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Brainwashing Cults…

Posted By: Randy GageMarch 13, 2013

One of my guilty pleasures is watching The Following.  Probably the creepiest, scariest show you’ll ever see on network TV.  James Purefoy turns in a chilling performance as a deranged cult leader orchestrating a string of murders.  Yet a real-life situation taking place this week is much scarier…

Away from the prying eyes of the public, a sect of the world’s largest cult is in a secret meeting as you read this – selecting a new leader to direct the cult.  This cult has already brainwashed millions of followers, leaving behind a legacy of torture, child abuse, and death.

Of course I’m talking about the papal conclave.

In 2006 I wrote, Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to Get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!, a book which explored memes (mind viruses), and how they control our behavior.  One chapter, titled “Hope, Dope and the Pope” stirred up quite the debate.  And since Wiley just reissued the book in paperback, and the Vatican is electing another Pope, I thought this would be a good time to revisit the issue of mind control and brainwashing by organized religion.

In his 26-year papacy, Pope John Paul II touched the world like none before him.  He introduced computers to the Vatican, traveled to 129 countries, and harnessed the power of television and technology to reach every corner of the globe.  He used his visits to shake up right wing dictatorships, give hope to the poor, and shine a spotlight on the afflicted.  By all accounts, he was a well-meaning and deeply committed man.

However, none of that will change the legacy of poverty, ignorance, and despair he left behind for his followers...

I don’t think he did this because he was an evil man.  He impressed me as a very spiritual and caring human being.  A human being who was infected with so many common mind viruses, he had no idea of the desolation he was creating.

The Pope fought Communism in his native Poland and around the globe. But I believe he was still infected with the Communistic belief that it is noble to be poor, and money is evil.  He came to the U.S. seven times, and denounced American materialism each time, castigating Americans for not sharing more of their wealth with the world’s poor.  In fact, he scorned the effects of capitalism at every opportunity – except when the collection basket was going around.

Historically, no one has done negative program better than organized religion.  And of course the Vatican is usually near the top of the list.

Of all the people I have coached in removing their prosperity blocks, these unworthiness issues created by religion are the hardest ones to bust.  That’s because religion is so emotional for most people, and core religious beliefs are usually hard wired by the time you are five or six years old.

Pope John Paul II reached out to other faiths – while never missing a chance to let them know that the one door to salvation was going to be slammed in their face in the moment of truth.  He was forceful in his rejection of homosexuality, birth control, divorce, remarrying after divorce, and women and married men in the clergy.  And because he appointed 95 percent of the Cardinals who chose his successor, his rigid Orthodox theological vision was continued with Pope Benedict.

Even now, another generation of kids in church Sunday Schools and private Christian schools are getting infected with self-loathing, guilt, and worthiness issues, as the church marches on.  More Gay teens will take their lives, believing they have been forsaken by their God.  More women will receive the message that they are second-class citizens.  More people will stay in marriages they never should have been in, living their entire lives in dismal resignation.

Of course since the death of John Paul II, things in the Vatican have only gotten worse.  Pope Benedict was an active theologian, but paid very little attention to the vast bureaucracy of the Vatican money machine.

The documents leaked by Pope Benedict’s butler, which made their way into the daily papers and a bestselling book, offered a glimpse into the petty infighting and blatant corruption of the institution.   There were accusations of officials illegally rigging construction bids for public works, and exposed that many high level church officials were actually involved in for-profit business opportunities around Italy, and even possible money laundering by the Vatican bank.

Some of the more militant cults like Scientology get lots of media scrutiny.  But the Catholicism cult receives mostly media fawning.  The reason of course is so many members of the media from Pat Buchanan to Piers Morgan, Bill O’Reilly to Chris Matthews, are actually members of the cult.  So just like the last time, the media is awash in breathless sensationalism, chronicling the process of 115 old men, appointing a new spokesman to disseminate their mind viruses.

Building on our discussion from the last post, you have to ask why people would willingly follow a mind control cult – let alone one as perverted as the Roman Catholic Church? The only answer can be the self-loathing mind viruses the church has infected their followers with.

Most of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic cult believe the Pope has mystical curing powers from God.  They believe a blessing from him will cure diseases and save lives.  They still believe this, even though Pope Benedict just resigned – because of his own poor health.

Meanwhile the Vatican continues missions in sub-Sahara Africa teaching the people in the remote villages there that condom use is a sin, condemning millions there to die of AIDS every year.  Think how long the Vatican has condemned  condom use to prevent HIV even between married partners when one was negative and the other positive.  This is not an organization that cares about alleviating human suffering, but one simply concerned with propagating its dogma.  And people who buy into that dogma, doom themselves to a life of lack and limitation.

And let’s not just single out the Catholicism sect or the parent Christianity cult... 

The same type of brainwashing is happening in many other temples, mosques and synagogues around the world.  Organized religion is responsible for the largest share of negative mind viruses and limiting beliefs circulating the globe today.  Millions of children in many faiths are right now receiving mind control programming that will relegate them to lives of poverty, suffering, and fear.  Funny the difference a postal code or two can make…

Five Iranians who converted to Christianity will go on trial this week in Iran’s Revolutionary Court. They were arrested when security forces raided an underground house church and caught them committing the crime of praying to Jesus.

Under Islamic law, a Muslim who converts to Christianity is considered to be waging war against Islam.  The Constitution there allows judges to rely on fatwas for sentencing on crimes not addressed in the Iranian penal code.  In cases such as this, these allow for everything from lengthy prison sentences to death.

That’s another really fascinating thing about these religious cults:  They think the non-cult members face damnation, but they get really vengeful when one of their own leaves the cult.

During the inquisition when the Catholic Church was torturing and killing “heretics,” they were primarily concerned with the behavior of their members and converts, and didn’t pay as much attention to Jews and Muslims.  (Although try explaining the definition of “as much” to the families of the Jews and Muslims who were tortured and killed if they didn’t “be saved” - figuratively and literally - by switching to Christianity.)  Likewise, all minority religions in Iran face persecution from the current theocratic regime.  But those who convert from Islam face the toughest vengeance.

Now some of you may think that I’m writing this to insult you or your beliefs.  That is simply not the case.

The reason for this post is to question whether the dogma of your faith is causing you to self-sabotage your own prosperity and happiness, because you’ve been programmed to believe you’re not worthy. 

And if the premise of your core foundational beliefs is based on superstitions and myths, everything that comes off of that premise is suspect as well.

There are people who believe Noah carried two dinosaurs on the ark, Indra was born fully grown from his mother's side (though they can’t agree if he had two or four arms), Buddha was born and instantly took seven steps to proclaim, “I alone am the World-Honored One!,” and Jonah swam around in the belly of a large fish for three days before popping out and buying a timeshare in Key West.

The problem with all of these captivating myths is they can’t keep the story straight, and so they don’t stand the test of reason to any rational, critical thinking person. 

Buddhist scholars acknowledge that story of Buddha’s birth may have borrowed from Hindu texts of the birth of Indra from the Rig Veda.   After Alexander the Great conquered central Asia there was extensive intermixing of Buddhism with Hellenic ideas.  There is also speculation that the tale of the Buddha’s childbirth was “upgraded” when traders returned from the Middle East with stories of the birth of the baby Jesus.

The Buddha birth myth certainly sounds like a story about the birth of a God.  But even Buddhism says the Buddha was not a god.  And the bold pronouncement “I alone am the World-Honored One” is in direct conflict with the Buddhist teachings on nontheism and anatman.

There are about 1.5 billion people who believe the Bible is the literal word of God, even though there is no evidence to support this (at all), and is in fact, great evidence to disprove this – even in the Bible itself.

Of course there are about 1.5 billion other people who know the Koran to be the perfect word of the Creator of the universe.  And the Prophet Mohammad explicitly stated that Jesus was not divine.   So one thing is certain:  of these three billion people who are certain about their truth – at least half have to be wrong.

Likewise, the Veda, which many believe is sanctified, is the product of many authors and shows numerous signs of having undergone considerable revisions over time.

I certainly have no problem with anyone believing any of this.  Just as I have no problem with the people who believe Elvis is alive, we didn’t really land on the moon, or in Santa Claus, the tooth fairy or the Easter Bunny.

Of course a rational person in control of their mental faculties couldn’t believe any of these things.  But of course that leaves us almost four or five billion others who are irrational, not in control of their mental faculties and believe some or all of these things.  And fascinatingly enough, the postal code they were born in, is the biggest determination of knowing which of these conflicting beliefs is the one “true” way and why the others are doomed to damnation with gnashing of teeth.

If you have a religious belief that serves you, I’m happy for you and have no desire to challenge it.  I’m not one of those “militant atheists” Deepak Chopra has been ranting about recently.  I glibly describe myself as a fundamentalist agnostic.  I really don’t know how the universe was created and often wonder about some intelligent design or supernatural power that could be responsible for it all. I remember sitting in my church on a Christmas Eve, singing “Silent Night” by candlelight with the congregation and thinking, “If all this is simply a crutch man made up for his own peace of mind – it’s a pretty good one.”  But I’m also a rational man and my beliefs must pass the sanity test.

And if YOU want to be healthy, happy and prosperous, your beliefs have to pass the sanity test.  And they also must be beliefs that empower you.  Not beliefs that program you that you are unworthy. 

Most of the dogma in today’s organized religions are built on the premise that you are meant to suffer here, to demonstrate your worthiness for the afterlife – which is when the really good stuff comes.  And depending on the religion, if you prostrate yourself enough, beg for forgiveness enough, say enough “Hail Mary’s,” ambush enough coalition soldiers, rub enough rosary beads, pray to Mecca enough times each day, blow up enough abortion clinics, kill enough Jews, or send enough money to the televangelist – you will be saved.

Most of the world’s major organized religions are set up as cosmic frequent flier programs. 

If you collect enough points, you win the free trip to paradise.  Whether we look at the Christian concept of original sin, the Buddhist 8-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish Covenant, or the Muslim Code of Law, they all are set up with the basic presupposition that you are a flawed being who needs salvation.

And if that’s what you are taught beginning at four or five years old, is it any wonder that you would grow up with worthiness issues?  Low self-esteem, fear-based consciousness, and a tendency to self-sabotage?

  • If you went to a private Catholic school and the nuns told you that you were born a sorry sinner – what are the odds you are going to grow up liking yourself?
  • If you are a Hindu who believes this time around, you are reincarnated from an Egyptian horse thief to pay penance – what are the chances you’re going let yourself be successful?
  • If you’re a Buddhist who believes you must go through 129 lifetimes to find enlightenment – and you’re only on lifetime 97 – what are the odds that you’re going to let yourself become wealthy this time?

One of the greatest steps you can take to become healthy, happy, and prosperous is to do some serious critical thinking about your religious beliefs.  Think about what the subliminal messages are from them, and what you were exposed to as a young child.  There you will find many clues on what has caused you to create the results you have in your life right now. 

The sad truth is, billions of people are members of a mind-control cult and don’t realize it.  Some are more benevolent than others.  Some do a lot of good.

Some of my dearest friends in the world are Mormons.  I can’t even begin to tell you how impressed I am with their faith and the good they do.  I was wowed with the service they did here in South Florida after Hurricane Andrew.  And since I have come to know so many so well, I am immensely impressed by the way they live their lives.  Hell, if it weren’t for the restrictions against swearing, drinking, drugs and pre-martial sex, I’d probably be a Mormon too!  (Although I’d probably be in the sect that allows polygamy.)

Just because a religion teaches compassion or service to others does not make all the myths about it true. Personally I believe the Bible is a great metaphysical textbook on the principles of prosperity.  The parables are great lessons on living a prosperous life.  But to take it as the literal word of God would require a leap of craziness I’m simply not interested in.  This is the same book that promotes slavery, teaches to beat your children, to kill them if they talk back, and stone others for everything from heresy to homosexuality, sorcery to working on the Sabbath.

And please don’t try the argument that these things are only in the Old Testament and they were somehow countermanded in the New Testament.  They were not.  There are numerous places in the New Testament where Jesus and his apostles endorsed Old Testament law.  I have read it all the way to the end:  There is no place where God suggests that once we create a civil society that you can forgo the slavery, stoning, and other barbaric savagery.

The Bible certainly doesn’t have a monopoly on beating women and killing the non-believers.  The Koran holds its own in this regard.   Here are a few quotes, direct from the Creator of the universe:

"God's curse be upon the infidels!" (2:89)

"[We] shall let them live awhile, and then shall drag them to the scourge of the Fire. Evil shall be their fate" (2:126).

"Slay them wherever you find them. Drive them out of the places from which they drove you. Idolatry is worse than carnage. . . . [I]f they attack you put them to the sword. Thus shall the unbelievers be rewarded: but if they desist, God is forgiving and merciful. Fight against them until idolatry is no more and God's religion reigns supreme. But if they desist, fight none except the evil-doers"(2:190–93).

"As for the unbelievers, neither their riches nor their children will in the least save them from God's judgment. They shall become fuel for the Fire" (3:10).

"Never think that those who were slain in the cause of God are dead. They are alive, and well provided for by their Lord; pleased with His gifts and rejoicing that those they left behind, who have not yet joined them, have nothing to fear or to regret; rejoicing in God's grace and bounty. God will not deny the faithful their reward" (3:169).

An objective reading of this book by a rational person reveals that the people who take it literally are very dangerous to the rest of the world.  It exposes a chilling revelation of the Muslim beliefs on jihad and martyrdom.  Is it any wonder that this Holy book is used for validation to fly planes into buildings, plant bombs and kill people?

Whatever religion you follow, it behooves you to question it with a critical mind:  Do those beliefs empower you or tear you down?  Are they coming from love or fear?  Did you come to those beliefs by critical analysis and rational thought – or because they were programmed into you as a child, based on the postal code you were born in?  Like me, you probably have a deep desire to know more.  But it doesn’t get us anywhere to pretend to know things we really don’t know.  If you want to be healthy, happy, and prosperous – you have to stay in touch with objective reality.

