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The Journey to the Light after an Abusive Relationship by Richard Skerritt
Where is the Light when you're in an abusive relationship?
Life with an abusive partner can be a dark place. We become isolated from friends and family; battered by a continuous stream of verbal abuse (and sometimes worse), and most of all we suffer enormous pressure to agree to and support our partners reality - a reality in which they have no flaws, and we are the cause of all problems.
Although at some level we know this is wrong, and we know that we are not at fault, the isolation, pressure and demands can make us think that we are, indeed, crazy. And in this situation it is really difficult to think in a balanced way about what is happening and what we should be doing. All the forces around us push us to remain, and remain compliant. This is the nature of abuse.
You're not Crazy
Tears and Healing can open the door of this isolated place and begin to let the light shine in. It was written in the midst of a powerful (and growing) abusive situation. It looks at the experience from within, and so it offers a unique and powerful view on the situation.
Abusive marriages put us in a powerful double-bind. Our responsibilities and sense of obligation are often powerful. At the same time, our own - and our childrens' - need for safety, and our exhaustion from continuous abuse are strong motivators to change. Sorting this out isn't easy, even if our friends or family glibly say, "Just get out." It isn't so simple.
Tears and Healing looks at the many aspects of an abusive situation. It challenges with questions; challenges preconceptions, and explains what is happening psychologically. It's written for real people in real painful situations; it's not a book by clinicians about some disorder they see in their clinics.


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Friday, September 7, 2012
Book I "Read" in August + Giveaway (EDIT: NOW CLOSED)
Full disclosure: I didn't read Bossypants by Tina Fey, I listened to it on audiobook.
And: It. Was. Awesome.
So why do I have a copy of this book? I found it on my Dallas to Austin flight last night. The previous passenger had left it, and knowing how awesome it was, I took it.
Bossypants is absolutely hilarious, and listening to it on my commute made me not so sad about returning to work after 2.5 months off.
In the book, Tina Fey discusses everything: her adolescence, her first job, the starts of her career in comedy and improv, Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock, marriage, and motherhood. I laughed out loud at so many points. I love Tina's take on feminism, women & work, raising a baby, and creating the career that you want for yourself. She really inspired me and made me feel throughly entertained in the process. Plus, there are pictures in this book. What more could you ask for?
So, do you want to read Bossypants? In honor of a full year of "Book I read in ________" (and, lets face it, the fact that I nabbed a copy of this book for free), I'm giving away this copy of Bossypants that I found on the plane to one lucky reader. This book is in great condition, but not new :) I will ship this book anywhere in the USA.
To win, simply leave me a comment on this blog entry. Tell me anything. You can be related to me, my best friend, or a total stranger. I'll use a random number generator to determine the winning entry.
Winner will be selected/announced Friday, September 21st.
Good Luck!
PS, want a year's worth of books I read? Check it out:
7 comments:
- Erica McCreedySeptember 8, 2012 at 11:42 PM
Great idea! Pick me! No, really, pick me.ReplyDelete
- Jenni OpalinskiSeptember 15, 2012 at 1:38 PM
Ooooo... a free book giveaway! I like free things. I read free things. Share the free with me! Also... no shipping required!ReplyDelete
Love Tina Fey!ReplyDelete
I love giveaways! I also love you! But I am in no way attempting to sway the contest ;)ReplyDelete
I wanna read it!! PIck me!ReplyDelete
Well if I can tell you anything,,,,,,,,I'm so excited that you are going to be my daughter soon ! Your blogs always make me smile, thank you! Love you!ReplyDelete
I read Mindy Kaling's book when I should have read this one. I want!ReplyDelete
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13 Oct New massage customers
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Abstract Expressionism was an American post-war 2 art movement that developed mainly in New York. The most renowned artists were located in New York and though the movement was broad and the many works of art very different, certain characteristics are observable in the development of the movement. These similarities lie in the artists' ideas and concerns that were generally related to the human psyche and the troubling current events that shaped it. The timing of the movement is hence very significant because both the World War and the Great Depression were events that shaped the perspective of the New York abstract artists of that time.
The movement managed to transform New York City into the center of the western art world; an honor that was before bestowed on the French capital. Abstract expressionism is therefore a significantly important art movement that helped shape and direct western civilization into a different course of thought and perspective. Despite the generality and diversity that characterized it certain ideas and sources influenced its structure and development and impacted the artists that are now linked with it.
The term Abstract Expressionism was first used by Alfred Barr in the United States to refer to the works of Wassily Kandinsky. Alfred Barr is now known to be the founding director of the Museum of Contemporary Art and he drafted a chart about the movement of abstract expressionism that very well illustrates its development, key figures and main ideas. It is therefore referred to by some critics as a scientific diagram. Abstract Expressionism has thus its roots in the 1930's. The main events of that time were the end of the world war and the Great Depression.
The bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was also very dominant as a theme in the art works that were thus inspired by the turbulent and problematic political and social events of that time. The images of the Holocaust became also apparent within the emerging modern art works. These artists were, despite the many different styles that they adopted, were all interested in the state of the human psyche. They were generally concerned with the rationality and vulnerability of the human being and it is for this reason that they sought to focus on big themes as the ones that have been mentioned so far.
Many of these artists had escaped World War 2 and their experience with the event first hand inspired them to seek understanding the deeper level of the human psyche which is exactly why they were so interested in the unconscious side of the human perspective. This includes things that people are not aware of, dreams and oppressed desires. These were, among others, the main ideas that continued to inspire the emerging modern artists. Morally heavy themes and tragically grand ideas were therefore significantly present as themes within abstract expressionism.
The artists were also concerned with other ideas and theories. William DeKooning for instance managed to present the theme of the woman in a very interesting and thought-provocative manner. He is one of the strongest voices of abstract expressionism and deserves special notice in this discussion of the art movement that he helped develop with his works and ideas. He came to New York to escape the war and soon evolved to become one of the most influential abstract artists of that time and his name is still associated with great art works.
His works were very cubic and this is mainly illustrated through the usage of the concept of the collage. DeKooning presented the subject of the female in a very interesting and unusual manner. It was innovative and new and broke away from the established art conventions that were previously adhered to by other artists. This is also an aspect of abstract expressionism. It seeks to break away from the familiar and the formal to the unknown and the challenging. The two paintings entitled Woman, 1 and Woman and Bicycle illustrate this further.
Woman, 1 was made in 1950-1952 while Woman and Bicycle was finished in the period of 1952-1953. Both works present the woman in an unfavorable way that depicts her fierceness, mystery as well as her ambiguity. DeKooning was indeed very concerned with the subject of feminism and its power as the two paintings demonstrate. His questions regarding the female power and the themes of attraction and revulsion between the sexes are quite clearly noticeable in the two images. His style is especially interesting to focus on because it was a very gestural and bold style that sums up one of the approaches to abstract expressionism.
The gestural approach is the first approach to abstract expressionism. The DeKooning painting entitled Asheville from 1948 is the best example to give to illustrate this approach further. The themes of immediacy and spontaneity through the colors are very visible to the eye of the viewer which is an important aspect of the approach. There is also ambiguity because the figures and colors blend in a manner that makes it hard to establish whether or not they are representational of anything.
The gestural approach was also very interested in the human psyche and showed strong influence by the surrealist movement. Improvisation and a focus on inner source development are also one of the main features that distinguish it from the second approach to abstract expressionism which is the color field. Mark Rothko is one of the main figures of the color field approach. Though the artists within this field have different styles of representation they all share certain characteristics. They are also like those from the gestural approach, interested in the human psyche and influenced by surrealism.
