MORE ABOUT ORBS
December 28, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
The subject of “orbs” seems to be coming up more frequently and several scientific researchers have gotten into the act.
First of all, let’s try and understand exactly what an “orb” is: An “orb” is a roundish ball of nothing…much like a large bubble from a bubble bath or a bubble-machine. They are extremely difficult to see during daylight (or even in artificial light), but are often caught by the camera’s sensitive lens. Unlike the human mind, camera lenses usually see whatever there is to see and are not disturbed by light anomalies and mental “denial”.
In dark places (both indoors and out) orbs appear to have a definite glow and are quite visible to the naked eye. Things like walls or other obstacles seem to have no effect on them. Unlike a projected light or image, orbs do not follow the contours of a wall. Rather, they appear to pass through the solid object with the greatest of ease.
Apparently, they have been around for centuries, because even some of the oldest writings, that are still available talk about them. Usually orbs are referred to as mysterious spirits…or as strange glowing balls, etc.
There have been thousands of reports of people seeing them and of orbs showing-up on otherwise normal photos. There are hundreds of photos of them (both still photography and videos) available on Youtube.com.
Earliest explanation of their appearance in photos was that there was some moisture on the camera lens, that they were some sort of light anomaly and/or that they were some sort of fraud or hoax being perpetrated on the public by some photographers. The fraud/hoax concept was abandoned recently when several scientists visited a house in Australia and, first hand, observed them. Reports were written about what they saw and what their investigations revealed. Many of these reports are available on the internet.
The concept of moisture on the camera lens was also abandoned when several investigative photographers and videographers checked their cameras before taking pictures and, still, the orbs appeared.
The matter of orbs being some sort of a light anomaly is still out there, but there does not seem to be any explanation of what causes this particular light to play tricks on the eye and on the camera. But the concept has not been ruled out.
Recently, there have been a spate of paranormal investigators checking them out. The interesting thing is that, unlike most previous “scientific” investigations of paranormal things, the scientists have not simply declared orbs to be a lot of “bunk”. Don’t misunderstand me: Science is not agreeing that orbs are a paranormal phenomena. Science simply does not know what they are or how to explain them…and they’re still looking for answers. A lot of theories…but none hold water according to science.
Let’s review some of the more popular notions and let’s see if they contain any merit:
1) Orbs are an interterrestrial form of life:
Don’t laugh! As absurd as this may initially sound, in fact we do not have the slightest idea as to what interterrestrial beings may look like. A life form could be shaped like round globules just as easily as skinny green men with large heads. Orbs have clearly shown a form of intelligence: they do not move in a pattern, but each one seems to move as it wishes and may remain stationary and/or change direction at any time. Assuming that they do have intelligence, their means of communication may be such that it is undetectable to mortal beings.
2. Orbs are an interdimensional form of life:
As the reality of other dimensions is taking hold in our scientific community, there is a chance that these orbs are a life-form from a different dimension. In support of this, orbs do seem to appear in masses in very specific locations. It could be that these places are where there is a tear in the dimensional fabric and these life forms have seeped through.
3. Orbs are the residue of human minds after the body has died.
I have no personal conviction that this so, yet it is difficult to write-off without knowing more. We know that our mind/aura goes someplace after we die…so why not as orbs? I think this is kind of far-fetched, but if we shut the door of our minds to any possible explanation in the absence of a known explanation, I believe we are doing ourselves a great disservice.
4. Orbs are some inexplicable light anomaly.
Although scientists will tell you that this is the most plausible explanation, the fact is that these moving glow-balls follow no known patterns of physics…or of anything. Again, more has to be learned.
While the foregoing explanations all seem a bit foolish, it’s much more foolish for us to deny the possibility that there may be a ring of truth to them. When all rational or logical explanations fail to explain something, we should be willing to examine the more irrational explanations.
Visit my website at yourparanormalcenter.com. If you’ve got a better explanation, I’d love to hear from you. Stephen Ellis
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Let's Talk About Sex - The Females
LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX – The Females
October 31, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
I skipped a couple of weeks of writing because I’ve been receiving some comments lately that my articles on UFOs, reincarnation and the like are becoming repetitive. As a result, I do not want to lose my readership. So, for the next few weeks, I’m going to write about things that never seem to become boring. On top of the list is “sex”.
For a topic that seems to always be one of the consistently hottest topics, there are more misconceptions concerning sex and sexuality than most people can even imagine. Most talk about sex concerns abstinence versus activity or about sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS and Herpes, and warts. Gonorrhea and syphilis have, essentially, been eradicated in the Western World (but definitely not in third world countries).
Let’s start by recognizing that life, itself, is sexually transmitted. Sex is probably the most normal activity with the exception of breathing and eating.
Most misconceptions about sex come from one or more of the Bibles and the religious beliefs they represent. The concept of “marriage” (vastly different than the Biblical “taking a woman to wife”) was created by a burgeoning Christian Church in about 400 AD. They promoted the idea that sexual activity (which was rampant in ancient Rome) was against the laws of God unless blessed by the Church. It was a great way to increase both the power and income for the Church. Because violation of this religious rule was so frequent, it became necessary that God be an all-forgiving God. Confess your transgressions, donate to the Church and all will be forgiven.
Fundamentalists in some religions, even today, use this as a means of controlling a naturally sexual population. Islamic Law (Sharia Law) provides a death penalty by stoning or hanging for any woman who commits adultery…or even engages in any intimate act with someone not her husband. This, of course, is a throw-back to the belief that men are important and women are little more than baby-bearing chattels. Men are allowed to have numerous wives and/or concubines, while women are supposed to stay home and breast-feed babies until their bodies wear out.
Male dominance in sex is also a religious thing and is promoted by many cult-type religions (such as Pentecostal and Church of Christ): Again, this is contrary to the laws of nature and was created to maintain male dominance over women.
The truth is that, generally, women are significantly more sexual than men. Think about it: which sex usually does the screaming and can have numerous orgasms? Not the men who claim to be the sexual aggressors. Most men lose their interest (and ability) in sex sometime between sixty and seventy years of age. Most woman don’t lose their sexual ability or sexual desire until they die. In ancient Rome, Carthage & Babylon, before the Church grew in influence and power, it was normal and accepted for both men and woman to have numerous sexual partners…whether or not they belonged to a specific household.
