Wizard 101 Indoctrinating Youth To The Occult

Wizard 101 Indoctrinating Youth To The Occult And Illuminati Symbolism

Fri, 02/25/2011 - 12:27am |  Pop Culture Pastor

Wizard 101 is a online game played by an estimated 15 million, mostly young people that teaches the user to cast spells, use magic and be a wizard.
Who wants to teach your children magic? Well, look at the logo. A pyramid with an Eye swirl behind the W in Wizard.
I smell masons.
Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.- Leviticus 19:31
Whenever you see magic in pop culture be assured that freemasons and the illuminati are close by. Just take a look at the blatant All Seeing Eye of Lucifer symbolism they're using to program your children with and have no doubt who is behind it.

WIZARD 101 CAN SEE IT!

ONE EYED TREE

EYE CAN SEE IT!



MASONIC CHECKERBOARD FLOORS & PILLARS



ALL SEEING EYES


And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after
wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against
that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. Leviticus 20:6

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Youth and the Occult

by Jason Barker 

As the next article shows, the occult is becoming an increasingly common component of television programs oriented towards youth. The increased exposure of witchcraft and other occultic practices is increasing the acceptance of these practices by youth as exciting, exotic alternatives to mainstream religion (particularly Christianity).

An informal study of local teenagers by the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader in 1997 showed that “Most said there’s a subculture at nearly every school that includes Anne Rice-influenced gothic kids, faux vampires and outcast kids who dabble in the occult. After all, in the Bible Belt, what could be more shocking than experimenting with witchcraft, vampirism or Satanism?”

¹  The study concluded that most signs of teenage involvement in the occult (such as satanic symbols on book bag or bumper sticker) are merely a superficial sign of temporary rebellion against societal boundaries.
A small percentage of teens who show signs of occultic interests, however, become heavily involved in serious occultic practices.
²  The results of their involvement in the occult can be tragic.

Youth and the Occult: A Worst-Case Example

The study by the Herald-Leader was motivated by the murder of two people on November 25, 1996, by a vampire cult led by Kentucky teenager Rod Ferrell.
Ferrell claims that, as a young child, he was exposed to occult rituals and human sacrifices by his father and first stepfather.
³  More plausibly, Ferrell also claims to have been exposed to the occult and vampirism as a child through playing Dungeons & Dragons.
⁴  He began to engage in serious occultic practices following his mother’s second divorce, walking in cemeteries at night, cutting himself and offering his blood to others, and pretending to be a 500 year-old vampire named “Vesago.”
⁵
In addition to more typical acts of teenage rebellion (such as using drugs and avoiding school), Ferrell became involved in a role-playing game called Vampire: The Masquerade. Masquerade players physically engage in the actions of their characters, much like they would do if performing in a play, whereas traditional tabletop role-playing games involve dice, playing cards, and other components used by players to imagine the action being described.

Ferrell’s pretense at vampirism eventually led him into contact with a young man named Stephen Murphy, who led Ferrell towards “crossing over” and becoming a real vampire.
⁶  This friendship ended in 1996 after Murphy attacked Ferrell; shortly after, Ferrell’s mother was charged with soliciting a minor (Murphy’s 14 year-old brother), whom she begged to “‘cross her over’ and have her as his vampire bride.” 
⁷
During his friendship with Murphy, Ferrell began his friendships with Charity Lynn Keesee, Howard Scott Anderson, and Dana Cooper. These three constituted the members of Ferrell’s “vampire cult,” engaging in group sex and drinking blood as part of their vampire rituals.
⁸  The four youth allegedly killed Richard Wendorf and Naoma Queen at the behest of their daughter, Heather Wendorf, so that Heather could join the cult. The cult was captured in Baton Rouge, Lousiana, allegedly while travelling to New Orleans to meet Anne Rice.
⁹
Ferrell was sentenced to death for the murders of Wendorf and Queen. At his sentencing the judge described Ferrell as “a disturbed young man” who proves “there is genuine evil in the world.” 
¹⁰
 

“Mainstream” Occultic Activities for Youth

 

The above example is admittedly a worst-case scenario; few youth join vampire cults and murder their parents. By positing such a horrifying scenario as the extreme pole of occultic activity, with conservative Christianity (or at least opposition to occultic activity) marking the other pole, it is reasonable to consider where the “middle ground,” or most popular forms of occultism for youth, can be found. What are some of the more popular forms of occultism being marketed for youth?

“Gothic” Music and Dress

 
The Gothic (or Goth) movement started in 1981 at a London nightclub called “The Batcave.” Goth devotees, named after the medieval Gothic period, “were pale-faced, black-swathed, hair-sprayed nightdwellers, who worshiped imagery religious and sacrilegious, consumptive poets, and all things spooky.”
¹¹  The movement reached the height of its popularity in Great Britain in the late 1980s, when such “pop-Goth” bands as the Cure and Depeche Mode created a synthesis of pop music and Goth-inspired attire, topping music charts and filling stadiums for their concerts.

The action-horror movie, The Crow (released in 1996), is an example of stereotypical Goth imagery: actor Brandon Lee wears black leather costumes, has long black hair and black eye shadow, and has his face painted a death-masque white. He frequented a dank, mausoleum-like abode (redolent of the haunts of the vampires in Anne Rice’s novels) lit with ornate candelabra and punctuated with religious iconography.
The Goth movement, while somewhat reduced in popularity, is still a thriving countercultural niche for many teens. In its most basic form, Goth is an expression of alienation from societal expectations. J. Gordon Melton explains, “The goth culture is made up of a lot of people who are wounded souls, who feel alienated in some way.” 
¹²  The attire, musical themes, and décor are an expression of nihilism; Goths “celebrate the death of things like dreams and hope and humanity for our culture.”
¹³
As the Goth aesthetic has crept into the mainstream, it has divided into three cliques. The first and smallest clique are those described above, for whom Goth is essentially an existentialist statement. The second and most visible clique are those who have temporarily adopted Goth music and attire as a rebellion against the expectations of their parents and community leaders. The cynical cultural index, Alt.Culture, describes the orientation of these individuals by claiming that Goth provides “a highly stylized, almost glamorous, alternative to punk fashion for suburban rebels, as well as safe androgyny for boys.”
¹⁴  This is the market towards whom Marilyn Manson targets his act. Despite a “Marilyn Manson Awareness” training seminar being offered in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which claims that Manson and other Goth and pseudo-Goth adherents should be classified as gang members, police and school districts largely consider the “suburban rebel” clique of Goth to be innocuous.
¹⁵
It is the third clique that poses the greatest concern: the small number of Goths who, inspired by the imagery of religious decay they have adopted, begin to dabble in vampirism and the occult.

