Question authority

An Authoritarian is defined as characterized by or favoring absolute obedience to authority, as against individual freedom: an authoritarian regime. Of, relating to, or expecting unquestioning obedience. Authoritarianism is defined as the habit of conduct, thought, and speech expressing total submission to rigid principles and rules. The principles and views of the rule maker.

I will never forget when I walked into my 7th grade World Civ class in 1967 at Central Junior High School in Newark, DE. As I walked to my seat I saw a bumper sticker-like flyer on the cork board that said, “Question Authority.” Since I was raised a Pentecostal in an Assembly of God Church, I was indoctrinated with an authoritarian God who breathed either blessings or fire and brimstone with the same breath. That phrase, “Question Authority” stuck in my head and became a theme for my life. Yes, it caused me a great deal of grief at times but it was my individual salvation. It taught me to learn to think for myself.

Being raised in a Republican family, I went along with the tenets and politicians of conservatism, not knowing what it was all about. In fact, when I turned 18 and voted for the first time, I voted for Nixon. Not something I am proud of, but I was indoctrinated and uninformed about the truth. When Nixon fell, it woke me up to my responsibility to research not only what a politician says, but what he doesn’t say as well. But Nixon was a religious man; a Quaker by faith. Yet, with all his lessons of propriety and obedience absolute power corrupted him absolutely. Soon after, I dropped out of the political game and pursued my musical career.

In the eighties I returned to college and learned logic. My professor instructed me that I would be using a part of my brain that I had never used before. His statement of “most people don’t think, they emotionally react” triggered my memory about questioning authority. He further taught my class about the Socratic Dialectic where the philosopher Socrates taught his students by not answering them, but by replying with another question. This forced his students to think. During the school year President Reagan (I refer to him as Raygun) came to our campus and gave a speech. My professor got an advanced copy of the speech and gave an assignment to break down the speech by logic principles and write a summation. Also, we had to attend the rally and compare the speech given with the advanced copy and break it down with logic principles. When I completed the assignment I couldn’t believe what I discovered. President Raygun really didn’t say anything of value. He stated platitudes such as “What a great land, this country of ours.” What the hell is that? The crowd cheered and howled when truly nothing was said. There were only two people in class that got an A for this assignment and I was one of them. He never said anything of value. He was the major proponent of supply side economics and the trickle-down theory.

History has proven that trickle-down economics doesn’t work. Yet the neo-conservatives continue to whine the same old tune of returning to the Raygun years. How many times do we have to hear this out of tune song and continue to listen to it? The modern day conservatives, neo-conservatives and moderates operate on the authoritarian model of government. They cry about less government control and they deregulate their greedy buddies and allow them to send our economy on a roller coaster ride into hell. I recently heard Tom Delay state how our economy was stable during the “W” years. This guy is delusional! “W” walked into a budget surplus over 200 billion dollars and left us with a trillion dollars in debt. “W” listened year after year to his diabolical advisor and consummate “Spin Doctor” Carl Rove. All of their oil cartel buddies consistently got their wallets padded at our expense. And now Dick Cheney’s assassination squads have been revealed. Will we demand justice for individuals who were in authority positions and blatantly violated the law? Torture and death squads originating in our country and we do not prosecute? What does that say about us?

Yet, why is it that almost fifty percent of this country voted for the lies of John McCain? Don’t get me wrong here. I hold John McCain in high regard for his loyalty to this country, but his lies and foolishness ended up in his political demise. Why do you think the Republicans forced such an apparent airhead as Sarah Palin on him as a running mate? I really got sick and tired of hearing the “Maverick” crap during the campaign. John McCain bucked the neo-cons and they wanted him to lose. It’s a shame that he couldn’t see that. Let’s get back to their authoritarian model.

Jesus was persecuted for speaking the truth. Some of those he spoke the truth to were uncomfortable with the fact that he knew their game and that they didn’t want anyone else to know their game. Jesus questioned authority and could see within the hearts of men. That’s why authoritarians seek and most times get support from common folk because they believe they will blindly follow them and never question their authority. Jesus questioned authority and died for it.

People like Rush Limbaugh dupe the masses with their rhetoric. After examining his audience I have come to an interesting conclusion; most of Rush’s listeners are rednecks and are uneducated in the ways of the modern world. Where are Rush Limbaugh’s answers? He wants Obama’s policies to fail! Where does that leave us? Why don’t you say the truth, Rush? You want us to fail so you can succeed! So you can be proven right. What a way to validate your ego! You don’t truly care about this country or the people in it! The way this man thinks is childish at best. His message operates from a space of lack and limited resources. Yet his bank account is loaded! Why would anyone with half a brain listen to this man? What really strikes me very funny is that a comedian is the figurative leader of the Republican Party. The lies are continually being perpetrated on those who accept for gospel what they say and DON’T question authority.

Recently I have been under attack by some nay sayers. That’s OK because we are all entitled to our opinion. I will daily continue to question authority and stave off mediocrity. The real enemy is mediocrity. I suggest you read this article to find ways to shake off the stain of mediocrity.

In summation, I would like to say that I am a Libertarian. I believe that government needs to regulate our economy and trade to stave off the greedy, but should stay out of our personal lives. Just look at what the Fascist Regime of George W. Bush did to our Bill of Rights and got away with it. I believe that we all need to learn from the greed and control freaks in the world. Their time has come to an end. They are old school and we now have a President who wants to defend and protect our individual rights. Wake up people!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Be careful what you ask for…

You might get it! Everyday many thoughts swim through our minds and we either attach to these thoughts our attention or dismiss them as fantasies. Many great leaders and artists have harnessed the power of attaching “I can” to their thoughts. All of us have had those moments where we simply know we can achieve something even though the external environment seems to paint a picture that we can’t. We either choose to accept these outside circumstances as real and true or we embrace our “knowing” thoughts as possibilities. Accepting possibilities is where we can start planning to create the life that we want. When we convert the possibilities to probabilities is when we begin to actualize the thoughts and dreams we have desired.

Take Barack Obama for example. I saw a video clip of him back in the early 90’s outlining the direction he believed America needed to go and then more than 15 years later he is in command of where America can go into the future. Several times Jesse Jackson ran for the presidency and was unsuccessful, but his dream that an African American would someday be president came to pass. Some say that the picture here in the article was his disgust that he wasn’t elected, but I vehemently disagree. The look in his face reflects thanks to God for fulfilling his dream; even though he wasn’t the fulfillment of the dream. I submit this picture as the picture of the decade, or perhaps for the past several hundred years in which this country embraced slavery. Jesse Jackson’s years of knowledge about Martin Luther King, Jr. prepared him and enriched his life so he could believe in the dream. He met challenge after challenge and kept the hope of his dream alive. He asked for a world where anyone could be elected president and he got it! The dream might not have manifested the way he thought it would, but it manifested nonetheless.

How many dreams have you let go by the wayside? Did you pay attention so much to the outside circumstances that you abandoned any hope of manifesting your dream? Did you realize that the outside circumstances are a result of what you thought last week, last month or last year? Start directing your attention to the thoughts in your mind that say “I can!” Know that you can achieve anything that you desire by grabbing those thoughts, thinking diligently about them everyday and manifesting them into your world by ignoring the outside world and believing in your ability to manifest your desires. Remember, the root of the word desire is “of the father.” God wouldn’t have given you those desires unless he had given you the power to create and manifest them.

