Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD

My Daily Prayer: 12 Steps to Freedom

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 11:49:00 +0000

Hey Rush, some cheese with that whine?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:53:00 +0000

Again the myopic right tries to defend the most bigoted racist individual on the air today with “we witnessed such palpable reverse discrimination (i.e. racism) instigated by leftist ideologues…[against Rush]” I sure know where to go when I need a good laugh! Never in the course of history has Republican Right Wing Rhetoric been so veiled with the “issues” as now. Time and time again they say, “We are not racists, it’s the issues we are fighting.” Yet, their demeanor and body language denotes an agenda that they will never admit. Whether it’s their words of individualism, their mannerisms of supposed caring or their proclamation of defending the “free” market (that’s controlled by their financial supporters), it’s the same old shell game. When we are looking in one direction, they are making their moves in another direction. Read my past article on “Sleight of Hand” to understand what they are doing.

If you believe their rhetoric then I suggest you do a serious inventory of your life. If you are so out of touch with reality that you ingest this foul smelling hooey and actually believe it, then you need to find a way to save yourself before you succumb to mediocrity. What is mediocrity? Achieving barely adequate results because of a poor and inferior attitude. Why are these spin merchants selling you their idea of America? Because they want to maintain the status quo where you are a worker bee and they are the beekeeper. It’s that simple. But, when you are distracted by being absorbed with getting the best for your family, having the latest and best “things” and enjoying your life, they are making beaucoup cash from you desires. Go ahead, make their day and believe their B.S. You will end up in debt and NOT have the access to affordable health care that you, and everyone, deserve.

If you don’t believe in their rhetoric, then make the time to call, email or write Rush and let him have it. Tell him to take a little cheese with that whine of his and temper his ratings lust. Call him out for the RACIST he is, and then do the best thing you can do and ignore him. Encourage thinking people to NOT listen to him and you will see that he will go by the way of all things that obscure reality; they will fade way into obscurity. Those who obscure will inevitably be obscured. The universe is NOT a vacuum as it was once described. It is a mechanism that moves with the precision of a fine tuned clock. Those who sow discord and derision will reap the fruits of their labors. It’s just a matter of time.

Do you think that Rush cares about you? If you do, you are fooling yourself. He only cares about one thing. RUSH! His ratings are of high import because they attract his advertisers, who pay dearly to be associated with him; in more ways than one. He only cares about the bottom line. How much money he makes on a daily basis. His only God is MONEY! As Paul said, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” Not money is the root of all evil as has been misquoted over the years. It’s hard for the rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven because he cannot give up all that he has made. It has become his God. Are you believing in a false God? Do you listen to and admire people who worship a false God? Then, as I said earlier, it’s time to take that life inventory. If God is truly at the center of your life then stop listening to hate mongers like Rush, Glenn, Bill and Sean. They are steering you down a path to destruction of your individual soul.

Follow the words and behaviors of Jesus and other teachers who pointed the way. A good teacher never tells you that they are the way, but points you to who, what, where, how, when and why you must follow a certain path to enlightenment and understanding. Buddha said “You are the enlightenment.” It is within each and every one of us to achieve unity with God. Take that path. The rewards are health, wealth prosperity and abundance. Isn’t that better than cheese with whine?

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. Please visit my Eschatology Refutation Blog. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." ©2009 Dean A. Banks. All Rights Reserved. Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

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The boy in the bubble (balloon, i.e.)

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:41:00 +0000

David Vetter, known as the boy in the plastic bubble, died in 1984 at the age of 12. He suffered from SCIDS (severe combined immune deficiency syndrome) and was forced to live in a sterile environment. Being cut off from the outside world he had to learn to live on his own terms. Can you imagine? Being cut off from physical contact with your family members and the rest of the world. The doctors said that David had a defective thymus gland, the gland responsible for producing immunological agents in the body that fight off disease and infections. Many new age holistic healers attribute the thymus gland to the figurative heart. When you feel and give love, symbolically from the heart, it is actually from the thymus gland, which is located near the heart. The thymus gland releases hormones that monitor the health condition of the body and generally remains active until puberty. As one gets older, it continues to shrink and atrophy. According to some schools of holistic healing, when you give and receive love actively, the thymus gland continues to produce hormones and immunological agents to keep your body healthy. Whether this is true or not, it was interesting to see the interaction of love between this boy and his family despite being separated by a plastic bubble.

Are you living in a figurative plastic bubble? Have you separated yourself from your family, friends or society because you have been hurt or rejected by someone? Have you been exposed to unusual circumstances such as the boy, supposedly in the balloon, that activate your imagination and personal agenda? Do you try to pass off your opinions about life as facts to other people? Take the balloon boy’s father for example. If you watched to interview he rarely looked at the camera with his eyes. His attention was focused on anything but looking directly into the camera. His body language was indicative of someone who was trying to divert attention from himself. On Larry King last night, his son Falcon said, “We did this for the show.” Wolf Blitzer, subbing for Larry, repeated this statement and the father got defensive. Do you get defensive when someone accuses you of some wrong doing? Why would anyone get defensive if they weren’t guilty of something? Perhaps they were trying to cover something up? Could it be that the father was emotionally distraught and his heart was hurting because, for a period of time during the balloon chase, he didn’t know if his son was OK or not? Or was it true that this was a publicity stunt? I guess we will never truly know unless they offer different testimony. Suffice it to say, that we can only base our opinion on the facts and not supposition.

Did you give the father the benefit of the doubt? Or did you distrust him because of his answers and body language? It’s a tough call. If we examine the circumstances surrounding this event, we could draw many different conclusions. It depends on whether we accept the father’s demeanor as being honest or opportunist. After the family being on Wife Swap twice, we could conclude that they like the publicity and notoriety of being on TV. Being storm chasers and UFO junkies we could conclude that they are just nut cases. But what are their true motivations? Are they seeking experience and adventure or are they purposefully addicted to attention?

Much like the boy in the plastic bubble the boy in the plastic balloon was separated from a normal existence. His parents fueled his imagination and provided experiences for him and his brothers that were different from most children. When your imagination is activated and highly developed it can be difficult to separate reality from fantasy, especially at the age of six years old. It’s no wonder he hid in the garage attic because his dad had yelled at him. The parents had taught their children to not be afraid of danger and adventure. They didn’t teach him how not to be afraid of dad yelling, and it cost the entire world the anticipation of not knowing whether he was safe or not and to slowly exercise their hearts from their throats when it was discovered that he was alright. Did this adventure activate the love within all of us for the safety of this boy? The pressure has been so intense for Falcon that he actually threw up on the interview with the Today Show this morning.

Are these parents thinking about the overall effects on the lives of their children? Can you imagine what is going through the minds of these kids as a result of all of this attention? Does anyone care? If you don’t, then it’s time to leave your bubble!

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Your emotional scale (part 1)

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:54:00 +0000

I started teaching a class last night in Multimedia Production and in this introductory class I spoke about the differences between analog and digital recording. I watched the look of bewilderment on some of the students faces as I explained how digital recording is simply capturing an analog signal and representing it with zeros and ones. I realized that the next phase of explaining how to research facts and not rely on opinions should be to discuss our emotional reactions. Nothing reveals more about the human condition and influence on the environment than a study of human emotions. This is a broad topic and will take several parts to discuss.

I continued to explain to the students that each hardware device in a computer needs a software program to manipulate the hardware. The software program is called a driver. Just like a car requires a human driver to manipulate the controls, a computer requires drivers to manipulate the hardware. A software driver is simply a coded script that lists commands in a sequential order that the hardware obeys. Much the same as our emotions are programmed and scripted as a result of our experiences in our minds and our environments to determine our behavior. In critical times we simply rerun these emotional scripts to react to events, circumstances and occurrences.

The human response occurs either moving toward (fight) or moving away from (flight) an event, circumstance or occurrence. The human body physically reacts to these events by releasing the adrenalin hormone from the adrenal glands located on top of your kidneys. Each emotional response has a physical reaction in your body. These physical reactions can either help or hurt your body if they are repeated and patterned in the memory of your nervous system.

Emotions are not just simple states. They are often layered on top of one another and combine to form other more complex emotional states. Some emotions have more intensity and subsequent physical reactions than others. Their correspondent energy levels are more or less intense dependent upon whether they are acted upon or not. A simple list of emotions and their definitions can be found here.

Many psychologists, psychiatrists and scientific researchers have come up with emotional layering models that allow us to scale their combinations and intensity. Robert Plutchik devised a wheel of eight basic and 8 advanced emotions (each composed of two basic emotions) in 1980. It is the graphic that appears with this article. For a more detailed explanation, click here. Plutchik believed that emotions evolved for the sake of human survival and reproduction, much like Charles Darwin. But why should we be concerned about the layering and intensity of our emotions? Because if we can identify and categorize an emotion, we can better understand not only where it is coming from, but what effect it has on us. The author of Changing Minds said, “Learn to recognize emotions at increasing levels of detail. If you can see the emotion, then you can respond appropriately to it.” A comprehensive but not exhaustive list of emotions can be found here.

Emotions can be described through the meanings of words, phrases and idioms. The science of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) connects these meanings to programmed responses within our neurological systems. Our sympathetic (inputting) nervous system senses our environment. Our central (outputting) nervous system reacts to our emotional states based on our emotional scale (intensity of emotions). Some psychologists believe that there are six main types of basic emotions; happiness, anger, fear, sadness, disgust, and surprise. We will discuss these more in Part 2.

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Are you delusional?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:14:00 +0000

Are you sure about some of the conclusions you make? Do you feel that you have garnered all the facts before you have made an important decision? Decision comes from the Latin word decisio, which means to cut off all other options. When is it good to cut off all other options? Only when you have based your decision on the facts and NOT others’ opinions. In order to evaluate the facts, one must have a handle on the gathering of information. First, you must have the freedom to collect that information. Next, you must have the desire to dig as deep as is needed to find the facts while being aware that you need to ignore any pre-conceived notions that you might have about a topic. Finally, you need to realize that knowledge is dependent on a correct understanding of any information you evaluate. The only way to gain an understanding is to utilize your mind in an imaginative manner. Delusion means that you maintain a false belief that resists reason or is revealed when confronted with an actual fact. Reason means an ability to use your mind to make judgments and evaluations based on observance, correlation and logic. Do you believe in things that resist reason? If so, you are delusional.

