Growing Up With Hate Disguised As Love

Written By Don Shetterly

As a kid, we went to church, every Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night and any other day there were activities.  Church services and prayer meetings were the norms for our lives.  Days and meals were planned around it.  No one was exempt from going, and you were expected to be there.


In each prayer meeting or church service, the participants (our family included) talked about loving one another.  We talked about how we were somehow different from all the rest of the population.  We talked about how we were holier than all the rest of the people living on the planet.

We tried to be good people and do the right thing most of the time.  We sought to be honest, upstanding, loving, kind and generous when we could We put our offering in the collection plate and sometimes I saw my dad give their entire life's savings while we starved, but we were doing it in the name of all that was holy.

Not Gossip - It Was Prayer Requests...

We didn't mind the gossip that went on in the church because we didn't call it that.  Instead, we referred to it as prayer requests.  We'd offer up prayers in the circle while many would raise eyebrows at hearing the news of various participants.  That was okay though because we were praying about it of course.

We would get back in the car to leave the church service or prayer meeting and boy that is when the discussion of the prayer requests (a.k.a gossip) would start up with intensity.  It was as if there were only a few minutes to discuss it.  I would listen as my parents talked without a pause.

It would bother me, but you didn't dare stand up and say anything for fear of being beat.  You couldn't expose the error in what family was doing because you got it when you got home.  I just had to sit there and listen to it while it made my stomach turn.  Yet, we were a loving family who was special and went to church.  Gossip was something others did.

With the same breaths of love and kindness, we would turn our attention to all those that we disagreed with from our neighbors to other members of the church.  The minister, of course, was not exempt with this, but because it was in the secrecy of our car and home, no harm was done.  After all, we proved that we had love for one another.

Didn't Know Our Actions Were Hate Filled...

If people thought differently than what the ruler in our family proclaimed as the law, we despised them and distanced ourselves from them.  You could say that we hated them, but then no one would have admitted that in this moment or at any time.  For we were Christians.  We were called by God so we could not have hate.  We didn't know that our actions were hate filled.

Never mind the domestic violence and child sexual abuse that was going on in the family.  Never mind that the thought of sparing the rod and spoiling the child was enacted to the extreme.  These were regular parts of our family while we acted as if we loved everyone and hated no one.

I escaped from that life, and it was not easy to leave it behind.  Because of other situations in my life with healing from Conversion Disorder, I had to walk away from my entire family to save my life.  I was cast out as a son that was brainwashed by psychiatrists who didn't know that his family loved him.  I was shoved aside until I came to my senses.  All the loyalty that had been demanded of me throughout my life was now cut off because I no longer lived by the family code I grew up with as a kid.

My Family Still Practices Hate...

To this day, I see those in my family who still practice the hate.  They disguise it as love, but the hate has blinded their hearts.  They no longer can tell a difference.  It is sad observing it from outside the family.  Some days, I can barely believe this is the family I grew up in.

I see things happening in the world and our country which reminds me of those years I have longed to forget.  The one-way loyalty and the hate disguised as love.  The superiority of some as they lift themselves up over the ones they have trampled.  I see a disdain for what is really the truth, hidden by everything under the sun that is not.

If you tried to confront anyone about this, they would laugh and spit in your face.  Yet, the same people puff themselves up as the arbitrators of truth, justice, and love.  Instead, the judgment shown by most people towards others, even the ones that cloak it with some love, is one of the most hurtful things you can do towards another.

I grew up in the church and the family that judged everyone while we smiled, hugged them, and told them, "I Love You!"  We thought we were the best that life had to offer.  We thought we were right and everyone else was wrong.  As I've put distance in my healing from my family, I realized just how wrong we were.  We were not only part of the problem, but we were the problem.

No one wants to look hard into their own life and see the garbage then need to throw out the window.  No one wants to acknowledge their actions and thoughts and words as being not only part of the problem but the problem facing this world.  Everyone is quick to judge everyone but themselves, and I weep at the sadness of this behavior.

Living life in this world is not always easy but the more we hide our heads in the sand, duck behind the knowledge of truth, the more we make it an arduous journey.  We're not as great as we proclaim because a great life is seen through actions, not words.  We can speak the words, but if we do not live the life that we preach, we are nothing more than a clanging gong.

What is in our heart and mind and body is what we display to the world.  We can mask our hate and project it on to everyone else, but until we go in and search our own heart and mind, we will be part of the problem.  Let us open our eyes and become aware of what we truly do, not what we say to convince the world.

I work each day to de-program my mind from the brainwashing I endured as a kid.  I work each day to love others through my heart and actions, not just the words I write or say.  Every day, I strive to release all the toxicity and poison that was pumped into me as I was taught the truths of life.  I am the only one that can change how I live my life now.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
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You Must Think Like Me

When growing up, we were mind controlled every way.  From the fundamentalist church we went to and the family I grew up in, the unwritten rule and code of the day was YOU MUST THINK LIKE ME!

Now the inhabitants of the family and the church would never admit to this.  They would say I was crazy.  They would say I was brainwashed.  In fact, it isn't that they just would say these things, but they have already made sure our friends know that I"m crazy and brainwashed.  I've been ostracized by everyone that knew me.

You see, I didn't accept all of this belief any longer.  I challenged it.  I questioned it.  I didn't just subscribe to the mind control philosophy of YOU MUST THINK LIKE ME.

They didn't like that.  They tried further countermeasures but those didn't work.  They escalated the countermeasures through every means possible and yet those didn't work.  When they could not control and manipulate my mind anymore, they continued to pester me every day with hurtful assaults and comments.

I had to walk away...

In my case, I finally had to walk away from the family.  I had to leave it behind.  There was no way I was going to accept the mind control that they were forcing upon me.  I didn't want to subscribe to their views and beliefs that YOU MUST THINK LIKE ME!

Yet, today in this country and world, I see the continuation of the mind control methods being employed.  People look at one another and state, YOU MUST THINK LIKE ME or I won't be your friend or I won't have anything to do with you or I will ridicule you.

Off with your head...

It is epidemic that we have gotten to a place where we hate one another so much because of some position the other person holds.  It doesn't matter what position it is, there is no coming together and no balance.  It is all about thinking like what you believe, or off with your head!

Social media displays this far more than most things.  In fact, I think it is more efficient showing the hatred for one another than even the churches or mind controlling families like my own.  You see it every day and if you don't, you're not opening your eyes.

Why is it that our way is the only right way.  Why is it that YOU MUST THINK LIKE I DO or you are wrong?  Why is it that we cannot even begin to entertain something different than what we believe?

