You lie! oh yeah, section 246

It is better to remain silent, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. A wise saying that all Wimerwhiners should adhere to. In regards to Congressman Jim-Bob of South Carolina’s blurting out to the President. Not only was this a major faux pas, but one based on NO facts. It takes a simple reading of HR3200, Section 246 to view the language in regard to illegal aliens. Section 246 reads, "NO FEDERAL PAYMENT FOR UNDOCUMENTED ALIENS. Nothing in this subtitle shall allow Federal payments for affordability credits on behalf of individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States." Why doesn’t Congressman Jim-Bob step up to the plate and admit that he is a racist? This 9/12 March on Washington that claimed over a million people in attendance used Photoshopped photographs to give the “appearance” of more people than were there. It was accurately estimated at 75,000 by the Fire Department. And Glenn Beck states that a university, that he can’t remember the name of (Watsamatta U?), stated 1.7 million. How many people were in attendance at Obama’s Inauguration? About 2 million. What a difference! The placards about “Bury Obamacare with Kennedy” were not only in poor taste, but based on lies and inaccuracies promulgated by racists who won’t accept that an election of a black man took place last November 4th. Sometimes I am embarrassed to be white, and this is one of those times.

The difference is obvious after the election of 2000. George W. Bush became the first duly selected President of the United States. Selected by right wing Supreme Court justices when Al Gore had clearly won. Yet, Al Gore had the sense and loyalty to this country to step aside for the greater good of maintaining order and peace. What are these 9/12 morons doing? Not reading, not listening and most of all, choosing to believe rhetoric and gossip over the facts as they stand. A simple reading would make them aware. But when was the last time that most of these people even read a book? A newspaper? A blog? Well, a group of voiceover artists got together and donated their time to reading the bill into an audio format that these people could listen to it, if they choose not to read it. Will they listen to it? I doubt it. They are so entrenched in their racism and hatred against blacks that their lily white faces are turning redder by the second. Get over yourself and your antiquated beliefs and accept what the majority of the country has chosen. I was not happy when the Supreme Court selected Bush, but I dealt with it. All 8 years of lies, control, domination, manipulation and stepping on of our rights. Especially, the Patriot Act. What an offense to all Americans! Fascism flourished and intelligence diminished.

Then the 9/12er’s counter with, “we are not racists; we don’t want big spending and government takeover!” Well then, where were you when W. and Cheney rode heard over our budget and took a Clinton surplus and converted it into a W. deficit? Nowhere to be found. You were happy that there was a lily white Christian cowboy in the office and no matter what he did you could blindly trust him. Revel in your moronic behavior because you are violating what Jesus had taught all of us. Follow the commandments. Follow the Beatitudes. If you would take the time to read them and embrace what they say, you would then know that the behaviors and loudness of the 9/12er’s come from hate and NOT love. Dispute that one, Wimerwhiners! BTW, the Bible is available on CD audio as well.

Your acid test is WWJD. Or should we say, what DID Jesus do. Jesus said “And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's (Luke 20:25). Are the 9/12er’s following this simple rule? Does their anger that is being fomented by a paranoid psychotic big mouth named Glenn Beck justify their behavior? Not by a long shot. Respect what Jesus has told you to respect and you will receive the respect you give. If you base your behaviors on racial prejudice and lack of intelligence, then you will reap your reward of frustration and anger. God ahead, make your day one of hatred and anger. Share the love of Christ with red in your eyes and red on your neck. See where that will get you.

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

9/12: fear at its peak

From the smell of burgers on the grill at tailgating parties to the mall in D.C., many gathered to proclaim the mantra, “I want my country back!” And exactly what is their country? A country that, until recently, most of the world hated and despised for its infiltration into the societies of the world and its manipulation of their governments and economies. In essence, Big Brother. Yet the war paint of the old government fans and their louder and louder yelling doesn’t change the fact that our country has changed. People who have studied world history have finally gotten to the point where they see that we are no longer an island unto ourselves, but part of a global community. The founding fathers of our Constitution, mostly Deists, knew that the Constitution had to be a dynamic document. One that could be amended and modified to suit our growth and the times in which we would live. Not a static rag that would putrefy knowledge, growth and wisdom. Flexibility is the key to transition. Rigidity causes attitudes and behaviors to break instead of bend. Yet, with NRA placards in hand and a full metal jacket, those who want to defend our old way of life rise up and march on Washington.

