Rest in Peace Philip Coppens

I am very saddened to hear that Philip Coppens has passed on. Philip was a frequent guest on Ancient Aliens and a great researcher. I, like many others in the Fortean-paranormal-esoterica realms, respected Philip very much. An intelligent, genuine writer and researcher, and a nice person as well. We have never met but we did correspond a little; he was always very gracious. My heart goes out to his wife and his family. Please send what love, energies and prayers you can to them. Thank you Philip for all the wonderful stories and insights you've brought to us.

Santa Guest on Coast to Coast

Santa is the guest tonight on C2C, with host George Noory.
Christmas Eve Special - Shows - Coast to Coast AM

Medieval Nun Vampire? Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog

From Beachcombing's Bizarre History, this preview of a vampire legend, ".. . courtesy of Chris from Haunted Ohio books."

Medieval Nun Vampire?  Beachcombing's Bizarre History Blog: Once when the lay-brothers of our Order were taking midday rest in the dormitory during the summer, the devil, in the shape of a Benedictine nun, went round the beds of all, standing a while by some, and passing haste by others. When she came to a certain lay-brother she bent over him, and putting her arms round his neck, pressed kisses upon his mouth. One of the brethren, a truly pious man, saw this, and how the nun then vanished; and, stupefied, both at the appearance of such a person, and at such an act in such a place, he got up and went to the bed of the lay-brother, whom he found fast asleep indeed, but lying in a fashion that was both immodest and exposed.

The Vicar's Lamp: Of Vampires & Rasputin

The Vicar's Lamp: Of Vampires and Rasputin: Vlad Tepes himself is the perfect exemplar of this predatory nobleman, but for the obvious fact that most of what we have been told about him is in the form of propaganda composed by the Catholic Church in order to prevent the Wallachian - and later Romanian - national hero from garnering too much support and sympathy. The Holy Mother does a fine job of criminalizing those she has helped to betray.

Haunted house of God? - Hannibal, MO

(via The Anomalist for link)

Haunted house of God? - Hannibal, MO - Hannibal Courier - Post - Hannibal, MO: "I went up three floors, sometimes in the dark, to get up to the loft. Once you got into the loft it was like you got transported to some other place," he said. "I literally had times during that three years I heard babies crying. Kind of weird. And the one most distinct kind of experience was literally someone giving a sermon. It was like you heard it coming from the sanctuary. It was just a raised voice.
"It didn't scare me necessarily, but it was kind of weird. I heard organ music twice. There was no organ left in that church. It was classically-based, pipe organ sound. As a musician, it sounded really good."
Downstairs though, there was more going on between the living and the suspected living impaired.
Hannibal Community Theatre, the current owners and operators of the building, had their productions in the church basement. A number of their members, past and present, experienced something more than once and they're convinced.
"People have heard and seen things, different voices," HCT Vice President Stephen Boltinghouse said. "I think we've got a number of people that would not come in here by themselves."

The Incredibly Insensitive Things The Disconnected Fools Say:Connecticut school shooting: Westboro Baptist Church Plans to Picket

Connecticut school shooting: Westboro Baptist Church planning to picket - Oklahoma City Top News | Examiner.com

Mike Huckabee: Newtown Shooting No Surprise, We've 'Systematically Removed God' From Schools

Words cannot convey what I think about this, except that, oh forget it. None are needed, speaks for itself:

Mike Huckabee: Newtown Shooting No Surprise, We've 'Systematically Removed God' From Schools: "We ask why there is violence in our schools, but we have systematically removed God from our schools," Huckabee said on Fox News. "Should we be so surprised that schools would become a place of carnage?"

Jesus In Shower Mold: The Strangest 'Sacred Sightings' Of 2012

Jesus In Shower Mold: The Strangest 'Sacred Sightings' Of 2012: God is everywhere, believers say, but some of the places where he shows up can make even the most devout person say, "Oh Lord."

For instance, earlier this year, Jesus' image reportedly appeared on a moldy shower curtain in Houston, Texas, and a stingray near James Island, S.C.

Meanwhile, the Virgin Mary appeared on a log in Utah and the wall of a Hamburger Mary's restaurant in Ybor City, Fla.

Some strange images were more open to interpretation, such as the crab found near Snohomish County, Wash., that looks, depending on your opinion, Jesus Christ or Osama Bin Laden.

Lady Gaga Threatened With Arrest, $50,000 Fine For Promoting Gay Rights In Russia

I remember when I was a kid, back in the last century, that "commie Russia" was a threat, and the main reason Russia the USSR/make that Soviet Russia, was a threat: atheists! Of course, it was the Cold War and this was in Catholic school. Now, while no doubt Russia is still atheist in the sense the powers that be don't give a fuck about human rights, love, peace and harmony for the people, they have been very concerned about "blasphemy." (ie, Pussy Riot.) Now Lady Gaga is being pressured to shut up about gay rights during her stay there, or be fined and arrested:

Lady Gaga Threatened With Arrest, $50,000 Fine For Promoting Gay Rights In Russia: Lady Gaga is the latest artist to offend Russian conservatives, who have accused the pop star of spreading "pro-homosexual propaganda" in the country.

Gaga championed gay rights while performing at the SKK Arena in St. Petersburg, Russia, during a weekend concert, the Guardian reports.

'Monsignor 007' and the Pope

Mitja Leskovar, 'Monsignor 007,' To Introduce New Protocols For Pope's Security, Confidential Documents: Known as "Monsignor 007," Mitja Leskovar, the Pope's new right-hand man is a Slovenian priest and anti-espionage expert in charge of reforming security procedures at the Vatican by Jan. 1.

The move comes on the heels of the "Vatileaks" scandal earlier this year, when Pope Benedict XVI's butler at the time was arrested and charged for allegedly leaking papal documents to an Italian journalist.

According to the Telegraph, the new protocols will affect thousands of staffers at the Vatican who will now face much more scrutiny in their daily work.

Alber Saber Convicted Of Blasphemy By Egyptian Court; Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison

While we have our share of religious psychos in the U.S., mostly they just blather. Not to diminish the horrors of the murdering anti-choice or homophobic fanatics. But in some parts of the world, as we know, letting your opinions about religion can be a dangerous act if you disagree. Pussy Riot performance artists end up in prison for "blasphemy" -- at least here we don't have that. Yet. And in Egypt, Alber Saber was sentenced to three years in prison for "blasphemy."

Alber Saber Convicted Of Blasphemy By Egyptian Court; Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison
Saber was arrested Sept. 13, after neighbors complained he had shared on Facebook the amateur film made in the United States that sparked protests across the Muslim world. His arrest came during a wave of public outrage over the film, produced by an Egyptian-American Copt.

At the time, an angry mob surrounded Saber's house, calling for his death and accusing him of heresy, atheism and of promoting the "Innocence of Muslims" – the short film that portrays the Prophet Muhammad as a fraud, womanizer and buffoon.

The God Glut - NYTimes.com

Excellent article.
I support Blake Page, even though I don't share his beliefs -- I am not an atheist. Nor am I a Christian. But Blake had every right to be treated with respect and not harassed; it's always an ironic as well as damn scary fact that some Christians, believing in a loving god, will persecute, often violently, those that don't share their beliefs.

The God Glut - NYTimes.com: Last week, a fourth-year cadet at West Point packed his bags and left, less than six months shy of graduation, in protest of what he portrayed as a bullying, discriminatory religiousness at the military academy, which receives public funding.

The cadet, Blake Page, detailed his complaint in an article for The Huffington Post, accusing officers at the academy of “unconstitutional proselytism,” specifically of an evangelical Christian variety.

On the phone on Sunday, he explained to me that a few of them urged attendance at religious events in ways that could make a cadet worry about the social and professional consequences of not going. One such event was a prayer breakfast this year at which a retired lieutenant general, William G. Boykin, was slated to speak. Boykin is a born-again Christian, and his past remarks portraying the war on terror in holy and biblical terms were so extreme that he was rebuked in 2003 by President Bush. In fact his scheduled speech at West Point was so vigorously protested that it ultimately had to be canceled.