How does one escape being deluded? The first step is to be thankful for the freedom you possess to gather information. In this country there are libraries, internet resources and eyewitnesses available to source information on any topic. Knowing how to research facts that are not tainted by opinions is of prime import. Learn how to read body language and techniques of reading between the lines. Become a master of research before you make conclusions and discuss your opinions about any topic. One of my favorite sayings is “Wise is the fool who knows enough to keep his mouth shut.” Epictetus said, “No man is free who is not a master of himself.”

Next, you need to develop the desire to ferret out the facts. Just because your hero or some radio or TV talks show host says something doesn’t mean it is correct. Everyone has an agenda, whether they realize it or not. From the time you get up in the morning until the time you go to bed you are manifesting an individual agenda. Our daily interactions with others influence our emotional states and affect us whether we realize it or not. In order to be a fact seeker one must put aside the emotive result to judge facts and embrace the mental result of evaluating the facts. Evaluation is based on a logical correlation of observed facts. Judgment is based on an evaluation in relation to yourself. There is a difference! Each time you research the facts about any topic do more than you did the last time to discover the motivations of those involved in presenting the facts. Mia Hamm said, “Celebrate what you’ve accomplished, but raise the bar a little higher each time you succeed.”

Pre-conceived notions have a significant effect on whether or not someone thoroughly researches the facts. If you view the world through rose colored glasses you see only the good. If you are suspicious and paranoid about how people are influencing your life, then you will see the bad in everything or everybody that opposes your position (Beck, Hannity, O’Reilly, Limbaugh). Try to approach the research on any topic with an open mind and NOT a desire to find facts that back up what you feel is happening. Only then do you minimize the tendency to taint information to reinforce your pre-conceived notions. Merry Browne said, “Preconceived notions are the locks on the door to wisdom.”

Information is the characteristics or assets of facts, events or occurrences. When you understand how this information is applied, it becomes knowledge. When you understand how to apply knowledge to an event, situation or occurrence, it becomes wisdom. The key to getting from raw facts to an effective and accurate judgment is understanding. Understanding is a comprehension or personal interpretation of the facts that are observed. It is a cooperative and mutually tolerant frame of mind that allows different perspectives to be taken into account before a conclusion is made. It stems from an individual’s ability to have imagination. Imagination is the ability to form mental images or concepts without having information present to the senses. It is the ability to take what facts you concentrate on and contemplate their possible outcomes. A highly developed imagination is the hallmark of understanding. In fact, Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Only through an acceptance and understanding of how to effectively research a topic can one avoid deluding oneself. Embrace the freedom you have to seek knowledge and the ability to observe and evaluate the facts. Release any pre-conceived notions and develop your imagination to the point where you take all the facts into consideration before you make judgments. Only then can you start to recognize the truth in all opinions. When that thread of truth is used to make a convincing argument to lead a base of people into supporting your conclusions without a 360 degree evaluation of the facts, then you are trying to delude others based on your own judgments (e.g., 9/12 March). Seek a better understanding of the facts before you take action. It will keep your foot out of your mouth and not mislead those who believe you. You can only delude others when you are pretty good at deluding yourself. Take the high road and speak the truth; it will surely set you free.

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Laugh out loud!

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:01:00 +0000

I haven’t laughed out loud like I did this morning in a while. I read this article and couldn’t stop laughing. It started off with “Liberal revisionist historians and biased media types continue to do what they can to strip Americans of the truth of our heritage”; sounds like a whine about the liberal media again. Talk about parroting, word for word, Glenn Beck’s statements. As one commenter once said, this writer is the best cut and paste man in the business. I wonder what this “writer” has to say about Conservapedia re-writing the Bible? This GB supporter really loves his work and lays out his argument based on others’ opinions and NOT the facts. Subsequently, not a very good analysis. As Alistair Cooke once said, “A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn’t feel like it” applies. Since this writer continually manipulates the facts with opinions, professionalism is NOT a word that should be used in reference to his writings. Talk about right wing Republican rhetoric! What is exactly behind this rhetoric? It is attitudes and subsequent behaviors that come from a mindset that the way they look at things, their evangelical Christian view, is right. But most of the time their view is NOT based on the teachings of Christ. It is based on the Christian leaderships’ “interpretations” of the Word. Fools fooling themselves because they don’t THINK their way through an argument to a logical conclusion.

Articles like the one referenced amaze me. They take bits and pieces of the truth and concatenate a plausible argument because the facts are colored by the perspectives and opinions of those with manipulative agendas. If you choose to believe something, it is human nature to seek out those in agreement with you to reinforce what you believe. If your belief is valid, why do you need someone else to validate it? Could it be that your position is so weak that you know you have made a leap to a conclusion and are too lazy to investigate it? Or is it that you just feel that your conclusions and suppositions are valid because you have made them? Either way, the ego is involved. Anytime one’s ego is involved in determining beliefs it is skewed. Why? Because the ego is our survival mechanism. It is the device that oversteps any character that we have in order to protect ourselves. Character comes from making good choices based on facts and not opinions. It is the moral and ethical qualities of honesty, courage and integrity. Margaret Jensen once said, “Character is the sum total of all our everyday choices.” Ego was once said to mean Edging God Out. When YOUR needs are greater than others, your EGO has taken over. Embrace what God is telling you and go to Him for guidance. It will make you survive even more so than your ego. Don’t listen to the Beck’s, Hannity’s, O’Reilly’s and Limbaugh's of the world who preach FEAR! Rudyard Kipling once said, “Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are your own fears.” Stop listening to the liars of the world who prey on your fear and listen to the still small voice of God.

The Republican rhetoric of late has been to say “No” to everything. Just watch Fixed Noise every night and see what I mean. Fox News is the promotional vehicle for the Right Wing Agenda. It is NOT a news organization. They promote the simplistic and juvenile opinion that Nancy Reagan adopted when she said, “Just say “no” to drugs.” Just say no? She obviously didn’t have a clue what kids in school were going through because she used her frame of reference to evaluate a situation without all of the facts. The Republican representatives are just saying no because they think they know all the facts, but they don’t. Just show me one Republican (or even some Democrats) that are really in touch with the people! Their theories and suppositions are based on who is lining their pockets, not on what YOUR needs, wants, desires and expectations are. Wake up people and listen to what God tells you and not what manipulators are filling your heads with; their results will be frustration and depression. Make the time to go within and ask God for guidance.

There are times when saying no is good. Saying no to things that don’t contribute to life are wise. War, disease, poverty and ignorance are just a few examples of things to say NO to. Have you ever noticed that when you have said YES to things you haven’t thoroughly investigated that it came back to bite you? It is always a good policy to make the time to check your facts. Don’t give your opinion out until you have checked out what you have heard or read. If you don’t, you will be inclined to make big mistakes. Moss Hart once said, “All the mistakes I ever made in my life where when I wanted to say No, and said Yes.” Are you saying yes to the right things and saying no to the wrong things? Are you saying no to the right things and saying yes to the wrong things? It is simple. If opinions don’t contribute to life and the support of all concerned, then saying no is probably OK. If opinions contribute to life and the support of all concerned, then saying yes is probably OK. It is your choice. Make the smart decision. If someone spits rhetoric and B.S., turn your cheek and laugh out loud. They don’t have a clue, but you do!

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Out of touch

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:49:00 +0000

Are you out of touch? What exactly does that expression mean? First, it is an idiom. An idiom is an expression of speech whose meaning is not a result of the literal meanings of its elements, but is a result from the parallel thoughts it creates. “Kick the bucket” is an example of an idiom which means that someone has died. Hence, the subsequent term “Bucket List”, which denotes a list of things to do before one dies.

Out of touch is an expression of speech which alludes to someone who is no longer interacting and communicating with one’s physical environment. The opposite idiom is to be in touch, or have regular communication and interaction with one’s physical environment. Events and circumstances regularly occur in our physical environments. Are they a result of random chance, or are they a result of one situation building on another situation until these situations are expressed as a final result? If you don’t pay attention to events and circumstances on a regular basis in your physical environment you are out of touch. In order to understand what that truly means we must analyze how events and circumstances manifest in our environments.

Jesus said in the Lord’s Prayer, “on earth, as it is in heaven.” Another way of saying this is “As above, so below.” These expressions of speech describe how the process of creation manifests in the physical world. As living beings, we have different aspects or levels of being that relay our thoughts into the physical world. Our spiritual aspect is our connection to God. It is a knowing that exists within us that we are expressions of the Most High God. Our mental aspect is where thinking occurs in our minds. It is where we generate and move the energy of thought. Our emotional aspect is where feeling occurs and it is where we either react to or pro-act with our physical environment. Finally, our physical aspect is where we interact with our environment through sensing. Our senses are our point of contact with our environment. Each of our 5 physical senses absorbs or feels different frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum and converts them into electrical copies or representations within our brains. What we perceive in our minds are symbols of our environment. We compare these thought symbols or archetypes to previous experiences through the contemplative processes in our brains. Our perceptions are a result of the state of all of our aspects of being in relation to the physical environment.

When we deny the facts that occur in our environment and replace them with the perceptions or opinions of others we are out of touch with ourselves. Anne Morrow Lindbergh once said, “When one is out of touch with oneself, one cannot touch others.” Do you live your life based on the perceptions or opinions of others? Are you so out of touch with your environment that you defend mediocrity and false beliefs? Have you daily accepted the easy way out because you have given up on your dreams? There is a way back to a state where you can be in touch with reality. It is a process that requires discipline and focus. By making the time to relax and block out the distractions of the outer world, you can begin to listen to the still small voice of God, who will develop your spiritual aspect to the point where your environmental interaction is based on knowing instead of reacting. Meditation is a process where you let go of the grip of the outer world and enter the peace and joy of the inner world. You might say, “I have tried to meditate and it feels weird, so I give up. It’s too hard.” First, you don’t try to meditate; the very definition of meditation excludes trying. If you try you are not letting go! Secondly, Henry Ford once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” I addressed this in a previous article.

