THE FIRST 100 THINGS TO DISAPPEAR

Why prepare? One only has to listen to the news or read the news to realize that we are
in for some volatile times. It may not be a war or terrorism. Instead, it could come from Earth Changes. Humankind has taken much from the earth and there is the possibly that She is going to let us know how it feels. All over the world, there is an increase in the number of earthquakes, hurricaine force, tornados, typhoons, floods along with changes in the weather.
There could also be acts of terrorism on this soil in the U.S.

This list came to me over 10 years ago on a legal size sheet of paper. I re-typed it and sent it out to friends and family via email. Now this list has been returned to me by a correspondent from a United Kingdom blog! When disaster hits, it is well to be prepared and not to depend on being able to go to the grocery store every day. Think of what happened to New Orleans and the people who have had floods, tornados and hurricaines, and tsunmis.


In addition to the 100 things, one might consider having copies of drivers licenses, marriage licenses, social security cards, insurance papers, photos of loved ones and anything else treasured placed in a safe place.

1.Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy-target of thieves; maintenance etc.)
2. Water Filters/Purifiers
3. Portable Toilets
4. Seasoned Firewood. Wood takes about 6-12 months to become dried, for
home uses.
5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First Choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce,
stockpile ANY!)
6. Coleman Fuel. Impossible to stockpile too much.
7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots.
8. Hand-can openers, & hand egg beaters, whisks.
9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice - Beans - Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food bums/must be boiled etc.,)
12. Charcoal, Lighter Fluid (Will become scarce suddenly)
13. Water Containers (Urgent Item to obtain.) Any size. Small: HARD CLEAR
PLASTIC ONLY - note - food grade if for drinking.
14. Short wave radio - portable.
15. Sleeping bags/blankets
16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur.
17. Survival Guide Book.
18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term
lighting is difficult.)
19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula, ointments/aspirin, ect.
20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry)
21. Cook stoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene)
22. Vitamins
23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous
without this item)
24. Feminine Hygiene/Hair care/Skin products.
25. Thermal underwear (Tops & Bottoms)
26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets. Wedges (also, honing oil)
27. Aluminum Foil Reg. & Heavy Duty (Great Cooking and Barter Item)
28. Gasoline Containers (Plastic & Metal)
29. Garbage Bags (Impossible To Have Too Many).
30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Paper Towels
31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake Liquid every 3 to 4 months)
32. Garden Seeds (Non-Hybrid) (A MUST)
33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST)
34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit
35. Salmon
36. Fire Extinguishers (or.-large box of Baking Soda in every room)
37. First aid kits
38. Batteries (all sizes...buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates)
39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies
40. Big Dogs (and plenty of dog food)
41. Flour, yeast & salt
42. Matches. {"Strike Anywhere" preferred.) Boxed, wooden matches will go
first
43. Writing paper/pads/pencils, solar calculators
44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in
Wintertime.)
45. Work boots, belts, Levis & durable shirts
46. Flashlights/LIGHTSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns
47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (jot down ideas, feelings, experience; Historic Times)
48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water, transporting - if with
wheels)
49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail
clippers, etc
50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient)
51. Fishing supplies/tools
52. Mosquito coils/repellent, sprays/creams
53. Duct Tape
54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes or a tent
55. Candles
56. Laundry Detergent (liquid)
57. Backpacks, Duffle Bags
58. Garden tools & supplies
59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies
60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, ect.
61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite)
62. Canning supplies, (Jars/lids/wax)
63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel
64. Bicycles...Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc
66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered)
67. Board Games, Cards, Dice
68. d-con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer
69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets
70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks)
71. Baby wipes, oils, waterless & Antibacterial soap (saves a lot of water)
72. Ram gear, rubberized boots, etc.
73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave)
74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels)
75. Soy sauce, vinegar, boullions/gravy/soupbase
76. Reading glasses
77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers)
78. "Survival-in-a-Can"
79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens
80. Boy Scout Handbook, / also Leaders Catalog
81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO)
82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels. Trail mix/Jerky83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts
84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras)
85. Lumber (all types)
86. Wagons & carts (for transport to and from)
87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses
88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc.
89. Lantern Hangers
90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws,, nuts & bolts
91. Teas
92. Coffee
93. Juices
94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, ect,)
95. Paraffin wax
96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, ect.
97. Chewing gum/candies
98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing)
99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs
100. Goats/chickens
******
From a Sarajevo War Survivor:
Experiencing horrible things that can happen in a war - death of parents and
friends, hunger and malnutrition, endless freezing cold, fear, sniper
attacks.
1. Stockpiling helps, but you never no how long trouble will last, so
locate near renewable food sources.
2. Living near a well with a manual pump is like being in Eden.
3. After awhile, even gold can lose its luster. But there is no luxury in
war quite like toilet paper. Its surplus value is greater than gold's.
4. If you had to go without one utility, lose electricity - it's the
easiest to do without (unless you're in a very nice climate with no need for
heat.)
5. Canned foods are awesome, especially if their contents are tasty without
heating. One of the best things to stockpile is canned gravy - it makes a
lot of the dry unappetizing things you find to eat in war somewhat edible.
Only needs enough heat to "warm", not to cook. It's cheap too, especially
if you buy it in bulk.
6. Bring some books - escapist ones like romance or mysteries become more
valuable as the war continues. Sure, it's great to have a lot of survival
guides, but you'll figure most of that out on your own anyway - trust me,
you'll have a lot of time on your hands.
7. The feeling that you're human can fade pretty fast. I can't tell you
how many people I knew who would have traded a much needed meal for just a
little bit of toothpaste, rouge, soap or cologne. Not much point in
fighting if you have to lose your humanity. These things are
morale-builders like nothing else.
8. Slow burning candles and matches, matches, matches.