But while the gestural artists like DeKooning put an emphasis on the dynamic and energetic gesture hose from the color field are more reflective. These artists were interested in primitive myths and primitive cultures and the psychological ideas of Carl Jung heavily influenced their artistic representation of the human soul and human psyche. Jung emphasized the exploration of the world of dreams and myths and these are recurrent themes in the color field approach within abstract expressionism. William Baziotes also used objects to tap into the unconscious and explore the realm of dreams.
This metaphysical searching for how the world functions and this attempt by the abstract artists to understand the functioning of the human mind and make sense of the physical reality is another idea that constantly occurs in the various art works. Abstract expressionism can thus be summed up as a school of art that emerged in New York in the post World War 2 era especially and is characterized by the view that art is nonrepresentational and mainly improvisational. This is very obvious in the painting of Asheville that has already been referred to before.
The movement is sometimes simply referred to as the New York School or Action Painting and was first associated with the works Kandinsky. To sum up, the ideas that mainly influenced the artists of this movement is resistance of formality and established art conventions both in relevance to style as well as subject and content. This resistance of the cohesive style is especially significant in DeKooning's violent and un-representational depiction of the figure or object. The level of abstraction also differs from artist to another.
The more abstract the more the artist tied to convey his emotional perspective. This was their way o expressing their thoughts to the events and social concerns dominant at that time. The differences between the artistic works are, as has been noted, various. What they all seem to share however is a common moral awareness and alienation from the current society they lived in: the United States. Despite this fact abstract expressionism is referred to as an American style because it grew in the U. S and became the first art movement that brought attention to the American visual art.
Sources Used: Lecture Abstract Expressionism Chapter 17 Lecture Abstract Expressionism Chapter 17 Part 1 2. What is the relationship between Conceptual Art and Minimalism? Conceptual art is a form of art that focuses more on the idea than on the aesthetic aspect of art. One of the major figures of the movement, Sol LeWitt, described it in the following words: "In conceptual art the idea or concept is the most important aspect of the work. When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair.
The idea becomes a machine that makes the art" This means that any person can construct the works of art that the conceptual artists made if he just follows the basic instructions and methodology used by the artist himself. Nothing illustrates this more than a look at the works of Joseph Kosuth especially his works entitled Art as Idea as Idea. He simply took pictures of pages from the dictionary and presented them as artistic works which they will be understood as such if the whole concept behind this movement is better understood. Conceptual art has also close ties with the minimalist movement.
LeWitt's quotation is used in this discussion to highlight the key differences between traditional art and conceptual art. The latter is more idea- based with a complete defiance to the aesthetic laws. It asserts complete neglection of this aspect and this is without doubt its main characteristic. A conceptual artist focuses more on the intellectual side of the work than on the presentation of it. The roots of this movement are to be found in Dada and the idea behind this movement is certainly provocative. It however left a significant influence on the development of other artistic movements like performance and digital art.
To sum up, conceptual art is more concerned with the idea behind the work than the product or shape it takes which is probably why not many people will appreciate it. It takes at the least a certain acquaintance with the movement to grasp the works and therefore appreciate them more. The minimalists also asserted the aspect of concept over form in their works. This was done through the use of certain techniques that took the attention away from the object presentation to the message behind the object formation. The minimalists however differed from the conceptualists because they did not carry this complete defiance of presentation that far.
Conceptualists were aware of this and made certain to completely avoid incorporating any personal attachment to the subject within their works. The emphasis was on the subject and not on their opinion of it. This is why aesthetics were avoided. They simply distracted the viewer from the message behind the work of art. Minimal art emerged in the 1950's and continued throughout the sixties and seventies. Minimal art is the same as conceptual art in that it is also very simple and removes signs of personal expression.
Its presentation of the content and form is basic and as has been said can be done by any other person if the instructions of composition are available. This might make conceptual and minimalist art look uncomplicated and unsophisticated but it should be kept into consideration that the subject and concept of the work is of primary importance. The artist achieved artistic recognition not through the complexity of the work he presented but through the idea he managed to attract attention to in the most simple and basic manner possible. Conceptual work typically includes photographs, image text or just text.
Whatever is portrayed is presented in the least aesthetically attractive manner possible to not distract the attention away from the main concept. This is very obvious in the work of Kosuth especially in his well known example called One and Three Chairs (1965) which combines a real chair, a photograph of a chair and a dictionary of chair. The movement's focus on ideas influenced many artists and writers but was at the core influenced by overseas literature, especially writings from prominent French intellectuals like Foucault or Jacques Derrida.
Minimal art like conceptual art managed to leave an immense impact and influenced many writers and artists. Both movements are also similar in how they both put emphasis on the impersonal and lack of personal expression. Minimal art is a very successful art movement and used certain ideas to enhance its main characteristics. The idea of the serial or multiplicity of objects that is observable in both Sol LeWitt's works as a conceptualist as well as in the minimalist works of Eva Hasse. The notion of the serial connotes lack of uniqueness which is thus observable in all the conceptualist and minimalist works.
This complete rejection of individuality and personal incorporation of sentiment or any kind of attachment within these movements are what make it appear to some people as cold and detached whereas it is very much concerned with the issues and subjects that shape the daily life of the average human being. Multiplicity and repetition is a key element in conceptualism and minimalism. The work of Sol LeWitt especially his project No. 1 from 1966 is based on putting several objects that look alike together.
This connotes the idea that it could have been done by anyone since t is simply a combination of similar looking simple objects. The conceptual detachment from aesthetics is further carried away by some artists. Lawrence Weiner for instance took a picture of a floor sprayed and called it Two Minutes of Spray Paint directly upon the Floor. This is amusing in a way but on the other hand quite creative and is used as an example in this discussion to further illustrate the concept of neglection of aesthetics. Eva Hasse is a minimalist artist who was good friends with LeWitt.
She also focused on repeated forms and multiplicity but in contrast to the other minimalists used material as plastic that made her work change over time. Whether conceptual or minimal both movements share thus certain characteristics that bring them close. The only difference is that conceptualists took it further by completely neglecting the form and focusing fully on the message and concept of the work which made their work appear trivial at times as the example of Lawrence Weiner's spray picture and Kosuth's Idea as Idea as Idea illustrate.
Kosuth and others like him were thus interested in how meaning was generated and this is why he wanted to question the whole idea of art and criticize its foundation. He and Weiner and Hasse and LeWitt attempted to deconstruct the generally accepted approach towards art and focus rather on the message and concept. This deconstruction of view is part of a larger structure of which language is a major component. This is where minimalism and conceptualism derived their main ideas from. They were simply inspired by the literary writings of French intellectuals like Foucault and Derrida.
Derrida especially helped shape the course of both movements with his deconstruction idea that inspired people to apply to other domains like painting and photography. In the post-modernist discourse this simply means that the deconstruction concept is interpreted as the lack of presence of any narration or judgmental voice, not just in literature but in all the domains of art. The artists who were influenced by deconstruction soon claimed that art was not to be judged according to one standard which put them thus in opposition to Plat's attempts to define art as either good or bad.
Deconstructionists defied this notion by saying that there is no single interpretation of art which means that the whole idea o art is questionable. This is thus what inspired conceptualists and minimalists towards the lack of incorporation of aesthetic representation within their works. To sum up, Derrida's idea played a major importance in the discourse of modern art especially in the minimalist and conceptualist movements. The fact that both came to the conclusion that there is no single interpretation of art made them decide that there is no standard according to which to define art as either good or bad.