So, which sex should, logically, be the sexual aggressor? It seems that most misconceptions concern female sexuality, so let’s look at some interesting statistics about girls and sex right here in the USA:
In the USA, sexual standards have changed dramatically in the past fifty years. When I was a kid I was taught that if you had sex with a girl and (heaven forbid) you made her pregnant, you were supposed to marry her…and stay true to her for the rest of your life. These days (according to Kinsey & Home Foundation statistics) girls start masturbating and have their first sexual intercourse while they are still children. Three to five percent of girls age ten or younger have already had their first sexual experience. By age twelve this number now jumps to just below ten percent. By fourteen, it leaps to almost thirty percent and by eighteen, it’s more than eighty percent. By age 18, most girls have had multiple sex partners. These statistics are slightly higher in Black communities and slightly lower in more affluent areas.
Surprisingly, these figures for the USA are significantly lower than in most parts of Europe. According to published statistics, children in Scandinavian countries, in most third-world countries, and in countries where religion has not become all-consuming (such as in America), children become sexually active at younger ages. In France and in Spain, it has become more common to have a female aggressor than for a man to take the lead in a sexual relationship.
The United States is fraught with ridiculous laws on its books concerning sex: It is against the law for a male to have a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of eighteen. That means that more than fifty percent of all girls are helping to break the law. Interestingly, as a carryover of supposed male dominance, girls are seldom prosecuted for this while men are frequently brought to trial and sent to jail. When a girl alleges she has been sexually taken or abused by a man, the girl is almost always the one who is believed.
Real sex crimes or taking advantage of a child is a different topic: If there is an age difference of the male being more than ten years older than an accusing female under the age of eighteen, the man’s guilt is “assumed” as, probably, it should be. I see nothing wrong with a boy of 15 having sex with a girl of fourteen. But, if the girl is fourteen and the man is twenty-four, this is hardly the basis of a consensual relationship and is strongly indicative of something which, in my book, is totally inexcusable.
Next week, we’ll take a look at the men.
Got an opinion. Write me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at yourparanormalcenter
October 31, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
I skipped a couple of weeks of writing because I’ve been receiving some comments lately that my articles on UFOs, reincarnation and the like are becoming repetitive. As a result, I do not want to lose my readership. So, for the next few weeks, I’m going to write about things that never seem to become boring. On top of the list is “sex”.
For a topic that seems to always be one of the consistently hottest topics, there are more misconceptions concerning sex and sexuality than most people can even imagine. Most talk about sex concerns abstinence versus activity or about sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS and Herpes, and warts. Gonorrhea and syphilis have, essentially, been eradicated in the Western World (but definitely not in third world countries).
Let’s start by recognizing that life, itself, is sexually transmitted. Sex is probably the most normal activity with the exception of breathing and eating.
Most misconceptions about sex come from one or more of the Bibles and the religious beliefs they represent. The concept of “marriage” (vastly different than the Biblical “taking a woman to wife”) was created by a burgeoning Christian Church in about 400 AD. They promoted the idea that sexual activity (which was rampant in ancient Rome) was against the laws of God unless blessed by the Church. It was a great way to increase both the power and income for the Church. Because violation of this religious rule was so frequent, it became necessary that God be an all-forgiving God. Confess your transgressions, donate to the Church and all will be forgiven.
Fundamentalists in some religions, even today, use this as a means of controlling a naturally sexual population. Islamic Law (Sharia Law) provides a death penalty by stoning or hanging for any woman who commits adultery…or even engages in any intimate act with someone not her husband. This, of course, is a throw-back to the belief that men are important and women are little more than baby-bearing chattels. Men are allowed to have numerous wives and/or concubines, while women are supposed to stay home and breast-feed babies until their bodies wear out.
Male dominance in sex is also a religious thing and is promoted by many cult-type religions (such as Pentecostal and Church of Christ): Again, this is contrary to the laws of nature and was created to maintain male dominance over women.
The truth is that, generally, women are significantly more sexual than men. Think about it: which sex usually does the screaming and can have numerous orgasms? Not the men who claim to be the sexual aggressors. Most men lose their interest (and ability) in sex sometime between sixty and seventy years of age. Most woman don’t lose their sexual ability or sexual desire until they die. In ancient Rome, Carthage & Babylon, before the Church grew in influence and power, it was normal and accepted for both men and woman to have numerous sexual partners…whether or not they belonged to a specific household.
So, which sex should, logically, be the sexual aggressor? It seems that most misconceptions concern female sexuality, so let’s look at some interesting statistics about girls and sex right here in the USA:
In the USA, sexual standards have changed dramatically in the past fifty years. When I was a kid I was taught that if you had sex with a girl and (heaven forbid) you made her pregnant, you were supposed to marry her…and stay true to her for the rest of your life. These days (according to Kinsey & Home Foundation statistics) girls start masturbating and have their first sexual intercourse while they are still children. Three to five percent of girls age ten or younger have already had their first sexual experience. By age twelve this number now jumps to just below ten percent. By fourteen, it leaps to almost thirty percent and by eighteen, it’s more than eighty percent. By age 18, most girls have had multiple sex partners. These statistics are slightly higher in Black communities and slightly lower in more affluent areas.
Surprisingly, these figures for the USA are significantly lower than in most parts of Europe. According to published statistics, children in Scandinavian countries, in most third-world countries, and in countries where religion has not become all-consuming (such as in America), children become sexually active at younger ages. In France and in Spain, it has become more common to have a female aggressor than for a man to take the lead in a sexual relationship.
The United States is fraught with ridiculous laws on its books concerning sex: It is against the law for a male to have a sexual relationship with a girl under the age of eighteen. That means that more than fifty percent of all girls are helping to break the law. Interestingly, as a carryover of supposed male dominance, girls are seldom prosecuted for this while men are frequently brought to trial and sent to jail. When a girl alleges she has been sexually taken or abused by a man, the girl is almost always the one who is believed.
Real sex crimes or taking advantage of a child is a different topic: If there is an age difference of the male being more than ten years older than an accusing female under the age of eighteen, the man’s guilt is “assumed” as, probably, it should be. I see nothing wrong with a boy of 15 having sex with a girl of fourteen. But, if the girl is fourteen and the man is twenty-four, this is hardly the basis of a consensual relationship and is strongly indicative of something which, in my book, is totally inexcusable.
Next week, we’ll take a look at the men.
Got an opinion. Write me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at yourparanormalcenter
Sunday, October 24, 2010
FACTS ABOUT UFOs
FACTS ABOUT UFOS
October 24, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Recently, there has been an unusually high spate of UFO reports including, without limitation, photos of UFOs over Manhattan Island, retired military men talking about things concerning which they were allegedly sworn to secrecy, UFOs appearing on radar screens…and much more.