If you haven’t made the time to get in touch with who you are, then you will inevitably fall into mediocrity. Do you just get by? Are the results of your life barely adequate? Have situations occurred in your life that have shaken your world and have brought you to the point where you know something must change? Charles C. West said, “We turn to God for help when our foundations are shaking, only to learn that it is God who is shaking them.” Has God given you a wake-up call? Has He rattled your cage enough that you are finally paying attention to what is truly going on in your environment? Will you heed His call or will you ignore it? It is your choice. Choose life, awareness of yourself and being in touch with the reality from all aspects of your being. That is the only way to escape being out of touch.

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Finally a peacemaker is recognized!

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:45:00 +0000

Congratulations to Barack Obama for winning the Nobel Peace Prize. All of the cable talk shows are slamming the electrons with diverse and wacky opinions. Yet, for once, a person who has reached out to the Muslim world in peace is under attack from the conservative right wing Republicans who spend each and every day sitting on their shoulders. Sore losers who can’t even smell their own stench of backwards thinking. First the Evangelical Examiner with his evangelical cowboy diplomacy who doesn’t even realize that the death of the cowboy is nigh. Then, the Catholic Examiner who claims the Nobel Peace Prize is now tarnished! What about the priests in your church who tarnished young boys? Do you think we forgot about that? Then the Christian & Politics Examiner who couldn’t quite seem to make up her mind about Obama’s win. Instead of us all being thankful that someone from our country won the award, the same country that has wreaked havoc all over the world from the Bush Doctrine, the nay-sayers use this opportunity to promote their backwards agenda. Let’s go back to the old ways. Yeah, right. The ways of Ronald Reagan that put us in this mess to begin with. And he wasn’t even a real cowboy. He was great at reading cue cards, though.

And then there are Glenn Beck’s comments. He said Obama should give the prize back because he didn’t earn it. Jealous are we, Beck? Your 9/12’ers aren’t worthy of the NPP. You should give your show’s time slot back to someone who is mentally stable. After listening to this idiot’s revisionist history cries for an hour I got a headache. This man is truly delusional. And then there is his staunch supporter who claims that science has made evolution a religion. I will address that one in my coming series of the Evolution of Religion as a logical response to observations and conclusions that are made with opinion instead of fact.

Did you know that Conservapedia is re-writing the Bible with a conservative bias? Yeah, when the Bible teaches them to care for the other guy that’s just too liberal for them so they need to change what Jesus said to align with their hillbilly ways. And then there’s Newt and Callista Gingrich hawking ”Rediscovering God in America” DVD on Hannity. Talk about pompous! They claim a Judeo-Christian slant on the early settlers of this country and the Founding Fathers, who were predominantly Deists. Don’t these people read history?

Oh, and then there’s Rush Lamebrow. He calls Barack Obama a liberal sellout. Who’s the sellout Rush? Who’s the one who, in an on camera interview, stated that he would say anything for ratings and money? It’s funny that a practicing misogynist was asked to judge a beauty pageant. And Rush wonders why women don’t want to be around him. Even the football players of the team he wants to buy don’t want to play on the team if he buys it.

Let’s just call the cowboys and the cowboy mentality what they are, MORONS who practice backwards thinking and who don’t listen a word of what Jesus said. Yet they proclaim their allegiance to him. What liars and hypocrites! Thank God for Congressman Grayson who has the cajones to call it as it is! Call a spade a spade. Let’s start ignoring the cowboy racists who try to perpetrate their conservative skew that is NOT from the teachings of Jesus. Maybe they can move to a country ending in “stan” and play their war games with other non-practicing Christian morons. I’ve got a great idea! Why don’t the hypocritical evangelicals, Catholics, cowboys and proselytizing conservatives move to Texas and secede from the union. There’s plenty of dust to obscure their B.S. After all, they love spreading it!

Finally, let’s ask Michael Steele what he asked of Obama; “What have you accomplished, Mr. Steele, besides putting a black face on the Republican party and being their puppet spokesperson?” Just like the Reps selecting Sarah Palin for cosmetics and no substance. Just look at John McCain’s expressions and body language every time they appeared together and tell me that he was happy with her.

Who are the conservamorons trying to fool anyway? Don’t they know that anyone with half a brain can see through their selfishness and egocentricity? Their behavior is NOT the behavior that Christ outlined for us. Yet they try to manipulate his words to fit their agendas. Jesus’ behavior was considered liberal at the time he lived because he cared about those who were weak and poor. One person noticed this back in the sixties and spoke with clarity and bravery about the words of Christ. In 1964 at the age of 35 years old Martin Luther King won the Nobel Peace prize. He earned it just like Barack Obama. Unfortunately, he was killed for his beliefs in peace. Obama humbled himself in his speech on Friday and took the award as a charge to bring together all races, creeds and religions on this planet. Finally, after 8 years of mindless war someone is seeking peace. Remember, Obama walked into Bush’s wars. Thank God that finally, a peacemaker is recognized.

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Quit fooling yourself

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Do you get up every day and think you have a handle on life? Do you stack the deck in your mind to make your thoughts and actions appear favorable? Are you ignoring the facts by embracing the opinions of others who do the thinking for you? Have you jumped on the bandwagon without knowing where the bandwagon is going? Then, quite frankly, you are fooling yourself. The psychological definition of being delusional is maintaining a false belief that resists reason or is revealed when confronted with an actual fact. Do you still believe in things even though they have been proven to be wrong? Then you are delusional.

Let’s take for example the political rhetoric we face every day on the TV, radio and Internet. One side says one thing, the other side counters and everyone ends up confused. But what are the facts? Truth is relative and depends on one’s perspective. In a sea of reactive opinion we are treading water and not addressing the issues of humanity. But is there an absolute truth? Any action and behavior that supports life is based on an absolute truth of growth and expansion. Are you selfish about what you have earned and unwilling to share in the bounty of life? Do you reject those who haven’t benefitted from life simply because they don’t have the material bounty or the good breaks you might have?

An interpretation of Matthew 25:33-46 in the English Revised Version (ERV) is as follows: “The Son of Man will put the sheep (good people that give) on his right and the goats (bad people that are selfish) on his left. Then the king will say to those good people on his right, 'Come. My Father has given you great blessings. Come and get the kingdom God promised you. That kingdom has been prepared for you since the world was made. You can have this kingdom, because I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.' "Then the good people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food? When did we see you thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our home? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you did for any of my people here, you also did for me.' "Then the king will say to those bad people on his left, 'Go away from me. God has already decided that you will be punished. Go into the fire that burns forever. That fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. You must go away, because I was hungry, and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you did not invite me into your home. I was without clothes, and you gave me nothing to wear. I was sick and in prison, and you did not care for me.' "Then those people will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty? When did we see you alone and away from home? Or when did we see you without clothes or sick or in prison? When did we see these things and not help you?' "Then the king will answer, 'I tell you the truth. Anything you refused to do for any of my people here, you refused to do for me.'"Then those bad people will go away. They will have punishment forever. But the good people will go and have life forever."

Are you buying into the rhetoric that says look out for number one and number one alone? If you do, you are fooling yourself. Jesus embraced the poor and downtrodden and gave them hope. He said that whatever we do to the least of these, we do to him. If someone shows up at your door in need and you slam the door in their face you have done it to Christ. His door was open to all to raise the consciousness of all mankind. In John 6:37 Jesus says, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” Or, as the Good News Bible (TEV) says, “I will never turn away anyone who comes to Me.” Are you fooling yourself by thinking that you are better than others? Do you think that others who don’t have what you have are not worth helping? What has truly made this country great are neighbors helping neighbors. People go out every day and dedicate their lives to helping those who haven’t had the opportunities or blessings that they have. They don’t posture about who’s right or wrong; they act. They don’t prophesize about some end time when things are going to get worse and then better; they make it better now!

Step out of your comfort zone and extend yourself to help those in need. Whether they need food, shelter, counseling or a loan. Live what Jesus taught us and give your time, money or wisdom to help those who desperately need it. In the Wilmington community there are many churches, missions and organizations that reach out daily to help those in need. Visit their websites, call them, reach out to the community and give of the blessings that God has bestowed on you. He will reign down His blessings on you and your family for the love that you have given. Quit listening to the power mongers and their message of doom and gloom. Quit fooling yourself and bless yourself with the wisdom of God. Contribute to the expansion of life and the growth of your community, whether locally or globally.

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Planting the seeds of greatness…

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:38:00 +0000

In my last article I emphasized what Jesus clearly said about knowing others by the fruits that they bear. Before anything in life can come to fruition, seeds must be planted. Who are you and what do you want to become? What kind of seeds (thoughts) do you plant? Where will you plant your seeds? What is the condition of the soil (your mind)? Has it been tilled (disciplined and pro-active) or is it rocky (emotionally reactive)? How is the weather (your environment) going to affect the growth of your seeds? When do you need to plant your seeds? Why are you planting them to begin with (your ultimate purpose)? All of these questions need to be answered in order for you to grow seeds of greatness. When you plant your seeds do you have faith that they will grow? Does a farmer go and dig up the seeds everyday to see if they are taking root? Hardly. He knows that if he plants the right seed at the right time in the right soil and believes that he has done his best, the seeds will take root and grow. That’s faithing.

After Jesus rebuked the devil from a child and he was cured the disciples wondered why they couldn’t cast him out and Jesus could. “And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you (Matthew 17:20).” Interesting! The disciples couldn’t heal the child because of their unbelief and lack of faith. He told the disciples that if they had the faith as a grain of mustard seed (the smallest of seeds), that mountains would move and nothing shall be impossible unto them. A tiny little bit of faith has the power to move mountains! Earlier, Jesus had told the disciples “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof (Matthew 13:31-32).” Your seeds of faith can become the greatest of things when you believe in the promise that Jesus made.

