Messages

Wow...I can't believe how bad some people's taste in films is...but that's my OPINION.  I mean, Lord of the Rings, they are amazing.  Nearly every critic was stunned by the direction, sound and overall cinematography of the epic films, which, by the way, will make over a billion dollars once it's all said and done (not necessarily in the box office, but including video releases etc)

How much a movie makes isn't necessarily an indication of how good it is (most of the time it's NOT the case).

...and Starship Troopers...uggh!  I'm sorry, and once again this is my OPINION, but here is what just a few critics had to say:
"Terrific entertainment."
-- Joe Baltake, SACRAMENTO BEE

 "This flick wallows in just about every moth-ridden cliche known to the film industry and relies almost entirely on naked teenage girls and recycled special effects for what it deems excitement."
-- Rob Blackwelder, SPLICEDWIRE

 "Nobody objects to a simple gross-out proposition on the big screen. But here too, Starship Troopers doesn't quite make it."
-- Liz Braun, JAM! MOVIES

 "If viewed as a comedy, Starship Troopers is quite enjoyable..."
-- Carlo Cavagna, ABOUTFILM.COM

 "Lacking the sophistication of the average comic book, it compensates with panoramic attack sequences, reminiscent of the Japanese swarm attacks in American war movies."
-- Liam Lacey, GLOBE AND MAIL

 "Manages to be both fun and shocking -- sometimes in the same shot."
-- Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

 "Lacks the courage of the book's fascist conclusions."
-- Scott Rosenberg, SALON.COM

 "Maybe the filmmakers are so lost in their slambang visual effects that they don't give a hoot about the movie's scariest implications."
-- Richard Schickel, TIME MAGAZINE

lateralus, which is it?

Jilola- La Strada is great!  

I have decided that, at least for now, my fav film is "The Bicycle Thief" dir. by De Sica

I am interested to know what specific things people have learned from AP...

Oh!  This is great and yes, whoever said it, it is theraputic!  (did I spell that right?)

Anyway, the whole rude driver thing seems to be universal.

And I liked (Ignuma I think said it): "People not being honest and open to me. Hiding behind fake smiles, silence or turned faces. If someone has a problem with me I want to know it damnit!"

Yes!  I guess some superficiality is warranted in life, I mean we do have to work and talk with people whom we don't really want to sometimes, but I do agree.  If and when someone has a problem with me, or something I have said or done, come out and say it!  I have been put in some bad perdicaments at work because someone doesn't point out a mistake and instead they tell others or bring it up at an inopportune time, like months later in front of the boss or something.  Don't get me wrong, this type of thing doesn't happen often, but when it does it REALLY makes me mad.

And yes, politicians...they are truly evil sometimes.  

Well, I gotta get some sleep, but I will be back to visit this forum.

Before I go, however, I mention one more big one:

People who kick my seat from behind in movie theaters.  I want to dismember them!

I used to be really interested in the topic of aliens and alien abduction.  I entertained the idea that aliens were visiting this planet, etc. until I read a book that changed my life, well, in a sense.  It is called:

"Grand Illusions" by Gregory L. Little

This guy, Little, was or I guess still is, a UFOlogist and he concludes (and this is a ROUGH sketch of his conclusions) that most alien abductions, if not all, are actually negative astral entities.  

I must say I agree with him.  I believe wholeheartedy in UFO's and the like, but aliens visiting the earth doesn't make sense to me.  I do indeed believe in "alien" life, in fact I myself am sure there are other intelligent beings outside of our planetary system...but visiting us, like I said, it doesn't make sense.  ANyway, here is some info regarding the book:

Synopsis:

Grand Illusions: The Spectral Reality Underlying Sexual UFO Abductions, Crashed Saucers, Afterlife Experiences, Sacred Ancient Sites, and Other Enigmas
by Gregory L. Little

White Buffalo Books, Inc., Memphis, Tennessee, 1994, 271 pp., paperback, $19.95.

Grand Illusions is the culmination of a trilogy of works by one of America's most freethinking ufologists. More blunt but no less provocative than his previous books, this is Gregory Little's finest work to date. Grand Illusions , following People of the Web (1990) and The Archetype Experience (1984), fine-tunes Little's thesis that was ignited by Carl Jung and John Keel--namely that archetypes are intelligent energy forms within the electromagnetic spectrum which can physicalize and account for virtually every anomalous event in ufology.