The fluidity of meaning and lack of absolute opinion makes interpretation a very liberated process and hence allows for the development of the question that is centered around finding out what art exactly constitutes. This is why the artists adopted conceptualism and minimalism. They were simply trying to come up with many meanings regarding the interpretation of objects and that could only be achieved if the process f interpreting it was a liberated one not based on any generally recognized fact or established convention.
The individual is the only decider in the process and the ambiguity that surrounds everything requires therefore the complete focus on the message rather than the development of distractive elements as form or aesthetics. From the Lecture: Chapter 22 The Post Minimal Post Modern 70's, Part 1 3. Choose five important sculptors post WWII to present and write an essay that looks at one piece by each of them. The development of art after World war two went through fast stages of evolvement that therefore distinguish it from eras as the Renaissance which took about two hundred years.
With post-modernism changes happened fast and this is partially the result of the many diverse approaches adopted thanks to the broadness of interpretation that has characterized modern art since its rise. It is also the result of the many voices that sprang up and soon became leading figures in the development of post-modernism art with their different and innovative perspectives. Post-modernism is therefore characterized by growth both in the number of artists as well as in the concepts and ideas that it encompassed.
This is not just limited to painting but includes also sculptors as will be demonstrated through the various artists and their works. John Ahearne is a sculptor who developed a consistent style throughout his career. This is illustrated in his paintings Jay with Bike in 1985 and The Twins in 2004. Both show a similar style focused on depicting the African-American part of society which was a controversial element of his works regarding the fact that he is Caucasian. His works are very detailed and attempt to illustrate the elements that make up his Bronx neighborhood.
This idea is an example of innovation in post-modernism. Jeff Koons is another prominent sculptor who resorted to figurative expression. This was inspired by the impacts media had on the society of that time. Media was very ironic and overwhelmingly popular oriented and Jeff Koons is known to take the elements of popular culture and presents them in a cynical and comical manner which has made some people react negatively o his works. He has been accused of lack of taste and his work entitled Michael Jackson and Bubbles might explain this more.
It is a ceramic work from 1988 that depicts the artist with a monkey in a manner that makes him look like the animal especially since their clothing is similar. Despite the subjects he picked Jeff considered himself an artist who created very ordinary work. Whatever his classification it remains undeniable that he managed to address ideas and concepts of concern among the masses and despite the lack of appreciation of his style he still managed to appeal to the public's main popular features. Katharina Fritsch is a German sculptor known for sculptures that present familiar objects with a manner of unfamiliar sensibility .
Fritsch is still alive which makes her very contemporary. She began to show her work in the 1980's. She is also known for liking to experiment with the notion of perception which is thus why she likes to transform familiar objects into less familiar but still recognizable forms. For instance, the PUDEL (1995) shows a poodle that is black. Fritsch is thus concerned with the presentation of art in an unfamiliar manner because of her interest in the notion of reality. This shows a certain influence of Derrida's deconstruction theory.
The notion of perception is just individual based and not universal and this is exactly the reason behind her exploration with reality representation and perception. Louise Bourgeois is another post-modernist sculptor. She is known for a fascination with ambiguity and this is illustrated through her use of different materials. She is also very surrealist despite her contemporary status. Her work Untitled, 1989, pink marble is an example of this. Her work can be associated with surrealism and feminism and she is known for being mainly influenced with these movements.
Martin Puryear is an American sculptor who incorporates his fascination with natural forms with his highly intellectual background to present art that is hard to pin down as a presentation of one movement or one ideology. He is a very well known artist who has received recognition for his work among critics and modern art lovers. Lever#1 1988-89. Red Cedar shows his great interest in natural forms. This is because he opted for the use of wood and natural elements. The work also demonstrates his fascination with furniture.
He went for instance all the way to Scandinavia to learn more about furniture and incorporate the international ideas and different cultural elements in his work. From the Lecture: Chapter 23, A New Century, Part 2 4. Discuss site specific art. Site specific art is art that is created for a certain place. The artist is during the creation of his artwork concerned with the location. Ann Hamilton is a good example to give in the context of site specific work an installation. In her artwork Tropos made in 1993-1994 Hamilton altered a whole factory floor of 5000 square feet with horse hair.
The hair was of different colors and created this image of an altered reality because of the change o the site of the artwork. This is the main element of the movement. The specific focus on location above all is thus very important to bring the artwork to the attention. Ann Hamilton utilizes the site by focusing on light and sound to create an installation effect where site is an essential aspect of the finished artwork. She often used other elements like historical or literary allusions which added certain sophistication to her work.
She is a main figure of the site specific art movement. Site specific art is thus created to exist in a certain place. The works of Hamilton give us an insight into the choreography and final presentation of the whole artwork. The artwork cannot be started before the whole elements regarding the site are well studied. In Hamilton's Tropos the lightning and sound elements are well coordinated to bring the different shades of the hair out. This could not have been achieved without the meticulous study of the site's characteristics and topographies whether architectural or environmental.
From the Lecture: New Century Chapter 24 Part 1 A 5. Discuss identity issues in art c. 1980 to present. Art is a platform for the discussion of many themes and issues. Art is basically a representation of the human thought and especially the human thought process of the artist in charge of the artwork presented. This is very simple to understand. The artist like the writer is at the core concerned with expressing his views and experiences through the mode of art he considers most suitable whether that is abstract art or minimalism.
There are for instance many artists within the field of post-modern art that are concerned with the themes of identity and seek to convey their thoughts through their work. This can be traced to the influence of today's global and problematic events that have influenced the political and national geographical map around the world and raised therefore many questions regarding the issue of identity. Ana Mendieta is modernist Cuban-American artist who is very well known for her earth-body sculptural and photographic works that dealt with the themes of her identity. Her personal background influenced the themes of her art works.
She was born in Cuba but was moved to the United States at a very young age and developed a strong interest in her culture. Her traumatic experience as a child in the orphanage she grew up after the political exile of her family from Cuba made her just more aware of her background which is strongly reflected in her work. Mona Hatoum is another contemporary Palestinian artist living in London. She was born in Beirut and the themes of identity are significantly present in her art regarding the experience she lived as a person born in a foreign country and grown up in another.
She and Mendieta have this historical background in common. Other characteristics common between them is the presence of the body in their artworks. Hatoum's Entrails Carpet from 1995 illustrates the themes of conflict in perception of identity. The artists herself mentioned that the idea originates from a notion of not belonging. Though she lived in Beirut and after that in London she did not feel as if she was in a place she belonged to. Her life like the carpet might seem elegant and peaceful at first glance but just like the rug turns out to be little pieces of entrails, parts of the human body, put together.
From the Lecture: New Century Chapter 24 Part 1 A 6. Discuss painting post 2000. Contemporary paintings are very diverse in themes and forms regarding the wide subjects that have been introduced by the post-modernist artists. Ben Whitehouse is one of the artists from the contemporary post 2000 period and his painting entitled Revolution: North Bar Lake, 2006 presents his fascination with landscape and the environment. He has more paintings with the same title because the method of making these landscape paintings is largely similar.
His representation of the land is through very meticulous oil paintings that all have a very calm effect on the viewer. The artworks are so landscape focused that it is easy to lose yourself into it. This is because of the complete focus on the landscape and the lack of incorporation of any civilization elements. Another artist concerned with the issues of environment and farming is Alexis Rockman. Whitehouse and Rockman therefore reflect the contemporary concern with the effects of pollution and global warming and subsequent environmental degradation.
Her artwork The Farm (2000) illustrates how culture approaches the idea of farming and natural protection of the sources needed for human sustainment. The way the human interacts with plants and animals and the way culture influences the process is also a significant theme illustrated through the various elements of nature and the many animals within the painting. Whitehouse and Rockman are despite their different styles similar in their concern with contemporary events.