The Forgotten Symbol Omitted from The Lost Symbol

The Forgotten Symbol Dan Brown Omitted From The Lost Symbol

In reading Dan brown's latest book, The Lost Symbol, I was delighted and I applaud him for his magnificent research along with his knowledge of symbols and ciphers. His book is one to read if one wants to understand the symbolism of the Freemasons and their effect on our nations' capitol. Several years ago I traveled to Washington D.C. and visited the Capitol. I have been a student of symbols for many years, and it was each to the Masonic symbolism there. I often wonder how many people really understand these great symbols which hold messages for all to see and to realize what their meaning are.

There is an unobvious obvious that Dan Brown did not touch on in his latest book, but then he was developing his plot based on Freemason symbols and these are really universal symbols. Our senators, representatives and the many tourists who visit the Capitol have almost overlooked the Feminine Principle so blatantly obvious for those who recognize the unobvious obvious.

I had not visited the Capitol in over forty years. When I first arrived, my eyes were drawn to the 19-1/2 foot bronze statue crowning the dome. This statue is a female and her original and formal name is Freedom Triumphant in War and Peace. Beginning at her head, she wears a helmet with a circle of stars topped with a crest of an eagle's head, talons and feathers. She is clothed in a long full robe with creases. Her right hand rests on a sheathed sword while the left holds a laurel wreath representing victory and a shield of thirteen stripes representing the original thirteen states. This statue is standing on a globe with e Pluribus Unum atop a pedestal with fasces, which are rods with an axe blade as a symbol of ancient Roman magistrate's authority. She was erected on top of the Capitol dome on December 2, 1863.

There she stands in all her glory – a female figure. Who said this was a male country? Ah, there is even more. When entering the east central entrance to the Capitol, one can look up and see the pediment over the entryway titled, "Genius of America" with three female figures representing Justice, America and Hope. President John Quincy Adams wanted these figures to "represent the American Union founded on the Declaration of Independence and consummated by the organization of the general government under the Federal Constitution, supported by Justice in the past, and relying upon Hope in Providence for the future." I find it amazing that there are three feminine figures representing 'Genius in America.'

The pediment above the House entrance wing is the "Apotheosis of Democracy." The central figure is a female representing Peace. Peace has her right arm stretched out over a youthful winged figure named Genius who holds a torch signifying immortality. The wings signify knowledge and wisdom. Flanking the sides of her are figures representing Industry and the other Agriculture representing two sources of wealth. The pediment has ocean waves on each end standing for the Atlantic and the Pacific. Apotheosis is an interesting word meaning "exaltation to divine rank, stature or deification. Again, we have the feminine principle as the center figure.

The entrance to the Senate side of the Capitol also has a pediment, "Progress of America" with the central figure a woman named America. She has an eagle at her side, a laurel wreath in her right hand and the sun at her back. The feminine principle once more.