With Bibles in hand they proclaim a way of life that has caused injury and insult to many peaceful people who want to be integrated into a global community. The same mindset that raided the lands of the Native Americans and called them heathens. Peaceful and sharing people who welcomed the settlers with open arms and shared our national holiday of Thanksgiving. People who were open to sharing the land, not raping it. Even if these 9/12er’s were taught the true history, they would still deny it based on the loudest of their leaders’ skew on the facts. Why? Because their leaders are right? Hardly! Because it fits into their pre-conceived agenda of control, domination and manipulation; the American way. Or should I say the redneck American way. In full regale the yahoos led by Jim Bobs marched on D.C. proclaiming an anti-socialist agenda and to make a statement. Over a million strong availed themselves of the right to demonstrate; in full view of the Congress and the President. This wouldn’t have happened in the Bush Administration, for they would have been relegated to demonstrating miles away.

With mantras like, “I want my America back”, many marched with self-righteous indignation like they “own” this country. What about the rest of us who want a better life? Are our opinions of no matter? Leaders who want power for themselves rule with control, domination and manipulation. They spin the facts to suit their needs and get even with those who disagree with them. They smear anyone who offers another opinion. If an opinion stands up to logic, based on facts, then it is worth debating. When conclusions about facts are embraced by people as true, it must stand up to scrutiny under the microscope. Also, it must be seen in a collective light as well. The Christian question is WWJD? Yet, many of these self-righteous 9/12er’s spin that question to defend a way of life that has hurt, moreover than helped, many people in the world.

The bottom line is that the 9/12er’s are preaching FEAR. Did Jesus preach fear? He preached obedience to God and respect for your fellow man. Not to take a position and posture yourself so that your viewpoint is right, whether it stands up to scrutiny or not. Remember the line he drew in the sand? Do most of you know what that idiom means? Have you taken the time to investigate the message of love and faith that Jesus taught? Or are you taking the easy way out and joining a mob of fear and defense based on an antiquated outlook of separatism? Are you enforcing fear at its peak like the Glenn Beck’s of the world or are you contributing to the growth and prosperity of your community? You decide. The facts are right in front of your face. Will you ignore them or support them? It’s up to you.

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

Give the united way

On Thursday, September 10, 2009, I videotaped interviews at a United Way event for delawaredhispanic.com. When I arrived the 40 some kids were sporting their new United Way tees and smiles that could only come from a moment of getting out of school. After interviewing the director and one of the fundraisers we had an interesting conversation with an officer from DEDO about how much the United Way helps families in Delaware. Please visit their site at the United Way. True spirituality starts when people go out of their way to help other people. Be a part of a world that grows and nurtures the development of its people. Following is the press release for the last Thursday event that “stopped traffic”:

UNITED WAY OF DELAWARE “STOPS TRAFFIC” ON MARKET STREET MALL TO ANNOUNCE $20.5 MILLION 2009 CAMPAIGN GOAL

WILMINGTON, Del. (September 10, 2009) – United Way of Delaware (UWD) “stopped traffic” in downtown Wilmington at noon today to stage a “flash mob” and announce its fundraising goal for the 2009 statewide campaign. A group of ‘Live United Players,’ including United Way staff and first-grade students from Kuumba Academy performed in front of the Grand Opera House on Market Street Mall.

Organization leaders joined with community supporters and the general public to announce a 2009 United Way Campaign goal of $20.5 million and to underscore the importance of bringing donors together to support more than 100 social service agencies throughout the state. The campaign will run through the end of the year.

“We launched the campaign differently this year because, frankly, it can’t be business as usual anymore,” said Michelle A. Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Delaware. “Times are never easy for those who need our help, but things are tougher than ever this year.”

Taylor noted that the economic challenges of the past year have yielded a great deal of compassion from Delawareans, including the many community volunteers who help lead United Way’s appeals and partnerships. The kickoff event included United Way of Delaware’s 2009 Campaign Co-Chairs: Diane Gulyas, Group Vice President for DuPont Performance Materials, and Ted Becker, Managing Partner of Stewart-Becker Properties.

“If you’ve never given to United Way, this is your chance to be a real hero in your community,” Gulyas said as she reminded the crowd about the ease of payroll deductions to support community needs. “If you get paid 26 times per year, just one dollar per pay period can mean eight meals delivered to a homebound senior. Ten dollars per pay would mean three months of mentoring to help a young person stay on a positive path.”