Page said that on other occasions, religious events were promoted by superiors with the kind of mass e-mails seldom used for secular gatherings. “It was always Christian, Christian, Christian,” said Page, who is an atheist.

Henry "Mad" Makow: Aliens Have Abducted Our Women

Jeff Rense kicked Makow off awhile back. Not sure what it was all about but Rense's once darling of the homophobic-anti-Semitic rant pissed him off, and so, Makow is no longer linked to over at Rense. So, curious about what Mad Henry Makow is up to, I visit his blog, and find this headline in bold: Aliens Have Abducted Our Women.

Now, Makow is paranoid, and all about the Illuminati NWO, but he's never come right out and gone the alien UFO Fortean route. So I got excited for a moment, just a very brief moment, for Makow wastes no time at all in getting to the point. It's not aliens from outer space we need to fear, it's feminist Jew commies. Or some such. That's Makow's dependable hobby horse. So, while he disappoints in one sense -- no aliens, damn it -- he does deliver:

henrymakow.com - Exposing Feminism and The New World Order: Western men (and women) should be very angry at Illuminati Jewish bankers and their Masonic lackeys. Like alien invaders, they abducted our women, brainwashing them to become lesbian and frigid. This vicious satanic attack on society by our traitorous "leaders" has been marketed as "women's rights." Feminism is elite social engineering masquerading as grassroots social change.

So, like, oy.

76 things banned in the Bible, most of which are punishable by death - Boing Boing

76 things banned in the Bible, most of which are punishable by death - Boing Boing

Among them, "cross breeding animals" which has one wondering about the ancient alien angle: DNA, GMO and all that genetic manipulation and tweaking.

Pope Starts Personal Twitter Account - NYTimes.com

Oh yes, it is so. The Pope has a twitter account. (Is it too surreal to twitter about the Pope's twittering?)

Pope Starts Personal Twitter Account - NYTimes.com: On Monday, the Vatican announced that the 85-year-old pontiff would begin posting messages on Twitter next week under the handle @pontifex, a term for the pope that means “bridge builder” in Latin. Within hours, he had more than 250,000 followers.

Benedict is expected to send his first post at a general audience at the Vatican on Dec. 12 — a response to questions about matters of the faith that he is now accepting via the hashtag #askpontifex, officials said.

: NEVADA: Seven Year-Old Boy Killed By Parents For Not Reading The Bible

Another tragic story of religious fanatics and their sick interpretation of religion killing a child. And why, if abuse was known, were these psychotics allowed to continue to have the child in their custody? Joe. My. God.: NEVADA: Seven Year-Old Boy Killed By Parents For Not Reading The Bible

Debunker of 'Weeping Jesus' Exiled

While he's a skepti-dick, still. Exile seems extreme. Video - Breaking News Videos from CNN.com

'Hi, deliver me from evil': Catholic Church sets up an exorcist hotline

'Hi, deliver me from evil': Catholic Church sets up an exorcist hotline to deal with demand - Europe - World - The Independent

Afghan girl beheaded after refusing man’s marriage proposal | The Lookout - Yahoo! News

Another brutal and tragic act by the fanatically religious: Afghan girl beheaded after refusing man’s marriage proposal | The Lookout - Yahoo! News

Tampon Baby Jesus (Huffington Post)

Collecting odd Nativity scenes, and this is one of them -- includes tampons. Weird Nativity Scene Collection Include Tampon Baby Jesus

A tampon version of the nativity is one of the newest additions to a collection of bizarre nativity scenes that Christian author Mark Oestreicher has been collecting for the past six years.

The collection, which is now up to 42 nativities, shows the birth of Jesus using bacon, spam, rubber ducks, mermaids and, yes, feminine hygiene products.

BBC News - Irish atheists challenge blasphemy law

While some countries vote to rid themselves of "blasphemy laws" (see post below) Ireland remains stucks in the draconian past:BBC News - Irish atheists challenge blasphemy law:

An atheist group in the Irish Republic has defied a new blasphemy law by publishing a series of anti-religious quotations on its website.

Atheist Ireland says it will fight any action taken against it in court.

The quotations include the words of writers such as Mark Twain and Salman Rushdie, but also Jesus Christ, the Prophet Muhammad and Pope Benedict XVI.

The new law makes blasphemy a crime punishable by a fine of up to 25,000 euros (22,000; $35,000).

BBC News - Dutch approve move to scrap blasphemy law

BBC News - Dutch approve move to scrap blasphemy law:

Dutch authorities have decided to approve a motion abandoning a law under which it is a crime to insult God.

A majority of parties in parliament said the blasphemy law was no longer relevant in the 21st Century.

Red Pills of the Week — November 24th | Mysterious Universe

Red Pill Junkie brings us his "Red Pills of the Week" over at Mysterious Universe, including this item about the Pope's take on Christmas iconography and such:

Red Pills of the Week — November 24th | Mysterious Universe: I don’t have a problem with the J-man being born way earlier than what was traditionally considered because I already knew that. In fact, I think Bennie should have been even more honest, and remind his flock that the date of December 25th was *ehem* borrowed from earlier pagan celebrations. But calling the star of Bethlehem a super-nova? I’m sorry your Holiness but I’ve read the apocryphal gospels, and that thing was a freaking flying saucer, k??

Mermaids & Angels - Shows - Coast to Coast AM

Tonight's Coast to Coast: guest Doreen Virtue, discussing Mermaids and Angels. Host George Noory.

I have been following Doreen Virtue for awhile now, and have gone through her Angel Reader course. One of the three decks I have is her Mermaids and Dolphins deck, which I often use with the Healing with Angels deck. I've pre-ordered her Angel Dreams deck, which will be out in January.

This is a favorite card of mine from the Mermaids and Dolphins deck:

Doreen Virtue; from her Mermaids and Dolphins oracle deck

Saints and Angels Weekly Oracle Reading From Doreen Virtue

For week of November 19th - 25th, Doreen Virtue's weekly oracle reading, using the Saints and Angels deck.

FREE's Miami Chapel Design Based On Our Lady of Guadalupe (PHOTOS)

This is stunning, in a crazy cool way: FREE's Miami Chapel Design Based On Our Lady of Guadalupe (PHOTOS)

Phantoms and Monsters: Paranormal Activity, Bigfoot, Mothman, UFOs and Other Unexplained Phenomena

From Lon Stickler at Phantoms and Monsters:Phantoms and Monsters: Paranormal Activity, Bigfoot, Mothman, UFOs and Other Unexplained Phenomena

Pope Joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned, under the title of John VIII, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of Leo IV (847–855) and Benedict III (855–858). According to legend, her identity was exposed when, riding one day from St. Peter's to the Lateran, she stopped by the side of the road and, to the astonishment of everyone, gave birth to a child.

The legend is unconfirmed. Skeptics note that the first references to Pope Joan only appear hundreds of years after her supposed reign. However, supporters argue that the Church may have attempted to erase all evidence of her existence from the historical record.
 

Polish Coffin-Maker's Topless Calendar Outrages Catholic Church

Polish Coffin-Maker's Topless Calendar Outrages Catholic Church: WARSAW (Reuters) - A Polish firm that makes coffins has angered the Catholic church by trying to drum up business with a calendar depicting topless models posing next to its caskets.

One image from the 2013 edition of the calendar has a blonde model, wearing only a skimpy thong and with a snake draped around her neck, reclining on a coffin. In another, a woman wearing a crimson corset is depicted pulling out the heart of a man lying on a casket.

"My son had the idea of creating the company's calendar... so that we could show something half-serious, colorful, beautiful; the beauty of Polish girls and the beauty of our coffins," said Zbigniew Lindner, the firm's owner.

"We wanted to show that a coffin isn't a religious symbol. Its a product," he said. "Why are people afraid of coffins and not of business suits, cosmetics or jewelry?"

