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Author: Richard Shiningthunder Francis
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 0738841536
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 426
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Book Description
Author: Richard Shiningthunder Francis
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 0738841536
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 426
Get Book Here
Book Description
Author: Love Ministries, Inc.
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1469112949
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 426
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Book Description
Richard Shining Thunder Francis was born March 1, 1952. When he was four, his family converted to the Jehovah's Witness cult, and he now describes this as "the most important and educational event in my life." He says, "Being a Witness until I was in my early twenties taught me many crucial core-lessons about religion and psychology. It is helpful to observe people operating erroneously, in order more directly to clarify, by contrast, a better way of life." When he was about twenty, Francis experienced a series of rapid, dynamic, radical shifts into an entirely new area of consciousness. In this state, he felt suffused by a Love so bottomless, so tranquil, so compassionate, and so omnipresent that it changed his life forever. After this illumination, he came to reject the image of God as jealous, violent, psychotic, or angry. He turned away from the ancient vision of God as a tribal war-god, who "belonged" only to his "chosen people". Francis rejected the idea of "Armageddon"-- the belief that God, very soon, is going to massacre the entire human race, except those who have joined the cult. "No more anti-human doctrine can be imagined. Jehovah will make Hitler's concentration-camps look like Sunday picnics in the park," notes Francis. He came to believe, by contrast, that God was Love itself, and that Love was God. Out of love and compassion for others, he wrote down his experiences and thoughts in a book, Jehovah Lives in Brooklyn: Jehovah's Witnesses as a Model of Fundamentalism. His wish: that his book can help others avoid the "black hole" of falling into a mind-controlling minority-religion, where they will waste much time and energy, and lose other valuable and precious components of their lives. "Joining such a group is dangerous to your mind," says Francis. "In the longer term, it can destroy your most prized friendships, and tear apart even your family. I've seen it happen over and over again." Francis does not hate Jehovah's Witnesses, nor does he take a common route of trying to beat them to death with the Bible. He is unconcerned with "disproving" their technical dogmas, and "proving" alternatives. Instead, he takes an overall psychosocial view of the cult, analyzing how behavioral and psychological changes transform one from a functional, independent man or woman into a servant to an international publishing empire-- all in the name of God. Jehovah's Witnesses distribute many books and magazines recycling their dogma and propaganda as part of their "worship." He reveals many "secrets" known only to members. For example, he notes that the Witnesses are so zealous in their sales-work because they really believe that God will kill them and their families if they do not sell the books and magazines written and published by the JW Organization. This is only one example of stunning revelations. He also describes how Jehovah's Witness converts come to believe in a world similar to that of the Middle Ages, where psychological and other problems are literally believed to be caused by "evil spirits." He discusses the place of such rabid superstitions among the Witnesses, and details his own liberation from such radical misperceptions. Unlike other authors, Francis has no "alternative religion" to which he wishes desperately to "convert" his readers. Francis himself "belongs" to no organized religion. He says, "The alternative to the cult-psychology of these groups is not found in the 'frying pan into the fire' strategy of joining another cult or restrictive religion. The alternative that really works is freedom. This is simple: It is just learning to live a good life, a life of compassion, service, friendship, and good works. It is the real and regular practice of Love that can liberate people. It is spirituality. Spirituality is what you do on the inside, while religion is merely what you do on the outside." Spirituality, Francis believes, is not just the memorization of texts, Scriptures, doctrines, or dogmas. "Spirituality is Love in action," Francis says. "Spirituality is service to the needy, kindness extended to others. It is also genuine friendship, a rare and precious component of life. This is not found among the Witnesses, for they will recognize as "friend" only those who closely and meticulously conform to the rules of the Organization." They have taken this idea so far that they now regard "independent thinking" as "dangerous," and possibly even sinful. "The Way of Love," says Francis, "does not follow the ideas of legalism-- that if you only obey mechanical laws, and embrace certain intellectual ideas, you will somehow 'automatically' find salvation. Salvation is actually quite a bit simpler than all that. The Way of Love states that the real value of any person's life is found in the quantity and quality of the Love which she has expressed." The idea that you can create or earn Love contradicts that it is a free gift, given willingly by a loving God. We are saved, not because of what we do, or who we are, but because God has chosen to save us, to love us unconditionally. So, Love is also salvation. Finding Love is finding grace, a condition of stainless and pristine being. By contrast, Francis points out, "The Witnesses