About United Way of Delaware

United Way of Delaware’s mission is to maximize the community’s resources to improve the quality of life for all Delawareans. United Way of Delaware (UWD) works to advance the common good by focusing on the three building blocks to a good life: education, income and health. UWD is engaged in a long-term strategy to eliminate the root causes of Delaware’s most pressing social problems in New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties. UWD works collectively with business, government, social service agencies, academic groups, community organizations, and concerned citizens to effect positive, long-lasting solutions for today and into the future. For more information, to make a contribution, or to volunteer to work with UWD, please visit www.uwde.org or call (302) 573-3700.

This year’s goal is $20.5 million dollars. They can only reach that goal with your help. Give your donations, your time and your heart to those in need. The blessings you will receive will be multiplied over and over. The basis of spirituality is in the understanding that we are blessed with gifts and talents that we need to share. We are not islands on this earth. We are mountains and forests! Shine forth your light and bring joy to your friends and neighbors. Give the United Way!

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

Spiritual Liberation and Transformation

What is spiritual liberation and transformation? Liberation means to be set free from bondage. In spiritual terms it means to become aware of and make changes to limiting thought and belief patterns that separate you from health, wealth prosperity and abundance. Transformation means to change in form or appearance. In spiritual terms it means to echo the inner changes of thought and belief into creating a corresponding state of health, wealth prosperity and abundance in your outer world. As within, so without. As above, so below. Michael Beckwith’s new book, Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential, addresses the principles and techniques to achieve liberation and transformation.

Michael Beckwith has a talent to bring esoteric spiritual principles down to earth in common everyday language. In his book Michael Beckwith writes about ancient wisdom as applied to today’s world and unchanging spiritual principles. Our external world is a result of how we give and receive love. Michael gives us an awareness and respect for the principles while utilizing practical tools to bring about our desires. He will present his brand of teaching to seekers in our area on Friday, September 18, 2009.

Following is the press release for the event:

Bodhise Holistic Healing Group and Common Ground Fellowship invite you to an Evening with Michael Bernard Beckwith and Friends in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Friday, September 18th at Tindley Temple on the Avenue of the Arts.

Dr. Beckwith is founder and spiritual director of the Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, a featured teacher in the book and film The Secret, and author of the award winning book Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul's Potential. In this energizing and transformational speaking engagement, Dr. Beckwith will share ways in which we may consciously accelerate our soul’s evolution and skillfully work with both the individual and global challenges we face today.

Michael will deliver a personal message to Philadelphia — a city historically associated with the quest for liberty and freedom. His presentation is not religiosity or dogma, but a focus on inner liberation that opens us to a life filled with joy, harmony and creativity.

This evening's presentation will draw upon a range of ancient wisdom teachings and spiritual paths to form a coherent practice that is neither Eastern nor Western but truly universal. Musical inspiration will be provided by Rickie Byars Beckwith, Stephen Wise-Katriel, the Common Ground Choir and friends, and will also introduce singer Suzen Cho.

Tickets are $35 in advance and $45 at the door. The event starts at 7:30pm and runs until 10pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Books and DVDs from Dr. Beckwith and Agape will be on sale after the event and Dr. Beckwith will be signing books from 10pm to 11pm.

A VIP reception starts at 6pm for $125 that allows attendees to meet Dr. Beckwith personally and includes reserved front section seats. VIP’s will also get an autographed copy of Michael’s newly released book Spiritual Liberation and DVD.

Handicapped access is available. For more information follow this link.

Performing at the event will be Stephen-Wise Katriel, a veteran spiritual music performer who at one time worked as a singer with Stevie Wonder. Stephen’s music is laced with spiritual wisdom overlaid on world rhythms that excite and motivate the soul. Minister Rhetta Morgan directs the Common Ground Choir for this evening of spiritual insight, liberation and transformation. I am honored to call Stephen and Rhetta my friends and I am looking forward to their performance as much as witnessing Mr. Beckwith live and in person.

If you are looking to be truly inspired come to this event and witness the teachings of a man who truly seeks peace on our planet. A man whose only mission is to uplift and inspire your soul to attain its maximum potential. Be a part of this life changing event. Hear his words and listen to the music that stirs the soul to be liberated and transformed!