No way to learn from others...

There is no way to grow as a person if you only see things in one dimension.  There is no way to learn from others if you see all that hold different view points as the enemy or the losers or the ones that are horrible people and scum of the earth.  There is no way to rise to higher moments in our world if all we do is stand opposed to one another.

If what we believe and think is so solid, it will stand.  We will be able to accept differing viewpoints without harming our foundation.  Yet, if our foundation is something that is not strong or we do not have confidence in, then we will not feel as if we can stand with others who think differently.

Thinking differently and allowing ourselves to entertain those thoughts is essential to being human.  It is required for us to grow.  It is necessary for our survival.

When you look at life as "YOU MUST THINK LIKE ME", than you're limiting humanity and holding all of us in a prison of our own making.  May we shake this attitude that is so pervasive across all communities and peoples and see how we can come together for our common good.

If all of our ideas were right and all other ideas are wrong, will we ever make it into a new millennium or will we be the downfall of our own civilization.  We will destroy our own by thinking we know all and everyone else is wrong?

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Those Gossip Hour Prayer Meetings

I grew up in this and so I'm writing from my experiences.  While it is my experiences, I see plenty of evidence that it happens in many other places right under the noses of those who claim it does not.  Yes, I'm talking about those gossip hour prayer meetings.

Growing up, we'd be in church on Sunday morning.  Praising Jesus, sharing and fellow-shipping with one another and enjoying all that God had given us.  We were happy to help one another and be uplifting.  We would pray for the lost souls that had not found their way to Jesus.

As the music played and the minster spoke, we would fill our hearts with wonder and amazement at new insights presented to us based upon the scriptures.  We would walk out of the church feeling so wonderful and loved and blessed.

Then, it happened!

It was when we got in the car, that everything changed.  All of the sudden you would hear, "did you know Sam's brother was an alcoholic?"  "Did you know that Teresa and Joe were not married, but they have two kids together?"  "I was shocked to learn that the Donarays were struggling in their marriage!"  By all means, "the Jackson boy told his parents he was gay!"  (all names are fictional to illustrate a point)

These are only a few of the examples I would hear from my own parents and family.  We weren't alone, because as a kid I loved to listen to the adult conversations.  Heck, some of these people wouldn't even wait to leave the church before they shared their insights (a.k.a gossip).  As long as they were quietly whispering in the corner away from the individual they were talking about, it was fair game to gossip.

Of course, no one called it gossip.  No one would entertain the thought that it was gossip.  No one would admit to doing this.  Yet, they would push and solicit more information out of the individuals so they could better pray for them.  In fact, it was more, "keep me up-to-date" so I can pray better for the individual.  At least that's why my little ears heard beyond the words they said.

Keep me up-to-date stuff...

I'm sure they all meant well, or I hope they did.  However, this "keep me up-to-date stuff was more fodder for the gossip.  Yeah, I know, if I was standing on stage saying this, there's a good chance tomatoes would be thrown at me by now.  If they didn't throw tomatoes, they would be claiming that "my church" doesn't do this!  They would claim, I don't do this!  They would make sure you knew they were the self-righteous ones, not like all those other heathen churches.

This always made me feel icky inside as a kid.  Yet, I got so brainwashed in it that I thought it was how the world worked.  I would find out later, that it would take me years to start understanding just how brainwashed and deluded I was.  It would take years for me to undo the brainwashing that I had been forced into.

And according to my family, I'm the "brainwashed one" because I didn't obey their every brainwashing command!

As humans, if we're not careful, we do the complete opposite of what we think we do.  We blind ourselves to what we do as if we are the righteous ones, while others are the ones that need the help.  It is only through deep soul searching and awareness, that we discover who we truly are.

If you're not carefully evaluating yourself and going deep within to see what is in your innermost heart, than you're most likely part of the problem you despise.  Often we deflect the parts in our own life that we don't want to see by pointing the fingers at everyone else.  It is an easy and effective way of keeping the spotlight off of what is truly on the inside of us.

It is easy to say we have love in our words, but the hard part is showing that we truly do.

#LoveAndWords

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Some Days It Is Hard To Be Silent

Let's get ready to rumble!   Yep, person "x" is in their corner and now person "y" is in their corner.  In moments, these two hot and heavy breathing individuals will come out of their rings fighting.

Oh wait, they started before the bell went off.  Well folks, we're off to one heavy and heated fight.  Stay tuned... 

Some days, it is hard to be silent.  We are all that individual in the corner of the fighting ring it seems.  It is almost as if each person has their boxing gloves on and no matter what, everyone else in the ring are the enemies.

There is no stopping to embrace the other person or listening to the other person.  It is every man, woman, and child for themselves.  This is how humanity appears these days.  Our days are the fighting ring of life.

We speak how much we hate others...

We go to social media or we go to our friends and speak how much we hate and abhor the others that don't think like us.  We go on TV or to the political pulpits and we exclaim how horrible those other people are.  We sit in our church pews and listen to the minster puff our egos up while proclaiming those that don't believe like us, are to be avoided and shunned and talked down to.  We make sure we post it on social media so everyone gets the message!

Often we are just adding to the hatred that is being said, rather than showing that true love and compassion exists in this world.  When we get down in the mud pit, we can't expect to stand up clean.  We will have mud all over our body too.

Don't engage in the hate.  Instead show love and compassion.  Show understanding without judgment.  If you despise all that is said and yet you engage in it, what are you profiting from that?  Are you any different than the ones you judge?

Yes, sometimes it is extremely difficult to stay silent and not engage with the loudmouths of our society.  It just does little good and if you engage, you become that which you hate and despise the most.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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People Can't See Their Own Hate

It really gets sad when we are so oblivious to our own ways that we can't see the forest for the tree standing in front of us.  Yet, another example showed up today by so many that act as if they are morally and intellectually superior.

When you make fun of another group or enjoy seeing the group get triggered by what is being said online or in the news, something is wrong.  No, I'm not making this up.  It was on Twitter.  Why should I not be surprised!

People don't even realize what their words mean or how they come across.  If they do, they don't care.  If they don't understand, it makes you wonder if they realize what being human is all about.

I see people talk about how much they love God and how their beliefs are the right thing.  In the next breath, they shower their hatred among those that they don't agree with and if you call them out on it, you're the one that doesn't understand.  They are so blind with the log in their eyes that they can't see just how their words don't match up to the concept of love.

