The Prophet Muhammad's Treatment of His Wives

Faux News and their ilk spin Islam so Muslims appear to all be extremists. This sermon tells of a far different side of Islam.

Extremism is always bad. The majority of Muslims are not extremists.

~Rose~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: W is for Songs of Worship

Religion can be a loaded subject. 

We are not promoting any one religion over another.

We are featuring songs which may have spiritual significance to people with certain beliefs.

No belittling or bigoted commentary regarding anyone's beliefs (or lack thereof) will be tolerated.

~The KHEL 666 Krew~

Songs which have spiritual significance can move people emotionally, and perhaps get them in touch with the realms that exist beyond the physical.

For a Buddhist, chanting and instrumentals which invoke feelings of peace and relaxation are essential.

For Christians, a song of this nature can remind them of the peaceful messages taught by Jesus, and of his great sacrifice.

Jewish songs invoke feelings of celebration and reverence, keeping traditions alive and celebrating those who have gone before.

Muslim chants are often very powerful and moving, invoking strong feelings of spiritual reverence.

Pagan beliefs practices are extremely varied. Wiccan and Pagan songs celebrate various gods and goddesses, or the beauty of nature. Unitarian songs of worship tend to focus on peace, tolerance, and togetherness rather than religious beliefs. 

 I hope you have enjoyed my choices demonstrating songs of worship from various belief systems. I am not an expert on religion, and the thoughts expressed are simply brief explanations of my understanding of the music utilized by a few of the world's religions.

Peace,

DJ Illsa

Cross-Posted to:

KHEL 666

One Love

Healing and Release Spellwork April 24 2015

Music suggested by Teammate Opal

I would like to do these spells at least once a week. However, it is often much longer. There is a threefold factor: work, family, and the fact that I don't believe in my abilities.

My son's friend has fairly well distanced himself from everybody, so it's difficult to know how he's faring. It's hard for me to continue with spell work without progress reports. I'm somewhat going on blind faith. I really want him to heal, but I suppose I have to be prepared to accept the possibility that perhaps he doesn't want to. He's only 18, but he's had a very hard life.

My special friend is not doing well, physically. His mind continues to deteriorate, yet his body remains alive. He wants to be released at this point, but something keeps him holding on. I think I have some idea what it is, but he's asked me to keep it confidential. 

Here are our element cards for the day:

Heaven: The Key from the Stargate deck. This represents self discovery and realization.

Air: From the Healing with the Fairies deck.

Sexuality. My son's friend is transgender female to male. He has a history of sexual abuse. Sexuality is a thorny issue for him.

Water: From the Magical Mermaids and Dolphins deck

Break Free

Both of the people I'm working to help have certain issues that they need to break free from.

Earth: Dog from the Medicine cards deck

Meaning: Be loyal to yourself and true to others. 

Fire: From the archangel oracle deck:

Indigo and Crystal children

My son's friend has an advanced and sensitive spirit which has been broken by others. Healing of his soul as well as his body is essential.

May we all be blessed and receive the guidance we need. I feel that we are all lost in some way.

~Cie~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: T is for Theism

I actually enjoyed listening to this sermon, although it raises for me the sort of issues that initially made me begin questioning the belief system of my childhood.

I was raised Catholic, and was very devout into my teen years. I began to wonder why the God I worshiped seemed to bless some and curse others. I had quite a difficult time during my teen years and wondered why God hated me when I tried my very best to do good and went to church each week as well.

It wasn't that I was perfect. I was a bit of a rebel. I smoked and I liked to party at any possible opportunity. But I was kind to others. I wondered why that didn't count for something.

Biblical literalism was the first thing to go from my belief system. The church was the next thing. I couldn't abide the many judgmental attitudes that I encountered among the believers.

I am still rather convinced that there is a higher power, or at least I strongly believe in the possibility of one. However, I no longer believe in the rather egotistical deity that I was taught to worship in my childhood. 