Whitehouse's previously discussed painting is so obviously landscape focused that it throws he viewer back into a historical time devoid of the industrial pollution that characterizes current human life. Rockman's painting provides historical and current insight into the advances within the bio-tech industry and in genetic engineering in relation with the history of agriculture which therefore makes both Whitehouse and Rockman similar in their strong interest with the effects of technological and industrial human life on the surrounding nature. From the Lecture: New Century Chapter 24 Part 1 A
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The Constitutional Court has ruled that the IEC should rerun by-elections in Tlokwe after it found some irregularities in how the polls were conducted.
Stephen Grootes looks at what this means for how elections are held in the country and if this has any bearing on the credibility of the IEC.
Watch the analysis below:


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7 The Paranormal – Part 2
Despite the fact that the paranormal has ruled popular media for decades, the paranormal is not restricted to the media and to fiction. There is a reality to some paranormal events, and the Bible affirms this reality. Unimpeachable witnesses and investigators also affirm the reality of paranormal events. Not all of these witnesses agree as to the cause behind these phenomena, but they agree that there is a reality to paranormal activity.
They are not alone in their experiences and conclusions. Millions of people are experiencing something that they cannot explain, and they are seeking answers. In their pursuit of the truth, they have opened themselves to the spiritual world. Unfortunately, many have gravitated to the wrong spiritual camp. They have turned to Occultism and New Age philosophy. As such, they have received as truth the doctrines of devils (1 Tim. 4:1).
We as Christians have a prime opportunity to satisfy the thirst of these seekers by leading them to the truth of the Bible. Of course, in order to do this, we need to know what the Bible has to say regarding these paranormal experiences. This does not mean that we should study everything paranormal and conclusively prove its existence or non-existence according to Scripture. As Christians, we ought to be cautious about studying and investigating the paranormal as it tends to lead people into the Occult and into New Age doctrines. We also need to be careful about studying the paranormal because it can very easily become an obsession which detracts from our relationship with God and from our spiritual growth. Instead, we should be aware that people are experiencing, or are fascinated with, the paranormal, and we need to know the principles of Scripture which relate to the heart of the subject. Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible does supply us with sufficient information for us to test the spirits and to discern the nature behind these paranormal events.
As covered in the last chapter, not all paranormal events are demonic. We know that angels regularly minister to Christians (Heb. 1:13–14). The Bible teaches that Christians can interact with these angels in the physical realm, sometimes unaware (Heb. 13:2). By definition, this is a paranormal activity which is not demonic. Having said this, the aspects of the paranormal which have fascinated our society do generally find their origins in the demonic. As such, we should not associate and identify ourselves with these things. Instead, we are called to expose them. Ephesians 5:11 commands, "Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them."
UFOs, aliens, and abductions are demonic in nature, and the entities involved in these accounts may very well be actual demons.*[1] Many Christian and secular researchers alike have concluded that at least some UFO reports are related to spiritual entities. According to their "inter-dimensional hypothesis," UFO's involve visitations from other realities or dimensions that coexist separately alongside our own. Christians ordinarily use the term "spiritual" instead of inter-dimensional, but they refer to the same thing. This has become a popular understanding of the phenomenon among both Christian and secular researchers because it explains how there can be a physicality to UFO's while, simultaneously, there appears to be a metaphysical aspect to them which defies the known laws of science. Dr. Hugh Ross has noted that UFO's generate no sonic booms when they break the sound barrier, nor do they show any evidence of meeting with air resistance. They make impossibly sharp turns and sudden stops, and they emit no detectable electromagnetic signals.[2] Scientific advisor to the U.S. Air Force studies on UFO's, developer of the close encounter classification system, and father of the scientific analysis of UFO reports and evidence, Josef Allen Hynek, in an article titled "Machines made of Shadows," writes, "The spiritual theory explains why UFOs can make right angle turns. It explains why they can be dematerialized, why sometimes they are picked up on radar and sometimes not."[3]
Not only have many secular researchers accepted what amounts to a spiritual cause behind this phenomenon, but many secular researchers have also concluded that the modern UFO, alien, and abduction accounts are rooted in the demonic. John Keel was an American journalist and an influential ufologist. In his book UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse, John Keel writes:
Demonology is not just another crackpot-ology. It is the ancient and scholarly study of the monsters and demons who have seemingly coexisted with man throughout history. Thousands of books have been written on the subject, many of them authored by educated clergymen, scientists and scholars, and uncounted numbers of well-documented demonic events are readily available to every researcher. The manifestations and occurences described in this imposing literature are similar, if not entirely identical, to the UFO phenomenon itself. Victims of demonomania (possession) suffer the very same medical and emotional symptoms as the UFO contactees. … The devil and his demons can, according to the literature, manifest themselves in almost any form and can physically imitate anything from angels to horrifying monsters with glowing eyes. Strange objects and entities materialize and dematerialize in these stories, just as the UFOs and their splendid occupants appear and disappear, walk through walls, and perform other supernatural feats.[4]
He also writes, "The UFO manifestations seem to be, by and large, merely minor variations of the age-old demonological phenomenon."[5] Furthermore, Dr. Jacques Vallee is an astrophysicist and a computer scientist who is best known for his work at SRI International in creating Arpanet—a precursor to the Internet—and for co-developing the first computerized mapping of mars for NASA. He is also among the pioneer ufologists and has addressed the United Nations on the subject of UFOs. In his book Messengers of Deception, Dr. Jacques Vallee writes:
An equally impressive parallel could be made between UFO occupants and the popular conceptions of demons, and indeed sociologists have pointed out that "the same elements are involved in diabolic contacts as in the divine encounters of increasing intimacy with what is defined as a supernatural consciousness."[6]
Additionally, Dr. Pierre Guerin was a senior researcher at the French National Council for Scientific Research. In an article for Flying Saucer Review, Dr. Pierre Guerin said, "[T]he modern UFOnauts and the demons of past days are probably identical."[7] Also, Lynn Catoe was the senior bibliographer of a government publication researched by the Library of Congress for the United States Air Force Office of Scientific Research titled UFOs and Related Subjects. Lynn Catoe writes:
A large part of the available UFO literature is closely linked with mysticism and the metaphysical. It deals with subjects like mental telepathy, automatic writing and invisible entities as well as phenomena like poltergeist [ghost] manifestations and 'possession.' Many of the UFO reports now being published in the popular press recount alleged incidents that are strikingly similar to demonic possession and psychic phenomena.[8]
These are secular researchers, and yet they are not only able to identify this phenomenon as being demonic, they use a set of criterion to reach this conclusion. How is it that secular researchers use a standard for determining whether something is demonic and are able to defend their conclusions, but most Christians who claim UFO's and aliens to be demonic do not? Too many Christians are quick to label this phenomenon demonic simply because it is strange and difficult to explain. They do not have solid reasoning for their conclusions. Neither can they use Scripture to prove why this is demonic. By doing so, Christians lose credibility among those who are genuinely seeking answers. If they are going to make the claim, then Christians need to be able to defend why they believe UFO's and aliens to be demonic.
The testimonies of those who believe themselves to be victims of alien abduction frequently include horrific and sadistic sexual abuse. A 1992 study conducted by M.I.T. at Cambridge titled Alien Discussions: Proceedings of the Abduction Study Conference Held at M.I.T. Cambridge M.A compared the testimonies of alien abduction victims with those of Occult ritual survivors and concluded that the two phenomenon are so similar as to be one and the same in origin. (This report is provided in Appendix C.6) Likewise, Dr. Jacques Vallee writes in his book Messengers of Deception, "The 'medical examination' to which abductees are said to be subjected, often accompanied by sadistic sexual manipulation, is reminiscent of the medieval tales of encounters with demons."[9] Certainly this is a strong indication that whatever may be occurring is demonic in nature. After all, 1 John 3:8 says, "Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning."
