Before getting the flamethrowers of scorn out in full force, it may serve the discussion to thoroughly check out the Freedom From Religion Foundation website that Pikachu_PM provided a link too.

Hmmm. Chewbacca, may I ask what method do you use please? Just wondering because back in my earlier years, I was introduced to Reiki, another form of hands on healing. Fascinating history of Reiki and the weekend class had helped changed my life. </font>[/QUOTE]Hey, I'm familiar with Reiki, I have several friends who practice. Reiki did wonders for me concerning some back pain a while back. </font>[/QUOTE]Cool. I don't practice it anymore but from what my Reiki teacher told me, the chakras and channels that were opened during my classes are still there. I just need to practice it again to reopen them which is easy to do. BTW that class I took did something to me. I helped awaken my interest of personal growth, awakening, and consciousness. I had that interest when I was about 13, but this class just helped me remember to continue my spirit quest. Thanks for sharing, Chewbacca. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Chewie I checked out the page Pikachu linked to, and it's about as unbiased a source as the Moral Majority or the 700 Club's webpages, so Pikachu, you'll have to excuse me if I don't knock myself out providing links to counter that site in order to prove or disprove something to you. ;)

BTW, the bear story doesn't actually say God sent the she bears does it? [img]tongue.gif[/img]

Also, while I respect your right to believe exactly what you wish, I've found that when people think they have something completely figured out, they usually don't. As for me, I freely admit that I can't explain everything about God or Christianity, nor do I expect to ever be able to.

[ 10-28-2003, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: Ronn_Bman ]

I believe what Pikachu is referring too is actually McCarthyism. During the 1950’s, in response to the communist “threat”, Christians within the United States decided they needed to guard against, “evils of communism which led to a self-righteous attitude that justified evil.” The same religious group also labeled atheism as a communistic practice.

In response to this supposed threat, America started to bring Christianity and God into many places it should not have been, mostly areas concerning state.

For those that wish to view source material concerning this I have provided this link.

Thanks for sharing as well! [img]smile.gif[/img] I didn't totally answer your question though, the method I work with the most (in a nutshell) is similair to Reiki ( from what I know of it) in that it involves using creative visualization and channeling spiritual energy to bring the Aura or Spirit Body into healthy alignment.

Back when I first began learning and doing this kind of work it changed me as well. My awareness of myself shifted from that of being a disconnected temporal entity to that of an interconnected spiritual being. I too became very interested in personal growth and spiritual awakening. That interest, though it waxes and wanes, has stayed with me to this day.

Is it ironic or what, that in a thread about the religious right, we have gone off topic to discuss so-called 'new age' healing techniques and individual spiritual relevation. Talk about an essay in contrast. ;)

[ 10-28-2003, 05:11 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

Yeah, as far as the "goding" of the national totems such as money, Pikachu is right. Also, one he didn't mention is that the phrase "under God" after "one nation" was inserted into the pledge of allegience during this time.

He just poorly phrased it the first time he mentioned it. I've been a victim of that myself before, so I can't flame him too much for it.

Um.... sorry to ask but isn't Pikachu a Pokemon thing?

Thanks for sharing as well! [img]smile.gif[/img] I didn't totally answer your question though, the method I work with the most (in a nutshell) is similair to Reiki ( from what I know of it) in that it involves using creative visualization and channeling spiritual energy to bring the Aura or Spirit Body into healthy alignment.

Back when I first began learning and doing this kind of work it changed me as well. My awareness of myself shifted from that of being a disconnected temporal entity to that of an interconnected spiritual being. I too became very interested in personal growth and spiritual awakening. That interest, though it waxes and wanes, has stayed with me to this day.

Is it ironic or what, that in a thread about the religious right, we have gone off topic to discuss so-called 'new age' healing techniques and individual spiritual relevation. Talk about an essay in contrast. ;) </font>[/QUOTE]Well, Chewbacca. Usually when I discuss something with my friends (whom I can discuss stuff like this), it always leads to stuff of the spirit like this. And we could just start talking about the weather and such but yet leads to something totally esoteric. Go figure. Life is indeed intertwined and interconnected. BTW I recommend an old discussion movie called "Mindwalk" and also something different on another path "Mission to Mars". Depending on your present prespective, you might see it differently as I do. But from what I read of you, you might just see the same. Namaste. [img]smile.gif[/img]

wow, all y'all really took off without me... i'd just written this extensive response on the off-topic evidence topic (kudos to faceman and yorrick), but i'll spare you.

except one point.

absolutely.

and in fairness to the various "neo-pagan amalgams", i would say the same thing about the oral histories underlying them.

peace. [img]smile.gif[/img]

<font color=lime>This has been one of the most interesting threads I have read in a long time. Most of you have come around to agreeing to disagree. Some have not, but owell. I am an athiest. I do not believe in anything supernatural or the like, period. Concerning the "faith healing", I would agree that there is much of a psycological placebo effect when you believe hard enough, sometimes. Ironically, to me, this aplies to faith in a superior being or creator as it goes. The more you believe "God" helps you, the more you actually are helping yourself, subconsciencely.
The Bible is quite a masterpiece of literature, granted, but I believe its only that. Someone mentioned earlier the example of a modern author writing a book including buildings and such. You can certainly prove the buildings are (or we're) there, but if its fiction writing that doesn't prove the characters we're there, does it? There is plenty of artifacts and such that are mentioned in the Bible, maybe even historical evidence of certain characters, even Jesus himself, but no evidence of the supernatural elements of them. You could show me all of the thousands of documents proving certain places or people we're real, that doesn't prove the "stories" we're real. It seems to me that if it all could be proven to be fact, the "stories" of Christ that is, then you would not need faith, right? I mean is'nt that the point.

Just thought I would put my input in before it gets heated in here again.

Anyway, my opinion is only my opinion, so before anyone gets in a huff, remember that its only my opinion. ;)

I hope this is ok to post, but its not a gaming forum so maybe it will be alright with Choc. A great place to converse and debate with others solely about these topics. http://www.iidb.org/vbb/index.php?s=...40cd96c68b3c1f
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Hopefully no one gets heated because that not only removes the true informational aspect of posts, it also removes the true fun of our interaction(s). [img]smile.gif[/img]

Anyway, it's not usually the basic opinions here that tick people off... it's the attitude(of which you don't have one ;) ) of those with strong opinions that do the most damage to relations here. ;)

Can't we all just get along?