May 31, 2006

pat robertson is NOT a christian

not even the most broad definition of "christian" can describe pat.

bit of history ... back in the mid-90's i was channel surfing and ended up on the 700 club ... something my parents watched all the time ... and still do, i suspect they are life-time members of the 700 club. well, i saw this report given by him on the 700 club, he was calling for a pre-emptive strike on north korea. he claimed that we had "intelligence" and showed an aerial photo of something claiming to be a "nuclear bomb plant" ... anyway, i was so mortified that i was hearing this from a "christian leader" that i had to write a letter and copy it to my parents. well, that was my first and last letter to pat robertson, founder of the 700 club and "christian" broadcast network. but, every now and then, i check in on pat and the 700 club, and cbn ... now i do it through their web site, because i cannot watch anything produced by that organization without getting really, really, really angry and/or depressed.

soooooooo .... on pat's blog this week ... his advice on "how to handle a bully" ...

"Q: My ten-year-old son saw a bully harassing a girl in his class. He was so upset that he came up behind the bully and tripped him. The principal called me and said even though my son did a brave thing, he still had to be suspended. I’ve taught my son to stick up for other people. Do you think my son did the right thing in helping the girl, and what’s the best way to handle a bully?

A: Your son did the right thing. The principal is wrong. I don’t want to encourage kids to beat up on each other, but in that one, let that bully know what it feels like to have somebody going after him. I know that sounds hard, but it’s true. We’re supposed to lift the yoke of oppression. Read Isaiah 58. That’s the yoke of oppression. This poor little girl was being oppressed by a bully, and your son did the right thing."

INTERESTING ... pat invokes a passage from the old testament to deal with the issues of bullies saying, 'yeah, do what the bully does back to him,' rather than what jesus taught in matthew 5:38-39, which is "stand up to the bully eye-to-eye and say, 'you want to hit me ... here, go ahead.'" and then, turn the other cheek to him so that you give him the cheek that resists him and his evil ways. i read an article in the early 90's and thanks to the internet, you can read it too ... it was in yes! magazine.

THIS IS WHAT CHRISTIANITY IS TO ME ... "can love save the world" by walter wink. The following is a passage from the article, and i encourage anyone who agrees with pat to read this entire article as linked above ... but this should have been, in my opinion, a "christian leaders" response to such a question ....

"Nevertheless, I agree with Mr. Kelly that pacifism must go. It is endlessly confused with passivity. In the nations in which Christianity has predominated, Jesus’ teaching on nonviolence has been perverted into injunctions to passive nonresistance, which, as we shall see, is the very opposite of active nonviolence. Jesus had said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your outer garment, give your undergarment as well; and if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, go two” (Matthew 5:38-41). As it stands, this saying seems to counsel supine surrender. If you are a woman and you are struck by your spouse on one cheek, turn the other; let him pulverize you. If you are sued for a piece of clothing, give all your clothes voluntarily, as an act of pious renunciation. And if a Roman soldier forces you to carry his pack one mile, be a chump: carry it two. And the crowning blow: don’t resist evil at all.

For centuries, readers of this advice have instinctively known something was wrong with this picture. Jesus always resisted evil. Why would he tell us to behave in ways he himself refused? And that’s where the trouble starts. The Greek word translated as “resist” (antistenai), is literally “to stand (stenai) against (anti).” The term is taken from warfare. When two armies collide, they were said to “stand against” each other. The correct translation is given in the new Scholars Bible: “Don’t react violently against the one who is evil.” The meaning is clear: don’t react in kind, don’t mirror your enemy, don’t turn into the very thing you hate. Jesus is not telling us not to resist evil, but only not to resist it violently."


so, you can choose too ... what does it mean to you to be a christian ... can you be a violent person or support a violent policy and still claim you are following jesus and are a 'christian' ... or is there a new definition of christian that does not include the teachings of jesus? and if you are a christian based on that new definition, your faith is based on an idol.

i propose that TBN, trinity broadcast network -- the world's largest christian network -- and a network i can watch and sometimes actually be uplifted and encouraged ... remove pat robertson and the 700 club from the programming immediately. if you agree, give them your thoughts ... here ...

This is what I wrote to them ...

"PLEASE, remove The 700 Club from your programming. That show misleads people on what Christianity is and its values include war, violence and deception. Pat Robertson is not a "Christian" leader we should be listening too. Thank you."