Want to know what kind of mind viruses you’re infected with and if they’re holding you back from success?  Then read, or re-read Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!   You can get it at B&N or Amazon.

Want to debate me, explain why I’m going to rot and burn in Hell, or pray for my salvation?  Before you do, please read, Letter to a Christian Nation from Sam Harris.  Certainly one of the most thought-provoking and brilliant books I’ve ever read.

If you come to the belief that your religion serves and empowers you – great.  If it is what you think it is – it will survive the scrutiny of a healthy skepticism.  But if you’ve blindly accepted the doctrines and dogma and they are programming you to be a victim – your life will never improve until you blow up and replace those limiting beliefs.

If there is a power greater than us, the greatest gift it bequeathed upon us is the power of the rational mind.  What a sin it would be not to use it.

All mind control cults use many manipulative techniques:  social proof, peer pressure, propaganda, even abuse, sensory depravation, torture and violence to control their members.  And if you don’t think most organized religions are cults, you either don’t know the definition of the word, or you don’t know the history of organized religion.

But one thing I can promise you is this:  No one can control your mind – unless you allow them to.

So the Cardinals are meeting and the world is breathlessly waiting on each puff of smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney.  But what the church really needs – what the world really needs – is leaders who will lead for our highest good, not to protect fear-based dogma – from spiritual consciousness, not Iron Age superstitions – from rational thought, not irrational craziness.

We need religions that can celebrate their faith without persecuting those that don’t share it.  Religious leaders who respect for all humans, including Lesbians, Gays, Transgender and Bisexual people.  Who respect women and people with other beliefs as equal citizens.

We don’t need religions that program us that we are contemptible, unworthy beings and sorry sinners.  We need religions that build us up.  Religions that exhort us to do new and greater things, to walk the path of enlightenment – which is simply becoming the best we can possibly be.  That’s my kind of religion.

-RG

347 comments on “Brainwashing Cults…”

  1. I did not grow up in a religious household thank goodness. My parents were too smart for that. We should think about what mind viruses are infected in our subconscious that diverts our behaviour from being ultimately prosperous. With out religion there are many mind viruses out there that we are exposed to in the media. Once again, try and make ourselves aware of what has been planted in our sub conscious that prevents us from being ultimately prosperous.

  2. I did not grow up in a religious household thank goodness. My parents were too smart for that. We should think about what mind viruses are infected in our subconscious that diverts our behaviour from being ultimately prosperous. With out religion there are many mind viruses out there that we are exposed to in the media. Once again, try and make ourselves aware of what has been planted in our sub conscious that prevents us from being ultimately prosperous.

    1. myladay Jp, res. Povzete so sicer iz zapisa v linku, ampak sem na isti strani. Temeljito pranje glav brez primere v zgodovini.

  3. edvardkadic Sem prašala zadnjič mamo, pa dobr, pa kdo so ti komunisti? Je povedala, da tisti, ki sovražijo cerkev.

      1. lenci53 Ne, ne, ne. Nič ni tako preprosto, kot se zdi na prvi pogled. Gre za obsežno kampanjo SDS in NSI, ki je zgradila ta miselni okvir.

  4. edvardkadic Sem prašala zadnjič mamo, pa dobr, pa kdo so ti komunisti? Je povedala, da tisti, ki sovražijo cerkev.

  5. myladay Jp, res. Povzete so sicer iz zapisa v linku, ampak sem na isti strani. Temeljito pranje glav brez primere v zgodovini.

  6. lenci53 Ne, ne, ne. Nič ni tako preprosto, kot se zdi na prvi pogled. Gre za obsežno kampanjo SDS in NSI, ki je zgradila ta miselni okvir.

  7. Wow Randy.. so great!! I agree on all fronts though I wouldn't call my self a fundamentalist agnostic.. I tried ordering a dish of that at the local restaurant and they were all out! LOL. (Loved the comment about Jonah getting a time share in Key West too) In the end, believing in ourselves and what's possible in life is what matters most. I rejected the doctrines of Judaism and all the guilt, 'rules' etc. that go along with it. To me any belief that says there are RULES in life is NOT a belief I will follow. On the other hand, I'm more inclined to side with James Allen. What we think, believe and feel is what manifests in our outer world. End of story.
    Great post and one that shows the depth of your knowledge too.. Love it!

  8. Wow Randy.. so great!! I agree on all fronts though I wouldn't call my self a fundamentalist agnostic.. I tried ordering a dish of that at the local restaurant and they were all out! LOL. (Loved the comment about Jonah getting a time share in Key West too) In the end, believing in ourselves and what's possible in life is what matters most. I rejected the doctrines of Judaism and all the guilt, 'rules' etc. that go along with it. To me any belief that says there are RULES in life is NOT a belief I will follow. On the other hand, I'm more inclined to side with James Allen. What we think, believe and feel is what manifests in our outer world. End of story.
    Great post and one that shows the depth of your knowledge too.. Love it!

  9. I no longer take the Bible literally, but I don't think that when we die we are no different than a dog.
    I do agree that every religion does more than their share of brainwashing.  When you are taught something from a very young age, and your parents believe it, It is hard to just cast those ideas aside.

  10. I no longer take the Bible literally, but I don't think that when we die we are no different than a dog.
    I do agree that every religion does more than their share of brainwashing.  When you are taught something from a very young age, and your parents believe it, It is hard to just cast those ideas aside.

  11. Randy I do not agree with you on this issue! I think you can allow anything to "brainwash you" if you buy into the things tought by PEOPLE under cover of a belief or filosofi, misused and/or misunderstood of that PERSON!!!!!! You cannot shout out names of philosofies or religions that you say is "brainwashing" - you can give examples of those PERSONS that "brainwashed or tried to brainwash or you observed brainwash, that's all. Otherwise you are not any better than the person misusing their understanding and power to brainwash others!
    Every time we buy into someone elses beliefes or philosophy, we allow a small portion of brainwash! That does not mean you lay down your own head, and put it under your arm - and stop observing and thinking yourself. I think it's very wrong to shout ou some specific organisations, religions or philosophies as brainwash! What about our "normal" sociaty, governments, schoolsystems and so forth - ain't that as much brainwash as any other thing you go into blindly? I think it is - THAT you can warn people of and give them tools on how to think - not what to think. I think this is being judgemental.
    I very rarely disagree with you, because your beliefs and mine are very close to eachother - but this one I do.
    You are still my absolute favorite - LOTS of hugs to you from Denmark

  12. Randy I do not agree with you on this issue! I think you can allow anything to "brainwash you" if you buy into the things tought by PEOPLE under cover of a belief or filosofi, misused and/or misunderstood of that PERSON!!!!!! You cannot shout out names of philosofies or religions that you say is "brainwashing" - you can give examples of those PERSONS that "brainwashed or tried to brainwash or you observed brainwash, that's all. Otherwise you are not any better than the person misusing their understanding and power to brainwash others!
    Every time we buy into someone elses beliefes or philosophy, we allow a small portion of brainwash! That does not mean you lay down your own head, and put it under your arm - and stop observing and thinking yourself. I think it's very wrong to shout ou some specific organisations, religions or philosophies as brainwash! What about our "normal" sociaty, governments, schoolsystems and so forth - ain't that as much brainwash as any other thing you go into blindly? I think it is - THAT you can warn people of and give them tools on how to think - not what to think. I think this is being judgemental.
    I very rarely disagree with you, because your beliefs and mine are very close to eachother - but this one I do.
    You are still my absolute favorite - LOTS of hugs to you from Denmark

  13. ..simple answer,,how can you help the most people? by being rich or by being poor?,,"mom said that a man only needs so much to live on, the rest is just for showing off. So I gave some to the nice people at the church, to the hospital, and they named a building after me.." ..Forrest Gumps mom gets it..Real answer, What do you think is the best way to help someone?,,religion can't answer that for you..thanks Randy..

  14. ..simple answer,,how can you help the most people? by being rich or by being poor?,,"mom said that a man only needs so much to live on, the rest is just for showing off. So I gave some to the nice people at the church, to the hospital, and they named a building after me.." ..Forrest Gumps mom gets it..Real answer, What do you think is the best way to help someone?,,religion can't answer that for you..thanks Randy..

  15. edvardkadic ... sporoča nekdo, ki sam o sebi ponosno pove, da je 'famous guy with orange tie'.

  16. I agree Randy!  So many people have been programmed into certain beliefs and that normally started in their childhood.  Though, others fall into it during their adulthood as well.  One of my close friends, Tom Silver, was able to demonstrate how people can be easily brainwashed on an episode of Discovery's Channels "Curiosity" show.  In fact, the episode was called "Brainwashed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpMK5oYioM
     
    One of the things that has been taught in hypnosis circles is that we can't do anything against our will.  Tom was able to show that by accessing the subconscious mind, he was able to install triggers and when fired off, the subject would carry our an assassination (think Manchurian Candidate).  What wasn't shown on the show was that two other people also carried out the assassination as well, including a "little old lady."  I was able to talk to the stuntman that was targeted and that was what scared him the most.
     
    It's no wonder that so many people have easily fallen into cults.  They simply gave up critical thinking and let others think for them.  William Sargant wrote about this in his books, 'Battle for the Mind' and 'The Mind Possessed' many years ago. He led the team that would try to create a real-life Manchurian Candidate before the movie ever came out.  This was back in the late 40's into the 50's.  He was part of the OSS as well.
     
    As with cults, religion and other mind-control aspects of society, we have to start thinking and be critical.  We can block those memes from entering if we do.

  17. I agree Randy!  So many people have been programmed into certain beliefs and that normally started in their childhood.  Though, others fall into it during their adulthood as well.  One of my close friends, Tom Silver, was able to demonstrate how people can be easily brainwashed on an episode of Discovery's Channels "Curiosity" show.  In fact, the episode was called "Brainwashed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpMK5oYioM
     
    One of the things that has been taught in hypnosis circles is that we can't do anything against our will.  Tom was able to show that by accessing the subconscious mind, he was able to install triggers and when fired off, the subject would carry our an assassination (think Manchurian Candidate).  What wasn't shown on the show was that two other people also carried out the assassination as well, including a "little old lady."  I was able to talk to the stuntman that was targeted and that was what scared him the most.
     
    It's no wonder that so many people have easily fallen into cults.  They simply gave up critical thinking and let others think for them.  William Sargant wrote about this in his books, 'Battle for the Mind' and 'The Mind Possessed' many years ago. He led the team that would try to create a real-life Manchurian Candidate before the movie ever came out.  This was back in the late 40's into the 50's.  He was part of the OSS as well.
     
    As with cults, religion and other mind-control aspects of society, we have to start thinking and be critical.  We can block those memes from entering if we do.

  18. As always, Randy, you get us to think. I haven't engaged in any formal religious practice for a long time ... preferring instead to grow and develop through other personal growth experiences. And, I surround myself with people who think as openly as you or I. 
    I very much believe in your words here. The hypocrisy of what is said in the pulpit and what is happening in real time blows me away.
    Thanks for your honesty and your eloquent way of saying it.

  19. As always, Randy, you get us to think. I haven't engaged in any formal religious practice for a long time ... preferring instead to grow and develop through other personal growth experiences. And, I surround myself with people who think as openly as you or I. 
    I very much believe in your words here. The hypocrisy of what is said in the pulpit and what is happening in real time blows me away.
    Thanks for your honesty and your eloquent way of saying it.

  20. sounds like your trying to brain wash us.  Everything I have seen in self development I can reference it back to some passage in the Bible. From what I have read God is about love, joy, peace, happiness, mercy, and forgiveness, and wealth.  As far as homosexuality goes its not normal and goes against laws of the universe and nature and we all know what happens when we try to go against those.  One day the universe is going to kick back and its not going to be pretty.  Anyone with common sense can see that its not normal and start addressing it or we will one day suffer maybe not us but or grandchildren.

    1. How are you defining "normal?" And my guess is you don't believe the science that shows people are genetically predisposed to being homosexual. What if your grandchild is homosexual? Who ordained anyone to define "normal"?

  21. sounds like your trying to brain wash us.  Everything I have seen in self development I can reference it back to some passage in the Bible. From what I have read God is about love, joy, peace, happiness, mercy, and forgiveness, and wealth.  As far as homosexuality goes its not normal and goes against laws of the universe and nature and we all know what happens when we try to go against those.  One day the universe is going to kick back and its not going to be pretty.  Anyone with common sense can see that its not normal and start addressing it or we will one day suffer maybe not us but or grandchildren.

  22. I agree with this post, and I am Catholic and delusional in your opinion.  Randy, you still have a lot to learn my friend. 
     
    This blog site and your followers are a cult.  IT is not a positive cult, as you wish it to be.  You abuse people who don't agree with you.  And,  like the Pope and many others in the Catholic organization you don't practice what you preach.
     
    Here, take it from me someone who is MOSTLY POSITIVE: The world is changing.  Many Catholics would agree with this post.  It won't happen overnight.  Your writings on this will help, but not as much as you would like RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know.  Believe that the world is moving on the right spiritual path and maybe it will.
     
    You say you like debate, but you don't.  YOu say you like "I" statements, but I used one on the "Sabolator" post, instead of attacking you, and you allowed others in your "CULT" to abuse me, without intervention.  WHY?  Because, I am a heathen in your CULT.  Because, I have a belief that serves me, and it isn't going to go away even with your RANTINGS. 
     
    WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, and this means that whatever happens to the little people effects all of us.  IT is in our best interest, yours, mine, everyone;s to have an attitude that we should help others, without knowing why they are the way they are, without believing we know they could be better if only they tried harder, but with the faith that maybe with our HELP they will change.
     
