Thought Reform is Not Love

I truly believe that the root reason of why so many people succumb to mind-controlled practices is out of fear. The Bible teaches that “perfect love casts out fear.”

Fear is only overcome when it is faced- but that is so much easier said than done. Fear has a very deep and complex root system, buried in dark, earthy placed. It takes work to dig it all out and in the meantime what is it that we deal with? The fire-breathing, scaly fear monster itself- and it is prepared to torment us every step of the way. Only perfect love- which is God, can cast it out. Perfect love is undaunted by anything dark and grotesque, within or without. Perfect love is like pure honey- nothing impure can survive in it. Only perfect love can cast out fear.

The fruit of perfect love is gentleness, goodness, kindness, even tempered to all. It is like a mother that cherishes her children and none are exempt from her nurture and care.

But the fruit of fear is judgment, harshness, unkindness, exclusiveness, and irrationality. Love sets a soul free while fear chains a soul.

When your religion makes demands upon you, and asks you to forfeit reason, accept what they do and say without question and instills an intense fear of punishment- the ultimate being everlasting… its not of love, no matter what it thinks. It is based in fear, and fear and love do not dance together- they battle.

Robert Jay Lifton’s Eight Point Model of Thought Reform

1. ENVIRONMENT CONTROL. Limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. Books, magazines,
letters and visits with friends and family are taboo. “Come out and be separate!”

2. MYSTICAL MANIPULATION. The potential convert to the group becomes convinced of the higher purpose and special calling of the group through a profound encounter/experience, for example, through an alleged miracle or prophetic word of those in the group.

3. DEMAND FOR PURITY. An explicit goal of the group is to bring about some kind of change, whether it be on a global, social, or
personal level. “Perfection is possible if one stays with the group and is committed.”

4. CULT OF CONFESSION. The unhealthy practice of self disclosure to members in the group. Often in the context of a public gathering in the group, admitting past sins and imperfections, even doubts about the group and critical thoughts about the integrity of the leaders.

5. SACRED SCIENCE. The group’s perspective is absolutely true and completely adequate to explain EVERYTHING. The doctrine is not subject to amendments or question. ABSOLUTE conformity to the doctrine is required.

6. LOADED LANGUAGE. A new vocabulary emerges within the context of the group. Group members “think” within the very abstract and narrow parameters of the group’s doctrine. The terminology sufficiently stops members from thinking critically by reinforcing a “black and white” mentality. Loaded terms and clichés prejudice thinking.

7. DOCTRINE OVER PERSON. Pre-group experience and group experience are narrowly and decisively interpreted through the
absolute doctrine, even when experience contradicts the doctrine.

8. DISPENSING OF EXISTENCE. Salvation is possible only in the group. Those who leave the group are doomed.

“John Dewey believed that, “the human power to respond to reason and truth protects democracy.” Any organization using coercive persuasion on its members that also claims to be a religion is turning the sacred trust and privileges of our democratic First Amendment sanctuary into a fortress for psychological assault. It is covertly twisting “religious freedom” to deny our more basic constitutional right to unfettered rationality in our freedom of thought and free will.

Freedom of religion cannot exist without first having an absolutely protected freedom of thought. Freedom of religion without freedom of thought is an absurdity.”

Taken from a the webpage: http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/mindcontrol/

 

The Simplest Answer is Always LOVE!

Lately, it seems to be quite a struggle to hold onto hope for real world peace, to feel safe and secure in life, and to trust in the best intentions of humanity. News headlines lines literally wreak with purifying stories of hatred and malice, murder and deceit, heartache and suffering. I suppose the most baffling aspect of it all is why would things be worse, when there are churches and religions massively covering the earth claiming to teach unity and love? In fact, I don’t think there is hardly a religious person out there that would not agree that LOVE is the key that unlocks happiness, peace, joy, liberation, forgiveness…

Then why, why is the world in such a mess?
Why is religion not impacting the world as it could be?

The reason religion is failing to unify is because of a little conjunction that most religion adds to the simple message to love.

That conjunction is “and”.

What comes after that conjunction is as vast and as varied as personalities are.

Love and go to church
Love and give money
Love and dress the way we dictate
Love and submit to authority
Love and be baptized
Love and call yourself a_____________
Love and join our affiliation
Love and see things the way we see them
Love and agree with everything the pastor preaches
Love and don’t listen to rock music
Love and wear a covering on your head
Love and don’t ask questions
Love and be compliant
Love and serve our church
Love and stay away from______________

On and on and on it goes. Where it stops nobody knows.