I remember from seminary school when we studied a book that contained the four gospels on two facing pages. We could read what Christ said in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and compare what Christ said in the original Koinè (pronounced coinay) Greek. Even though some of the wording varied from gospel to gospel, the underlying truth in what Christ said was revealed. It was obvious and apparent. He told us that we could move mountains! But how can we do that you might ask? It’s simple; grab the positive thought of your desire and believe in your ability to manifest it. When Christ approached Lazarus tomb he told Lazarus to wake up. He spoke with conviction and authority. He knew he would arise! Know the gifts that God has given you and use them to create the life that you desire. Don’t listen to the nay sayers who try to beat you up with your own words or “God’s words” as they understand them to be. Read what Christ said and follow his example. Like Jesse and Barack you will win every time!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Off the wall

After the last week of the media blitz over Michael Jackson’s death I have a few observations to make and a story to tell. Many of us were shocked at this untimely death, especially in the wake of his comeback. In 1977 I was a musician who played with a band at the old Columbia lot in Hollywood and caught a glimpse of him one time at the canteen. He seemed to be a person who loved to laugh and have a great time. Many things have been said about him both good and bad but the only thing proven was his charity. Having not much of a childhood as a child, he reached out to others only desiring to bring joy to their lives. Many have said that he was “off the wall” but I say he was “on the mark.” The greatest message he relayed was in his lyrics for the song “Heal the World.”

The chorus is as follows:

Heal The World
Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me
And The Entire Human Race
There Are People Dying
If You Care Enough
For The Living
Make A Better Place
For You And For Me

What a message! We all have the power that God has given us to heal the world and make it a better place. Do you care enough for the living? Have you reached out and helped another person who is in need? If you have then God bless you for giving. If you haven’t, then try to help someone who is not where they want to be in their life. It’s not just about money. It’s about giving your time, sharing your talents and abilities, going the extra mile especially when you don’t feel like it. Jesus said that if someone shows up at your door in need and your reject them, you are rejecting him. Why would he say this? Because we are all connected through God. He has created us to be express His knowledge, wisdom and beauty. Christ said not to cover your light but to shine it forth unto the world. Give of yourself to others. That doesn’t mean that you allow others to use you, but you allow others to benefit from your experience and knowledge.

On the day of MJ’s funeral I was in Wilmington donating my time to a workshop that trains kids in television production during the summer. I left the workshop and turned onto 4th Street heading for 95. When I came to the light under 95 it was green and I proceeded into the left turn lane. The light changed and the rear of my car stuck out a little bit in the intersection. Coming towards me in the opposite left lane was a new red pickup with a guy waving his hands. As he passed me he shouted, “You’re a true nigger!” Sometimes I am ashamed to be white. Especially when someone uses derogatory and racial terms. I was raised to respect all races and people; whether they were like me or different from me. The African American community and the entire world just lost an iconic figure that gave so much of himself to help others and here is a guy broadcasting hate. The only thing I could do was to ask God to bless him.

We all might look and act differently than one another but the spirit of God is within each and every one of us. Recognizing that is the first step to attaining the Kingdom of Heaven. Respecting our differences and embracing the unity we have in our diversity is next. Finally, making the time to help someone in need is God in action. Blessings abound when we share the spirit of God with all. Find someone in need and go ahead; make their day!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Are you attached to the outcome?

I had a great conversation with a good friend of mine over the weekend. He has owned several businesses in the past and is very successful. In fact, he owns a business that finances and factors other businesses. In our conversation he outlined what he has learned from starting and running his businesses. I think this information is relevant based on the exchanges with evangelicals I have had lately concerning the Word of God. First, my friend said that one has to respect his customers, employees, financers and finally himself. Without respect for your environment you cannot completely understand what is going on around you. Secondly, you must not be attached to the outcome of your efforts (or others’ efforts) or you end up getting involved in more than you can handle. Finally, you must learn to trust your actions based on your perceptions after you have carefully thought out your course of action.

Doctrines have a way of being static. They are rigid and reflect a manner of thought and principle which limits the creativity and expression of those who are different than the mainstream. Doctrines and principles are necessary elements of an organized and lawful society. But just as our criminal justice system is notoriously 30 years behind social change, we need this lag in order to gradually adjust to our ever growing perceptions of our world. All of this comes from observing our world and environment as it stands; not how it was 2000 years ago! Respect for your environment comes from observation, clear perception and an understanding of growth. Taking the correct action and making the steps to change things to allow their growth requires a correct visualization of their outcome. Not how they get there, but the end result. Problems arise when people attach themselves to a perceived outcome based on just their understanding of doctrines and principles without taking into account the perceptions and observations of others. When we take others perceptions and observations into account we truly begin to see a 360 degree picture of life. Then, and only then, can we make a decision to take a course of action that is beneficial for all and not just for us.

Judgment of others restricts our own growth and well-being. It separates us from God. God’s creation is wonderful. It exudes life and growth. What comes into your life is based upon the thoughts that you hold on to. How you feel reflects your resistance or allowance of life. If you feel good about life you are allowing the blessings of God to come forth. If you feel bad then you are resisting these blessings. Pointing the finger at those you perceive as sinners does not create positive feelings. It creates a separation between you and God. God daily supplies you with life and abundance. Why cut yourself off from that supply by judging others? There is no poverty or sickness. Only the thoughts that accept these conditions based on a lack of understanding and a separation from God by either judging others or yourself. You attach yourself to an outcome based on the thoughts that you hold true. Holding separation thoughts daily and viewing the results of these thoughts time and time again create a holding pattern for your life. You never get to where you want to be because you are holding yourself back. You accept these thoughts because of your experience and they become your beliefs. Stop it! God has given you the power to change these false beliefs and make heaven on earth; not just for yourself, but for everyone.

Seek the truth and know that God is a God of love. His creation is perfect and it is not your job to judge it based upon what someone wrote thousands of years ago. The Bible is a guide as how you should behave but the books in it were selected by men who wanted to lead others and be glorified for their actions. It is a guide and NOT the final word on life. Any time you look outside of yourself for the truth you are putting yourself in a position where you can be attached to the outcome of your actions or others actions or lack thereof. Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is within. It is in you right now. Seek the truth and read the red. Anytime you choose to believe that you need a middle man between you and God you are off course. Go within and seek the Kingdom of Heaven. Meditate on the God within you and listen to His still small voice. It is there that you will receive the truth. Not in the translations and manipulation of man. Attach yourself to the truth that is revealed by God and not the truth that is revealed by the middle men of God.

