Mischa V. Alyea's Blog, page 2

Virgin Birth – Fact or Fiction?

Virgin Birth is a mystery that has eluded understanding for millennia. In the physical realm, human pregnancy and birth requires both a male and female. So, why do so many cultures have stories of a virgin giving birth to a male child? How can we untangle such a mystery?

First, we must understand what is meant by the word mystery. The mystery is referring to the mystical reality that we live in. Christianity calls the unseen world that surrounds and enfolds us the “Kingdom of God.” The soul is the invisible ether that surrounds each person. The soul is the personal unseen realm. The goal of every religion is to transform the soul so that it operates at its highest potential.

All religious books are mystical texts. Books such as the Bible, Koran, and the Upanishads describe the mystery in metaphorical terms. Mystical stories tell us what it feels like to experience the transformation of the soul. The same is true of Virgin Birth. Virgin Birth is not about a physical pregnancy that results in a human male child. It is a story of how the ether functions and what it feels like to experience this spiritual event.

In the case of Virgin Birth, the ether is moving downward. It falls from the top of the head down to the feet. In the end, it will feel as if there is a continuous rain or waterfall flowing through the spiritual system. For the ether to flow continuously, you must remove the blockages in the spiritual system. The largest blockage is located just below the navel in the region of the lower abdomen. The ether pools in the lower abdomen until it is large enough, and strong enough, to break through the blockage. Once the ether is able to reach the ground, the soul fills with light. Here is where the feeling of being pregnant, or pregnant with the spirit, comes from. The ether is constantly moving so it truly feels like a fetus moving in the womb. Explore the

In summary, the ether comes down from Father God, pools in the abdominal region, and then, when the pool of ether becomes large enough, it breaks through the blockage and is “born.” The child is always male because it is made of the ether that falls from the male deity, which bestows the masculine principles of logic, organization, and focus of end goals to the person involved. For those who understand Jungian theory, it is the emergence of the animus within the female psyche. It is the individuation, or spiritual path, for women. This idea originated in the Stone Age when the agrarian societies carved pregnant goddesses that the archeologists call, “Venus.” Explore the origins of Virgin Birth in Dawn of the Goddess.

Virgin Birth is not a physical fact, but it is a fact of the mystical realm of the soul. Many cultures have documented Virgin Birth, which makes it a universal experience. The mystical experience of Virgin Birth is a fact.

Would you like to explore the mystery of Virgin Birth? Check out my book: The Grail Path: Achieving Mystical Transformation for the Creative and Emotional Person.

Would like to experience the Christian version of Virgin Birth for yourself? Click the link to purchase my latest book: Experiencing the Nativity Within: The History, the Mystery, and the Practices of Virgin Birth.

The Elements of the Soul

Come see the inner elements of the soul. These elements are described in the spiritual texts. The confusion comes because they did not have science in ancient times. They used metaphor to describe the these elements.

I have included some of the symbolic names that are found in the spiritual texts.

This is mysticism’s basic knowledge.

 

The Dawn of the Goddess

Are you looking for the genuine spiritual path for women?

The Goddess is the oldest spiritual tradition. It reaches back to the agrarian age, which is the time when humans learned to plant and harvest grains. Come and experience the ancient transformational system designed specifically for women.

Share this ancient wisdom with everyone who celebrates the Goddess within.

 

 

Spirals of the Inner Being

Are you aware that there are 2 energies that intertwine to create our reality?

If these two spiritual energies are not balanced, it can lead to physical illness and mental breakdown.

Spiritual awakening requires that these two energies be balanced. This is the secret that will boost your consciousness as well as your mental and physical health.