Little has theorized that there is indeed a mystery, or grand illusion, behind UFOs and related phenomena. He also suggests that many ufologists also harbor their own illusions concerning these phenomena. Words are not minced and punches are not pulled. Little calls for the death of the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) and, acting like the criminal justice psychologist that he is, points a finger at the rampant hoaxing and paranoia within the ufological fold.

This is strong stuff. For many involved in ufology, the aspect that first got them interested was the tales of real alien beings piloting the saucers (e.g., The Humanoids, Flying Saucer Occupants). A similar sense of interest (and pleasure) is attained, ironically, from reading Little's analysis, and rejection of, these same aliens. Ultimately, we all want to get at "the truth." The proffering of the alien-UFO motif in the media has made alternatives to the ETH all the more rare, especially for American ufology. Thus, the release of any non-extraterrestrial UFO book has become a major event. And a book that can explain the concomitant baggage that has glommed onto ufology is that much more of a treasure.

Little mentions the oft-repeated notion that the evidence for crashed saucers (notably the Roswell case) would prevail in a court of law, and states unequivocally that the case would not win. In this, his thrust is valid; however, what I feel he means to say is that the evidence for crashed saucers is not the "experimental" (scientific) proof required for its veracity. Legal proof is of a different nature, and the case for crashed saucers could probably be "proven" in court. Under the microscope of experimental proof, which requires more tangible evidence, no crashed saucer story holds up.

But even experimental proof is problematic. The scientific method, while powerfully effective, is composed of two elements that are fallible (i.e., both sense data and pure reason can be deceptive). In other words, our perceptions, liable to being erroneous, cannot lead us to conclusions with absolute certitude. This seems to aim at the heart of fortean philosophy, in that the best that can be said in reaching a conclusion is that it is the most accurate possible approximation.

What seems striking in its absence, noting that Little's background is in counseling psychology, is that no mention is made of the benefit to be gained through knowing the mechanism of abduction. If the process is known (do people "tune-in" the grays with the magnetite in their brains?), then the trigger of the experience can be reversed or halted, abductions can be stopped, and the true healing of the abduction syndrome can begin.

Still somewhat mystifying is the process by which the archetype and the percipient attune themselves to each other to "create" a UFO experience or abduction encounter. Specifically, how do these psychoid energy forms adapt their physical shape and behavior to the culture and expectations of the percipient? How, and from where, does this energy gain the knowledge to accomplish this feat?

These are minor quibbles. What is important is that Little has plunged ahead, forging his thought from what he has encountered, rather than ramming the data into preconceived beliefs.

You should add this instant classic to your UFO bookshelf.

Grand Illusions
by Dr. Gregory L. Little
reviewed by S. Miles Lewis


Dr. Little has done it again! Subtitled "The Spectral Reality Underlying Sexual UFO Abductions, Crashed Saucers, Afterlife Experiences, Sacred Ancient Sites, and Other Enigmas," this book covers a lot of ground.
With this book Little has completed a sort of trilogy detailing the mechanisms of manifestation behind UFOs, angels, demons, and other apparitions. Far from debunking these encounters as simply hallucinations of the mind's eye, Little proposes that the witnesses often interact with physically real entities whose origin lies in Carl Jung's conception of the archetypes within humanity's collective unconscious. This is the kind of hypothesis which typically infuriates American UFOlogists because it undermines their hope and expectation for an extraterrestrial origin. But Little goes a long way to show he is not a psychological debunker by detailing his thorough investigations of specific Fortean cases. From apparent falls of worms from the sky to the "mysterious" disappearance of the Mississippi's Iron Mountain tugboat. He points out the shortcomings of purported government documents like the Majestic-12 papers and their researchers.

In Little's first book, The Archetype Experience, he brilliantly and succinctly illustrated how Jung (in Dr. Little's paradigm at least) conceived of archetypes as physical entities of psychic energy which have interacted with humanity for centuries. He also showed how the bulk of UFO reports, the 95% haystack, are intimately linked to Jung's concept of synchronicity which arose from his ideas about archetypes.