---

Yahoo! Shine: 'Does Halloween Belong in School? One District Says No'

We here go. Halloween season, and with it, things like this:Does Halloween Belong in School? One District Says No. At least one school district in my city doesn't allow Halloween; instead, we have "Harvest festivals." Feh!

And yet, at Christmas time, you have the same individuals who take offense at Halloween taking offense that references to Christmas are disallowed.

Demonic Beings - Shows - Coast to Coast AM

Tonight on Coast to Coast: Demonic Beings with guest David Ruben, host John B. Wells.

Navratri, Durga Puja: Worshipping The Divine Mother

From Huffington Post: Navratri, Durga Puja: Worshipping The Divine Mother

Navratri is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Ashwin. In 2012, Navratri is observed from Oct. 16 until Oct. 24. Durga Puja celebrations began on Oct. 20, 2012.

Navratri is the Hindu festival of nine nights dedicated to the glorification of Shakti, the feminine form of the Divine. During these nine nights, the mother goddess is worshipped in nine different forms. Navratri culminates on the 10th day with the festivities of Vijayadashami. A common greeting during this festival is Shubh Navratri (Happy Navratri).

Navratri is celebrated all over India and among the Hindu diaspora with great fanfare. Prior to the festival, skilled artisans prepare clay models of the goddess in her various manifestations. Many Hindus take part in special ceremonies, rituals, fasts and festivities. People buy new clothes, prepare delicious sweets and buy gifts for family and friends. During Navratri, many Hindus in Gujarat and elsewhere wear colorful costumes and perform a special type of vigorous dance known as garba. Traditionally, garbas are performed around an earthen lamp or images / statues of the mother goddess.

Pope names 7 new saints, seeks to revive faith - Yahoo! News

Pope names 7 new saints, seeks to revive faith - Yahoo! News: VATICAN CITY (AP) — Some 80,000 pilgrims in flowered lei, feathered headdresses and other traditional garb flooded St. Peter's Square on Sunday as Pope Benedict XVI added seven more saints onto the roster of Catholic role models in a bid to reinvigorate the faith in parts of the world where it's lagging.

Two of the new saints were Americans: Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American saint from the U.S., and Mother Marianne Cope, a 19th century Franciscan nun who cared for leprosy patients in Hawaii.

New Oracle Deck: Doreen Virtue, Mary Queen of Angels

As readers know, I'm not a Christian, but I do find these cards beautiful. I've always had an affinity and appreciation for Catholic imagery; the saints, Mary. I've also had my own profound spiritual or mystical experiences on an esoteric level with some of these, including Angels. I've been working with angels, and following Doreen Virtue's "school" for awhile with amazing results. I think I'll end up getting this deck to add to my growing collection of angel oracles.

“Defeat jihad” ad appears on TriMet vehicles

Pro-Palestinian group puts up ads on buses and trains concerning "the plight of Palestinians", pro-Israel groups put up their own ads: "Defeat Jihad" in Portland, Oregon.“Defeat jihad” ad appears on TriMet vehicles

Taliban says its attack on Pakistani schoolgirl justified - Yahoo! News

Of course there is no justification, but the Taliban wants to clear things up anyway:Taliban says its attack on Pakistani schoolgirl justified - Yahoo! News

George Carlin Compares Religious Believers vs. UFO Belivers

 Oh you know I love this!

14 yr. old Taliban Victim Malala Yousufzai Expected to recover

The Taliban, in its religious and political insanity, shot 14 yr. old Malala Yousufzai in the head for promoting education for girls. She is now in the UK, and is expected to recover. Shot Pakistani schoolgirl can make 'good recovery' - One News | TVNZ

18 yrs. for killing child (the Bible said so), 99 in prison for abuse

Benjamin Edetanlen, clearly deranged and unhinged, uses the Bible as justification for murdering his son. He got 18 years.Benjamin Edetanlen Sentenced To 18 Years, Defends Killing Son With Bible Passage, while Elizabeth Escalona was sentenced to 99 years for putting her daughter in a coma.

Apparitions of Mary Queen of Peace - Medjugorje.com

Last Pilgrimage of the Seasons: Oct 29 th Nov. 7Medjugorje - Apparitions of Mary Queen of Peace - Medjugorje.com

Catholic church to lose historic property tax exemption in Italy — RT

This is very big news. Signs of shifts in the paradigm? The butler spoke, now this:

Catholic church to lose historic property tax exemption in Italy — RT: Italy’s Catholic Church will be forced to pay taxes starting in 2013 after the EU pressured the country’s government to pass a controversial law stripping the Church of its historic property tax exemption.

The Catholic Church in Italy is excluded from paying taxes on its land if at least a part of a Church property is used non-commercially – for instance, a chapel in a bed-and-breakfast.

"The regulatory framework will be definite by January 1, 2013 – the start of the fiscal year – and will fully respect the [European] Community law," Italian premier Mario Monti's government said in a statement on Tuesday.

How to Recognize a Satanist (Part One) - henrymakow.com

Ol' Henry's been banned from the Jeff Rense site. Not sure, and don't want to know. Some huge tiff happened between the two. So now I have to remember to go directly to Makow's site for the latest. This is what I found: How to Recognize a Satanist (Part One)

Apparently Satanists are into underground tunnels and armed compounds.

Satanic cults are everywhere if you know what to look for. There is one in Roy [42 mi s. of Seattle] that is a known compound guarded by men armed with AR-15 Rifles. They use Federal Laws on religion and the 2nd amendment on guns to guard their compounds. I know of three just like this in Florida and if you even touch their fence, they will shoot. No games with these people. These places always have lodging in bunkers underground.

All Satanic cults build large underground bunkers and tunnels. The topside is kept clean, underground is where they keep people and do deeds. No one, even Police dare to raid these compounds.

But not all Satanists can afford these elaborate underground dens of evil, or maybe they just prefer other methods. For example, beware the Christian bookstore and shops:

Many Satanic cults support themselves by making things to sell to the public. Things like jewelry, especially crosses that you find in Christian stores. With a nice Christian sounding name, they have front companies.

The main reason they do this is deception, as they attach demonic spirits on each piece of jewelry they make during ceremonies. That's why they sell crosses to Christians. I think all of us have seen those fantasy Dungeons and Dragons castles with orbs, druids and dragons often made of pewter right? Now you know who makes most of them. Many are sold in places like Disney World, also in stores in the malls that sell weird things and such. So we see they have lot's of money.

Really though, you can't trust anyone. Anyone could be a Satanist:

Now the real threat is from clean cut looking Satanist. They have good jobs, careers like lawyers, policemen, clergy, pilots, teachers, day care, neighbors, etc..Those are the ones that you watch out for. These people most often find positions and careers working with children so they can find potentials for ceremonies.

There's more of course but you get the idea. And remember, this is only Part 1.

Michele Witchipoo, Artist: The Three of Swords

 

Michele Witchipoo is an artist; comic books, creator of Psycho Bunny,
and more. She recently shared her version of The Three of Swords, minor arcana Tarot. I like it; if there's a deck coming from Witchipoo, I'm going to order it!

Visit her site; she has lots of artwork and you can order Psycho Bunny, among others, as well as commission art work.

Taliban attack wounds teen activist blogger - CNN.com

Taliban attack wounds teen activist blogger - CNN.com

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Malala Yousufzai's courageous blogging against the Taliban set her apart from other 14-year-old Pakistani girls.

Growing up in a region once dominated by the Islamic extremists, she knew the fear associated with the word Taliban.

One of her fears came to pass Tuesday, when gunmen sought her out and opened fire on her school van, leaving her seriously wounded along with two other classmates.

Vintage Day of the Dead Image

 

Vintage Day of the Dead/Dia de los Muertos postcard

postcard

Pope's Butler Told Court He Leaked Private Documents for the Good of the Church - Yahoo! News

Pope's Butler Told Court He Leaked Private Documents for the Good of the Church - Yahoo! News:

The scandal, known as "Vatileaks," built this spring as more and more confidential papal documents began appearing in Italian newspapers. They exposed widespread corruption, cronyism and backdoor payments in return for favors.