A frequent element in abduction accounts is lingering fear. Although fear is not universally recalled, its presence is consistent enough to reveal that the cause behind the abduction phenomenon is not God because 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." Compare this against Whitley Strieber's abduction testimony in his book Transformation, "I felt an absolutely indescribable sense of menace. It was hell on earth to be there, and yet I couldn't move, couldn't cry out, couldn't get away. I lay as still as death, suffering inner agonies. Whatever was there seemed so monstrously ugly, so filthy and dark and sinister. Of course they were demons. They had to be. And they were here and I couldn't get away."[10]
Furthermore, the messages received from aliens have proven them to be liars and deceivers.[11] Their prophecies and promises have repeatedly failed to unfold as they were spoken. Many times aliens have promised to reveal themselves at a specified location on a particular date. Each time, they fail to honor this commitment. Many times aliens have prophesied a great catastrophe or war which fails to occur. They also teach people about past lives and reincarnation. However, Hebrews 9:27 teaches that man lives only one life and then faces judgment. Aliens even claim to be the creators of mankind. However, the Bible teaches that God created man. Genesis 2:7, and 21–22 says:
[T]hen the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. … So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man.
Most importantly, aliens repeatedly deny that Jesus was the Divine Son of God and the Christ. Recall that this is one of our tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist. 1 John 2:22 says, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son." Sometimes they teach that Jesus was a good teacher who was attempting to enlighten mankind. Sometimes they teach that Jesus was Himself an alien. Some have even claimed to be Jesus—particularly the entity known as Sananda. Therefore, it should not be difficult to accept that aliens also frequently deny the authority of Scripture as the infallible and inspired Word of God. They teach that the Bible contains errors. However, this too, is one of our tests for identifying the spirit of antichrist (1 John 5:10–12).
Clearly, the spirit behind this phenomenon is demonic. Any sense of alien benevolence, enlightenment, and protection are illusions. Scripture is clear, the actions and teachings of these aliens lead only to death and destruction (John 10:10).
Another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our modern society is vampirism. Vampires are also demonic in nature. Most civilizations throughout history have had their own version of the vampire. Many of the early vampire stories present the vampire as a spirit-like entity which is capable of physically draining the blood from its victim. The consistency of these accounts indicates that the vampire is originally based in some degree of truth. However, history does not bear witness to the modern depiction of vampires. In fact, even the modern mythology of vampires is continually evolving. To the best of our knowledge, vampires as they are understood today have never existed. Nevertheless, there are many today who imitate the vampire. In 2011, Fox News reporter and syndicated radio host, Sean Hannity, reported, "There's actually a vampire subculture that exists in the United States right now and spreads into almost every community in this country."[12] Some believe themselves to be psychic vampires who feed off of people's energy.*[13]*[14] Others drink blood and may even imitate the appearance of the vampire. Among those who drink blood, some acquire a dependence upon it. Regardless of whether this is only psychological, they feel as though they need blood to remain energized.
It is important to recognize that there is a strong number of individuals who have adopted the qualities of the fictional vampire. Although there may not be undead creatures of the night lurking amongst us, there is a burgeoning number of people who have assumed the lifestyle of the vampire. Therefore, it is important that we recognize the spirit behind vampirism.
We know that ancient religions and witchcraft have always placed great emphasis on blood and often employ the use of blood in their ceremonies. It was, and in some cases still is, believed that when an individual drinks the blood of someone or something, they are then endowed with the energies and power of the victim. This is why God commanded His people to separate themselves from this practice in Leviticus 19:26, "'You shall not eat any flesh with the blood in it. You shall not interpret omens or tell fortunes.'" The command against eating blood is directly associated with witchcraft. This is further confirmed by the ensuing context which focuses on elements of witchcraft and pagan religious worship in verses 27–31. This command was not given because of dietary or health concerns. It appears as if God issued this command to prevent his people from seeking empowerment from a source other than Himself.
Integral to every vampire story is blood. Romans 3:15 teaches that one of the characteristics of the unrighteous is that they are quick to shed blood. Moreover, God considers blood to be sacred. Leviticus 17:10–14 says:
"If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people. For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, No person among you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger who sojourns among you eat blood. Any one also of the people of Israel, or of the strangers who sojourn among them, who takes in hunting any beast or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth. For the life of every creature is its blood: its blood is its life. Therefore I have said to the people of Israel, You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood. Whoever eats it shall be cut off."
The purpose for this command cannot be for hygienic reasons. God informs His people that the reason for this command is that the life is in the blood, and it is through blood that the soul will be saved. God did not want His people partaking in the pagan practice of consuming the life force of another for personal empowerment. God's people did not need power; they needed forgiveness, and that forgiveness would come only at the expense of a life. This was symbolized using the life of animals until Jesus Christ paid the debt with His own life. Only Jesus' blood can truly forgive sins (Rom. 3:22–26; Rom. 5:6–10). God did not want His people chasing after the wrong blood.
Empowerment is the primary reason why vampires drink blood. According to the legend, when a vampire drinks blood, he captures the victim's life-force. This not only nourishes the vampire, but it also endows him with supernatural abilities, such as strength, health, and immortality. In a sense, vampires teach that man can attain immortality and god-like powers apart from Christ and apart from repentance. However, the Bible teaches that only through placing our faith in Jesus Christ and repenting of our sins can a person attain immortality (John 3:16; 8:24). Vampires emphasize the wrong blood; human blood cannot give us eternal life. Only through the blood of Jesus can we receive eternal life. In Matthew 26:28, Jesus tells His disciples, "[F]or this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Also, Romans 5:8–9 and 18–21 says:
[B]ut God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. … Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Vampirism is a perversion of Christ's teaching in John 6:53–57:
So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me."
Jesus is not referencing the physical in this passage; He is speaking of the spiritual. At no point in Scripture do we read of any individual literally eating Jesus' flesh or drinking His blood. Here Jesus is drawing a parallel between Himself and the manna that the Jews ate in the wilderness. God supernaturally provided the life-sustaining gift of manna from heaven as a picture of the spiritually life-sustaining gift from heaven that God would provide in Jesus Christ. A person can have everlasting spiritual life with God if they consume Jesus in a spiritual sense. When a person feasts himself upon who Jesus is and allows Jesus to strengthen and nourish his soul, Jesus promises that that person will be forever spiritually satisfied and sustained. Vampirism completely misses the point. It focuses entirely on the physical, and it ignores the significance of Jesus Christ. It teaches that all blood can bestow life—that man can experience eternal life apart from Jesus Christ. This is a denial of Jesus as the Christ, and is the spirit of antichrist according to 1 John 2:22.
Nearly everything that defines the vampire is something from which Christians have been called to separate themselves. In many ways, vampires are the embodiment of our sinful natures. Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissentions, divisions, envy, and orgies are all qualities which are shared by both vampires and the sinful nature*[15] (Gal. 5:19–21). Nearly every characteristic of the sinful nature listed in Galatians is a defining characteristic of the vampire. These are also defining characteristics of the spirit of antichrist. Therefore, according to Scripture, the vampire is the embodiment of evil, completely devoid of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:16–18 teaches that a person cannot follow after the sinful nature and the Holy Spirit simultaneously:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
This is further evidenced by the vampire's almost continual state of melancholy. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. Why then do Christians long after and fantasize about vampires? In doing so, Christians are pursuing the very opposite of what they are called to become. Christ promises the Christian an abundant life and the joy that comes from the Holy Spirit (John 10:10). How can a Christian believe that the sullen life of a vampire in any way compares to what Christ has freely offered us?