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Doctrines in Christianity

For the past week I have been in some heated debates with evangelicals who simply refuse to acknowledge the facts about the Bible as it stands today. From the mindset of examining the correct translations to the use of idioms the baby gets thrown out with the bathwater when it comes to challenging the “Word Of God.” It doesn’t seem to matter that man has translated and attributed meanings to the “Word.” The only thing that seems to matter is what was taught by a religious leader and their interpretation of the “Word.” I have never encountered such closed minds as I have when it comes to evangelical interpretations of God’s word. What amazes me is that most of these evangelicals are among the 256 sects of Protestantism. Protestants are those who follow the doctrines of sola scriptura and sola fide. Sola scriptura maintains that the Bible is the final source of authority for Christians; in other words Literary Authoritarianism. Sola Fide maintains that faith and not works is what is necessary for salvation; in other words the gospel according to Paul. Since Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the All Saints Catholic Church on October 31, 1517, the Protestant Reformation has re-translated and imposed doctrine much similar to the Roman Catholics. In fact, let’s consider the source of these doctrines from a man that thought that homes of the Jews' should be destroyed, their synagogues should be burned, their money confiscated, and their liberty curtailed. These opinions were revitalized by the Nazis during WWII. Didn’t Jesus say that the Kingdom of Heaven was for both Jews and Gentiles?

Since the Nicene Creed of 325 A.D. the Catholic church has embraced the Gospel of John as the definitive source of their belief. The two major opponents in the Council of Nicaea were the Gospel of Mark which refers to Jesus as the “Son of Man” and the Gospel of John which refers to Jesus as the “Son of God.” The two predominant schools of thought were the Antiochene and the Alexandrian. The adoptions of this council were as follows: We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God], Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; By whom all things were made [both in heaven and on earth]; Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate and was made man; He suffered, and the third day he rose again, ascended into heaven; From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost. Those that didn’t adopt this creed were excommunicated. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses were disputing the authority of the Roman Catholic Church to interpret the Bible; yet the Protestants whip their own game similar to the Catholics. Christianity has gone through many changes since the death of Christ and many have argued, maligned and killed others in the name of Christ and God. Why? Didn’t Jesus teach peace and to love your neighbor as yourself?

Yet, just get the average evangelical to think his way through the Word and come to know the spirit of the law and you are in for a long night. I am not saying this about all evangelicals; just the ones I have recently spoken with about Bible interpretation. The conditioning of many protestant churches has their constituency focused on what they believe and how they interpret the word. Just because we might not interpret the word the same as others doesn’t mean that the baby should be thrown out with the bathwater. Some Christians believe that there is no difference between homosexuality and murder because they are both sins. Depriving someone of their life is much worse than loving another individual; no matter whether that relationship is homosexual or heterosexual. God is a God of love and He loves His most prized creation; us!!! Stop judging others and stop thinking that it is your job to dispense punishment to those whom you perceive as sinners or wicked. Remember, Jesus sat down and ate with sinners and Paul said not to do that. Who are you going to follow?

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Are you resisting well-being?

At varying times in our lives we have situations that occur when we know something is wrong. We feel it down deep in our beings, yet we follow the conventional acceptance because of societal programming. How does this affect our well-being? Well-being is defined as a state characterized by health, happiness and prosperity. The outer effect reflects the inner state of mind. If you repeatedly bury facts brought to your attention because of societal programming they will eventually surface and affect your well-being. Why? Because truth in life flows easily and effortlessly. When human beings manipulate the truth to their own end is when it gets convoluted. Manipulating the truth is what creates resistance to the truth and this is where religions and churches have controlled the masses over the millennia. Churches and religions have become the middle men between God and man. People have sought out religious leaders because they believe they have a special connection to God, when in reality, we all have that special connection.

I was raised in the Assembly of God Church whose sect of Protestantism is Pentecostal. Every week we were hammered with memorization of Bible verses. Yes, we memorized them, but without a clue as to what they really meant. Verses taken out of context to support assertions made by the pastor and his wife. The pastor’s wife was a pistol. During the sixties she translated the meaning of the Bible to whip game over the women in our church. She twisted Bible verses into facts that women shouldn’t wear slacks, go bowling or be forward with men. As a child something felt wrong about this but I went along with the conventional wisdom of the church leaders. I kept observing the women in the church believing what the preacher’s wife said; they took it hook, line and sinker. They would never question her because she was the preacher’s wife and they feared her. Did Jesus teach fear? Hardly. He taught compassion and understanding. Year after year I observed and prayed for understanding about the way these women were being misguided. I asked God to somehow be an instrument in making this woman understand that she was misguiding others and imposing her beliefs on the women in the church. She was teaching what she believed and not what Jesus had said! Be careful what you ask for; sometimes you get it.

Every Sunday the kids in Sunday School had to get up in front of the congregation and recite Bible verses. The preacher’s wife would say a word and we would have to recite a Bible verse from each letter of the word. The boy next to me had an “I” and I had a “T”. We switched letters because we had already memorized verses from those letters. When it came to me I quoted Proverbs 21:9; “It is better to dwell in the corner of a housetop, than with a brawling woman in a wide house.” “Sacrilege!”, she screamed and demanded I quote another verse immediately. I followed with Proverbs 21:19; “It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious woman and an angry woman.” The congregation burst out in laughter and she looked up at her husband behind the pulpit and he had his hand over his mouth covering his laughter. She stomped her foot down and stormed out of the church; never to return. The pastor and his family left the church and we never heard from them again. I was terrified that I had done something that had affected so many families. I went to Brother Brown (a Deacon at the church) and cried because God had answered my prayer but I didn’t want anything to happen like this! He said, “God works in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform” (William Cowper/1731-1800). It wasn’t until years later that I truly understood this statement. God will reveal the truth in His own good time. He will allow others to be blinded by those who whip game over others because His glory will be revealed at just the right time! The Apostle Paul’s teachings have corrupted believers for too many years. Even as a child I recognized the contradictions between what he preached and what Jesus preached.

To the first comment by L.E.G. on the last article I would like to say that it wasn’t my intent to label all Christian Conservatives as the Religious Right. But if the shoe fits, wear it. If it doesn’t, then cast it off. The reader provided a link to his article, “Did the Apostle Paul Preach Another Gospel? I suggest readers read this article and the comments that follow. Thank you L.E.G. for responding and providing enlightening material. To the second commenter (IIDHM) I reply, “What about the truth do you not understand?” Do you know who wrote Leviticus? Were you there? Were you a part of the people that experienced life at that time more than 2000 years ago? I don’t think so. Yet you speak with such authority about something that you know not of. Yes, the literal translation of abomination is “God hates it”, but did God say this or did man? You are wrong about sin. God has given us the free will to choose whether we sin or not. What a great God! The fear of sin and God’s reprisal has been the downfall of mankind since the first priests whipped game on the masses with this concept of sin. Like Jesus said when he forgave the adulteress, “Go and sin no more.” God doesn’t hate sin. God loves his most prized and creation. You and me. He is a God of love and not hate. As for the final commenter (G.D.) I say the following: Your attitude can only come from many years of sitting on your shoulders. Pull your head out of you know where and seek the truth. It will truly set you free! My training has been quite extensive, and if you have read any of my other articles I am very well prepared in my presentations. Before I write anything I extensively research it and make sure that I am presenting the facts and not an individual skew presented by Holier Than Thous like Pat Robertson. As far as my arguments being untenable, then please, present your case and I will argue with you ad infinitum about your faulty conclusions. Brush up on your facts because I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. People like you are what gives true Christians a bad name. Get off your high horse and don’t blame the Examiner for publishing someone who researches their topics as opposed to someone like yourself who just spouts off at the mouth with no rhyme or reason. As for being an expert, neither I nor the Examiner has ever claimed that I am an expert. By the way you talk, you surely think that you are by your presentation of your facts (which were somehow left out of your comment; hmmm). If you are an expert, then please continue to write your 500 word articles to those who will listen to your skew and B.S. I can only pray for your enlightenment and awareness to the truth of God’s word and not the skew of man’s religious leaders.