In walking into the Rotunda, my eyes were drawn to the domed ceiling. These paintings by Brunei with the central one titled Apotheosis of Washington. We see George Washington rising to the Heavens surrounded by female figures representing Liberty, Victory and Fame. Once more, we have the word 'apotheosis' meaning deification. On the perimeter of George rising to heaven are six other frescoes. One is dedicated to Science and portrays the goddess Minerva/Athena teaching Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton and F.B. More while she is pointing to an electric generator creating energy in stored batteries.

The fresco of "War" is "Armored Freedom" with her sword raised and cape flying, with a helmet and shield reminiscent of those on the Statue of Freedom. She tramples Tyranny and Kingly Power and a fierce eagle carrying arrows and a thunderbolt assists her. Armored Freedom is a woman. All of these frescos were painting by Constantino Brumidi in 1865.
Moving on to the other frescoes, we have "Marine" showing Neptune, god of the seas in a boat with the Goddess of Love, Venus laying a transatlantic cable. The frescoes of "Commerce" and "Mechanics" portray men while the one named "Agriculture" has the goddess Ceres sitting on a McCormick reaper. Only when we unify the female-male principles in balance will we have peace and true justice.

If our history books are correct, the men who have governed this great nation have been blind to the feminine principle, and they have denied women the right to vote until 1920. The Equal Rights Amendment only needs three more states to ratify it and I find it pitiful that women have to get their rights law-by-law. Our feminine principle dominates the early art of the Capitol. She graces the top of the Capitol through heat, rain, sleet, snow and watches over those who govern us. It is time for revelation and acceptance of the feminine principle.

Dan Brown's book, The Lost Symbol is excellent because it has brought the Freemasons into a true perspective of what the organization is truly about. There have been women Freemasons in history; however, this is an obscure attribute. Perhaps with the revelations of Brown's book, it may be open to women once more.

For more representations of the feminine principle, one only has to see the statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Capitol Rotunda. The sculptor was a female, Vinnie Ream, the first woman artist commissioned by the U.S. Congress in 1866 to create a memorial to President Abraham Lincoln. She was eighteen years old.

How can the United States fulfill its destiny when women do not have full equal rights? How can this be the 'land of the free and the home of the brave' when women do not have full freedom and the ugly heads of bigotry and prejudice suppress freedom for all? It is time for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and equal opportunity for everyone. The forgotten symbol in our U.S. Capitol is the Feminine Principle.

Where Is My Pot of Gold?

There is an ancient saying that at the end of every rainbow there is a pot of gold. Most people think it means money – wealth. It is this and more. It is said that the rainbow is a sign of God. This is not a treatise on religion, but more of sharing realizations from knowledge and experiences.

There is also a well-known statement: change your attitude and change your life. What does this have to do with a pot of gold? Everything. There are those who read all the self-help books and I have been one of those, and there are also those who seek the pot of gold by believing it means great financial wealth. It could also be that. Many become disillusioned because the use of affirmations and positive thinking has not brought them the financial rewards they thought they would get.

Getting to the root of the lack of not getting is very much like peeling away the layers of an onion. This is what I have discovered. I have realized that in order to change an attitude, the belief must be addressed and changed. How does one do it when our beliefs hold the emotions of guilt, fear, anger, resentments, regret and doubt?

We have a brain that is unprogrammed when we are born. Parents begin the programming by instilling in the baby their belief systems and dogmas. Added to this is input and influences by other members of the family, peers, religion, school, the media and government. Have you ever wondered why you might have an unhappy relationship with your mother or your father? Perhaps you had problems at school. There is a deep-rooted guilt covered up by many attitudes with the primary one being that you don’t measure up to someone else’s expectations and therefore you feel unworthiness. Could it be that why you didn’t measure up is because you also brought with you into this lifetime an innate knowingness of something else?

There are four beliefs that contribute to lack and they are guilt, regret, fear and doubt. We can use all the affirmations we want but first we begin by changing our beliefs, which are followed by a change in attitudes. Have you ever had a yearning inside that you wanted something different? I have and I wasn’t sure of what it was going to be. I only knew I was dissatisfied with my life. I was in a marriage that was dull and boring. A friend loaned me a book and the book had a message for me. I was searching for intimacy from a relationship. When I attempted to share this with my husband, he looked at me and asked if I wanted a divorce. I said yes, and the horse was out of the barn. I have never looked back with regret.