feel that they must 'wrest salvation from the hands of a miserly and unwilling god'. Their god tolerates people, but does not actively love them. He does not rejoice in their presence. His royal dignity prohibits that. That is one of the sad consequences of viewing your god as a literal 'king' rather than choosing to embrace God as intimate friend." ******** Leaving a restrictive and controlling religion is never easy. Francis now works as an "exit counselor," which means that it is one of his specialties to aid people to recover from the cult-experience, which always leaves deep, but not necessarily harmful, scars. "The healing begins by a shift in perspective," he says. "Instead of seeing yourself as having lost friends and social stability, try to see the larger and more realistic perspective: You have actually rejoined the human race. You have gained countless potential friends, and no longer have to interrogate yourself--or them-- to determine whether or not they are 'acceptable.' Instead, for the first time, you have a joyful opportunity to open wide your heart, and arms, and to embrace ordinary people-- yes, including people even of other faiths." To the average person, this is quite ordinary. But to the ex-Jehovah's Witness, making a friend from an ordinary neighbor is an astonishing, mind-rocking feat. For JW internal society is meticulously structured to be totally isolated and insulated from all non-JW contacts, as it is taught that contact with ordinary people will "contaminate," corrupt, or spoil the believer's "purity." Actually, too much contact with normal people inevitably results in the Witness' exit from the Organization, as it results in a "normalization" process. The leaders seem terrified of "bad association," which they define as anyone, particularly any educated person-- who is outside the Organization. They continuously bombard members with horror-stories and veiled threats of "Jehovah's vengeance" against "evil-doers," including any member who has the audacity to have non-JW friends or associates. They view the world as one views a population infected with plague-- as disgusting, doomed, and dangerous. &nbs
Author: Vincent DiLoreto
Publisher: Fulton Books, Inc.
ISBN: 1639850759
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 360
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Book Description
The mantra of "dine, wine, and travel" is the framework for this memoir. Vincent DiLoreto had two professional careers: retiring from the first after twenty years as an officer in military service and retiring from the second after another twenty years in the Aerospace and Defense industry where he ultimately served as president of a high-tech company. However, after his retirement, he transitioned to his soul-searing, unbridled passion for gourmet food and fine wine. He pursued formal training as a chef and a sommelier. Extensive world travel enriched his exposure to exotic cuisine and uncommon wine. His wife of over fifty years, Donna Lee, has enthusiastically shared and contributed to his passion to "dine, wine, and travel." Share their lifetime adventure in Plated Ecstasy.
Author: Charles de Bernard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : French fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 376
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Book Description
Author: Deacon Albert Graham
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
ISBN: 1698712693
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 754
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Book Description
The reader will be appraised of how God has been speaking to His people through public and private revelation for over 2000 years. A special chapter in this work deals with some saints and holy people who have had private revelations about or visits from souls in purgatory, hell or heaven. Another chapter and several of the appendixes are devoted to Marian Apparitions to include those that are approved, not approved and those appending a decision by the Church. By far one of the greatest strengths of this undertaking is the identification of some 43 categories of concomitant extraordinary phenomena and some of the saints and holy people who have experienced them. Color paintings by artists are depicted of some saints experiencing such mystical phenomena. Another unique feature of the book is a listing of some 600 individuals from the 13th to the 21st centuries who bore the stigmata. By knowing that God is present and alive to His people this book may help bring others to a deeper faith in God.
Author: Monthly literary register
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 694
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Book Description
Author: Stanley J. Rabinowitz
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190943394
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 297
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Book Description
Presenting for the first time Akim Volynsky's (1861-1926) pre-balletic writings on Leonardo da Vinci, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Otto Weininger, and on such illustrious personalities as Zinaida Gippius, Ida Rubinstein, and Lou Andreas-Salome, And Then Came Dance provides new insight into the origins of Volynsky's life-altering journey to become Russia's foremost ballet critic. A man for whom the realm of art was largely female in form and whose all-encompassing image of woman constituted the crux of his aesthetic contemplation that crossed over into the personal and libidinal, Volynsky looks ahead to another Petersburg-bred high priest of classical dance, George Balanchine. With an undeniable proclivity toward ballet's female component, Volynsky's dance writings, illuminated by examples of his earlier gendered criticism, invite speculation on how truly ground-breaking and forward-looking this critic is.