In my opinion, it’s becoming absurd to continue to live in denial. Clearly, UFOs exist…but what are they? The general trend of those who concern themselves with such things is that they are extra terrestrial observation craft piloted by non-humans. There have been no report of incidents with them with the possible exception of those few who claim to have been kidnapped, examined by them and returned, unharmed, to Earth. To the best of my research there has never been any valid forensic evidence to support claims of kidnappings.
The world’s largest organization studying UFOs is “MUFON” (Mutual UFO Newtork). MUFON has counterparts throughout Europe and Asia. Most counterparts are affiliated with the governments and/or military of those countries where they are located. MUFON’s position, generally, is that UFOs are extra terrestrial.
Let’s take a look at what we know and don’t know about UFOs:
First of all, I believe it is very safe to assume that wherever they come from, they are not all from the same place. There have been thousands of reported sightings describing their shapes as “disc-like”, “oval”, “triangular”, “rectangular”, etc. There is no consistency in the shape of their vehicles.
The size of UFOs is also vastly different based on published reports: Some have been described “as big as a football field” while others have described them as being from fifteen to thirty feet in diameter across their broadest part. There have been several crashes of UFOs reported, and the size of the reported wreckage has varied from thirty feet (Mexico) to four hundred yards in length (the Ural Mountains in Russia). Although the concept of a “mother ship“ containing numerous smaller ships is possible, the variety of shapes and sizes tends to support the theory that they were not all built in the same place.
The propulsion system of UFOs seems far superior to anything built here on Earth. Based upon thousands of eye-witness accounts all UFOs have certain similarities: They seem to be noiseless; able to make right-angle turns; capable of instant acceleration; able to traverse huge distances at speeds far greater than Einstein’s speed of light. This tends to support the idea that they all use the same (or similar) propulsion systems not yet known to our scientists.
Lights are another thing they seem to have in common: Almost all night viewers of UFOs claim that there were lights, under or about the UFO. Some claim they were “flashing” lights, but most claim the colors were constantly changing with reds, yellows, greens, blues…Inasmuch as no one has claimed seeing lights in daylight sightings (and outer space is dark 100% of the time), I think it’s fair to assume that the so-called lights are colors radiating from their propulsion exhaust in our atmosphere. This would indicate that their propulsion system is nuclear based or nuclear affiliated.
One other very important factor is that almost all sightings have not been far from bodies of very deep water. The Russian sightings have been near the Black Sea and the Arctic Ocean. There have been lots of sightings in Russia, China, Mexico, Brazil, Belgium, Japan, Netherlands, the USA, Canada, etc….but always not far from bodies of exceptionally deep water.
According to several retired Russian Navy Admirals, their sonar often picked up rapidly moving bodies beneath the surface of the water. By “rapidly moving”, they stated it was ten to a hundred times faster than the fastest ship. There have an increasing number of people who claim to have seen UFOs burst out of the ocean and into the sky. This is particularly true in the areas just north of Puerto Rico in what we call the Bermuda Triangle where many strange things have happened: ships disappeared; pilots’ navigation systems and clocks have gone haywire, etc.
The puzzle as to where UFOs are from and how they got here stimulates our imaginations: Logic tells us that they came from other worlds…possibly in outer space or possibly beneath our oceans…or are they are from another dimension we are unable to perceive?
At this juncture, it is reasonable to assume that wherever they are from, they mean us no harm. Sightings have been recorded in the Bible as well on cave-wall drawings. If their intent was harmful, it seems logical that they would have done something to harm us by now.
New and different dimensions are now being reviewed by science with an open mind. Several new theories of “how it all began” are being seriously reviewed by scientists throughout the world. Indications are that several different dimensions exist although we cannot see or perceive them. Even the staid scientists who “refused to budge” for years are now asking if UFOs are inter-dimensional craft rather than inter-galactic.
My own analysis tends to minimize the inter-dimensional idea because there have been several UFO crashes reported. I find it difficult to conceive of how something from a different dimension can crash in our dimension. Still, the concept cannot be written-off until more is learned about other dimensions that science now believes exist.
The question of how they travel so fast and traverse infinitely vast distances is a topic for a different column. Let’s just say that, for the moment, I have some definite ideas that seem to fit the puzzle.
Have an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at yourparanormalcenter.com
Stephen Ellis
October 24, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Recently, there has been an unusually high spate of UFO reports including, without limitation, photos of UFOs over Manhattan Island, retired military men talking about things concerning which they were allegedly sworn to secrecy, UFOs appearing on radar screens…and much more.
In my opinion, it’s becoming absurd to continue to live in denial. Clearly, UFOs exist…but what are they? The general trend of those who concern themselves with such things is that they are extra terrestrial observation craft piloted by non-humans. There have been no report of incidents with them with the possible exception of those few who claim to have been kidnapped, examined by them and returned, unharmed, to Earth. To the best of my research there has never been any valid forensic evidence to support claims of kidnappings.
The world’s largest organization studying UFOs is “MUFON” (Mutual UFO Newtork). MUFON has counterparts throughout Europe and Asia. Most counterparts are affiliated with the governments and/or military of those countries where they are located. MUFON’s position, generally, is that UFOs are extra terrestrial.
Let’s take a look at what we know and don’t know about UFOs:
First of all, I believe it is very safe to assume that wherever they come from, they are not all from the same place. There have been thousands of reported sightings describing their shapes as “disc-like”, “oval”, “triangular”, “rectangular”, etc. There is no consistency in the shape of their vehicles.
The size of UFOs is also vastly different based on published reports: Some have been described “as big as a football field” while others have described them as being from fifteen to thirty feet in diameter across their broadest part. There have been several crashes of UFOs reported, and the size of the reported wreckage has varied from thirty feet (Mexico) to four hundred yards in length (the Ural Mountains in Russia). Although the concept of a “mother ship“ containing numerous smaller ships is possible, the variety of shapes and sizes tends to support the theory that they were not all built in the same place.
The propulsion system of UFOs seems far superior to anything built here on Earth. Based upon thousands of eye-witness accounts all UFOs have certain similarities: They seem to be noiseless; able to make right-angle turns; capable of instant acceleration; able to traverse huge distances at speeds far greater than Einstein’s speed of light. This tends to support the idea that they all use the same (or similar) propulsion systems not yet known to our scientists.