What has followed has been a journey of discovery - a discovery about me and who I am. I have searched high and low for the pot of gold. First I had to shed some old beliefs. I had never been a religious person, but after my divorce I sought a spiritual aspect of my life and became a minister of Divine Science. It was there that I met my late husband and he gave me the intimacy I had been seeking. Once I attained that, I began searching for something more. I realized during the short time I was a minister that religion promotes hypocrisy and I retired. I knew I did not want to be a hypocrite and that if I was going to talk the talk that I had to learn to walk the walk. My attitudes began to change because I began addressing beliefs.

When a new idea or new information was presented to me, instead of discarding it I began telling myself that it was a possibility. The more I told myself this, the more old beliefs fell by the wayside and my attitudes changed. This led me to the teacher, Ramtha the Enlightened One. I have been a student at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, an academy of the mind for over twenty years. One of the first things I learned was that adversity was the propellant for change. I also realized that too many people fall victim to adversity by failing to heed the opportunity for change. Richard Bach wrote in his book Illusions had this to say: "Every problem comes with a gift in its hands." I began to look for the gifts in all of my adversities.

I have learned to seek knowledge and not to accept Ramtha’s teachings blindly. I finally accepted within me that I was here to change and to experience the unknown. I have been encouraged to research and this I have done. I have expanded my knowledge base to include quantum physics, the biology of emotions, how the brain works, ancient history, religion and how it developed along with other subjects.

It has been an interesting odyssey from 1979 when I read a book that changed the course of my life. It has been a wonderful journey of self-discovery. What about the pot of gold? Having been taught about the light spectrum made up of the colors of the rainbow, it has taken me many years to finally get the message of the pot of gold. The pot of gold is the light spectrum filled with potentials and possibilities. It depends on what frequency we are in tune with.

The rainbow is God’s (or whatever name you choose to use) promise because just as the sun cannot be separated from its rays, neither can we be separated from the All-in-All, God, Isness, Creator or It. It is not outside of us as religions have taught. It is within each of us and we are here to experience our aspect of It. The reason we get so many versions is that each one of us is a unique aspect of God or It that is neither female nor male.

How do we change our beliefs? First we forgive our self of harboring guilt, regret, resentment, anger, fear and doubt. Now we can move into new attitudes and allow our pot of gold, which is our life to be filled with the manifestations of our dreams and our desires. We live on the plane of opposites. It is not possible for everything to always be positive. When we begin to change, I have learned that in the beginning it threatened my family who were use to the old me and friends began dropping away. The rewards for me have been attracting into my life new friends of like-mind and the fulfillment of dreams.

The pot of gold was a symbol created by wise beings from thousands of years ago as a sign or a symbol of our own divinity. We have all been part of the light spectrum and our dreams and desires come from those various frequencies. What we send out comes back to us according to the level of our acceptance. Each of us is our own pot of gold and those gold coins that are coming from the rainbow represent the fulfillment of our dreams, our desires and our experiences. Enjoy your own pot of gold. It is all within you. Change your beliefs and your change your mind.

LOST SYMBOLS

In reading Dan Brown's latest book, The Lost Symbol, I applaud him for his magnificent research and his knowledge of symbols and ciphers. His book is one to read if one wants to understand the symbolism of the Freemasons and their effect on our nation's capitol. Several years ago, I traveled to Washington D.C. and visited our nation's Capitol. Having been a student of symbols for many years, it was easy to see much of the Masonic symbolism in our capitol building plus more.

There is an unobvious obvious that Dan Brown did not touch on, but then he was developing his plot based on Masonic symbols, which are primarily universal symbols.

When I first arrived at the Capitol, I looked up and what I noted was a 19 1/2 foot bronze statue crowning the dome. This statue is a woman named the Statue of Freedom. Now, what is a woman doing gracing the top of the United States Capitol? The creator of this marvelous statue was a Thomas Crawford and it has graced the top of the Capitol since 1863 with the original and formal name of Freedom in War and Peace.

What astounded me as I walked around the Capitol Rotunda and over the entries into the Capitol was the unobvious obvious feminine principle depicted in the frescoes, pediments and sculptured statues.

For instance, when entering the entrance to the Capitol, there is a pediment over the entryway titled "Genius of America" representing Justice, USA and Hope, which are female figures. Together with Justice, USA and Hope there is a female figure named Peace protecting Genius represented by the goddess Minerva, also known as the goddess Athena. A Roman/Greek goddess in our U.S. Capitol Building? However, wait; this is not the only depiction of Minerva/Athena.