     
    ONE of the followers of the "MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH" said to me the other day that I needed medical help. (YOU RANDY APPROVED)  ANOTHER FOLLOWER of the Cult of the MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH, said I was negative (THE ALL GREAT AND MIGHTY APPROVED).  Sound familiar?  Why was I ostracized so?  Because I disagree with the almighty RAndy and his band of loving positive followers, who are so full of positivity they have to abuse others to prove it. 
     
    YEAH, I said I was mad on that post.  OOOOOO so Scary.  I didn't even disagree with it, I didn't even disagree with your post.  I just think the way you say things is not always positive, and it can lead people to more negative thinking.  My goal here has mostly been to get you to be more empathic.  That's it.  Because, I like most of your messages, but your delivery could use some improvement. 
     
    But, you won't see what I am saying.  YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank.  YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others if their feelings don't align with yours and theirs. 
     
    YOU want me to be like, "Oh RANDY, you are so right.  I have been such an idiot. I have beliefs that don't serve me."  DUH.  I believe in my strengths though too. 
     
    I Read "ATLAS SHRUGGED", I listen to your messages.  I questioned my beliefs.  I still came up with same answer though.  Not, because my MEMES are so strong.  Because, I just don't agree.  Even after hearing the message. Have your read the book about Social Justice, I suggested? 
     
    Randy your are a smart man, with a great mind.  But, you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET".

    1. @Annieb Annie, the reason people keep telling you that you need help is your inability to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.  This comment is a prime example.  Ten or 11 paragraphs, not a single sentence on the issues and ideas in the post, just attacks against me and other people in the community.  If you ever decide to intelligently and rationally discuss the ideas, you'll find people happy to converse with you in a meaningful way. 
      -RG

      1. @Randy_Gage Randy, your post is about Brainwashing and cults.  So, is  my response.  YOU, and your followers attacked me.  I did not attack you first this time.  MY post in the "Sabolator" was not an attack.  It was an admission of how the post made me feel.  And, why I felt that way, I didn't say you were unkind or harsh I said the post was.  I was assuming maybe you didn't realize how it sounded to someone trying to digest it, and get something out of it.
         
        You should not let people say those things to other posters,  I have never told anyone they need medical help.  That is very hurtful.  It was to me.  I wouldn't say it to anyone.  I would think you should apologize to me after your comments on yesterdays post.
         
        MY IDEAS were totally in line with your post.  They were just on your RELIGION instead of mine.  IF you don't want to be attacked then don't attack me in your POST, and then say but I am above answering their attacks.  When YOU DID!!!!!  And, I erased the first comment I put on the "Sabolator" post because I thought it did sound like an attack.  The other ones that caused so much uproar were about my feelings!  I didn't expect you to respond, I just wanted you to know how it landed on me.  Because, I do listen to you and your advice.
         
        You are behaving like a very small person, not at all like the professional you should be.
         
        I don't think you were so intelligent or rational yesterday calling me a crazy idiot.  And not matter how you slice it that is what you did.
         
        After I was attacked by the other bloggers on the "Sabolator" post I wasn't going to write here anymore.  I was just going to read.  BUT, then  a post came along about "Self-Sabotagers" and I was being insulted yet again, but this time by the Author!
         
        Now, I will recieve all kinds of rude responses from your Posters.  Because of this.  And it is YOUR FAULT.  Because you do not abide by your own rules of civility.
         
         I will refrain from insulting them. But, just watch how your positive followers abuse me.  And I know you will do nothing to stop it.  Because you tend to abuse and belittle anyone who challenges you.  Just as you said cults do above.  YOU will soon see here a perfect example of a "CULT" being manipulitive and abusive just as you proposed.

        1. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage if the messages in this blog are so offensive in your opinion and everybody "attacks" you, why are you still here? why haven't you left such a "horrible" place?
           
          To be honest, i don't think you need medical help, i just think you have Heavy victim hood issues.

        2. @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage Yeah, you're right.    I stay because I love Randy, and I keep thinking his messages help.  But, mostly I just get hurt.  I was actually trying to leave, by just reading and not posting, but that didn't really work.

        3. @Annieb  @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage
           I really think you need  a good psychologist. That will work for you. I say this not to attack you, but i just want the best for you.

        4. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage Have you consider to study Emotional Freedom Techniques before? it might come in handy!
          As well, you could explore more about victimhood, when you open yourself to self development, you also have to be open to use all kind of tools and consider all possibilities available to go on your journey

        5. @Annieb Annie, you have no connection with reality here.  For that reason I will attempt to point out where you have lost touch with rational thought and will not respond any longer. 
           
          I wrote a post which is ten pages long in a word document about the negative effects of mind control cults and organized religion.  Did you want to debate the accuracy of the virgin birth, whether the Vatican bank was really money laundering, how the Muslims treat women, Christians and Jews, how children get programmed with beliefs when they are young, what kind of mind control techniques are being practiced?  No, you didn't want to discuss a single idea or issue from the post.  Your whole comment was accusations or insults about me or other readers. 
           
          Go back and read what you wrote.  There's no Communist conspiracy here.  No one edited your remarks.  Come back to reality and look at what you comments: 
          "Randy, you still have a lot to learn.."  "This blog site and your followers are a cult."  "you don't practice what you preach."  "RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know."   "You say you like debate, but you don't"  "YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank."  "YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others..."  "YOU want me to be like..."  "you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET"."
           
          There is not a single sentence in your comment about the ideas or issues the rest of us were discussing.  This is not a rational person discussing ideas.  It appears to be a petulant child, but probably is someone with some serious emotional issues personalizing and attacking because of their fears.  As I told you above, you simply don't have the emotional maturity  to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.
           
          Now you go even further in your response, fabricating false accusations such as I called you a "crazy idiot."  I can certainly understand how you may feel that shoe fits you, but that is your own assumption; it certainly wasn't a statement I made. 
           
          This blog community is not really right for you at this point in time.  You will save yourself a lot of anxiety if you read something else each day.  I wish you all the best.
           
          -RG

        6. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage 
          Annie, with all due respect to another RG follower/believer, I am not here to insult you, but I'v read all your posts & what i figured out is that you have low self-esteem & thats why you reply so aggressively. Once I used to be very much like you are now. i used to reply & defend myself with whatever words I cud sum up, so that 'the others' dont insult me. But slowly I learned to control it & now my blogs are even more famous then ever n so am I,
           
          As I learned to let the dogs bark, coz they love barking, but that dsnt mean we bcum them.
           
          Plz dont be defensive, it weakens one, instead take your opposers as a challenge to bcum better then them.
           
          Love,
          Another fellow human 🙂

  23. I agree with this post, and I am Catholic and delusional in your opinion.  Randy, you still have a lot to learn my friend. 
     
    This blog site and your followers are a cult.  IT is not a positive cult, as you wish it to be.  You abuse people who don't agree with you.  And,  like the Pope and many others in the Catholic organization you don't practice what you preach.
     
    Here, take it from me someone who is MOSTLY POSITIVE: The world is changing.  Many Catholics would agree with this post.  It won't happen overnight.  Your writings on this will help, but not as much as you would like RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know.  Believe that the world is moving on the right spiritual path and maybe it will.
     
    You say you like debate, but you don't.  YOu say you like "I" statements, but I used one on the "Sabolator" post, instead of attacking you, and you allowed others in your "CULT" to abuse me, without intervention.  WHY?  Because, I am a heathen in your CULT.  Because, I have a belief that serves me, and it isn't going to go away even with your RANTINGS. 
     
    WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, and this means that whatever happens to the little people effects all of us.  IT is in our best interest, yours, mine, everyone;s to have an attitude that we should help others, without knowing why they are the way they are, without believing we know they could be better if only they tried harder, but with the faith that maybe with our HELP they will change.
     
     
    ONE of the followers of the "MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH" said to me the other day that I needed medical help. (YOU RANDY APPROVED)  ANOTHER FOLLOWER of the Cult of the MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH, said I was negative (THE ALL GREAT AND MIGHTY APPROVED).  Sound familiar?  Why was I ostracized so?  Because I disagree with the almighty RAndy and his band of loving positive followers, who are so full of positivity they have to abuse others to prove it. 
     
    YEAH, I said I was mad on that post.  OOOOOO so Scary.  I didn't even disagree with it, I didn't even disagree with your post.  I just think the way you say things is not always positive, and it can lead people to more negative thinking.  My goal here has mostly been to get you to be more empathic.  That's it.  Because, I like most of your messages, but your delivery could use some improvement. 
     
    But, you won't see what I am saying.  YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank.  YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others if their feelings don't align with yours and theirs. 
     
    YOU want me to be like, "Oh RANDY, you are so right.  I have been such an idiot. I have beliefs that don't serve me."  DUH.  I believe in my strengths though too. 
     
    I Read "ATLAS SHRUGGED", I listen to your messages.  I questioned my beliefs.  I still came up with same answer though.  Not, because my MEMES are so strong.  Because, I just don't agree.  Even after hearing the message. Have your read the book about Social Justice, I suggested? 
     
    Randy your are a smart man, with a great mind.  But, you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET".

  24. It is my believe that the Lord our God and his Son Jesus, wishes us to be healthy, wealthy and happy.   It is the love of money that is evil not its possession.    At our Pentecostal church last Sunday that was the clear message.

  25. It is my believe that the Lord our God and his Son Jesus, wishes us to be healthy, wealthy and happy.   It is the love of money that is evil not its possession.    At our Pentecostal church last Sunday that was the clear message.

  26. How are you defining "normal?" And my guess is you don't believe the science that shows people are genetically predisposed to being homosexual. What if your grandchild is homosexual? Who ordained anyone to define "normal"?

  27. @Annieb Annie, the reason people keep telling you that you need help is your inability to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.  This comment is a prime example.  Ten or 11 paragraphs, not a single sentence on the issues and ideas in the post, just attacks against me and other people in the community.  If you ever decide to intelligently and rationally discuss the ideas, you'll find people happy to converse with you in a meaningful way. 
    -RG

  28. Excuse me Randy for my english but I am Colombian and don't speak so much english. Sorry my dear Randy, I had read your book about MLM and It is a very good material to us, the networkers. BUT... I don't share totally your opinion about Religions... BUT I want share you a little thing about GOD... GOD IS LOVE ... and to me the "RELIGIONS" are an invent of the human race ... and the only one thing that you must to do is to have a intimate relationship with that God of love, the rest is bulls....., if you don't have that relationship you are a religious, BUT if you have it, you have found GOD ... I invite you to try that type of relationship, and later you'll tell me what happend ... Ahhh ... I'm Christian but I'm not a religious ... I love that God of love ...

  29. Excuse me Randy for my english but I am Colombian and don't speak so much english. Sorry my dear Randy, I had read your book about MLM and It is a very good material to us, the networkers. BUT... I don't share totally your opinion about Religions... BUT I want share you a little thing about GOD... GOD IS LOVE ... and to me the "RELIGIONS" are an invent of the human race ... and the only one thing that you must to do is to have a intimate relationship with that God of love, the rest is bulls....., if you don't have that relationship you are a religious, BUT if you have it, you have found GOD ... I invite you to try that type of relationship, and later you'll tell me what happend ... Ahhh ... I'm Christian but I'm not a religious ... I love that God of love ...

  30. @Randy_Gage Randy, your post is about Brainwashing and cults.  So, is  my response.  YOU, and your followers attacked me.  I did not attack you first this time.  MY post in the "Sabolator" was not an attack.  It was an admission of how the post made me feel.  And, why I felt that way, I didn't say you were unkind or harsh I said the post was.  I was assuming maybe you didn't realize how it sounded to someone trying to digest it, and get something out of it.
     
    You should not let people say those things to other posters,  I have never told anyone they need medical help.  That is very hurtful.  It was to me.  I wouldn't say it to anyone.  I would think you should apologize to me after your comments on yesterdays post.
     
    MY IDEAS were totally in line with your post.  They were just on your RELIGION instead of mine.  IF you don't want to be attacked then don't attack me in your POST, and then say but I am above answering their attacks.  When YOU DID!!!!!  And, I erased the first comment I put on the "Sabolator" post because I thought it did sound like an attack.  The other ones that caused so much uproar were about my feelings!  I didn't expect you to respond, I just wanted you to know how it landed on me.  Because, I do listen to you and your advice.
     
    You are behaving like a very small person, not at all like the professional you should be.
     
    I don't think you were so intelligent or rational yesterday calling me a crazy idiot.  And not matter how you slice it that is what you did.
     
    After I was attacked by the other bloggers on the "Sabolator" post I wasn't going to write here anymore.  I was just going to read.  BUT, then  a post came along about "Self-Sabotagers" and I was being insulted yet again, but this time by the Author!
     
    Now, I will recieve all kinds of rude responses from your Posters.  Because of this.  And it is YOUR FAULT.  Because you do not abide by your own rules of civility.
     
     I will refrain from insulting them. But, just watch how your positive followers abuse me.  And I know you will do nothing to stop it.  Because you tend to abuse and belittle anyone who challenges you.  Just as you said cults do above.  YOU will soon see here a perfect example of a "CULT" being manipulitive and abusive just as you proposed.

  31. i'm an atheïst (like most europeans), so i'm actually glad i'm not religious after reading this blogpost ! what a drama to be religious ...
     
     Randy i see you not agree with most religions, maybe you must start your own religion 😉

  32. i'm an atheïst (like most europeans), so i'm actually glad i'm not religious after reading this blogpost ! what a drama to be religious ...
     
     Randy i see you not agree with most religions, maybe you must start your own religion 😉

  33. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage if the messages in this blog are so offensive in your opinion and everybody "attacks" you, why are you still here? why haven't you left such a "horrible" place?
     
