those who are calling the meeting are clearly trying to do is to rebrand the Baptist identity in direct contrast to the SBC and other more conservative groups,” says R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, an SBC leader.

He says there are clear theological and moral issues that churches should deal with, and he questions whether they can do so without causing division.

“Whether they'll be able to come out of this with any substance and with a movement rather than just a meeting remains to be seen,” Dr. Mohler adds.

The movement they are trying to get moving it NOT for the core message of Salvation. But Political. They have no real desire to see unity. If so, they would have to denounce a lot of what they believe in. They would have to denounce what caused the division to begin with. They just will not do that.

Conservatives in power since '80sSince conservatives took over SBC leadership in the 1980s and insisted on conformity to a strict “biblical faithfulness,” numerous churches have split off from the denomination and created at least two other entities, which are both participating in this week's meeting. Some state conventions have divided as well.

In 2000, the SBC approved a new confessional statement that, among other points, disallowed women pastors and called on wives to be submissive to their husbands.

More twisted rhetoric to create more division. I’ll talk about how this happens in a second.

Carter, a longtime SBC leader, and his wife publicly renounced membership in the wake of that stance, a step he terms somewhat presumptuous since only congregations are members. He had tried for some time to reconcile conservatives and moderates, but to no avail.

Because what is right, is right, and what is wrong is wrong. It does not change with society. What was Sin, is Sin and will kill you quicker today at that.

“In this country saturated with religion, there's a great struggle over what it means to be religious and particularly to be Christian,” says Dr. Gushee, who teaches Christian ethics. “There's a clash in visions between what the SBC leadership says it means to be Baptist and what this large group of other Baptists is projecting it to mean.”

Man-made traditions. Nothing to do with God.

Another trend that helped spur the New Baptist Covenant is the “softening” of denominational identity.

The dynamic growth in nondenominational megachurches has wooed people away from both black and white congregations, says Bill Leonard, dean and professor of church history at Wake Forest University Divinity School in Winston-Salem, N.C.

The answer is CLEAR. The growth in nondenominational megachurches is for this very reason. I go to a nondenominational church, when time allows. They care about who you are, not WHAT you are. They care about where you are going, not where you are from. They talk about the things of the Spirit, they leave the things of the flesh at the door. They teach the truth of God, not the traditions of men. Politics? Vote for who you want. They do not care. Their view is simple, without Salvation and a one on one relationship with God, NOTHING else matters.

That concern, together with the disaffection of many young people, “has Baptists asking, 'What does it mean to use the B word?'” says Dr. Leonard. “How do we think together about that and pass on that identity ... to a new generation?”

They are asking how do we win them back? That concern? Why not try teaching them the truth LIKE the nondenominational churches are? Why is this a concern? Could it be that they are more concerned with, oh I don’t know, MONEY, than they are about teaching the truth? Just a thought.

Many students even in Baptist colleges find the Baptist label problematic because they associate it with hard-right politics and intolerance, Gushee says. “We need a Christ-centered vision ... that is full of love; that's about what we are for, not what we are against.”

“Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Kumbaya my lord, kumbaya
Oh lord, kumbaya”

Organizers of the New Baptist Covenant have made strong efforts to bring college and seminary students to this week's meeting, during which Leonard will teach a course on “A New Baptist Identity for the 21st Century,” giving the youths a voice in defining that future.

THERE IS NO NEED Just teach them the TRUTH. Cut out all the man-made junk, and teach the truth. The Truth NEVER changes. Man-made traditions DO. As a matter of fact.

22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

23And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Romans 1

OK. It really is this simple. I start a Religion, as to not offend or pick on any one Religion, and put forth commandments. I set up rules and regulations. I say “This is the way you live.” I acquire a major following of Carlockians. Later on down the road, long after my death, someone in the Carlockian religion decides they do not like this or that. They start talking to others and convince them that this or that is just wrong. It does not fit the times so they leave the Carlockian Religion. However, they like most of it, so they become Petetites.

Then, years go by, most likely with these two groups battling it out, another group start looking at this whole thing and say, well, we like some of that, and we like some of this, but not really all of either, so we will not leave both and become Petcardians. ETC. So on, so forth it goes.

But if you really look into this whole mess, you will find that the “truth” of what I said back then, is STILL what I said. Man over the years have done nothing but complicate a simple message, changed it, and made it something that it was never intended to be.

FAITH in God, most times, has NOTHING to do with organized religion. As a Matter of fact, in some cases, organized religion has nothing to do with God. I just find that truly sad.
Peter

Source:
CSM - Spurred by Carter, some Baptists meet to build bigger tent