The pediment over the House wing is titled Apotheosis of Democracy. Interesting word - apotheosis. It's sub-title is Peace Protecting Genius and this is depicted by a female figure representing Peace. Peace points to a youthful winged figure named Genius holding a torch signifying immortality. The wings signify knowledge and wisdom. The pediment was done by Paul Wayland Bartlett (1865-1925). Again we have the feminine principle as the primary figure.

Entering the great Rotunda, one looks up and sees the Apotheosis of Washington representing George Washington rising to the Heavens surrounded by female figures representing Liberty, Victory and Fame. According to the dictionary I used, apotheosis means deification or godlike. On the perimeter of this marvelous fresco are six other frescoes. One is dedicated to Science and portrays Minerva/Athena teaching Benjamin Franklin, Robert Fulton and Samuel F.B. More while she is pointing to an electric generator creating energy in stored batteries.

Another fresco is titled War and the female America stands in a chariot while holding a sword aloft with a eagle by the chariot. Moving on to another fresco, we have Marine showing Neptune, god of the seas in a boat with the goddess of love, Venus laying a transatlantic cable. I find this very interesting to contemplate. The frescoes of Commerce and Mechanics portray men while the one named Agriculture has the goddess Ceres sitting on a McCormick reaper.

The feminine principle, which has been almost ignored for eons, is well and alive in our U.S. Capitol. However, those who are our representatives appear to be oblivious to this. It is the unobvious obvious. Only when we unify the female-male principles in balance will we have peace, justice and true justice.

Unfortunately there are those who will read this book and reject its powerful message sprinkled throughout and these are the ones who have a narrow or closed mind. We are moving into a new age and the truth is being revealed, however the close minded people will be blinded and fearful of organizations such as the Ramtha School of Enlightenment that teaches students to expand their minds and to look within for their own salvation.

There is an old adage that says many eons ago four wise sages were creating the human form and one asked 'where will we put God?' One sage, let's put God in the ocean because the human will never look there. The other sages disagreed, saying "No, they will conquer the oceans." Another spoke up and said, "Let's put God in the sky" and again the other sages disagreed by saying, "No, the human will conquer the sky." A third sage spoke up and said, "Let's put God in deep in the Earth" and the others shook their heads no while saying "No, the human will conquer the Earth." A fourth sage smiled and said, "I know where to put God. Let's put God inside the human. They will never think of looking there." And so it has been.

Dan Brown's book The Lost Symbol is an excellent book that has brought the Masons into a true perspective of what the organization is truly about. I am delighted to have this understanding since my maternal grandfather was a Mason and my mother a member of the Eastern Star. Nevertheless, wouldn't it be even more wonderful if there were no separation of the male and female in the Masons? And wouldn't it be even greater if the word 'man' was not used as being the human form? Why not use the word 'human'? This includes both woman and man. It is something to think about.

MY BRAIN – A Praise Poem

This brain is my brain
It is big and roomy.
At times it seems filled with clutter
And then I sort of snort and mutter.
Time to expand.
Make room for more.
No – not clutter, but something unknown.
What will it be today?
A trip to the moon
Or singing an old tune.

My brain is a magic brain.
It can picture anything.
Its imagination brings forth treasures
Of the most marvelous pleasures.
My brain is always making word pictures
Stories that entertain uplift or inform.

My brain has hidden cubbyholes
That hide the past of things long gone
Then when I am unaware
My brain brings them forth for me to share.
My brain is the engine
And I am its driver.
Praise be to my brain!

MANIPULATIONS OF THE MIND

What is mind? Very few people understand this question. From a layperson, I will say that our brain is like a sophisticated computer. Whatever we think, feel and accept ideas from outsides sources are put into a data bank and this becomes our mind. It is due to outside sources that the way we believe and the way we think influences us. To understand how our mind can be manipulated, we can go back to the past as recent as the past eight months.

This year has been an interesting year to observe. During the Cheney/Bush years, the Religious Right had its heyday. In researching the Religious Right, I learned that it actually began in the early nineties of the last century when Pat Robertson said at a Christian Coalition meeting, "We are not coming up against just human beings to beat them in elections. We're going to be coming up against spiritual warfare." Spiritual warfare? From my progressive education, spiritual warfare is a misnomer because if it is spiritual, there can be no warfare. In order to re-educate the mind, I would say this is bigoted warfare.