    To be honest, i don't think you need medical help, i just think you have Heavy victim hood issues.

  34. Perception developed from one's beliefs seems to in hand here.  I remember going back to see my relatives in the Ozarks and they had thought I was some sort of evil witch because I had studied hypnosis.  In fact, many looked away from my eyes thinking I was going to control their minds.  That false belief still permeates many of them.  And yes, I did go to those "Tent revivals" as a kid.  And I also realize that the preachers use many of the same tools that a stage hypnotist uses.
     
    So-called demon possession doesn't exist, except in one's beliefs.  I've actually recreated on stage some of the same occurrences that is used in those circumstances.  It's about thinking, not just believing. If you simply learn from just one source, then you're not really growing.  It's the same attitude in institutions of higher learning.  They get set in their own way of thinking.  I've seen this phenomenon whenever I'd go to APA conferences and talk with fellow PhD's.  Folks, it doesn't just occur in religion, it's all over. It's in businesses too!  Critical thinking about your personal beliefs is the solution.

  35. Perception developed from one's beliefs seems to in hand here.  I remember going back to see my relatives in the Ozarks and they had thought I was some sort of evil witch because I had studied hypnosis.  In fact, many looked away from my eyes thinking I was going to control their minds.  That false belief still permeates many of them.  And yes, I did go to those "Tent revivals" as a kid.  And I also realize that the preachers use many of the same tools that a stage hypnotist uses.
     
    So-called demon possession doesn't exist, except in one's beliefs.  I've actually recreated on stage some of the same occurrences that is used in those circumstances.  It's about thinking, not just believing. If you simply learn from just one source, then you're not really growing.  It's the same attitude in institutions of higher learning.  They get set in their own way of thinking.  I've seen this phenomenon whenever I'd go to APA conferences and talk with fellow PhD's.  Folks, it doesn't just occur in religion, it's all over. It's in businesses too!  Critical thinking about your personal beliefs is the solution.

  36. if you were speaking this in a live audience, i would totally be standing up and clapping at this, i have met a lot of people who uses god as an excuse to not to be healthy and prosperous, they claim is god's will for them to not to be rich or healthy and they will respect that, and that's one of many dangerous teachings that comes from catholicism, i know this because i used to be one before i jumped to atheism, and now, i have gotten rid of all their negative mind viruses thanks to extensive reading and searching
     
    thanks for this message Randy!

  37. if you were speaking this in a live audience, i would totally be standing up and clapping at this, i have met a lot of people who uses god as an excuse to not to be healthy and prosperous, they claim is god's will for them to not to be rich or healthy and they will respect that, and that's one of many dangerous teachings that comes from catholicism, i know this because i used to be one before i jumped to atheism, and now, i have gotten rid of all their negative mind viruses thanks to extensive reading and searching
     
    thanks for this message Randy!

  38. @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage Yeah, you're right.    I stay because I love Randy, and I keep thinking his messages help.  But, mostly I just get hurt.  I was actually trying to leave, by just reading and not posting, but that didn't really work.

  39. @Annieb  @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage
     I really think you need  a good psychologist. That will work for you. I say this not to attack you, but i just want the best for you.

  40. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage Have you consider to study Emotional Freedom Techniques before? it might come in handy!
    As well, you could explore more about victimhood, when you open yourself to self development, you also have to be open to use all kind of tools and consider all possibilities available to go on your journey

  41. Is there white smoke coming from Randy's chimney indicating a forthcoming announcement of his take on the new Pope?

  42. Is there white smoke coming from Randy's chimney indicating a forthcoming announcement of his take on the new Pope?

  43. There is nothing wrong with faith, faith in God in ourselves, so far I know Jesus tought about love, love for your fellow men, for your brother, tought about being merceyful, tought about being fair, tought about not being afraid to do what it is wright to do even if your life is committed into giving it for a friend,  or for anybody that can't stand for defending it  by own means! if you are free of guilt throw the first stone! he also said to be responsible in governmental affairs, give Caesar what beolngs to Caesar and God what belongs to God! There is nothing wrong about being rich, it is greed what's wrong, greedy attitude starting with ourselves is the one fact that makes us poor in the very first place, the single idea about turning rich questions the fact if we are going to be brave enough to ACCEPTI IT FIRST and then share it with those that have not the same fortunate condition!! there is nothing wrong with sex, it is promiscuos conduct that's wrong, that conduct is responsible for many diseases, you wouldn't have to use a condom if you wouldn't act like a hungry sex monkey , and try to have sex with everything that moves... (or not)!!! RESPONABILITY FOR RESPECTING NATURE AND THE LAWS OF NATURE, not viceversa, what is wrong with that!!! So it is very easy to blame it all on the ROMAN Church, in fact it is a Church made out of human beings,  as any other that exists, the Church indeed makes mistakes, it is a falible human church trying to follow higher aspirations and is trying to redeme its faults and misconducts also!
     
    That supreme universal force that you like to talk about, has only a name and you know it!

  44. There is nothing wrong with faith, faith in God in ourselves, so far I know Jesus tought about love, love for your fellow men, for your brother, tought about being merceyful, tought about being fair, tought about not being afraid to do what it is wright to do even if your life is committed into giving it for a friend,  or for anybody that can't stand for defending it  by own means! if you are free of guilt throw the first stone! he also said to be responsible in governmental affairs, give Caesar what beolngs to Caesar and God what belongs to God! There is nothing wrong about being rich, it is greed what's wrong, greedy attitude starting with ourselves is the one fact that makes us poor in the very first place, the single idea about turning rich questions the fact if we are going to be brave enough to ACCEPTI IT FIRST and then share it with those that have not the same fortunate condition!! there is nothing wrong with sex, it is promiscuos conduct that's wrong, that conduct is responsible for many diseases, you wouldn't have to use a condom if you wouldn't act like a hungry sex monkey , and try to have sex with everything that moves... (or not)!!! RESPONABILITY FOR RESPECTING NATURE AND THE LAWS OF NATURE, not viceversa, what is wrong with that!!! So it is very easy to blame it all on the ROMAN Church, in fact it is a Church made out of human beings,  as any other that exists, the Church indeed makes mistakes, it is a falible human church trying to follow higher aspirations and is trying to redeme its faults and misconducts also!
     
    That supreme universal force that you like to talk about, has only a name and you know it!

  45. As in most everything it is the desire of humans to manipulate other humans and get the masses to accept their impoverished lot without rebellion - with the promise (hope) of eternal salvation.  The basic morals taught in every religion set standards to which we should all aspire.  Unfortunately, in their constant striving for power, their greed consigns those most deserving to eternal poverty.  A billion pennies into the offatory each week adds up to a lot of money - extracted mainly from the poverty of the believers.

  46. As in most everything it is the desire of humans to manipulate other humans and get the masses to accept their impoverished lot without rebellion - with the promise (hope) of eternal salvation.  The basic morals taught in every religion set standards to which we should all aspire.  Unfortunately, in their constant striving for power, their greed consigns those most deserving to eternal poverty.  A billion pennies into the offatory each week adds up to a lot of money - extracted mainly from the poverty of the believers.

  47. by the way, in every religion cult or whatever  existing organization out there in the world includes stupid jackasses among them who try to teach important things  in the very own way their tiny comprehention allows them to understand it, so in sum, we can say that  a dove dosen't make spring, such as a single stupid guy makes a church or any organization!

  48. by the way, in every religion cult or whatever  existing organization out there in the world includes stupid jackasses among them who try to teach important things  in the very own way their tiny comprehention allows them to understand it, so in sum, we can say that  a dove dosen't make spring, such as a single stupid guy makes a church or any organization!

  49. "Of course a rational person in control of their mental faculties couldn’t believe any of these things.  But of course that leaves us almost four or five billion others who are irrational...."
     
    I don't think those people are really irrational, Randy. They're just lazy. Or scared. Or defeated. They're desperate to find meaning in life, and they either don't want to go through all the work of figuring it out for themselves, or they don't trust their own ability to think it through. So they turn to whoever has the best claim (in their eyes) to have "the answer", and they blindly follow those teachings and hope for the best. Granted, it's a sad way to go through life; but labeling them as "irrational" is selling them short. Their problem is often rooted in a lack of self-esteem, not a lack of rationality.

  50. "Of course a rational person in control of their mental faculties couldn’t believe any of these things.  But of course that leaves us almost four or five billion others who are irrational...."
     
    I don't think those people are really irrational, Randy. They're just lazy. Or scared. Or defeated. They're desperate to find meaning in life, and they either don't want to go through all the work of figuring it out for themselves, or they don't trust their own ability to think it through. So they turn to whoever has the best claim (in their eyes) to have "the answer", and they blindly follow those teachings and hope for the best. Granted, it's a sad way to go through life; but labeling them as "irrational" is selling them short. Their problem is often rooted in a lack of self-esteem, not a lack of rationality.

      1. @Tim_Berry Hey, I've been told I'm going to hell too... I guess since I don't have a concept of that... No experience, unless you count combat... And yes, I've read Dante's Inferno (the current concept of Hell)... And sulfur?  Hmmmm, it must be all the garlic I've eaten lately... LOL!!!

  51. religions has been created as first to enhance people's lives, and to manage their day by day activities. However; humans messed things up, same as everything. since we are not perfect, and have different perspectives.. some people used religions to improve their lives, and others used religions to control other people.
     
    religions are not the conflict, the conflict lies within people. you might read a book and see it as a useless thing, and your friend might find a real value in it. its a same concept, related to each one of us.. call it culture, call it environment, call it behavior and attitude. 
     
    your blog might be little harsh for some people. and that's the essence of PROSPERITY. we can't live in a world where everyone agree with us on our ideas and thoughts. being competed by other philosophies is the main reason to grow. 
     
    PEACE TO ALL ... LIVE RICH (Y)

  52. religions has been created as first to enhance people's lives, and to manage their day by day activities. However; humans messed things up, same as everything. since we are not perfect, and have different perspectives.. some people used religions to improve their lives, and others used religions to control other people.
     
    religions are not the conflict, the conflict lies within people. you might read a book and see it as a useless thing, and your friend might find a real value in it. its a same concept, related to each one of us.. call it culture, call it environment, call it behavior and attitude. 
     
    your blog might be little harsh for some people. and that's the essence of PROSPERITY. we can't live in a world where everyone agree with us on our ideas and thoughts. being competed by other philosophies is the main reason to grow. 
     
    PEACE TO ALL ... LIVE RICH (Y)

  53. Loved this part and thanks for adding this: "Even now, another generation of kids in church Sunday Schools and private Christian schools are getting infected with self-loathing, guilt, and worthiness issues, as the church marches on. More Gay teens will take their lives, believing they have been forsaken by their God. " ~Randy Gage

  54. Loved this part and thanks for adding this: "Even now, another generation of kids in church Sunday Schools and private Christian schools are getting infected with self-loathing, guilt, and worthiness issues, as the church marches on. More Gay teens will take their lives, believing they have been forsaken by their God. " ~Randy Gage

  55. @Annieb Annie, you have no connection with reality here.  For that reason I will attempt to point out where you have lost touch with rational thought and will not respond any longer. 
     
    I wrote a post which is ten pages long in a word document about the negative effects of mind control cults and organized religion.  Did you want to debate the accuracy of the virgin birth, whether the Vatican bank was really money laundering, how the Muslims treat women, Christians and Jews, how children get programmed with beliefs when they are young, what kind of mind control techniques are being practiced?  No, you didn't want to discuss a single idea or issue from the post.  Your whole comment was accusations or insults about me or other readers. 
     
    Go back and read what you wrote.  There's no Communist conspiracy here.  No one edited your remarks.  Come back to reality and look at what you comments: 
    "Randy, you still have a lot to learn.."  "This blog site and your followers are a cult."  "you don't practice what you preach."  "RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know."   "You say you like debate, but you don't"  "YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank."  "YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others..."  "YOU want me to be like..."  "you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET"."
     
    There is not a single sentence in your comment about the ideas or issues the rest of us were discussing.  This is not a rational person discussing ideas.  It appears to be a petulant child, but probably is someone with some serious emotional issues personalizing and attacking because of their fears.  As I told you above, you simply don't have the emotional maturity  to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.
     
    Now you go even further in your response, fabricating false accusations such as I called you a "crazy idiot."  I can certainly understand how you may feel that shoe fits you, but that is your own assumption; it certainly wasn't a statement I made. 
     
    This blog community is not really right for you at this point in time.  You will save yourself a lot of anxiety if you read something else each day.  I wish you all the best.
     
    -RG

  56. @Tim_Berry Hey, I've been told I'm going to hell too... I guess since I don't have a concept of that... No experience, unless you count combat... And yes, I've read Dante's Inferno (the current concept of Hell)... And sulfur?  Hmmmm, it must be all the garlic I've eaten lately... LOL!!!

  57. I always appreciate your depth of research on the topics you write about. Thank you for that.  My question is, where does faith come into the equation of religion? And, what is the balance in critical thinking and faith.

    1. @Lisa Jimenez  Hi Lisa, good questions.  Faith falls along the same lines as belief.  Religion needs its followers to believe, without question, that what it says is the truth.  Some religions go insane in this regard.  And even misinterprets the original meaning from its doctrines.  As each generation that passes as well as societies, different interpretations come forth.  Remember, when the New Testament was created, it was based on stories passed down through the years.  Think of it this way, we have stories of our founding fathers and because of different viewpoints, we also have different stories.  People simply have faith that those stories are true.  Hollywood has gone even further in telling stories.  Each writer will create his or her interpretation.  And people will believe it, even if facts don't support it.
       
      Faith in each religion helps to keep the people there.  Yet, in each sect there are different interpretations of the story.  One religious leader will tell a story to emphasize a point.  Even though it could be taken out of context of the whole story.  And it is those stories that bind.  Emotions are key to the binding... To drive faith...
       