Vampirism

 

Melton identifies two groups of vampires who are involved in the Goth scene: “the metaphorical vampires, who adopt such trappings as sleeping in coffins, wearing fangs, and keeping nighttime jobs; and the ‘real’ vampires who drink blood and exhibit a psychosis. Many cross the lines of these groups, but almost all of them are adults with marginal incomes ‘who appear to be living out a fantasy world.’” 
¹⁶  The Los Angeles Times notes that the second group of vampires’ “lifestyle is beyond mere trend. They avoid the sun at all costs. Some drink blood and perform ritual magic. Most claim to possess psychic abilities. Some say they are tormented by wandering spirits.”
¹⁷
The line between “playing” at being a vampire and actually believing oneself to be a member of the undead is crossed less frequently than some alarmists claim. Nonetheless, youth with emotional problems occasionally cross that line. Community services director Helen Carter states, “A lot of kids will do this, and they're just playing, but other kids get into it and lose their sense of reality… It can be just one of those adolescent things. But if you get a kid who has emotional problems involved, it can be deadly.”
¹⁸
Rod Ferrell’s murderous vampire cult is an example of the danger of emotionally unstable youth dabbling in the occult. Carter claims that there are nine vampire cults in Arizona’s Paradise Valley. In most such groups a young adult is the leader, and followers are typically 14 to 18.
¹⁹  A group in Arizona is led by a 20 year-old named Angel, who promises his followers will receive eternal life and unimaginable power, and follows an occult book called The Book of Nod (which allegedly describes the first vampires).
²⁰
 

Witchcraft

 

One of the most notable practices being marketed to youth is witchcraft, or magic, frequently in the form of Wicca. The 1996 movie The Craft picked up on the trend, inaccurately presenting a coven of high school students who use magick to fulfill their personal desires.
Silver Ravenwolf, self-described as one of the foremost witches in the United States, accurately describes witchcraft as “an earth-centered religion focused on raising an individual’s spirituality. WitchCraft [sic] is not, nor was it ever, a vehicle for Satanic worship.” 
²¹  Affiliated with Goddess worship, witchcraft is an experiential religion in which rituals and the celebration of seasonal festivals are intended to enhance an individual’s self-awareness and increase the power that person has to influence her destiny without outside influence. Displaying the syncretism that is so much a part of current New Age and occult practices, Ravenwolf teaches that the techniques of witchcraft can be used in any religious tradition.
²²
Witchcraft is on the rise among young people, particularly high school and college-age females. This author had a student in a technical writing class at a major state university who, for a semester project, developed a manual for the Wicca coven in which she was involved. This project was merely part of the trend of publishing books that market witchcraft to teens. For example, Inside a Witches’ Coven attempts to address the concern students seeking to find or join a coven, describing the beliefs, styles and customs that a witch may choose to consider.
The most significant new publication for youth is Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation by Silver Ravenwolf. Its colorful cover, with a painting depicting four adolescent females (and one male) provocatively posing in front of a full moon rising over a fog-shrouded grove, clearly is intended to attract its target audience (a free poster of the cover is available for purchasers “while supplies last” 
²³).
Showing the popularity of the book, Teen Witch was sold out in all but one of five major chain bookstores visited by the author while searching for a copy; he bought the last copy in the fifth store.
Ravenwolf is well aware that many parents, and particularly Christians, object to witchcraft. For this reason, the first section of the book is addressed to parents and claims (in bold print), “This is an okay book for your children to read. There’s nothing bad in here, and maybe the book will help you understand why WitchCraft is one of the fastest growing religions in America.” 
²⁴  She further advises parents, “For pity’s sake, don’t ‘tell’ [your children] what religion is and is not. Let them discover spirituality for themselves.” 
²⁵
What is it that teens are supposed to discover for themselves? In its own words, Teen Witch was written so that

Now, for the first time, [teens] can explore what it’s like to be a real Witch with a book written especially for you.

Find out how the Wiccan mysteries can enhance your life

Begin your journey with the Teen Seeker Ceremony

Combine common herbs from the supermarket to make your magickal formulas

Create your own sacred space

Read true stories of Wiccan teens

Work magick with real spells

Learn the Craft techniques for gaining love, money, health, protection, and wisdom

Discover how to talk to friends, parents, and other people about your involvement with WitchCraft.²⁶

The contents of Teen Witch are clearly intended to appeal to disillusioned teens who “sense an aliveness or ‘presence’ in nature…They share the goal of living in harmony with nature, and they tend to view humanity’s ‘advancement’ and separation from nature as the prime source of alienation. They see ritual as a tool to end that alienation.”²⁷
Teens who read Teen Witch are thus hoping to learn how to manipulate natural forces to end their sense of loneliness and alienation from society and the world.

The spells described in Teen Witch constitute a thorough inventory of the concerns of American teens. There are numerous spells for receiving money, a “Hot Wheels” spell for receiving a car, a “Crabby Teacher” spell, a spell for passing exams, a prayer for “Owl Wisdom” (divine assistance in planning for the future), a “Doodle Bug Love Spell” for raising self-esteem, a “Do You Like Me?” spell, a “Call Me” spell (as well as a “Don’t Call Me” spell), and even a “Little Bo Peep Spell to Find Lost Objects.”

The book concludes with a plan for teens to win approval for their witchcraft from parents. Ravenwolf advises teens to link philosophical and theological difficulties to a need for the existence and practice of witchcraft. Knowing that some parents “won’t get past their fear” and accept witchcraft (she says that such parents “aren’t behaving in an adult manner”²⁸),
Ravenwolf tells the children of parents who “still won’t budge [to] pray. The Mother will hear you.”²⁹

 

How Widespread is the Problem?

 

The involvement of American youth in the occult is, for lack of a better description, broad but shallow. In other words, occultic activity by teens has been observed across the country in such areas as Nashua, New Hampshire; Dallas; Burlington, Wisconsin; Salt Lake City; and Los Angeles. At the same time, it is only a small percentage of youth who are engaging in occultic practices; Ravenwolf states that teen witches will lose many of their friends, particularly Christians (she sarcastically describes these as “real winners”³⁰).

Goths (both the philosophical Goths, and those who use the movement as a springboard for occultism) register similar complaints.³¹
 
Despite the relatively small number of youth currently involved in occultic activity, the growing movement should be a source of concern for Christians. The example of Rod Ferrell, or of an Arizona boy who wrote to his grandparents before committing suicide, “Dear Grandma and Grandpa, please forgive me but tonite [sic] is the night I give my life to Satan. I am going to sacrifice myself… God told me to skin you alive,”³²

show the potential dangers for youth who flirt with the occult.

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Satanism and the Occult Target Youth

By David J. Stewart

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 2:5

       All the hordes of Hell are attacking the world's youth today. From Hollywood movies, to video games, to music, to what they're being taught in public schools—Satan has a bid for your child!

Hollywood's acclamation of witches is proof positive in the multiple movies it has offered throughout the decades. More recently, in 1996, a movie entitled The Craft, starring Robbin Tunney, Fairuza Balk and Neve Campbell, stormed movie theatres. The movie depicted four young girls all eager in their pursuits of witchcraft. Full explanations about the invoking of demonic spirits as well as enactment's of rituals to summon spirit possession litter the movie. These witchcraft truisms were incorporated into the film as teaching tools for the unsuspecting public. Did it work? Raven Mounani, owner of the occult store, Raven's Flight, and herself a practicing witch credits The Craft with encouraging young women to explore the world of witchcraft. She states:

"I get a lot of teenage girls in here. You can always tell when The Craft has been on TV cause we get a big influx of girls looking for supplies."