In Acts 15:28–29, the Apostles and elders at Jerusalem wrote a letter to the Gentiles commanding them to abstain from four things:
"For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."
Modern vampires focus nearly all their attention on two of these four things: Drinking blood and committing sexual immorality.*[16]
Later, in Ephesians 5:3, the Apostle Paul commands, "But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints." Vampires covet blood, are sexually immoral, and are involved in activities which the Bible considers "impure." As Christians, we are called to separate ourselves from the very characteristics which define the vampire. Far from accomplishing this, many Christians today have become enamored with the vampire. They entertain themselves by championing the cause of vampires in popular media. In some instances, such as Twilight's Edward Cullen, they idolize the vampire. The vampire becomes the ultimate sex symbol and the epitome of a romantic lover. According to Scripture, this should not be the case. Christians should not associate with vampires via books and movies, and Christians certainly should not sympathize with a character who blasphemes the blood of Jesus Christ.
Yet another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is zombies. Like vampires, there are elements of the zombie legend which are rooted in factual events, but the modern zombie character is entirely fictitious. There is no evidence to indicate that a truly dead corpse has ever been re-animated as a zombie.
Like the others, zombies are demonic in nature. Zombies contradict the Bible's teaching than man dies and then faces judgment. Hebrews 9:27 says, "[I]t is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," People do not die and then become re-animated, mindless, corpses. Revelation 20:4 teaches that some who are judged will reign with Christ on earth for 1,000 years. Clearly these are not mindless individuals focused entirely on death, destruction, and feeding. As for the others who face judgment, they will never again roam the earth. Rather, they will be confined to the Lake of Fire. According to Revelation 20:13–15:
And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Zombies are a perversion of God's promise to resurrect our bodies in 1 Corinthians 15:21–22. Zombies are resurrected, but they are mindless, rotting, corpses. However, the Bible teaches that we will be like Jesus when we are resurrected from the dead. Romans 6:4–5 says:
We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
In neither His mortal nor immortal body was Jesus ever portrayed as a mindless, rotting, corpse.
As Christians, we are repeatedly encouraged to place our hope in Christ's resurrection of the dead, and the judgment of the unrighteous. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 says:
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
If this is truly the Christian's hope, then how can a believer be entertained by the perversion and rejection of this promise? This is a hope which is to be cherished.
Moreover, zombies seek only to steal, kill, and destroy. This is the motivation and intention of our adversary, the Devil. John 10:10 says, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." Clearly zombies stand in defiance of God's design for mankind.
Ultimately, zombies contradict the Bible's command to love others. Ephesians 5:1–2 says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Zombies are the epitome of an individual devoid of all love for his fellowman. In a sense, they are the ultimate fulfillment of Galatians 5:14–15, "For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another." Zombies would be a literal fulfillment of the Apostle Paul's warning. Of course, the Apostle Paul was not teaching the reality of zombies. Rather, he was teaching about how destructive a lack of love for others can be. Zombies are the ultimate portrayal of this lack of love.
As with vampires, Christians should not become overly fascinated with zombies. They are defined by the very characteristics which define the spirit of antichrist. Furthermore, the grotesque images and actions of zombies are not healthy for any Christian. Everything about zombies fails to meet the standard of Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things."
Werewolves also fascinate our society. Yet again, this is a character which can be traced in varying forms throughout most of history in many diverse civilizations. As such, it appears as if the werewolf is also rooted in an element of truth. Nevertheless, history does not bear credible witness to the reality of werewolves as they are depicted in popular media. There is no reason to believe that any human has ever possessed the ability to transform himself into a wolf.
Werewolves are demonic in nature. They contradict the Bible's teaching that man is created distinct from the animals and is created in the image of God. Genesis 1:26–27 says:
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Werewolves are the supreme example of losing one's self control and giving way to one's most base and carnal nature. However, the Bible teaches that we are not to give way to our lusts but are to be self-controlled at all times. 2 Peter 1:4–7 says:
[B]y which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit according to Galatians 5:22–24, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Likewise, 2 Timothy 1:7 teaches that God has given every Christian the ability to remain self-controlled, "[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
The very essence of the werewolf is opposed to God's design and purpose for mankind as well as His commands to Christians. This contradiction of God's Word reveals that the werewolf is rooted in the spirit of antichrist.
Another aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is ghosts. Ghosts are also demonic in nature. A clear indication of this is the fact that throughout history, ghosts have most often been associated with Occultism and evil. In fact, it seems that the favorite locations for ghosts to manifest themselves are places where some act of violence has occurred.
Some have tried to identify ghosts as angelic beings who are sent by God to interact with mankind. However, the most common element among ghost stories is that they instill a spirit of fear. The Bible teaches that fear is not from God. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "[F]or God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." Also, 1 John 4:18 says, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." An apparition who generates an enduring atmosphere of fear is not of God. As such, this eliminates the possibility that it is an angel sent by God.
Furthermore, the accounts of ghostly encounters do not match the account of angelic encounters in Scripture. In the Bible, we find two kinds of angelic encounters. In the first of these encounters, angels appear indistinguishable from ordinary men (Heb. 13:2). In the example of Genesis 19, the men of Sodom called out to Lot asking for the angels in order that they might have sexual relations with them. They believed the angels to be ordinary men. Genesis 19:4–5 says, "But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.'"*[17] These angels were not intangible apparitions who remained at a distance. They interacted with Lot and even ate the food that Lot prepared for them according to Genesis 19:3. They also physically took hold of Lot and his family according to Genesis 19:16. There is nothing in this first type of encounter which would lead a person to believe that he had interacted with a ghost.
In the second kind of angelic encounter, the very sight of the angels immediately struck fear into the observers, presumably because of their power and majesty. However, this fear is always quickly dispelled because fear is not from God (Luke 1:11–13; Luke 1:28–30; Luke 2:8–10). Angels do not appear as apparitions who remain eerily silent in the distance. Angels speak with those to whom they appear. In these encounters, there is an obvious supernatural element, but there is never any question as to whether an angel was encountered. The observer is not left to question whether his eyes played tricks on him, or whether the entity encountered is from God or the Devil. And he does not possess a lingering sense of fear and trepidation. The simple fact of the matter is that modern accounts of ghostly encounters do not match the Bible's accounts of angelic encounters.
The primary ghostly activities and ensuing explanations which are reported contradict God's Word. As such, they belong to the spirit of antichrist. Most notably, many ghosts are said to be the spirits of dead humans who have unfinished business. According to the Bible, this cannot be true. Psalm 146:4 says, "When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish." All that he cared about and aspired to become ceases upon the individual's death. As such, it should be evident that the spirit of a deceased individual has no reason to haunt a house, a location, or an item. Furthermore, Job 7:9–10 informs us that the individual is not capable of haunting a house, a location, or an item, "As the cloud fades and vanishes, so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up; he returns no more to his house, nor does his place know him anymore." Whatever may be lingering around the house, location, or item is certainly not the soul of a dead human.
Ghosts contradict the Bible's teaching that a man cannot willingly return to the earth after his death. In Luke chapter 16, Jesus teaches about a rich man who died and went to Hades. Not wanting his family to join him in his fate, the rich man wanted to warn his family, but he could not return to his family himself. Consequently, he unsuccessfully pleaded with Abraham to send someone from paradise to warn his family on his behalf.*[18] Clearly the dead cannot voluntarily return to earth and interact with the physical world.