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Paul: Apostle or Apostate?

I was surprised that I hadn’t received more comments on my previous article. Especially when I attack the Apostle Paul. Paul is the fundamental follower that the Religious Right quotes when it comes to justifying their judgment of others. One reader made several comments to my article and I would like to address them here. First, in regard to the differing beliefs from Jesus, the reader wanted me to list a few. Well, here they are:

Jesus prohibited public prayer and public displays of worship (Matt. 6:1-18). Paul organized churches and started the “religion” of Christianity. His letters (epistles) were more to maintain control and to make standards for the church. Most of these were not based on the teachings of Jesus, but on his own beliefs. The apostles were horrified when Jesus sat and ate dinner with Matthew, the tax collector. Jesus made it a point to sit down with sinners and the downtrodden. Paul states in 1st Corinthians 5:11 "But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat." This is in direct contradiction to the behavior of Jesus. Jesus fed the poor and those not capable of working. He said that if someone comes knocking at our door and we turn them away we are turning him away. Yet Paul says in 2nd Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat." Where is Paul’s charity for the poor?

In Ephesians 6:5 and Titus 2:9-10 Paul says to the slaves to “obey their masters” and never condemns the ownership of man over man. The reader asks why we should care about what Thomas Jefferson said. Jefferson was a slave owner and still recognized the folly of Paul’s words and how they undermined what Jesus had said. Go ahead my friend, defend Paul over Jesus and reap the rewards you so justly deserve! Paul didn’t believe in equality for women and that they should be submissive to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24 and Colossians 3:18-19). Oh, that’s right; it’s a man’s world for the Religious Right. Finally, the only thing about homosexuals in the New Testament is Paul’s account in Romans 1:26-27. Please take note: JESUS DID NOT SAY THIS!!! PAUL DID! Yet, church after church, preacher after preacher, believer after believer quotes this passage to JUDGE a group of people who only want their God given right to love another human being and to not be trampled upon by those who are “HOLIER THAN THOU.” Listen up Pat Robertson! How dare any of you judge another human being! Like in the account of the adulteress whom the crowd wanted to stone, Jesus said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” (John 8:7). Drop your stones my friend and start acting like Jesus wanted you to act! Paul asserts that the Law of Moses is no longer operational in his writings EXCEPT when it comes to the passage in Leviticus 18:22! It sounds like Paul didn’t respect women, slaves and homosexuals. Perhaps they didn’t fit into his idol picture of the followers of Christ. This is the man who stated so eloquently, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13). Then why didn’t you embrace what Jesus did and stop preaching what you “thought” he would say?

The reader further states to me, “You cherry pick Jesus' words, I say. Of course Jesus was not opposed to judgment. He opposed hypocritical judgment, not prudent judgment. John 7:24 says "Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." And who determines what is right judgment? Man? As with all verses in the Bible, they can be taken out of context. Preachers and theologians have been doing this century after century. In reference to this verse and the previous verse I respond with what Jesus said; “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). No one has the right to judge another! Pluck the beam out of your own eye before criticizing the mote in another. Love is love. That’s what Jesus taught. Judgment is judgment; no matter what form or excuse you can make. Can you see this? If not, then I can only pray for your salvation. I read what Jesus said and I listen to the spirit of the law behind it. Don’t judge others based on your standards. Live and let live; or should I say live and let God. If there truly is a problem based on what Paul has said about anything, then who appointed you judge and jury? It is not your cross to bear. Why do you choose to bear it?

Jesus’ behavior and actions are the ones we should emulate. He is our role model. Stop listening to “Holier Than Thous” who misinterpret the word. Don’t just read the Bible and not take into account the translations, idioms and proclamations made by those in robes with pomp and circumstance and their extended reach on the radio, TV and Internet. I have one question for you; did Jesus act that 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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Pat Robertson – Spokesperson for God or Today’s Paul?

This week I’m beginning an analysis of the evangelical wing of spirituality. Let’s examine one of its biggest representatives and spokespersons today: Pat Robertson. I have watched the 700 Club from time to time and I appreciate the intent to help and alleviate suffering that CBN and Robertson practice on a day to day basis. Pat Robertson operates Operation Blessing International, which has provided hunger relief, disaster relief, medical aid and community development to more than 192.8 million people in 96 countries and all 50 states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.2 billion (Source: Wikipedia). God bless this man and his family for their love and kindness to humanity. However, I must take pause with Pat Robertson about his self-appointed elevation to being a spokesperson for God; in effect, becoming a modern day Paul.

I recently saw an interview with Pat Robertson where he said that homosexuals were “on their way to Hell; you’ve got to love them to rescue them.” How DARE he! As with many other preachers since the birth of Christianity they misinterpret the written word based upon their understanding of what it means. I have coined the term, Literary Authoritarianism for those who follow the written word alone, without deep introspection into the spirit of the law of God. Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9). Personally, I am a Read the Red guy. This is a term that applies to those who read what Jesus has said in red-letter editions of the Bible. I follow what was uttered from the mouth of Jesus after I have compared what he said paralleled in the four gospels. I also apply what idioms were used during the time of Jesus’ life. What is an idiom? An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not the literal meaning. For example, the saying “It’s in the bag.” Does it mean that something is literally in a bag? No; it means that something is definitely going to happen. All cultures have geographic and language specific idioms and one must know the meanings before one can embrace the message being imparted.

A good translator of the French language listens to the words and visualizes the thoughts, ideas and idioms that are being said and then translates those thoughts into the words of the translated language. They don’t translate the meaning word for word because it might not be the same thoughts. The books in the Bible were written down with geographic and language specific meanings; they were recopied and canonized by the Catholic church; their misinterpreted meanings have been the source of wars, pilgrimages and acts of atrocities all by people who misunderstood their real meanings. Is this what Jesus had intended? Hardly. He preached a message of love and forgiveness; not judgment. Jesus said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). Pat Robertson obviously has missed this one. In fact, check out his off camera chatter here. In his quest to help he has forgotten that you do not enforce what YOU believe on someone else. For example, I do not believe in abortion unless the health of the child or mother is at risk. I am a man and I don’t have woman’s body. How can I choose for someone else? The same applies to homosexuality. For myself, I am a heterosexual. That is my choice. Homosexuality is not for me. But what right do I have to judge another for the choices that they make? None. I am responsible only for the choices I make in my life. I have no right to judge others or I will be judged myself. Jesus made this crystal clear.