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

... the missing cross

have you noticed the remarkable absense of the cross or crucifix in most of these 'christian' churches ...

i mean ... have you noticed, say lakewood church in texas ... used to be john osteen's church, now ran by his son joel ... not a cross in sight, but the flags of all the nation-states they choose to recognize are there.

or creflo dollar, joyce meyers, kenny copeland or even on cbn.com ... do you see a single cross ... not that i care for the imagery as i'm more into the resurrection aspect of christianity, but the cross is the pre-cursor to the resurrection ...

i guess no one wants to be reminded that if you are following jesus, it means you are willing to sacrifice everything ... even that hummer in the parking lot or the latte on sunday mornings ...

the 'christian' church sure seems to be a lot about 'personal power', 'investing for financial success, 'health and fitness' ... that's cbn.com, and have you listened to most televanglist these days ... selling tony robbin's personal power using some verses that morph the teachings of jesus into this 'you can have it all ... you deserve it all ... you need to take it all' psycho-babble. no spirituality ... well, yes, they use spiritual principles but without spiritual intent, you have classic idolotry. i mean, do the people do it because they want to give their new H3 to serve the lord ... really. than, why do we have so many amazing vehicles locked up behind gates with security officers and homeless people sleeping on their doorsteps when "worship" is not in session?

i love that on cbn.com, they talk about going to the gathering of mormons to "outreach" and teach other religions about christianity because ... "th[e] religions [is] based on idolotry."

"We are not going to rip into all these religions. We are going to educate Christians on what they are about, because all of these religions have their roots in idolatry," [Ray] Comfort[, an evangelist and author of more than 40 books] said. "I mean they have a wrong concept of God and (the followers) all think they can make their own way to heaven."

don't they remember what jesus said to peter at the end of the book of john when jesus asked if he loved him, and of course, peter (the church) could only muster a "yeah, yeah, i love you already ... but what about that guy," the christian church claims love and adoration and worship of jesus, but in truth all they can muster is a shallow bid at love while they worry about what everyone else is or isn't doing ... not too strange that the church which was built on peter acts this way ...

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

check out my new my space group .... linked over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>

May 29, 2006

... the night brings hope via anton ...

a big thanks to anton (deliberate industries link to the right ... yeah, that one over there) >>>>

for the introduction to derek webb ... go to his web site if you have a spiritual bone in your body that happens to be an american one as well ... do it for the veterans on memorial day!

here's the lyrics to one of his songs ... you probably can surmise why i am thankful this evening for a nice young man living in dallas, texas ...



A New Law

(vs. 1)
don’t teach me about politics and government
just tell me who to vote for
don’t teach me about truth and beauty
just label my music

don’t teach me how to live like a free man
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus)
i don’t wanna know if the answers aren’t easy
so just bring it down from the mountain to me

(chorus)
i want a new law
i want a new law
gimme that new law

(vs. 2)
don’t teach me about moderation and liberty
i prefer a shot of grape juice

don’t teach me about loving my enemies

don’t teach me how to listen to the Spirit
just give me a new law

(pre-chorus/chorus)
(bridge)
what’s the use in trading a law you can never keep
for one you can that cannot get you anything
do not be afraid
do not be afraid
do not be afraid



peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

May 28, 2006

the pope in auschwitz

well, it wasn't on yahoo! headline news and i wouldn't have found it except for this catholic mom in hawaii's blog i happened to surf onto this evening ...

the pontiff asked why god was silent ... is this guy depressing or what. here's an amazing opportunity to look at state-sanctioned terrorism and he asked why god was silent ...

god was anything but silent ...

god gave us choice ... then god gave us 10 commandments ... then came jesus ... i don't think god was silent at all on the issue.

humans know what is right and what is wrong ... we make the choice ...

the question is not why god was silent, but why we did not listen ...

just as we do not listen today ...

jesus is just an idol to have ...

not the way to follow ...

but i do agree with the pontiff ... in this prayer (as amended) ...

"Let us cry out to God," he added, "that [God] may draw men and women to [change] and help them to see that violence does not bring peace, but only generates more violence -- a morass of devastation in which everyone is ultimately the loser."

to those who died for reasons other than this president sent you to die ... i honor you ... for those who lost a part of their life or died to protect the principles of this nation, i thank you. for those in service now, i fight for you to return quickly and safely with my voice ...

my god is not silent ...

nor am i ...