Lights are another thing they seem to have in common: Almost all night viewers of UFOs claim that there were lights, under or about the UFO. Some claim they were “flashing” lights, but most claim the colors were constantly changing with reds, yellows, greens, blues…Inasmuch as no one has claimed seeing lights in daylight sightings (and outer space is dark 100% of the time), I think it’s fair to assume that the so-called lights are colors radiating from their propulsion exhaust in our atmosphere. This would indicate that their propulsion system is nuclear based or nuclear affiliated.
One other very important factor is that almost all sightings have not been far from bodies of very deep water. The Russian sightings have been near the Black Sea and the Arctic Ocean. There have been lots of sightings in Russia, China, Mexico, Brazil, Belgium, Japan, Netherlands, the USA, Canada, etc….but always not far from bodies of exceptionally deep water.
According to several retired Russian Navy Admirals, their sonar often picked up rapidly moving bodies beneath the surface of the water. By “rapidly moving”, they stated it was ten to a hundred times faster than the fastest ship. There have an increasing number of people who claim to have seen UFOs burst out of the ocean and into the sky. This is particularly true in the areas just north of Puerto Rico in what we call the Bermuda Triangle where many strange things have happened: ships disappeared; pilots’ navigation systems and clocks have gone haywire, etc.
The puzzle as to where UFOs are from and how they got here stimulates our imaginations: Logic tells us that they came from other worlds…possibly in outer space or possibly beneath our oceans…or are they are from another dimension we are unable to perceive?
At this juncture, it is reasonable to assume that wherever they are from, they mean us no harm. Sightings have been recorded in the Bible as well on cave-wall drawings. If their intent was harmful, it seems logical that they would have done something to harm us by now.
New and different dimensions are now being reviewed by science with an open mind. Several new theories of “how it all began” are being seriously reviewed by scientists throughout the world. Indications are that several different dimensions exist although we cannot see or perceive them. Even the staid scientists who “refused to budge” for years are now asking if UFOs are inter-dimensional craft rather than inter-galactic.
My own analysis tends to minimize the inter-dimensional idea because there have been several UFO crashes reported. I find it difficult to conceive of how something from a different dimension can crash in our dimension. Still, the concept cannot be written-off until more is learned about other dimensions that science now believes exist.
The question of how they travel so fast and traverse infinitely vast distances is a topic for a different column. Let’s just say that, for the moment, I have some definite ideas that seem to fit the puzzle.
Have an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at yourparanormalcenter.com
Stephen Ellis
Monday, October 11, 2010
THE JEWS - PART II
THE JEWS – Part II
October 10, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Last week we talked about the similarities and Neanderthal characteristics in both Sharia and Talmudic Laws. The Fundamentalists of any religion are bad for the rest of the world because if you do not believe and accept “their way” as the “only” way, you are looked upon as a second-class citizen. The Sharia and Talmudic laws were written for Fundamentalists who are brain-washed into believing that the Sharia and Talmuduc laws were written by God (whichever God they believe in). Obviously, any thinking person would realize that one, omnipotent, God could not have written two sets of totally contradictory laws.
The Old Testament (the Torah consisting of five books, all (ostensibly) written by Moses is thousands of years older than the Quran (Koran). Although the claim the Moses wrote all five books is highly suspect: Parts of the fifth book “Deuteronomy” depict events that took place almost five hundred years after Moses’ death. The Torah contains many stories that should be looked into carefully because they tend to support things we are now looking at with increasing interest: Such things as reincarnation, extra terrestrials, UFOs etc.
For example: The first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel clearly describes a visit by extra terrestrials. Remembering the primitive times of Ezekiel, how would a slave like Ezekiel who never saw anything larger than a bird in the sky describe a space platform; a mother ship, etc. The ancient term “firmament” simply means a glass-type helmet. Four wings that rotated above their heads could hardly be less than helicopter-type blades.
Was Jonah really swallowed by a giant fish and then spewed-up a few days later? How would a primitive man describe a submersible vehicle? Probably as a “giant fish”. We’re just now learning that many UFOs are high-speed submersible vehicles.
How about all the visits from winged Angels who rode on chariots in the sky?
And, perhaps, the most famous one: The parting of the Red Sea. If you read “Exodus” carefully, Moses was guided by “a pillar of cloud” during the day and a “pillar of fire” at night that led the escaping Israelites to the Red Sea. According to “Exodus”, the pillar hovered over the Red Sea as it parted and, when the Egyptian army followed, the pillar disappeared.
Of course, we’re talking about descriptions written thousands of years ago that have probably been altered hundreds of times. There are still cults of religions that believe the parting of the Red Sea was “Demonic” and evidence of Satan, etc. But the fact remains that these (and hundreds of other events) were written about thousands of years before man’s first flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903. Either the writers’ had incredibly advanced imaginations…or…there must have been something that happened.
Cave-wall drawings are replete with drawings of what appear to be space ships containing people and people wearing glass-type helmets. Lines drawn behind the craft to indicate great speed.
Back to Judaism: Fundamentalist Jews revere their Torah in much the same way as Fundamentalist Muslims revere their Quran…with one important difference. The Jewish Talmud (book of laws) says that disbelievers should be “smitten” (killed). But Jews don’t do that! Jews respect life and living. Muslim Sharia Law says the same thing…only Muslims do kill those who don’t believe that “their” way is the “only” way.
One of the most interesting things about Judaism is that it has endured centuries of persecution and still shines as the brightest light in the religious world. Whenever anything has gone wrong in almost every part of the world…the cry arises that it is the fault of the Jews. Jews, being a minority among the world’s greatest religions have been blamed for every ill that has ever taken place anywhere in the world including the Crucifixion of Christ and every economic blight to ever hit the world’s economy. Adolph Hitler’s “final solution” was to exterminate all Jews.
The truth is that Jews have produced more than 75% of the world’s advances in the arts and in the professions of law and medicine; almost 90% of the world’s advancement in science/technology and almost 95% of the world’s religions. Searches through genealogical records have shown that many of the world’s greatest artists were Jews who changed their names and denied their Judaism for fear of being punished by the Anti-Semitic governments of the day and age. A careful tracing of genealogical history indicates that even the artists whose paintings of Jesus and Christianity are treated as “religious classics” were mostly Jews.
Anti-Semitism still exists much in the same way as the Ku Klux Klan still exists. Its power and influence is now so insignificant that the numbers of those who preach their hatred are dissolving into oblivion. There have always been and there will always be “hate-groups”. Today, Anti Semitism is far less popular even in Hitler-loving nations such as Norway and Sweden. Industries, like the oil industry and banking, that had formerly closed its doors to Jews, have allowed Jews to become top executives. In America, for the first time in history, there are more people converting to Judaism than trying to hide their Jewish heritage. Judaism has blossomed forth in Central Africa and in South America..