 

 

Uncovering the Roots of Religion

I was watching a video of Dr. Daniel Dennett the other day. He began this talk with the question, “Why study religion as a natural phenomenon?” This is a great question. I realized that I have been researching the origins of religion for over fifteen years. I wanted to know why different cultures came up with the same concepts, even when they could never have communicated because they were thousands of miles or thousands of years apart. I wanted to know why religions fight against each other. I wanted to know why some people flourished in a particular religion and why others became so disenchanted that they became atheists. So, as Dr. Dennett says, lets “submit religion to an embarrassing, probing, and awkward analysis that a scientific naturalistic investigation of religion calls for.”

We must begin our investigation at the earliest possible time where scientific evidence is available. Burial is the first phenomenon that shows humankind is aware that there is something that animates the body that leaves us at the time of death. The earliest bodies were curled into fetal positions and faced a specific direction. Later, bodies were buried with goods to use in the afterlife. Some goods were decorative, like flower garlands or hand-made beads, and placed upon the dead body. Then there is a movement to provide for the needs, like food and household goods, of the individual. As time went on, these tombs grew to tremendous size, which included purely symbolic items, like fully decorated ceremonial implements and statues of servants that would come to life to serve the deceased in the afterlife.

The history of burial is not the only phenomenon found by archeologists. 45,000 years ago man started to create artwork in caves. This is the dawn of communication, passing on of knowledge, and the beginning of ceremony. The orientation of the caves to the phenomenon of light is another piece to the puzzle. Certain caves were specifically chosen because they become fully illuminated by the sun or the moon on specific days of the year. Climbing into and out of the underground sites is an experience in and of itself. Scholars consider this a time when man is observing the natural world and using the natural phenomenon to educate and create ceremony. This goes way beyond marking time and the seasons.

Archeologists are finding that the caves were not just painted and oriented to light. The caves have been humanly altered to change the acoustics within the space. Why would early humans want to change a cave’s vibrational patterns? We must understand that the brain will naturally harmonize with the surrounding environment. Different vibrational patterns change the brainwaves. When the brainwaves change, different parts of the brain are opened and exercised. Once a new area of the brain is opened, you are forever changed and experience life differently. In some caves, the acoustics are quite sophisticated. Archeologists have found caves with engineered “silent” spots within the cave. This means that the initiate can see the drummers drumming and yet hear nothing. Imagine how confusing this would be. It would be quite an experience.

What happened next? Manmade structures were specifically built to create a specific acoustical pattern. The burial mounds in Ireland are being acoustically studied. The early findings are that the acoustics within these structures are powerful. Drumming in the entrance reverberates throughout the space. The pattern and speed of the drumming determines the wave pattern within the brain.

What came next? Why stop at just the brainwaves? The electrical pulses throughout the body were mapped and used for healing. Acupuncture and acupressure was developed. What is surprising is that the earliest finding of this science was in Europe. “Otzi the Iceman” was found in the Austrian Alps. He lived over 4000 years ago. His mummified body contained 61 tattoos marking the acupuncture points that would alleviate his medical conditions. His therapy was so complete that an acupuncturist was able read the symbols and define his medical issues without seeing the CT scans. Otzi lived 2000 years beforethe first known use of acupuncture in the orient. The Indus valley developed the chakra system that manipulated the spiritual energies by using meditation, prayer, and ceremony.

So, what does this mean? What is the natural phenomenon that is hidden within these beliefs? What is it that the ancients from the dawn of man knew? What were the ancient humans trying to achieve? How do we use this archeological evidence? The answer is that early humans may not have understood neurology but they were aware of the effects of brainwaves. They knew the experience of the cave would open the mind and make it function better. So, ceremonial spaces were created to expand the mind. The expansion of the mind insured the survival of the species. It insured that there would be someone who could innovate and adapt to the environment. Later, the idea that the mind could function better by using vibration was expanded to the whole body. The science of energy healing was born. The use of acoustics and energy healing are the first forms of religion. These practices took place before the emergence of writing when physical experience was the norm.

Today, we are returning to the idea of manipulating the brain waves to create healing. Magnetic resonating and sonic pulses are being used to stimulate specific areas of the brain so that they will function better. It is helping in healing autism, stroke victims, and tumors.