SOURCE: http://www.hollywoodunmasked.com/hollywoodswitchinghour.html; Hollywood's Witching Hour; by Jason Kovar

There is no debate that teens are being targeted by the Devil's crowd, trying to recruit them to surrender their lives to Satan. Marilyn Manson even gives alter calls at the end of his concerts, calling Christians as*holes and ripping apart Bibles on stage. Tragically, Marilyn Manson has sold over 11,000,000 albums just in the United States. What kind of person would want to listen to Manson's hellish screaming and blasphemous lyrics over and over? In a word... TEENAGERS! But why? It's because Manson is a freak, an outcast, and troubled teens who come from struggling or broken families can relate to him.

This is the exact reason why teenagers gravitate toward Satanism and the occult, where a person is accepted as they are without having to live up to a certain standard. The lowest degenerate in the world is readily accepted by witches, homosexuals and the rest of the wicked. You'll never find witches exposing the sin of homosexuality. You'll never find homosexuals exposing anything except themselves. It is Christianity which stands up against the wickedness of this world, in obedience to the Word of God which tells every believer to refute all works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11). Evil is done under cover of darkness, to conceal it's mischief; but good works are done in the sunlight for all to see. The very word “ occult” means hidden, because their seeds are evil in the sight of the Lord Jesus Christ.
END

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Satanism: The World of the Occult

Russ Wise

The Growing Problem

The occult is on the rise; many young people are seeking their spiritual identity through Satanism.
Satanism has become an issue of great concern in our society. It is a phenomena that crosses the city limits into the rural areas of our nation. Satanism is not just a big city problem. The news wires carry story after story about young children being kidnapped, only to be found later as victims of some bizarre ritualistic crime. To help us gain a balanced perspective of the subject, C. S. Lewis in his book Screwtape Letters, says this about Satan:

There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe and to feel an unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.

As satanic involvement among our youth increases, we begin to see the primary goal of such activity. It has become clear, according to the data thus far analyzed by those who investigate satanic involvement, that the primary goal is to alter people's values and turn them against themselves, their beliefs, family, God, and society.
When we begin to take a close look at the occult, it becomes necessary to define terms. There is a great difference between cults and the occult. The term cult refers to a group of people polarized around one individual who is often a magnetic personality.

This individual has his or her own understanding of truth, who God is, man's relationship to God, the existence of heaven and hell, as well as a number of other issues of faith. In most cases such individuals incorporate some degree of biblical truth into their teachings in order to gain a certain amount of credibility and in order to deceive the unwary.
The term occult means "hidden" or those things or teachings that are "unknown" or secret. So, the occult is the seeking after knowledge of unknown information, knowledge that is gained beyond the five senses. Therefore, knowledge is received by some supernatural involvement or connection.
Anton LaVey of the First Church of Satan in San Francisco, California, says that

Satanism is a blatantly selfish, brutal religion. It is based on the belief that man is inherently a selfish, violent creature... that the earth will be ruled by those who fight to win.

Satanism challenges the biblical teaching regarding man's relationship to others. We are to esteem others better than ourselves, and we are to be team players. In 1 Corinthians we read about being a part of the body of Christ, whereas, Satanism esteems the "self" over others.
Young satanists believe that the strong will rule with Satan. Once they are sufficiently involved, they often make a pact with Satan.

They commit themselves to a future date when they will take their own lives by suicide. They believe that if they submit themselves to Satan in death, they will come back in another life as a stronger being and rule with him forever. According to recent statistics, fourteen young people a day take their own lives. A major concern for those who uphold a Judeo-Christian world view is that this generation is becoming detached and is losing all sense of morality. Many have lost their mooring. It is imperative for the church, as a corporate body, and we as individuals, to share the message that Jesus Christ is the only possible solution to our emotional and spiritual needs.

The Power that Entices

Power has become an obsession with young satanists. It is sought after on the physical, mental, and spiritual levels. According to one former occultist, the greatest lure into the occult is "power" and "knowledge." Not just corporate power but personal power. Gaining knowledge that others do not possess is another aspect of the occult. When an individuals have more knowledge it affords them a degree of power over those who do not have access to that knowledge.
Likewise, Satanism offers its lure to the youth in our society. Drugs and sex have become the bait that so often ensnare the unsuspecting.
With the increase of satanic activity, a profile of those involved in Satanism has emerged.

They are generally from a white, middle to upper-middle class family. In most cases they are bright and do well in school; however, they are often bored and are not challenged to meet their full potential. They tend to have a low self-worth and are unable to distinguish between right and wrong because of their relative ethical system. They often have problems in the home and in relating to other people around them. They use drugs and are sexually promiscuous. It is a rare occasion when these last two elements are not present in the mix.
Abuse, both physically and emotionally, is another aspect of this mix. Young satanists are often abused children who know no other way to relate to people. Some are a part of a multi- generational family involved in worshiping Satan as savior.
Anton LaVey, Satanist High Priest of the First Church of Satan in San Francisco gives us a glimpse of how Satan is seen in his book The Satanic Bible:

We hold Satan as a symbolic personal savior, who takes care of mundane, fleshly, carnal things.

Satan has attempted to usurp the place of Christ in redeeming mankind. He has endeavored to establish himself as a god who is equal to or greater than Jehovah and in a sense render God ineffective. LaVey goes on to say that "God exists as a universal force, a balancing factor in nature, too impersonal to care one whit whether we live or die."
Therefore, the Judeo-Christian God is inaccessible and has no compassion. Thus, Satan becomes the solution to man's deepest needs.
Satanism leads one into bondage through mind control and fear, whereas Christianity allows the individual the freedom of choice. We have the opportunity to either accept God's free gift of life or reject Him and simply exist separate from God's love.
READ MORE: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/satanism.html

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Try the Spirits

By David J. Stewart

       It is no coincidence that Harry Potter has been targeted at children, making its author J.K. Rowling a billionaire. Harry Potter desensitizes children to the evils of witchcraft. Though seemingly harmless, Harry Potter opens the door to the occult and witchcraft. 1st Samuel 15:23 likens rebellion with witchcraft. That is because witchcraft is rebellion against God, seeking power and guidance from a demonic spiritual source. Any spirit that is not the Holy Spirit is a familiar spirit (i.e., a demon). 1st John 4:1 tells believers to “try” (or test) the spirits, to see whether they be of God or Satan. There are many demonic spirits (influences) in society today... MANY!!! 1st John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

How do you test a spirit? Simply, with the Word of God. The Bible is God's Word. The only reliable Bible in the English-speaking language today that hasn't been corrupted is the inspired KING JAMES BIBLE. That's the only Bible I use, or ever will use. Satan knows that if he keeps publishing new Bibles that people won't be able to memorize Scriptures anymore. Why memorize a Bible that is going to change in a few years? I've never met anyone who could quote even small portions of a corrupt Bible word-for-word. But I know many believers, including myself, who can quote hundreds of Scriptures word perfect from the precious King James Bible, because I've used it my entire life since childhood.