“But how do I find my seeds of greatness”, you might ask? Simply spend the time to unleash the power of desire that God has put in your heart. Desire means of the Father. It is the spark within you that God has given as your gift of the spirit. If you don’t pursue the fruition of that gift it is like telling God that He didn’t know what He was doing when He created you. That wouldn’t be wise since God knows more than any of us. Your everyday thoughts are seeds that you plant in the soil of your mind. Is the soil there fertile or barren? Have you made steps towards positively acting in a manner that supports growth and life or are you just reacting to your environmental circumstances? Do you associate with people that promote growth and prosperity or do you just hang with the same old go nowhere croud? Have you made the steps to educate yourself about the facts instead of just jumping on the opinion bandwagon? In order to be great you must understand your ultimate purpose. Have you made the time to find out what that is?

It’s all about what you’re focusing your energy on; whether it’s the past, present or future. Whatever you focus your thoughts and energy on creates an equal vibrational state of being that attracts the outcome of those thoughts. Every time you plant a seed (thought) and dwell on that thought fervently (with faith and belief), it moves mountains; just as Jesus said. The seed takes root. The more you actively think about a thought the more it becomes a belief. You begin to accept it as true; whether it’s true or not. It works both ways. The more you believe and have faith in your thoughts (seeds) the more they begin showing up in your life. It works conversely as well. Focus your thoughts and energy on being the great being that God has created you to be. Don’t believe those who preach lack and limitation, fear and anger and separation from God. If you believe what they say and focus on it enough it becomes your reality and your truth. Choose to focus on abundance and prosperity, faith and love and union with God. Then, and only then, will you be planting seeds of greatness. May God be with you.

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Are you bearing healthy fruit?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Matthew 21:18-22 (KJV): “Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

Are you bearing the fruits of your life and offering it to those who hunger? Do you spend each day making your leaves look pretty and not developing the content of your inner self in order to bear the fruits of an abundant life? When Jesus encountered the tree he was hungry and the tree could not supply his need. Did he bless the tree? Did he ignore it? No, he cursed it to no longer bear any fruit. Have you not been offering fruit for so long that when the opportunity for you to be blessed comes along that the only thing you have to offer is superficiality and not content? Jesus did not react. He pro-acted and the tree withered away to the marvel of the disciples. In their astonishment, Jesus clarified this event by telling them that they had the power, through faith and removal of doubt, to not only prevent superficiality, but to remove negative content from your life and the lives of others. After Jesus left the fig tree anyone who passed by would no longer be fooled by its superficiality because it was obviously dead and withered. He told the disciples to ask for their blessings in life through prayer in a state of believing and they would receive whatsoever they asked! Furthermore, he earlier warned the prophets to know false prophets by the fruits that they bear:

Matthew 7: 15–29 (KJV): “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine: For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”

A good tree brings forth good fruit. Does Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly bring forth good fruit? Hardly! They bring forth anger and self-righteous indignation. Jesus furthermore said that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. If a tree brings forth evil fruit then cast it into the fire. Remove it from your life and leave it to its own devices. Just as water seeks its own level, so will these angry and foolish people reap the rewards of their aberrant behavior. Don’t dwell on it or allow them to rent space in your head! Just as they proclaim and announce their righteousness, they are bearing the fruits of derision and anger. Jesus said that if they heard his word and didn’t do what he said, whether they professed him or not, they would NOT enter the Kingdom of Heaven. A wise man digs for the facts and does not rely on the opinions of others. He builds his house upon the rock. As a result, his house will stand. When a house is built on innuendo, opinions and anger, it will surely fall. Where do you stand? Are you building your house upon the rock? Or are you building you house upon the sands of opinions? Just as the people were astonished by the doctrine of Jesus, be astonished by the fact that Jesus spoke with authority. He KNEW the truth. He stated it, didn’t have to debate it or defend it.

It is important to keep your emotional state pure. Your emotional state affects your conscious control over your experience. Your resultant emotional state will determine the outcomes you receive in your life. Live and embrace anger, and your will encounter situations, time after time, that will trigger your anger. Don’t fool yourself by pretending that you are not angry or happy about something. Embrace your feelings in private and dig for the facts that bring you to that state. If you pretend to feel different, or ignore how you feel, you will create a vibrational state of in your being of acceptance to the things you do not desire. You basically feel powerless. Jesus told us that we HAVE the power to make mountains move! Why don’t you listen to him! Analyze the facts and take the steps to alter your feelings so that they align with the results you seek. Then, and only then, will you begin to move mountains!

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Are you homophobic?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 16:10:00 +0000

Are you upset about the queering of elementary education and the sexualizing of school children? Do you listen to town criers with an obvious homophobic agenda and justify it by invoking Christian values? Do you even know what Christian values are or are you content with just listening to those with overt agendas and opinions? Well, if you are unsure about this issue then read on. If you disagree, then go here for your mother’s milk. As for the truth, it can only be found in the love of God and the realization that we are all created by Him and we are all blessed by Him. We are his most prized creation and He loves us enough to allow us to have free will.

What is free will? Free will is the relationship between the freedom to act on, or react to, situations and events and the causes of these situations and events. Are we subject to the laws of nature that create situations and events or do we affect the laws of nature? Or is it a combination of being affected and affecting? If a tree falls in the woods does it make a noise? It depends on the definition of the term noise. Science is aware that the experimenter can affect the outcome of the experiment. If you comment on any occurrence and have a pre-conceived notion that will affect your analysis, it’s no wonder that you come up with evidence to support your conclusions. If you believe that everything that is happening to you came from prior occurrences than you are deterministic. If you believe that the prior statement is true, but some events and situations are not previously determined by prior actions, then you are considered to believe in indeterminism. If you believe that free will and determinism compatibly exist then you are considered a compatibilist. If you feel that free will and determinism are incompatible, then you are compartmentalized into 3 categories of incompatibilism:

Hard determinism: determinism is reality and free will is an illusion.

Libertarianism: free will is true and determinism doesn’t exist.

Pessimistic Incompatibilism: Neither free will nor determinism exists.

Depending on your viewpoint of the world you can affect the observations you make. Do you believe that homosexuality is a choice? Do you believe that it is an abomination to God? Are you more concerned about judging others than accepting who they are and for what they are? Are you listening to those who preach fear and the end times of God’s wrath and judgment of man for his sins? Do you base your entire life on a book that others have passed down mouth to mouth and page to page without questioning the motives of the writers? Or are you an open minded person who hears, sees, feels, tastes and touches reality without any prior pre-conceived notions? Our senses are wonderful interpreters of the electromagnetic spectrum that allow us to interact with our environment. However, all of our perceptions are merely electrical copies of reality that exist in our brains. Our perceptions are just that; perceptions and not reality.

When we impose our perceptions and beliefs on others based on our individual skew we are committing a form of brain washing. Whether we make blanket statements or allude to our own agendas by asking questions we are still manipulating a desired response from our environment. Are the schools trying to queer our kids with acceptance of homosexuals? Hardly. The schools are trying to create a base of acceptance for others without judgment based on an individual’s choice in their beliefs. Are they trying to sexualize them too early, or are they utilizing preventative medicine to allow them to make their own choices based on the facts and not someone else’s religious skew? You decide. Our children are our future and we need to make them aware of the choices they need to make in their lives based on facts and not religious opinions. Does God read the Bible? Did God create us just to punish us? Or did He simply give us the free will to choose our paths as we go through the journey of life. As always, you decide.

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What if the Bible didn't exist? (Part 2)

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 16:18:00 +0000

Recently, I conducted an interview with Dr. Witless Blather from D.C. Dr. Blather is well-known for his cutting edge commentary and interesting facts concerning the Bible. Following is Part 2 of this interview:

DAB: What did Martin Luther base these decisions on?

DWB: Martin Luther was a 16th century German monk. He was disturbed by certain things which he viewed as anomalies in his studies. For example, he didn’t agree with the doctrine of Tradition.

DAB: What was that doctrine and why didn’t he agree with it?

DWB: Tradition is a doctrine in the Catholic Church which is the oral or unwritten Word. According to the Catholics, Tradition and Scripture are the sources of all Christian doctrine. It is the Christian indirect Rule of Faith. He didn’t agree with certain abuses within the Catholic Church and resulted in confrontations between him and the hierarchy of the church. Luther didn’t agree with Tradition as a legitimate rule of faith because it was in conflict with the scripture. Ultimately, Luther accused the Catholic Church of corrupting Christian doctrine and distorting Biblical truths.

DAB: So, due to an internal conflict in the Catholic Church, the doctrine of Sola Scriptura was adopted by Luther as being the only Rule of Faith instead of both Tradition and Scripture. Is this validated anywhere in the Bible?

DWB: No. Protestants often reference 2nd Timothy 3:16-17 as validation, but that is debatable. St. Paul often referred to his Hebrew teachings as a basis for his understanding.

DAB: In other words, Paul had his own agenda and so did Luther.

DWB: Possibly so. Many years went by after the Biblical canon before Sola Scriptura even became an issue.

DAB: Very true. Most people up until the time of the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg, circa 1439, were illiterate. The Catholic monks hand copied the Biblical documents and became the middle men between the masses and God. Most of the education of the story of Christ was conveyed through art and stained glass art in the churches. 1400 years went by without Sola Scriptura being an issue.

DWB: The books of the Protestant Bible as it stands today were canonized in the 4th century C.E. Several Catholic Councils determined the validity of the books included in the canon. Scripture and Tradition were the benchmarks of the Rule of Faith for Christians.

DAB: Concerning the biblical manuscripts that the monks copied by hand, didn’t this create many variations and interpretations based on Greek to Latin translations, geographic idioms and language nuances?

DWB: Yes, it did. There are hundreds of Bible versions that were hand copied from monk to monk and the Bible as we know it today wasn’t available to the individual believer until the 15th century when the printing press was invented and the Bible could be mass duplicated. The Jewish Bible contains 24 books, the Catholics have 73 books, the Orthodox Christians have 78 books and the Protestants have 66 books in their Bible.

DAB: With all these different books being accepted and rejected by church hierarchies, how did the Bible get written in verses?