Politics of course is ripe with hatred for one another.  They don't even care that they put down another group of people as long as it gets them votes.  Out of ignorance, they proclaim hatred all the time without skipping a beat.  It must give them a reason for their life's existence.

Online Social Media is one of the worst places to go if you want to see anything but hate.  It is so quickly displayed in Facebook and Twitter and not one of these people can see that it hurts others deeply.  In fact, I think online social media thrives on it and it is pretty sad because it really damages other people.

Why on earth would one want to intentionally inflict pain upon another person unless they are so miserable in their own life, that this is the only way they know to exist in their lives.  Maybe they prop themselves up by putting others down.  Maybe it is the way they give life and liberty and freedom to themselves, by despising those that they don't agree with and accept.

Hatred is so blinding to people and it causes ignorance to inflate as big as it can get.  It doesn't matter if the people who hate are the ones that act as if they deplore hatred, because as long as they are doing it, it makes them feel superior.  Anyone else that shows the same is acting in a stupid manner.

I'm really tired of seeing hate so displayed every day.  Surely we have the capacity to be more than that.  Surely we don't need to kill and ridicule and preach hatred from our church pulpits.  Maybe we could actually try loving one another and giving each other the respect that should be rightfully a part of being human.

Hopefully one of these days we will evolve as humans, not become those that hate more than the people we despise.  I hold out hope, but more and more it becomes harder to hold on to hope.  If we continue to hate, how long will it take before there is no one left in the world.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Abused In A Christian Church

It only takes a moment for a child to be abused sexually, but it continues to haunt the child for the rest of their life.  Sure, many child abuse survivors manage to find a way to thrive and get beyond it, but when you take the innocence away from a child, they live with that for the rest of their life.

Growing up, I was abused by my father, older brother, and some unknown individual that went to a church we went to and found me in the church basement bathroom.  All of these people messed with my mind something fierce and many of them told me that they were doing this because "God wanted to show his love to me".  They did it because God told them to do it.

It messes you up...

I'm sure in their sick and twisted minds, they believed what they were telling me.  When you're taught from a little kid on up, that if God gets angry at you, you are going to that bad place, this stuff screws your mind up.  It really messes you up because you're not allowed to breathe, eat, or think anything different than what they teach you about God.

What makes me really want to puke my guts out at the thought, is when I see the baptism video of my older brother on Youtube.  Once again, he rededicated his life to Jesus.  Jesus forgave him of all his sins once again.  I've lost track how many times that has been now.  He had a good teacher, because my father was the exact same way.

Here's the blog post that I just referred to about the baptism video of my older brother.

(click image to read)

Of course, it sickens me to see how his childhood friends stand up for him and act as if he is some poor victim.  Yes, I'm sure he was abused too, but unlike him, I didn't go on and abuse others.  He made that choice and all the forgiveness by Jesus will never change that choice in my mind.

These goodie-two-shoe family of Christians that support him act like I'm the brainwashed one.  They act like I'm the criminal and the bad person for daring to break the silence and expose what they did.  I guess, I should take some solace in these fine upstanding Christians that got caught by the IRS for how they ran their shady businesses.  Hey, that's okay.  You can lie and cheat and steal and God will forgive you, but don't you dare expose a child abuser because you are the bad person.  Maybe that is why they built that church for a community I lived in?

Sickened by Child Molesters...

I know, I've been through this area of my healing many times and I have made great progress.  At least I can attempt to be respectful in what I write here, unlike before where the language would have been much worse.  Even though I try to get away from it, it still haunts me.  I'm still sickened by the way these child molesters are treated and how the enablers feel sorry for them.

It isn't just the Catholic church that abuses their little boys and girls either.  This was all done while we attended a Baptist church of the GARBC (General Association Of Regular Baptist Churches) with M.O. Burman as the minister.  It also happened in other churches too because we skipped around many times.  Life was go to church and pray and sing hymns to Jesus on Sunday and then Sunday afternoon, go home and abuse those weaker than you or at least the children and your siblings (and the wife). 

I'll never understand most likely how the sick and twisted are coddled by those that enable them while shouting praises to God in the highest.  I'll never understand why there are some that steal the innocence of a child.  It will always be a mystery to me.

I keep working it...

For now, I keep trying to continue my own healing in child abuse.  I've made tremendous strides over the years, but sometimes the anger of what I see by the ones that abused me attempts to engulf my own life.  What I went through lasted for most of my growing up years and believe me, it is not easy to free myself completely from it.  I keep working on it though!

You can read more about this church we went to in the blog post, Haunted By Ghosts Of The Past.

(click image to read)

Question Of The Day

We're you abused in the name of religion or God or a church?  Feel free to leave a comment if you were.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Do Not Judge

I'm always intrigued by people who purport to follow the bible, but yet they don't heed what they preach.  They push their beliefs on others, but they avoid putting themselves under their own microscope.  They proclaim that they are forgiven and so this applies to everyone else, not them.

One area I see this repeatedly is in the judgment of others.  Whether it is a political race or family members, friends or social media acquaintances, judging others seems to be what people do best.  It is what followers of the bible seem to do best.

In Luke 6:37 it says, " Do not judge, and you will not be judged.  Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.  Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

At no point in this scripture passage does it say that judging others is a good thing.  At no point in there does it say that judging is your first priority in life and all other endeavors should fall by the wayside.  At no point does it say that you should judge others or condemn others.

In fact, if you follow the bible, you should be forgiving others more than condemning and judging them.  You should be accepting them as they are, not as you think they should be.  You should not be playing the role of the God you worship by acting as if you can judge others.

I grew up in a family where judgment was the norm of the day.  No, we didn't claim it was judgment or condemnation.  We didn't see that we were judging others.  We didn't even know that we were judging and condemning.  Yet, we practiced it as if it was the only precept in life to follow.

When we got home from church, it was that gossip that we shared that was judging those we rolled our eyes at.  Sometimes, we didn't even wait until we got home from church.  The judgment was in those prayer meetings where someone would go on and on about another member almost as if they were preaching to them.  The condemnation was whispered in the hallways of the church.

Judgment and condemnation was so common place that if someone didn't attend the church we went to, we were taught to consider them lost and going to hell.  If someone went into a place of business we did not think was almighty righteous, then we were taught they were going to hell.  If someone did not say the things we felt they should say or listen to the music that we felt they should listen to, we were taught they were going to hell.

If you did not want to be condemned and judged, then there was an unwritten code in the family and church that you would follow.  Often the rules were made up on the spot with the father of the family or the pastor of the church making the determination of who was right and who was wrong.  They were the judge.  You learned to follow the rules so you would not be judged and condemned.