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

Granny and the intercessor

After a relaxing weekend I decided to read some R&P articles. I needed a good laugh and Mr. Whiner sure knows how to give you one. My “esteamed” (misspelling intentional) raises the bar when it comes to non-sense and rhetoric. One of his readers, Frankly Speaking, left an interesting comment: “Keith Wimer is the best cut and paste man working on the internet today. He believes that Glenn Beck was sent here on a mission from God to push the Conservative agenda forward. He agrees with people on his site that condemned Ted Kennedy to hell the day after he died. He is one confused Christian indeed.” Hmmm. Interesting. Frankly speaking, I found Mr. Whiner’s behavior “inexcusable.” Oh, he tried to back pedal in his second article on Ted Kennedy, only to take the cowardly way out and quote a Catholic priest with his own agenda to reinforce his position. His take on Ted Kennedy is like Sarah Palin’s “kill granny” theory of “death panels.” He elevates himself to the position of intercessor between you and God. He then rants about comments against Glenn Beck as being libelous. As Kerry Martin from thefbm.com says, “Keith needs a dictionary! It's not libel if it's the truth.”

Then comes his take on judgment. Judgment means to form and opinion in an objective, authoritative and wise manner. Judgment depends on a person’s evaluation of the facts. Evaluation means to set the value or significance of something after you examine the facts. Mr. Whiner states my “continued efforts to shame, denigrate, and assail the character of this column and its author, through his own writings. The consensus by the majority has been, invectives such as these aren’t worth dignifying.” How convenient. My evaluation of the facts came to one conclusion. Mr. Whiner wasn’t there at Ted Kennedy’s accident, and therefore had no idea as to what had truly happened. He then claims I judged him for that with “Aren’t folks who reprimand others for passing judgment, not in fact themselves passing judgment on those they deem "judgmental"? The absolute apex of hypocrisy is for one to accuse another of something they are so blatantly guilty of themselves, whether one recognizes or willingly acknowledges one's own duplicity or not. This is the greater principle the preceding anecdote seeks to edify one and all with.” My evaluation of your actions is completely correct. My judgment is of no consequence, sir. That one you will have to deal with when you meet your maker. Mr. Whiner’s above statement doesn’t hold water when one examines the facts. The apex of ego and hypocrisy comes from anyone who assumes they KNOW what God’s judgment is and inflicts it on another human being. That is NOT our job!

Then, there are his readers. After leaving many insidious comments about me and my character, I decided to wipe my comments and start the slate clean. My choice, my decision, my right. Again, Mr. Whiner’s whiners complained to high heaven with one even threatening to hack into examiner.com’s servers to retrieve the comments. And these are stable minds? One of his commenters said, “Bringing your daughter into this out of the blue was about as low life as this piece of human garbage can get!!! What an A**hole.” The fact is I referenced his position on TK and asked him what his daughter would think if she knew that he was judging another human being without the facts. I said nothing derogatory about his daughter at all. This is the mindset of these right wing nuts. Attack the person, not the truth that they are saying. Distract the focus from the issues and the truth. Another commenter, Mike Litoris, is such a coward that he uses a play on words that identify a woman’s genitalia to identify himself. In reference to me he says, “He is obviously so envious of your ability to write and reason circles around him, that he has nothing left to offer but personal and highly inaccurate professional attacks on you and YOUR quality work.” There is nothing farther from the truth. I would rather have one reader that I reach with the truth than to have my readers act like such childish morons as Mr. Litoris. To be envious of someone you have to desire what they have. I can assure you, there is nothing that Mr. Whiner has that I want! I have read the Bible cover to cover like him many times and we both see different things. Our major difference is that I don’t buy his eschatological horsecrap. I guess Mr. Whiner was a fly on the wall in the cave on the Isle of Patmos in 90 C.E. when St. John wrote the Revelation.

Here is the bottom line. Anyone who listens to fear and acts on it has not developed his character to lead other individuals. Glenn Beck is one prime example. Anyone who follows him is unstable at best. As Penn of Penn & Teller said, “If God told you to kill your child and you said no, then you are an Atheist. If you said yes, then you are dangerous and stay away from me.” Those who teach and practice faith in God and NOT fear of God are the true leaders in Christ. Not those who preach doom and gloom and the end of the world. Those are the people who don’t have a clue of the mission of human life on this planet. May God bless them in their ignorance.

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

God is NOT a hater, but Glenn Beck is!

I feel especially qualified to make this statement after I conducted my experiment for the past three weeks. After collating my results and reading the comments for the final time, I truly realized how delusional, moronic and infantile most of the negative commenters were. I want to thank Keith Wimer, Religion and Politics Examiner for directing his readers to view my articles and decide for themselves. They made the snake pit quite interesting with their intelligent comments like, “this guy is full of crap.” What an intelligent comment! Their participation allowed my experiment to be rich and full of non-diversity and hate talk. Talk about opinionated and closed minded! Kind of makes you wonder about those with such a weak position who call themselves Christians. I now fully understand the hatred that is taught by Glenn Beck.