The main difference between all other religious conversions and Jewish conversions is that Jews never ask anyone to convert or accept their religion. If you want to become a Jew, Judaism will gladly accept you…but Jews do not send out Missionaries to “sell” you on Judaism.
Got an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my web site at yourparanormalcenter.com.
October 10, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Last week we talked about the similarities and Neanderthal characteristics in both Sharia and Talmudic Laws. The Fundamentalists of any religion are bad for the rest of the world because if you do not believe and accept “their way” as the “only” way, you are looked upon as a second-class citizen. The Sharia and Talmudic laws were written for Fundamentalists who are brain-washed into believing that the Sharia and Talmuduc laws were written by God (whichever God they believe in). Obviously, any thinking person would realize that one, omnipotent, God could not have written two sets of totally contradictory laws.
The Old Testament (the Torah consisting of five books, all (ostensibly) written by Moses is thousands of years older than the Quran (Koran). Although the claim the Moses wrote all five books is highly suspect: Parts of the fifth book “Deuteronomy” depict events that took place almost five hundred years after Moses’ death. The Torah contains many stories that should be looked into carefully because they tend to support things we are now looking at with increasing interest: Such things as reincarnation, extra terrestrials, UFOs etc.
For example: The first chapter of the Book of Ezekiel clearly describes a visit by extra terrestrials. Remembering the primitive times of Ezekiel, how would a slave like Ezekiel who never saw anything larger than a bird in the sky describe a space platform; a mother ship, etc. The ancient term “firmament” simply means a glass-type helmet. Four wings that rotated above their heads could hardly be less than helicopter-type blades.
Was Jonah really swallowed by a giant fish and then spewed-up a few days later? How would a primitive man describe a submersible vehicle? Probably as a “giant fish”. We’re just now learning that many UFOs are high-speed submersible vehicles.
How about all the visits from winged Angels who rode on chariots in the sky?
And, perhaps, the most famous one: The parting of the Red Sea. If you read “Exodus” carefully, Moses was guided by “a pillar of cloud” during the day and a “pillar of fire” at night that led the escaping Israelites to the Red Sea. According to “Exodus”, the pillar hovered over the Red Sea as it parted and, when the Egyptian army followed, the pillar disappeared.
Of course, we’re talking about descriptions written thousands of years ago that have probably been altered hundreds of times. There are still cults of religions that believe the parting of the Red Sea was “Demonic” and evidence of Satan, etc. But the fact remains that these (and hundreds of other events) were written about thousands of years before man’s first flight in a heavier-than-air aircraft in 1903. Either the writers’ had incredibly advanced imaginations…or…there must have been something that happened.
Cave-wall drawings are replete with drawings of what appear to be space ships containing people and people wearing glass-type helmets. Lines drawn behind the craft to indicate great speed.
Back to Judaism: Fundamentalist Jews revere their Torah in much the same way as Fundamentalist Muslims revere their Quran…with one important difference. The Jewish Talmud (book of laws) says that disbelievers should be “smitten” (killed). But Jews don’t do that! Jews respect life and living. Muslim Sharia Law says the same thing…only Muslims do kill those who don’t believe that “their” way is the “only” way.
One of the most interesting things about Judaism is that it has endured centuries of persecution and still shines as the brightest light in the religious world. Whenever anything has gone wrong in almost every part of the world…the cry arises that it is the fault of the Jews. Jews, being a minority among the world’s greatest religions have been blamed for every ill that has ever taken place anywhere in the world including the Crucifixion of Christ and every economic blight to ever hit the world’s economy. Adolph Hitler’s “final solution” was to exterminate all Jews.
The truth is that Jews have produced more than 75% of the world’s advances in the arts and in the professions of law and medicine; almost 90% of the world’s advancement in science/technology and almost 95% of the world’s religions. Searches through genealogical records have shown that many of the world’s greatest artists were Jews who changed their names and denied their Judaism for fear of being punished by the Anti-Semitic governments of the day and age. A careful tracing of genealogical history indicates that even the artists whose paintings of Jesus and Christianity are treated as “religious classics” were mostly Jews.
Anti-Semitism still exists much in the same way as the Ku Klux Klan still exists. Its power and influence is now so insignificant that the numbers of those who preach their hatred are dissolving into oblivion. There have always been and there will always be “hate-groups”. Today, Anti Semitism is far less popular even in Hitler-loving nations such as Norway and Sweden. Industries, like the oil industry and banking, that had formerly closed its doors to Jews, have allowed Jews to become top executives. In America, for the first time in history, there are more people converting to Judaism than trying to hide their Jewish heritage. Judaism has blossomed forth in Central Africa and in South America..
The main difference between all other religious conversions and Jewish conversions is that Jews never ask anyone to convert or accept their religion. If you want to become a Jew, Judaism will gladly accept you…but Jews do not send out Missionaries to “sell” you on Judaism.
Got an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my web site at yourparanormalcenter.com.
Monday, October 4, 2010
THE JEWS - PART 1
THE JEWS – Part I
October 3, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
It has often been said that the fetus of all the world’s major religions is Judaism (“Jew” and “Jewish” are contractions of the term “Judaism”). Certainly, there can be no doubt that Christianity and Islam emanated from the Jews. There are even more remote tie-ins to Zoroastrians and Hindu beliefs as having been created by the lost tribes of Judea.
Then, too, there is little doubt that Judaism is the oldest religion in the world outdating Hindu beliefs by thousands of years. The Old Testament (also called the “Torah”) calls the Jews “the chosen people”. More about the Torah and its possible recordation of visits by extra terrestrials, next week.
The basic Jewish belief is simple: There is one and only one God. That God created the Heavens and the Earth and is completely omnipotent. They do not accept the Christian belief that God sent his only son down to Earth to forgive the world’s sins; they do not accept the belief that Abraham’s son, Ishmael, was given a holy stone by the Archangel, Gabriel, or that God created his only prophet in the form of a man named Muhammad.
Jewish traditions are beautiful. The main Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashanah (the New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (the Festival of Feasts), Simchas Torah (the day you start over to read the Torah), and Pasach (mostly referred to as “Passover”), to celebrate the freedom of Jews from enslavement in Egypt.