Interestingly enough, when Jesus' disciples believed that Jesus was a ghost in Luke 24:36–39, Jesus did not deny the existence of ghosts:
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
The Bible does not deny the existence of ghosts; it denies the idea that ghosts are the spirits of dead humans who haunt locations and items. In fact, Scripture teaches that there are spirits who pretend to be the spirits of dead people. These are called "familiar spirits." Isaiah 8:19–20 says:
And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them (KJV).*[19]
Whatever these familiar spirits may be, they are likely not the spirits of humans, and they are not from God because God forbade communication with familiar spirits. According to Leviticus 19:31, it was against God's Law to even interact with those who communicated with familiar spirits, "Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God" (KJV).*[20] If an individual had a familiar spirit, it was a crime punishable by death. Leviticus 20:27 says, "A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely be put to death: they shall stone them with stones: their blood shall be upon them" (KJV).*[21] Clearly God does not want His people to follow after ghosts. Christians should not be involved in any activity which seeks to communicate with entities from the other side. Neither should a Christian associate with those who do communicate with the other side. This would include reading their books and watching their television programs.
A final aspect of the paranormal which fascinates our society is witches. Witches are also demonic in nature. God commanded His people to separate themselves from witchcraft. Deuteronomy 18:10–12 says:
There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the LORD. And because of these abominations the LORD your God is driving them out before you.
In God's eyes there is no such thing as good witches and bad witches—white magic versus black magic. According to God, all who practice witchcraft are an abomination before the Lord. This is because at the heart of witchcraft is a spirit of rebellion, as is evident in the prophet Samuel's equation of the two while speaking to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:23, "For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry" (KJV).*[22] Witchcraft places personal desires and ambitions above the ways of God, and it seeks to accomplish them apart from God. However, the Bible teaches that we are to humble ourselves and to submit ourselves to God. James 4:5–7 says:
Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, "He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us"? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Witchcraft offers man the lusts of his heart without requiring that he submit to God.
Every time that the word "witchcraft" appears in the KJV Bible, it is associated with idolatry (1 Sam. 15:23; 2 Chron. 33:6–7; Gal. 5:20).*[23] A person who rebels against God places his self-will and desires above God's will and desires. As such, the individual's self-will and desires become idols—things which are placed above God. Achieving the individual's goals and desires become more important than following and honoring God.
Some in the above list of paranormal entities, such as witches, exist in reality today. Others exist only in the realm of fictitious entertainment. As such, it is easy to dismiss such things as vampires, werewolves, and zombies as harmless because they are merely the result of an over-active imagination. However, Scripture speaks repeatedly of the imaginations of men. In nearly every instance, the reference is negative because often, it is within the imagination that evil is first devised. Never does God dismiss evil because it exists only in the imagination. Rather, 2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches that Christ cast down imaginations and grants us the power to take every thought captive for Christ, "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;" (KJV).*[24] We are to be seekers of God-honoring truth at all times—whether it be in the realm of reality or the realm of entertainment and our imaginations.
The spirit of antichrist will use any means possible to spread its deceit and to cultivate a spirit of rebellion against Christ. When we understand the Biblical principles which pertain to the paranormal, we are able to test the spirits to which we are being exposed to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1). The Bible has provided us with powerful tools for discerning the truth in a society that is desperate for answers. As such, we have a wonderful opportunity, but in order to take advantage of this opportunity, Christians need to be prepared to show the inherent spiritual danger of these paranormal activities to those who are seeking answers. More importantly, we should be prepared and searching for opportunities to use the individual's interest in these issues to reveal the spiritual battle that rages all around us in order to direct them to the truth of God's Word. As Christians, we need not fear the paranormal. Rather, paranormal encounters can be used to open wide doors of opportunity within the hearts of those who desperately need the truth of Jesus Christ and the salvation that only He can offer them.
- The term "UFO" refers to any unidentified flying object. The majority of UFO reports are merely reported sightings of some unknown aerial phenomenon. It is probable that most of these are the consequence of natural phenomenon, misidentification, and of military activities. Naturally, UFO accounts which are rooted in misidentification and natural, or terrestrial, activities are nothing more than confusion. There is nothing inherently demonic—or even moral or immoral—regarding these reports. However, many UFO reports extend beyond stating what the individual observed. These accounts often include alien entities and religious experiences. These are the accounts to which the author is referring when speaking of the demonic nature behind UFOs. ↵
- Ross, Lights in the Sky and Little Green Men, 69–70. ↵
- JediWitness2, "Demonic Alien Agenda – Parts 1–11." ↵
- John Keel, Operation Trojan Horse, 192, Source: Melanson, "UFOs & the Cult of ET." ↵
- John Keel, Operation Trojan Horse (Illuminet, 1996), 299, Source: Ankerberg, The Facts on UFOs and Other Supernatural Phenomena. ↵
- Vallee, Messengers of Deception, 14. ↵
- Flying Saucer Review 25, no. 1:14, Source: Watcher Website, "Quotes on the Deceptive Nature of UFOs and Alien Abductions." ↵
- Lynn Catoe, UFOs and Related Subjects: USGPO, 1969; prepared under AFOSR Project Order 67-0002 and 68-0003, Source: Watcher Website, "Quotes on the Deceptive Nature of UFOs and Alien Abductions." ↵
- Vallee, Confrontations: A Scientist's Search for Alien Contact, 13. ↵
- Strieber, Transformation: The Breakthrough, 190. ↵
- TyrannosaurusRadio, "Demonic UFOs (Christopher, Prophecy Club)." ↵
- Hannity, "Night Neighbors." ↵
- "A Psychic Vampire is a person, who by reason of a condition of their spirit, needs to obtain vital energy from outside sources." (http://www.psivamp.org/curious.html) ↵
- "While this is an interesting idea, scientists and doctors have never been able to locate or even verify the existence of this supposed 'energy.' Since there's no evidence that the bodily or psychic energy exists in the first place, there's no way to prove that a 'psychic vampire' is in fact draining that energy." (Radford, "Vampires Among Us: From Bats to Psychics.") ↵
- It can be argued that drunkenness is also a shared quality. The vampire's drink of choice is not alcohol, but blood. Between the vampire's need for blood and the drunkard's need for alcohol, there are many parallels. ↵
- 2 Timothy 2:22: So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ↵
- The Hebrew word translated as "know" is the same word used for sexual relations between Adam and his wife, Eve, in Genesis 4:1, and 25, "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, 'I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.' … And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, 'God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.'" In these passages of Scripture, to "know" someone is a euphemism for sexual relations. ↵
- Luke 16:19–31: "There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'" ↵
- Isaiah 8:19–20 (ESV): And when they say to you, 'Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,' should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. ↵
- Leviticus 19:31 (ESV): Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the LORD your God. ↵
- Leviticus 20:27 (ESV): "A man or a woman who is a medium or a necromancer shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them." ↵
- 1 Samuel 15:23 (ESV): For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king." ↵
- The word translated in the KJV as "witchcraft" is the Hebrew word kashaph. It means "to whisper a spell, that is, to inchant or practice practise magic." This word is translated as "witchcraft" in the KJV Bible, whereas the ESV chooses to use the synonyms "divination" and "sorcery." Likewise, the Greek word for "witchcraft" is pharmakeia, which means "magic, sorcery, witchcraft." The KJV translates this word as "witchcraft;" whereas, the ESV translates it as sorcery. (Strong, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, #H3784, 76. Also: Strong, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, #G5331, 101.) ↵
- 2 Corinthians 10:5 (ESV): We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ↵


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Root Canals
You may have heard of root canals and they sound like a scary, painful experience. The truth is, they are a fairly routine procedure, which is usually used to relieve pain. Root canals can be totally painless using local anesthetics just like for a filling.