I can't align my own thoughts and beliefs with theism, because I find a deity that demands worship from its creations or it will cause them to suffer regardless of whatever positive and helpful traits they may have extremely off-putting. Deism makes more sense, as far as I'm concerned. A being so advanced that it could create the Universe surely would be beyond such a petty emotion as egotism.

The God of the bible (at least as interpreted by the majority of those calling themselves Christians) is an abusive parent who demands unquestioning adulation from his creations. I refuse to worship any being which is that egotistical. If there is a higher power, I believe it judges our actions, not our willingness to fawn over it.

~Morella~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: P is for Pacifism

Pacifism is, quite simply, an opposition to war and violence.

A pacifist may have religious beliefs, but they do not have to.

Ahimsa, which means "to do no harm," is a core belief of Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism.

Many great spiritual leaders, including Jesus Christ, have encouraged pacifism.

Mohandas Gandhi called for non-violent opposition to British rule during the Indian Independence movement.

The word pacifism was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud (1864–1921) and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901.

~Wanda~

Information gathered from the Wikipedia entry on Pacifism.

Devil of a Job: Interview With an Exorcist

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2014: M is for Music

There is music for many belief systems.
The Agnostic Mountain Gospel Choir may not have any specific beliefs, but they like Gospel music.
It's hard to find specific Buddhist musicians. Many times the chants are done by monks.
Counting Crowns sing for Christ with their brand of contemporary Christian music.
I don't know if one could consider this music "representative of Deism," but it is cool.

People who follow the tenets of Eckankar believe that the sound HU has special meaning.

I once worked with a fellow who practiced Eckankar. I was interested to hear about his beliefs until I discovered that his real goal was to try and get into my pants. Then I stopped listening.

Hindu songs praise the various deities of Hinduism.

There are many others. We may examine them at another time!

~Gretyll~

NaPoWriMo 2015: Day 14: Suffering: A Conversation Between Me and the Cosmos

Suffering:

A Conversation Between Me and the Cosmos

"Why do you allow us to suffer?" I cried

To any deity or angel or demon

To any ascended master

To any spirit high or low

To any elemental being

To any ghost

Or speck of dust

Or invading microbe

Or molecule, atom, electron, proton or neutron

Which might chance to hear me

"Why do you create things of beauty only to allow them to be destroyed?" I demanded

"I want to know who is responsible for this!" I declared

I wondered aloud how something so magnificent as this cosmos could come to be

Without even an iota of divine intervention

I decided that it could not

But the creator thereof must long ago have pissed off

To any rate, this is the only thing I can imagine to be true

For as I gazed up into the night sky

At the myriad of stars

I was as alone as ever

Having, as always, no answer to the question

Of why we are born

To suffer

~Opal~

Notes:

Like Ellie yesterday, I deviated from the prompt. The prompt was to create a poem which includes a conversation. Technically, mine does, although it is a one-sided conversation!

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: L is for Law

One of the few sensible modern conservatives.

Stating this does not mean that I agree with everything he says. However, I do agree with most of what he says in this video.

~Naila~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: E is for Environmentalism

If we destroy the world for short-term gain, then what will become of us?

The late Wangari Maathai was aware of how important conservation of natural resources is. In 1977, she worked to stop state-backed deforestation in Kenya. She founded the Green Belt Movement, which has planted millions of trees in Kenya. 

Deforestation not only destroys the landscape but the habitats of many creatures, including certain humans. It makes the land more vulnerable to flooding and mudslides.

Deforestation brings short term gain to a few. Conservation brings long-term gain to us all.

~Lily~

Healing Spells: Simplifying the Process

I was previously using multiple healing spells for my son's friend who has bone cancer, and for my special friend who has multiple physical problems and is somehow, amazingly, still alive. This is not entirely a blessing by any means, as one of his problems is severe dementia.

I am now only using the healing spell from the Tarot Spells book by Janina Renee, one repetition each for my son's friend and for my friend.