Problems with Judaism, like all other religions, emanate from religious fundamentalists. There are still more than a million Jews who believe that the words in their Torah or their Talmud (the book of laws) were written by God and, therefore, cannot be changed or interpreted. Make no mistake: All Bibles and books of laws were written by man…not by God. Simple logic: There are more than one hundred different versions of Bibles available in libraries today. Each of them states that their Bible was written by God, yet most of these Bibles contradict other Bibles in major ways. It is not likely that an omnipotent God would contradict himself repeatedly.
Then, too “if” as the Jews believe, there is one and only one God, why does he have so many, different names? At various parts of the Torah, he is called “Yavah”…”Jehova”…”Eliyahu”…”Adonai” …”Elijah”…and many other names. Are all of these differently named Gods the same? If so, why so many different names?
In other columns, I have commented on the terribly primitive, heathen, nature of Sharia Law (Islamic Law). Talmudic Law is no less heathen. Simply reading Talmudic Law, creates several, seemingly ridiculous, questions I would like answered:
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. The Talmud says I should smite them. How do I do this and stay out of jail?
b) Selling my daughters into slavery is sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. Is this a good idea? Does God’s law override State law? How about among the Jewish fundamentalists?
c) Contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24) is prohibited and punishable by death. How do I handle this if her period starts unexpectedly?
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Why can't I own Canadians?
e) My neighbor drives and turns lights on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. What’s a convenient way to do this without getting arrested?
f) The Talmud says that homosexuality is an Abomination. Does that mean I can’t watch the Ellen DeGeneres show?
g) Eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10). What’s the punishment for eating a shrimp cocktail besides having to take a Pepto-Bismol?
h) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. Does this mean that Rabbis who wear glasses should not conduct services? Or is there some “wiggle-room” here?
i) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. Punishment for this is death. Too bad, I really like my barber.
j) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
k) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them to death? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
More on the Jews next week. Comments? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my website at yourparanormalcenter.com. Stephen Ellis
October 3, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
It has often been said that the fetus of all the world’s major religions is Judaism (“Jew” and “Jewish” are contractions of the term “Judaism”). Certainly, there can be no doubt that Christianity and Islam emanated from the Jews. There are even more remote tie-ins to Zoroastrians and Hindu beliefs as having been created by the lost tribes of Judea.
Then, too, there is little doubt that Judaism is the oldest religion in the world outdating Hindu beliefs by thousands of years. The Old Testament (also called the “Torah”) calls the Jews “the chosen people”. More about the Torah and its possible recordation of visits by extra terrestrials, next week.
The basic Jewish belief is simple: There is one and only one God. That God created the Heavens and the Earth and is completely omnipotent. They do not accept the Christian belief that God sent his only son down to Earth to forgive the world’s sins; they do not accept the belief that Abraham’s son, Ishmael, was given a holy stone by the Archangel, Gabriel, or that God created his only prophet in the form of a man named Muhammad.
Jewish traditions are beautiful. The main Jewish holidays are Rosh Hashanah (the New Year), Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Sukkot (the Festival of Feasts), Simchas Torah (the day you start over to read the Torah), and Pasach (mostly referred to as “Passover”), to celebrate the freedom of Jews from enslavement in Egypt.
Problems with Judaism, like all other religions, emanate from religious fundamentalists. There are still more than a million Jews who believe that the words in their Torah or their Talmud (the book of laws) were written by God and, therefore, cannot be changed or interpreted. Make no mistake: All Bibles and books of laws were written by man…not by God. Simple logic: There are more than one hundred different versions of Bibles available in libraries today. Each of them states that their Bible was written by God, yet most of these Bibles contradict other Bibles in major ways. It is not likely that an omnipotent God would contradict himself repeatedly.
Then, too “if” as the Jews believe, there is one and only one God, why does he have so many, different names? At various parts of the Torah, he is called “Yavah”…”Jehova”…”Eliyahu”…”Adonai” …”Elijah”…and many other names. Are all of these differently named Gods the same? If so, why so many different names?
In other columns, I have commented on the terribly primitive, heathen, nature of Sharia Law (Islamic Law). Talmudic Law is no less heathen. Simply reading Talmudic Law, creates several, seemingly ridiculous, questions I would like answered:
a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev 1:9). The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. The Talmud says I should smite them. How do I do this and stay out of jail?
b) Selling my daughters into slavery is sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. Is this a good idea? Does God’s law override State law? How about among the Jewish fundamentalists?
c) Contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev 15:19-24) is prohibited and punishable by death. How do I handle this if her period starts unexpectedly?
d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Why can't I own Canadians?
e) My neighbor drives and turns lights on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. What’s a convenient way to do this without getting arrested?
f) The Talmud says that homosexuality is an Abomination. Does that mean I can’t watch the Ellen DeGeneres show?
g) Eating shellfish is an Abomination (Lev 11:10). What’s the punishment for eating a shrimp cocktail besides having to take a Pepto-Bismol?
h) Lev 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. Does this mean that Rabbis who wear glasses should not conduct services? Or is there some “wiggle-room” here?
i) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev 19:27. Punishment for this is death. Too bad, I really like my barber.
j) I know from Lev 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
k) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them to death? (Lev 24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)
More on the Jews next week. Comments? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my website at yourparanormalcenter.com. Stephen Ellis
Monday, September 27, 2010
ISLAM
ISLAM
September 27, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Continuing my columns on the world’s great religions, it is very important that we look at and try to understand the second largest religious following in the world, Islam. Originally designed to be a beautiful religion, Islam has become the most misunderstood major religion in the world.
There are three basic reasons for this:
1. Islamic or Sharia Law. Of all the sets of laws in the world, Sharia Law is far and away the most heathen and most punitive set of laws existing. Sharia Law disregards the basic rights of any female. i.e. An Islamic man may marry and divorce, at will. But if an Islamic woman is even suspected of flirting with someone other than her husband, she can be buried in the ground up to her neck and stoned to death. More about Sharia Law later.
2. Muslim belief is that the only God is Allah and his only prophet is Muhammad. There is nothing wrong with this belief…except…that their Bible, the Quran (Koran), says that anyone who does not believe this is what they call an “infidel”. The Quran says that all infidels must be destroyed. Using this reasoning, Muslims attacked and killed approximately 75,000 Christians in Lebanon for the sole reason that they were what Islam calls “infidels”.
3. Lack of education runs rampant through the Islamic World. When people are uneducated, it opens the door to allowing others to control your life. In the case of Islam, Fundamentalist Clerics are the ones doing the controlling.
