Post by pitbull on Nov 14, 2008 7:10:36 GMT -5
DAILY WISDOM
“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” [Proverbs 14:5]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
FOUR THINGS I KNOW
1 Corinthians 10:1; 12:1; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13; 2 Peter 3:8
1. I know that the Bible is the Word of God.
• “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” [John 17:17]
• “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” [Matthew 4:4]
• “And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live.” [Deuteronomy 8:3]
2. I know that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
• “And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [Matthew 16:16]
• “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2The same was in the beginning with God…And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” [John 1:1, 14]
• “I and my Father are one.” [John 10:30]
• “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” [Philippians 2:6]
3. I know that I am saved.
• “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” [1 Corinthians 1:18]
• “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” [Philippians 1:6]
• “For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” [2 Timothy 1:12]
• “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” [1 John 5:11-13]
4. I know that I am called to preach.
• “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” [2 Peter 1:10]
• “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” [1 Timothy 4:12]
• “Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.” [1 Corinthians 7:20]
• “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,” [Ephesians 4:1]
• “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.” [Jeremiah 1:4-5]
RELIGIOUS AWARENESS
SATANISM, AN EVALUATION
I. FACTS OF SATANISM
A. HISTORY
It existed long before Christian church began to spread. It began to grow with the decline of the medieval society. New cults (e.g. Luciferians and Templars) appeared on the scene. They were prevalent in Europe from about 1250 to 1700. Due to fear, the church began to retaliate. During the 16th and 17th centuries, tens of thousands of accused witches and Satanists were put to death. Many were tortured into confession and condemned without sufficient evidence. It declined and then went underground for a few centuries.
Satanism began to be revived around the beginning of the 20th century. Modern Satanism has received much of its impetus from 19th century literature, from its rebellion against Victorian values, especially in relation to sex, and from its fierce hatred against Christianity. Satanism is the reversal of Christian and conventional values. Aleister Crowley (1875-1947) was an important part in revival of black arts. He made pact with Satan and referred to self as the "Great Beast" of Revelation. He and his disciples were heavily into drugs, demonism, and sexual perversions. Crowley loathed Christianity to the point where he baptized a toad as Jesus Christ and solemnly crucified the toad. "Do what thou wilt" was the philosophy of Aleister Crowley.
Since then, it has found increasing number of adherents in Europe and America. More books on the subject are available to the general public than ever before. Some high schools and colleges offer courses on witchcraft, magic, and occultism.
Anton La Vey (born 1930) founded the First Church of Satan in San Fransisco.
He is the author of the Satanic Bible. Satan symbolizes a force which can be tapped into to achieve power and success. Sexual indulgence and hedonism play a central role in La Vey's satanic rituals. "Satanism advocates practicing a modified form of the Golden Rule," says Anton La Vey in the Satanic Bible. "Our interpretation of this rule is 'Do unto others as they do unto you.'" Other quotes from the Satanic Bible include:
"Blessed are the strong for they shall possess the earth."
"If a man smite you on the cheek, smash him on the other."
Modern Satanism can be roughly divided into two branches: Luciferians and Palladists. The Luciferians believe evil is good; and the Devil (or dark forces) can offer abundant material life, together with the obtaining of all material desires, by yielding to every temptation without thought of morality, self-sacrifice, or duty to others. The Palladists, however, openly worship the Devil as such, taking their stand by the goat Deity (Baphomet of the Templars) and wallowing in evil for its own sake.
Besides these two groups exists the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a group of people who are directly controlled by and worship Satan, with two major centers in the United States, one in the Los Angeles-San Fransisco area, and another in the mid-western United States. It is extremely secretive. All written records (even blood signed oaths) are burned by the high priests and high priestesses. The Brotherhood practices human sacrifice several times a year and animal sacrifice on a monthly basis.
B. SATANIC PRACTICES
Some Satanist groups are more "orthodox" in their views of Satan than others. Some see him as a spirit being with an intellect, will, and emotions. Others see him only as a symbol of a dark force of nature that can be mobilized for personal gain. The variation in the practice of Satanism, but the following information is general among all sects.
Satanism is a direct perversion of Christianity. Satan is substituted for God. Servants imitate and mock Christian practices and institutions. Satanists generally organize into local covens of 13 members (a parody of Christ and His 12 Apostles).
A coven consist of men and women, and is headed by high priests and priestesses. Members are required to attend weekly (usually Friday nights). Monthly meetings are known as esbat. Special meetings (larger and less frequent) are called sabbats or grand sabbats (derived from the word Sabbath. There are innumerable variation in the order and content of meetings, ranging from silliness and clowning to great seriousness and horror. They are often held outdoors in remote locations (preferably in a clump of trees and near a source of water). The meetings are held at night, usually beginning around midnight and lasting until dawn.
Special attire may include black robes, animal skins, ritual masks, or nothing at all. The worshippers usually stand in a large circle with a mystical symbolism. In old accounts, the devil would appear as a tall man, goat, bull, or cat and worshippers would offer him candles and kiss his posterior in a perverse act of homage.