It reached a crescendo in May when an Italian journalist published "His Holiness: Pope Benedict XVI's Private Papers," a book that became an overnight bestseller here. It chronicled intrigue and scandal and included copies of private documents to prove it. Documents show that wealthy Catholics could gain an audience with the pope simply by donating 10,000 euros ($13,000). Many of the documents point to Bertone.

Religious Insults, Humanity's Inhumanity

A couple of weeks ago I wrote the following letter to the editor, sent to our local paper (Register Guard) in response to a previous letter:

Killers are responsible for killing

Maggie Pugsley (letters, Sept. 16) believes those behind the anti-Muslim film are responsible for the fanatical and psychotic response to that film the world is now witnessing. The naiveté, political correctness and apologist bias within that opinion is truly scary. The only ones responsible for killings are the ones doing the killing.

Whatever strange mechanism that lives in much of humanity that causes such tragic responses when offended by religious insults is equally scary, as well as responsible.

Sure, the filmmakers should have known better, and probably did. And we can’t dismiss the likely possibility that intelligence operatives were behind the film in the first place. That aside, the guilty ones are those choosing rioting and killing in the name of a god.

A willingness to kill each other to protect an unseen entity is a frightening reality that humanity has indulged in for thousands of years.

Fear of those who would kill in the name of their god is understandable, but pretending to a philosophical understanding of religious thugs allows them to continue without consequence.

Regan Lee

Eugene

Muslims in Bangladesh torch Buddhist temples over Facebook image - latimes.com

Overwhelming in its pointlessness:Muslims in Bangladesh torch Buddhist temples over Facebook image - latimes.com

Roswell researcher Kevin Randle: The nun's story

Among the rich data bank of witnesses to Roswell: nuns. Kevin Randle reports: A Different Perspective: The Nuns Story - Roswell Edition

The obvious subtext to this report is the layer of deceit accompanying this story. As with the entire Roswell story, from beginning to the present, the mess of lies, cover-ups and disinfo is a huge one. Wading through it has caused many a UFO explorer to give up, or worse, dismiss Roswell as a dead topic. Randle continues however and is only after one thing: the answer.

Very interesting account.

By the way, the comments are almost as interesting as the post. The usual skeptoids make their appearance of course :(.

The only thing Randle does "wrong" is waste time answering such trolls, but I really shouldn't say that, since I enjoy doing the same at times myself when the mood strikes.

'Nazi-Acquired Buddha Statue Came From Space'

The title and story is rich with imagery: Nazis, ancient astronauts, religions, comic books, superheroes,war, political and religious symbols:Nazi-Acquired Buddha Statue Came From Space.

It sounds like a mash-up of Indiana Jones' plots, but German researchers say a heavy Buddha statue brought to Europe by the Nazis was carved from a meteorite that likely fell 10,000 years ago along the Siberia-Mongolia border.

This space Buddha, also known as "iron man" to the researchers, is of unknown age, though the best estimates date the statue to sometime between the eighth and 10th centuries. The carving depicts a man, probably a Buddhist god, perched with his legs tucked in, holding something in his left hand. On his chest is a Buddhist swastika, a symbol of luck that was later co-opted by the Nazi party of Germany.

Of course, as is pointed out in the above paragraph, the Buddha statue (if it was meant to be a Buddha) didn't really "come from outer space" but was made from material that came from space: the meteorite.

Jesus: "My wife..."

Jesus – CNN Belief Blog - CNN.com Blogs

Iranian foundation ups price on Rushdie's head

Iranian foundation ups price on Rushdie's head - Yahoo! News

Exorcism boom in Poland sees magazine launch - Story | The Star Online

Exorcism boom in Poland sees magazine launch - Story | The Star Online

WARSAW: With exorcism booming in Poland, Roman Catholic priests here have joined forces with a publisher to launch what they claim is the world's first monthly magazine focused exclusively on chasing out the devil.

"The rise in the number or exorcists from four to more than 120 over the course of 15 years in Poland is telling," Father Aleksander Posacki, a professor of philosophy, theology and leading demonologist and exorcist told reporters in Warsaw at the Monday launch of the Egzorcysta monthly.

"Our hands are full," admitted fellow exorcist and Polish Roman Catholic priest Father Andrzej Grefkowicz, revealing exorcists have a three month waiting list in the capital Warsaw.

The debut issue of Egzorcysta includes an article titled New Age-- the spiritual vacuum cleaner.

On Demons and the Subjectivity of Evil | Who Forted? Magazine

On Demons and the Subjectivity of Evil | Who Forted? Magazine

As has been alluded to in other articles, demons are the cause celebre. They are better than ghosts. They are more dangerous than ghosts. They are more exciting and fascinating than ghosts. Most importantly, they are better for ratings than ghosts. However, much like ghosts, there is a fundamental problem. There is no proof that they exist. If you would like to read further, there may even be proof that the demon as you know cannot possibly exist.

The concept of the demon is as old as time. Demons, unlike ghosts, by definition are evil. It is their core, it is their entire being. This seems to be a universally accepted notion among so-called ghosts hunters (i.e. paranormal hobbyists) and self-proclaimed demonologists. Herein lies the problem.

The Debris Field: Retablo Gift

Lesley received a wonderful piece of art from Greg and Sigrid Bishop. Why is that posted here? Read it and find out!The Debris Field: Stuff

Russian murderer (allegedly) says 'Free Pussy Riot'

Russia claims killer demands Pussy Riot freed – USATODAY.com: MOSCOW (AP) – The bodies of an elderly woman and her daughter were found in Russia beneath a scrawled message demanding freedom for the jailed members of the Pussy Riot band, officials said Thursday.

Pussy Riot members, from left, Maria Alekhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were sentenced to two years in prison on Aug. 17.


Pussy Riot members, from left, Maria Alekhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova were sentenced to two years in prison on Aug. 17.

While a Russian investigator cautioned that the killer was possibly trying to mislead police by drawing attention to the punk provocateurs, the alleged link between a killer and anti-Putin protesters was immediately seized upon by Russian media and pro-Kremlin publicists.

Mormons: Okay to drink soda

Religion News Service | Faith | Doctrine & Practice | It’s Official: Coke and Pepsi are OK for Mormons

BBC News - 'Moonie' Church mourns founder Sun Myung Moon

92 yrs old when he died. The Rev. Moon, leader of the "moonies" and mass wedding overseer: BBC News - 'Moonie' Church mourns founder Sun Myung Moon

Comments Removed: Prominent Priest Defended Child Sex Abusers, Later Apologizes - Yahoo! News

No one sane supports the following comments by Rev. Benedict Groeschel, who said the following regarding sexual abusers and victims:

"People have this picture in their minds of a person planning to -- a psychopath. But that's not the case. Suppose you have a man having a nervous breakdown, and a youngster comes after him. A lot of the cases, the youngster -- 14, 16, 18 -- is the seducer,"

And, Broeschel said, Jerry Sandusky is a "poor guy," and first time sexual offenders should not go to jail.

Those comments appeared in the National Catholic Register in an interview in that paper. Broeschel's comments have been removed from the site and Broeschel's apology put up in its stead: Comments Removed: Prominent Priest Defended Child Sex Abusers, Later Apologizes - Yahoo! News

Not only did Broeschel apologize, but the editor in chief Jeanette R. De Melo -- she apologized for posting the interview in the first place. I find this very odd. Shouldn't the pathetic comments of a sexual abuser be posted for all to see? It's news. It's fact. But this is what De Melo had to say:

"The editors of the National Catholic Register apologize for publishing without clarification or challenge Father Benedict Groeschel's comments that seem to suggest that the child is somehow responsible for abuse. Nothing could be further from the truth."