DWB: There are several stories about this but the most popular is that a Dominican monk traveling throughout Europe on a donkey occupied his time by re-translating the Koine Greek of the New Testament into Latin and he made each thought as stated into a verse and numbered them.

DAB: Let’s recap. Martin Luther came to his own conclusions about the interpretation of the Bible by the Catholic Church. I’m curious to know more about the state of mind and psychological makeup of Martin Luther. Was he mentally stable or did he suffer any mental health problems?

DWB: Yes, there were definite psychological and emotional problems that Martin Luther displayed. More to come…

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. Please visit my Eschatology Refutation Blog. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." ©2009 Dean A. Banks. All Rights Reserved. Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

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‘Tripe masquerading as commentary’

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:59:00 +0000

It was a wonderful morning. 5 AM, crickets chirping, tree frogs whirring and a hot cup o’ jo. Then I went to the computer and read my rival examiner’s comments and laughed almost out of control. His statement concerning my commentaries was ‘tripe masquerading as commentary.’ This is something you would expect from someone whose opinion is not factually based and who is undoubtedly pinned to the ropes. Such a statement reflects the mindset of someone who has no facts to back up what he says. After all, being a Glenn Beck supporter certainly speaks volumes. However, we will not degrade ourselves into ‘worthless drivel’ or ‘witless blather’ as his commenters have accused me of; we will take the truthful and poignant road and, like Congressman Grayson, and call it as we see it.

Let’s look at his commenter’s frame of mind in regards to evolution. Who’s to say that evolution was not God’s way of creating the universe? There is no scripture to refute this. In the original Aramaic, the words without form and void in the first chapter of Genesis are ‘tohu’ and ‘bohu’. The meanings of these words are a vast chaotic wasteland; an implication that the earth was ‘re-created’ six thousand years ago, NOT initially created. One of this examiner’s thoughtful readers commented, “They teach our kids that the Earth revolves around the sun too but we know that’s not true either. I tell them to get up every morning and watch the sun turn around the only planet that God made for man and my country which is the greatest that God gave man.” WTF? If this is the average level of intelligence of his readership then he is fulfilling a purpose. Feeding the minds of the mindless is a worthy job. The level of your sincerity is determined by WHAT you are feeding them. How about a flat earth?

God has given us senses in order to experience our environment and a brain to sort it all out. If you use a book or someone else’s impressions of reality as the sole determining factor of your existence, then you are limiting your scope of experience. You are operating under tunnel vision. When I quote Jesus and give solid examples of his behavior and words, most of my commenters react in rage and disgust. When I support the position of love and nurturing, they react with a nationalistic agenda and unscientific analysis. When you solely use your feelings to determine your reality you are operating in a vacuum. Your emotions and feelings are simply a feedback system to allow you to qualify and quantify what you sense in reality. It is NOT the sole determinant of reality. Yet, people seem to NOT want to expand themselves out of their comfort zone to embrace FACT instead of OPINION. They set an agenda based on feelings alone, and then spend their time trying to convince themselves and others that their skew on life is correct.

Eschatology is a prime example. Based on the concept that we are all sinners and need to fear God, stories are told by delusional people to reinforce their own fears and a belief in a fantasy world in the future. Whether it’s Revelation, Nostradamus or the world coming to an end according to the Mayan calendar in 2012, it’s all reflective of fear and a final judgment on man for all of his sins. Hogwash!!! It is all game-whipping of those who want to control, dominate and manipulate others into their will and their skew on life. Don’t believe it! God has created an abundant universe that operates as a precision clock. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is here and now. The only thing we truly have is the now! We can reflect on the past and dream about the future, but we can only live in the now! Choose life and be with the living instead of choosing death and existing with the walking dead. Bless them and go about your way on a path to life by speaking the truth and giving love to all. Don’t settle for anything less than that, because if you do, you are carving a path of lack and limitation; something that the fear mongers thrive on. Follow the words of Jesus and emulate his behaviors. He is our model for living life. He knows that the earth revolves around the sun and that all people on this planet are created equal. His perspective is one of love, wisdom and abundance. Dispute that and you are disputing the truth of God’s love.

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Foot in mouth syndrome

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:46:00 +0000

I must say the past year has been very entertaining. As countries in the world are becoming more and more aware of being a part of the global community, there are still some separatists that operate with impunity spewing hatred and vitriol. None is more popular and moronic as Glenn Beck. Each night he consistently puts his foot in his mouth with unresearched “facts” and “suppositions” that have bubbled up in his ADHD mind. His paranoia and lack of sound judgment has gone beyond being funny. He has managed to feed a base of people who vicariously release their inner frustrations through this man’s nightly dance.

It seems that poor judgment and lack of education is the hallmark of this base. Even David Frum, W’s former economic speechwriter, says “People become less Republican as they become better educated.” Hmmm. It seems that this base needs to sign up at the local community college to learn about Political Science, Philosophy and History. Something that seems to be remiss in their diatribe. Even when Jay Leno asked a recent college graduate where the pilgrims landed they responded “Buick Rock.” ??? It’s not just the lack of education it’s the lack of focus. Too much information and too many distractions can cause confusion and instability. Something that GB lives and counts on.

My question to the spiritual people out there is this: Does the behavior of Glenn Beck, in any way, emulate the behavior of Jesus? Hardly. His conversion from Catholicism to Mormonism removed some of his earlier self-imposed restrictions and gave him the strength of the periphery that drives him nightly. If you ask any theologian worth his salt, he will tell you that Mormonism is based on a “vision”, or should we say “delusion” of Joseph Smith. If you spend some time at the library you will find the history about this man and it isn’t very pretty. Like Martin Luther, Joseph Smith was a man with his own agenda. If you follow any man and his teachings that separates and segregates you from your fellow man, that should be a red flag to you that something is wrong. Jesus ate with “sinners.” He associated with the down trodden and the lesser people in his society. He rejected people like Glenn Beck (the Pharisees) and embraced the blind and sick. Yet, many quote the Bible in defense of GB. What a joke! His behavior is the fruit that he bears and that should be enough for anyone with half a brain to discern that his message is one of fear and incitement.

His take on the school children singing about Obama was answered quickly with a video of the same thing happening with George W. Bush. He wasn’t aware of that, according to his team, or was he? If he wasn’t, then he simply is a moron. If he was, then he is the worst form of manipulator and he will surely reap what he has sown. The bottom line is that he doesn’t care what fear and vitriol he spews; he is only concerned about himself and his family. If he was sincere, then why didn’t he show up at his own 9/12 rally? You see, the facts are right in your face. If you choose not to believe them, you must deal with the consequences. May God have mercy on your soul if you continue to believe such a liar.

The message that Jesus taught was simple. Love God and love your neighbor. Is this what Glenn Beck does every night? Hardly. Make the time to edify yourself and study about the truth. Go to the library and research the facts and don’t believe in the skewed opinions of delusional people. They will lead you down the road to fear, loss and a felling of lack and depression. The universe that Gods has created is boundless and abundant. Through faith in God and diligent research you can come to an understanding of the fact that we are all children of God. We are His most prized creation. He created us with a mouth to speak and feet to walk and run. Don’t end up living your life with foot in mouth syndrome. Check out the facts, make the time to educate yourself, and stop listening to morons who don’t give a damn about you or your families. Grab the reigns and take charge of your life. May God bless you.

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Foolbook: Should stupidity be killed?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:23:00 +0000

Recently, a Facebook poll asked respondents "Should Obama be killed?" The choices were “No, Maybe, Yes, and Yes if he cuts my health care.” As with any forum that allows people the freedom to operate under an unwritten moral code, there are sometimes going to be people who display moronic behavior and make stupid and treasonous choices. Such is the case here and the Secret Service will undoubtedly find this person and bring them to justice. The question is, “what was going through their mind when posting this poll? Was it an innocent question? Hardly. Was it a sincere quest for knowledge? Don’t think so. Or, was it meant to incite an unstable base into action? Now we’re getting warm. Ultimately, we don’t know what was going on in the mind of such an individual, but as Jesus demonstrated with the fig tree, we will know them by the fruit they bear. I nominate this person for the new site “Foolbook.” Their blatant form of stupidity should be rewarded with humiliation and serious jail time. Time to reflect on their aberrant behavior and the responsibility associated with access to swaying public opinion.

Every day my fiancé and I comment to each other about the lack of focus, respect for adults and common stupidity associated with younger people we encounter. Is it that the schools have failed them? Has the government failed them? Have the failed themselves? Or, is that we, as parents and grandparents have failed to raise them with discipline and compassion? Have we ignored them and relegated their learning to electronic babysitters? Only each one of us truly knows our individual experiences in regard to the raising of our children. Is this current younger generation totally remiss in an understanding of common sense and reason, or are they simply just trying to come to grips with information overload and a daily battle in handling it. Generally, schools haven’t adequately prepared people for college or life. They teach information and ways to obtain knowledge, but fail to give students techniques in developing wisdom. Understanding is the key in converting information into knowledge and knowledge into wisdom. But how does one develop understanding? Through experience? Through impartation? Through osmosis? Understanding comes from a willingness to learn and a diligent search for the truth.

A fool is generally a stupid person who lacks the ability to exercise common sense and effective judgment based on the facts. As I have said many times in my articles, “Who is more foolish, the fool, or the fool who follows him?” Yesterday my fiancé and I drove by Route 202 and Route 1 in Concordville, PA. and saw three younger people on one corner with anti-Obama health care placards and one older gentleman with an anti-abortion placard on the opposite corner. My only thought was for them to get a life. I admired their strength and belief in themselves to stand there in the rain and wave their beliefs to the passersby, but ultimately, what they were saying was NOT based on fact but on the skew and spin of their heroes and/or parties. Not to mention the fact that someone driving by might have paid too much attention to the arm waving and reading of the signs that it might have caused an accident. I know; it was just less than a mile from this spot where a drunk hit and run driver hit me last May.