The use of vibration and energy healing mark the earliest beginnings of religion. The goal of all religion, from the dawn of time to the present, is to create the best possible human. Religion has been studying the energy of life for more than 45,000 years. Once writing gains a foothold, the age of learning exclusively through physical experience comes to a close. Religion begins to incorporate psychological issues and the metaphor of the imagination into its ceremonies.

Our Website has been Redesigned

We are excited to announce the completion of our website redesign. We have added new content and one-click access to Amazon to read or purchase our books in a vibrant and user friendly format.

To celebrate the new website design, we are making our e-book 1/2 Minute Meditations that Anyone can do Anywhere FREE this weekend only. 

1/2 Minute Meditations categorizes the meditation practices so that you can select the practices that will bring balance to your unique personality. Choose from mindfulness styles for creative personality types and transcendental styles for intellectual personality types.

Meditation is much more that sitting in a meditation hall. You will find breath meditations, mantra meditations, walking meditations, and observation meditations. Anything that can be done for 1/2 minute can be expanded to any length of time you desire.

For those of you that have missed the most recent additions, check out the most recent blog posts here:

Please, Can We Abolish Religion?

Please Can We Abolish Religion? – Part 2

Please Can We Abolish Religion? – Conclusion

Don’t forget, 1/2 Minute Meditations that Anyone can do Anywhere will be FREE from July 26 to July 30.

Click the link below to grab your free copy.

 

 

May you find the best spiritual practices for your unique personality.

 

Mischa – Founder

Aashni Spiritual Living

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Please Can We Abolish Religion? – Conclusion

In Part Two of this three part series, we discussed the clues that I have found while contemplating the question of abolishing religion. I have stood on both sides of this question. I have enjoyed being a part of a spiritual community and I have been so devastated that I wanted all religion to wiped off the face of the earth. Can there be an answer that goes beyond abolish or not abolish? It is time to put the clues together and see the whole puzzle.

Let’s begin with the idea of personal space. We have all experienced the disconcerting feeling of having someone stand too close. We have also experienced the magnetism of someone who seems to fill a room with their presence. It seems that the human form is more than flesh and bone. There is an area that surrounds the body that we can feel without being touched. It is invisible to the eye, even under magnification. Visionaries call this area your aura. It is my opinion that what is known as the soul and the area of the aura is actually a bioelectrical field. It operates much like the earth’s gravitational field.

Science tells us that all electrical fields contain two energies, one positive and one negative. The ancient cultures did not have science like we have today. We must understand that the fundamental truths of the soul have traditionally been explained by using diverse metaphorical symbols and relationships because the only way to describe something that cannot be seen is to use metaphor. Metaphorical stories incorporate activities of nature such as a sunrise or the process of pollination. They include human relationships such as love, war, slavery, marriage, and sex. Historical events are another type of metaphor that is used to describe the workings of the soul.

The ancient peoples were aware of these two energies. Each culture devised symbolic names for these two energies. Known as the Divine Feminine, the positive energy was illustrated as red or black and moved up from Mother Earth. It was hot, excited the emotions, and opened the creative possibilities. The symbolic names for this energy included: fire, wine, blood, and upward pointing sword or phallus. Negative energy was depicted as white or clear and fell down from Father Sky. Known as the Divine Masculine, it was cooling and had a tendency to calm the emotions and focus the mind. The symbolic names for this energy included: water, rain, milk, starlight, moonlight, a cup, or a womb.

The modern religion that has retained this intertwined system of duality is Taoism. The Taoists named these two energies yin and yang. Neither energy is considered good or bad in and of itself. Both energies are always present. Each manifestation contains different levels of each energy that combine to create the whole. Here is the origin of the great divide in the religions. Half of them strive to increase the upward flowing energy of the Divine Feminine. The other half strives to increase the downward flowing energy of the Divine Masculine.