In People of the Web, Dr. Little extended his hypothesis into the realms of Native American studies. He examined stone circles, Indian mounds, and the ancient rituals that are linked to these sites. He presented a rich tapestry of Amerindian experience exemplified by the annual Massaum ceremony. It was during this 56 day ceremony that the Indians called down and communed with their gods.

With Grand Illusions, his third and most recent UFO book, Dr. Little has rounded out his theory, which could be called the "GeoPhysical Manifestation of Jungian Archetypes." In his first book he briefly mentioned the geophysical theories put forth by Dr. Michael Persinger and he has continued to reference Persinger's ongoing psychotronics research. Yet Dr. Little has strangely avoided any mention of British research into the Earth Lights Hypothesis.

Little presents a sober hypothesis integrating earth energies, brain chemistry, fairy lore, Jungian psychology, and journalist John Keel's ideas of UFOs as ultraterrestrial shape shifting entities of energy.

He details several American flap areas including the notorious Gulf Breeze hot zone. He astutely suggest that it is the perfect stage for a sociological experiment in civilian reaction to UFOs. A telling proposition considering that areas history of psychotronics/navy communications research. Particularly in light of Vallee's revelation of similarly proposed experiments suggested by the now infamous Battelle University memo he cites in his last book Forbidden Science.

Again Little provides much food for thought in his analysis of the near death experience as it relates to UFOs and the NDE Osiris cults of Egypt. He links the use of the pyramid to out-of-body-experiences induced by the cults' priests as a rite of passage to the Great Pyramid's alignments with Orion.

My only "gripes" about this book are these:

-Firstly, Little holds to John Keel's humorous explanation of the Roswell debris as the remains of a Japanese Fugo balloon. While I admit to having no clue as to the "true" nature of the wreckage I feel safe in keeping the fugo explanation far down on the list of probabilities.

-Little is a big fan of Keel's and references much of Keel's works. Yet when it comes to explaining possible links between unmarked helicopters and the modern UFO myth he writes it off as pure coincidence. It was Keel who proposed that certain phantom aircraft were direct manifestations of the UFO phenomena within his book UFOs: Operation Trojan Horse. And Dennis Stillings has utilized a Jungian perspective in his fantastic articles detailing the powerful symbolism of the helicopter in connection to UFO events.

-Lastly, Greg Little dismisses cattle mutilations as simple misidentification of predator attacks and satanic rituals. While I am convinced by some of his arguments (specifically the documentary/experiment where a surveillance camera caught natural predators "creating" a carcass identical to the typical cattle mute within a 24 hour period) I must wonder why an immanent scientist like Jacques Vallee would spend his valuable time on such misidentifications. And what about pre-modern era accounts of mutilations in connection with paranormal manifestations? Are we dealing with living folklore here as well? Thomas Bearden and Dennis Stillings both wrote fantastic articles about the inherent symbolism of these mutilations and the fear generated within our collective consciousness by these terrors. [see The Anomalist #2 ] I still think the possibility remains that some agency could be perpetrating at least some of these horrific mutilations in order to scare ranchers off their land and out of business, perhaps as part of an AgricCorporate Conspiracy or as an attempt by the government to "discredit the ufo phenomena, instilling doubt as to the beneficence of the aliens."

Despite these remarks I highly recommend Dr. Little's latest book. He is a fine researcher who will open many people's minds to the incredible possibilities that are evident within these strange phenomena.

The book is replete with fancifully shocking artwork by John Michael McCarthy as well as photographs and diagrams that help capture the subject matter detailed within Dr. Little's well written text.

Greg Little can be contacted through the fabulous magazine:

ALTERNATE PERCEPTIONS
PO Box 9972
Memphis, TN 38190

Here are links to other discussions in the AstralPulse forums regarding this subject:

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1431&SearchTerms=sex

(I don't have time to post the others right now, but just type in "astral sex" in the sites search engine (under the forums tab)



I think in situations like this it is difficult for others to have compassion sometimes because it is a touchy subject and obviously you are the only person who knows what's really going on. I do think that relationships, of any kind, with married people can only end in tragedy.

Also, welcome to the astralpulse.  I hope you like it here.

