Waking Up

We have complete freedom. We can believe anything we want. Most people do not take advantage of their freedom. They are asleep, enculturated, unaware of the greater possibilities that could be theirs.

Most people are like fish in water. Water surrounds the fish, and is always there. So the fish do not notice the water or think about it.

We too are in our water that we do not think about. We not only have air pressure on every part of our body, but the pressure of our culture to go along with everyone else..

Can we break out of the pond and see what is really there?

Now is the time to awake out of sleep. -Bible Rom 13:11

If the pond becomes polluted or starts to dry up, the soul feels panicked and lost. If the old pond is not good, we need another pond. This is a new quest, a search for our own map to truth, a new paradigm of truth.   

"People live in sleep, do everything in sleep, and do not know that they are asleep"  -P.D. Ouspensky, The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution. Page 33.

 There two types of thought, one comes from our own mind, and the other comes of what we have accepted from others. Do we really think that everything in the newspaper, seen on television, or at church is absolutely true? Have you ever wondered about the history of their religion?

Is every war really necessary? What if nobody ever showed up?

Consider how all the people are asleep, and ye are awake. They are dead, and ye are alive through the breaths of the Holy Spirit. They are blind while ye are endowed with perceptive sight. -- `Abdu'l-Bahá, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 237

The Bible is old, but many truths never go old. For example:

"Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light."  -Jesus Christ -Ephesians 5:14 The Bible, KJV.  

Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all inhabitants therof. -Lev 25:10

Behold, all the land is before three: whither it seemeth good and convenient for thee to go, thither go. -Jer. 40:4

Ye shall know the truth , and the truth shall make you free. Jesus -John 8:32

But I was free born. Paul -John 8:32

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberity. -2 Cor. 3:17

Bible Needs Editing

I wonder why nobody cleans up the mistakes and just plain meaness in the Bible. God is our friend, not a deranged father.  The Bible contains passages that need to be cut out.  For example, look up dung using a Bible search program.  Eating human dung and stuff like that makes me sick!! Why the heck is this stuff in there? Perhaps it is telling us to pick the best from the Bible, the stuff that works for you and LEAVE the rest.

Another example, in Numbers 31 where a whole tribe of people, including the elderly and children are slaughtered. The only survivors were the virginal women, who were later raped by the “just and perfect” Moses and his men. Is that what you want your children reading on Sunday?

We have bad science:

  • the bat is a bird (Leviticus 11:13 & 19)
  • hares chew the cud (Leviticus 11:5-6) and some fowl (Leviticus 11:20-21)
  • insects (Leviticus 11:22-23) have four legs.

The Bible contains, surprisingly enough, pornographic material. Some say that the reason that the Internet remained free and open was that the Bible would have to be censored if it was to be posted.  Indeed so. I call these the bathroom passages: 2 Kings 18:27

Baha'i Holy Books

For those who want to think that others have all the answers and want to stay in a box of rules and dogma, Christianity in many ways is out of date.  The Bible has holes in it, but there is also much truth there at the same time. What to do, if you need a Bible?  Check out the Baha'i Faith.  It is clean and neat.  Makes sense.  But here you are not thinking for yourself and your not creative.  But if you are looking for a simpler way to the mountain top the Baha'is will show you the way.

However, I want my philosophy, my religion in creative, expanding, learning and the best mode possible, so I think for myself.

The Invisible Exists

Many things in the physical world are invisible to us such as radio waves, and air.  But to another type of man living on another planet, the word "invisible" takes on another meaning.  Thus these items are earth-man invisible.

The materialist and the animal have something in common:

  ..for the animal is absolutely ignorant of the realm of spirit and out of touch with the inner world of conscious realization. The animal would agree with the materialist in denying the existence of that which transcends the senses.  -- Compilation, Baha'i World Faith, p. 235

Nothingness is Also Mapped

We recreate the world in our brain, in our mind.  This is the inner map.  The inner map of the mind also can contain "nothing" objects such as darkness, nothing, and apathy. Thus nothing is something and a force to consider.

Our Two Basic Natures

In general, we humans have two natures, a subconscious animal nature and our spiritual nature.  What is thought of sin, is actually our animal nature.

The Pyramid of Brain Cells Must Be Organized

The brain is made up of the trillions of brain cells. Knowing that each cell is a semi-independent unit, it is amazing that all the cells work so well together for the greater good.

Apparently, many cells are managers, limited the worker cells to certain tasks. If this is true, we consider that like a large nation or company, there are fewer managers as one approaches the top.  In the brain, the top cell or cells must interface with the soul.

 The city of confusion is broken down: every house is shut up, that no man may come in. Isaiah 24:10  

In the simplest way of arranging the brain, we can assume that the brain in the overall scheme of things, is made up of pyramids within pyramids with control at the top. If a pyramid breaks down, the mind can become its own a monster.  A person might experience rapid thought, jumping from one thing to another, or he might make other error involved in cognitive thought. If a thought path loops on itself, the person may show repeated movements, stuttering, or compulsive behavior.