When you understand that the soul is a bioelectrical field, then it is possible to see that the spiritual scriptures are manuals that describe the mystical framework that explain how to operate, manipulate, and enhance the bioelectrical field of the soul. Once we understand this fact, then it is possible to see religion as a science. We understand that each culture was creating a unique prescription for the ills of the soul. The reason that any religion will not be fulfilling and rewarding to all people is that each philosophy assumes certain issues and base urges are problematic for everyone in the society. This cannot be true because we are not the same. We are shaped by our experiences, as well as our physiology. This means that no two people are alike.

The mystical texts seek to explain what it feels like to travel the path of spiritual transformation, which is the balancing and alignment of the bioelectrical field of the soul. Until you have experienced being pregnant with the spirit, the feeling of being on fire without being burned, or experience the earth-shattering thunder of a multitude of horsemen that bring irreparable devastation to your current way of life, you will not understand the mystical writings. These “fairytales” are experiences. They cannot be accessed by the logical mind.

If the goal of spiritual practice is to balance the bioelectrical field, then how do you alter a bioelectrical field? An electrical field can be manipulated by changing the frequency. There is archeological evidence that man was aware of this fact 45,000 years ago. There are many caves where the acoustics have been humanly changed to create specific harmonic effects, which change the brain's waves. Scientists are discovering that Ireland’s burial mounds are acoustic masterpieces. Stonehenge is also an acoustic masterwork. Scientists are finding that the megaliths at Stonehenge can be played like a xylophone that can be heard for miles.

In the Christian Bible, The Gospel of John states that God is the Word. What is a word? It is vibration. What makes religion unique is that the electrical field is hooked up to the visual cortex, which is like a movie projector. So when the frequencies are changed, our minds create pictures to make sense of what is happening. Here is the origin of the metaphors and where religion gets its cultural flavors. Our minds can only relate to what we have previously learned, seen, or experienced. The brain is also hooked up to the chemistry of the physical body and the psychological issues of the mind. So, if you do not take care of the body by eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep, your brain will struggle to function properly. If you carry around issues, your mind will cook up some pretty deluded stuff.

Every spiritual practice, from every religion, is designed to alter the electrical field that swaddles us. The instructions are in metaphorical code. The problem is that these symbols and descriptive short stories have become dogma. We tend to get wrapped up in the story and don't know that the story is symbolic of how the spiritual energies function and change.

Since there are two spiritual energies, this leads to the fact that there are two paths to spiritual wholeness. The West understands the path of sacrifice. Joseph Campbell named this path The Hero's Journey. This path raises the Divine Feminine energy (fire). It kills the ego as it moves up through the spiritual system until it connects the circuit above the head. This path opens the mind to the multitude of possibilities, which is the basis of compassion and creativity. The other path is the birth of the divine masculine within. I have named this path The Grail Path. The most famous story from this path is the Christian Nativity. In Jungian terms, it is the emergence of the masculine qualities of logic and organization, which Jung named the animus, within the female psyche. This path brings down the Divine Masculine energy (water) so that it pools in the abdominal area until it falls to the ground and closes the electrical circuit.

These paths change the way the brain functions and thus change the way you view the world. When done right, it can give the ability to heal others with a touch or from long distance. It can allow you to see into someone's past, or peer into the future. When done wrong, it can cause the annihilation of the soul, which causes physical illness, insanity, megalomania, and/or create a psychopath.

Now, it is possible to connect all the religions of the world. The universal goal of religion is to experience the oneness, the omnipotence, of the undivided. It can be referred to as God, universal presence, or as the Buddhist's say, "That which is." This goal is accomplished by balancing the energies within the bioelectrical field of the soul. Since the bioelectrical field is a mixture of two energies, there are two ways to bring balance. Each religion accomplishes this goal in different ways. The Taoists use the theory of yin and yang. Islamists believe that prayer 5 times a day is required. Catholics pray the rosary and go to confession. Protestant faith believes you must shed the ego and become humble. Buddhists believe in the eight-fold path.