I encourage every young person to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES as Jesus commanded in John 5:39, and you'll see that witchcraft is demonic, as are Rock 'N' Roll, Walt Disney, Hollywood, and all the vile Pop and Country songs glamorizing adultery, drunkenness and immorality of every sort. God is still on His throne. Billy Sunday said: “If you want to drive the Devil out of the world, hit him with a cradle instead of a crutch.” Today's children are tomorrow's adults. If the Devil's crowd can INDOCTRINATE our youth with the homosexual agenda, hellivision, immoral Rock music, and the lies of Devilution, then Satan has their souls.
Kids today don't stand a chance unless Christian parents train them up in the way they should go (Proverb 22:6). The Devil wants every teenager, and he starts out the day they're born trying to destroy them. By the age of 5, ninety-percent of a child's psychology is developed. This is why it's dangerous for parents to open the floodgate of demonic influences via television and music. A child left alone while its mother is too busy working a job isn't going to develop properly.

Few people realize that everything happening today in America was carefully plotted, designed and carried out by evil criminals. Our nation didn't just go bankrupt. Our schools didn't just turn Godless. Our society didn't just become immoral. It's the evil influences (spirits) deliberately propagated through TV, talk shows, magazines, psuedo-education, books, music, and false religion. American society is absolutely saturated with demonic influences. People don't even flinch anymore about the evils of abortion, pornography, gambling, drunkenness, et cetera. Where will America's downward spiral end?

Walt Disney has made The Jonas Brothers a household name. The 3 boy band from New Jersey has become a worldwide sensation. They are recognized for not drinking alcohol, nor taking any illegal drugs, and are allegedly committed to remain pure until they marry. Who would think that their song, KIDS OF THE FUTURE contains backward masking praising Satan, Satan, Satan! It's not surprising, for Walt Disney has a history of pedophilia and occult involvement. Nearly everything is a deception these days. Don't trust anything from the Devil's crowd. All of Satan's apples have worms. The Devil is a beautiful liar.

Ecclesiastes 12:1, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.”

If you search the Word of God, then you'll find quickly that God hates witchcraft and evil in its every form. God is a loving God; but He hates sin more than any human being could ever comprehend. I certainly wouldn't send anyone to Hell for all eternity; but God is just and hates sin so much that He will send the wicked to eternity in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:11-15; 2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9). Ye must be born-again (John 3:3-7).

Dozens of TV shows and products have been targeted at youth, from Sabrina the Witch, to Harry Potter, to W.I.T.C.H., to Charmed. Witchcraft is a sin (1st Samuel 15:23). God wants all Christian believers to hate evil (Psalm 97:10). The sinful world embraces sin and evil, but God wants His children to abhor sin and evil. We are not all God's children.
The Word of God is THE TRUTH. There is a raging battle in the world today over information, whether it be in the secular or spiritual realm. Satan is a liar of liars. The mainstream newsmedia is packed full of highly paid liars. People have lied so much that it's now a staple of American culture. People break their marriage vows without any hesitation. Thank God for the faithful Christians still standing for God today, and there are many. But you won't find them in the music industry, nor on TV, nor being praised by millions of worldly fans. That's heathendom. I have more respect for Marylyn Manson than I do for phonies like Michael W. Smith, TobyMac, Rebecca St. James, Third Day, the News Boys, and Amy Grant. They're a bunch of sellouts who are afraid to raise a Christian flag, lest they lose most of their fans. The Bible tells us to seek praise from God, and not men. John 12:43, “For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

The celebrities that you idolize won't be there when your life falls apart, your health fails, and Satan sifts you as wheat (Luke 22:31). Satan's will for your life is to kill, steal and destroy (John 10:10). There's not a Satanist, occultist, nor child of the Devil on this earth who truly cares about you. But God cares (1st Peter 5:7). I'm sick and tired of all the worldly music that targets youth today, like Katy Perry's song and album, TEENAGE DREAM.

Anton LaVey, who founded the Church of Satan, taught that Satanism is just doing your own thing, living life the way you want. That's what Satan wants too. Whether you live for Satan, or just live for yourself, either way you're not living for Jesus Christ. One of the high priests in the Church of Satan, Peter Gilmore, said that “America is absolutely a Satanic nation” ... because people are free to do whatever is right in their own eyes. As you read earlier in the article by Russ Wise, “The occult is on the rise; many young people are seeking their spiritual identity through Satanism.” The great need of our time is preaching preachers!

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1.  Barbara Isaacs, “Most Teens Don’t Cross the Line, Say Students,” Lexington Herald-Leader, April 13, 1997 [Online]. URL http://www.kentuckyconnect.com/heraldleader/news/970413/ff2line.html.
2.  Ibid.
3.  “Vampire Cult Slaying Case,” Court TV [Online]. URL http://www.courttv.com/verdicts/vampire.html.
4.  Ibid.
5.  Ibid.
6.  Ibid.
7.  Ibid.
8.  Donald P. Baker, “‘Vampire’ Murderer is Sentenced to Death in Florida’s Electric Chair,” Houston Chronicle, February 27, 1998, A20.
9.  “Vampire Cult Slaying Case,” http://www.courttv.com/verdicts/vampire.html.
10.  Baker, “‘Vampire’ Murderer is Sentenced to Death in Florida’s Electric Chair,” A20.
11.  “Goth,” Alt.Culture [Online]. URL http://www.altculture.com/aentries/g/goth.html.
12.  David Tarrant, “Cape Town,” Dallas Morning-News, July 17, 1997, 1C.
13.  Ibid.
14.  “Goth,” http://www.altculture.com/aentries/g/goth.html.
15.  Chris Nelson, “Texas Schools Offer ‘Marilyn Manson Awareness’ Training,” Sonicnet Music News of the World, December 4, 1998 [Online]. URL http://www.sonicnet.com/news/archive/singlestory.jhtml?id=503432.
16.  Victor Meija and Johnny Angel, “Return of the Vampires,” Los Angeles Times, n.d. [Online]. URL http://www.geocities.com/Area51/2336/article.html
17.  Ibid.
18.  “‘Gothic’ Teens Embrace Vampire Culture,” [Online]. URL http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2672/gothic/az.html.
19.  Ibid.
20.  Ibid.
21.  Silver Ravenwolf, “A Note to the Parents on Teen WitchCraft,” Llewellyn’s New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, October 1998, 2.
22.  Ibid.
23.  Llewellyn’s New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, October 1998, 5.
24.  Silver Ravenwolf, Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation, St. Paul, Mn: Llewellyn, 1998, xiii.
25.  Ibid.
26.  Frontispiece, Teen Witch: Wicca for a New Generation, St. Paul, Mn: Llewellyn, 1998.
27.  Margot Adler, quoted in Bob and Gretchen Passantino, When the Devil Dares Your Kids, Ann Arbor, Mi: Servant, 1991, 57.
28.  Ravenwolf, Teen Witch, 231.
29.  Ibid., 233.
30.  Ravenwolf, Teen Witch, 233.
31.  “Mall Gothics,” New Hampshire Weekly, n.d. [Online]. URL http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2672/gothic/goffic3.html.
32.  “‘Gothic’ Teens Embrace Vampire Culture,” [Online]. URL http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/2672/gothic/az.html.

scientology-and-occult

Scientology-and-occult

"Respected German historian Guido Knopp has compared a speech by US actor Tom Cruise to the Church of Scientology with a call to war by Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
Knopp, an expert on World War II history, said in an interview with Bild newspaper: "Tom Cruise's manner calls to mind Goebbels."
The video above from a german documentary, "Missing in Happy Valley" and serves as an excellent introduction to this page about Scientology's roots.