      Faith is good if you believe in yourself, your abilities and your dreams.  If it takes the belief of God to help, then its positive.  If you're told that God wants you to be poor, then that is not good.  It is control.
       
      Critical thinking can be part of faith.  When I say that, I mean thinking critically when we get ideas that helps to support our dreams, goals... I agree with Randy in that parts of the Old Testament is excellent in helping with that.  A lot of the premise of Solomon's Proverbs in which the gaining of wisdom is important.  In my own interpretation, that means to gain knowledge from many sources and apply it into your own life, as long as it's not done for evil purposes.  Others may read a different interpretation.
       
      Critical thinking helps to bring in facts when faith creates havoc.  I would say that the belief that "the meek shall inherit the earth" is a good application of critical thinking.  Also, the fire and brimstone that is used by contemporary bible-thumpers is another application of critical thinking.

  58. I always appreciate your depth of research on the topics you write about. Thank you for that.  My question is, where does faith come into the equation of religion? And, what is the balance in critical thinking and faith.

  59. @Lisa Jimenez  Hi Lisa, good questions.  Faith falls along the same lines as belief.  Religion needs its followers to believe, without question, that what it says is the truth.  Some religions go insane in this regard.  And even misinterprets the original meaning from its doctrines.  As each generation that passes as well as societies, different interpretations come forth.  Remember, when the New Testament was created, it was based on stories passed down through the years.  Think of it this way, we have stories of our founding fathers and because of different viewpoints, we also have different stories.  People simply have faith that those stories are true.  Hollywood has gone even further in telling stories.  Each writer will create his or her interpretation.  And people will believe it, even if facts don't support it.
     
    Faith in each religion helps to keep the people there.  Yet, in each sect there are different interpretations of the story.  One religious leader will tell a story to emphasize a point.  Even though it could be taken out of context of the whole story.  And it is those stories that bind.  Emotions are key to the binding... To drive faith...
     
    Faith is good if you believe in yourself, your abilities and your dreams.  If it takes the belief of God to help, then its positive.  If you're told that God wants you to be poor, then that is not good.  It is control.
     
    Critical thinking can be part of faith.  When I say that, I mean thinking critically when we get ideas that helps to support our dreams, goals... I agree with Randy in that parts of the Old Testament is excellent in helping with that.  A lot of the premise of Solomon's Proverbs in which the gaining of wisdom is important.  In my own interpretation, that means to gain knowledge from many sources and apply it into your own life, as long as it's not done for evil purposes.  Others may read a different interpretation.
     
    Critical thinking helps to bring in facts when faith creates havoc.  I would say that the belief that "the meek shall inherit the earth" is a good application of critical thinking.  Also, the fire and brimstone that is used by contemporary bible-thumpers is another application of critical thinking.

  60. Always love how you make me think Randy.
     
    A few thoughts:
     
    I think the main issue here is limiting beliefs that come from religion and not religion itself. I've grown up semi-religious but I've noticed most of my limiting beliefs come from friends, family and my martial arts training. I was always taught to be humble and I took that so far that I couldn't even take a compliment because I thought it wasn't being humble. 
     
    I've also been an avid fitness philosopher and I've noticed the idea of brainwashing and critical thinking get's thrown around a lot when it comes to diet and exercise beliefs.  It seems like everyone with a strongly held belief about how they stay in shape claim that their ideas are outside the box and go against the norm. That they are the critical thinkers and not like the foolish brainwashed masses who believe other wise. 
     
    I used to think that for a long time, only to learn that believing I was the correct, smart and critical thinker (and everyone else was foolish to believe otherwise) was an incredibly limiting belief. 
     
    I now realized that I clung to many of my ideas not because of the logic or the science but because I believed they made me smarter and higher up than the "masses."
     
    Of course the joke was on me because everyone who disagreed with me was thinking the same thing. 
     
    My new philosophy is that we think we are right for logical reasons but believe we are right for emotional ones. I think we adopt ideas because there is an emotional need to do so. Beliefs are like seeds that grow in the fertile soil of the mind that is not only open to receive them, but that idea is filling in an emotional vacuum that exists for one reason or another. 
     
    Anyway, I'm always glad to read your posts and wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks for always having the courage to share yours.

    1. @TheFitRebel Beliefs are never logical.Sometimes we use them as a way to explain the HOW and WHY of existence. Other times, we want comfort to protect us from the chaos that is life.Other times, we want  a reason to explain why our lives are horrible, and an excuse to not even try. 
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  61. Always love how you make me think Randy.
     
    A few thoughts:
     
    I think the main issue here is limiting beliefs that come from religion and not religion itself. I've grown up semi-religious but I've noticed most of my limiting beliefs come from friends, family and my martial arts training. I was always taught to be humble and I took that so far that I couldn't even take a compliment because I thought it wasn't being humble. 
     
    I've also been an avid fitness philosopher and I've noticed the idea of brainwashing and critical thinking get's thrown around a lot when it comes to diet and exercise beliefs.  It seems like everyone with a strongly held belief about how they stay in shape claim that their ideas are outside the box and go against the norm. That they are the critical thinkers and not like the foolish brainwashed masses who believe other wise. 
     
    I used to think that for a long time, only to learn that believing I was the correct, smart and critical thinker (and everyone else was foolish to believe otherwise) was an incredibly limiting belief. 
     
    I now realized that I clung to many of my ideas not because of the logic or the science but because I believed they made me smarter and higher up than the "masses."
     
    Of course the joke was on me because everyone who disagreed with me was thinking the same thing. 
     
    My new philosophy is that we think we are right for logical reasons but believe we are right for emotional ones. I think we adopt ideas because there is an emotional need to do so. Beliefs are like seeds that grow in the fertile soil of the mind that is not only open to receive them, but that idea is filling in an emotional vacuum that exists for one reason or another. 
     
    Anyway, I'm always glad to read your posts and wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks for always having the courage to share yours.

  62. I enjoy frank discussion. Have no time for political correctness. Speak your mind, stand for something or as my old friend Bill Britt would say you'll fall for anything.

  63. I enjoy frank discussion. Have no time for political correctness. Speak your mind, stand for something or as my old friend Bill Britt would say you'll fall for anything.

  64. I agree with what you have said about dogma and self sabotage because I have seen it happen to those who I am even close to...that has never been my issue. I had other issues to battle and thankfully religious dogma was not one of those.

  65. I agree with what you have said about dogma and self sabotage because I have seen it happen to those who I am even close to...that has never been my issue. I had other issues to battle and thankfully religious dogma was not one of those.

    1. @Michael Haley
      That's merely your opinion, Michael. Give yourself some credit. By attributing people's succes to their deity, it marginalizes the individual. This is precisely what the article is saying - stop demeaning humanity in favor of elevating deities. Humans are capable of amazing things - all on their own and without help from some invisible man in the sky (to quote George Carlin).

      1. @Michael Morning  @Michael Haley Hehehe... George Carlin was a funny guy and was right about a lot of things. But he was no authority on the things of God, that is for sure. 
         
        Michael, I know and appreciate you and your knowledge in health. I won't debate these other things much with you. It's pointless. I have experienced and know the truth. If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know what I mean.
         
        For me to admit I am weak but strong in Christ, if you knew the strength of Christ in your life compared to your own strength, you would have no problem letting Him be your strength and setting your own capability aside, however great your own capability happens to be. That doesn't demean you, but it does elevate Him, that is all. Being created in His image is an awesome thing - not something to demean.
         
        I have gone through most of my life under my own strength. I kicked butt. Then I learned the truth, leaned on Christ's strength, and truly amazing things are happening - the kind that I wasn't accomplishing with merely with my own extreme confidence.

        1. @MichaelHaley1  Hi, Michael. Thank you for the kind words, and also for the extensive health/nutritional/political information you post (I see you on Twitter several times per week). But with regard to the idea that god is somehow responsible for your success...you have no proof of this other than your belief that it's true. Any success you come by is due to your own efforts, not some being outside of you. To suggest otherwise, then you must also explain why other true believers are not successful. In other words, if a divine being is looking out for you and boosting your efforts, what makes you so special? What makes those other people less special, less deserving of divine assistance? Logically, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

        2. @Michael Morning , I too have followed much of your content. Your knowledge in nutrition and fitness is among the best of the best.
           
          Regarding this discussion, He certainly causes it to rain on the just and unjust. But that is not what I am necessarily talking about.
           
          There are things that happen unexplainable such as knowledge given ahead of time and things of the Spirit that when you follow them, you are doing the work of God. The Spirit is always right 100% of the time.
           
          The problem with many Christians is that the flesh wars against the Spirit and many follow the flesh. That doesn't mean that those that follow the Spirit won't have troubles. Everyone of us, (even Randy Cage), is going to continue to age and eventually the flesh will fail. It rains on the Godly and ungodly.
           
          Everyone here will have good and bad things happen in their lives. Those that follow the Spirit will just have more... that is more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
           
          My success, well, you might consider financial success as a measurement. But when I think of success, I don't consider money as the primary metric. What about things like impact on other people's lives, joy, relationships, and the likes of?

        3. @Michael Morning  You need to say more about your walk with God, and clearly demonstrate how he has helped you wither the storms of life in ways you never could have without him.

        4. @KyekiBainare <lol> None exist to describe. I don't for one moment believe there is a divine being looking out for me or for anyone else. That is the stuff of fairy tales and weak minds.

  66. Interesting article. I agree with a lot of what you say about religion causing a aqusition of wealth to be somehow bad mentality. However, this is more often due to the selective misinterpretation of the bible. This is due primarily to societys wealth hang up which they reflect on religion. Not the other way around. There are too many examples of Great men and women of God who where blessed with incredible wealth. (i.e. Job, Soloman, Lydia,  Abraham, etc) recorded in the Bible. As far as your personal political beliefs on abortion, homosexual rights etc. which you pontificate as fact, this has nothing to do whatsoever with wealth mentality. One does not have to be a Liberal or Libaritarian in order to understand and appreciate that  weath is not a bad thing. I would challenge you to consider and read the bible yourself without the interpretation or in many cases misinterpretation of organized religion which is by the way not always evil.

  67. Interesting article. I agree with a lot of what you say about religion causing a aqusition of wealth to be somehow bad mentality. However, this is more often due to the selective misinterpretation of the bible. This is due primarily to societys wealth hang up which they reflect on religion. Not the other way around. There are too many examples of Great men and women of God who where blessed with incredible wealth. (i.e. Job, Soloman, Lydia,  Abraham, etc) recorded in the Bible. As far as your personal political beliefs on abortion, homosexual rights etc. which you pontificate as fact, this has nothing to do whatsoever with wealth mentality. One does not have to be a Liberal or Libaritarian in order to understand and appreciate that  weath is not a bad thing. I would challenge you to consider and read the bible yourself without the interpretation or in many cases misinterpretation of organized religion which is by the way not always evil.

  68. I find this intellectually vapid.  Your indictment of bad religion is not an indictment of religion.  You have set up a straw horse and knocked him down.  I suspect you simply wrote this polemic to stir the pot.  I find that demeaning both for you and the folks who are interested in your ideas.

    1. @haroldgardner These "ideas" you say I and others believe are the foundation of the freedom you now enjoy which you use to bad mouth the very fabric which gave you freedom. As far as your sudden self righteous statement of demeaning to us folks I find it quite interesting since you condesendingly demean what is foundational to western civilization "ideas". You then say are demeaning to those who who believe it? Sir, Your statement is intellectually vapid and hypocritical.

    2. @haroldgardner
      Actually an indictment of "bad religion" is pretty much an indictment of all religion. Not a single religion is free of corruption or a history of persecution, bigotry, xenophobia, etc. So when seen through the lens of history, there really isn't any such thing as "good religion".

  69. I find this intellectually vapid.  Your indictment of bad religion is not an indictment of religion.  You have set up a straw horse and knocked him down.  I suspect you simply wrote this polemic to stir the pot.  I find that demeaning both for you and the folks who are interested in your ideas.

  70. I agree that at the childdhood stage a foundation of belief is built,yet with so many religious system to choose from its easy to say the heck with believing in anything.. but I will say this,I Believe in God the father and Holy spirit, and his wrath is evident on American soil.. because we were built(God bless america) with the founders proclaiming Him as Sovereign,.George Washington first inaugural speech  gave warning of turning away from God and his statues, on what was all then apart of the Hudson district of what is now ground zero(9/11). Hurrricane smashed right into New Yor((very unlikely))MOre destruction will come, unless there is repentance...JS

    1. @MANCEE3637 You Sir have the courage to tell the unpopular truth in which you will undoubtable be critisized for. God bless, stay strong serving the God of truth.

  71. I agree that at the childdhood stage a foundation of belief is built,yet with so many religious system to choose from its easy to say the heck with believing in anything.. but I will say this,I Believe in God the father and Holy spirit, and his wrath is evident on American soil.. because we were built(God bless america) with the founders proclaiming Him as Sovereign,.George Washington first inaugural speech  gave warning of turning away from God and his statues, on what was all then apart of the Hudson district of what is now ground zero(9/11). Hurrricane smashed right into New Yor((very unlikely))MOre destruction will come, unless there is repentance...JS

  72. @MANCEE3637 You Sir have the courage to tell the unpopular truth in which you will undoubtable be critisized for. God bless, stay strong serving the God of truth.

  73. I'm not going to talk long about religion because it can upset people all to easily. The only thing that people all over the world who live a long life have in common is they are religious. Hopefully we can turn this in to living a long time all together in peace. Balance is so important in life.

  74. I'm not going to talk long about religion because it can upset people all to easily. The only thing that people all over the world who live a long life have in common is they are religious. Hopefully we can turn this in to living a long time all together in peace. Balance is so important in life.