-Daniel

I just took the quiz (and missed one) and I don't see how this quiz would prove how intelligent people are...I don't even know if that's the claim, but either way what it seems to test is general knowledge of politics, geography, etc.  I will be the first to admit that US citizens are very ignorant in this regard.  Until i left the US to travel I too lived in a glass bubble....we are a very egocentric community.

One way or the other, if this is survey reflects the results of stratified or systematic sampling then it is the least accurate kind of research.  It would be interesting to see a totaly random sampling.

Finally, I don't care if this survey had US as the top scorers on it, I don't think you can make such sweeping generalizations about human intelligence with 20 geo-political questions.  

Anyway, has anyone here ever seen Jay Leno's "Jay Walking" bits?  He goes around and asks people questions and then they show the funniest responses....it is hilarious.

Maybe, but it all depends.  If Canada had a population of almost 300 million people chances are the average would drop significantly....

Thank you all so much and it is true, this has been a great moment of teaching.  He is going to undergo surgery again soon  and I just hope he will continue to do well.

Frist of all, I hope everyone here is aware that you could go anywhere in the world and illicit such responses and that's a fact.  I don't think Americans are less intelligent than any other general population, maybe less informed, but the word intelligent generally has to do with the capacity to learn, etc.

I have traveled around the world and have spoken with the average citizens in many countries and most people don't have a clue what's going on outside of their own little world of their career, etc.  I mean if one were to go to almost any country in South America (and this is just an example) you could illicit such responses and maybe even more humorous ones....BUT if you went to a University campus and spoke with grad students (and this is true for any country) you would get a different, albeit just as skewed response.

Anyway, I found this post to be very funny and the fact that there is such a focus on America is really just a form of flettery in the end.  When was the last time a US comedian went to Canada and did something similar?  Oh yeah, never because no one here cares (and maybe that proves we are stupid and ignorant![]

Thank you all for your support...he is in serious condition but getting better rapidly.  Once again, thank you

What's the Use of an Out of Body Experience?
Robert Peterson is an author and a pioneering out-of-body traveler. He has written three books on OBE. When he is not out of body travelling he likes to ride his motor bike and travel abroad. In this interview Robert gives us some clues on what to expect and what the benefits may be from "non-physical travel".

Text: The following is an online interview featured by Amazon.com.
Courtesy of Amazon.com, Inc.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Amazon.com: What made you decide to write Out of Body Experiences?

Robert Peterson: There were really three main reasons for writing the book.

First, my out-of-body experiences have changed my life dramatically, and in a very positive and spiritual way, and I feel that this world needs more positive, spiritual influences. I felt extremely indebted to Robert Monroe for his books that led me to this path, and if my book can have that positive effect on someone else, then it will be worth it.

Second, after reading scores of books that other people have written about the subject, I still felt that there were major gaps of understanding that needed to be filled in. Rather than rehash old material, I felt it was my duty as an experiencer to try to document what I've found that wasn't covered in other books.

Last, I felt that I had discovered some key factors that would allow people to leave their bodies too, and I wanted to make those public so that the out-of-body experience can be studied further. After all, the key to scientific study is reproducibility. If I can teach other people to induce the experience, then mankind as a whole can gain from their findings.

Amazon.com: Have you had any out of body experiences that left you with fairly concrete proof that you had left your body?

Peterson: Well, as I stated in the book, I tried for a while to obtain concrete proof that my OBEs were objective and not just hallucinations.

Unfortunately, most of my efforts to establish "proof" were done in my first few years of having OBEs, so I wasn't too coordinated or adept at it. Consequently, I didn't get as much proof as I wanted. I did have a few experiences that were convincing enough to me, but they wouldn't hold any water with the scientific community. Eventually, I decided that I no longer needed to prove anything to myself. I'd been doing it long enough to be convinced they were real.

I also decided that I could never convince the skeptics, because they are too closed-minded and can always come up with reasons to invalidate a test. Likewise, I knew that scientists wouldn't be satisfied unless my experiments were predefined tests done under laboratory conditions. So far, I haven't found anyone doing serious scientific study under those conditions, but I'd gladly be the first person in line to try to reproduce the OBE under laboratory conditions if anyone asks me to.