"The same individual that transmitted the various Magick tech to Adolf Hitler as a young man also transmitted them to Dad. And like Dad, Hitler, when he came to power, promptly had his teachers and the occult field in general wiped out."
--L Ron Hubbard Jr - 1984 tape transcript

"Justice Latey said that the tactics used by Hubbard and his helpers are "grimly reminiscent of the ranting and bullying of Hitler and his henchmen".

"She said doctors told her, her husband was suffering from a mental ailment "known as paranoid schizophrenia."
--Wife Sara Northrup Hubbard - Article HERE
Russian Law expressly states that Scientology is a dangerous cult. For instance, the Order no.254 of Russian Health Ministry directly prohibits promotion and use of Scientology and Dianetics methods. The official "Handbook of destructive religious cults" also states that CoS is the "Destructive cult of satanic orientation" LINK
"[The court record is] replete with evidence [that Scientology] is nothing in reality but a vast enterprise to extract the maximum amount of money from its adepts by pseudo scientific theories... and to exercise a kind of blackmail against persons who do not wish to continue with their sect.... The organization clearly is schizophrenic and paranoid, and this bizarre combination seems to be a reflection of its founder, L.Ron Hubbard."
--Judge Breckenridge, Los Angeles Superior Court
Adolf Hitler was also classed as a 'paranoid schizophrenic.' See this one classified, 1943 OSS evaluation of Hitler, go to page 26 HERE.

Hubbard had fondness for the number 8 and used it extensively in scientology, as in Hubbard's books named Technique 88, Scientology 8-80, and one called 8-8008. There are also 8 dynamics, and the their gradation chart of awareness, is set up on 8s too, there are 8 levels to "Clear" and then 8 levels to OT8..now jump back to the 1930's, Hitler's SS - SS is the closest approximation in letters to 88. Note the colors and feeling of the Scientology Management logo below from their own pages. Long before Hitler's SS gained power over the German government, to keep from getting into trouble for saying, "Heil Hitler" in their correspondences, they would sign them 88, because "H" is the 8th letter of the alphabet, hence 88 became the secret signature, at the end of letters sent my supporters and members of the Nazi Party, for
Heil Hitler.

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It has always been the writers contention that Hitler is the greatest hypnotist of our day" G. H. Estabrooks
So was L Ron Hubbard LINK

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Scientology and the Occult

"The magical cults of the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th centuries in the Middle East were fascinating. The only modern work that has anything to do with them is a trifle wild in spots, but is a fascinating work in itself, and that's the work of Aleister Crowley - the late Aleister Crowley - my very good friend."
Hubbard, Philadelphia Doctorate Course, Lecture 18, "Conditions of Space-Time-Energy."

In 1950, L Ron Hubbard wrote the book "Dianetics, the Modern Science of Mental Health." In 1952, the term "Scientology" was introduced. Corporate status was received by Scientology in 1954 in California. Since that time, "Scientology" has been repeatedly questioned for it's bogus claims of medical healing and unexplained deaths.
Dianetics and Scientology founder L Ron Hubbard's personal references as a "war hero," or "nuclear physicist," are just a few of Scientology's false claims to recruit the unknowing.
Scientology didn't begin "acting" like, or operating as a "church" until 1969, when they were engaged in litigation with the FDA. Hubbard began issuing policies to members such as in Hubbard Communication Policy Letter of 12 February 1969:

"All Orgs are now Churches; Stationary is to reflect fact that orgs are churches; All public literature must state that Scn is religious." It also states, "This may or may not be publically acceptable. This is NOT the point. It is a requisite defense." Hubbard Organization Executive Course,
(1969 version) Volume 6, Page 119

Members carried "crossed out crosses" into their establishments and were told to wear ministerial collars. "Alternative mental health and medicine" was now "healing." L Ron Hubbard avoided the exposure of the fraudulent medical practices of "Scientology" by becoming a so-called "church."
Many of the methods and ideology that Hubbard used in Scientology are taken from other sources. The mixture of using different teachings has long been associated to include the occult, since it is a known fact that L Ron Hubbard was familiar with the writings of "black magician," Aleister Crowley's work since Hubbard was a teen.
Crowley, a self-declared "beast" and "anti-Christ," once headed the British "Ordo Templi Orientis," (OTO) branch, and established those teachings in the United States in 1916, during World War I in Europe. Crowley's OTO teachings of magick included the Golden Dawn and that of Thelemic Law.
Influences of Aleister Crowley are found in Scientology "technology," or teaching materials - including L Ron Hubbard's own admission that he was the "anti-Christ." Aleister Crowley died in 1947. But in 1969, the same year that Scientology donned the crosses and minister's garb, was the same time that the "Thoth Tarot Card Deck" was published and sold, (a product produced years before, by Aleister Crowley with artist Lady Frieda Harris, (deceased in 1962.) This was the same year that L Ron Hubbard directed members to bring in the crossed out cross and wear minister's clothing.
Another well known fact of L Ron Hubbard's association with Aleister Crowley and the teachings of magick was his relationship with John Whiteside Parsons. In 1941, Parsons joined the California-based Agape lodge of Aleister Crowley's Ordo Templi Orientis, (OTO.)