  75. I must admit I'm shocked! This kaleidoskope of ideas is misleading because one cannot see the wood from the trees! People where raised praising their faith not because they where meant to stay poor! They just have to learn empathy and compassion! Maybe someone which is very rich will consider answering here in order to have an appropiate view!

  76. I must admit I'm shocked! This kaleidoskope of ideas is misleading because one cannot see the wood from the trees! People where raised praising their faith not because they where meant to stay poor! They just have to learn empathy and compassion! Maybe someone which is very rich will consider answering here in order to have an appropiate view!

  77. I've always wondered whether people whom I subscribe to like to know when I am removing them from my newsfeed...  I am totally anti-religion, but brother you have made some large generalizations and have "thrown the baby out with the bath water".  I can see you have a very humanistic approach and understand your core beliefs from this post.  Live long and prosper.

  78. I've always wondered whether people whom I subscribe to like to know when I am removing them from my newsfeed...  I am totally anti-religion, but brother you have made some large generalizations and have "thrown the baby out with the bath water".  I can see you have a very humanistic approach and understand your core beliefs from this post.  Live long and prosper.

  79. @TheFitRebel Beliefs are never logical.Sometimes we use them as a way to explain the HOW and WHY of existence. Other times, we want comfort to protect us from the chaos that is life.Other times, we want  a reason to explain why our lives are horrible, and an excuse to not even try. 
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  80. A good one Randy. Nothing new to me, just agreeing and liking how you put things down. Now we have a new Pope, white smoke, from Argentina… He has got a hell of a lot of work to do, do I think he is up to his job? I hope so, I doubt it.

  81. A good one Randy. Nothing new to me, just agreeing and liking how you put things down. Now we have a new Pope, white smoke, from Argentina… He has got a hell of a lot of work to do, do I think he is up to his job? I hope so, I doubt it.

  82. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage 
    Annie, with all due respect to another RG follower/believer, I am not here to insult you, but I'v read all your posts & what i figured out is that you have low self-esteem & thats why you reply so aggressively. Once I used to be very much like you are now. i used to reply & defend myself with whatever words I cud sum up, so that 'the others' dont insult me. But slowly I learned to control it & now my blogs are even more famous then ever n so am I,
     
    As I learned to let the dogs bark, coz they love barking, but that dsnt mean we bcum them.
     
    Plz dont be defensive, it weakens one, instead take your opposers as a challenge to bcum better then them.
     
    Love,
    Another fellow human 🙂

  83. @haroldgardner These "ideas" you say I and others believe are the foundation of the freedom you now enjoy which you use to bad mouth the very fabric which gave you freedom. As far as your sudden self righteous statement of demeaning to us folks I find it quite interesting since you condesendingly demean what is foundational to western civilization "ideas". You then say are demeaning to those who who believe it? Sir, Your statement is intellectually vapid and hypocritical.

  84. Randy, i respect you as a successful leader of leaders and inspiring person, but to be candid, i disagree with you on this post. Just because you are a rational person does not mean you should ever facet of religion under the bus. What do you believe in? this world is not our final place, i hope you know that. we are just actors in the stage of life and when your performance is over, you leave the scene. Have you ever thought of Life after Death? did this world come by accident? what keeps the planets, solar system in check? have you thought about that. Is it rational thinking No. Now i KNOW there are some who use religion as a cloak to perpetrate their selfish means and use religious books as a crutch to brainwash people. But there are some people who have hinged their entire lives on this. Do not insult people's intelligence. Amen. I rest my case. Cheers

    1. @Jonathan Okanlawon
       It's only your opinion that anything exists beyond death. While I'd love to be wrong about this, it's an obvious fairy tale. Anyone buying into it is deluding themselves. So please don't insult MY intelligence by suggesting otherwise.Read my post above about religion being incompatible with personal freedom. Your questions of "why this" and "why that" don't require a supernatural answer. Simply throwing up your hands and saying "God is responsible" is caveman thinking.

  85. Randy, i respect you as a successful leader of leaders and inspiring person, but to be candid, i disagree with you on this post. Just because you are a rational person does not mean you should ever facet of religion under the bus. What do you believe in? this world is not our final place, i hope you know that. we are just actors in the stage of life and when your performance is over, you leave the scene. Have you ever thought of Life after Death? did this world come by accident? what keeps the planets, solar system in check? have you thought about that. Is it rational thinking No. Now i KNOW there are some who use religion as a cloak to perpetrate their selfish means and use religious books as a crutch to brainwash people. But there are some people who have hinged their entire lives on this. Do not insult people's intelligence. Amen. I rest my case. Cheers

  86. I was stop reading after 50 word , because i dont like to be brain washed , i dont like to read for pops and tv's show or else i do what i wont to do, NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHAT TO DO , eve you Randy !!!

  87. I was stop reading after 50 word , because i dont like to be brain washed , i dont like to read for pops and tv's show or else i do what i wont to do, NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHAT TO DO , eve you Randy !!!

  88. Randy, I'm a fellow atheist with lots to reflect about regarding the impact of religion, religious leaders, and religious ideas and ideals on people's lives - and I agree with many of your observations.
     
    Generally, though, I keep my thoughts to myself unless someone engages me in a conversation about these topics.
     
    There are many who have a deep faith and find that it serves them well.  There are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world.  My own personal opinion is that their philosophical base is deluded, but that's just my opinion, and again I'll leave them alone in this unless they wish to engage me in a conversation about these things.
     
    BTW, my primary degree is a Bachelor in Theology, with enough additional topics for nearly a theological degree twice over and very close to full ministerial training, as well as 15 years of extensive experience in full-time religious involvement.
     
    I have changed, but when I did I vowed I at least wouldn't change from being an evangelist for the faith to an evangelist for atheism.
     
    While I'm not at all suggesting that those of us who think differently should just keep our opinions completely to ourselves (after all, there are plenty of highly opinionated and vociferous exponents of religion), I do think that when we engaged in such topics, we need to do so with some carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs and opinions of others.

    1. @MarkReynolds
      I agree with much of what you're saying. However, as I get older, I find that the "live and let live" attitude (i.e. being "sensitive to the beliefs and opinions of others") has tended to allow the religious to have their way. Government and even the military are now fully engrossed in religion (at least to religious postering), and the rest of us have to contend with living by their irrational rules. Were Christianity left to its own whims, America would have a society every bit as repressive as the most fundamentalist Muslim nation.One thing to consider is this: religion and personal freedom are absolutely incompatible because, for the religious, the perceived wants and needs of their imaginary deity will always come before the wants and needs of the individual. For this reason and many more, for humanity to move forward, religion should be left in the dust of history. Just my opinion, of course.

      1. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Only problem with your theory of Christianity being repressive is that you are living in a nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles and as such has the hightest standard of living and standard of freedom in the world. Please read your history. Your issue, as well as Randy, who takes every excuse to bash and stereotype Christianity, is with God.  Money and wealth is great but in the end we all die. Consider the next life. Denial of it does not make it or God go away.

        1. @TonyPierre  I'm afraid you are mistaken. The U.S. was NOT founded on Christianity. Most of the founding fathers were deists, and wrote extensively on their dislike and distrust of the pope and organized religion in general. Christianity is NOT responsible for the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. (and let it be known, the U.S. is far more repressive than Europe, which is vastly more secular than the U.S.).

        2. @Michael Morning No sir, I am afraid you are mistaken.  The founding fathers, being Deists, is a myth that has been spread for awhile as of late.  Again, I say with respect, look at the history. 70% or more of the founding fathers were professing Christians, and a large percent of them were ministers and businessmen, or politicians..  It is the Bible that affirms man's dignity and worth We are made in the image of God.  Again, look carefully at the facts.  Whether you agree with Christianity or not, please be open minded enough to objectively examine the facts and not just recite the same worn out and unexamined myths created by renegade revisionitsts.

        3. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Yeah, with the death of habeas corpus, the Patriot Act, the NDAA, indefinite detention, and so on, "freedom" is an illusion here.

        4. @DigitalWheelie  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Try bashing religion in Saudi Arabia and if you live,  tell me how oppressive United States and Christianity is.

        5. @TonyPierre
          Actually, I have numerous letters and quotes from the Founding Fathers. They were, in fact, deists. Few were actual practicing Christians. And let's not forget, there is not a single mention of god in the entire Constitution. Our laws were based largely on the Magna Carta and British common law, not the bible.

        6. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning
           Tony- to say the founding fathers being Deists is a "myth" simply isn't true. There is MUCH debate over it.

        7. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds
           
          Tony. I don't know how on earth you could have derived from my post that I suggested that Christianity is repressive.
           
          I talked about how I only bring these topics up if someone else engages me in them, how many have a deep faith that serves them well, that there are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world, and that when we discuss these things we need to do so with carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs of others.
           
          As for your suggestion that I need to understand history, and that I live in a  nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles - you need to bear in mind that this is an international forum.  From the sounds of it I do not reside in the same country that you do.

      2. @Michael Morning
        I take the attitude that while we ought to be respectful of communities that we are not members of, but that we have the right to voice our opinion about the communities that we are members of.
         
        For example, I wouldn't have much to say about the culture of another country that is completely foreign to my own (bearing in mind that there are varying degrees of 'foreigness').  The exception to this would be regarding questions of human rights and international relations.
         
        On the other hand, by definition we have not only a right but in many ways a responsibility to discuss openly social issues in those communities and societies that we are members of.
         
        In that sense I agree with you, Michael.  When someone or some group in our own society initates a dialogue - and more importantly actions - that we disagree with and see danger in, we have every right to voice our own opinion.
         
        On the other hand, let's not tar all religious adherents with the same brush, any more than I would want someone to conclude that all atheists are alike.  There are degrees of rabidness, and in opposing some things let's not make the mistake of becoming in our approach like the very ones that we differ with.

  89. Randy, I'm a fellow atheist with lots to reflect about regarding the impact of religion, religious leaders, and religious ideas and ideals on people's lives - and I agree with many of your observations.
     
    Generally, though, I keep my thoughts to myself unless someone engages me in a conversation about these topics.
     
    There are many who have a deep faith and find that it serves them well.  There are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world.  My own personal opinion is that their philosophical base is deluded, but that's just my opinion, and again I'll leave them alone in this unless they wish to engage me in a conversation about these things.
     
    BTW, my primary degree is a Bachelor in Theology, with enough additional topics for nearly a theological degree twice over and very close to full ministerial training, as well as 15 years of extensive experience in full-time religious involvement.
     
    I have changed, but when I did I vowed I at least wouldn't change from being an evangelist for the faith to an evangelist for atheism.
     
    While I'm not at all suggesting that those of us who think differently should just keep our opinions completely to ourselves (after all, there are plenty of highly opinionated and vociferous exponents of religion), I do think that when we engaged in such topics, we need to do so with some carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs and opinions of others.

  90. Someone said to everyone that he is atheist  ,than someone else asked him:
    If you want to be atheist than you have to be sure that there isn't God at all,
    Did you search the God in any place, all over the universe and didn't find him?
    How you can be sure that God isn't exist?
    Tolstoy said that the" Religion  is like opium for the people",may  be he was right

  91. Someone said to everyone that he is atheist  ,than someone else asked him:
    If you want to be atheist than you have to be sure that there isn't God at all,
    Did you search the God in any place, all over the universe and didn't find him?
    How you can be sure that God isn't exist?
    Tolstoy said that the" Religion  is like opium for the people",may  be he was right

  92. It is interesting - I was struck by the thought of teaching us, or the Pope saying, that as Americans we are greedy and should give more.  I have always felt America is the opposite of that; we give TOO much, as a people and as a country. At least, we give inappropriately.  I am all for giving to those less fortunate - but with the intent of creating a situation in which they can become more fortunate; not to perpetuate their feeling of worthlessness.  What is that old saying?  'Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.'  What is the point in giving if you aren't solving the base problem.
     
     
    Anyway - I digress and really should get back to your post and give it the attention that it deserves. 🙂  I need to pass this on to my husband, he will thoroughly enjoy your point of view.

  93. It is interesting - I was struck by the thought of teaching us, or the Pope saying, that as Americans we are greedy and should give more.  I have always felt America is the opposite of that; we give TOO much, as a people and as a country. At least, we give inappropriately.  I am all for giving to those less fortunate - but with the intent of creating a situation in which they can become more fortunate; not to perpetuate their feeling of worthlessness.  What is that old saying?  'Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.'  What is the point in giving if you aren't solving the base problem.
     
     
    Anyway - I digress and really should get back to your post and give it the attention that it deserves. 🙂  I need to pass this on to my husband, he will thoroughly enjoy your point of view.

  94. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man. I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love.Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

  95. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man.
     
    I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including most of this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love. Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ, and I follow Him. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:
     
    “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

  96. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man.
     
    I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including most of this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love. Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ, and I follow Him. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:
     
    “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

  97. Shame on you, Randy. I will pray for you, even though…..
    Oops, sorry about that. I am a recovering Catholic, but fell off the wagon there.
    It's either make a little joke, or continue to be angry about how religion got in the way of my faith.

  98. Shame on you, Randy. I will pray for you, even though…..
    Oops, sorry about that. I am a recovering Catholic, but fell off the wagon there.
    It's either make a little joke, or continue to be angry about how religion got in the way of my faith.

  99. After reading these quotes from the Koran, I really can't see any fault in blowing people up if they don't believe what you do. Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all.

  100. After reading these quotes from the Koran, I really can't see any fault in blowing people up if they don't believe what you do. Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all.

  101. I wonder with "whom" or "what" you clicked to write this post EXACTLY the same day the new pope was elected!?!?!
    I better don´t wonder 😉

    1. @Leeloo
       So i have to find out via randy's blog that there is a new pope. Sinds i don't follow the news ... o my god !