Amazon.com: Many accounts of out of body experiences seem to include the ability to travel instantly from one location to another, but your reports indicate that you haven't had much luck with astral flight and teleportation, which is a testament to your honesty. If you've managed to improve on this skill since you wrote the book, could you share some of your new experiences?

Peterson: Actually, I've gotten much better at "astral teleportation" since I submitted the original text for the book more than two years ago. Since I figured out how to do it, I've been able to transport myself to specific people and locations. Most of these experiences have been mundane and uneventful, and not very worthy of mention. The main problem is that most books over-simplify the process of mind-travel and don't give very good instructions. Unfortunately, I'm also at a loss for words as to how to describe the process. It's more than just thinking about a person or saying their name; it's most like pulling myself to that person with my mind.

Amazon.com: In chapter 14 you meet three other astral beings when you call for help from astral guides. Do you feel that these were other travelers, like yourself, or the spirits of deceased people, or do you think they were some type of creatures native to the astral plane you were visiting? Have you made contact with these or other beings since then?

Peterson: I've always been very cautious and reserved about "spirits" so in the past, I tended to try to experiment "on my own," in other words, without trying for too much contact. Lately I've been more confident and adventuresome, occasionally calling for help during my OBEs. So far it's worked well--I've felt gentle hands helping to tug me away from my body.

I've also heard some voices too during OBEs, but the strange thing is that except in rare instances, I never seem to see these helpers, they're always invisible. Perhaps it's because their vibrations are so much higher than mine. At any rate, I don't know if the helpers are deceased people or not, but they seem to be primarily residents of the astral plane rather than physical people who are also having OBEs.

Amazon.com: In chapter 10, you discuss one of the side effects of your journey into the realm beyond the physical--contact with "the small still voice within," and you reveal some of the astounding guidance you have received from this voice, which you describe as a link to your higher self. Do you have a more specific idea of what this voice is? Are there any other experiences you've had with your inner voice that you wouldn't mind sharing?

Peterson: I believe that my inner voice is my subconscious relating the thoughts of a "higher self" or "oversoul" back to me. I've had long talks with my inner voice, but most of the material is personal. I'm convinced that the majority of today's "channeling" is merely the same natural process of communication, but they make it out to be something more mysterious and mystical than it really is. I'm sure I could do the same sort of channeling, but I'm not interested. My interests lie elsewhere.

Amazon.com: There are people who would say, "So what? What good is an OBE?" Have your out of body experiences had a significant impact on your physical life, and can you argue that OBEs are more than just an entertaining experiment?

Peterson: Boy, you really touched a hot spot of mine here. I could ramble on for hours about that topic, but I understand your space is limited. Let me ask you this: Why does the United States Government (i.e. NASA) spend millions and millions of dollars on space exploration but not one penny on out-of-body exploration? Ask yourself this: Would you rather spend a few hours looking at pictures transmitted from the face of Mars by Pathfinder (as millions of people did in 1997), or would you rather stand on Mars yourself and view the landscape in person?

Although I've never done it, I believe it's possible through OBEs, if serious researchers can learn to induce and control the experience. Besides the obvious practical applications, such as finding lost children and solving crimes, there is an enormous potential for religious exploration and spiritual growth. With OBEs, we have the potential for changing our religious beliefs, which are mostly superstitions at this point, into true knowledge of the afterlife.

Amazon.com: Dr. Charles Tart wrote the forward to your book, and I noticed that you mention some of his works in your bibliography. Have you read the recently published Body Mind Spirit (another Hampton Roads book) that he edited?

Peterson: Charles Tart has always been a big hero of mine. I really loved the part in Susan Blackmore's book, "In Search of the Light", where she's going on about meeting the Charles Tart. Hampton Roads asked Tart to do the foreword to my book without my knowledge. When I first learned about it, I was in shock for days. I felt so surprised and honored that I was beside myself with excitement. I just bought Body Mind Spirit last weekend, so I haven't started reading it yet.