During the these years and continuing through the Cheney/Bush administration, it would appear that these co-called religious people were in a comfort zone because they were fighting abortion, yet happy that this country was at war because it was killing Muslims. This is spiritual? Somehow, I find this a contradiction. If it is wrong to have an abortion, then it should also be wrong to approve of war unless a country is attacked first. Every person has a right to defend his/herself. Could this be a way to build up an army? Meaning, that a woman's job is to bear children so they can grow up to fight and possibly be killed or maimed.

It would appear that the Religious Right infiltrated the Republican Party and it has become the Religious Right/Conservative Party. Craig Berkman, a former chairman of the Republican Party in Oregon is reported to have said this:

"They have acquired a very detailed and accurate understanding of how political parties are organized. Parties are very susceptible to being taken over by ideologues because lower party offices have no appeal to the vast majority of our citizenry. Many precincts are represented by no one. If you decide all of a sudden because it's your Christian duty to become a precinct representative, you only need a few votes to get elected."

This is important: "Many precincts are represented by no one." Few people fully understand the role of a Precinct Chairman Officer is. These people are powerful and if you want to make a difference, become a Precinct Chairman Officer in your state. Search Google for additional information.

It is my understanding that none of these so-call religious people thought that Obama would win the election. The inauguration day was an awesome turning point for this country. Nothing like this had happened before and a black man was sworn in as President of the United States of America.

I sense that these Religious Rights people were reeling from shock and now that President Obama has taken drastic measures to pull the U.S. out of a quagmire of economic woes that began during the Cheney/Bush regime and before, we are seeing the emerging of bigotry and prejudices. The most shocking ones that I have learned about are two pastors of the Baptist sect who declare for everyone to hear that they wish Obama would die. There are the religionists who are fearful of anything President Obama introduces and the real telling point is when they did not want their children to watch the video of Obama speaking to the children of this country. If one were to scratch the surface, one would find the deep-rooted prejudice that he is not a white man. That is spiritual? I asked myself how this mindset came about.

I remember as a child of age four that with my parents' permission that my sister and I were allowed to go to a Wednesday night prayer meeting with next-door neighbors. Nothing had prepared me for this 'holy roller' meeting. I know I was frightened by what the pastor said and then the people went into a frenzy of ecstasy and some fell down and began rolling on the floor. I was scared and ran outside and stayed until the meeting was over. The residue stayed with me for a few years and I was afraid to think of God, because if I did then God would strike me dead. This was a form of mind programming. Later when my family began attending a Methodist Church, I became aware of the hypocrisy I observed and I was turned off of religions.

Religions have kept women in bondage and one only has to research the Mormon sect, Catholic sect, Christian sects and the sects of Islam. An example is the Quiverfull movement, which brainwashes the women to think that their womb is meant to have children and if a woman were to die in childbirth, then that would be okay. If one were to scratch the surface, I think we would learn that whoever created the Quiverfull had a sex problem. When I was growing up, I heard often the saying, "Keep a woman barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen," meaning their place is in the home and to keep them ignorant. We can laugh at this however; there are people who actually have this ignorant mindset. This is one way to program the mind of both men and women and the program is passed on in the form of fear.

For centuries, the majority of the population on this Earth has had their minds manipulated. One might ask 'How?' The major culprits of the manipulations are easy to find by observing the two major religions. What better way to control people than to teach them fear. Using the treatment of women as an example…and this is a big example. Women have been treated as second-class humans and it has only been within the past 100 years that the role of women has been changing. This has been an uphill battle and it is not over yet.

In my years of research, observing and interacting with many women, I learned that most religions use a single God 'out there' who has told the priests, popes, preacher, pastors, etc that the word of God is that women should be submissive to their husbands. Nothing could be further from the truth. These fear messages are actually man messages. An example of this is the use of the word hell. "You will go to hell," is a condemnation for not agreeing with whoever says it. I know a man who was told this and his reply was, "I've already been there and I conquered it;" meaning he had no fear.

The greatest tool to instill fear is to use Satan or the Devil such as "If you do this or that, Satan is in you." Or, "You are condemned to hell or purgatory if you do not follow the dictates of the Church." People have been burned at the stake for not being blind followers of the Catholic Church and many of these people were women who were considered witches. These women had an inner knowingness and used their abilities to heal people. It was fearful to the Church for women to have beneficial abilities that they did not have.