In rereading the comments, I don't see how Broeschel was misunderstood. Here's more from Broeschel, according to the article:

"Well, it's not so hard to see. A kid looking for a father and didn't have his own -- and they won't be planning to get into heavy-duty sex, but almost romantic, embracing, kissing, perhaps sleeping, but not having intercourse or anything like that. I's an understandable thing, and you know where you find it, among other clergy or important people; you look at teachers, attorneys, judges, social workers,"

He doesn't see sexual abuse as a crime, but a "moral failure" and "scandalous."

And that is where the sexual abuser lives; in that state where sexually abusing others is not a crime. They are so messed up they don't get it. They can't get it. No matter, sexual abuse  is a crime, and they need to know it's a crime, and that they will not get away with sexually abusing others.

"Don't Mock the Box" The Dybbuk Box on Set of The Possession

More from Meredith Woerner (see post below), this time on the Dybbuk Box itself on the set.Why The Possession cast was terrified of the real "dybbuk box" behind the film

Dybukk Film: 'The Possession is the Jewish pop reggae version of The Exorcist'

Haven't seen the movie yet and don't know if I will, at least not in the theater. I'll probably watch it on cable -- so can't comment on the reviews. Overall it's not my favorite film genre (although, oddly, I love reading horror, authors like Koontz and Herbert, even King, Barker, etc.) But this falls into the category of religious mystical supernaturalism, with the addition of Jewish reggae rapper Matisyahu, so here's one review from Meredith Woerner: The Possession is the Jewish pop reggae version of The Exorcist

The Possession (originally titled Dybbuk Box but called "The Jewish Exorcist movie" by most of America) first intrigued the masses by casting reggae rapper Matisyahu as the religious ghost wrangler, upped the ante with this aggressive poster, and kept us interested with the promise of Jewish mysticism (an unfamiliar take on a tired movie genre) topped by Sam Raimi gore (Raimi is a producer). Alas — we've seen girls vomit bugs before, and better. The Possession crumbles under its own inability to make an original decision. Instead it retreads the steps of past exorcist movies (Jeffrey Dean Morgan actually screams "Take me" to the demon). What could have been an interesting journey into a new culture was sadly just Jewish Exorcist lite.

My Strange Frequencies Appearance and David Fitzgerald speaks about Jesus mythicism | Strange Frequencies Radio

Episode 204 – David Fitzgerald speaks about Jesus mythicism | Strange Frequencies Radio

David Fitzgerald, author of “Nailed: Ten Christian Myths That Show Jesus Never Existed at All,” joined us today to talk about Jesus mythicism. If Jesus was so important and performed so many miracles during his lifetime, why was nothing written about him by those who knew him? Could it be that Jesus was just a myth?

Also, reminder that I'll be the guest on Strange Frequencies this Sunday. 1:00 pm PST.

BBC News - Mexico row as religious sect blocks schooling access

BBC News - Mexico row as religious sect blocks schooling access

The religious sect was founded in 1973 by a defrocked priest, who objected to changes in the Catholic Church, including the end of masses in Latin.

They believe their compound will be the only place on Earth spared from an impending apocalypse.

Oklahoma youngster forced to turn his Michigan shirt inside out at school | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports

This doesn't have anything to do with religion, but after reading it, I was once again struck by the pure fanatical nature of humans when it comes to beliefs. And while in this case, the belief isn't in a deity, but the actions of this school comes close. Not god or gods, but sports. It also involves a 5 year old (!) and, astoundingly, a fucking school. Turns out some schools have managed to get away with legally including in their dress codes prohibitions against other teams. Truly boggles the mind doesn't it? Oklahoma youngster forced to turn his Michigan shirt inside out at school | Dr. Saturday - Yahoo! Sports

Girl, 11, Could Face Death in Pakistan for 'Blasphemy' - Yahoo! News

Ah, no matter what the religion, humans care more about text in a book than human life:Girl, 11, Could Face Death in Pakistan for 'Blasphemy' - Yahoo! News

EBay bans sale of spells and hexes

Now this is interesting! Ebay has banned sales of spells, the ban starts in September. This ban includes "prayers" as well. EBay bans sale of spells and hexes - Aug. 16, 2012 The ban includes tarot, psychic and related readings. Magic, it seems, is not afoot on eBay.

Ukranian performer cuts down cross in supporting Pussy Riot

 Ukranian Inna Shevchenko of Femen destroys wooden cross with a chainsaw in protest of Pussy Riot on trial:

Russian, Once an "atheist" country...

Remember when, all you fellow baby boomers, during the cold war/ duck and cover/ 1950s pinko commie era, when we were warned about those godless, heathen, atheist Russian commies?

Russia, the big bad evil empire and the worst thing about Russia, the very worst, we were told, was its atheism.

Today's news has brought us two stories that contradict any atheistic beliefs. Three women: Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich,  sentenced to a two year prison sentence for offending the Church, and a 100 year ban on pro-gay parades, speech, etc.

Of course, Pussy Riot's protest on the church steps pissed off Putin and that's why they were sentenced. Church followers are just thrown into the mix for added support for the Putin cause. It isn't really about religion; it's about politics. It's about control.

The anti-gay edict: totalitarian governments, not promoting religion, well again, it's about control. I wonder if (while trying not to be cliche)  an already fringe group, often a majority of thinkers and creative individuals are considered a danger to the powers that be. No one wants that. Religion has nothing to do with it; it's about control. Maintaining power. Maintaining control.

Women Of Esoterica: BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism

BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism: Disturbing and disappointing news. Three members of Pussy Riot --- Maria Alyokhina, 24, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Yekaterina Samutsevich, --- have been sentenced to two years in prison for their performance.BBC News - Pussy Riot members jailed for two years for hooliganism

The headline reads "...jailed for ... hooliganism" but the judge added that their "hooliganism" "crudely undermined social order."

Scary that anyone can be jailed for political protest that conflicts with the rule of the land. Equally frightening is the fact that one can be jailed for "offending" religions. In Pussy Riot's case, their protest was seen as "hooliganism" but not just; as the judge said, "...the act had been one of blasphemy, not politics."

The women have international supporters, including musicians like Madonna and Paul McCartney. But there are plenty of religious fanatics who think justice has been served:

One, Igor Kim, told the BBC News website from Moscow: "Shouting and screaming and spreading hate in Church is unacceptable and is contrary with Christian ethics."


Hardly need to point out the obvious that sending people to prison for three years for expressing their opinions is not "Christian ethics."

The Madonna and the Whore, and, Evading Pussy

I found this AP item interesting for what it couldn't bring itself to say: pussy. Associated Press | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon Not at first anyway,

Madonna, as in pop culture icon, and whore, as in, that's what Madonna is. Those words can be uttered. But pussy, that might be offensive!

The item is about a tweet from a "Russian deputy premier" that condemned Madonna (the performer, not the Madonna) for supporting, as the AP release put it "...the jailed members of a Russian punk band..."
That "Russian punk band" is called PUSSY RIOT. Say it. PUSSY. As in: vagina. Twat. And so on.

The parallels to the Madonna and the whore iconography are obvious. A woman -- Madonna -- takes on the persona of the Madonna/whore mythic cliche. And she dares to support other whores, who themselves dared perform -- in your face, bourgeois! -- anti-Madonna sentiments. Actually, Pussy Riot prayed to Mary: ""Virgin Mary, drive Putin away!" they evoked. Further insult to the Madonna, these "whores" take back names and labels and own it. Pussy Riot.

Parked in the seventh paragraph, the name of the group: Pussy Riot, is written. Pussy Riot appears again in the ninth paragraph. 7 and 9, two powerful numbers in esoteric tradition, not to mention three, the number of members on trial. The three members of Pussy Riot have been in jail for five months and are accused of acts that amount to religious hate crimes. The women face up to three years in prison.

Madonna -- the musician, not the BVM -- is once again about symbols. (Remember her recent swastika provocation in France.) From the AP item:

Madonna, who performed in Moscow and St. Petersburg as part of her world tour, expressed her support for Pussy Riot at Tuesday's concert in Moscow, saying she'd "pray for them." She then turned her bare back, with "Pussy Riot" written on it and donned a ski mask similar to those worn by the band.