I am now using the Doreen Virtue angel tarot cards. I thought that the Knight of Water was a fine significator for my son's friend (a young trans man) and I chose The Dreamer, as represented by the Archangel Metatron, for my friend. I thought the image looked a bit like him and the description fit his personality.

I still chose cards for each of the elements. I received Sensitivity from the Archangel Oracle in the position of the Heavens, St. Anthony of Padua in the Air position, Azure from the Healing with the Angels deck in the Water position, Forgiveness from The Answer Deck in the Fire position, and the Elk from the Medicine cards deck in the Earth position.

The Haniel card indicates a high sensitivity to energies and emotions at this time. The thoughts I have received from my special friend have been coming in stronger over the past couple of days. I've been grateful to be able to communicate in this way with him.

St. Anthony's message is "you found it!" This has great significance to me.

Azure's message is "your desired outcome will occur in the very near future. Have patience and faith, and don't try to force it to happen."

Patience has never been my strong suit, but I'll try.

The message of the Elk is that patience brings results. So, there's that patience message again.

The card of Forgiveness is in the position of Fire. This could have multiple indications. The thought that comes to me is that we have to forgive even those who abused us terribly, not because what they did was okay but because continuing to hold onto hate destroys us from within. We also have to forgive ourselves for past indiscretions and mistakes and try to learn from them. For my part, perhaps I need to "forgive" myself for my hypersensitivity.

It is nearly time to go to work again, so I'll need to wrap things up. I hope that by simplifying matters I'll be more likely to send out healing energies to those who so desperately need them on a more regular basis. I think that regular small spells are at least as effective if not more so than grand, elaborate ones.

Love and Light,

Cie



A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: D is for Discovery

A spirit of curiosity is a gift. A desire to discover amazing artifacts such as the one described in the video makes the world a better place.

Understanding our history helps us understand ourselves and each other better. The more we know about our ancestors, the more we can understand why we are the way we are.

~Blooming Psycho~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: C is for Crystals

Some people utilize crystals as a way of connecting to the energies of the Earth and/or the Universe. I thought it would be interesting to show how these crystals may be obtained.

~Quilla~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: B is for Bias

The above video contains an example of cultural bias. This person is certainly not the only one to hold such views.

Bias:

a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice.

The author of the above book, Michael Savage, refers to his views as "conservative nationalism."

First, I'll go with the idea upon which I agree with him.

When it comes to sex scenes, often less is more. I generally dislike overly explicit sex scenes in movies. If I wanted to watch porn, I'd watch porn. If I'm reading a book, unless I'm going for erotica, I don't want graphic sex scene after graphic sex scene. Before you ask, no, I am not a fan of "Fifty Shades of Grey."

As to what was offensive in the author's statement:

"If they were Islamists, they'd cut each other's throats. But since they're Americans, they usually have a drink and go to bed with each other."

Granted, the statement is hyperbolic. Obviously, if Muslims killed each other all the time, there would be no more Muslims. However, the statement is also a glaring generalization regarding Muslims.

Also granted, there are extremist Muslims. There are problematic attitudes in the Middle East regarding the treatment of women. However, not all Muslims are extremists. 

Believing that all Muslims are extremists is comparable to saying that all Germans are bad because of the actions taken by the Nazis. It simply isn't true.

Attitudes like Mr. Savage's do nothing to combat the extremist attitudes held by some Muslims. Instead, they create an attitude of bias against all Muslims.

Biased attitudes do not create solutions. They only create further animosity.

~Illsa~

A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015: A is for Activism

Without activism, no changes would ever be made. People such as the late Wangari Maathai are inspirations to us all.

Even if we can't devote our entire lives directly to the causes which matter as Wangari did with her life, we can make a difference in subtle ways. By simply treating others the way we would like to be treated, by living mindfully rather than wastefully, and by thinking of the way our actions now may affect future generations, we can make a difference.

Wangari made a great difference. The world is a better place for her having been here and a sadder place for her passing.

~Lily~