Its not what follows the “and” that is the problem. It’s the “and” being there in the first place.
The “and” is what breaks the fellowship. The “and” is what divides. The “and” is what turns love into hypocrisy. The “and” is what removes the unconditional. Its the “and” that provides the excuse to commit atrocities. Its the “and” that inflates the ego. It’s that little conjuntion “and” that is added to the simple message of LOVE that dilutes it and robs it of its potency.

LOVE!

That is the key to world peace. That is the key to happiness. That is the key to Spirit.

God is love. Love is God.

The message of the sages is simple:

LOVE!

Written by Elizabeth A. Van Cleve
10/09/2016

Back-Slider Phobia and How to Overcome it

Back-slider phobia is an intense and debilitating fear of coming into face to face contact with someone who slid back out the prison doors of a religious system.

Symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Avoiding areas where the back-slider may show up; If you do come into close contact with a backslider, you may experience unlcear thinking, anxiety, sweating, churning of the stomach, difficulty breathing, and an intense urge to run. Being alone intensifies your symptoms
• Persistant images of the back-slider and an obsession of what you would say and how you would act in the case of an unfortunate encounter
• Secretly scanning their social media sites for evidence of the corruption their new found freedom has caused them
• Unrealistic fears of being poisoned or destroyed by the back slider
• Avoiding any sincere and honest conversation with them unless you feel sure it is only to get them back into the prison
• An addiction to conversations with others about the imagined pitiful condtion of the back slider
• Superstitious beliefs that any misfortune befalling the backslider is God’s punishment for their escape
• Secret and hidden desires to be a brave and genuine, free-flying backslider
• Feeling powerlessness believing that the backslider will overcome you and lead to you to your destruction
• Fear that intimate conversation with a backslider will stir up all those unanswered questions that you put on a back-burner years ago and left there
• Resentment and even hatred towards the backslider due to personal abandonment issues

Things you can do to overcome the Back-slider Phobia

1. Exposure: As with any phobia, you need short periods of exposure. Start by just looking at a picture of them. Notice what comes up. Is it sadness, fear, hatred, anger? Acknowledge those feelings and realize that they are about you and not the back-slider. Gradually work up to exposure, perhaps in a gathering with your safe people. Consistent exposure is pertinent. Try and be in their presence for a few minutes, extending it to longer and longer periods of time, until that uncomfortable, stress-filled feeling over their presence begins to dissipate and you can once again see them as just a human being like you.
2. Own your fears: Realize that your fears over the backslider are rooted in your own insecurities about the prison house you are stuck in and not about where the person you once loved and “fellowshiped” with is or what they are doing today.
3. Give Yourself a Reality Check: Start acknowledging the misfortunes in your own life as part of life and not God’s punishments or tests of your faithfulness.
4. Think Positively: Develop a healthier view of a loving God rather than focusing on a wrathful God. Try and see the good in the backslider instead of looking for evidence of bad.
5. Get in Touch with Yourself: Explore your own insecurities of abandonment- consider seeing a therapist and definitely do some inner child work.
6. Create Healthy Boundaries: Realize that the backslider is exactly where they need to be in their own personal journey and it is not your job to judge them or pray them back to the prison house. They made a choice and so did you.
7. Redirect Your Hatred and Resentment: Make a list of all the things you would change about that person to make them acceptable to you. Next, close your eyes and see those things you would change about them in your own self. Remember how we react to others simply mirrors something that we see in ourselves.
8. Exercise Emotional Intelligence: Try and see things from the backsliders point of view. Understand that they hurt, cry, feel angry and agitated sometimes, they love, feel passion and want to be happy and feel good just like  YOU!
9. Take Responsibility for Your Part: Make a list of the reasons you believe the backslider left the prison house. Did you encourage any of those reasons? Did you play a part in pushing them further away?
10. Challenge the Reality of Your Fear: Realize that you have these fears for a reason. Where did they come from? Are they legitimate fears? How so? You have been made to believe that backsliders are bad people and that they are dangerous and need to be avoided. Challenge this mentality as it really has nothing to do with the love of God as it does with the agendas of the religious affiliation.

Remember that fear is the lowest vibrational emotion that exists.

Irrational fears keep you from the love of God, but perfect love casts out fear.

God does not want us to fear but to love.

God does not want us to judge but to accept.

God does not want us to control but to set people free!

“The Voice of God Within” 2nd Ed.

An Inward Journey of Discovery and Restoration

In this video I share with you the inspiration behind the writing of “The Voice of God Within.”
If you have struggled with your belief system or have been or are a part of a controlling religion, and you need a little courage, this may just be the book for you.