Not once did Jesus mention homosexuality or abortion. In fact, he embraced those who were outcasts of their society or practiced alternative lifestyles. Those who were looked down upon by the mainstream population or status quo. Jesus stated in Matthew 25 that being saved is expressing universal compassion and those who don’t express compassion and judge others are not saved. Where does that put you Mr. Robertson? Click the above video to view his compassion. In following Christ Mother Theresa sought out to help others and not condemn them. Victor Frankl noted the deep compassion of the Jews in concentration camps and according to the Apostle Paul, because they didn’t confess Jesus as their savior, they were going to Hell. What? A converted Jew that would sentence his brothers and sisters to Hell! And what about Paul? Who was he anyway? Paul was originally known as Saul of Tarsus; a persecutor of Christians until his “conversion” to Christianity. Paul was astute in his knowledge of the law. But did he use his knowledge of the law to enlighten the followers of Jesus or lead them astray? Paul was a devout and mysterious character to say the least. His influence on Christianity is profound. In his writings he espouses many of his own beliefs and not necessarily what Jesus said. In fact, Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “Paul was…the first corruptor of the doctrines of Jesus” (Works, 1829 edition, Vol. 4, p. 327). Who do we believe? Paul or Jesus? Pat Robertson or Jesus? Since I am a Read the Red guy I know who I am going to believe. More to come…

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Taking the dive

In professional springboard diving there are 5 basic elements of a dive; Starting Position, The Approach, The Take-off, The Flight and The Entry. Let’s analyze each element in relation to the promises of God. The Starting Position is where each and every one of us has basically an equal starting point. God, through man, has made promises in the Bible, the Koran and other religious books. I look at these books as guides to how we should behave. When we obey the rules, laws and accept the promises, we are following literary authoritarianism. The words in these books are powerful; but it is the spirit of these words that inspire and guide us. In the Bible God has promised the following: to supply our needs, to give us grace, to help us to not be overtaken with temptation, to give us victory over death, to allow all things to work for our good when we love Him and others, to be saved from sin and to have eternal life. Wow! What a package of promises and a great starting position.

With all of these promises under our belts we can now begin The Approach. In a diving competition the key element in The Approach is a movement of smooth motion showing good form. If the diver moves to the end of the board and stops, a balk is declared and points are taken away. A balk means to stop because of an obstacle, either perceived or real, and not perform the intended action; the dive. How many times have you begun to follow your dreams and make plans and goals only to stop before you reached the end of the springboard? If the diver does this again on the same dive, the dive is considered failed and no points are awarded. Have you tried achieving your goals and dreams again only to have stopped short of your goal? Have you failed? Remember, failure is being successful at doing something the wrong way. Start again and try a new approach! Never give up.

In The Take-Off, a diver strives for proper balance and control while initiating a safe distance from the board. Why? How many times have you taken off only to find yourself back where you started? You must launch yourself with unwavering faith into the movements you need to perform in order to accomplish your goals. Let go of the springboard. It is what helps launch you, not what holds you back.

During The Flight the diver must be smooth, graceful, move in a straight line from the springboard and not touch the springboard after the launch. There are four acceptable positions in diving; straight, pike, tuck and free (a combination of the first three) and there are stances in accomplishing your goals that parallel these positions. The straight position is the most aerodynamically sound. It is a conventional approach that creates the least wind resistance and friction; allowing the diver to see where they are going. Study the behaviors of your role models and apply their methods of accomplishing their goals. See the direction they took and follow it. Next is the pike position. It is a back-end approach that employs confidence and skill because the diver doesn’t see where they are going; they feel it. Learn to trust in your feelings; they are your indicator as to whether you are on the right path or not. The tuck position creates more wind resistance and allows the diver to hear the movement of the air more intensely. Listen to the wise counsel of those who have achieved similar goals to yours. Finally, the free position allows a combination of the first three and gives the diver a greater challenge in implementing complex maneuvers. Just as our three learning centers (audible, visual and kinesthetic) allow us to learn from each center, we retain more when we learn from all three simultaneously. Combine your movements effectively to accomplish your goals.

The final element in a dive is The Entry. Whether the dive ends head first or feet first the diver must enter the water as close to vertical as possible. Why? You must enter the accomplishment of your goal with the least amount of resistance as possible. The maximum speed occurs just before you hit the water. You must enter the water at the right angle to have the least possible resistance to your entry. The diver must enter the water in good form in order to complete a successful high scoring dive. How many of us did all we needed to do to accomplish our goals only to get burned out, frustrated or angry when we arrived there? Accept your success and feel worthy of it. Be thankful for a successful dive. God has promised you an abundant universe and a prosperous life. Follow His rules and laws and create the life of your dreams!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

The Greener Grass

First, I would like to sincerely thank all of you who have responded to my articles. Whether we agree or not is not of prime import, but the fact that each and every one of you are so concerned about what has been said that you have made the time to circulate you opinion. Thank you for the emails, posts and comments. It’s nice to know that there are thinking people responding. I have prepared an eBook of the first ten articles I’ve written for Examiner.com. If you click on the link you can either read them or download the eBook. I would also like to thank Examiner.com and Nate Ferguson and Reed Hall for the opportunity to write for The Examiner.

"The grass is always greener on the other side, but you still have to mow it!" - Unknown Author.

Sometimes what the other guy has seems more attractive than what you have. This quote seems to go hand in hand with the quote "keeping up with the Joneses." Your grass requires a great deal of attention to be as green and healthy as it can be. But what is the other guy doing that makes his grass greener? Is it the way he plants it? The timing of his planting? The fertilizer he uses? How often he waters the grass? It could be a combination of all of these things but it is more than likely it is how he maintains it.

You could do all of the things mentioned above and still get crabgrass. What is his secret? What can it be that I've missed? No matter how well you plan things out and project possible scenarios, something inevitably comes up that you hadn't anticipated. It doesn't mean that you are stupid or not observant; it simply means that you didn't do everything you needed to do to make the grass greener. The secret is not in establishing an idea, but in maintaining it.

Maintenance of an idea gives you the opportunity to see firsthand how your idea is progressing. If you don't get your hands in the dirt, how will you know how it feels? Green grass requires strong and healthy seeds, fertile soil, good timing in planting, frequent watering and ongoing maintenance. But even with the most beautiful of green grass, it will choke itself without being cut. Mowing the grass allows the grass to be evenly lit and receive equal nourishment from the Sun.

As with the grass, your ideas must be strong and healthy, have a fertile environment in which to grow, must be initiated in a timely fashion, receive the proper nourishment and have to be modified as a result of your ongoing maintenance. Examining your idea as you maintain it in effect is like mowing the grass. It allows the idea to be modified to fit its environment. Even the guy across the street has to mow the lawn to maintain the green. No matter where you plant your idea, you have to do what it takes to maintain it or it will never be any greener than it is now.

Sometimes it appears that the other guy is working a lot less than you are and he is getting better results. If this is the case, you need to employ the M.O.V.E. acronym. Maintain, Observe, Verify and Execute. Maintenance allows us to get our hands in the dirt. There we can observe what is really happening. By testing new ways to cultivate our ideas, we can verify what has caused it to progress (greener) or regress (crabgrass). Finally, when we have gathered sufficient evidence, we can execute a new plan to make our ideas flourish in a better environment.