In these days, I see so many judging and condemning others.  Whether it is issues concerning gays or if someone is a patriot or a liberal or conservative, anyone who disagrees with the religious pharisees of our day are considered lost and going to hell.  They are judged and condemned.

The thing I don't understand though is Jesus also said, "love one another as I have loved you".  Love is not condemnation or judgment.  Love is acceptance in the purest form without strings attached.

So if the religious pharisees of our day claim that they follow the bible and they follow God or Jesus, would they not be obliged to stop judging and condemning one another.  Would they not be obliged to live their life loving one another, rather than spewing the hatred that they so strongly dish out?  Maybe they are so blind that they cannot see this.

Do not judge is an area the entire world could do better.  Do not judge could be more helpful for the overall survival of our civilization and planet.  Do not judge or condemn could actually help us to work together for a common good.

Maybe if we are going to judge one another and claim the good book tells us to do this, we might just want to read what it says before we go hitting each other over the head with it.  I don't believe the bible's intended purpose is of hitting people out of judgment and condemnation.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2/18/16 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Until The Next Time

A long time ago in a fairy land of make believe, there was this big evil monster.  He would slither around looking for ways to do what he wanted and then when he was caught, he would act all innocent.  His common line that he loved to make was "I asked Jesus to forgive me and so should you".

You might be thinking, well if someone truly asked for forgiveness and you believe Jesus forgave them, then why should others not do the same.  You might also be saying, well if you can't forgive them, then it is you that has a problem, and not the person committing the wrong.

Your logic could be convincing, except - it is all too often used for cover over the wrongs inflicted upon others.

You see, I heard this one a million times.  I watched my Dad and brother go to church and pray away their sins.  They claimed (in a very convincing way) that they would never do what they just did.  They would claim the devil got the best of them and now they have once again turned their life around for God.  Everyone would shout AMEN and sing hymns of praise.

Being Real Is Being Human

One of the things I keep trying to help people understand is being balanced in life.  I want people to be real and human.  Its okay to think great and wonderful thoughts full of happiness and love.  However, if you are hiding your head in the sand, you're not being real.  You're not being human.  You're not being anyone that others can relate to in this life.  We all need relatable people.

I grew up in a church background where everything was pray to God and God will solve all your problems.  God will always provide.  The funny thing was that these same people had more illness and problems then the population at large.  If God was helping them through their prayers and beautiful words of love, then "Houston, we have a problem".  I'm not saying the belief in God is bad and you should abandon it, but I just saw how abused and unreal it was.

Haunted By Ghosts Of The Past

It was just a search that turned up a You Tube video.  How on earth could that be that difficult to view?  Of course, I didn't even think about that when I came across it.  I didn't even think about clicking on it.  It all happened and began playing before my mind realized that my fingers had clicked the play button.

Haunted by ghosts of the past, will they forever wrap me in chains?  I could reference the video here, but I just don't want to give it any credibility.  It would be my luck that it would go viral and everyone would see it as normal.  Actually, to most people, it may look rather normal and I may be the one that looks like the fool.  Yet, if you knew the whys and wherefores and particulars behind it, there would be nothing wholesome about what I saw in this video.


Haunted by ghosts of the past, will my mind ever forget?  I've come a long ways in healing, but when you've seen what my eyes have seen, the body and mind never forget.  If they do, I've not experienced that level of healing yet in my life.  You see, the video depicts something religious that to many may look like the person in it is truly humble and changed.  Yet, I've seen this scenario play out more than once by too many.  You do the dastardly deed, molest the child, abuse the wife and then you repent your sins to Jesus.  You get saved and rededicate your life to Christ and if it is bad enough, you even get "baptized" once again.  You claim you never really had Jesus in your heart.  Its a scenario that has played out over and over again in the life I have witnessed.  Wrap it up in a bow and put it under the tree for Christmas!

Don't Need Religion

These days, it seems like everyone has a little bit of it and too many have too much of it!  Wondering what I am talking about?  I'll tell you - it's religion!  Religion permeates every part of our society, our cultures, and our existence.  No matter what we want to believe or not believe, it impacts our life each and every day.  You can avoid it all you want, but it is still there doing its thing.

For those who know me, they know that religion is generally a 4 letter word in my mind.  After all, I had horrendous experiences with it from an early age until I got out of the church.  The first molester got me when I was just a few years old while going to the bathroom in a church.  I still remember hearing the congregation singing their hymns above us, as the molester was having fun with me in the downstairs basement bathroom.

Of course, it continued on to the caretakers of my life that told me how much God loved me and the way in which they were required to demonstrate that to me.  After all, how could anyone not want to be loved by God and in such a special way (insert sarcasm voice here).  The thing was, everyone turned their head to the emotional, physical and sexual abuse I was going through.  If they couldn't see what was happening, I'm sure it was just like the rest of our society who closes their eyes to the evil before them.

Fear Is The Weapon Of Control

Fear is alive and rampant in our society and every day life. Most of us go through life, not even recognizing just how intimately involved we are with fear. It is as if we are having a secret affair with fear, yet no one including our self knows about it.

Where does fear show up? There are so many ways that it is hard to list them all. However, let me start with some of the top ones that I see displayed throughout our society.


The Government
The government which is by the people, for the people and of the people or namely, each one of us, is one of the greatest sources of fear. Through our "boogieman" that has been created, we are scared into complacency. Since our government has the truth and information that we are all led to believe in, we succumb to the fear that the "boogieman" is around the corner, hiding and waiting to attack us. One could argue that this is truly the case but just as I want to believe that, I so remember the drills in elementary school of getting under the desk in case the communists came and bombed us. Of course, I never did know what a communist was but I was taught to be very afraid of it. Today, we have replaced the communists with other "boogieman" as fear is the weapon of control.



The Media
One of the biggest purveyors of fear is the media. They have this down to a science. The stories are about the most sensationalized events. Often, they talk about the what if scenarios and the calamity that would follow if a fictionalized event unfolded. Day in and day out, the media does this with graphic images that captivate our brain and seize every logical thought we hold. The repetition of these stories of calamity adds to the imprint of fears that we live with in our day. In fact, the fears that are reported begin to feed off of one another until they take on a life of their own. Again, fear is the weapon of control.