  102. I wonder with "whom" or "what" you clicked to write this post EXACTLY the same day the new pope was elected!?!?!
    I better don´t wonder 😉

  103. @MarkReynolds
    I agree with much of what you're saying. However, as I get older, I find that the "live and let live" attitude (i.e. being "sensitive to the beliefs and opinions of others") has tended to allow the religious to have their way. Government and even the military are now fully engrossed in religion (at least to religious postering), and the rest of us have to contend with living by their irrational rules. Were Christianity left to its own whims, America would have a society every bit as repressive as the most fundamentalist Muslim nation.One thing to consider is this: religion and personal freedom are absolutely incompatible because, for the religious, the perceived wants and needs of their imaginary deity will always come before the wants and needs of the individual. For this reason and many more, for humanity to move forward, religion should be left in the dust of history. Just my opinion, of course.

  104. @Jonathan Okanlawon
     It's only your opinion that anything exists beyond death. While I'd love to be wrong about this, it's an obvious fairy tale. Anyone buying into it is deluding themselves. So please don't insult MY intelligence by suggesting otherwise.Read my post above about religion being incompatible with personal freedom. Your questions of "why this" and "why that" don't require a supernatural answer. Simply throwing up your hands and saying "God is responsible" is caveman thinking.

  105. @haroldgardner
    Actually an indictment of "bad religion" is pretty much an indictment of all religion. Not a single religion is free of corruption or a history of persecution, bigotry, xenophobia, etc. So when seen through the lens of history, there really isn't any such thing as "good religion".

  106. Randy - I have read and re-read Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!  It was my first introduction to your work. I agree that organized religion is a great enabling power BUT as you relate in your first chapter People have to take responsibility for themselves as you took responsibility for you getting stabbed and for the mistakes at the hospital.

  107. Randy - I have read and re-read Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!  It was my first introduction to your work. I agree that organized religion is a great enabling power BUT as you relate in your first chapter People have to take responsibility for themselves as you took responsibility for you getting stabbed and for the mistakes at the hospital.

  108. @Michael Haley
    That's merely your opinion, Michael. Give yourself some credit. By attributing people's succes to their deity, it marginalizes the individual. This is precisely what the article is saying - stop demeaning humanity in favor of elevating deities. Humans are capable of amazing things - all on their own and without help from some invisible man in the sky (to quote George Carlin).

  109. Randy, you have done a lot but you can't be known everything. Concerning religious i will advice you to not say much about it.

  110. Randy, you have done a lot but you can't be known everything. Concerning religious i will advice you to not say much about it.

  111. @Michael Morning  @Michael Haley Hehehe... George Carlin was a funny guy and was right about a lot of things. But he was no authority on the things of God, that is for sure. 
     
    Michael, I know and appreciate you and your knowledge in health. I won't debate these other things much with you. It's pointless. I have experienced and know the truth. If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know what I mean.
     
    For me to admit I am weak but strong in Christ, if you knew the strength of Christ in your life compared to your own strength, you would have no problem letting Him be your strength and setting your own capability aside, however great your own capability happens to be. That doesn't demean you, but it does elevate Him, that is all. Being created in His image is an awesome thing - not something to demean.
     
    I have gone through most of my life under my own strength. I kicked butt. Then I learned the truth, leaned on Christ's strength, and truly amazing things are happening - the kind that I wasn't accomplishing with merely with my own extreme confidence.

  112. @MichaelHaley1  Hi, Michael. Thank you for the kind words, and also for the extensive health/nutritional/political information you post (I see you on Twitter several times per week). But with regard to the idea that god is somehow responsible for your success...you have no proof of this other than your belief that it's true. Any success you come by is due to your own efforts, not some being outside of you. To suggest otherwise, then you must also explain why other true believers are not successful. In other words, if a divine being is looking out for you and boosting your efforts, what makes you so special? What makes those other people less special, less deserving of divine assistance? Logically, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

  113. @Leeloo
     So i have to find out via randy's blog that there is a new pope. Sinds i don't follow the news ... o my god !

  114. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Only problem with your theory of Christianity being repressive is that you are living in a nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles and as such has the hightest standard of living and standard of freedom in the world. Please read your history. Your issue, as well as Randy, who takes every excuse to bash and stereotype Christianity, is with God.  Money and wealth is great but in the end we all die. Consider the next life. Denial of it does not make it or God go away.

  115. @TonyPierre  I'm afraid you are mistaken. The U.S. was NOT founded on Christianity. Most of the founding fathers were deists, and wrote extensively on their dislike and distrust of the pope and organized religion in general. Christianity is NOT responsible for the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. (and let it be known, the U.S. is far more repressive than Europe, which is vastly more secular than the U.S.).

  116. Awesome.
     
    I just wish you mentioned how "the bible" that cling to (AKA The King James Bible) is a politically motivated translation. The Aramaic version is quite different...

      1. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie
        To be fair, Michael, the old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, although in approximately the 2nd century BC a translation was made into Greek.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  The translations into English and other languages were excellent endeavours, and needn't be brought into question.
         
        On the question of cherry picking, yes, you could question the judgements made long ago as to what writings were to be regarded as 'scripture' and what to be regarded as 'apocryphal'.
         
        But surely the language and even the history is not the primary issue at question here - rather it is one of what reasonable and logical meaning we can give to these writings, especially in the light of modern knowledge.

        1. @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie Mark -- yes, I should've been more clear that the new testament was written in Greek, disproving the authenticity of Jesus as a true, historical person. As for what "reasonable and logical meaning" we can give to these writings in light of modern knowledge, that's the easiest question of all: they are obvious storybooks, written by disparate people who themselves fabricated all the stories that were written, many of which (including the entire story of Jesus, his death and supposed rebirth) were borrowed from earlier legends. This is further apparent since there is absolutely no historical evidence for the existence of a historical figure we can point to as Jesus. In other words, the bible is fiction, which too many people have taken literally, to one extent or another.

        2. @MarkReynolds  @Michael Morning My point is that even if there was ever a bible dictated by God himself, the versions people now buy from amazon.com etc. are heavily edited/changed by man, and not due to "good intentions."

        3. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie
           It doesn't matter in who you believe,to whom you pray,to what religion you belong.As the myth says,especially in the movie "the secret is like this
          "
          the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help that never otherwise would have occurred...'- Goethe

      2. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie I was always wondering about the meeting where was decided what books (gospels, epistoles) belong to the Bible and what not. Afterall it was a catholic meeting and where catholic leaders compiled the "Holy writings" and I can't stop wondering why protestants don't protest over that. Because if they accept catholic authority in putting the Bible together, it has a long range of other implications.

  117. Awesome.
     
    I just wish you mentioned how "the bible" that cling to (AKA The King James Bible) is a politically motivated translation. The Aramaic version is quite different...

  118. @Michael Morning No sir, I am afraid you are mistaken.  The founding fathers, being Deists, is a myth that has been spread for awhile as of late.  Again, I say with respect, look at the history. 70% or more of the founding fathers were professing Christians, and a large percent of them were ministers and businessmen, or politicians..  It is the Bible that affirms man's dignity and worth We are made in the image of God.  Again, look carefully at the facts.  Whether you agree with Christianity or not, please be open minded enough to objectively examine the facts and not just recite the same worn out and unexamined myths created by renegade revisionitsts.

  119. I think the Bible was meant for encouragement & guidance... to be grateful, loving & forgiving... to be joyful...
     
    But the fruit of the Spirit is:
    love,
    peace,
    forbearance,
    kindness,
    goodness,
    faithfulness,
    gentleness
    self-control.
    Against such things there is no law. “ Galatians 5:22-23

  120. Question to all: How has the story of your life and those that came before you led to where you're at now?  That includes your beliefs, values and so forth... 
     
    More questions: Do you live the kind of life you want?  Or are you still struggling with it?  
     
    Remember, your beliefs do have an affect on everything you do.  If you haven't gotten to where you want to get to, it's your beliefs that led you to where you are at now.  If you are poor, then it is your beliefs that created it.  If you are rich, same thing.  If you are healthy and fit, beliefs...  And in every other area of your life.  Beliefs even enable you to deal with challenges, including resiliency...
     
    Are your beliefs serving you at the highest and best way possible?

  121. Question to all: How has the story of your life and those that came before you led to where you're at now?  That includes your beliefs, values and so forth... 
     
    More questions: Do you live the kind of life you want?  Or are you still struggling with it?  
     
    Remember, your beliefs do have an affect on everything you do.  If you haven't gotten to where you want to get to, it's your beliefs that led you to where you are at now.  If you are poor, then it is your beliefs that created it.  If you are rich, same thing.  If you are healthy and fit, beliefs...  And in every other area of your life.  Beliefs even enable you to deal with challenges, including resiliency...
     
    Are your beliefs serving you at the highest and best way possible?

  122. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Yeah, with the death of habeas corpus, the Patriot Act, the NDAA, indefinite detention, and so on, "freedom" is an illusion here.

  123. @DigitalWheelie  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Try bashing religion in Saudi Arabia and if you live,  tell me how oppressive United States and Christianity is.

  124. @Michael Morning , I too have followed much of your content. Your knowledge in nutrition and fitness is among the best of the best.
     
    Regarding this discussion, He certainly causes it to rain on the just and unjust. But that is not what I am necessarily talking about.
     
    There are things that happen unexplainable such as knowledge given ahead of time and things of the Spirit that when you follow them, you are doing the work of God. The Spirit is always right 100% of the time.
     
    The problem with many Christians is that the flesh wars against the Spirit and many follow the flesh. That doesn't mean that those that follow the Spirit won't have troubles. Everyone of us, (even Randy Cage), is going to continue to age and eventually the flesh will fail. It rains on the Godly and ungodly.
     
    Everyone here will have good and bad things happen in their lives. Those that follow the Spirit will just have more... that is more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
     
    My success, well, you might consider financial success as a measurement. But when I think of success, I don't consider money as the primary metric. What about things like impact on other people's lives, joy, relationships, and the likes of?

  125. I agree and now that I have really opened my mind to the religion topic, I am aware of all the memes I was raised with. Thanks for sharing this true and will surely end up on a very interesting controversy. Thanks for talking about this topic. You rock!!
    I have my faith and faith on the creator who wants me to be prosperous, happy, worthy and that is what I say to my daugther everytime she says that she wants to be "a god servant" by praying and following the 10 Commandments. I say the best way to serve God is to do good, be wealthy, be prosperous and help others to do the same.

  126. I agree and now that I have really opened my mind to the religion topic, I am aware of all the memes I was raised with. Thanks for sharing this true and will surely end up on a very interesting controversy. Thanks for talking about this topic. You rock!!
    I have my faith and faith on the creator who wants me to be prosperous, happy, worthy and that is what I say to my daugther everytime she says that she wants to be "a god servant" by praying and following the 10 Commandments. I say the best way to serve God is to do good, be wealthy, be prosperous and help others to do the same.

  127. Randy,  Your fixation on material gains is sad.  The vast majority of people, certainly by the time they reaching your age, have realized there are higher purposes, higher callings in life,  than just material gains.  Perhaps, deep down, you realize that you "missed the bus", failed to "make the cut", yet your ego blocks you from dealing and solving the issue like a full man so you strike out at virtually any and all other beliefs or purposes beyond just money.  You seem much like the skinny grade school kid who has to continually make fun of the fat kid, poor kid, disabled kid, to compensate for a lack of self value or worth...All the time failing to realize you have a big booger hanging from your nose and its you that everyone is laughing at, feels sorry for, but certainly won't forget becasue of it.
    Take care

  128. Randy,  Your fixation on material gains is sad.  The vast majority of people, certainly by the time they reaching your age, have realized there are higher purposes, higher callings in life,  than just material gains.  Perhaps, deep down, you realize that you "missed the bus", failed to "make the cut", yet your ego blocks you from dealing and solving the issue like a full man so you strike out at virtually any and all other beliefs or purposes beyond just money.  You seem much like the skinny grade school kid who has to continually make fun of the fat kid, poor kid, disabled kid, to compensate for a lack of self value or worth...All the time failing to realize you have a big booger hanging from your nose and its you that everyone is laughing at, feels sorry for, but certainly won't forget becasue of it.
    Take care

  129. @TonyPierre
    Actually, I have numerous letters and quotes from the Founding Fathers. They were, in fact, deists. Few were actual practicing Christians. And let's not forget, there is not a single mention of god in the entire Constitution. Our laws were based largely on the Magna Carta and British common law, not the bible.

  130. I'm a preacher's kid, so I was always on my way to hell! People have misinterpreted things and taken them to the extreme! I thank God, I'm free of that. I encourage each person to read their own religious book - whether the Bible or Koran to see what it says FOR YOURSELF, instead of just listening to the crap being said from the pulpit.

    1. @lusundraeverett That's so true! And anyone who actually reads the bible with an open mind will quickly recognize the many inconsistencies, untruths, historical misinformation and outright contradictions for themselves. No need to listen to clergy OR an atheist...simply read it for yourself. Then notice that there is no support for any of it within the historical record. It's all there to be seen without having to take anyone's word for it.

  131. I'm a preacher's kid, so I was always on my way to hell! People have misinterpreted things and taken them to the extreme! I thank God, I'm free of that. I encourage each person to read their own religious book - whether the Bible or Koran to see what it says FOR YOURSELF, instead of just listening to the crap being said from the pulpit.

  132. Each and every one believes in what they choose to believe in...letting your beliefs stand in the way of rational thinking is hmmm not very ok...but to sound as if there is no God is what I find totally absurd...I am a Christian, totally believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ...but as the Bible clearly spells it out, work out your own salvation...Phil 2:12...so at the end of the day, it is YOU, Yourself and YOU...