Author: Deacon Albert E. Graham
Publisher: Trafford Publishing
ISBN: 1698714947
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 559
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Book Description
Whether you are an atheist, an agnostic or a true believer and disciple of Jesus Christ, you will be mystified at what you learn from The Stigmata. The Stigmata examines such other worldly phenomena, one could liken it to a spiritual X-files episode. Christ’s death and resurrection was not the end, but the beginning for us all. Jesus’ agonizing suffering, sacrifice and surrender of his own life opened the gates of heaven to all those willing to follow Him. The stigmatics serve as an earthly human reminder of the Divine Jesus’ obedient, holy and sacrificial offering to us. The Stigmata is a compilation of some 657 individuals from the 13th to the 21st centuries who have incomprehensibly borne the wounds suffered by Christ. The Stigmata discusses many of the stigmatics in biographical detail. Some stigmatics are recognized saints, such as St. Padre Pio and St. Therese Neumann. Sainted or not, all stigmatics suffer in some way like Christ, bearing evidence of nail piercings to the hands and feet, the crown of thorns and sword laceration near the heart. Have there been fraudulent stigmatics? Yes, and The Stigmata discusses the fakes, separating them like wheat from chaff. Aside from the painful and bloody wounds these individuals suffer, many stigmatics exhibit other miraculous mysteries, from levitation and bi-location to reading of souls and other human impossibilities. The pain the stigmatics have endured is real, the phenomena they’ve experienced is mystical and their complete impact on the world is known only to God.
Author: Jonn Mumford
Publisher: Llewellyn Worldwide
ISBN: 0738770388
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 176
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Book Description
Achieve Cosmic Consciousness through Sexual Ecstasy This hardcover edition of an influential classic provides sexual techniques and positions for ritual intercourse that will flood you with physical ecstasy and activate expanded states of consciousness. These Tantric practices not only teach you how to build sexual love and passion to an amazing peak, but also how to push your mind even higher to reach transcendental bliss. With more than forty years of experience, Dr. Jonn Mumford helps you bring holiness and magick into your sexual relationship. This book skillfully interweaves theory and practice so you can understand why you are doing each exercise as you learn potent techniques. Discover the God/Goddess as incarnate in your beloved and experience the same divinity within yourself through physical and spiritual union. Learn how to engage in the Asanas of Love and use a powerful technique known as the Rite of Naked Fire. Featuring a new introduction and a wealth of illustrations and photographs, this book reveals the secrets of erotic mysticism.
Author: Margot Anand
Publisher: Harmony
ISBN: 0804154031
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 253
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Book Description
"Ecstasy is about waking up and finding that you are in love with life." Most people think of ecstasy in terms of sexual ecstasy, which Tantric sex expert Margot Anand wrote about in her bestselling The Art of Sexual Ecstasy. Now, in The Art of Everyday Ecstasy, Anand expands our definition of ecstasy and shows how we can harness its energy to help us live, work, and love more passionately, joyfully, and with true spiritual focus. Our modern, work-obsessed, stress-filled culture--what Anand calls the "anti-ecstatic conspiracy"--has dulled our spirits, thrown us off balance, and alienated us from meaningful everyday experiences. In this inspirational journey toward finding the healing nature of ecstasy, Anand explains how the two types of ecstatic experiences--the moments of epiphany called Ecstatic Awakenings, and EveryDay Ecstasy, or the Ecstasy of Flow, a connection to our power and inner wisdom--can help us move beyond pain and doubt to reach our highest potential. Based on the spiritual path of Tantra, Anand shows how to use the natural energy system of our bodies--the seven chakras--as a map to ecstasy. As she guides us through the chakras, she explains how each one plays an important role in transforming energy into erotic passion, healing, empowerment, compassion, creativity, insight, and gratitude. Blocked chakras manifest themselves in surprising ways; wholeness can be achieved only when all of the chakras are open with energy flowing freely. By transforming negative behavioral patterns into positive ones and strengthening ourselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually, we can improve our health, sex life, career, relationships, and find profound meaning in everyday moments. With personal anecdotes, exercises, meditations, and rituals, The Art of Everyday Ecstasy shows us how to bring ecstatic energy into the body, mind, heart, and spirit--"to embrace every moment in our totality, to respond bodily, feel from the heart, perceive with clarity, and be fully present to others and to life."