The Church
While I realize many people follow the tenants of church, at the heart of religious institutions, fear is used to control the masses. The fear of dying and spending an eternity in a lake of fiery hell is a strong motivation for people to donate to the church, follow without question what they say or hold the church and its leaders up on pedestals. I realize that many people who go to church and attend religious institutions claim to think logically for themselves but in many ways, they are only fooling themselves. If you are an observer, you will see quickly how much fear rules the lives of the church followers. Of course, this does not just stop with the church but it has permeated the new age practices of the day. Fear is the weapon of control in the church.


The Economic Markets
In our day and age where the economy and the markets have taken a beating, we are taught that if we don't do our part and spend our money, the economic conditions of this country will decline. I am still mesmerized by the movie, I Am, where the person was demonstrating how the Stock Markets were created as if they were a human entity. When in fact, we as humans created this system and we control it. Yet, we live in fear of this system as it appears to control each one of us, whether we invest or we don't invest our money. As I go around a city on trash day, or to the thrift stores, or even view the stuff being given away online, I see the evidence of what consumerism does to us as a people. We have so much stuff and we are so attracted to our stuff that we are losing sight of what really matters. The fear of the economy has attacked us and I don't believe it is for the best. Again, fear is the weapon of control to keep us spending more so that the collective "we" don't let the economy crumble!


The Medical Establishment
One of the greatest weapons of fear in the medical establishment is that the medical establishment holds all the answers to our health. What happens when you get a cold or get sick, you run to the medicine cabinet or the pharmacy or health care provider and get something to take, to get rid of what it is that you have. Unfortunately, many things that make us sick are a result of stress, overworking and past traumas that have went unresolved. Yet, we don't stop and take an inventory of our life or see what may be linked to these moments. All we do is run to someone or something to relieve us from what we fear most, our health. Today, there are drugs and procedures and practices for everything that promise to make you better. The sad part is, unless we go in and do what we need to for our body, all the health care practices in the world will not make us well. They will just mask the underlying problem until something else comes along and gets our attention.

I could go on and on about the fears that permeate every part of our society. They are the weapons of control and if we don't begin to become aware of them, they will be our biggest enemies. It does not mean we have to throw everything away that we have come to know and believe in our lives. However, if we do not evolve and grow in awareness of reality, than none of it will matter any longer. If we continue on the path we are on, we will succumb to the fears and it will no longer be just a weapon of control. It will be one and the same.


Further Reading:
1) Fear Not (Blog Post Mar 26, 2011)
2) The Fear Of The Climb (Blog Post Sep 28, 2010)



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Evolved Beliefs

When our beliefs become how we see the world, it is time to question these beliefs. While many in our country and throughout our world give lip service to this concept, many fall short.

Growing up, I remember being taught many beliefs by my family, the church and society. Many of those beliefs no longer serve me in my life because as I have grown and evolved.

Here are a few examples of the beliefs I grew up with which were challenged in a very difficult way.

1) The family that fights together does so because they love one another.
2) Boys that cry or are sensitive need to grow up and be a man.
3) Give 80% in marriage and expect only 20% in return if that much.
4) Daddy does these things to you because God tells him to.
5) Do what your father tells you to do without question.
6) You just have to suck it up and move on - feelings are for wimps.
7) Don't do as I do, do as I tell you to do.
8) Dancing and drinking are sinful (except when we do it in private).
9) Family secrets are best left in the closet.

This list could be endless for me. These beliefs were ones that we were taught that you neither questioned, nor disobeyed. Disobeying meant you were not only disrespecting your father but you were turning your back on God. Turning your back on God, meant you would suffer throughout life and end up in the fiery place called hell.

As I have grown in life, it has taken me some very difficult moments to learn that most of these things were rules and beliefs dreamed up by some adult to fit me into the mold they wanted me to be. It had nothing to do with how I would discover who I was as a person. It was more about control, manipulation and adherence to a set of derived vantage points.

We've all got our beliefs and teachings we grew up with. While some of these may serve us well in our life, we need to be careful. If our beliefs control us, than we not evolving in life. We did not come to this world to leave without becoming more evolved and aware. Unfortunately, far too many in this world do just that.


Further Reading:
1) Beliefs Often Are Regurgitated Rhetoric
2) Truth That Is Now Foolish
3) What Do You Believe?




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Biological Family Connections

For those that know me, family is a very difficult subject for me in my life. Some days I have wondered how I was born into the family I was. For a long time, I really wondered if somehow I was switched at birth.

Except for my mom, I have very little in common with my family. Yes, we do share some of the biological and upbringing traits but outside of that, my concept of what life is all about seems to be miles apart from those in my family.

I was the middle of three boys born into a family of turmoil and abuse at the hands of my father and continued with my older brother among other various participants in life. Boundaries were nonexistent, lives were controlled and manipulated at home and church, while fear and torment were our closest allies. When my father wasn't screaming at us, my two brothers were going at each other's throats.

While I do remember more than sometimes I really want to remember, much of my past I have blocked out. In 2002, my mom was killed in a car accident and since that time, I really do feel as if I am on my own, separated in life. Because of what my older brother and father did to not only me but to my younger brother, the family bonds are non existent.

Before my Mom died, I had not been able to speak with her for 10 years. My younger brother and I give the appearance that we've been able to talk but we both know that it is nothing more than damaged threads of communication.

There are the relatives that do say hi from time to time and are friendly but of course, they seem like mere strangers that I have faintly become acquainted with. One cousin seems to ignore me for the most part which I am sure is in part due to her religious practices. Other cousins on both sides of the family are ones that I know very little about and if I walked by them tomorrow, I would not even know it.

I know I'm not alone out there as many people have suffered through some horrible family moments in their own lives. Some days it does hurt as I'm sure others will attest to. There seems to be no way to ever replace the biological ties of the family you were born in to when you entered this world. You can do many things to help make up for the losses but that biological family connection is one that cannot be replaced.

Some days, it feels pretty lonely in life and because of some of what I've been through, I fear that others in my life will disappear or leave me or tell me they no longer want anything to do with me. I find it difficult at times in life to wonder if people that I trust really mean well or are they just using me, as it once again reminds me of days gone by where you could trust no one. By trusting no one, I refer to my parents, the baby sitter, the creepy guy in church, my teachers and my family.

I know I have come so many miles in this journey but there are days when it is difficult beyond comprehension. There are days that I question everything and head for my bunker in the ground. I so badly wish that I could sever the biological connections as if they had never been there in the first place. Yet, I know that to do this, I would be claiming the impossible.

Life will continue to go on no matter how difficult my moments get. I seem to have a never ending supply of courage and determination. If only my energy and resolve and confidence could keep up, I would greatly be propelled along in life. In many ways, I don't fully understand all that my journey has for me to walk through but I know or at least I hope I will know that one day as I look back, this will all make sense to me!