Ideas come from the well-spring of thought. Treat them as well as you treat your lawn. Just because someone else has the same idea doesn't mean that their method of actualizing that idea is any better than yours. Pay attention to the environment in which your ideas grow and formulate a new plan of attack to implement those ideas. Start your mowers!

How to maintain that great idea...

1. Determine the need for your ideas.
2. Observe what others are doing with their ideas.
3. Verify that your ideas are valid by testing them in different scenarios.
4. Execute different methods of implementing your ideas.
5. Observe the results of these methods.
6. Determine which methods allow your ideas to flourish.
7. Take the necessary steps to market your ideas to those who need to use them.

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Dangling on the Precipice

Is that you? Are you dangling on the precipice? Do you say, “I want to make that leap of faith but I just can’t bring myself to take that first step.” Are you standing there looking down at that gaping chasm and fearing death if you jump and don’t make it? Well, welcome to the human race. From our early education as children we are taught the facts of how to live our lives. We learn about being burned, taking too many risks and being too confident. Our brains become programmed with self-preservation so much that we create giant walls around us. But are these walls real? To us they are. These are the walls that we filter our perceptions through in order to maintain a level of safety. Not just physical safety, but emotional safety. Does a sane person purposefully put themselves in harm’s way physically or emotionally? Hardly.

But what about risk takers? People who purposefully push the envelope to stretch human potential. Are they insane or are they reaching for something we cannot see? Are their perception filters less dense than ours? Are they closer to reality than us? Perhaps. But that’s not the point. Each one of us can benefit from others’ experiences by paying attention to their observations and how they handle their experiences. We appear to be islands in the human race but in reality we are all connected. We can share our observations, experiences and methods of handling those experiences. We can teach each other ways of becoming the best we can be.

Throughout history many great teachers have given us methods, sayings and parables to learn about our reality and how to make it work for us and not against us. But do we pay attention? In the picture above we are dangling on the precipice of the Holy Land and looking down at Nazareth. Jesus taught those who listened from this place. His wisdom and insight into our relationship with God laid a groundwork for human potential beyond the time before his birth. In fact, since his teachings we have grown in our awareness as co-creators with God. God has given us the power to be, do and have more of life than was ever experienced before. The only thing that’s required is that we take that leap of faith. Jesus told us that God would be with us always. If that is true, then why are we afraid to leap?

Whatever teacher gives you the wisdom of God and His universe, it is all pointing to the same God. Religions argue with each other about who and what God is because of how He appears to them. Their perception of God is what they think God is and they do not embrace what He truly is. The creator, giver and manifester of all life. He created us, the stage, the props and the dialogue. We have to immerse ourselves in the play of life and act out the desires God has given us. When we come to edge of the cliff we need not fear. God is with us. When we are overwhelmed by people, our jobs and our finances, God is with us. He is transcendent and imminent. When we take the leap of faith and we don’t believe in His promises, we will fall. But fret not. He will catch us. We are His prized creation. We have the ability to carry out His promises and manifest our desires. But we have to take that leap of faith! If we don’t do what desires He has planted in our hearts it’s like telling God that He didn’t know what He was doing when He created us. I for one don’t want to tell the creator of this universe He didn’t know what He was doing when He created me. That’s not my place. My place is to be thankful for His wisdom.

Move forward in your life by basing it on the promises of God. What are those promises? Come back tomorrow and read the warranty!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

The Power of Expectancy

Expectancy is defined as the quality or state of anticipating something based on a belief or desire. Achieving the goals and desires of your heart is a two step process. First you have to believe you can achieve those goals and desires and then you have to expect them. Most people stop when it gets to the second step in the process. Why? Is it because their belief wasn’t strong enough? Is it because they got distracted from their goal? Or is it simply that they didn’t do the spiritual legwork that is required to manifest goals and desires into reality. The saying “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” applies here. You may need or want to get to your destination. You may desire it immensely. But you will never get there until you expect to get there by taking that first step. That first step comes from what is known as faithing. Putting your desires into action. Expecting the manifestation of your goals and desires.

In a previous article I talked about the Chip Away Theory; what I call CAT. It is a process of doing a little bit each day to move toward the completion of your goals and desires. It develops and nurtures a state of expectancy in your being that resonates your spirit with confidence. It takes the trying out of things and creates the manifesting of things. When you methodically take steps toward your goals and desires you generate an energy of expectancy. Remember, everything is energy. Matter is energy that vibrates at a slower rate. The mental energy we expend comes from chemical interactions in our brains. This energy is manifested from matter and vibrates faster than matter. Slower vibratory matter generates faster vibratory energy. How can this be? Faster vibratory energy from the Sun enters all life on our planet and affects the growth and development of all life. When we generate thoughts we are create a feedback into our environment. If we respond negatively to situations we are simply creating more of the same! If we respond positively to situations we are altering our feedback and generating a new mental energy that is broadcast from our being. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It simply changes form.

So what does this have to do with expectancy? If we keep our desires and goals within us and don’t mentally broadcast them into our environment than how can we ever expect to manifest our goals and desires? Someone once said, “let go and let God.” There is power in this statement. God is in control of this vast universe. It is His clock. It ticks with a rhythm that is beyond our sensual comprehension. By broadcasting our desires into this clock we set manifestations of this clock into motion. We receive the results of our desires by letting them go and expecting them to come to us. Unwavering faith is a state where we think, know and feel a positive outcome of our expectancy. It is a declaration to the universe that this is what we need, want, desire and expect to happen. It is actualizing our potential as a co-creator in the universe.

Are you creating joy, abundance and prosperity in your life? Are you satisfied with your day to day existence? Is something missing in your life and you can’t figure out what it is? If you want answers to these questions then do the research. Make the time every day to get to know you. Find out what makes YOU tick. What excites you. What stimulates you. What you truly want out of life. Then create and environmental feedback that declares the manifestation of what you truly desire. Let it go and expect it to come. It will!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Focus on a desired outcome

Dogged determination. What does that mean? In most cases it is an unwavering focus on a desired outcome. It doesn’t mean that you sometimes don’t have any doubts and feel like throwing in the towel; it means that when you do you still “press on” toward your goal. It means that you still hear the negative chatter in your head but you take a stance and reject the perceived outcomes it reveals. Bias begins within each one of us. It is something that we are taught and sometimes accept as true without even knowing why, or worse, caring why. The story of Vivien Thomas comes to mind. I saw an HBO film about him in 2004 and shared it my fiancé last Saturday. Amidst the feelings of anger and a hope for fairness and recognition, we ended up with tears in our eyes by the end of the movie.

Vivien Thomas was a person who was a skilled craftsman. He was recognized as such but was let go at his job. He took on a job at a medical research facility in Nashville, TN tending the dogs that were used in the experiments. He applied his skills as a carpenter to help the doctor with surgeries on the dogs. His hands were steady and his mind was focused. The doctor recognized his skill as a perfectionist. This is where Vivien learned how to feel his way through the body during surgery. He would often close his eyes so he could feel better. Later on, this technique would astound other surgeons.