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'


this is the complete article .... from zenit, the catholic news agency.

"In a Place Like This, Words Fail"

KRAKOW, Poland, MAY 28, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI visited the site of the Auschwitz concentration camp today, a stop he personally wished to include in his pilgrimage in Poland.

"To speak in this place of horror, in this place where unprecedented mass crimes were committed against God and man, is almost impossible -- and it is particularly difficult and troubling for a Christian, for a Pope from Germany," the Holy Father said today as he began his address.

"In a place like this, words fail," he said. "In the end, there can only be a dread silence -- a silence which is itself a heartfelt cry to God: Why, Lord, did you remain silent? How could you tolerate all this?"

"I come here today as a son of the German people," Benedict XVI said. "For this very reason, I can and must echo [John Paul II's] words: I could not fail to come here. I had to come.

"It is a duty before the truth and the just due of all who suffered here, a duty before God, for me to come here as the successor of Pope John Paul II and as a son of the German people -- a son of that people over which a ring of criminals rose to power by false promises of future greatness and the recovery of the nation's honor, prominence and prosperity, but also through terror and intimidation, with the result that our people was used and abused as an instrument of their thirst for destruction and power."

"Yes, I could not fail to come here," the Holy Father exclaimed.

Personal preference

Like those who were deported to the camp years ago, he was able to read the words over the gate, written in his native German, "Arbeit Macht Frei" (Work liberates).

Vatican spokesman Joaquín Navarro Valls confirmed on Saturday that it was a visit that Benedict XVI personally included on his agenda for his time in Poland.

After visiting the places of horror in silence, praying for a long while and speaking to survivors of the wartime extermination camp, the Holy Father delivered his address with a somewhat hoarse voice.

"Where was God in those days? Why was he silent?" the Pontiff asked.

"We cannot peer into God's mysterious plan -- we see only piecemeal, and we would be wrong to set ourselves up as judges of God and history," he noted.

"And our cry to God must also be a cry that pierces our very heart, a cry that awakens within us God's hidden presence -- so that his power, the power he has planted in our hearts, will not be buried or choked within us by the mire of selfishness, pusillanimity, indifference or opportunism," Benedict XVI warned.

Forces of darkness

"Let us cry out to God, with all our hearts, at the present hour, when new misfortunes befall us, when all the forces of darkness seem to issue anew from human hearts: whether it is the abuse of God's name as a means of justifying senseless violence against innocent persons, or the cynicism which refuses to acknowledge God and ridicules faith in him," the Pope continued.

"Let us cry out to God," he added, "that he may draw men and women to conversion and help them to see that violence does not bring peace, but only generates more violence -- a morass of devastation in which everyone is ultimately the loser."

After leaving the concentration camp, the Holy Father went by car to the Krakow/Balice airport, where the farewell ceremony took place, attended by Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

ZE06052817

May 17, 2006

Pry Me Off Dead Center

a prayer/poem that reminds me everyday how jesus taught us to live ...

Pry Me Off Dead Center

O persistent God,
deliver me from assuming your mercy is gentle.
Pressure me that I may grow more human,
not through the lessening of my struggles,
but through an expansion of them
that will undamn me
and unbury my gifts
Deepen my hurt
until I learn to share it
and myself
openly,
and my needs honestly.
Sharpen my fears
until I name them
and release the power I have locked in them
and they in me.
Accentuate my confusion
until I shed those grandiose expectations
that divert me from the small, glad gifts
of the now and the here and the me.
Expose my shame where it shivers,
crouched behind the curtains of propriety,
until I can laugh at last
through my common frailties and failures,
laugh my way toward becoming whole.
Deliver me
from just going through the motions
and wasting everything I have
which is today,
a chance
a choice
my creativity,
your call.
O, persistent God,
let how much it all matters
pry me off dead center
so if I am moved inside
to tears
or sighs
or screams
or smiles
or dreams,
they will be real
and I will be in touch with whom I am
and who you are
and who my sisters and brothers are.

--author unknown, but likely Rev. Robert ("Bob") Miller who gave me this poem


peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

May 16, 2006

... a mother acting ...

well, today's Yahoo! headlines just made me do it ....