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Peace On Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, let peace spread from our life to others in the world. Let us find a way today, to spread that peace and make this world a better place.  (Quote taken from the Hope, Inspiration, And Encouragement Blog)

It is easy for many people to want and desire peace.  While this is a noble idea, sometimes we look to the wrong places for peace.  We feel that it is our government leaders, or  military personnel that must bring about peace in the world.   Sometimes we look to our churches, religions and ministers or priests to bring about the peace we so desire.  Wherever it is that we find our peace, may I suggest that we are looking in the wrong place.

Peace starts within each one of us.  When we are at war with ourselves, we will find the world at war with one another.  When we are struggling within ourselves, the world we know is struggling.  When we are at peace with ourselves, we will find peace reigns throughout the world.

That which we want and desire is located within our mind, body and spirit.  It is where we will find peace for our lives and our day.  We need not see the world only through the eyes of turmoil, hatred and bad news.  We can see the world through our eyes as we allow ourselves to find the way to be at peace within.

I write these words to myself and share them with you, the reader.  If these words have touched your heart, please allow them to touch the hearts of those that you know as we honor all on this day, Memorial Day.



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We Hear What We Want To Hear

I look around the world of humans and I see so much evidence of what humans want to hear is what they actually hear. Yes, we give lip service in our world to being open to other ideas and holding the space for others and being there but in many ways, we hear what we want to hear. Please note, that I use the word "we" and "they" collectively to represent humans as a whole.

Whether it is in politics, religious circles, new age healing practices or every day life, our ears are tuned into what makes us feel good, not what is actually being spoken or transmitted. With the internet, we bombard ourselves with so much noisy communication that we just numb ourselves a little further into the reality of illusions.

Take for instance, the news pundits on TV. Do you think they truly sit there for a minute listening to the other side of the issue? I would suggest that they do not. Their position is already determined and is one of the reasons they are brought on the news show. If the pundits from both sides of the issue listened and agreed, most viewers would turn the TV off or switch the channel. We hear what we want to hear!

Observe the recent Quran burning by Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida. I'm not going to attempt to get into the right and wrong of this event because there are many in the world screaming one way or another on this. What I want to point out though is that neither side is listening to the other. They have no intentions of listening to the other side. They don't care what the other side thinks as long as the other side comes around to their way of thinking. Again, what "we" hear is what "we" want to hear.

Often times we encounter moments in our life where we hear things from others that challenge us and make us step into a world that is not comfortable to us. Instead of wanting to hear these things, we often run back to our corner and hide where it is safe. Yet, we then continue to ask for guidance or blessings from whoever our source in life is, when it is standing right there before our eyes. Once again, we hear what we want to hear.

There are moments, that we ask and question all that is around us. We feel that we don't have the answers we need to move forward in life. Life becomes difficult and we struggle. Instead of going into ourselves and listening to that which we know is there, we seek answers out from all kinds of new age people, to ministers and churches, and to things such as numbing substances we consume. Instead of hearing the answers within ourselves, we hear what we want to hear and we don't hear that which we don't want to hear.

Yes, it makes us feel safe if someone tells us something we should do and it makes us feel valuable if we tell someone something that they should do. While there can be value to that, if we are not careful, we are giving up our power to something that is not whole and pure. I'm not denying that other people have insights and can help us find our way through the maze of life, but we have to be careful in what is being said.

Outside of learning to listen to others and hearing what is actually being said, we need to open ourselves to how we have built walls up to surround ourselves. Through the pureness of love, we need to open our arms to others that we don't want to hear and to things in our own life that we do not want to hear. They are our building blocks to greater awareness and evolving as a human is meant to evolve.

What if, instead of trying to tell the person what they should do, you actually just walk hand in hand with them so that they will find what it is they need to do? How about actually listening to what a person is saying without thinking of your position and how you will respond? What if you could just be there in that moment with another or yourself and allow the discomfort to push you forward rather than running for cover in your hiding place?

As I have written, we hear what we want to hear, and we do this not only with others but ourselves. We need to open our minds, our hearts and our ears to how this fits us in our life. It is more than what the "other" people do around us or what our "clients" and our "friends and family" fail to see.

It is about how we view the world and how we hear what truly is being spoken. For if we only hear what we want to hear, then we are not only holding our own evolution back but we are a drag on the rest of humanity.



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Clutter In Our Life, Part 4

Clutter #4 - Following Blindly
Part 4 of 10

All too often, we follow what someone tells us to follow. Whether it is in a church, a new age movement, some political party or leader or family member or you name it, we listen to it as humans. While some of these people may or may not directly tell you what to believe, indirectly the message is loud and clear.

Many people claim to think on their own but if they stepped outside of their own ego and pride, they would see just what they truly listened to. All too often, we do not feel secure in what it is that we need for our lives so we feed off of that which others give us.

When we do this, we become less than human. I know many people are most likely thinking that they don't really do this but in all reality, become the observer and take a close look at your own life.

Come back tomorrow for part 5 of this series, Clutter In Our Life. Below are the various parts to this series that you can read as well.

Clutter In Our Life Series
- Introduction
Part 1: Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 2: Keeping Ourselves Constantly Busy
Part 3: Numbing Ourselves
Part 4: Following Blindly
Part 5: Food Choices
Part 6: Health care, Doctors, and Medicine
Part 7: Hydrating Our Bodies
Part 8: Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 9: Exercise Is For Another Day
Part 10: We Fail To Evolve
- The 30 Day Challenge


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Truth That Is Now Foolish

Throughout the ages, we have had moments in our history where the church or other leaders came along and stated that we must believe a certain way regarding various issues. From the beginning of time, what was not understood became part of a belief system to explain it. The belief systems did not evolve and so concepts that we now know to be true were at one time considered evil and wrong.

Here are a few examples to consider as we ponder what we hold dear to our belief system and how maybe we need to allow our belief system to evolve.