Pussy Riot has international support, including of course from fellow musicians. Here's just one link I found while surfing.

Update on Pussy Riot Trial: Russia prosecutors seek three years' jail

BBC News - Pussy Riot: Russia prosecutors seek three years' jail Pussy Riot, three women performance artists, are on trial for insulting the church. For their "crime" church leaders are demanding the young women be imprisoned:

Feelings about the case within Russian society, where the Orthodox Church has enjoyed a revival since the collapse of the atheistic USSR, have been mixed.
'Abuse of God'

"The actions of the accomplices clearly show religious hatred and enmity," state prosecutor Alexei Nikiforov said in closing arguments.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has said the act amounted to blasphemy.

"Using swear words in a church is an abuse of God."

He said the women had "set themselves up against the Orthodox Christian world".

Given the "severity" of the crime, he argued, the "requisite punishment must be a real deprivation of freedom".

UFO Digest: Vatican Official Declares Extraterrestrial Contact Is Real

Wasn't I just posting about this awhile back? :)Vatican Official Declares Extraterrestrial Contact Is Real

Pussy Riot's cathedral performance

Brief clip of Pussy Riot's performance. See post below for more. BBC News - Pussy Riot's cathedral performance

BBC News - Pussy Riot trial: Putin urges leniency for Russia punks

Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Mariya Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich have been in jail since February, when they were arrested after storming the pulpit of the Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow.

 The punk trio danced in the Orthodox church while wearing garish colours and masks, chanting "Mother Mary, drive Putin away".

BBC News - Pussy Riot trial: Putin urges leniency for Russia punks

They're on trial. They're facing 7 years in prison for pissing off the Orthodox Church.

Lucha Libre Patron Saint, Folk Art

In Mexico, lucha libre -- the masked wrestlers -- recently had a celebration to honor their patron saint of their profession. That patron saint is the Virgin of Guadalupe, or Our Lady of Guadalupe. BBC News - Lucha libre wrestlers pay homage to their patron saint

Lucas Lorenzo, artist. From Sacred Art Pilgrim.

I found the Sacred Art Pilgrim site on Mexican folk art. Artist Lucas Lorenzo, along with family members, are "panel painters" -- painting on Masonite. (When I started painting decades ago I couldn't afford canvas but did have access to a lot of Masonite, which I used for painting surfaces. Both sides: the rough or back side had a texture that was oddly interesting to paint on.)

I wrote about Lucha Libre -- a topic I am curious about but really know very little of -- some time back for Tim Binnall's site. Seeing the Virgin; Tricksters Take it to the People, and Fun with Lucha Libre's Esoteric Side.

Contact with Extraterrestrial Life Imminent? What about God? - International - Catholic Online

A bit of synchronicity; the other day I submitted my article to UFO Magazine which was about the Vatican and its acceptance of alien life. Here's an interesting article on the topic. (Hat tip to UFO Disclosure Countdown for link.)Contact with Extraterrestrial Life Imminent? What about God? - International - Catholic Online

The Pope, Castro and ET: Jorge Martin on C2C Tonight

Tonight's Coast to Coast host is George Knapp, with guest Jorge Martin. Martin will discuss the Vatican and ET. Here's an article by Martin on Castro's thoughts of an alien presence, and what the Vatican thought in regards to the Pope's visit in 1998.Jorge Martin - Enigmas del Milenio / English version

BBC News - France's National Front to sue Madonna over Le Pen swastika

BBC News - France's National Front to sue Madonna over Le Pen swastika

France's far-right National Front is to sue Madonna after an image at the US singer's Paris concert showed party leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika imposed on her face.

National Front vice-president Florian Philippot said the party could not accept "such an odious comparison".

The image, in a video accompanying the song Nobody Knows Me, was followed by another resembling Adolf Hitler.

Home of the Order of the Blessed Saint Scully the Enigmatic

St. Scully. Indeed.

OBSSE Abbey: Home of the Order of the Blessed Saint Scully the Enigmatic

Debunker Faces Arrest for Debunking Watery Jesus

(This story dates back to March of this year.) Debunker and member of the Indian Rationalist Association Sanal Edamaruku faces arrest for his participation in doing what skeptibunkies do. He says he explained/exposed the watery seeping Jesus in Our Lady of Velankanni Church, in Mumbai.

India has laws against insulting religions and  "...deliberately hurting religious feelings and attempting malicious acts intended to outrage the religious sentiments of any class or community,” according to the Slate article.  On the surface Edamaruku is doing what's expected of debunkers, but I suspect there is a cultural and historical context at the root of his actions. (Italics mine):

What do you fear might happen to you?
If it comes to a trial, I have nothing to fear. I would welcome the opportunity to throw some light on the role that the Catholic Church played and is still playing today here in India. The possibility of arrest is threatening, however.

The religious zealotry, dogmatism and fanaticism Edamaruku fights is ironically mirrored by his own version of same:

Do you have any regrets about intervening? Why would one not intervene when somebody gives gullible people sewage to drink? But my reason is broader. The promotion of superstition and belief in paranormal phenomena dulls people's minds and establishes dangerous misconceptions about reality in our society. Such efforts have to be countered.

Edamaruku refused to back off and in fact, got quite contentious with critics. While India has the anti-insult to religions law, it also has this, according to Stephen Law.

Clause (h) of Article 51-A of Constitution of India states that : ‘It shall be the duty of every citizen of India to develop the scientific temper, humanism and spirit of inquiry and reform.’

Vatican astronomer offers to baptize ET | Openminds.tv

There's a great quote in the following statement; one I'm going to use for the blog header: "Any entity - no matter how many tentacles it has -- has a soul." On the surface, wonderfully silly and superstituious. But it's also very Buddha nature my Yoda minded friend. Do all things have a soul or just "entities" and what determines an "entity?" Are animals entities in the Catholic church -- if so, then they have souls. And so on we go:

Vatican astronomer offers to baptize ET | Openminds.tv: A Vatican astronomer has offered to baptize any extraterrestrials that might come in contact with Earth.

The Simpsons: alien character

Extraterrestrials may have souls, and Guy Consolmagno, a planetary scientist at the Vatican observatory, says he would baptize an ET if it asked him to. In an interview with The Guardian, Consolmagno explained, “Any entity – no matter how many tentacles it has – has a soul.”

Raelians banned from displaying ancient swastikas in Germany on 'World Swastika Rehabilitation Day' -

Raelians banned from displaying ancient swastikas in Germany on 'World Swastika Rehabilitation Day' - PR Newswire - The Sacramento Bee

LAS VEGAS, June 22, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the 3rd annual World Swastika Rehabilitation Day, Raelians, together with representatives from the Buddhist and Hindu religions, are planning to carry out major events in cities throughout the Americas, Australia and Africa on Saturday, June 23 (see http://www.raelpress.org/news.php?item.277.1).

In Europe, Raelians from Germany and its surrounding countries have decided to use this opportunity to inform the German public about the swastika's history, since most Germans completely ignore the swastika's good standing as a very ancient symbol of peace for Buddhists and a symbol of good luck for numerous other cultures.

The city of Karlsruhe, where the event is to be held, has nevertheless banned Raelians from displaying any type of swastika except for the Raelian symbol, in which a swastika intertwines with a six-pointed star.

"According to an order issued by the Karlsruhe government on June 15, the display of swastikas would lead to 'an immediate danger for the public safety and order' (see http://www.proswastika.org/download.php?view.3)," explained Thomas Kaenzig, coordinator of World Swastika Rehabilitation Day. "

Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2012/06/22/4581777/raelians-banned-from-displaying.html#storylink=cpy

Why are there spaceships in Medieval art?

Why are there spaceships in Medieval art? Always the question, and some insist those things seen in the skies were only comets.