I do not believe that there is one true religion. I believe that all religions contain truth. To ban any one religion would be a detriment to humanity. It would be like banning Type B blood at the blood bank. If that happened, then a large number of people would unnecessary suffer. If we abolish religion all together, which would mean the destruction of all spiritual books and practices, we would lose over 45,000 years of scientific data collected in the field of consciousness studies. A great loss indeed! Since religion is based on the bioelectrical field of the soul, which is identical to the physics if this planet, someone would eventually experience the mystical phenomenon and start us down the road of creating religion again.

I prefer to do as the hospitals do and test for blood type before administering any type of infusion. In other words, I would test a person before initiation them or prescribing any spiritual practice. Forcibly converting others is detrimental to their physical and mental wellbeing. In the future, forcible conversion will be regarded as barbaric. The diverse variety of spiritual belief systems will be mapped and their practices will be categorized as to which mental issues and what personality types will benefit from each practice. Then, it will be possible to choose the practice that will address a specific issue.

So, it is not a question of what is the best religion. It comes down to what is the best religion or religious practice for your unique personality? When we understand this, then there will be no more war based on spiritual belief. There will be no more suffering inflicted within spiritual groups. There will be an understanding that the metaphorical texts are manuals for manipulating the bioelectrical field of the soul and not historical reality to be excavated by archeologists.

Instead of abolishing religion, it is time to use the knowledge accumulated over the eons to benefit all members of our human family. We can administer the correct spiritual practice based on each person’s mental makeup and personality type. Then, and only then, will religion be beneficial for everyone.

Please Can We Abolish Religion? – Part 2

In the previous article, we discussed the great divide over the question of religion. Would the world be a better place if we abolished religion from the face of the earth? Religion does seem to cause misery and strife, yet it also provides for the poor and unfortunate. Keep in mind, that no civilization has been able to completely eradicate religion from its population.

As a child growing up in the Bible belt, I wondered about all the hoopla surrounding religion. My classmates went to Sunday school, Wednesday prayer meeting, Vacation Bible School, and participated in other church events. Since I belonged to a non-church going family, I felt left out. Later as an adult, I did get very involved in a church and enjoyed belonging to a community of faith. As circumstances would have it, I have also experienced the horrors of having my soul annihilated. I have seen both sides of the equation. I have experienced the elation of spiritual belonging and I have experienced the devastation caused by spiritual initiation. This led me to find out why my spiritual path became a spiritual nightmare. Along the way, I was able to ask some very deep questions about religion.

Is what we see on the surface of religion all that there is to see? Why do some people thrive and some people suffer in any particular religion? Does the answer have to be a yes or no when it comes to abolishing religion? Could there be a different way to look at this question? Is there a deeper understanding that the ancient peoples understood that is now lost? What is the purpose of religion? Are there underlying principles that explain all religion? Is it possible for religion and science to join hands? These are the many questions that popped into my head.

So, I went on a quest to answer these, and many other questions. I had come far enough in my spiritual growth to understand that those who initiated me were not being malicious. They truly believed that what they were doing was for my benefit and could not understand why I was not enjoying the experience they so graciously bestowed. Instead of rejecting religion outright, I started examining the depths of my being to see what went wrong and how to fix it. Like a detective tracking down a mystery, I found some obvious clues that can lead to a deeper understanding of religion.

The first thing I noticed was that every religion has two sides. Christianity has Protestant and Catholic. Islam has Sunni and Shiite. Buddhism also divides into different schools that fall on each side of the line within a dualistic framework. I found that I could divide the spiritual belief systems into two distinct groups: Peace and Compassion. On one side, there were those who spoke of Peace within and letting your being flow with the currents of life. Grain-based offerings like bread and milk rice dominate. The emphasis, for this group of religions, is to control the mind. The other side stressed the need to actively abolish false-self and grow in compassion. Blood and ritual sacrifice are the main tenants of these religions. The emphasis is on opening the heart. There has to be something here. This is a clue that most have not picked up on.