In Keith’s article, Glenn Beck facing leftist limbo, Keith states the following; “Limbo, as in the popular song and dance; question is, "how low can they go?" Hypocrisy, callousness, malice, and outright LIBEL from leftist propagandists have, can it be said, finally answered that question. Of course one daren’t set the low mark just yet. One thing seemingly inevitable, when it appears these loony radicals couldn’t possibly get any baser, they jerk an all new falsehood from their collective sphincter. Perhaps it’s appropriate the aforementioned 50’s party fad was based on a Trinidad funeral dance. Allegorically speaking, today’s "leftist limbo" does appear to signal the imminent death of civil discourse amongst those who disagree with each other. Incidentally, it had been decided that Glenn Beck was going to take a hiatus from this column for a spell to examine some other issues, but extremist scoundrels have thrown the gauntlet and to not denounce their madness would be ethically wrong.”

Well Mr. Whiner, excuse me, Wimer, I had such a good laugh over this one! I guess that I am one of the “extremist scoundrels” you mentioned. It would be ethically wrong for me not to say something about your apparent lack of intelligence in regards to this issue, in my opinion. The readers you sent me commented at such a low it was amazing. Civil discourse for them is verbal pollution. As for libel, when you are public figure and make statements there is no libel when someone calls you a moron; especially when you suffer from ADHD, display a dry drunk attitude and simply find conspiracies in everything. As for you and your readers‘ collective sphincter, as you call it, it’s the same old song. I won’t attempt to denounce you and your readers’ madness, I will just LOL! And you and your readers call yourselves Christians and Godlike? What a joke. You wouldn’t know compassion and understanding if it hit you over the head. Are you finding sickles and plow shares in any Wilmington government or banking buildings much like your hero GB is finding at Rockefeller Center (incidentally where the Fox News is located)?

I carried on a dialogue recently with Father Jacob, a Catholic priest. He insisted to me that God hates. God hates? What a moronic conclusion. God has created everything in this universe. We are His most prized creation. Who are the haters? People are, not God! Glenn Beck is so full of himself and the fact that he preaches to morons every night that his ego is out of control. This man, in my opinion, is a hater and needs serious mental help! What’s next? As Chris Matthews says, “Fox News is constant verbal incitement.” Incitement that affects people like the lily white Jim Bob at a town hall that kept interrupting a woman in a wheel chair who was only trying to tell her story. People who believe communistic and socialistic threats from morons who don’t even know the meanings of the words. If it didn’t push people to bringing guns to town halls it might be just simply funny. But it isn’t. It’s simply hate and fear mongering.

Want to be a hater? Want to deny what Christ tried to teach you? Then keep listening to the Beck’s, Hannity’s, Limbaugh’s and O’Reilly’s of the world. Nothing but sore losers! If you want to truly make a difference, then follow the principles in the Beatitudes that were stated in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Don’t be deceived by the rhetoric of haters, liars and manipulators! They are on a path to destruction, no constructive dialogue and a life of fear and lack. God has created an abundant and loving universe. When you seek that, it will come to you. When you live hatred, it will come to you as well. Which will you choose?

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

Venom and the snake pit

Several weeks ago I wrote an article on the town hall meeting disruptors. The onslaught of commenters favoring Glenn Beck was like a tsunami; quick to judge and laying out mass destruction. I decided to walk a mile in Mr. Beck’s shoes and respond to his supporters as negatively as I possibly could. Since it takes about three weeks to form a habit and about three weeks to break one, I decided to conduct an experiment over the next three week period. I decided to level the commenters with insults, question their validity and be as acerbic and nasty as GB is. Mr. Beck cloaks his insults in niceties, but the result is the same. He gets you to doubt something to further his weak position. Why? To sell advertising. It’s not working, Glenn! At this point he has lost 57 advertisers. That speaks volumes!

Three weeks were up yesterday and as a result, I have been called a hater, a dumbass, a liar, a moron, ignorant, stupid, uninformed, unqualified, Anti-Mormon and on my way to hell. It is interesting when you push people’s buttons how they react. Wanting to be fair, I chose to respond to the commenters. I discovered that not only did it take up a great deal of time, it was stressful and hurtful; not just to myself, but my family as well. When you jump into the snake pit and spew venom repeatedly, it takes its toll. Since yesterday was the conclusion of my experiment, I am relieved to begin pro-acting again instead of reacting.