My vote is that we kill stupidity. Let’s all make a concerted effort to examine the FACTS and not blindly believe the OPINIONS of others who have an agenda that we might not be aware of. Let’s make the time every day to investigate the truth and pro-act the results. Let’s move away from reacting to the opinions of others and act on the solutions that we can all help each other attain. Be willing to learn the truth and take the diligent steps to acquire it. All of us will benefit from the truth and we will not be fooled by the opinions of those who try to use us for manifesting their agendas.

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Right wing Obamanation: worthy to read, but not believe

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Well, here goes the right wing cries again. Using tidbits to reinforce and obviously weak and loser position, it is interesting that some right wingers uncover one video utilizing “Hussein” and emphasize it in the title of their agenda setting beliefs. Since I am forbidden to make any references to who this is, I will just respond in kind to the obvious agenda setting taking place. This article is in reference to the article here. Following is my OPINION based on the “facts” contained in the article; not an OPINION based on an OPINION as derived from someone else’s “research”:

My retort to Paragraph 2: In reference to Keith Olbermann, he would have said something about W.; after all, his team of researchers scours out the facts and not opinions like Glenn Beck “researchers” do night after night. I am called a “Leftist”, just like the writer infers the term I have used (Racist). And I am accused of being a name caller? As for Joe Scarborough, isn’t he a Republican? Or did the writer forget to check that one out? There he goes again. Is the writer the source for determining what he calls bad behavior? As for hypocrisy, the writer takes the cake. Some people swallow whatever someone says hook, line and sinker. Well, hopefully the writer will get over it before he influences too many people and steers them down the path to hell. It’s amazing what some people do when they are afraid of the facts!

My retort to Paragraph 3: If anyone knows brainwashing it’s those who are out to set an agenda. Some writers present their illogical arguments based on right wing religious hooey and package it in a palatable form for morons who don’t have the inclination to investigate their erroneous claims. This writer take stabs at me for my “leftist” position and cries foul when I call him and his commenters “racists”. This is the worst form of hypocrisy because they can’t smell their own stench. As for earning the respect, Obama has. Who the hell does the writer think he is to be the determiner of what constitutes earning respect? After all, his discovery of the Word has led him down a path of misinterpretation and false support for views he has only recently learned. Compare that to a lifetime of research and living the word. There is no comparison. Yet he poses the question and puts it in the laps of his readers with a pronounced skew in his presentation. Again, trying to manipulate the outcome

My retort to Paragraph 4: Subtly presenting his “character” skew and using children to gain access to his readers’ soft spots, the writer demonstrates he is the worst form of manipulator. And Obama is correct for apologizing for America. Republican war policies and reprehensible behavior toward the global community is based on lies and manipulation. Has the writer forgotten about Iraq, Afghanistan and torture perpetrated by Bush and Cheney? Conveniently not for his argument.

My retort to Paragraph 5: Mind control tactics are this writer’s obvious weapons. Presenting a skewed video to back up his obviously weak position adds icing to the cake. His methodology is to take the available and skew it to fit his right wing Republican religious agenda. Seek enlightenment, sir, and the understanding that Christ provides and your cloak of right wing righteousness will fall to ground where it belongs.

As for his commenter who wants Jesus back in the schools, what makes her think that this country is just Judeo-Christian? If you want religions in school than why not all of them? We could all learn temperance and tolerance for others by embracing all forms of belief and not judging each other. Something modern day Christians use as a flag to wave. Why not wave a flag of respect and unity instead of maliciousness and derision? If you want a more poignant version of this article then click here.

As always, your comments and conclusions are welcomed. As I have stated in a previous article, I no longer read them, but you are welcome to debate my position amongst yourselves. May God bless all of you, whether you agree with me or not.

Republican Rhetoric Revealed: What the Beck?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:12:00 +0000

It’s tough being a Republican watchdog. Every day new spiritually professed alliterations are spewed on the American public under the guise of what’s good for America. But what NEW ideas do the Republicans have to offer? None. Since their hero Raygun and his trickle-down policies, deregulation has caused the financial problems we are currently facing now. They keep trying to re-package the same old rhetoric and perpetrate it on the American public. The definition of insanity is to keep trying to do something the same way and expecting different results. Their obvious delay tactics in Congress are more ego centered than God centered and people centered.

Since most of the Republican representatives (and some Democrats) receive “campaign” donations and “incentives” from corporations, it is no wonder that they do whatever they can to stop health care reform. Looking out for number one. Why isn’t anybody complaining about the obvious crookedness of lobbying and buying off our representatives? This, in itself, should be illegal. It reminds me of the Catholic Church’s alignment with various governmental leaders over the course of history and the way they “suggested” certain actions that benefitted their church.

A person who is an expert at rhetoric uses exaggeration as their tool to convince others of their viewpoint. In my writings I have been accused of using rhetoric simply because my viewpoint was drastically different from that of the accusers. That, in itself, does NOT constitute rhetoric. I call it as I see it. As I have said many times, truth is relative. We all observe facts differently and arrive at different evaluations and ultimately, different judgments. If we base our evaluations and judgments on FACTS and not OPINIONS, we stand a better chance of offering a convincing argument. We all see the ‘truth” differently and reveal it in our own way. Some people have misinterpreted what I have said in my articles as putting down other people’s truths. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Only an opinion-educated mind and rhetoric addict would make that conclusion. You know who you are.

I have discovered a fantastic site that helps bring clarity to the cesspool of Republican Rhetoric. It removes the purported “spiritual” connection to their backwards policies and reveals their rhetoric in the true light of REALITY. It is theFBM.com. Led by Kerry Martin and his team of writers, they expose Republican Right Wing Rhetoric right out of the heart of Texas yahoo country. What guts! To speak the truth from the source of the RW stench (Bush Country) and backwards thinking makes their truths even more palatable. Kerry and his fellow writers are dedicated to researching facts, watching and listening to what politicians actually say and watch dogging censorship. If you want to sift through the layers of RW B.S. this is the place to go.

I sure hope they address Mr. Beck. After Beck’s fiasco if misreading the Constitution and its fees for slavery, the people in the town of Mt. Vernon, Washington (where Beck was born) have signed a petition to stop the Mayor from giving Beck the key to the city. The mayor has refused and in so doing has secured not being elected next term. I say, why not give Beck the key to the city. Perhaps he can use it to unlock the truth instead of promulgating his ADHD rhetoric and rantings on the American public. One thing I can say about Mr. Beck, he has modeled his approach after Howard Stern. When listeners were asked why they listened to Howard Stern they replied, “We listen because we don’t know what he is going to say next.” This came from both people who liked him and hated him. This type of appeal is based on sensationalism. Ordinary people seeking extraordinary events by vicarious participation. Exactly the goal of Republican Right Wing Rhetoric. I think Wii outta pay attention! If they sold a Republican Right Wing Rhetoric game they would make a fortune!

What if the Bible didn’t exist? (Part 1)

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:13:00 +0000

Recently, I conducted an interview with Dr. Witless Blather from D.C. Dr. Blather is well-known for his horrendous lack of talent and insight concerning the Bible. Following is a transcript of this interview:

DAB: Good Morning, Dr. Blather. You have been accused of not making any sense about Biblical prophecy, an inability to make a cogent argument and a complete arrogance about your opinion. Yet you claim to be a voice of reason concerning Biblical interpretation. What do you have to say about these judgments?

DWB: I have read the Bible many times and I study it much deeper than most. My arguments are based on the facts in the Bible and yes, I can get arrogant over my opinion. Thank you for the compliment.

DAB: I have a question I have asked several people lately and I wish to ask this question of you. What if the Bible didn’t exist?

DWB: Interesting question. I suppose that many people in this world would be lost. They wouldn’t have anything to base their lives on and the world would decay into chaos.

DAB: Why?

DWB: There would be no testament to the lives of the Biblical heroes and we would have no way to measure our lives against them. We would have to rely on other historical documents that don’t take into account the message that the Bible conveys.

DAB: And what message would that be?

DWB: That Jesus Christ is Lord.

DAB: Is that the only message the Bible conveys?

DWB: No, it conveys the lives, situations and problems that the Biblical heroes overcame by trusting in God.

DAB: I would like to ask you about particular aspects of the Bible. The Bible had originally been communicated mouth to mouth and then written down by man. It survived several translations that didn’t take geographic idioms, language nuances and agenda settings into account. How do respond to that?

DWB: That’s true. However, the Bible’s message is defined by Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide. Basically, the Bible in its entirety is directly from the mouth of God and that one attains eternal life through faith in God and not by one’s works. It is indisputable.

DAB: Why is it indisputable?

DWB: Because of Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide. No one has the right to dispute the holy word of God.

DAB: Says who?

DWB: God.

DAB: But man wrote down the supposed word of God. Don’t you take into account that man is notorious for amending concepts and ideas to suit his needs?

DWB: Yes, man did write down the word of God but God inspired him to write it down. Yes, I suppose it is possible for anyone who received inspiration from God to change its message, but the message has survived for several millennia.

DAB: Who decided that Sola Scriptura and Sola Fide were valid?

DWB: Martin Luther came to the awareness that the interpretation of the individual believer, and not the Catholic Church, was the only true religious authority. This was the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. He also said that one who appears to have faith and does not do good works never had faith at all!

DAB: That appears to be a circular argument. Wasn’t Martin Luther a person that hated the Jews for killing Christ? This seems contradictory to the message that Jesus taught.

DWB: Yes, he believed that the Jews should be relegated to having their properties and assets seized and should be treated as the least in the community. This was taken to the extreme by the Nazis.