In the 1500's, the Catholic Church essentially felt that the earth was the center of the universe and there was really nothing beyond it. Copernicus came along and like others, discovered that the earth was not the center of the universe. The discovery by Copernicus conflicted with the Catholic Church. In fact, a paper on his work was not published until after he died to avoid him being persecuted by the church. (1)

Around the 1600's, Galileo also made the discovery of the sun being the center of the universe. He wrote a book called "Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems" which was an attempt to help convince the church to change its view on the solar system. While he was a friend of the pope, some of his eloquent writings angered very influential people in the church. In 1633, he was found guilty of heresy and his book was banned. In addition, he was forced to claim that he was wrong and that the earth did not move. Galileo was placed under house arrest for the remainder of his life. (2)

Sir Issac Newton made many scientific discoveries including that of gravity. However, the royal and church leaders of the day were very much against anything that went against their beliefs. They were often fearful of that which they could not understand. In 1685, Newton and several others were brought by the Monarch to the high court on trumped-up charges, only to be dismissed later. The stress of this trial brought on a nervous breakdown for Newton. (3)

Around the 1600's, Claudius Galen was considered to be one of the most influential medical authorities. William Harvey's discoveries came into conflict with Galen which incited considerable controversy at the time. Galen believed that the heart produced heat while the arteries and its fluid cooled the blood. In addition, he believed that the lungs fanned and cooled the heart. According to Galen, dilation of the arteries sucked in air and contraction discharged vapors through pores in the flesh and skin. However, William Harvey was the first person to accurately describe the systemic circulation of the blood. At the time, doctors stated they would rather err with Galen than proclaim the truth with Harvey. (4)

At one time in the United States, women, African Americans, Native Americans and various other groups were denied the right to vote. In those times, these people were considered to be less than by the leaders and establishment of our country. It took a great deal of pain and suffering by many to overturn these laws and create freedom for all. (5)

At various times throughout our history in this country and in the world, we have attempted to believe certain things and found explanations, laws and religious practices to force these things upon the rest of society. Yet, now as we can clearly look back at history, we see just how foolish some of these things were. Yet, many were found guilty of horrible crimes and sentenced to death for not going along with the status quo or the belief system of the day.

Today, we are still doing that whether it is through what we believe from the churches, or our governments or in our societies. When it comes to medicine, we believe that the doctor holding the pill, medical procedure or test knows best and so we subscribe to the thinking that this is the only thing there is. When it comes to how we view others, it is more through the mindset of what media pundits and others tell us we should believe. Instead of learning to love and respect one another, we draw division lines and stand opposed.

We are all much more than we currently are aware of. What we know and understand today may most likely be found to be foolish tomorrow. The important part is that we need to continue evolving as a species and becoming more aware and more conscious of who we are. The greatest gift we can give to the world is by becoming all that we possibly can become. Anything less makes us part of a belief system and someone that breathes oxygen rather than someone who advances our civilization along.

When you're tempted by the media and the medical establishment and the politicians to accept the status quo as gospel truth, step back for a moment and look at the bigger picture. Think of the times from early history where we have been narrow focused on problems of the day and compare or contrast those to what we now know. Knowledge and discovery should not stop and be content where it is at. We should constantly strive to learn, discover and understand more about what we already know.

Yes, I do realize that fear, ego and power have much to do with holding us in the belief systems we allow society to impose upon us. However, we are all humans holding a brain that has unlimited potential. Let no one come along and tell us that we are less than or we do not know and understand what it is we feel inside. Let no one come along and dictate to us, how we should think and perceive all that is around us. May we all have ah ha moments every day and may we grow in ways that we cannot even fathom right now in this moment. For growth is life and the pursuit of life that when we embrace it, gives us freedom, purpose and courage.



Sources Of Information
1) The Church And Copernicus
2) Galileo And The Church
3) Sir Isaac Newton, A Scientific Genius
4) Wikipedia, William Harvey
5) Voting Rights In The United States


Further Reading
1) Fundamentalist Brainwashing
2) US Health Care Costs Skyrocket
3) Burn The Books
4) What Do You Really See?



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Judgment Is For Those That Want To Be Judged

Judgment Is For Those That Want To Be Judged - That's the first tweet I sent out on my new twitter account @mindbodythought . While it may seems pretty straight forward, there have been multiple instances lately where people felt it was their duty, responsibility and life mission to judge me. Yet, in most of the circumstances, I found it to be disrespectful and hurtful. These people did not see it that way of course.

I have been wondering with curiosity just why this same scenario has played out more than once. It seems peculiar to me and so I have stopped and let my mind think on this. Maybe it is just coincidence that it happened so many times all of the sudden but somehow, I believe when things like this repeat, there is a reason for it. In this case, it is either something I am supposed to learn or something I am clearing out from my life and moving on.

Growing up, we lived in a very judgmental house which went to a very judgmental church and just about everything I heard every day was in some way judging others. If it was not something one person was doing that my family did not like, it was some other instance or event or person, place or thing. It really did not matter what it was but it was almost like judging others around us was as important as breathing.

This of course carried on to church where the minister and people of the church sat in constant judgment of its members. You were taught to believe and act in certain ways lest ye not be judged! Yet, didn't the Bible say, "judge not, lest ye be judged". I guess that part of the bible must not have had as much importance. Oh sure, if you went in and confronted everyone about this, no one would acknowledge or understand that they were judging anyone. In fact, you would be the one feeling wrong and out of place if you ever attempted to bring this subject up.

You were taught not to question the authority in the church and to just accept it as if it was as true as the words you read in the bible. In many ways, how you viewed what was written in the bible and spoken in church was through the method of what the church said was right and anything you believed must match up to their interpretation of said beliefs. As much as the church wanted you to think that you were using your own free will and your own brain to evaluate things, those that did not believe and follow the church were not close with the rest of the members. It was very subtle but very profound in how this happened.

Many people do this very same thing today in our society. Often no one is even aware they are doing it because it is so common place for them. Churches do it without flinching and even the members of the church would not even recognize it if a billboard was placed up in front of their church. It of course carries over into politics, society, family, laws, friendships, relationships and just about anything that we do. It is such a part of our fabric and yet in many ways, when we judge others, we sit in judgment of ourselves.

I have even seen some new age philosophies and healing practices that have worked hard to not be the same as a church or to believe in what the church believes. However, these same people are doing some of the same things but they just give it different names and more enlightened subjects. Of course, if you tried to bring it to their attention, you would be met with a force and resistance like no one has ever seen. Much of these new age movements involve sitting in judgment of others but doing so through a very subtle way. They appear as if they hold the answers to what is going to happen or to how you should live your life or even what healing modalities that you should use. Unfortunately, because people have been so conditioned to being judged and not trusting their own brain, intuition and insight, they follow these new age leaders with passion.

It is not just church either. Take any of the news pundits on TV from any of the news channels. You will see dynamic, out spoken people that appear to be authorities on how you should view politics, the news and the world. They expound upon these ideals, write books, give speeches and are constantly critical of everything taking place they do not agree with. At no time, do you see these people truly sitting down and listening to another person's point of view that is opposing to their view. Sure, they all have some poll or evidence or passion to back up what they say but when you get down to it, there is a strong judgment being rendered against anyone who does not believe in the way that they do.