There are the “fairy tales” that repeat around the globe and throughout time. Many academic researchers have noted that religions that could never have communicated with each other have the same stories. Why? Why is the story of The Flood found in both the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Christian Bible? To date, there is no archeological evidence that a global flood occurred on planet earth. Why are there dozens of Virgin Births that produce a son and never a daughter? Why do most religions include the Golden Rule? There has to be a common human experience that governs the storyline.

If there is to be peace among the religions, then there will need to be an understanding that all religions can agree upon without sacrificing their precepts and practices. How could there ever be a consensus when there are so many different viewpoints? Is there anyone that sees a way for all religions to be harmonious with each other? I have found that not everyone totes the, “My god is better than your god,” banner. There is a group of spiritual people who can see past their own religion and agree on basic spiritual principles that apply to all spiritual belief systems. Who are these people? What kind of education is required for everyone to be magnanimous in regard to the many denominations and sects of religion around the globe? The one thing we all have in common is that we are all human. We all are bound by the workings of the physical body. Scientists are studying the spiritual adepts from many religions. They are putting these mystics through the paces of their religious practices while hooked to scanners, monitors, and MRI machines. What they are finding is astonishing. Science is now confirming that the religious practices affect the body/mind complex in ways that change our brain waves and our experiences of self. These men and women are able to manage and adjust their brain patterns. They are able to regularly enter parts of the brain that most people access only on rare occasions. These scientific studies are beginning to put some of the pieces of the puzzle into place.

Last but not least, what is the purpose of religion? When you put aside the morality teachings, it seems that religion strives to communicate information about the invisible realm of the soul. The goal of religion is to develop and transform the soul. So, what is the soul? We know that it is invisible and that it surrounds us. So, what exactly is the soul? Here is a simple way to experience the soul. Most of us understand the concept of personal space. You know that creepy feeling when someone is standing too close? Why is it that you can feel a person’s presence without them touching you? What is extending out past the skin and bones that is perceptible to our senses?

These are the clues that are hiding in plain sight. Next time, we will put the pieces together and see the revelation that these clues reveal.

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Please, Can We Abolish Religion?

I cannot tell you how many times I have been asked the question, “Please, can we abolish religion?” I have also seen this question pop up in many forms in chat rooms or question sites. Disenfranchisement is on the rise. Those who were raised in the church from birth are not just walking away in droves, they are becoming the vocal contingent of the atheist movement. But, a vast majority of civilizations still contend that religion is a fact of human existence and that religious freedom is a human right. Let’s look at the arguments on both sides and try to find a logical solution to this situation. Let’s begin with the reasons to abolish religion.

First and foremost, religion causes war. Every religion claims that they have the TRUTH and everyone else is an infidel or a sinner. The depth of suffering inflicted on those who do not follow the same beliefs is immeasurable. The attitude that my God is better than your god has been the battle cry of many wars and terrorist acts that are still erupting today.

Religious circles are not just critical of other religions. They alienate and segregate within their own communities. If you do not give your last penny, if you do not attend every worship service, if you do not accept the doctrine without any doubt, then you are a sinner. Such stringent requirements create emotional suffering within the community. So much so, that every religion has experienced a rift that caused a group of its members to split off of from the main. The birth of a new sect then adds to the differentiation, which adds to the number of conflicts within a society. These types of divisions and offshoots exist in every religion. Christianity has Protestant and Catholic. Islam is split between Sunni and Shiite. Most people do not know that the Dali Lama is the leader of only one of five schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