Click here if you would like to purchase a copy of “The Voice of God Within”

Click here if you would like to read “The Voice of God Within” on Amazon Kindle

Do you know someone who is in a, or continues to attract co-dependent relationships? Do you suspect you may be codpendent? Back in February, I recorded this 15 minute video on co-dependent relationships- what they are, how to tell the difference between a healthy and a unhealthy relationship and ways to overcome codependency.
Today I recorded a five-minute video on how to raise your vibrations (your mood) quickly. I have several other videos on a variety of topics for, and plans for more in the near future.
My purpose for recording these videos is to share my journey to a healthier mind, body and soul and encourage others in the same way. I have had to spend years healing my emotional body from childhood trauma. My videos offer a fresh personal perspective coming from experience on topics that are too often repackaged jargon of somebodies mental concept of healing.
I would like to invite you to visit my YouTube channel and become a subscriber. If you know of anyone who may be struggling with self-confidence and low self-esteem, please share my video channel with them.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and to listen to my videos!
Your friend, Elizabeth Van Cleve,

Announcing Winners of “My Father’s World”

 

Announcing our winners of our drawing for Shane’s CD

Sixtus​ and Tana ​

Congratuations!

A big THANK YOU to all those who showed their love and support through participation and to others who have purchased a copy of the cd and/or encouraged Shane​ in his musical journey!

If you would like to listen to samples of this cd just click on this image and it will take you to that webpage:

Both names were selected by Random Name Picker @ http://www.miniwebtool.com/random-name-picker/

Give Away!

Give-Away! I purchased two of my son Shane’s Debut cd’s ‘My Father’s World’ to give away in a random drawing done on our next full moon which is September 27. If you would like to be entered into the drawing please leave on comment on either my new FB page ‘High Vibes Life‘ or on my website: Hivibeslife.com Good luck to you!

Ten Paradox’s in Unhealthy Religious Bodies

Jesus taught us that “the Kingdom of God is within YOU!” He taught us to look inside for our answers. He abolished the “law” so men and women would cease to look outward for God and begin to look inward- the place where we are most afraid to look.

I have personally experienced all in the following list. The sad part about these subtle and not-so-subtle contradictions, is they create a dishonest person. Most members see these things, but fear and insecurity cause them to turn a blind eye. They are told their heart is honest because they listen and obey their message, all the while, leveraging the fear of “disobedience and rejection of God,” they create inward conflict and dishonesty to their own conscience.

1. An unhealthy religious body will applaud your personal reasoning as long as you are listening to, and agreeing with their message, but they will question your reasoning if you are looking elsewhere.
2. When tragedy happens to a member of an unhealthy religious body, it is a gift from God to help them grow. When tragedy happens to someone outside their group, it is a punishment or consequence of sin.
3. A “message” is judged good or bad according to whom delivers it rather than on it’s soundness.
4. Breaking a church rule is like breaking the fellowship, unless you are a long-stander or high-tither.
5. “Right” or “wrong” is nebulous, shifting from pastor to pastor, member to member, and congregation to congregation.
6. Answered prayer is from God when among members, but from Satan when among outsiders.
7. Their church has been in existence since the time of Christ, but “so-and-so” brought it back to light in more recent years.
8. Jesus Christ is the head of the church body, but you need the pastors permission to before making any moves.
9. The building is not the church, just a convenient place to gather- but don’t you dare gather together anywhere else- unless its with them of course.
10. To destroy someones reputation is like murder-  except for the reputations of those who have left.

Don’t be afraid to listen within to what your heart is trying to tell you- even if it is direct opposition to what is being taught to you from without.

My child, pay attention to what I say.
Listen carefully to my words.
Don’t lose sight of them.
Let them penetrate deep into your heart,
for they bring life to those who find them,
and healing to their whole body.
Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.
Avoid all perverse talk;
stay away from corrupt speech.

~Proverbs 4:20-24

(NLT)

Fifteen Myths about Bible Translation

I love myth debunking- especially when it comes to “the word of God,” because so many religious organizations hold people in spiritual captivity by misappropriation of the “WORD.”

Fifteen Myths about Bible Translation.

Here is a great site that gives you a comparison chart to the versions of the Bible, including when each version came out:

Translation Comparison Chart

For a deeper look into what the “WORD” really is, see the chapter in my book, “The Voice of God Within” titled: “For the Bible Tells Me So.”

What Church People Really Need To Know About Once-Churched People

This is such an excellent post that breaks the stigma against “those who leave church.”

What Church People Really Need To Know About Once-Churched People.