We all need to take a step back as individuals and as a society or even as a world and evaluate how we are judging others around us. It may be through our thoughts or actions. It might be through our words or our silence. We may feel it is our God given right to let people know how they are failing in life according to our standards and beliefs. Just because a person says nice things or says things that seem to have an element of truth to them does not necessarily make these statements worthy of giving away our power.

At the beginning of this, I said that sometimes when situations arise, it makes me go in and question it with curiosity. I'm not exactly sure why these situations keep arising for me but one thing I am learning is that I do not have to respond to them. If someone has been brainwashed into believing what they believe, you are not going to change their mind. They are fixated on these things and the forces within these belief systems is strong. Yes, I know there are times that I really want to respond but if I did so, I would end up doing nothing different than what these people are doing to me. If I do not want to be judged, than it makes sense that I should not sit there in judgment.

We all have to answer for our own lives and the choices or decisions we make. The more we question our beliefs and our actions in life, the more we will truly come to know who we are as humans and as individuals. The answers to our questions in life do not come from others who are charismatic or who seem to hold the answers. The answers come from within us. The answers are part of who we are and all we need to do is to seek them out. Of course, you can search for them in churches, in new age philosophies, in the media or in many other places but at the end of the day, what matters is what you find within your mind and your body and your spirit.


For Further Reading:
1) Ask Questions Within
2) Are You Brainwashed



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Fundamentalist Brainwashing

Over the past several days and in fact in the past few years especially, I have watched through the observer's eyes just how little people really listen to one another. There is a fever of people feeling that what they feel is right justifies how they view everything else in life and how they act. It is like my father used to repeat over and over, "my way or the highway".

Growing up in a fundamentalist home, I saw that if you didn't believe as the family patriarchs expected you to believe that you were a less than human. You were pronounced wrong by the judge, jury and executioner. It mattered little what facts or evidence you had because when the patriarchal judge made the ruling, it was final. There was no appeal process and even if there would have been, the ruling would have been for the the patriarchal judge.

Of course, everyone in said kingdom (i.e. the family) was expected to follow the ruling exactly whether they agreed with it or not. There was no questioning the ruling or evidence used to base the decision on for the judgment. In fact, you did not even silently purport to disagree with what had transpired. It was like the patriarch could read your thoughts. If no thoughts were read, than somehow the patriarchal judge could would find out. If they found out, you were damned if you do and damned if you did not.

There were two major consequences of any action where judgment was rendered. This went both for the "guilty" party and for any other party that tried to show compassion or understanding towards the "guilty" party. The consequential actions included but were not limited to 1)the silent treatment and 2)counseling by the church pastor (minister). If the silent treatment did not bring the expected result or bring the "guilty" party into line, than the minister was brought in to show the "guilty" party the error of their ways. Of course, these consequential actions were in addition to any punishment that may have been issued and declared.

While this may sound extreme or unusual to many reading it, it was a normal experience in my family. The patriarchal judgment was supreme and everyone was expected to follow the judgment without question for as the church taught, the "father" was the head of the family. Any deviation from that meant that you were not following God and becoming Christ like, which meant you were headed to hell. Everyone in the family had heard enough Sunday morning sermons to know that they did not want to go to hell. It was a very effective system for the patriarchal judge in the family but complete brainwashing for the members of the kingdom.

Today, I continue to see this same scenario play out in the world around me. Whether it is in politics, churches, societies or political parties, the references are familiar. I have seen it play out in my family over and over again and it still continues to this day. The only thing is, I no longer wish to play this game. This game has become old to me and is no longer one I want to participate in to be part of the kingdom. This does infuriate the kingdom though but in my mind, I no longer am concerned.

There must be many others in our society who have been raised from infants to play the same game. Yes, I'm sure the games had many variations from the one I was taught to play but all of them have one constant effect and that effect is brainwashing. If thoughts, judgments, experiences or critical thinking processes are manipulated and dictated by a few, brainwashing becomes the norm. The brainwashing does not end when the individuals flee the kingdom for by that time, these things have become intricate parts of the individual's nature, biology and everyday thought patterns.

We often identify brainwashing in other people, other societies, nations and countries, but usually for those who have brainwashed, they are unable to identify it in themselves. It is understandable because if critical thinking, judgment and experiences are controlled by a limited number of individuals (i.e. father, minister, siblings or other adults), than how can we expect our people of this world to be aware of a different path in life. It stands to reason like the church says, "what you sow, so will you reap".

The brainwashing of people takes place every day because the ego desires power, control, money and absolute discipleship by anyone it deems to be under its power. This starts many times in the family and is reinforced by the church. In our current day and age, the government, political parties and news media all play major roles in perpetuating the era of brainwashing. Each of these willing participants do not even recognize that they are involved or this is taking place because they have been so conditioned in their life, that brainwashing seems normal.

If you really step back in our world and observe, you will see this taking place throughout our world. It isn't just other countries that brainwash their citizens. It is all countries. If it is difficult to see, try turning the TV news off for a month or two and see how that changes you. You may want to critically look at all the beliefs you were raised with and question each one of them. Can you unequivocally prove every fact that rules your life? You may consider turning off the news websites that you follow and that feed your ego to give yourself a moment of evaluation. There are many ways to begin doing this and the ones I have listed are only a few examples.

We are becoming a world where screaming and yelling is done because we have been brainwashed into thinking our way is the right way, and we must save everyone else from the error of our way. It has been programmed into humans for many years. These right and wrong practices are bringing us dangerously close to a time where not only violence may occur but that we will be building a world of less than human offspring.

As humans, we are meant to evolve and grow and become more aware of ourselves and the world around us. Our brain is designed for that and yet, we are failing humanity in this day and age. For humanity and the world to be all that it can be, we must first start with ourselves. We must take steps to discover who we are exactly, what makes us tick and what the purpose is for our life. Anything less than this brings us to meaningless exchanges of brainwashing and each individual who chooses to not be fully aware and conscious inflicts harm upon civilization.

We are designed for much more than we currently are embracing in life and my ferverent hope is that each human in this world will begin to understand the role they are playing. Only then, will we have the ability to evolve as a world and as humans.

For Further Reading:
1) Anger In Our World
2) Our Screaming And Yelling Affect Others
3) Hope And Possibility Through Trauma


Blog Post & Images (c) 1/13/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only