In our modern day, there are other avenues in addition to religions that influence and manipulate the minds such advertisements, television, movies and the medical modalities. One of the current blatant one is "The flu season is here and it is time to get a flu shot." This instills fear in the minds of many people. A side effect of this is that a large number of these people who get flu shots become ill with the flu. Most people are programmed to rely on the medical modality as being the cure-all, when according to Dr. Barbara Starfield of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health; doctors are the third leading cause of death (250,000 per year) after heart disease and cancer.

In the U.S., we have become a nation of fears and it is time for us to take back our own individual power by developing our innate power of discernment. Women are beginning to develop this and to a degree so are some men. Each of us must develop our own path in life and not depend upon religions, television, movies and advertisements to manipulate our minds.

If we do not do our own research, then we become controlled and powerless. Change your mind and you change your world.

A REVOLUTION OF BELIEFS

We are indeed living in interesting times. The years of 2000 – 2008 were years of domination and control here in the U.S. In all my years, I had never experienced the trashing of the U.S. Constitution. Now that we have a new president, there is a new freedom of expression in the news media. This can be good, and it can also bring out the worst in a segment of people.

The inauguration of President Obama was inspiring, and the responses of the public were awesome to view. It was a call for a change for the better. It was an expression of love. Obama has been in office for a little over eight months and now we are a nation at odds within our population.

Many were shocked by the radical strategies the President initiated and fear reared its ugly head. It knocked most of us out of our comfort zones. If one were to reason it as I did, there would be a realization that many of these measures undertaken were necessary to break the hold of corporate world on the people of this country.

It takes a shock to move people out of their beliefs. This happened to me when Nixon's Watergate affair was exposed. I had been a Republican up until that time and this expose cracked my beliefs egg. All of the cherished ideals I had held on to were suddenly stained. It isn't that I was truly naïve. No, I knew Lyndon B. Johnson was a scoundrel from the politics of Texas where I grew up. Nixon's fall from grace was the tip of a buried iceberg and I am thankful that I was able to examine my beliefs and make changes.

What I am observing now after the dust of the inauguration has died down, is the emergence of beliefs and the resentments of the policies of President Obama. The old anger of racism and prejudices has reared its ugly head and is fueled by possibly the Republican Party and/or Corporate World. What better way to chop at the beanstalk of freedom than to fuel the fans of racism, bigotry and prejudices?

An example is the current health care bill that Obama wants for the American people. Who stands to lose if it is passed? I call it the "Big 3" made up of the pharmaceutical companies, health care insurance companies and the American Medical Association. The larger and greedier these Big 3 have gotten, the sicker the population has become. One only has to stand back mentally and observe.

One can also trace the effects of racism in this country back to the days of slavery. It has been ingrained in the psyches of people primarily in the South by religions. Recently there was a news item on ABC News of a pastor in Phoenix, Arizona who vocally calls for the death of Obama. This pastor's website states this and then thee is a place to click on for a prayer that says: Jesus Loves You. Another pastor urges his parishioners to pray for Obama's death. Both of these pastors claim allegiance to the Baptist Church.

I was born in Texas and grew up there amidst the segregation, bigotry and prejudices. I know it well. Fortunately, I left the state when I was 23. This is when my real education began. These diehard racists use the Bible as the word of God. They bypass the teachings of Jesus as if they did not exist. By doing so, they dumb-down the minds of their parishioners.

They do not realize that at the time of Jesus the skin colors were dark. The people interacted with Egypt and at that time, many of the Egyptians were black skinned. One only has to research history. Apparently, what most religions want is to have power over the minds of the people. They emphasize the crucifixion and bypass what the teachings are. They allege that Jesus died on the cross to remove their sins. These beliefs turn people into blatant hypocrites. I understand that Jesus said "woe be unto you hypocrites."

Where is the practice of "It is done unto you as you believe." "Love your neighbor as yourself." "Judge not, lest you be judged seventy times seven?"
Another biblical saying is "As a man/woman thinketh so it is." Somewhere down the line of centuries, most religions have replaced God and Jesus with the Devil or Satan. This instills fear in the minds of those who follow the dictates of a preacher, priest, pope, pastor or minister. When we strip away the bigoted beliefs, we have only fear. Fear spawns hatred. Fear spawns wars. Fear spawns lack. Fear spawns poverty. Fear spawns ignorance.

There must be a change of consciousness in this world for humans to survive. The Earth will survive, as Mother Nature will see to this. We are on the cutting edge and to survive turbulent times we must rise above the issues of war and enslavement. Let this change begin with the women and those men who are open-minded. Change will come with a change of attitudes along with a revision of beliefs. This is the true revolution.