After Vivien lost his life savings in the bank crash in 1930, he paralleled his own career along with Doctor Blalock’s career. He accompanied Dr. Blalock to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. He was classified as a “Lab Technician” but was only paid the same rate as the janitors. His anger brewed as he saw his research and discoveries being recognized as the work of Dr. Blalock. He channeled his anger inward and used it to become more determined to create the tools that would be needed to help in the surgeries of blue babies. At one point, Vivien left Dr. Blalock because he accepted full credit for the discoveries, acknowledging the “white” doctors without giving any credit to Vivien. Vivien then hawked antacids for a while until he realized that it was more important for him to complete the work he started with Dr. Blalock than to succumb to his desire for recognition and equal pay. He made the goal of helping others more important than his goals.

Vivien chose to “press on”, even though the prejudice against him seemed insurmountable. During the first surgery on a blue baby, Dr. Blalock stopped the surgery and sent for Vivien to help guide him through the procedure. Another doctor told Vivien to “attend to his duties” and Dr. Blalock told the other doctor that he was “attending to his duties.” The pompous, arrogant and prejudicial attitude of others didn’t stop Vivien from performing his duties. He assisted and trained Dr. Blalock and other surgeons and he never attended medical school. He had talent, genius and educated himself. All of that wasn’t enough to elevate his social status. Vivien was eventually recognized for his work after Dr. Blalock died. He was given an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins and his likeness now hangs in the entrance hall next to Dr. Blalock’s. His dogged determination is why. I suggest your rent the movie “Something the Lord Made.” It’s very inspirational.

Vivien faced prejudice, rejection and the negative attitudes of those less talented than him and channeled his emotions toward the ultimate goal of saving lives. He was determined to be the best he could be amidst his rise from a carpenter in the old south to a surgeon that pioneered a procedure that saved the lives of many children. That is dogged determination. It is the spirit of God within each one of us that knows the gifts and blessings that God has given us and refuses to let others tell us what we can or cannot do with our lives. Listen to that spirit. It is your guide to the life of your dreams.

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Persistence and determination

In the last article I ended with Calvin Coolidge’s conclusion that “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Why? Let’s examine why he made this statement. Inspirational quotes come from an observable recurrent theme in someone’s life. The individual not only pays attention to this recurrent theme, but synthesizes it into a simple to understand statement that seems obvious to the reader. Calvin Coolidge had an interesting life of growth, prosperity and recognition. He had a reputation in politics as a small-government conservative. A proponent of the middle class, he understood the needs of those who work their way up to the top of business and government. He believed in a laissez-faire style of government where the government doesn’t get involved in business or the free market. He was focused on individual initiative and observed his environment with tenacity and fortitude.

After his graduation from college, he opted to apprentice at a law firm and became a lawyer by a process then known as reading law. Just before the turn of the 20th century, Coolidge was admitted to the bar as a country lawyer in Massachusetts. He was exposed to many middle class people and their problems and struggles. Businesses and banks began to hire him due to his reputation as a hard working and diligent attorney. He knew his strengths and weaknesses and preferred to operate outside of the courtroom. He traversed the journey from city councilman, to legislator and was elected Mayor of Northampton, Massachusetts. From Lt. Governor to Governor to Vice President, he eventually became our 30th President. What a journey for a quiet and apparently simple man who understood the needs of the middle class! His awareness of the power of the spoken word was evident in his statement, "The words of a President have an enormous weight and ought not to be used indiscriminately." He believed that the chief business of the American people is business. The function of buying and selling, investing and prospering in the world.

His persistence and determination to be the best he could be influenced many of his followers. Coolidge signed a bill granting the Native Americans full U.S. Citizenship. After all, they were here first. It took our leaders many years to recognize that settlers took over their land and they deserved the same rights that all citizens should have. He was the first President to have his inauguration broadcast on radio, address congress on radio and deliver a political speech on radio. He was aware of his function in the world at that time and understood how to interact with it. He was also the first President to appear in a sound film in 1924 and the only President to appear on a coin in his lifetime. He knew how to reach the people because he was an observer, a person who studied people and their ways and a person who worked diligently to get to the top of government. His statement about persistence and determination came from his own personal experience.

Calvin Coolidge made many strides in his life and dedicated his life to public service. When he made the following statement, he made it with authority because he lived it. “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Press on with persistence and determination and you will attain your dreams and goals. Calvin Coolidge knew this. Many people since knew this. Embrace the wisdom in his statement and achieve what your spirit drives you to achieve. Remember, it is not talent, genius or education, but dogged determination that gets you to the top!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Faith

I’m sure some of you have seen this email circulating on the internet. My dear friend, blues guitar master Gary Cogdell of St. Georges, DE. forwarded this email to me this morning. The magic of this message prompted me to share it with you…

“This is 'Faith'. This dog was born on Christmas Eve in the year 2002. He was born with 3 legs - 2 healthy hind legs and 1 abnormal front leg which had to be amputated. He of course could not walk when he was born. Even his mother did not want him. His first owner also did not think that he could survive and he was thinking of 'putting him to sleep'. But then, his present owner, Jude Stringfellow, met him and wanted to take care of him. She became determined to teach and train this little dog to walk by himself. She named him 'Faith'. In the beginning, she put Faith on a surfboard to let him feel the movement. Later she used peanut butter on a spoon as a lure and reward for him for standing up and jumping around. Even the other dog at home encouraged him to walk. Amazingly, only after 6 months, like a miracle, Faith learned to balance on his hind legs and to jump to move forward. After further training in the snow, he could now walk like a human being. Faith loves to walk around now. No matter where he goes, he attracts people to him. He is fast becoming famous on the international scene and has appeared on various newspapers and TV shows. There is now a book entitled 'With a Little Faith' being published about him. He was even considered to appear in one of Harry Potter movies. His present owner Jude Stringfellow has given up her teaching post and plans to take him around the world to preach that “even without a perfect body, one can have a perfect soul." In life there are always undesirable things, so in order to feel better you just need to look at life from another direction. I hope this message will bring fresh new ways of thinking to everyone and that everyone will appreciate and be thankful for each beautiful day. Faith is the continual demonstration of the strength and wonder of life.”

Sometimes we give up before we get to where we are going. We cannot see that our progress is 99% complete and the physical manifestation of our goal is right around the corner. We are human beings that possess a prefrontal cortex. This gives us the ability to reason about what we have learned from our environment. We don’t just instinctually react, we think about what our next actions are and in what sequence they will occur. We can mentally manipulate time and create imagined scenarios. God has given us the power to co-create our world! Yet, Faith doesn’t have a prefrontal cortex and was not born with the understanding that objects which are not being actively perceived still remain in existence. Technically this is referred to as object permanence. Amidst this inability to have active cognition that recognizes the permanence of objects, Faith learned to walk on two legs. Unlike Faith, we humans sometimes listen too much to those who tell us we cannot do what we dream about or have what we want. Our belief in what others say and do determines the course of our lives. Faith’s owner took baby steps with Faith. She didn’t overwhelm Faith with too much learning too quickly. She started with the skateboard and peanut butter lure and used what Faith desired to motivate the dog to get up on it’s hind legs and walk upright. To make sure Faith would continue to walk she challenged the dog even further by teaching it to walk in the snow. She didn’t give up on Faith; she reinforced a positive by overcoming a negative.