Amazon.com: You are a computer programmer, someone with a logical view of things, yet you seem to have a firm belief in the paranormal (things such as clairvoyance, telepathy, and precognition) tempered with a healthy skepticism. The general message of Body Mind Spirit (mentioned above) is movement toward a reconciliation of the rift between science and spirituality. As you seem to have bridged this gap on a personal level already, where do you envision things going if science breaks free of traditional dogma and begins to explore the paranormal realm in earnest?

Peterson: Good question! For nearly ten years I worked on the operating system of the IBM System/36 and IBM AS/400. Now I mostly do C++ programming for Linux and Windows 95. I'm still very logical and very skeptical, even when it comes to my own experiences.

Bridging the gap between science and the supernatural has always been one of my dreams (thus, Charles Tart being one of my heroes). I've always felt that if science and the supernatural can be reconciled, then many of the illusions that we live with (such as separation from loved ones when they die and various religious superstitions) will be eliminated. When science can seriously explore and establish facts on issues such as (1) the nature of psychic experiences and psychic powers, (2) the nature of the soul and afterlife, and (3) the nature of God, then perhaps we can agree on "what to believe" and do away with all the fighting over religious differences.

Maybe we can all agree that we are spiritual beings first and foremost (and that spirit transcends all race and sex boundaries), and we must work toward the spiritual growth of everyone. Maybe we can also learn to set aside our materialism for more spiritual pursuits. And if science can't establish these things as facts, at least OBEs can help each of us learn these things at a personal level.

Hi!  Sorry, I haven't checked in here for a while.  Thanks for the link, it was real interesting.  I agree with most, if not all, of what he said, although I might word it differently.

The class I am taking is actually 20th C Brit and American Lit, but the professor, who I believe is Hindu (although he's a regular old white guy").  Although we are not drawing any direct parallels between the text(s) and the concept of duality, he did infer that by understanding these modes of thinking, one can open his or her eyes and see anything, including literature, in a different way.

For me none of this was necessarily new, but it is interesting to sit down for a few hours a day and really chew on it with your mind.  Little glimpses of the truth come and go as you strive to grasp these "higher truths".  

To tell you the truth, LDS theology (although we claim not to have a theology because it's too limiting) is so expansive and "mystic" that non of this is a shock to the system.

Anyway, keep the links and comments coming.  This is good stuff (better, at least, than listening to me rant about political and/or sexuality, right?!)[]

That's very interesting...you are not the first person who has told me that as a child you were more prone to lucid dream.  I wonder if we all lucid dreamed at some point but lost the ability as we got older.  Same for OBE.  

Children's "psychic" potential is so much higher than that of adults.  Sometimes, as a teacher, I ask children questions about if they see colors or have imaginary friends and the responses range from comical to jaw-dropping.

I, for one, agree with those who said "Yes."  In fact, I believe that even a rock has a spirit, but in a different sense.  I think all matter has a particular kind of "intelligence" but of course there are varying degrees of this intelligence.  
---------------------
The "pure principles of element" and of intelligence coexist eternally with God: "They may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed" (TPJS, p. 351). God created the universe out of chaos, "which is Element and in which dwells all the glory" (WJS, p. 351). "The elements are the tabernacle of God" (D&C 93:35). God is related to space and time, and did not create them from nothing. Change occurs through intelligence. The universe is governed by law. There were two creations: All things were made "spiritually" before they were made "naturally" (Moses 3:5). Through his Son, God is the Creator of multiple worlds. God is the Father of the human spirits that inhabit his creations. His creations have no end.

Frank's over rated!  I mean come on!

Just kidding![]

Frank knows how much I respect his ideas and contributions.  I may think some of his jokes suck, but other than that he is probably the most careful and thoughtful poster here, at least when it comes to consistent, helpful posts regarding OBE.

Congrats Frank!
-DT

I think Moore is an idiot.  I hadn't seen him as mad as he was the night of the Oscars since he was charged for two seats on a Southwest flight!  

This topic came up a number of times in the past:
http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2662&SearchTerms=bowling

http://www.astralpulse.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=955&SearchTerms=bowling

LDS= Latter-Day Saint, ie. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Mormons or "LDS"

Hello!  I am so grateful that you read and pondered that article, it's a fabulous one with a lot of really important information within.

There is just one problem with it though: it's not complete.