DAB: So, let’s get this straight. Many Protestants believe two doctrines that were originated by a man with hatred in his heart; a man who decided that the Bible is the sole authority of God’s word and that faith in God is the sole way to eternal life. Something doesn’t seem right here. More to come…

What’s your favorite whine?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:50:00 +0000

All of us have something that happens every day that we don’t like. We might not like the way someone looked or reacted to us, the politics or religion of someone else or the results we have obtained at the end of the day. We have choices in regards to whether we react, do nothing or pro-act. If we react, we either run away from the problem or we attack it head on. If we do nothing, we either give ourselves the time necessary to evaluate or we tread water. If we pro-act, we evaluate the situation and find the best solution to the problem that is beneficial for everyone. Reaction comes in many forms. If we are the type of person who is aggressive we might choose immediately to fight a particular viewpoint or circumstance. If we are more passive, we might choose to remove ourselves from a person whose viewpoint we feel is erroneous. Doing nothing allows us the time to evaluate a situation and delay the necessary action we eventually need to take. For example, making the time for effective research about a particular subject to learn the FACTS and not just the OPINIONS of others. However, if we tread water long enough our spiritual “arms” and “legs” become tired. Procrastination in making an evaluation and delivering the subsequent actions can cause internal stress and physical maladies. Pro-acting affords us the best solution in that we take the time to evaluate a situation and not judge those involved in the situation.

Facts are observed or sensed things that actually exist or that have happened in the real world. Opinions are personal views, beliefs or judgments that provide certainty in conclusions for an individual as a result of observing facts. A person’s perspective and pre-conceived notions have a great deal to do with how they will arrive at their opinions. If they are at all confused about their opinions of the facts, they might procrastinate making a decision either hoping to achieve more clarity about the situation, or wishing that it would just go away. The latter is definitely fooling oneself. Situations and problems occur in our lives in order for us to grow and expand. It challenges our comfort zone and affords an opportunity for us to gain a greater perspective.

Evaluation of the facts requires us to utilize our senses in an organized fashion in order to see the balanced picture. In other words, a snapshot of reality. Judgment involves us to take the evaluations we have perceived and to create an opinion. Only through judgment can we see the validity or invalidity of the facts as we perceive them. If you feel powerless to act on your judgments you might retreat into your inner sanctum or start to whine about how things are. Whiners cry loud enough to force their opinions on those who don’t agree and seek those who agree with them in order to validate their opinions. Whining comes from uneasiness, discontentment and self-pity. In other words, a loser mentality.

What is your favorite whine? Is it because you think that our government is turning socialist and your opinion is based on others’ opinions and not the facts? Is it because you are lily white and you cannot take the fact that an African-American is president? Is it because you have read the Bible and it tells you we are coming to the end times and we need to be ready? Or is it because you just didn’t get your way? Was your ego so dominant that you couldn’t handle the FACT that most of the people in this country are tired of wars, hunger and corporate lies about health care reform and they want a positive change? It isn’t all about you, ya know. It’s about all of us. To the whiners out there, quit your whining. If you feel we need to go in a different direction then present a plan that involves incentives for people MORE than for corporate rape. Be a part of the solution instead of whining about it. Stop listening to morons who make up “facts” and see conspiracies in just about everything. Use the brain God has given you and be a part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Glenn Beck’s day of atonement

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Yom Kippur. The most important of Jewish holidays with emphasis on repentance and atonement for one’s sins against man and God. Fasting begins the night before (sundown is the beginning of the Jewish day) and carries on for a 25 hour period (September 27, 2009). After God determines the fate of each person for the coming year on Rosh Hashanah (last Friday, September 18, 2009), He seals his decision on Yom Kippur. As you can imagine, a most holy day for practicing Jews. No to be undone, Loose Lips Beck decided, in his miniscule brain, that he would declare a day of fasting and atonement for our country. Declaring the 9/12 March a must do he didn’t even show up at the event. He must have missed his dose of Prozac and Aderral for his ADHD condition. His neurons began firing at such a rapid rate that he must have felt the guilt for blatantly lying to the American people and felt that he needed to atone. But hey, why not make everyone atone and get great press in the process. What a sensationalist! Even Joe Scarborough of Morning Joe, says that Glenn Beck’s statements about race are generating hate amongst us and the Republicans need to distance themselves from him as fast as they can. Mike Barnicle of Morning Joe said GB is heading downward fast! Cut him loose!

So, let’s give GB the benefit of the doubt. He feels that he needs to help people understand what is truly going on. That, in itself, is admirable. I can imagine what he feels after lifting himself out of alcoholism and trying to manage his time with other activities. Activities that make him a great deal of money. But at what expense? As Keith Olbermann and now Joe Scarborough have said, that if GB incites his unstable followers to do anything, he is ultimately responsible. Wouldn’t therapy be a better outlet than inciting an unstable base to do things like camp out with cameras and automatic weapons at as military base and look for FEMA camps? Oh, I guess not. Just like Rupert Murdoch would say, “Argh.” Enough is enough people. When will you begin really looking at the issues and stop listening to sensationalists and morons! In Beck’s case, he has brought a new definition to the term moron.

Megalomaniac- obsessed with doing extravagant things and marked by delusions of greatness.

Ostentatious- tendencies to pretentious and conspicuous displays to impress others.

Reprehensible- all too deserving of rebuke and blame.

Oligarchous- or should we say OLIGARHY? A form of government where the dominant clique rules (Fixed Noise’s unfair and unbiased view of the news? LOL!)

Numbskull- a stupid person; a person who knows better but still insists that he’s right when he knows he isn’t.

Basically a moron who is a person who lacks good judgment. One who clearly sees the fact that if he takes the step forward the rake will hit him in the face? He knows this, but takes the step anyway. Boy that accurately describes Mr. Beck. Don’t you think it’s about time for Mr. Beck to atone for HIS sins? How dare he interrupt a high holy day of the Jews for his own agenda! Is it because he is a Mormon and there is an inherent lack of respect for the Jews within that church? Is it because he down deep inside wants to atone for his lies that he nightly perpetrates on the uninformed? Is it the medication or lack thereof that fires his neurons in a convoluted manner? Or is it the fact that he sees the rake and steps on it anyway? You decide. Pray for the enlightenment of GB and maybe, just maybe, God will answer our prayers.

Pre-conceived notions

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:18:00 +0000

As Victor Hugo once said, “Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake. “ Mr. Hugo was a great 19th century French poet, novelist and playwright whose works were incorporated by such greats as Verdi. Exposed to a variety of experiences he spoke about the qualities of life from a unique perspective (his father was a general under Napoleon). From success as a writer to banishment and ultimately public service, he maintained a decorum of steadfastness. His crowning work, Les Misérables (1862) speaks about the poor and social injustice. He was a human rights activist and a staunch believer in Republicanism. Through his writings a deep understanding is apparent about people and their pre-conceived notions. A pre-conceived notion is an opinion formed prior to an event or experiment without adequate evidence to back it up. It is what science calls tainting the experiment.

Courage is the a quality of your spirit that enables you to face danger or pain without showing any fear. He suggests that we have courage when we face the great sorrows of life and to have patience for the lesser sorrows. Patience is a good-natured tolerance of the delays in life or the incompetence of someone’s behavior. In other words, not reacting with anger and fear but with confidence and strength. Every day we all have our various chores to do. We go to work, we maintain our homes and we raise our children. Hopefully we make the time for personal edification on our journey through life. At the end of our day Mr. Hugo tells us to go to sleep in peace; confident in the wisdom that God is awake and minding the store. Do you believe that God is alive and awake? Have you felt His presence within you lately? Do you feel the loss or pain that other human beings feel due to their circumstances? Or do you just whisk your way by and look at them with disdain?

We are all living and breathing creatures that exist in a world of interdependence. We need each other to build a society where the understanding of the lesser of us is just as valid as the greater. All people should have access to education, health care and a level playing field. We are all created equal. We lose our equality when we don’t diligently strive to be the best we can be. Opportunities for all create a level playing field. When prejudice and cronyism rear their ugly heads segregation creeps in. No one has the right to make their decisions about the playing field based on race, religion, creed or national origin. But yet, every day we see the results of such prejudices disguised as issues. In order to see the truth you have to see into the hearts of people. How do you do this? It’s simple. What fruits do they bear? Are they surrounded by lack and limitation? Are they a loner or do they have great friends? Do they give of themselves to others or do they hoard for themselves? Just as Jesus cursed the fig tree for not bearing fruit, we should remove ourselves from those who don’t bear fruit. We need to have courage in dealing with people who only look out for themselves. We need to have patience with those who quietly support them or those who can’t make up their minds.

We must end our day in peace and let go of any pre-conceived notions we have accumulated during the course of the day. These notions become our reality when we think about them often and develop a belief that they are real. Let go of these notions and go to sleep in peace, knowing that God is awake within you and outside of you as well. Trust in Him to guide and direct your life to become the best that you can be. As the saying goes, “It’s all good.” Release the burdens of the day knowing that God is operating in your life whether you feel it or not. God is awake!

Fire it up; are you ready?

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:43:00 +0000

President Barack Obama delivered one of his best speeches yesterday at the University of Maryland. He told a story of how an elderly lady kept repeating the title of this story until he felt fired up. Early in his run for the presidency, he promised a South Carolina state representative that he would visit her hometown of Greenwood. When he arrived to give the speech at Greenwood, SC, he was tired from the campaign trail. But this lady kept on repeating, “Fire it up; are you ready?” It was infectious to him and his campaign staff. Sometimes when you are tired and weary someone steps up to the plate and motivates you. In my case, it has been the many readers who have supported my position concerning the lies and manipulations of the right wing base. This occurred many times during the presidential campaign and even John McCain got to the point where he couldn’t take it anymore when he told the flustered blonde haired lady that Obama was not an Arab and was a decent family man.

All of this form of bashing is nothing more than rhetoric and distraction. If you keep people looking in one direction long enough, they won’t see what is happening elsewhere. When it comes to health care reform what is truly important? Protecting the rights of the insurance companies to gouge us for profits or to help our fellow man? Isn’t that the message that Christ taught? Didn’t he say that if someone knocks on your door and you refuse him that you are refusing Christ? And yet, the right wing base quotes the Bible when they have absolutely NO CLUE as to what it means. They follow fear-mongerers like Glenn Beck who proselytize yahoos with Biblical misinterpretations and rhetoric to support their weak position. These people are the worse form of leaders because they actually believe their own lies. Using bits and pieces of fact they construct an image of fear to support a view that segregates people from their inherent divine heritage. We are all children of God and we are His most prized creation. Anyone who tells you differently is lying and manipulating you at best.

