MarkostheGnostic said:

I just heard about the new book Angelology: A Novel by Danielle Trussoni, but yesterday I received a remainder book, hardcover, from Edward R. Hamilton, Bookseller, called
The Dark Sacrament: True Stories of Modern-day Possession and Exorcism by David M. Kiely & Christina McKenna. It's interesting how I am more likely to think that reports of the demonic are more likely than reports of the angelic, although, I must confess, that I have had experiences which parallel written reports of both phenomena.

Once upon a time, I thought that the true psychological story entitled Sybil by Flora Rheta Schreiber was the scariest book I'd ever read. Then, I discovered Hostage to the Devil:The Possession and Exorcism of Five Contemporary Americans by Malachi Martin. Now THAT was a scary read! I had to re-evaluate what I then believed about 'evil,' whether it the Privatio Boni theory (Absence of Goodness) was sufficient to explain what then seemed like the existence of infernal intelligence in the universe. Demons, devils, and a 'Master' consciousness, a Qlippothic realm - Hell. Malachi Martin's last name was used in the 1971 hit book/film The Exorcist, where the character became Father Marin. The Exorcist was based on Martin's book. Before Martin died, he apprenticed well known, well published psychiatrist, M. Scott Peck, to carry on his work.

Peck died in 2005 after publishing Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist's personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption. I read this too, and there is another paperback waiting for me which I scarfed up years ago (I go through phases), called American Exorcism: Expelling Demons in the Land of Plenty by Michael W. Cuneo. All of these books are cited in the one I'm reading, and Lo! I discovered a book only 1/3 read through on my shelf: Speaking With the Devil by Carl Goldberg. I suppose the last one was not as sensational as the others, and perhaps it tended to emphasize more of a psychological model like unto Jung's Shadow, than the more paranormal cases written in the other books.

Cuneo's book, my current author explains, regarding "Plenty," has to do with the essential process of fasting in the exorcism of demons.Since I have not read it yet, I can't comment further, but fasting and prayer are essential in the New Testament for the expulsion of demons (Mark 9:29). Fasting means more than not eating, it requires silence of speech and mind, and since 'nature abhors a vacuum,' the mind must be filled with a highly energetic state of consciousness which one could call contemplative prayer.

I do not know if anyone has read Malachi Martin's Hostage to the Devil, but I recommend it as data without which one would prematurely conclude their understanding about the meaning of 'evil.' My own tendency is to find the cosmic level in mundane life, and there is a point at which human evil and concepts of psychopathology just don't seem to contain a phenomenon (e.g., the Nazi Final Solution for extermination, but also the demonic recycling of human beings into leather goods, soap, gold reclamation, hair for mattresses, inhuman 'experiment' subjects; Jeffrey Dahmer's skull shrine; satanic infant-sacrificial cults). Anyone ever read any of this stuff pertaining to demonology? My Lady won't even let me read to her on these things. She apparently encountered 'Duppies' on two or more occasions, when she moved to Jamaica at age 7. Nobody had ever told her about these things until AFTER she reluctantly reported them. Then, she was told "Ah child, you have young eyes!," which is to say, the adults knew of these encounters, and a child has not yet produced the Don Juanian "shields" of adult disbelief.

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c0sm0nautt said:

“For where your treasures is, there your heart will be also” (Matt. 6:19-21) and “You cannot serve God and wealth” (Matt. 6: 24).

I started to let my bank account dwindle and we will see where it goes from there.

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Hope ya don't end up homeless. 

Quote:

By believing they have power over you, you lower your vibration facilitating such exertion. I don't believe these power structures have any influence in my life.

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Quote:

The Oracle: Do you  see her die?
Neo: No.
The Oracle: You have the sight now, Neo. You are looking at the world without time.
Neo: Then why can't I see what happens to her?
The Oracle: We can never see past the choices we don't understand.
Neo: Are you saying I have to choose whether Trinity lives or dies?
The Oracle: No, you've already made the choice. Now you have to understand it.

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you put a cd in your drive.
you install a video game.
you check all the boxes that you're supposed to.
agree to everything you're supposed to agree in order to continue with the installation process.
You start playing the game.
In this game.. you're characters name is Jim.
There are some things Jim can do.. and some that he can't.
Jim.. can also get shot in this game , by the "bad guys".
You control Jim.
You move him around and everything he does.. is the result of your will.
Is he free ?



does Jim.. even exist ?

No.
But with that attitude..
good luck playing the game.
you might as well just uninstall.