If Evil Were Here…It Would Look Like This

Vatican and art and the joy to beheld in the aftermath of war:If Evil Were Here…It Would Look Like This  Just Wondering – Alternative News and Opinions

Attempt to Abduct Israeli Girl at Disney World - Global Agenda - News - Israel National News

A very strange and scary story:Attempt to Abduct Israeli Girl at Disney World - Global Agenda - News - Israel National News

A nine-year-old Israeli girl was nearly abducted from her parents at Disney World, in Orlando, Florida, during the Pesach holiday.

Security cameras located the child, alive, in a restroom. Her head had been shaved, she had been drugged, and her clothing replaced. Rest of story at link.

Profiled By The TSA? There's An App For That : NPR

Profiled By The TSA? There's An App For That : NPR

The mobile app is called FlyRights. Travelers who suspect they have been profiled take out their smartphone, tap a finger on the app and answer about a dozen questions. Then they hit "submit" and an official complaint is filed immediately with the Transportation Security Administration.

The app is the work of civil rights groups led by The Sikh Coalition. Amardeep Singh, co-founder of the Coalition, says the idea came from Sikh entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley who felt they were being stopped unfairly at airports, too often.

The Vatican's War on Women; This Time It's Nuns

Brane Space: Vatican Sics Bishop Enforcers on Nuns!

We knew that there might be payback after a goodly number of nuns protested in the wake of Catholic challenges to the contraception provision in Obama's Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Those nuns understood the range of harm that would befall millions of women if denied such access, especially when the pill is used so much for control of health problems such as endometriosis.

Now, we learn the Vatican has ordered a crack down on a particular group of nuns, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Evidently, the Vatican praised the nuns for "promoting social justice" but slammed them for protesting Church doctrine "on homosexuals and women's ordination" though one suspect the real reason was their full throated defense of Obama's health plan. 

Ouija Board News: Ghost Of Killer Nun Interupts Ouija Board Seance

New blog discovery, thanks to Lesley at The Debris Field. It's called Ouija Board News. Here's an entry about a ouija board session and contact concerning a "killer nun." Ouija Board News: Ghost Of Killer Nun Interupts Ouija Board Seance

Jail may await Afghan women fleeing abuse, rape: HRW - Yahoo! News

Jail may await Afghan women fleeing abuse, rape: HRW - Yahoo! News

Newport, Oregon: A Haunted Hotel?

Here's one of my Trickster Realm columns for Tim Binnall's site that I wrote a couple of years ago:binnallofamerica.com: Newport, Oregon: A Haunted Hotel?

The Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon is a unique place with an interesting history. The hotel is in the Nye Beach area; which until recently was exceedingly funky and charming. Now they've gone upscale and the looming, out of place, over priced condos and stores are a gloomy statement on things to come. The juxtaposition of old, shambled structures with tall cold modern buildings is typical in many beach towns. That aside, I still love the area and spend a lot of time there.

As I note in the article, I don't think the owners are very open to the possibility the place is haunted. I get the impression they don't have time for such nonsense. But I have felt some very intense and slightly unhappy energy in some spots while visiting. Does the photograph show something of a ghostly nature, or a glitch in the camera? Can't say, but do know this is the spot where things felt very unpleasant.

Shampoo ad using Hitler’s image sparks outrage, calls for removal | The Sideshow - Yahoo! News

Shampoo ad using Hitler’s image sparks outrage, calls for removal | The Sideshow - Yahoo! News

---

Pa. church conducts mock kidnapping on youth group - ABC27 WHTM

At my Octopus Confessional blog, this item about a church that staged a mock kidnap event. Adults "kidnapped" kids, threw them in a van, covered their heads in hoods...Octopus Confessional: Pa. church conducts mock kidnapping on youth group - ABC27 WHTM

From piglipstick: Religionists Bless Road, Athiests Unbless It

Tell me again that militant cartoon atheism isn't a religion. (Link and excerpt on piglipstick): piglipstick: Religionists Bless Road, Atheists Unbless It

Offended that religious people -- who, I admit, all too often offend me as well -- blessed a section of highway. So the local atheists (of which I am not) washed all that mumbo-jumbo away, with their own version of same. I suppose they'll argue that the former is believed to hold spiritual power while the latter was a symbolic gesture, a sort of atheistic street (no pun intended) theater.

I sympathize the atheists, even though they annoy me just as much as anyone else. I am after all, hosting a malcontent within. As they said, of the religious members who blessed the highway to drive us all towards God or some such (of course, "god" being the right god, the true god, the... you know, their God):

"It sends a very bad signal to everyone in Polk County, and (anyone) who travels through Polk county who doesn't happen to be Christian,” Palmer said, “This event is not about atheist rights; this is about welcoming everybody into Polk county."

True enough. Only those who believe in Jesus are welcome. Clear enough message and one that does not welcome.

But after awhile, the lines blur and original intents become murkier, and it all ends up as being perceived as superstition. Just depends on who is doing the viewing of said system, as to the degree of perceived superstition.

Saint's ancient heart stolen from Dublin cathedral - Yahoo! News

"DUBLIN (AP) — Somewhere in Ireland, a burglar has the heart of a saint.

Officials at Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin said Sunday they're distraught and perplexed over the theft of the church's most precious relic: the preserved heart of St. Laurence O'Toole, patron saint of Dublin."Saint's ancient heart stolen from Dublin cathedral - Yahoo! News

From Mystic Politics: 'Why Can't the Mormon Church Stop Baptizing Anne Frank?'

Link and comments from one of my favorite blogs about the Mormons penchant for baptizing Anne Frank:Mystic Politics: Why Can't the Mormon Church Stop Baptizing Anne Frank?

"Monsignors' mutiny" revealed by Vatican leaks - Yahoo! News

"Monsignors' mutiny" revealed by Vatican leaks - Yahoo! News

Colin Andrews announced at the McMinnville UFO Festival two years ago that soon we'll be seeing these whistle blower type events unfold...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Call it Conspiracy City. Call it Scandal City. Call it Leak City. These days the holy city has been in the news for anything but holy reasons.

"It is a total mess," said one high-ranking Vatican official who spoke, like all others, on the condition of anonymity.

The Machiavellian maneuvering and machinations that have come to light in the Vatican recently are worthy of a novel about a sinister power struggle at a medieval court.

Senior church officials interviewed this month said almost daily embarrassments that have put the Vatican on the defensive could force Pope Benedict to act to clean up the image of its administration - at a time when the church faces a deeper crisis of authority and relevance in the wider world.

Among the heap of scandalous topics: Vatican and banks, over all corruption, "cronyism,"
the true "owners" of the Vatican, power plays. In other words, the usual.

Just For Fun...

Humanists seek Army designation | JournalNow.com

Humanists seek Army designation | JournalNow.com:

Soldiers who don't believe in God can go to war with "atheist" stamped on their dog tags, but humanists and others with various secular beliefs are still officially invisible in the Army.

Maj. Ray Bradley is currently to be the first humanist recognized as a "distinctive faith group leader" by the Army. In the meantime, he can't be designated as a humanist on his official records or dog tags, although he can be classified as an atheist.

The distinction may not seem like a large one to those unfamiliar with humanism, but Bradley, based at Fort Bragg, says it's the equivalent of being told that "Christian" is an acceptable designation, but not "Catholic."

"Humanism is a philosophy that guides a person," Bradley said. "It's more than just a stamp of what you're not."

Humanism's core beliefs range from the assertion that knowledge of the world is derived from observation and rational analysis to the conviction that working to help others also promotes individual happiness.

Philip Coppens: The Lies of Fatima

The following from Philip Coppens:The Lies of Fatima;The apparition of the Virgin Mary at Fatima in origin had nothing to do with prophecies or, indeed, the Virgin Mary. But through a series of manipulations, the Church created one of the most elaborate lies, which formed the backdrop of major political events.