Muslims are sharply divided among themselves into the Shia and the Sunni. This division emanates from the death of Muhammad. Some Muslims believe that Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali Tabib, was Muhammad’s choice to take control of the religion (Shia); others believe that an early follower of Muhammad, Abu Bakr, was Muhammad’s choice (Sunni). This division is so sharp that hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been killed by other Muslims because of this difference in beliefs.
Muslim men, generally, have no fear of death because they are taught that if they kill in the name of Allah or are killed in the name of Allah they will be rewarded in Islamic Heaven with twelve virgins to serve each of them.
The history of Islam is strange: It is believed that Ishmael, one of the sons of Abraham and Hagar, was cast-off by Abraham into the desert. Ishmael claims to have been given a desert stone by the Archangel, Garbriel. That stone is now in the cornerstone of a building in Mecca called the Kabba. The Kabba stone is the most revered item in Islam.
Three thousand years later, a minor religious leader named Muhammad began to mutter in his hash-induced sleep, but spoke as if talking to the Archangel, Gabriel. There were few followers and Muhammad’s life was still that of a poor man. Years later, Muhammad again began talking in his sleep, as though he was speaking to Gabriel. This time, people listened and wrote down notes of what he said. These notes later became the Quran. As more people listened to Muhammad, the Arabian military became aware of Muhammad and the growing numbers of people who listened to him and followed him. The military encouraged people to follow Muhammad and the Arabian military became very strong. They used Muhammad as a holy man to lead in the Arabian Wars of conquest.
Islamic Clerics, even today, claim to have the original Quran, written in Muhammad’s hand, in Mecca. The problem with this is that most historians allege that Muhammad was illiterate and could neither read nor write.
Muhammad had several wives, one of whom was a seven-year-old girl. Some historians claim Muhammad was a pedophile.
Most Mulsims are adamant in their beliefs. They believe that if you do not bow down toward Mecca six times a day, you lose your right be a Muslim. They believe that the only purpose of women is to have children (and the Islamic population is growing at record rates). They believe the only law that can be used is Sharia law and have actually had Sharia Law supersede a nation’s laws in several places. They believe that the only good infidel is a dead infidel. Most Muslims who have immigrated to other countries still deny their families and their communities to be exposed to other beliefs or even to education, in general.
Have an opinion? E-mail me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at www.yourparanormalcenter.com. Stephen Ellis
September 27, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Continuing my columns on the world’s great religions, it is very important that we look at and try to understand the second largest religious following in the world, Islam. Originally designed to be a beautiful religion, Islam has become the most misunderstood major religion in the world.
There are three basic reasons for this:
1. Islamic or Sharia Law. Of all the sets of laws in the world, Sharia Law is far and away the most heathen and most punitive set of laws existing. Sharia Law disregards the basic rights of any female. i.e. An Islamic man may marry and divorce, at will. But if an Islamic woman is even suspected of flirting with someone other than her husband, she can be buried in the ground up to her neck and stoned to death. More about Sharia Law later.
2. Muslim belief is that the only God is Allah and his only prophet is Muhammad. There is nothing wrong with this belief…except…that their Bible, the Quran (Koran), says that anyone who does not believe this is what they call an “infidel”. The Quran says that all infidels must be destroyed. Using this reasoning, Muslims attacked and killed approximately 75,000 Christians in Lebanon for the sole reason that they were what Islam calls “infidels”.
3. Lack of education runs rampant through the Islamic World. When people are uneducated, it opens the door to allowing others to control your life. In the case of Islam, Fundamentalist Clerics are the ones doing the controlling.
Muslims are sharply divided among themselves into the Shia and the Sunni. This division emanates from the death of Muhammad. Some Muslims believe that Muhammad’s son-in-law, Ali Tabib, was Muhammad’s choice to take control of the religion (Shia); others believe that an early follower of Muhammad, Abu Bakr, was Muhammad’s choice (Sunni). This division is so sharp that hundreds of thousands of Muslims have been killed by other Muslims because of this difference in beliefs.
Muslim men, generally, have no fear of death because they are taught that if they kill in the name of Allah or are killed in the name of Allah they will be rewarded in Islamic Heaven with twelve virgins to serve each of them.
The history of Islam is strange: It is believed that Ishmael, one of the sons of Abraham and Hagar, was cast-off by Abraham into the desert. Ishmael claims to have been given a desert stone by the Archangel, Garbriel. That stone is now in the cornerstone of a building in Mecca called the Kabba. The Kabba stone is the most revered item in Islam.
Three thousand years later, a minor religious leader named Muhammad began to mutter in his hash-induced sleep, but spoke as if talking to the Archangel, Gabriel. There were few followers and Muhammad’s life was still that of a poor man. Years later, Muhammad again began talking in his sleep, as though he was speaking to Gabriel. This time, people listened and wrote down notes of what he said. These notes later became the Quran. As more people listened to Muhammad, the Arabian military became aware of Muhammad and the growing numbers of people who listened to him and followed him. The military encouraged people to follow Muhammad and the Arabian military became very strong. They used Muhammad as a holy man to lead in the Arabian Wars of conquest.
Islamic Clerics, even today, claim to have the original Quran, written in Muhammad’s hand, in Mecca. The problem with this is that most historians allege that Muhammad was illiterate and could neither read nor write.
Muhammad had several wives, one of whom was a seven-year-old girl. Some historians claim Muhammad was a pedophile.
Most Mulsims are adamant in their beliefs. They believe that if you do not bow down toward Mecca six times a day, you lose your right be a Muslim. They believe that the only purpose of women is to have children (and the Islamic population is growing at record rates). They believe the only law that can be used is Sharia law and have actually had Sharia Law supersede a nation’s laws in several places. They believe that the only good infidel is a dead infidel. Most Muslims who have immigrated to other countries still deny their families and their communities to be exposed to other beliefs or even to education, in general.
Have an opinion? E-mail me at stebrel@aol.com. Visit my website at www.yourparanormalcenter.com. Stephen Ellis
Sunday, September 19, 2010
THE HINDUS
THE HINDUS
September 19, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Continuing my columns on the world’s great religions, it is very important that we look at and try to understand the third largest religious following in the world, the Hindus. At the latest count, there are almost one billion Hindus in the world, most living in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Little is really understood about Hinduism in the Western World. Although this column is brief, it may offer some enlightenment to a predominantly Christian and Islamic Western World:
Hinduism differs from the religions of the rest of the world in that it does not have a single founder; an orthodox theological system; a single concept of God; a single Bible; a single system of rules or morality; a central authority. Hinduism does not believe that there have ever been any angels or prophets of God here on Earth. Actually, Hinduism is more like an all-encompassing way of life rather than going to a place of worship to pray to a single God.