I have been and examiner since April of this year and have published 75 articles. In my discourse, I have tried to emphasize the translations, geographic idioms and language nuances that are associated with the current state of the Bible. At best, what we read is something that has gone through many people at first mouth to mouth and ultimately written down hand to hand. If you believe that everything in the Bible is directly from the mouth of God you are fooling yourself. You are basing your whole life on a book that was constructed to keep the constituency of the various churches in check; to make the priests and ministers middle men between you and God. This I refer to as Literary Authoritarianism.

God is within each and every one of us and we don’t require or need a book or someone else to be one with God. Every day that you express love and compassion for your fellow man you are LIVING God. You are expressing the expansion of the universe. There is one thing that physicists will tell you for sure and that is that this universe is constantly expanding. Conservatism restricts expansion because it believes that the old ways were good enough and that we shouldn’t change them. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Our constitution was designed to be a dynamic document that would grow as its people grew. Not stagnate with old ways that worked at one point in history but no longer work now.

I posted an article the other day that the editors of the examiner removed. I was taught to respect the wishes of someone else in their home and I will abide by their request of me to no longer attack the position of another examiner. However, I feel compelled to refute what is being taught to what I refer to as an unstable base. Therefore, I have taken my responses to this examiner off of this site and have obtained another piece of virtual real estate to continue my watch dog efforts. If any of my readers or his readers would like to investigate this discourse, then please go here. Yes, I am fired up and yes I am ready. I will not remain tight lipped when I believe many are being misled. Thank you to all of my readers for your support and kind words. I will continue to relay information about Spirituality in this forum and will direct my rebuttals to the other forum. May God bless all of you.

Wimerwhiners, Part 2

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Welcome to the new blog solely dedicated to the opposition of right wing blogger Keith Wimer of examiner.com. I am the Spirituality examiner for examiner.com and became exposed to Mr. Wimer’s blog during the summer of 09. Mr. Wimer’s bio states the following:”Keith became a follower of the Christian faith in 1996 and since then has carefully read the Bible cover to cover many times. In addition to general Bible study, Keith has perused the texts of other world religions (including the Qur'an) with an emphasis on attainting an understanding of how the topic of "eschatology" -- understood to mean the study of so-called "end times" -- varies therein. Over the past ten years, Keith has read nearly a hundred books presenting various positions on eschatology. Additionally, he has deliberated at length upon such topics as cosmology, evolutionary theory, and Christian apologetics.” In his 13 short years of religious studies he has come to a unique right wing perspective of the universe as a whole. Wow! 13 years. How impressive! Hogwash. This person has manipulated and directed his readership to a space where they have no clue of the truths hidden within the Bible and the Qur'an. When you study anything with a pre-conceived notion, you will always find things that will support your position.

Eschatology is the study of the end times. Throughout human history we have had eschatological theories perpetrated upon believers in order to keep believers in line with a religious group’s beliefs. It is the preaching of fear by fear mongerers. Playing to his right wing base, Mr. Wimer, article after article, supports right wing nuts like Glenn Beck. And no wonder. As I say in the tag line of this blog, “A blog dedicated to refuting the erroneous claims by the right wing blogger and Glenn Beck supporter Keith Wimer. His brand of inciting his unstable base needs to be countered by intelligence and forthright opinion.” After experiencing the wrath of Mr. Wimer’s commenters, I assure you, they are unstable. I have collated their inciteful (misspelling intentional) comments for any reader who would like to view them. Just leave a comment with your email and I will forward them to you. Why? Because we need to see and understand that there are unstable people in this world who will go to any length to assert their position; i.e. going to town halls with handguns. These people are uninformed, blind and self-righteous about their position and listen to morons like Mr. Wimer.

This blog is the result of the whining of Mr. Wimer. After an article I wrote entitled, “Wimerwhiners, Part 1, Mr. Wimer reported me to the Examiner claiming that I was not being professional in my attacks on his ludicrous position. I was informed by the Examiner that it was inappropriate for me to attack another examiner and they refused to re-post my article. They removed the article and I have re-posted it here as Wimerwhiners: Part 1. In this article I list the points where I agree with Mr. Wimer. In fact, the tone of the article is not egregious at all. Yet, it was taken down by the editors of the Examiner. I was taught to respect someone in their house and I replied to my section leader with a notice that I would respect his wishes. However, since Mr. Wimer has gotten away with spewing his vitriol against me with impunity, I have had no choice but to acquire a new piece of virtual real-estate, this blog, in which to refute his erroneous claims. Mr. Wimer’s form of self-righteous indignation is dangerous at best. I would like to thank the Examiner for the professional manner in which they handled the debate between Mr. Wimer and I, however, the fact remains that he has whined and cried at the fact that I caught him in his lies and he can’t take it. I say to him; if you can’t take the heat, then get out of the kitchen. I am not the only one who has caught Mr. Wimer in his lies. Please visit Kerry Martin at thefbm.com and read his words. Compare his 13 years of research with my lifetime of living and studying the Word and there is no comparison. Yet, he sits on his self-appointed throne of readership with his court jesters saying yes to his every word without investigating where his word came from. This is the worst form of truth-bating and those who follow it are doomed to a life of ignorance and fate.

Those who preach fear will reap fear. Please, read the fear of his followers as they spew their support for a person who does not completely research his findings; just like his hero Glenn Beck. In article after article he uses Biblical references to support his weak conservative position without any care to the fact that he is inciting and unstable base of people who don’t research the Bible and who blindly take his word for what it means. This is the most dangerous form of posturing and that is why I have created this blog. As time permits, I will examine and respond to his blitherings here in order to challenge and enlighten those who seek the truth and not conservative white-washing. Welcome to a blog where a debate is welcome and censorship is not allowed. Speak you mind whether you agree with me or not. And here you won’t have to worry about Mr. Wimer’s whining. It will NOT influence the outcome of this blog.

Wimerwhiners: Part 1

webproducer@hotmail.com (Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:52:00 +0000

I have been anxiously waiting to begin this series on those commenters who frequent Keith Wimer’s column on Religion & Politics, as well as the refutation of Mr. Wimer’s eschatological conclusions based the Bible, Nostradamus, et. al. Something of this magnitude requires a significant amount of time digging in the dirt, so to speak, but the fruits of my labors will expose the eschatology for the sensationalism that it truly represents; sensationalism based on fear. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then it is a duck. You can anthropomorphize the duck to the Nth degree, but in the light of reality you will see an animal that paddles with its feet and dives for its food.

In his article entitled “Glenn Beck: a chink in the armor” Mr. Wimer asserts that Glenn (Watsamatta U) Beck’s “unflinching promotion of traditional American values” through “incisive and well-researched interviews” makes him “worthy of a degree of admiration.” This is laughable at best since Mr. Beck takes facts and creates conspiracies like speed freaks read FBI marching orders on the oblique in daily newspaper columns. With any set of facts one can read just about any agenda into anything. Glenn Beck is a master at this! Mr. Wimer continues his discourse on John Hagee, the end of days clown who has repeatedly proclaimed the end of the world without success. Keith correctly pins down John Hagee for his “scandalous past” and Glenn Beck for being “responsible for the content of his program.” Whether Beck’s staff “didn’t bother to check the man’s credentials or didn’t find them germane” is my case in point. Jesus said emphatically that “no one will know” the end of days. Since we are “no one”, then it is safe to assume none of us will know.

Mr. Wimer further asserts, correctly, Hagee’s interpretations of current events into signs of the coming apocalypse as “hogwash.” I will go one step further and assert that St. John’s vision of The Revelation of Jesus Christ as being nothing but delusions of a sick and dying man trying to instill fear on those who had persecuted him. What better way to get even with those who were more powerful physically and politically than him; if this were not the case, then why was he hiding out in a cave on the Isle of Patmos in 90 C.E.? Just as I challenge the visions of Joseph Smith of Moses and Jesus I challenge the vision of St. John the Beloved. Science teaches you that if you cannot prove something by re-creating an experiment, then it cannot be accepted as fact; whether written authoritatively or not. Mr. Wimer continues with Biblical assertions made by some Christians which don’t have any basis in the written word. His points are as follows:

“A future uber-evil leader of a one world government (a.k.a. New World Order, a.k.a. "Revived Roman Empire") commonly referred to as the Antichrist. (Nope)

A future seven year tribulation period. (Not to be found)

Nuclear warfare. The battles fought in the Bible, especially the one that is supposed to happen at the climax of human history, Armageddon, are all fought with ancient weaponry, e.g. bows, arrows, swords, men on horseback, etc. hence each has already happened in the PAST!

Israel becoming a nation again, the temple being rebuilt therein, the reinstitution of the sacrificial system, as in animal sacrifices. (The Bible is eerily silent about these matters)

A future seven year tribulation period. (Not to be found)

A multi-stage second (or third) advent of Christ, inaugurated by this made up thing called "the rapture". (Nope, it can’t be found in the Bible either)

Christ reigning from a throne in Jerusalem (Uh, sorry, look as you dare, you won’t find it)

Modern day geopolitical sovereignties such as Russia, China, Iran. (Hello? Simply not there)”

Mr. Wimer’s above points are correct according to my research. However, inferences to #8 are debatable due to some scholars’ assertions that the Tribes of Israel and their descendants are manifested in European, Middle-Eastern and Asiatic countries. As for dispensationalism, God relates to human beings as his most prized creation. His message has been the same since the beginning of our time on this planet; it is how we perceive it that has changed. Mr. Wimer states that “Christianity seems imbecilic to those who don’t already understand its simple straightforward meaning.” I couldn’t agree more. Mr. Wimer focuses his attention on “those who misappropriate the teachings in order to line their own pockets and otherwise muddy the waters for personal reasons.” We agree. So far, so good. Not for long, however. His last statement reflects both John Hagee and Glenn Beck to a tee! More to come…

For more info: Download my free Wilmington Spirituality Examiner toolbar. “Life is a gift. Be thankful for it and it will be replete with abundance. Encourage others to express creativity, release negativity and embrace pro-activity." ©2009 Dean A. Banks. All Rights Reserved. Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.