When people learn something and emotionalize it, it becomes real to them. No matter what anyone else says, they will choose to believe what they are convicted to believe. The snake pit of commenters is like a trip to virtual hell. It is place where everyone is trying to make his opinion known and correct and saying the hell with what anyone else says. This venom wells up from their spirit and spits out at others with such velocity that it burns the recipient, but ultimately, it hurts the person who spews it more. As I have said in my past articles, if you believe something, test it. Conduct experiments to test the validity of your convictions. In the snake pit, there are attacks and anger, as well as compliments and kudos. However, entering the daily sparring match can not only take away precious time from your family; it can have a deleterious effect on your mind, body and spirit.

I have led an absolutely wonderful life. God has blessed me immensely with a large family, great friends and a joyful spirit. During my 20’s and 30’s I was a recording and touring musician. I progressed into recording engineering and production in audio and video. Currently, I design and market websites and multimedia productions. I am quite busy with my work and I simply don’t have the time and energy to live in the snake pit. I have, and will continue to speak my mind on subjects that I have studied and learned about; much to the dismay of some commenters. I know who I am. Do they? Living in the snake pit and spewing venom has become a way of life for them. That is their choice. One particular commenter has a fascist like hit list where he discloses Anti-Mormons to the world. His delusional behavior and self-aggrandizement is indicative of a very sick mind. Is his faith in his religion so weak that he has to attack and label anyone who disagrees with his church? He has challenged me to produce my credentials, yet refuses to declare his.

I know what I have done and I don’t need to prove it to anyone. He feels that I have announced my credentials in my bio because I want to prove to the world that I am an authority. The truth of the matter is that is what examiner.com asked for and they put it in my bio. During my undergraduate studies in psychology, philosophy, religious history and computer science, I concurrently attended seminary school. We studied in depth the world’s religions, comparative gospels and I wrote a dissertation on ancient religions. I graduated from UCS, a Los Angeles based seminary school in 1985 and the school closed in 1989. During my studies I had to learn Aramaic (Hebrew), Koine Greek, geographic idioms, language nuances and the re-translations of the Bible by the Catholics into Latin. It was fascinating to learn about how some of the things that we have been taught are totally erroneous. Prior to college I had spent most of my child and teen life attending Pentecostal churches. I learned the Bible inside and out. But there was more I needed to learn; hence my attending seminary school.

My good friend and confidante Pastor Dr. Benjamin “Twin B.” Brown relayed a story to me about the situation concerning the Anti-Mormon accusations. He said that if you throw a brick into a pack of dogs, the one that gets hit is the one that yelps the loudest. How true! Greg West, whom I refer as the Anti-Mormon hater (I guess the brick had hit him), disputes my credentials and surely goes out of his way to include me on his Anti-Mormon hit list. This is a form of fascism, and his Mormon cronies don’t seem to like it. The tell me to look it up. I know what it means. They need to look it up. I call it as I see it. And this man questions my spirituality? Why, because I reacted fervently against his hatred and lies? I have had many years of experience with the Mormons. Having attended one of their wards for several years and having to deal with their incessant meddling into my private family affairs, I decided to leave their controlling, dominating and manipulating philosophies of life. After I left, I spent years investigating exactly who Joseph Smith was and what he was all about. I will be doing a series on them in the near future.

My best friend says that I can’t stop the birds from flying over my head but I can prevent them from making a nest in my hair. As for the snake pit, I am done. In fairness to the commenters and their right to comment, I will allow their new comments to appear if they decide to write them. They can fight amongst themselves if they so choose. I will be removing all of the comments currently there to wipe the slate clean and start anew. I will not be entering the snake pit anymore to read any of the comments. Post your hatred and disagreement if you like and if it is obscene and racial, I will remove it. I have a great life and I choose to live it without animosity, stress and strife. Furthermore, if anyone tries to email me with negativity I will summarily block their addresses. I will continue to speak my mind on a variety of spiritual subjects, analyzing religions and what they teach people as well as the beauty of being one with God. If you don’t like what I say, then go somewhere else to learn more or spread your hatred. I challenge you to NOT read my articles. Only read them if you want to learn about where your accepted beliefs came from and how they have been manifested in today’s world. Don’t be like the Greg West’s of the world who’s insecurity in their own religion and their desire to enlist other’s attacks on people who disagree with him causes them to resort to fascism and hatred. I am truly sorry if I have offended anyone with my retorts. My goal was to get you to think. If you choose not to, then it is on you. Challenge your beliefs daily to learn the truth. May God bless you and your families now, and forever.

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