Why is a Root Canal Needed?
When the pulp (nerve) of the tooth is infected or injured in some way it will require removal of the pulp to relieve any symptoms and heal the infection. Usually a root canal is needed when:
- a cavity becomes large enough for bacteria to enter the pulp and cause bacterial infection
- a crack in the tooth reaches to the pulp, but is not extensive enough to cause root fracture.
- A previous filling was deep and close to the pulp. Sometimes the pulp takes time to react to this type of injury.
- A traumatic event, such as being hit in the face could be enough to injure the pulp. It may immediate or it may take years to become symptomatic, even if the tooth seems fine.
What is a Root Canal?
Root canal treatment (also called endodontic treatment) involves removing the nerve and other tissues (called pulp) located in the center of the tooth and its root(s). The following illustration will help to explain the procedure:
- The first tooth represents a normal healthy tooth.
- A small cavity is developing through the top of the tooth, where cavities typically begin. This cavity is probably not painful at all, and will go unnoticed unless a routine dental exam is performed.
- The cavity has extended deeper into the tooth and has reached the pulp. It has caused inflammation in the pulp and is probably sensitive to cold and hot foods/drinks at this point.
- If left untreated, the inflammation in the pulp turns to infection, and the pulp is now dead. This tooth is not sensitive to cold any longer, but it may still be sensitive to hot and will hurt biting, chewing, and touching the tooth due to the infection at the root tip. Cold drinks now might actually relieve some of the pain.
- The infection has increased in size and has become an abscess. Sometimes this infection will create a swelling in your gums or cheek around the tooth, or it may drain out the side of the tooth and you can see a bump on your gums that oozes pus if you press it. Other times it may drain into the sinus or other spaces and go unnoticed. Usually this stage will be very sensitive to chewing and pressure on the tooth.
- To treat the tooth, we open the tooth from the chewing surface to expose the pulp. We would remove all the decay as well.
- The pulp is removed and the root canal is cleaned and shaped to disinfect the tooth and prepare it for a filling material. Depending on the tooth, there may be 1 canal to 4 canals. In rare instances there are even more than 4 canals in some molars.
- Each canal is then sealed and filled with a rubber-like material called gutta percha, and the access opening is filled in with a build-up material.
- Following root canal treatment, the tooth will need a final restoration, usually a crown. It is essential to return promptly to have treatment completed because a temporary seal is designed to last only a short time. Failing to return as directed to have the tooth restored permanently could lead to the deterioration of the seal, resulting in decay, infection, and/or fracture that could lead to treatment failure or loss of the tooth. The infection should begin to decrease as the source of the infection is removed.
- After some time, the infection should be completely gone and the tooth should feel healthy again.
Occasionally some complications can occur. A root canal can be a difficult procedure and therefore 100% success cannot always be guaranteed. If the canals are curved or closed up for various reasons it can be a more difficult tooth to treat. During the procedure a file could break in the canal, which may affect the success of the treatment.
Every attempt will be made to increase the likelihood of success, which may include referring you to an endodontist who specializes in this procedure. This decision might be made before starting the procedure or during the procedure if any complications occur.
Alternative Treatment
Other treatment options include doing nothing or extracting the tooth. If nothing is done, the infection will increase and could become more painful and could cause problems for the neighboring teeth and surrounding bone. Extracting the tooth is a decent option, however it will leave you with an empty space that you may or may not want to restore. These options should be discussed with your doctor.
Cost of the Procedure
This is an important discussion to have with your doctor or the financial consulting staff. It really depends on which tooth needs treatment. A back tooth typically needs a crown afterward due to a high risk of fracture after a root canal, however a front tooth can sometimes be restored with a filling. A root canal alone may cost around $700 to $1200, and if it requires a build-up and crown the total cost may be closer to $2000-$2500. This all depends on your individual tooth, the extent of the problem, your dental insurance plan if you have one, and will certainly vary depending on the dental office that performs the procedure. An extraction would be a cheaper option, however if you want to replace the missing tooth with an implant, bridge or denture, the cost can be similar.


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Hemp Oil and Pain Management/
CBD Oil, or Hemp Oil is a product made from a type of cannabis plant. Unlike Marijuana, Hemp Oil does not contain THC- the hormone responsible for causing the "high" feeling often associated with cannabis.
Studies on CBD Oil and pain management have shown a great deal of promise. CBD Oil can offer an alternative for people who have chronic pain and rely on more dangerous, habit-forming medications like opioids. Hemp Oil helps treats pain, inflammation, and overall discomfort related to a variety of health conditions without the negative side effects of prescription medication.
How It Works
Research has shown that CBD interacts with receptors in your brain and immune system. These receptors attach to cells and receive pain signals from different nerve endings. This creates anti-inflammatory and painkilling effects that help with pain management.
The Research
There have been multiple studies done to show the positive effects Hemp Oil has on pain management. For instance, one 2008 review observed studies conducted between the late 1980s and 2007 to determine CBD Oil was effective in overall pain management without adverse side effects. They also noted that CBD Oil was beneficial in treating insomnia related to chronic pain.
A 2016 study also looked at the use of CBD in rats with arthritis. Researchers applied CBD gel to rats for four days in a row. They applied 0.6, 3.1, 6.2, and 62.3 milligrams per day. The researchers noted reduced inflammation and overall pain in the rats' affected joints without side effects.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of Hemp Oil, please browse our website or call us 844-939-PAIN (7246).


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EDMONTON — Premier Rachel Notley says Alberta won't blaze away yet at Quebec about its decision to seek an injunction over the Energy East pipeline.
Notley says she has conferred with Quebec and the Prime Minister's Office and it appears the Quebec government wants to conduct a review of the proposed project similar to one done by Ontario last fall.
She says if that is the case, Quebec would use its review to get information for a presentation it would make to the National Energy Board.
But Notley says Alberta will come out guns blazing if it turns out that Quebec wants the power to say no to the pipeline.
Quebec says TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. (TSX:TRP) must demonstrate that its plans for the Quebec portion of the project respect the province's laws.
The pipeline would carry 1.1 million barrels a day of western crude as far east as Saint John, N.B., serving domestic refineries and international customers.
"I am going to leave the gun in the holster until we are actually at the gunfight, and we are not there right now,'' Notley said Tuesday. "We are going to be monitoring this and keeping a close eye on it.''
Also on HuffPost:


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You have always known that work-life balance is critical to your wellbeing and happiness. Today, this notion of 'life-balance' that acknowledges the interconnectedness of the different dimensions our life is entering mainstream thinking like never before. Buoyed by the growth of books on 'Happiness' and the study of what contributes towards 'Personal Productivity', leading universities are offering courses that allow students to take an inner journey.
This cutting-edge online course by the UPEACE Centre for Executive Education bridges the gap between the 'self-help' genre of books and the research by PhDs in psychology. The course will give you the space, structure, support and motivation to answer some very fundamental questions regarding your passions, your strengths, your goals, your limiting beliefs (yes, everyone has some), your priorities, your comfort zone, and your key relationships.
- Teacher: Kristen Palana


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We'll be back at the North Asheville library community room for our December MeetUp on December 4th at 6:30 PM. The community room is located to the left of the main doors. We had an awesome group demonstration of a past life experience at our last MeetUp, we'll be doing that again at our December MeetUp. Please RSVP at the MeetUp page, https://www.meetup.com/preview/Asheville-Past-Lives-Project
...or just email me so I'll know how many chairs to set up. Hope to see you there.
North Asheville Library
1030 Merrimon Avenue
Asheville NC 28804