Early in the meetings, a general confession (renounce any good deeds done) takes place. Next is a primitive or degraded ritual dance (act of devotion) with discordant and bizarre music used so the dancers to attempt to achieve estatic frenzy. This is followed by a sexual orgy and feast (preceded by blasphemous "grace"). During the feast, participants mock moderation by stuffing themselves. Following the feast is black mass: strictly prescribed rituals and rites. Some of the rituals use Latin and in a few cases renegade Catholic priests participate. Black mass opens with group renunciation of God and Jesus Christ followed by blasphemous sermon. Worshipers use some kind of missal (either manuscript or printed) and a few missals are bound in human skin, usually that of an unbaptized infant. Christian hymns are sung backwards or in the name of Lucifer, Beelzebub, and other demons.
Accoutrements may include various black vestments, "holy water" (usually including urine), black candles, toads, inverted crucifixes, torches burning with sulfurous blue flame, incense, crucibles which burn nightshade (belladonna), perfumed material, and sulfur. Houses used for black mass usually have a special room with a permanent alter (covered in black), dark curtains, and symbolic images of the devil. Stolen items from Catholic churches are frequently used.
Almost always, a naked girl (representing the sacrifice) lies on the altar during this portion of the sabbat. She is not killed, but a ceremonial animal sacrifice (perhaps a dog or cat) is offered to the devil. The animal is killed above her and the blood is allowed to spill on her body. In rare cases, an unbaptized human infant is sacrificed (more common a few hundred years ago). It used to be easier to get babies through midwives, purchase, or a member's own offspring.
Meetings usually include an opportunity for members to express grievances against enemies and cast vengeful spells. The practices during this part of the meeting often lead to violent crimes.
Another key part is the recruitment of new members. They are promised knowledge, wealth, power, honor, pleasure, and vengeance on their enemies if they become devotees to the devil. Initiation of new members requires a pact or contract usually signed in the blood of the initiate. The contract binds the initiate with blasphemous oaths to service of the dark powers for life or for a number of years. The books signed in blood are kept in secret by chief officer of coven or grandmaster of district. Satanists are involved in a hierarchy of four to five stages (the fifth level is known as Illuminati). Initiate usually undergo a perverse baptism (usually consist of water, salt, and sulfur). Sexual intercourse is often involved in initiation ceremony. The initiate may receive a small devil's mark on a normally hidden part of the body.
II. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND
1. Many diverse phenomena are subsumed under the category of Satanism. Much is superstitious and psychological, but a significant number of related phenomena cannot be explained apart from the supernatural. Both the Old Testament and the New Testament allude to Satanism and witchcraft, and all forms of both are denounced. The Bible acknowledges the reality and power behind it, but emphasizes that this power is limited, unlike the power of God. His followers (willing and unwilling) are able to imitate God's power, as demonstrated by the Egyptian sorcerers. But God's power through Moses overtook their "miracles" (e.g. the rods changing into serpents).
2. Satan's gifts are never free. Those willing to receive them often become his slaves, whether they like it or not. Unlike servants of Christ, the servants of Satan are not free; they are controlled by malicious forces.
3. People get into it to seek some or all of the following benefits:
a. Power over people and things; an ability to manipulate one's environment and circumstances for his own end. In reality, only God (Creator of everything and everyone) has the power to control the universe and everything in it.
b. Mystery. For most people religion has lost the mysterious communion with the supernatural. Satanism claims to be an alternative; it provides experiences with the eerie and unknown. It offers something out of the ordinary: the spice of adventure with the occult world. God is truly the mysterious Being, unlike Satan. It is impossible to comprehend an infinite Trinity with our finite minds. But we can understand a fallen archangel , namely Lucifer.
c. Sexual indulgence and gratification of the drive for pleasure. Both of these are forbidden by the Scriptures.
d. Financial success. "The love of money is the root of all evil."
e. Knowledge through divination and communication with higher powers. We are to ask God for all true wisdom and knowledge. And we are to pray only to God.
f. Pride and intellectual arrogance. Remember, pride is what caused Satan to fall from grace and loose his position of being second only to God in the universe.
g. Means rebelling against the restraints of society. In a pragmatic sense, Satanism actually works in enough cases to attract people. "...We ought to obey God rather than men."
4. Satan is now the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31; 16:11). He fell because of his pride and desire to be equal with God. Many Satanists have given themselves over to Satan as their master, creator, and god. His followers pray to him, work "miracles" through demonic power, and "prophesy" (practice divination). He acts as a counterfeit to God and demands that demons and humans worship him. He even tried to get Jesus Christ to worship him, but lost the challenge. He also lost against a man [Job] that he tried to cause to forsake God after being given the authority to do anything but take his life. Job was an Old Testament saint that did not have the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit as we do now as New Testament believers. We have the power of God at direct access to defeat Satan instead of depending on our own strength.
SOURCES
1. Bible [KJV]
2. Phil Phillips and Joan Hake Robie. Halloween and Satanism (1987).
3. Kenneth Boa. Cults, World Religions, and the Occult (1977).
4. Personal knowledge from friends involved in Satanism and the Occult.