Thus it is important to keep the hierarchy on track with real information, but medication may interrupt the path so that oscillation or other detrimental  pathway are interrupted. 

Culture and Programming the Subconscious Mind

We learn through out our lives, but when we are young we absorb everything without thinking about it. Some call this programming.  We were given a name, taught a language and religious views without our permission.

Most people stick to these teachings and remain programmed though out their lives. , never considering that they have been molded by outside forces.  This is mass hypnosis, or perhaps hypnosis is too strong a word and the "domesticated" might be a better word. One has to rebel against this programming. Some people have to visit another country before they see the light.

In this way they have something to hold their culture up to.  For example, between the East and Western cultures, what areas of belief clash?  Where both cultures have the same beliefs (going beyond language barriers) there is a much better probability of something being true.

A common area might be isometric exercise and yoga. Many of the techniques are the same.  There are many techniques, but basically one concentrates on a sound, a tone, or perhaps a chant.  Here the brain cells that do the chanting, turn off the other brain cells and help form the internal pyramid of peace.  Hypnosis

If certain cells are in control of the brain, an outside entity can also control the brain. Another brain can provide the same control through hearing suggestions.  By listening to another and letting another control our thoughts we become into a trance.  This trance state is called Hypnosis.

We all go into a trace or alpha state of consciousness before we sleep.  We drift into another world of the dream.  So hypnosis in the larger sense of the word is very common.

Hypnosis also is possible by listening to the radio or watching TV.  This is why billions of dollars are spent on advertising. Even surfing the web or driving down a long straight road can put one in a hypnotic trance.

Is Our Belief System Really Ours?

Succinctly stated, every decision is determined by habitual beliefs.

Even habits are formed by what we believe. The first time we did something; that is now a habit, we made a conscious decision to do it or to go along with someone. Our strongest beliefs are only habits unless we take the time to investigate for ourselves. We cannot say just because everyone believes this or that it is true. Note that not too many years ago, tomatoes were considered poison.

Hypnosis as a Tool

Religion uses hypnosis as a tool to guide one into a purer state.  Hypnosis like an automobile can travel to the worse or best places.  We do not become willing puppets, but try out a service and become entranced by the rhythms and words of the clergy.  As we get closer to God (or to the churches teachings) the feelings of goodness and purpose arise, but with the direction and will of the clergy.  The sermon, the ceremony continues and we find ourselves floating to a new level of being and we are culturally imprinted.   

Most Everyone is Hypnotized By Their Culture

As we follow others we fill our minds with somebody's ideas.

Most people are like fish-- blind to their own water. Our friends live in the same water. In the water we do not know we are wet. Our beliefs are constantly being reinforced.

Why do we wear certain clothes? Why is something funny? Why do we have to have a green lawn that does not grow food? Why do we eat pigs and not make pets of them? Why do we not eat dogs and make pets of them. Pigs can be smarter than dogs. Why do we eat shrimp and not insects? Is there a lot of difference?

 Yes, we are all "enculturated" by sneaky processes working below the threshold of our awareness. These sneaky processes I call Molding, Forces and include light hypnosis, heavy suggestion making and behavior modification. The MF forces constantly mold us, more so in our childhood, but they continue to work to our last days. MFs change our belief systems without our direct knowledge. This is why we all have different belief systems. We will talk more about MFs on the next page at this web site.  

There is Only One Truth, But a Lot of Vantage Points

Like birds flying over a city, people tend to view the world from their particular vantage point. The vantage point changes with one's interest, experiences, training, keenness of eyesight, and whom one is with. Every structure such as a building is a people filter. If there is music, people who like music will be there. If the structure is a bus, they will not like cars as much as people at the racetrack do. People who like to search for new answers will take certain courses and be found in certain areas of a bookstore. The lazy minded would not be in college.

Changing Vantage Points through Propaganda

Every book, poster, radio and television stations try to effect your mind. What makes news important, why is your country the best and most important? Why should we conform?

If the effect is sneaky then it is called propaganda. Some of the hidden agendas of propaganda scan be identified as such as it always has hidden agendas as shown on the right.

  • Hidden Agendas
  • Appeals to authority
  • Producing positive statements as if they were facts
  • Generating vague generalities
  • Rrationalization of questionable acts and beliefs
  • Producing appeals to country, home, freedom, glory, honor
  • Calling for peace
  • Over simplifications of complex issues
  • Name calling
  • Use of slogans, testimonials and lies

What is interesting is that for every truth there are an infinite number of possible lies. For example, if we count three objects, we could lie pick any number except three.

Truths are Coming Together

Truth over time usually wins.  As the world is gets smaller more information is available and this helps civilization advance. Older religions are giving away to science, and science is becoming more religious.   

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Copyright © 2005 George Norwood

Revision 5.0.