Bush to Send Up to 6,000 Troops to Border


a new blog ... i titled it "i am a free american".

it is my version of the declaration of indendence ... because it is time to free myself from the power mr. bush can exercise over me.

because, in word and in action, I LOVE MY NEIGHBOR as jesus taught me to.

i DO NOT put an armed guard on my property line ...

this is not political, this is spiritual.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

May 14, 2006

happy mother's day ...

now act like it ...

act like every child is your's, because they are ...

act like every person is a child, because they are ...

act like every one is an orphan, because they are ...

act like you are a mother, because you are ...

act like the earth, because you are ...

act like a woman, because you are ...

actions speak louder than words.

happy mother's day ...

now live it ...

everyday!

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

May 12, 2006

control issues ...

the christian church is full of them.

bear in mind that MOST CHURCH LEADERS have not studied what jesus studied before he started teaching. if they have been through a seminary or other formalized training, they study very limited interpretations of what other people claim he taught; and most only learn a doctrine of belief and its history only.

i imagine, because i post with my name 'business voodoo' most of my comments are not allowed on most 'christian' blogs, etc. in fact, i wonder every time i bother to interact with them, if they don't just dismiss me immediately because of my name, 'business voodoo' ... even though i sign each comment with my real name, 'elaine.' i've been monitoring several blogs of 'pastors' of 'churches' just to see what is going on in america's churches.

my biggest question is ... what are they afraid of ... sometimes i totally agree with them, sometimes i don't.

why is a different opinion such a problem.

control ... is what they want. they want you to believe them only, because if you are dependent on them to think for you, you will pay them at least 10% of your money. an important thing these days.

and the bigger picture: if we can embrace our differences, well, perhaps we can actually love our neighbor -- we can have community wherever we go and no longer need churches to create a 'community' for us.

if we can embrace our differences, well, then, we can't bomb our neighbor, can we? and then, well, our entire economy collapses.

so, my different opinion from the 'christian churches' and their pastor's blogs is usually left out ...
so, in the future, i've decided to POINT OUT THOSE WHO ARE AFRAID TO HEAR DIFFERENT OPINIONS ...

my advice ... don't go to a church where you have to adjust to THEIR WAY OF THINKING OR UNDERSTANDING 'THE TRUTH' ...

jesus said "I AM" is the truth ... what is "I AM" ? "I AM" is a old concept taken from ancient scriptures ... predating jewish traditions and the pharohs -- the source of most of jesus' teaching. "I AM" is the source within each human being that is connected to god. only you can bring the "I AM" into this world in your unique and individualized way -- that was god's plan. a world full of individuals fully embodying their "I AM" ... collectively creating the truth.

a church should welcome everyone and love everyone the same. if they are not doing that, jesus is just an idol to them. stay away from it. in fact, run away and don't look back!

peace & harmony,
elaine
"freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

May 11, 2006

EXTRA, EXTRA ... read all about it ...

"Congress Demands Phone Records Answers"

taken from Yahoo! News off the AP wire 48 minutes ago .... click HERE to read the entire article.

'Facing intense criticism from Congress, President Bush did not confirm the work of the National Security Agency but sought to assure Americans that their privacy is being "fiercely protected." "We're not mining or trolling through the personal lives of millions of innocent Americans," Bush said.'

* * * * * * * *

'fiercely protecting little old me ... my privacy?' from what? what are we sooooooo afraid of? 'i give you not a spirit of fear, but one of love ... and a sound mind' to boot. i do not believe when mr. bush says 'we are not ...' anything.

and, just exactly what is 'mining' and 'trolling'? and if you are not doing it, why are you not like me and not know the jargon of people who do that for a living?

am i really worried about another terrorist attack? no, i'm not.

why not? you ask ...

because i know if one is coming, its coming. if its not, its not. worry changes nothing, it only causes cancer.

as for terrorist attacks ... i think we experience them every single day of our life ... they are on our local news, they are in our movie theaters, they are on the streets in the most urban, over populated cities as well as the smallest farm town in america. we do not need someone to come from another country to terrorize us, we do a good job of doing it to each other.

so, in fact, we are already reaping what we are sowing.

in fact, i believe terror and violence, next to our entertainment industry, is our biggest export.

but ... what can i do about it? i'm teaching myself and my child how to receive the terror, the violence, the hate and transform it into love and kindness. i keep her, for the moment, isolated from anyone claiming to follow jesus who thinks this war thing is a 'righteous' thing. it is murder ... that's all bombs and guns are created for ... killing other human beings and god's creation.