I believe that the Eternal Now is where God is, or what God is, depending on how much you understand the nature of God...anyway, I believe that we are all individuals and God created us by (and forgive the simple way I am going to say this) "splitting" off a spark of himself and endowing our intelligence with that spark...

Eventually we can be like God, or in other words, have our own universe and be that Eternal Now and create infinite lives and glory like God...that way our "life," ie. learning and loving, etc. will continue one forever.  

By looking at the way that families are organized here, and how our posterity continues to live and have part of our genes, etc,  we get an idea of how God, the Eternal Now, works.

I don't know if that makes any sense, but it does to me.  I need to write a lengthy article about this.

i am LDS and therefore believe Joseph Smith was a prophet.  You many not agree, but I think you will like the fact that he did/said the following about killing snakes:

Killing snakes    
Zion's Camp 1834

Rattlesnakes

Joseph: "Men cease to destroy the animal race"   We crossed the Embarras river and encamped on a small branch of the same about one mile west. In pitching my tent we found three massasaugas or prairie rattlesnakes, which the brethren were about to kill, but I said, "Let them alone—don't hurt them! How will the serpent ever lose his venom, while the servants of God possess the same disposition, and continue to make war upon it? Men must become harmless, before the brute creation; and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and the lamb can dwell together, and the sucking child can play with the serpent in safety."    

massasauga: a small spotted venomous N. American rattlesnake, Sistrurus cataneatus.  
Except "to preserve ourselves from hunger."   The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill a serpent, bird, or an animal of any kind during our journey unless it [72] became necessary in order to preserve ourselves from hunger.    
Joseph shoots squirrel
[]

Happy birthday!  I still believe I'll never get that old![]

THanks offering me your take.  When I get the first set and start out, I will definetly be asking you a lot of questions.

I found this test to be quite accurate...thanks for sharing it.  Maybe the following info will make sense to some of you who have been a little perturbed by me as of late[]

MTBI Test Results
Your personality type is ENFP.
Extraverted (E) 82%   Introverted (I) 18%
Intuitive (N) 86%   Sensing (S) 14%
Feeling (F) 55%   Thinking (T) 45%
Perceiving (P) 68%   Judging (J) 32%

Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
by Marina Margaret Heiss
Profile: ENFP
Revision: 2.21
Date of Revision: 3 Dec 02


[The following comes partially from the archetype, but mostly from my own dealings with ENFPs.]
General: ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They want to both help (at least, their own definition of "help") and be liked and admired by other people, on bo th an individual and a humanitarian level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another.
Social/Personal Relationships: ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (l ots of PDA), and disconcertingly spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances, forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time. Less mature E NFPs may need to feel they are the center of attention all the time, to reassure them that everyone thinks they're a wonderful and fascinating person.
ENFPs often have strong, if unconvential, convictions on various issues related to their Cosmic View. They usually try to use their social skills and contacts to persuade people gently of the rightness of these views; his sometimes results in their negle cting their nearest and dearest while flitting around trying to save the world.
Work Environment: ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work with. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in brainstorming sessions. Followthrough tends to be a problem, however; they tend to get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about meeting hard deadlines and about performing any small, uninteresting tasks that they've been assigned. ENFPs are at their most useful when working in a group w ith a J or two to take up the slack.
ENFPs hate bureaucracy, both in principle and in practice; they will always make a point of launching one of their crusades against some aspect of it.

Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
by Joe Butt
ENFPs are friendly folks. Most are really enjoyable people. Some of the most soft-hearted people are ENFPs.
ENFPs have what some call a "silly switch." They can be intellectual, serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance, they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the swimming pool, ticklers par excellence. Som etimes they may even appear intoxicated when the "switch" is flipped.
One study has shown that ENFPs are significantly overrepresented in psychodrama. Most have a natural propensity for role-playing and acting.
ENFPs like to tell funny stories, especially about their friends. This penchant may be why many are attracted to journalism. I kid one of my ENFP friends that if I want the sixth fleet to know something, I'll just tell him.
ENFPs are global learners. Close enough is satisfactory to the ENFP, which may unnerve more precise thinking types, especially with such things as piano practice ("three quarter notes or four ... what's the difference?") Amazingly, some ENFPs are adept at exacting disciplines such as mathematics.
Friends are what life is about to ENFPs, moreso even than the other NFs. They hold up their end of the relationship, sometimes being victimized by less caring individuals. ENFPs are energized by being around people. Some have real difficulty being alone , especially on a regular basis.
One ENFP colleague, a social worker, had such tremendous interpersonal skills that she put her interviewers at ease during her own job interview. She had the ability to make strangers feel like old friends.
ENFPs sometimes can be blindsided by their secondary Feeling function. Hasty decisions based on deeply felt values may boil over with unpredictable results. More than one ENFP has abruptly quit a job in such a moment.
Functional Analysis
Extraverted iNtuition
The physical world, both geos and kosmos, is the ENFP's primary source of information. Rather than sensing things as they are, dominant intuition is sensitive to things as they might be. These extraverted intuitives are most adept with patterns and connections. Their natural inclination is toward relationships, especially among people or living things.
Intuition leans heavily on feeling for meaning and focus. Its best patterns reflect the interesting points of people, giving rise to caricatures of manner, speech and expression.
Introverted Feeling
Auxiliary feeling is nonverbally implied more often than it is openly expressed. When expressed, this logic has an aura of romance and purity that may seem out of place in this flawed, imperfect world. In its own defense, feeling judgement frequently and fleetly gives way to humor. ENFPs who publicize their feelings too often may put off some of the crowd of friends they naturally attract.
Extraverted Thinking
Thinking, the process which runs to impersonal conclusions, holds the extraverted tertiary position. Used on an occasional basis, ENFPs may benefit greatly from this ability. Less mature and lacking the polish of higher order functions, Thinking is not well suited to be used as a prominent function. As with other FP types, the ENFP unwary of Thinking's limitations may find themselves most positively mistaken.

Last year I read all three of Monroe's books and I found them all to be quite compelling and informative.  I must echo what others have said, however, about there not being a whole lot of practical info in them.  Well, actually, it all depends on what level you are at and what you want to get out of them...

Anyway, although it's been a while since I have read them, I do remember a few things in particular which stick out in my mind.  The first is the fact that Monroe was able to help recently deceased people realize they had died and therefore move on to the next step or level.  I was also very compelled by some of the things he shares in the last book, Ultimate Journey...and like Frank said, it BEGINS to give one some idea of what is out there and what can be realized by an accomplished and regular projector (I hate to use the word "projector" as well as OBE, language is so limiting!  And that's coming from one who studies English and language day in and day out!!!)

I echo what has been said, especially by Frank.  Namely about the idea that there is the astral and then there is the ASTRAL as in everything out there.  The immediate "zones" close to ours are often inhabited by "spirits" who once lived, etc. but the further out one goes, or the further in, or however you look at it, you find a yriad of beings and dimensions, etc.  

As an aside: isn't it just wonderful to realize all of this.  I don't know why, but today, in particular, I have been feeling almost giddy to think about the greater reality that myself and all of you, my friends, have realized.  I think that walking around campus today at the university and looking at other people my age made me realize just how limited the average persons views are.  They are all amazing and deep, down somewhere in the mind or self realize the truth but yet they live like a horse with blinders on.  I'm rambling...

Until next time,
Dan

Audi, R. 1992. Objective/Subjective. A Companion to Epistemology. J. Dancy and E. Sosa. Oxford, Blackwell: 309-310.

"The contrast between the subjective and the objective is made in both the epistemic and the ontological domains. In the former it is often identified with the distinction between the *intra*personal and the *inter*personal, or with that between matters whose resolution depends on the psychology of the person in question and those not thus dependent, or, sometimes, with the distinction between the biased and the impartial. Thus an objective question might be one answerable by a method usable by any competent investigator, while a subjective question would be answerable only from the questioner's point of view. In the ontological domain, the subjective-objective contrast is often between what is and what is not mind-dependent; secondary qualities, e.g., colours, have been thought subjective owing to their apparent variability with observation conditions. The truth of a proposition, for instance (apart from certain propositions about oneself), would be objective if it is independent of the perspective, especially the beliefs of those judging it. Truth would be subjective if it lacks such independence, say because it is a construct from justified beliefs, e.g. those well-confirmed by observations."

Chew on dat!