Hinduism claims to be the oldest religion in the world dating back to 1,500 BC. Contra to this, the Western World recognizes the Torah and Judaism as going back to approximately 4,000 BC.
Most forms of Hinduism do recognize a single God, but believe that other Gods and Goddesses are manifestations or aspects of that one supreme God.
Until recently, Hinduism had been thought of as probably the world’s most tolerant religion. Its leaders, like Mahatma Gandhi, preached tolerance and love of all peoples. Gandhi organized a non-violent civil disobedience in India which, in 1947, resulted in abandonment of the British occupation and India becoming an independent State. However, the predominantly northern part of India was populated by a very violent Muslim population that severed itself from India and the Hindus by forming their own country, Pakistan. Small wars between India and Pakistan have been ongoing since both became independent States.
With an independent nation came politics: As the Hindus became more political, they became more intolerant of people whose beliefs were different: There have recently been numerous attacks by Hindus on Christian and Muslim religions and their churches, temples, etc.
One of the strongest aspects of Hinduism is as much social as it is religious: This is called the “caste system”. Hindus believe that there are four basic castes, or social classes. Each caste has its own rules and obligations for living. The elite caste is the Brahman, or priest caste. Second are the Kshatriyas, or warriors and rulers. Third are the Vaisyas, or merchants and farmers. Finally, the fourth caste is the Shudras, or laborers. Outside the caste system are the “untouchables”; the lowest of the lowest. Designation as an “untouchable” was outlawed in the 1940s, but it still exists today. A person does not get to decide or have the ability to change his or her caste – that matter is decided when one is born into a particular caste.
In summary, these are the basic beliefs of Hinduism:
1. That God is a three-in-one God known as “Brahman,” which is composed of: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). The level of Godliness can be achieved by humans through the stage of Nirvana.
2. The Caste System.
3. Karma: The law that good begets good, and bad begets bad. Every action, thought, or decision one makes has consequences – good or bad – that will return to each person in the present life, or in one yet to come.
4. Reincarnation: Also known as “transmigration of souls,” or “samsara.” This is a journey on the “circle of life,” where each person experiences as series of physical births, deaths, and rebirths. With good karma, a person can be reborn into a higher caste, or even to godhood. Bad karma can relegate one to a lower caste, or even to life as an animal in their next life.
5. Nirvana: This is the goal of the Hindu. Nirvana is the release of the soul from the seemingly endless cycle of rebirths.
At the same time, Hinduism teaches that all living things are Brahma, or God. Enlightenment is attained by becoming tuned in to the Brahman within. Only then can one reach Nirvana.
Some aspects of Hinduism, like Karma and Reincarnation, do have significant support within the religions of the Western World like Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Have an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my website at your paranormal center.com. Stephen Ellis
September 19, 2010 By Stephen Ellis
Continuing my columns on the world’s great religions, it is very important that we look at and try to understand the third largest religious following in the world, the Hindus. At the latest count, there are almost one billion Hindus in the world, most living in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Little is really understood about Hinduism in the Western World. Although this column is brief, it may offer some enlightenment to a predominantly Christian and Islamic Western World:
Hinduism differs from the religions of the rest of the world in that it does not have a single founder; an orthodox theological system; a single concept of God; a single Bible; a single system of rules or morality; a central authority. Hinduism does not believe that there have ever been any angels or prophets of God here on Earth. Actually, Hinduism is more like an all-encompassing way of life rather than going to a place of worship to pray to a single God.
Hinduism claims to be the oldest religion in the world dating back to 1,500 BC. Contra to this, the Western World recognizes the Torah and Judaism as going back to approximately 4,000 BC.
Most forms of Hinduism do recognize a single God, but believe that other Gods and Goddesses are manifestations or aspects of that one supreme God.
Until recently, Hinduism had been thought of as probably the world’s most tolerant religion. Its leaders, like Mahatma Gandhi, preached tolerance and love of all peoples. Gandhi organized a non-violent civil disobedience in India which, in 1947, resulted in abandonment of the British occupation and India becoming an independent State. However, the predominantly northern part of India was populated by a very violent Muslim population that severed itself from India and the Hindus by forming their own country, Pakistan. Small wars between India and Pakistan have been ongoing since both became independent States.
With an independent nation came politics: As the Hindus became more political, they became more intolerant of people whose beliefs were different: There have recently been numerous attacks by Hindus on Christian and Muslim religions and their churches, temples, etc.
One of the strongest aspects of Hinduism is as much social as it is religious: This is called the “caste system”. Hindus believe that there are four basic castes, or social classes. Each caste has its own rules and obligations for living. The elite caste is the Brahman, or priest caste. Second are the Kshatriyas, or warriors and rulers. Third are the Vaisyas, or merchants and farmers. Finally, the fourth caste is the Shudras, or laborers. Outside the caste system are the “untouchables”; the lowest of the lowest. Designation as an “untouchable” was outlawed in the 1940s, but it still exists today. A person does not get to decide or have the ability to change his or her caste – that matter is decided when one is born into a particular caste.
In summary, these are the basic beliefs of Hinduism:
1. That God is a three-in-one God known as “Brahman,” which is composed of: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), and Shiva (the Destroyer). The level of Godliness can be achieved by humans through the stage of Nirvana.
2. The Caste System.
3. Karma: The law that good begets good, and bad begets bad. Every action, thought, or decision one makes has consequences – good or bad – that will return to each person in the present life, or in one yet to come.
4. Reincarnation: Also known as “transmigration of souls,” or “samsara.” This is a journey on the “circle of life,” where each person experiences as series of physical births, deaths, and rebirths. With good karma, a person can be reborn into a higher caste, or even to godhood. Bad karma can relegate one to a lower caste, or even to life as an animal in their next life.
5. Nirvana: This is the goal of the Hindu. Nirvana is the release of the soul from the seemingly endless cycle of rebirths.
At the same time, Hinduism teaches that all living things are Brahma, or God. Enlightenment is attained by becoming tuned in to the Brahman within. Only then can one reach Nirvana.
Some aspects of Hinduism, like Karma and Reincarnation, do have significant support within the religions of the Western World like Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Have an opinion? Write me at stebrel@aol.com and visit my website at your paranormal center.com. Stephen Ellis
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