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About three-fourths of
Americans believe in heaven and hell, but almost one-fourth say they
have "no idea" what will happen after they die, a study by the
Barna Research Group shows.
Researchers
found 76 percent of respondents believe heaven exists and 71 percent
believe there is a hell. Just half of 1 percent of adults said
they expect to go to hell when they die, while 64 percent predicted they
will end up in heaven. But researchers found many were not so sure of
their post-death destination. Twenty-four percent said they have
"no idea" what will happen after they die. -
Texas Baptist News-journal, 10/31/03
One
of the misconceptions of the Law of Attraction, is that everything that
happens to us, we have attracted to ourselves. Those who teach
this have not fully realized that there is only One Mind ... and that
Mind Is God. There is no separation from our individual mind and
the minds of everyone ... we are all using the One Mind. Does this
mean that others choose for us? ... no, not at a "conscious"
level ... but our individual awareness is influenced by the thoughts and
ideas of others ... on a subjective level. This is evidenced
by the "moods" that we sometimes experience when we wake up in
the morning and we can't figure out why we feel the way we do.
And, I believe this has much to do with the level of depression that
some people experience. The "collective belief" of the
masses, is the "cause" behind many of the illnesses and other
discord that many people experience. Attributing the Law of
Attraction as the sole cause of why someone has a certain experience ...
is a false idea ... and it is mal-practice of a spiritual Truth.
Since we are all influenced to some degree
by this "collective belief" of the masses, it is important to
be aware in "shifts" in this collective belief. The
study from the Barna Research Group from 2003, is evidence of the
negativity of this collective belief. A belief in heaven and hell,
out there ... somewhere ... are both negative in nature. For no
matter how pious someone may be ... there is still uncertainty as to
their final destination after they exit this life experience. And
this uncertainty affects the collective belief. How do we counter
this collective belief? ... in the Bible we can read, "pray without
ceasing" ... and as we know prayer is thinking towards the Good, or
God ... it is still the most successful way in which to defy the
collective belief in negativity ... that and to become more aware of the
evolution of thought about heaven and hell that is being evidenced in
the world.
A few months ago I wrote a piece on
Rev. Carlton Pearson and his "Gospel of Inclusion" ... in
which he states that everyone will be "redeemed by God" ... no
matter what they have done on this plane of Life. He lost his
church, his money and his prestige ... especially among conservative
Christian leaders ... including Pastor Ted Haggard. Unbowed by
such rejection, Mr. Pearson maintains that he’s on the leading edge of
what will eventually become mainstream theology. “Within the
next five years, everyone will be preaching inclusion,” he says.
Rev. Pearson's teaching is influencing the collective beliefs.
Just recently ABC Television's,
"Outsiders" program focused on another minister ... Jose de
Jesus. Jose de Jesus has reached over 30 countries, has more than
350 educational centers, his own TV and radio satellite channels, 300+
TV and radio programs ... and a ministry of millions of followers
growing in numbers everyday. He says that he is the new Jesus
Christ and his followers believe him. For many people, Jose de
Jesus, appears to be crass or too bazaar to pay any attention to him.
But, if we look past the "appearance" ... and look at what he
is teaching, Jose de Jesus is teaching the Law of Attraction, the Law of
Right Action, Cause and Effect, God as Mind ... and that we connect with
God in our Mind ... he teaches that there is no hell, no sin, and no
devil. His teaching is changing the beliefs of millions of people
... and this change in beliefs affects the collective beliefs that we
all are influenced by.
Do I ascribe to the teachings of Rev.
Carlton Pearson or Jose de Jesus ... no .. and yes. I don't
believe in throwing out the baby with the bathwater, so I am willing to
look beyond the "surface" stuff ... and accept from them what
I believe is true and real ... and leave the rest. But most of
all, I applaud them for standing for something ... and for being willing
to be criticized and even ostracized for what they believe. Both
have said they received a "revelation from God" ... and who
can say they have not?
"The Secret" which is getting lots of
attention, especially in New Thought and New Age circles, also creates a
shift in the collective consciousness. It is exposing the masses
to a new idea, The Law of Attraction, and about their relationship with
the things they desire and the Universe in which they live.
"The Secret" is not religion, but it does make a demand upon
those who choose to use it successfully to follow a certain pattern of
thinking ... and the good news is, this pattern of thinking is towards
the Good.
We are all accepting a
greater and greater Truth of our relationship with God and God's
relationship with the Universe in which we live. Rev. Carlton
Pearson, Jose de Jesus, and "The Secret" are shifting the
collective consciousness. And if we think them bizarre and totally
discount all that they teach ... what do we think people of ancient
times thought when they saw Isaiah preaching naked for three years ...
or Jesus from Nazareth proclaiming, "I and the Father are
One"? ... God works through all things and all people in Its
own mysterious ways. Personally, I am grateful to almost any
teacher that points us to the Good and away from sin and Satan ... or a
heaven and hell out there somewhere ... and I know that each of you has
the wisdom to discern what is Truth and what is not. This
experience on Earth is a great gift ... and we own it to ourselves to
accept a Life worth living!
AND SO IT IS!
Keep
the faith!
Rev. Hank
Bates
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