"He, (emphasis-Parsons) considered that Ron had great magical potential and took the risk of breaking his solemn oath of secrecy to acquaint Ron with some of the O.T.O. rituals.... Nevertheless, Parsons clearly remained convinced that Ron possessed exceptional powers....Parsons wrote to his 'Most Beloved Father' (emphasis - his term for Aleister Crowley) to acquaint him with events: 'About three months ago I met Captain L. Ron Hubbard.... Although he has no formal training in Magick, he has an extraordinary amount of experience and understanding in the field. From some of his experiences I deduced that he is in direct touch with some higher intelligence, possibly his Guardian Angel. He describes his Angel as a beautiful winged woman with red hair whom he calls the Empress and who has guided him through his life and saved him many times. He is the most Thelemic person I have ever met and is in complete accord with our own principles."
From the book: Bare-Faced Messiah:
the True Story of L. Ron Hubbard, 1987, Chapter 7, "Black Magic and Betty" pp. 117-118
Author: Russell Miller

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Timeline of L Ron Hubbard with Aleister Crowley
From "Jack Parsons and the Fall of Babylon" by Paul Rydeen

Oct 12, 1875 - Aleister Crowley Born in England
c1890s - Wilfred T Smith born
Oct 2, 1914 - Jack Parsons born
1915 - Crowley comes to America
1915 - Crowley comes to America
1919 - Crowley leaves America
1924 - Sara "Betty" Northrup born
1929 - Crowley publishes "Moonchild"
1930 - Smith moves Agape lodge to LA
1939 - Parsons meets Smith
1941 - Malina, Parsons, Forman move to Arroyo Seco, Parsons officially joins the OTO and the A .'. A .'.
1942 - Lodge moves to Parsons house. Police investigate Parsons for the first time Parsons assumes role of acting head of Lodge. Parsons takes Betty Northrup as his new mistress added note: (Betty refers to Sara Betty Northrup, she was 17 at the time)
May 1945 - L Ron Hubbard moves in with Jack Parsons
December, 1945 - Hubbard returns to Pasadena after stint in Navy Hospital
January 4, 1946 - Parsons opens Temple with Hubbard present
Jan 18, 1946 - Hubbard and Parsons go to Mojave Desert, meet "Venusian"
Feb 27 or 18, 1946 - L Ron Hubbard leaves on personal business
March 2, 1946 - L Ron Hubbard returns, tells of "Empress." Three day working with Cameron and Hubbard begins, "Book of Babylon" produced as result.
April, 1946 - L Ron Hubbard and Betty Northrup leave for Florida
April 19, 1946 - Crowley derides Parsons working, in letter
July 5, 1945 - Parsons invokes "Bartzabel" in Miami, storm catches Hubbard and Betty and forces them back to shore
August 10, 1946 - Hubbard commits bigamy with an unsuspecting Betty Northrup.
1948 - Parsons takes his "Oath of the anti-Christ." Hubbard visits first wife and children for last time. First article on Dianetics appears

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L Ron Hubbard moved in with Jack Parsons, where they began the practice of the occult and sexual magick. Parsons' mistress, Sara Northrup, left him for Hubbard and later became Hubbard's second wife, even before Hubbard had divorced his first wife.
The most well known and documented story of Hubbard's relationship with Jack Parsons, is that of the Invocation of the Goddess, Babalon," which they performed in the "Babalon Working" ritual along with "Scarlet Woman," Marjorie Cameron. The goal of this ritual was to produce a satanic "Moonchild."
The only other reference to a 'moonchild ceremony' being performed is by Adolf Hitler:

"From page 24 of Gods and Beasts - the Nazi's and the Occult by Dusty Sklar Pretzsche had introduced Hitler to consciousness-expanding drugs, as well as to astrological and alchemical symbolism. Hitler told Stein that Pretzsche had been present when List tried to materialize "the Incubus" in a ritual designed to create a "Moon Child." "...About 1912, disciples of Lanz and List started the Germanen Orden under the leadership of a member of List's Armanen, a journalist named Philipp Stauff, and several others. [ Ed.Comment: The German Orden later evolved into the Nationalist Socialist Party or Nazi Party recruiting Hitler as their 'Fuhrer']

Both being influenced by the ritual's and teachings of Aleister Crowley, Parson's acknowledged that Crowley's "Book of Thoth" was in Hubbard's possession at the time of this ritual. The "Book of Thoth Tarot Card Deck" also holds some symbolism and influence that Hubbard used and vocalized in teachings to Scientology members. Hubbard conveniently used "redefinition of words" to change meanings to cover the sources he was to use from.

...Parsons put in hand the ritual preparations as indicated in the text. Again in his own words:
On March 1 and 2, 1946, I prepared the altar and equipment in accordance with the instructions in Liber 49. The Scribe, R** H***, (emphasis - Ron Hubbard*) had been away about a week, and knew nothing of my invocation of BABALON, which I had kept entirely secret. On the night of March 2 he returned, and described a vision he had had that evening, of a savage and beautiful woman riding naked on a great cat-like beast. He was impressed with the urgent necessity of giving me some message or communication. We prepared magically for this communication, constructing a temple at the altar with the analysis of the key word. He was robed in white, carrying a lamp; and I in black, hooded, with the cup and dagger. At his suggestion we played Rachmaninov's Isle of the Dead as background music, and set an automatic recorder to transcribe audible occurrences. At approximately 8 am he began to dictate, I transcribing directly as I received. H***'s vision sounds a bit too glib to me. It sounds rather like he'd seen a copy of The Book of Thoth Atu XI, Lust, showing the Whore astride the Beast. There would have been at least one copy of The Book of Thoth around Parsons' place, I would have thought. Interestingly, in spite of H*** being referred to as "the Scribe", it was H*** who was giving utterance to "astral communications", and Parsons writing them down. As far as the Babalon Working is concerned, H*** is the joker in the pack, the factor infinite and unknown. His whole career, both before and after his involvement with Parsons, shows him to have been a confidence man par excellence. Events after the Babalon Working, when he effortlessly swindled Parsons out of thousands of dollars, demonstrate that Parsons was as readily taken in as anyone. It is surely legitimate for us to wonder, therefore, to what extent H***'s undoubted talents for deceit - both of himself and of others - coloured the whole Working.
From The Babalon Working,
By Michael Staley
--- Similarly, the "Fool Card" in the 1969 Aleister Crowley "Thoth Tarot Card Deck" has a triangle and double triangle Scientology's symbol with double triangles has one a lower "ARC triangle," (affinity, reality and communication,) and an upper triangle, the KRC triangle (knowledge, responsibility and control.)
Note bottom right triangle, and double triangles in the Hand of the Fool - (upper left)
and...Thanks to ex-scientologist Warrior for finding this image.

Significantly, this symbol is used in Aleister Crowley's "THE FOOL" Tarot Card in ways that reflect the Golden Dawn Teachings. There is also visible a faint S after 'The Fool' on the card above which looks much like the typeface used for the S in Scientology...