The story of the BVM at Fatima contains numerous fascinating elements. One aspect of the story is the following concerning Lucia, who kept the "secrets" and lived the rest of her life in a convent. But this, Coppens suggests (and the facts support) wasn't due entirely to Lucia's devotion as a Catholic.

...shortly after the Fatima apparitions, she was forced into a convent (she was not a devout Catholic when the visions happened; her father was actually an atheist), sent to a nunnery where she could not communicate with anyone because language barriers, and was later placed in solitary confinement, to make sure she didn’t speak to anyone; access to Lucia required the consent of the highest Vatican circles and it was rarely granted. What Lucia desired, was therefore totally at the Pope’s discretion.

It's been suggested before, and Coppens discusses this in his article, that the assassination attempt on Pope John Paul ll in 1981 had something to do with the Fatima secrets. So much so that "the bullet was later set in the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima."

But was the secret a true prediction of an assassination attempt, or manipulated revelations by the Vatican -- manipulated to the extent of holding prisoner a woman for just about her entire life? Coppens shows us how the latter seems to be the case.

Note: be sure to read Lon Strickler's piece about Philip's article at his blog Phantom and Monsters!

Mystic Politics: Google Removes Content After Complaints By Hindus, Muslims and Christians

Don't know what the content was, but apparently it didn't offend Jews, Buddhists, Wiccans, etc. Wonder what Google would have done in that case?Mystic Politics: Google Removes Content After Complaints By Hindus, Muslims and Christians

Philip Coppens: The Atheist Religion

One of my favorite thinkers in the area of aliens and philosophies, Philip Coppens, who writes about the religion of atheism, and why, despite the denial of atheists, theirs is a belief system. I'm not a Christian or subscribe to any particular religion -- don't believe in Jesus, for example -- but to say that I'm an atheist is wrong. Very wrong. I've been active in a Buddhist tradition lately, attending functions, etc. and am always about the solitary witchy thing but I'm not religious and I don't believe in a mono-theistic entity, unless you consider universal consciousness, manifested as everything, including us, as "God." And I'll throw in spirits and angels, why not. I've had direct experiences with those to know their reality. The atheists, like Bill Mahr and Ricky Gervais, who Coppens discusses, have the same kind of tunnel vision as religious nuts. While they often make pertinent points about various religions they can't step beyond the obvious: ridiculous rules and interpretations, harmful, violent and fatal behaviors to see that it isn't all about the stupidity and greed of humans. On the case

Dirk Vander Ploeg: Buddhists See UFO Intervention in 2012 | UFO Digest provides video proof of ufos, alien abduction and the paranormal.

UFO Digest publisher Dirk Vander Ploeg on Buddhist prophecy for 2012:Buddhists See UFO Intervention in 2012 | UFO Digest provides video proof of ufos, alien abduction and the paranormal.

Mae Brussell -- The Vatican Part I Nov. 1978

The first of many, explore Youtube for much more. . .

Deviant Moon Tarot: Ace of Wands as Madonna Figure

I've long admired artist Patrick Valenza's Deviant Moon tarot and finally bought myself a deck, which arrived yesterday. After exploring the deck, I find that I love it even more than I thought I would.(I even found myself having a dream last night in which I was wondering through various DVM type landscapes.)  I feel connected. No other deck has given me that intuitive connection, other than animal oracles. I've always found that I go back to versions of the "Waite" deck, much to my own dismay in many ways. Other decks I like a lot, like the Marseilles decks, have been fine as well, but just not...my soul mate of decks.

Ace of Wands, Deviant Moon Tarot, by Patrick Valenza

One card in the Deviant Moon deck that is particularly beautiful is the Ace of Wands. Which is a definite Madonna image. Here is the card on the official DVM site. More discussion on the Aeclectic Tarot forum. And here's an interesting site where two cards are pulled to answer a daily question: one card is from one deck, the other, the Deviant Moon. Creative idea; using cards from different decks in the same reading.

The Vatican and Freemasons | YUFOLOGY

Tina Sena shares her observation on something a conspiracy tinged TV program missed: The Vatican and Freemasons . I agree with Tina, coincidence, I think not. And why ignore such an obvious element? My own theory is that these kinds of shows are purely for the ratings and entertainment value, not informative on any deep level. Under the guise of "Oooooooooooo, conspiracy! How edgy!" they're really just fodder. And there are a lot of nerds out there who sniff at any actual belief of these things; they're interested, they're even scientific -- or play scientists on TV -- but you're never going to see the good stuff. As a Monster Quest producer said to me once, after I suggested she look into the black ops-psy-ops/military-industrial-corporate mind control/engineering etc. history surrounding Mothman in Pt. Pleasant (though I didn't put it such tin foil hat terms), with a nervous laugh: "I don't want the government or anything to come after me." Oops, I think I just went off on a rant here. Anyway, Tina Sena. Read her blog.

Santa Muerte (Saint Death)

One of my favorite blogs, Mystic Politics, has a brief item about "Santa Muerte" the Saint of Death.

"While tens of thousands of Mexicans have lost their lives in the ongoing drug war, millions more have become devoted to death. Saint Death (Santa Muerte) is a skeletal folk saint whose cult has proliferated on both sides of the border over the past decade. The Grim Reapress (she's a female figure) has rapidly become one of the most popular and powerful saints on both the Mexican and American religious landscapes. Although condemned as satanic by both Catholic and Protestant churches, she appeals to millions of Mexicans and Latin American immigrants in the U.S. on the basis of her reputedly awesome supernatural powers. ~ sources: Huffington Post

Santa Muerte, or The Grim Reapress, is a folk image/entity/icon. As such,like many folk images, she is outlawed by authorities and institutions. Since Saint Death is a protectress of the criminal and the murderous, her images, as well as conspicuous homages to her, are quashed:

The current administration of Felipe Calderon has even declared her religious enemy number one of the Mexican state. In March 2009, the Mexican Army bulldozed dozens of her roadside shrines in the border cities of Tijuana, Nuevo Laredo and Matamoros. But providing protection to narcos is just one of Saint Death's multiple roles. She is also a supernatural healer, love doctor, money-maker, lawyer and angel of death. ~ source: R. Andrew Chestnut,Huffington Post.

'La Catrina' by Rodolfo Cartas

The duality is interesting too: adopted by the criminals, the outsiders, but also by another type of outsider: those needing help in every day matters concerning money, illness, love, the law...and, death, which gets us all. It's interesting the saint is a female. R. Andrew Chestnut, author of the Huffington Post article that Mystic Politics links to, addresses this:

No introduction to Saint Death would be complete without consideration of one of her most unique characteristics -- her gender identity. While folk saints abound in the Americas, and other supernatural skeletons work miracles in Guatemala and Argentina, Santa Muerte stands alone as the sole female saint of death from Chile to Canada. Her asexual skeletal form contains no hint of femaleness. Rather it is her attire and, to a lesser extent, her hair that define the saint as female. Devotees and manufacturers of mass produced images of the Bony Lady usually dress her as a nun, the Virgin, a bride or queen.

(I wonder about Catrina, the famous Day of the Dead skeletal figure -- is she as common/popular? It's not quite the same meaning, from my limited understanding; Day of the Dead, while maybe morbid to some of us gringos, isn't a negative celebration, and it doesn't share the same context as Saint Death. While both are female images, both are of the people, and both are vilified by authorities, they aren't the same.)

Another post I found: Pagan Spirits: Santa Muerte -Saint Death with comparisons to other female dieties of death, including, to my surprise, the Virgin of Guadalupe, who one doesn't usually think of in this context:

The Virgin of Guadalupe’s indigenous antecedent is Tonatzin, the Moon Goddess, a milder aspect of Coaticue. Coaticue was the Lady of the Serpent Skirt, the creator-goddess who gave birth to all the deities and to earthly life as well. At death, she swallowed living things back into her body. She was also goddess of the moon and stars. She wore a necklace of skulls (like India’s Kali) and, as her name implies, a skirt of serpents. She is sometimes depicted as wearing a skirt made from the penises of her sacrificial victims.