We move on to the argument that religion is nothing but fairytales and make-believe. Scholars and scientists consider religious belief to be illogical, unsupported, and teaches people nonsense. They then use this argument to judge themselves better than anyone else. It turns rational people, like the NASA astronaut James Irwin, into fanatics that search for the physical remains of Biblical lore, like Noah’s Ark. How can it be possible that there are no less than 25 stories of gods or saints that are born of a Virgin, on December 25th, and declared the “Son of God.” Mithras, Horus, Caesar, and Jesus are the ones that come to mind. There are those who believe that rebuilding The Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem will be the beginning of a peaceful world. Imagine what would happen if someone destroyed the Dome of the Rock. We would see the return of the Maccabean revolt on a scale that would degrade the destruction of the twin towers in New York to a minor historical event.

How can being dunked in water “save” you? I take a shower everyday. How can baptism make you a different person? Why would anyone revere being crucified? So much so that there are people who reenact the crucifixion, complete with being brutally whipped and having spikes driven through their hands and feet. Then there are the ringing of bells, the chanting of mantras, the prayers along with a set of beads to keep track, and drinking the blood and eating the body of Christ. The idea that there is a man sitting on a cloud up in the sky watching your every move is quite disturbing. Is he friend or foe? Is he a loving Father of all that provides gifts and blessings or “big brother” out to punish all your misdeeds? Why does God have to be a “HE” anyway? What about women? Why can’t a woman be the main deity? These questions are just the tip of the iceberg.

Those who are pro-religion contend that religion is not the problem, people are. It is the extremists that cause all the trouble. It would be wrong to abolish religion just because a few members are violent. On top of this, religion does not die. It goes underground. We have historical proof of this fact. The Roman emperors tried to eradicate Christianity, but it has survived to this day. The British Empire went through a period of flux when the monarchy shifted between Catholicism and Protestantism in the era of King Henry VIII, Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth I. In that time it was common for homes to have a priest hole or alternate escape route to aid those who were of the illegal faith. Most recently, Russia and China tried to eliminate religion with their communist regimes. That apparently did not happen because once the restrictions were lifted, religion came out of the woodwork and flourished again.

Many ask, “If it is OK to abolish religion, then what other right will be taken away?” The West has set the standard that religious freedom is a human right. Human rights are regulated by civil law not religion. The separation between church and state make it the state’s job to keep those who violate human rights for any reason, which includes religious reasons, under control. It is hard enough to control people’s actions. It would be a fool’s errand to try to regulate a person’s thoughts and beliefs.

Last but not least, spiritual communities are known for taking care of their members and others outside of their faith. Where government assistance falls short, spiritual groups step in and fill the void. They pack backpacks of food for children who would otherwise go hungry. They have soup kitchens and clothing closets for those in need. They provide food, water, and clothing in times of natural disaster. They send teams of people to help with the clean up and recovery in the aftermath of earthquakes and storms. They send outreach groups to build schools and medical clinics in undeveloped regions of the world. They provide medical services and vaccines to all members of the human family. Why would anyone abolish an institution that does all this?

There are places where religion has been drastically reduced. In countries where the government has provided free college education, free healthcare, and benefit packages like a year off after having a child and six weeks of paid time off each year for all employees, religion has languished. In exchange for all these government services, the tax burden is as much as fifty percent or more. These countries are proclaimed to have the happiest people in the world. But for most people in the U.S., socialized medicine and big government is not the answer.

Is there something that the ancient peoples knew that has been missed by modern society? Is it possible to look at this question from another angle? Can we bring the two sides together and find a win-win when it comes to religion? I think it is possible. Join me next time when we take a deeper dive into religion to find the method to the madness and reasoning that underlies all metaphor.

Stonehenge

 

The winter solstice is approaching. Come see the archeological discoveries that rewrite the meaning of Stonehenge.

Stonehenge was not just a temple to the dead. It is a part of a multiplex of structures that include the largest henge in England at Durrington Walls and the River Avon.

It has been found that both henges were created at the same time. This is interpreted to mean that these two structures were linked.