"In his 1952 lectures, Hubbard also referred to the Tarot cards, saying that they were not simply a system of divination but a "philosophical machine". He gave particular mention to the Fool card, saying "The Fool of course is the wisest of all. The Fool who goes down the road with the alligators barking at his heels, and the dogs yapping at him, blindfolded on his way, he knows all there is to know and does nothing about it ... nothing could touch him" (030)."
Hubbard seems to have seen himself as Parsons did as "The Joker" card, and his minions as "The Fools"
According to L Ron Hubbard Jr. his father considered himself to be the one "who came after"; that he was Crowley's successor; that he had taken on the mantle of the "Great Beast. " He told him that Scientology actually began on December the 1st, 1947. This was the day Aleister Crowley died."
Of course, the Tarot pack also contains the Empress card and knowing this it is finally possible to understand what Hubbard believed his Guardian Angel to be.
Crowley examined the Tarot in The Book of Thoth (032). Of the Empress card he said "She combines the highest spiritual with the lowest material qualities" (033). Crowley identifies the Empress as the "Great Mother", and indeed on her robe are bees (034), the traditional symbol of Cybele. Crowley is not alone in the belief that different cultures give different names to the same deities. The worship of Cybele goes back to at least 3,000 B.C. She entered Greek culture as Artemis and to the Romans was Diana, the huntress. Crowley also identified the Empress with the Hindu goddess Shakti (035), and the Egyptian goddesses Isis and Hathor. Crowley directly identified Isis with Diana (036). More usually, Crowley called the Empress by the name Babalon (037).
Author Jon Atack,
from Hubbard and the Occult

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Aleister Crowley's "Magick in Theory and Practice" states:
"The whole and sole object of all true magickal training is to become free from every kind of limitation....
(Bent Corydon, Messiah or Madman, p. 48).

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L Ron Hubbard says, in a 1952 taped Scientology lecture:
"Our whole activity tends to make an individual completely independent of any limitation...'" (Ibid.)"

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"There are interesting similarities between Crowley's writings and the teachings of Hubbard. Dianetics' Time Track, in which every incident in a person's life is chronologically recorded in full in the mind, is quite similar to Crowley's Magical Memory. The Magical Memory is developed over time until "memories of childhood reawaken" (5) which were previously forgotten, and memories of previous incarnations are recalled as well. Hubbard gives examples in the Philadelphia Doctorate Course of several people remembering lives earlier on earth, some up to a million years ago. The similarity between the Magical Memory and Time Track, then, is that they both can recall every past incident in a person's life, they both can recall incidents from past lives, and they both must be developed by certain techniques in order to make use of them." From essay of Jeff Jacobsen,
Hubbard and Aleister Crowley

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"... The one super-secret sentence that Scientology is built on is: 'Do as thou wilt. That is the whole of the law.' It also comes from the black magic, from Aleister Crowley. It means that you are a law unto yourself, that you are above the law, that you create your own law. You are above any other human considerations."
Quote of L Ron Hubbard, Jr.

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"I've made the Magick really work," he (Hubbard, Sr.) says. "No more foolish rituals. I've stripped the Magick to basics -- access without liability."
Quote to son, L Ron Hubbard, Jr.

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"Sex by will," he says. "Love by will -- no caring and no sharing -- no feelings. None. Love reversed. Love isn't sex. Love is no good; puts you at effect. Sex is the route to power. Scarlet women! They are the secret to the doorway. Use and consume. Feast. Drink the power through them. Waste and discard them."
Quote to son, L Ron Hubbard Jr.

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" These cults, from those connected with George Ivanovitch, Gurdjieff, Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, and Rudolf Steiner to their present reincarnations, shared certain features: an authoritarian obedience to a charismatic and Messianic leader; secrecy; loyalty to the group above all other ties, a belief in supernatural possibilities open to members only, a belief in reincarnation; initiation into superhuman sources of power; literal acceptance of the myth of ancient " "giants" or supermen who handed down an oral tradition to a chosen people and who were guiding us now; and, in uncommon cases, Satanic practices." "The Nazi's and the Occult 1977, by Dusty Sklar"
....and from Chapter 5: "Riffraff into Supermen"
"The nationalist socialists derived power from one source: ...a fanatical autohypnosis which convinced disciples, succumbing to the totalitarian discipline in the promise of reaching transcendent reality, that they were the new men the age was waiting for.. ..that they were endowed with a secret energy which would enable them to take over germany and the world. If they were properly prepared, mysteries would be revealed to them which would give them Satanic powers.." from Gods and Beasts - The Nazi's and the Occult, by Dusty Sklar (c) 1977 isbn 0-690-01232-2
Webmaster Comment: Those familiar with Scientology will recognize how similar the promises made to entice would be members into the National Socialists were to what Hubbard promises it's own members... L Ron Hubbard says that people are all "THETANS" - if you say SATAN with a lisp it comes out THETAN

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L Ron Hubbard's son said, in his 1983 interview with Penthouse Magazine:

"L Ron Hubbard Jr ( Ron DeWolf ): I believed in Satanism. There was no other religion in the house! Scientology and black magic. What a lot of people don't realize is that Scientology is black magic that is just spread out over a long time period. To perform black magic generally takes a few hours or, at most, a few weeks. But in Scientology it's stretched out over a lifetime, and so you don't see it. Black magic is the inner core of Scientology --and it is probably the only part of Scientology that really works. Also, you've got to realize that my father did not worship Satan. He thought he was Satan. He was one with Satan."

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Related reading - The Rainbow Swaztika - written by an Israeli housewife

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A Note on the CST Logo


click the image for more about CST
I learned from an ex member, Pixie, on ESMB chatboard that was into tarot and card readings that the diamond on a regular deck of cards is the equivalent of the "Coin" representing money in the Tarot deck, hence the CST logo visible from space is a "Here's where I hid the loot" marker for the returning reborn L Ron Hubbard"
In a book called Mission into Time, A Test of Whole Track Recall Hubbard went to considerable lengths wasting everyone's time and taking the Apollo all over the Mediterranean to dig holes in the sand.. looking for the LOOT that he buried last lifetime, and he could not find it..

Perhaps he decided that he was not going to make THAT same mistake again?

Hence the CST double diamond logo visible from near earth orbit...
THERE"S WHERE I HID THE LOOT!
Coming from a guy that was almost hit by a freight train on venus, it makes perfect sense to me.

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"I knew a former top leader in the "OTO" organization that was re-designed by Crowley in the early 20th century. 'Jim' told me that Hubbard was actually an 'ultra-thelemist'. Thelema being the main philosopy propounded by Crowley that basically is usually interpreted as finding your true purpose or 'true will' in life, and when you do that, you have a source of inexhaustible power. The ultra thelemist believes anything he has the will to do gives him the right to do it, and the right to destroy anyone who crosses him. Sound like anyone we know?" posted by Rmack LINK

God’s Redemptive Grace

Four Facets of God’s Redemptive Grace: Salvation from the Power of Sin
By Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.
Sermon Delivered September 3, 2006

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Introduction

In the book of Titus, Paul writes about the grace of God that brings salvation, teaching us to live holy lives in a world full of temptation. Today, we focus on the second facet of God's redemptive grace: Salvation from the Power of Sin.

Titus 2:11-14 (KJV)
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

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What is Grace?

Before diving into today’s focus, let’s briefly review the definition of grace. Saving Grace is the unmerited eternal salvation of God, a gift freely given to the believing sinner through the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is by grace that we are saved, not by anything we do, but by the work of Christ on the cross.

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Salvation From The Power of Sin

In our previous discussion, we explored how salvation from the penalty of sin is a fundamental aspect of grace. Today, we turn our attention to salvation from the power of sin.

Titus 2:12 states:
"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."

This verse highlights how the grace of God doesn’t only change our eternal standing but also empowers us to break free from the power of sin in our daily lives.