If a dog can walk on two legs, why can’t we achieve our goals when we have the ability to think and reason? Make a date with yourself each day to empty the garbage and stress of the world out of your mind and clear your thoughts through meditation. Use your prefrontal cortex to visualize the end result of your goals through prayer. Feel the joy of accomplishing those goals by giving the best service you can. Calvin Coolidge once said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Faith has proven this!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

Originality

Lately I’ve been hearing a great deal about originality in the creative arts. What is originality? The dictionary defines originality as the ability to think or express oneself in an independent and individual manner; an expression of a creative ability that is fresh or novel in an idea, method or performance. Throughout the course of history many people from all over the world have had original ideas, new ways of doing things, or new ways of expressing concepts. The source material of ideas have always been there; then someone comes along with a new way of looking at something, a new way of going about something or a new way of explaining the world around us. Societies, religions and governments have all had to modify their rules, mores and laws in order to accommodate newer ways of thought. Most have been notoriously resistant to change, and that is why the human growth process takes many years of development, trial and error and finally acceptance. It has been said that everything has been done before and it will be done again; sometimes with a different twist. Is that what constitutes being original?

Dante Shepherd, on his site “Surviving the World”, explains the varying degrees of originality. His site is enlightening, irreverent and humorous. First he lists about one-eighth of his pie chart on originality as “Completely new original concepts.” These are the ideas that haven’t been utilized before. They come from the realm of the subconscious minds of the deepest of thinkers; Einstein, Hawking and Tesla are good examples. Next are “New variations on concepts already used” that take up about a quarter of the pie. These are the ideas that take work and concepts from the deepest of thinkers and modify how they are implemented into our world; whether through application, instruction or formulation. Following are “New concepts developed by combining concepts already used.” These take up about a quarter of the pie as well and deal with advancements such as those associated with medical science. Next are “Blatant direct rip-offs of concepts already used” (about a quarter of the pie), such as is evidenced by the endless widgets hawked on TV day after day. Now we get to the humorous stuff in the final eighth of the pie; “Completely original concepts lost forever because the hallucinogens have worn off.” Many great ideas have come from altered states of mind; whether drug induced or in deep states of meditation.

When one is deep in meditation the experience is one of connection to the source of all original ideas; whether new, variations, combinations, “ripped off” or simply forgotten due to altered states. Have you ever had an idea and failed to manifest it and then months or weeks later someone else has invented it? All original ideas come from the source of all thought; God! It is up to you to do something about it. Jesus told the parable about the 3 servants, the master and the talents which explains this well. Each servant was given a portion of talents equal to his ability by their master. The master left and eventually returned and called in his servants to see what they had done with their “talents.” The first servant was given 5 talents and presented the master with ten while the second servant was given 2 talents and presented the master with four. The master then gave more responsibilities to the two servants in proportion to their abilities, even though both doubled his investment. When the third servant was called in he produced the single “talent” that was given to him by his master. When asked why he still had just the one talent he told the master that he buried it because he was afraid of losing it. The master scolded him and said he could have at least put the talent in the bank and made interest on it! The master had the talent taken from the third servant, cast him out and gave it to the first servant who had doubled his investment; not the second one who’s ability was second best. Those who have been given talents and put them to work (invest) will be given more and have abundance. Why? Because they know how to take an original idea, whatever degree of originality, and make it into something profitable for all!

As we have witnessed, there are many varying degrees of originality. One former partner of mine taught me that there is originality in arranging other people’s original ideas. He would take other people’s creations and put his own spin on it. Yes, the original ideas weren’t his, but he put them together in his own original way. Just like an arranger can change the instrumentation of someone else’s composition and make it sound like a completely different tune. There is value in creativity, originality and manifestation. It creates a channel of original ideas that can bring about prosperity for each and every one of us. Don’t bury that talent or that original idea. Play with it. Give it life. The life you give to it will give life back 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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.

The CAT

In a past article (Needs, Wants, Desires and Expectations; April 16, 2009), I described how an understanding and application of your emotional levels can help you bring about desired results. In my Mastermind Group, I have had several people tell me that they just don’t get the Law of Attraction. They are trying to apply its principles, but they aren’t getting the results they seek. After careful examination of their questions and descriptions of their behavior, I have come to the following conclusions:

It’s not very difficult for most people to understand what their needs are. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to differentiate between their needs and wants. A want is something that you perceive you need to feel happy, but it is not a need. A need is something that you require to sustain your life. That new car you want isn’t very important if you can’t breathe. Desires are wants that align with who you really are. You have an inner sense of excitation when you desire something. Your emotions well up and your focus is like a laser beam. Most people move up and down on this emotional scale but very few make the leap of faith to get to the realm of expectation. Receiving the manifestation of a desire just once gives you the emotional feedback you need to get to the realm of expectation.

The chasm between desire and expectation is vast and few make the jump. Waking up every day and expecting the day to go in your favor in order to manifest your desires takes focus, dedication and faith. Sometimes the tasks of the day seem enormous and most people either just deal with it or run from it. However, if you break down your day into manageable “chunks”, it can appear to be more palatable. I call it the “CAT”. The CAT stands for “Chip Away Theory.” This is a theory I have applied every day of my life and it works for me, as well as many others. Instead of tackling an entire situation, like generating your innermost desires, master it one “chunk” at a time. You can divide each and every day of your life into chunks. Your morning routine is a chunk. Your drive to work is a chunk. Each chunk can be maximized by proclaiming your intention to do your best. If you set an intention to do your best and you don’t, don’t feel guilty or that you cannot do your best and give up. You simply did not use the right approach. Go back to the drawing board and try another approach. When you successfully manifest your intentions, use the joyful emotion that you experience to springboard you into the realm of expectation. Traverse that deep chasm with focus, dedication and faith. It takes courage to expect the best results in your life every day. Stop listening to your friends, family and the media about how life is. Choose to make your life better and develop a plan to get there!

For example, if you spent an hour a day relaxing, visualizing and expecting the results you desire, the universe begins to operate “the big clock” in your favor. If you invest time in self-edification, expectation of positive and uplifting results becomes easy. If you invest your time in nay-saying, complaining about why things are happening the way they are for you now or just asking ”Why me?,” then the universe will respond according to the Law of Attraction with more circumstances to support your lack of faith in the expectation of the fulfillment of your desires. So what if you take the leap of faith and land in a cow patty? You get yourself up, brush of the dust and do and move in a positive direction. Jesus said that those who pray and seek the attention of men already have their reward. The reward for people who pray and worship in silence is directly from God. God sees you as a brilliant and beautiful creation that has the power to create anything in life. Choose to use that power to create beauty by investing in YOU every day. Chip away at the monolithic task of bettering yourself and in almost no time at all, you will begin to see the results of your desires and expect them to continue to come your way each and every day of your life. Live blessed!

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." Dean A. Banks, MCIWD, DD can be reached at webproducer@hotmail.com or banksnet.com. Download my free eBook on Articles 1-10 here.