someone has to stop the cycle of terror and violence, why not me ... isn't that what jesus taught ... that i was to be the sacrifice? oh, such a big sacrifice walking the path of peace and love ...... is it really such a challenge? somedays are easier than others.

message to mr. bush: there once was a man named saul ... saul used to murder human beings too. then something changed ... it can happen to you and me too.

time for some new choices not based on deception.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape'

May 05, 2006

jews for jesus

wow ... met one of those tonight ...
don't ever have to do that again.

at the monthly street art festival, my daughter and i sitting on a curb eating a hotdog ... we saw them walking around ... they had these t-shirts on "JEWS FOR JESUS." me, i was armed with my "Who Would Jesus Bomb Button", as always.

so we were chilling and eating and mostly people were ignoring us, but i caught this woman's eye so she walked over to us to hand us a pamphlet ...

having my hands full of hotdogs, i just looked at her and asked her what it was about ...

'jesus can save your life ...' oh really, i thought. i asked her, 'so, how do you feel about the israeli bombing last night?'

'what bombing?' she asked.

'israel bombed palestine last night.' i replied.

'palestine is not a country.' was her answer.

'thank you,' i said, 'i don't need that.'

'god loves you,' she said over her shoulder as she walked away, 'jesus died for you.'

i just replied, 'god loves everyone and jesus died for himself.' but i must admit that i was PISSED OFF at her and my remark was more catty than informative, and definitely not filled with the love, peace or harmony i wished to exhibit in this world. BUT JUST SOMETIMES IT JUST MAKES ME SO ANGRY HOW THEY RESPOND WITH THESE 'STOCK ANSWERS' ... not even knowing what they are saying or what they mean ... as if the people who died from the bombing cared whether or not we recognized the validity of their nation-state ....

i sat perplexed at that for a moment and the let it go off into the ether as the dj shifted the music and lifted the beat and the harmony to a different key, i finished my hot dog, and said a silent prayer for those who died and those who killed ... then i went and danced with my little one down the street in the opposite direction.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to stay in shape!'

THIS is what jesus would do ...

if you haven't seen it yet ...




see the entire video at crooks and liars.

this man is not only extremely talented, but courageous

stephen colbert ... a voice for this 'american'

... reminded me of the story of when jesus spoke up for the prostitute they wanted to stone ...

speaking obvious truth to those who twist it for their own agendas ...

i am very proud of him.

peace & harmony,
elaine
'freedom must be exercised to create a new reality!'

May 01, 2006

the rooster

perhaps the rooster will soon sound the coming of the day
the day when the denial will be gone
the day when the church decides to follow
the day when the church decide to lead
the day when the church choose to be
the love that comes from Me

perhaps the rooster will soon sound the dawn
when the rock will be washed away
gone with all the insecurities of the man
leaving only My love written in the sand
the dawn when the bride can see
the truth the stone once entombed

perhaps the rooster will soon sound the morning
after the betrayal of the one we love
remembering once more I gave you the power
to love like never before
to forgive like no one has ever seen
to endure the suffering of lifetimes

perhaps the rooster has already spoken
and you are still asleep
waiting for someone to save you
from the darkness that you keep
from the separation that you build
from the fear of what I see

perhaps the rooster has already spoken
and your shame has been forgiven
the mistake has been forgotten
and now, your choice to repent begins
the path of love and acceptance of all
to rebirth a life
that does not deny My way
always means surrender

perhaps the rooster has already spoken
and the night returns
and the battle is at hand
when they ask again, and again, and again
can you give a different answer
that does not deny the way, the truth and the life
never means war

perhaps the rooster has gone away
its done its job and we missed the day
lost in your need to be secure
you lost the Lord you claim to love
your minds may never receive
the truth I shared
through all the excuses and designs of man

perhaps the rooster has gone home
to wait for another people, another day
for your love cannot yet be seen
in the darkness of hate
your decisions create
behind the eyes of other fearful men

perhaps the rooster is dead
and a new one is to come
for a people in the wilderness
those reborn without a book to follow
just living in a land of promise
that love is the way, the truth and the life
is no longer denied
this is the home where I will return

peace & harmony,
elaine
04/07/05 6:07 a.m./6:38 a.m.