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The Power of Grace

In the hymn “O For A Thousand Tongues to Sing,” Charles Wesley wrote, “He breaks the power of canceled sin, He sets the prisoner free.” These words capture the essence of the second facet of grace: God’s grace breaks the power of sin in the believer’s life.

When a person trusts Christ as Savior, a profound transformation takes place:

1. A New Nature: The believer is given a new nature, one that desires to live in a way that honors God.
2. The Holy Spirit’s Presence: Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells the believer, guiding them to live according to God’s will.

As Dr. David Sorensen wisely points out, grace does not give us a license to sin. Instead, grace teaches us to live according to God’s righteous standards, rejecting sin and worldly desires.

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Understanding Grace’s Instruction

In Titus 2:12, the word "teaching" (Greek: paideuousa) means to instruct. God’s grace teaches us to live holy lives that glorify Him. This teaching has two main aspects:

The Negative Aspect: Denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts

Grace instructs believers to say no to ungodliness and worldly lusts. The Greek word for "denying" (arnēsamenoi) emphasizes a deliberate, conscious decision to abandon sinful behaviors.

• Ungodliness: This refers to anything contrary to God’s commands. It is living without regard for God’s principles, disobeying His laws, and neglecting His commands.
• Worldly Lusts: These are sinful desires and cravings for things forbidden by God, such as those listed in Galatians 5:19-21: adultery, fornication, hatred, strife, drunkenness, and more.

Believers are called to renounce these sinful desires and instead live in a way that reflects God’s holiness.

The Positive Aspect: Living Soberly, Righteously, and Godly

In addition to rejecting sin, grace teaches believers to embrace a positive lifestyle characterized by three key qualities:

1. Soberly: This means living with self-control and discipline, being under the influence of the Holy Spirit rather than the desires of the flesh. (Ephesians 5:18)
2. Righteously: To live righteously is to obey God’s Word, which reveals His standards for righteousness. It means faithfully following God's commands in every aspect of life.
3. Godly: To live godly is to be devoted to God, pleasing Him in all things. It reflects a life lived in relationship with God, marked by a desire to honor Him.

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Grace and Transformation

Grace not only saves us but also transforms us. It empowers believers to:

• Break free from sin: The power of sin is broken in the life of a believer. The Holy Spirit enables us to live differently.
• Live according to God’s will: Grace instructs us to live soberly, righteously, and godly, producing a life that reflects God’s holiness.

In Titus 2:14, Paul says, “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” Grace purifies the believer and empowers them to do good works, reflecting God’s character.

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Conclusion

The grace of God is not just a one-time event of salvation; it is a dynamic force that continues to work in the believer’s life. Grace saves us from the penalty of sin, but it also frees us from the power of sin. It transforms us by giving us a new nature and by empowering us to live according to God’s will. Through God’s grace, we are taught to deny sin and to live righteously.

As believers, we are called to embrace God’s transforming grace and live lives that reflect His holiness, bringing glory to Him in every aspect of our lives.

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Feel free to leave your thoughts or questions about how God’s grace has worked in your life. Let's continue this conversation about the power of God's saving grace!

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Salvation should Bring About Positive Change in ones life

Our behavior must be different and aligned with God’s direction for our lives.The Bible gives advice in Romans 6:12-23 on the kind of change that is expected as a result of our salvation experience.  Here’s the scripture passage under consideration.

A Change in Behavior – Romans 6:12-14 (NIV)
¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.
These verses contrast the “before” and “after” conditions expected by God for the Christian.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior, He comes into our heart and rules over our lives.  We are no longer ruled by our sin nature.   Our evil desires are replaced with His desires.  Sin no longer rules over us.  This is the kind of positive change that God expects and supports.

A Change in Allegiance – Romans 6:15-18 (NIV)
 ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! ¹⁶ Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. ¹⁸ You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
How silly it is that some believe that since they are saved by grace, that they can continue to sin without consequence since Jesus paid the price for their sins.  The salvation experience requires a new allegiance, a change of heart.  We are no longer “slaves” to sin.  God is now our “master” and we must obey Him.  We have been set free from the stronghold of sin.  Old ways of behavior give way to new behaviors.  We will want to do what is right.  This is the kind of change that affects the whole person, both outward and inward.  The change is obvious.  Others see it.  God honors it.

A Change in Direction – Romans 6:19-23 (NIV)
 ¹⁹ I am using an example from everyday life because of your human limitations. Just as you used to offer yourselves as slaves to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer yourselves as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness. ²⁰ When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. ²¹ What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! ²² But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
These verses teach us that the Christian is no longer a slave to sin but rather a slave to righteousness.  Obedience to sin is replaced by obedience to righteousness.  Sin was once the master, but now God is the Master.  Wickedness gives way to righteousness.  Death (the wages of sin) is replaced by eternal life.  These are dramatic changes in direction.

Reflection: 
There are really only two ways to live in this world – in sin or in righteousness.  Sin damages relationships, brings about shame, affects self-worth, impacts integrity, and ultimately leads to eternal death.  Righteousness brings about joy, satisfaction, effective relationships, happiness and positive growth into what God wants us to be.  Salvation brings about positive change for the Christian.  What is your attitude toward sin?  Christians do not want to sin!  Christians want to be all God intends them to be!
Consider these truths derived from this discussion:

• Christians serve God best by realizing that they are not under law but under grace.
• Being under grace does not mean that Christians need not worry about sin.
• Christians should live as slaves to righteousness and God, not as slaves to sin and self.
• Sin has consequences – deeds that bring shame and eventually eternal death.
• We cannot earn eternal life – it is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Perhaps you have read this far and realize that you are not a Christian.   If that is the case, then please refer to the section below on how to become a Christian.

How to Become a Christian:
Here are the steps that you need to follow to become a Christian:

• Realize that you are “lost” – totally estranged from God and separated from God by a sinful nature.  (Romans 3:23 – For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.)
• Acknowledge that sin deserves punishment. (Romans 6:23 – For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.)
• Acknowledge that Jesus took the punishment for your sins by dying on the cross. (Romans 5:8 – But God demonstrated his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.)
• Ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and come into your life. (Romans 10:9 – That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.)

The way we communicate with God is through prayer.  You can use the following prayer as your own or pray one that contains these elements:
“Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner.  I recognize that I deserve punishment.  I also know that you died for my sins and that you were raised from the dead.   I turn from self and sin and trust You to be my Savior and Lord.  Take control of my life and help me to be the person that you want me to be.  Save me now and save me forever.  Thank You, Lord, for hearing my prayer and saving my soul.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

God promises in the Bible that anyone who accepts Jesus as Lord will be saved.  (Romans 10:13 – For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.)  If you prayed the above suggested prayer and meant it, you can be assured that God has saved you.  The Bible offers many other words of assurance about your salvation.  One of the clearest descriptions of that assurance can be found in
1 John 5:11-13 - And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.  These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Salvation Brings About Positive Change

Posted on February 14, 2011 by jimdavenport