  133. Each and every one believes in what they choose to believe in...letting your beliefs stand in the way of rational thinking is hmmm not very ok...but to sound as if there is no God is what I find totally absurd...I am a Christian, totally believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ...but as the Bible clearly spells it out, work out your own salvation...Phil 2:12...so at the end of the day, it is YOU, Yourself and YOU...

  134. Religion is a subjective issue. It arouse a lot of controversy and hate when discussed in an environment like this, Randy. For the sake of your better than good sense of professionalism, kindly desist from posting religious articles on your most sought after blog and page. I pray you get this admonition.

  135. Religion is a subjective issue. It arouse a lot of controversy and hate when discussed in an environment like this, Randy. For the sake of your better than good sense of professionalism, kindly desist from posting religious articles on your most sought after blog and page. I pray you get this admonition.

  136. @lusundraeverett That's so true! And anyone who actually reads the bible with an open mind will quickly recognize the many inconsistencies, untruths, historical misinformation and outright contradictions for themselves. No need to listen to clergy OR an atheist...simply read it for yourself. Then notice that there is no support for any of it within the historical record. It's all there to be seen without having to take anyone's word for it.

  137. I'm with you 100% about the dangers of religion. . . Especially about not persecuting those that don't share yours. And about opening the tent for all; that we're all equal. Unfortunately, you cheapen this by joking that you could be a polygamist Mormon.

  138. I'm with you 100% about the dangers of religion. . . Especially about not persecuting those that don't share yours. And about opening the tent for all; that we're all equal. Unfortunately, you cheapen this by joking that you could be a polygamist Mormon.

  139. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning
     Tony- to say the founding fathers being Deists is a "myth" simply isn't true. There is MUCH debate over it.

  140. In my personal view, the Catholic Church has played a huge roll in censoring what we are told. We are not getting the whole story and I for one do not believe in organized religion of any kind. There is a good reason why only 7% of all Americans are Catholic and the majority of that 7% is from immigrants from Latin America. We are free to think as we like and we are not fooled by religious leaders. Been there, done that, and will never go there again!

  141. In my personal view, the Catholic Church has played a huge roll in censoring what we are told. We are not getting the whole story and I for one do not believe in organized religion of any kind. There is a good reason why only 7% of all Americans are Catholic and the majority of that 7% is from immigrants from Latin America. We are free to think as we like and we are not fooled by religious leaders. Been there, done that, and will never go there again!

  142. Let's get back to the premise of what Randy had wrote about... And what he's always written about... The mindset... It's about the wealthy mindset versus the poverty mindset... You can argue all you want... Yet, without wealth, religions could not exist.  It takes money to build churches, right?  Where does that come from?  Not from the poor... 
     
    I don't really care about one person's belief versus another person.  My family is all over the place.  I have a sister who is a Mormon and previously she was a Catholic... My mother was a Buddhist turned Lutheran turned Baptist... I have another sister who is Pentecostal... My Japanese family are all Buddhists... My relatives in the Ozarks are Pentecostal... I have friends from all religions and beliefs...
     
    It is about how each believes.  My family in the Ozarks live very poorly and some have been on drugs.  They have one kind of attitude that doesn't suit me personally.  I have friends who do go to church and are wealthy...
     
    It is all about the attitude regarding money.  There are those that say money isn't everything and won't get you happiness.  That may be true, though it makes it easier to live and give better choices.  Additionally, having more wealth will enable you to better help others... Warren Buffett was once asked (as he was at the beginning stages of his wealth) to contribute to charities.. He refused, saying that he knew how to better use the money he had then the charities that asked for it.  And he certainly did.  Had he gave his money away, Berkshire Hathaway would never have existed.  And he finally was in a position to help a greater amount of people then earlier in his life...

  143. Let's get back to the premise of what Randy had wrote about... And what he's always written about... The mindset... It's about the wealthy mindset versus the poverty mindset... You can argue all you want... Yet, without wealth, religions could not exist.  It takes money to build churches, right?  Where does that come from?  Not from the poor... 
     
    I don't really care about one person's belief versus another person.  My family is all over the place.  I have a sister who is a Mormon and previously she was a Catholic... My mother was a Buddhist turned Lutheran turned Baptist... I have another sister who is Pentecostal... My Japanese family are all Buddhists... My relatives in the Ozarks are Pentecostal... I have friends from all religions and beliefs...
     
    It is about how each believes.  My family in the Ozarks live very poorly and some have been on drugs.  They have one kind of attitude that doesn't suit me personally.  I have friends who do go to church and are wealthy...
     
    It is all about the attitude regarding money.  There are those that say money isn't everything and won't get you happiness.  That may be true, though it makes it easier to live and give better choices.  Additionally, having more wealth will enable you to better help others... Warren Buffett was once asked (as he was at the beginning stages of his wealth) to contribute to charities.. He refused, saying that he knew how to better use the money he had then the charities that asked for it.  And he certainly did.  Had he gave his money away, Berkshire Hathaway would never have existed.  And he finally was in a position to help a greater amount of people then earlier in his life...

  144. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds
     
    Tony. I don't know how on earth you could have derived from my post that I suggested that Christianity is repressive.
     
    I talked about how I only bring these topics up if someone else engages me in them, how many have a deep faith that serves them well, that there are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world, and that when we discuss these things we need to do so with carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs of others.
     
    As for your suggestion that I need to understand history, and that I live in a  nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles - you need to bear in mind that this is an international forum.  From the sounds of it I do not reside in the same country that you do.

  145. @Michael Morning
    I take the attitude that while we ought to be respectful of communities that we are not members of, but that we have the right to voice our opinion about the communities that we are members of.
     
    For example, I wouldn't have much to say about the culture of another country that is completely foreign to my own (bearing in mind that there are varying degrees of 'foreigness').  The exception to this would be regarding questions of human rights and international relations.
     
    On the other hand, by definition we have not only a right but in many ways a responsibility to discuss openly social issues in those communities and societies that we are members of.
     
    In that sense I agree with you, Michael.  When someone or some group in our own society initates a dialogue - and more importantly actions - that we disagree with and see danger in, we have every right to voice our own opinion.
     
    On the other hand, let's not tar all religious adherents with the same brush, any more than I would want someone to conclude that all atheists are alike.  There are degrees of rabidness, and in opposing some things let's not make the mistake of becoming in our approach like the very ones that we differ with.

  146. Randy---
                I love and respect your work and have benefited tremendously from it and from a Prosperity mindset, which I largely cultivated based on your teachings. But I have to say I was dismayed by this post which, frankly, comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
                Let me explain:
                I myself was born, raised, and educated Roman Catholic, but in my last year of college I did my own bit of critical thinking and decided I could no longer remain a practicing Catholic. I just could not believe the “story” than “Man” is originally sinful and that God the Father, the all-knowing, all compassionate, all-wise,  all-powerful Creator of the Universe would have to send his “son” to endure a horrific self-sacrifice on the Cross to “redeem” sinful humanity. So I left.
                That said, I did see an amazing amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church all over the world. Your assertion that “this cult has already brainwashed millions of followers, leaving behind a legacy of torture, child abuse, and death” is  totally DEVOID of the critical thinking you pride yourself on. Has the institutional Catholic Church and some of its members done bad stuff---certainly!  And for many centuries bad stuff has happened. But have you ever stopped long enough to consider how much GOOD the Catholic church has done?? Obviously not…
                I was in a unique position to observe the GOOD. My late father was a close personal friend of John Paul II and also a close friend and associate to the heir of an  iconic American company  whose name anyone would recognize in an instant.  This man, while starting another business and investing a small portion of his fortune  to support himself and his family ended up going around the world for several decades donating the greater part of his fortune building villages, wells, schools, etc. for people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
                I do think one thing he failed to do was have someone teach Prosperity Consciousness to these people. Still, when someone is living in a tin and cardboard shack, eating a single bowl of watery gruel on a good day, I imagine Prosperity Consciousness has to take a back seat to a real roof over their head and  a few garden tools and seeds.  Typically the man I refer to would buy building supplies for the people, so they could build their own villages, dig wells, etc.
              Because of this work my father was involved in,  our house during my young years saw a constant stream of Catholic priests and monks visiting and reporting on their activities.  Did any of them do bad things to kids? I’ll never know…But what I do know is that more than a few of them (mostly Europeans from “good families”)  donated their fortunes (some of them quite considerable)  and their time, and literally their sweat to building the aforementioned villages and wells.  They used their own money, and funds from the iconic heir. As a young college student, I was quite impressed because many of these priests were basically European bluebloods most of whom had quite profund intellectual attainments. It was evident to me that they could have enjoyed cushy professorial positions in nearly any Catholic university in the world.  Heck—maybe a few of them could have even become evil Cult leaders to leave behind more “torture, child abuse, and death.” And maybe you would say they were “self-loathing” and gave away their money because of guilt, but what I saw was intelligent and dedicated  men whose eyes and faces radiated with Spirit and who were on a mission.
                Yes—the death, wars, dissolute popes, abuse, Inquisition all happened.  But there has been so much good as well. You see, as one of my teachers once told me “The vast majority of people are silently begging to be led.”
                I think the truth of that statement is obvious and instantly observable. (Note the Cult of Obama…) Not everyone can even “get” Prosperity consciousness, much less the higher teachings of Catholicism.  And yes, there are some AMAZINGLY high teachings in Catholicism—mostly centered around Divine Love, unity with Divine Consciousness, etc. And some of these filter down to the people, and hopefully  that process with accelerate very soon. The world is ready.  But historically,  most people have wanted to be led, and so any “religion” has to provide a relatively simple framework of do’s and don’t’s   until people are ready to be their own teachers.  And some people never will be ready in this lifetime.
                But all religions do have their higher levels for those who are ready…
                Jesus Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”
                Buddha:  “Be ye lamps unto yourselves.”
                Lao Tze: “When you reach the state of  Creative Emptiness, you will see the Inner Mystery of things”
                So, Randy, it’s not all about mind-control it’s about levels of teaching and who is ready for each level.
                “Most of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic cult believe the Pope has mystical curing powers from God.  They believe a blessing from him will cure diseases and save lives.”
     I have NEVER heard that in all my 16 years of Catholic education. In the canonization process of any saint (and JP II) is in that process now, the Church looks for so called “miracles” or cures which supposedly can be attributed to that individual. But, to my knowledge, it has never been a Catholic belief  that the Pope is endowed with “mystical curing powers from God.” And let’s be honest, your comment about Ben XVI was pretty snarky.
                “Meanwhile the Vatican continues missions in sub-Sahara Africa teaching the people in the remote villages there that condom use is a sin, condemning millions there to die of AIDS every year.  “   True, and sadly so, until recently, but Benedict XVI began to change all that; Still,  diehards and Neanderthals in the church continue to dig in their heels.
                OK, I’ll end this epic rant now…notwithstanding the mind-control, and centuries of bad stuff perpetrated by the church, the Church has still patronized and been responsible for some of the most inspirational architecture, art, and music on the planet.
                There is Yin and Yang, good and bad in everything, but real critical thinking would see both sides. Thanks for reading--all in the tone of "spirited debate."

    1. Maybe I am missing your point, but your statement  "amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church" deletes any other positive thing you may have contributed.
       It will always be the individual that expresses the recognition of oneness that is compassion and love owed to all. 
      Institutions hang on for the ride, hiding under the trappings of "authority' and control.

    2. PAULG -- I think you're leaving out one very critical aspect of the "good" you seem to feel the church has done: while the actions of members of the clergy may have inspired others, the church itself does very little actual good of its own accord. The Vatican, pope and cardinals horde an extraordinary amount of wealth (Vatican City is THE richest nation in the world, per capita) and they are as guilty of corruption as the many pedophile priests they oversee.</p><p>Further, the extent of wars, persecution, bigotry, genocide, etc. that the church has caused down through the centuries (and still causes today) does not even begin to be wiped away by the bit of charitable work the clergy performs.</p><p>And let's not forget, the church is hardly selfless. EVERYTHING the clergy does comes with strings attached - they spread the word of barbarism and supernaturalism into every corner of the globe, poisoning humanity at every mass and every Sunday school. Religion teaches that the perceived wants and needs of their deity is supreme, with the wants and needs of humanity a distant second. As I always say, for humanity to move forward, religion needs to be left in the dust of history.

    3. You have never heard that people believe a prayer or blessing from the Pope will heal them?  Seriously?  I do agree that the Catholic church (and many other religions) do many good charitable works.  That is part of the problem, because it makes the subliminal negative programming they do so much more effective. I've explored this deeper in the new post I put up today.
      -RG

  147. Randy---
                I love and respect your work and have benefited tremendously from it and from a Prosperity mindset, which I largely cultivated based on your teachings. But I have to say I was dismayed by this post which, frankly, comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
                Let me explain:
                I myself was born, raised, and educated Roman Catholic, but in my last year of college I did my own bit of critical thinking and decided I could no longer remain a practicing Catholic. I just could not believe the “story” than “Man” is originally sinful and that God the Father, the all-knowing, all compassionate, all-wise,  all-powerful Creator of the Universe would have to send his “son” to endure a horrific self-sacrifice on the Cross to “redeem” sinful humanity. So I left.
                That said, I did see an amazing amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church all over the world. Your assertion that “this cult has already brainwashed millions of followers, leaving behind a legacy of torture, child abuse, and death” is  totally DEVOID of the critical thinking you pride yourself on. Has the institutional Catholic Church and some of its members done bad stuff---certainly!  And for many centuries bad stuff has happened. But have you ever stopped long enough to consider how much GOOD the Catholic church has done?? Obviously not…
                I was in a unique position to observe the GOOD. My late father was a close personal friend of John Paul II and also a close friend and associate to the heir of an  iconic American company  whose name anyone would recognize in an instant.  This man, while starting another business and investing a small portion of his fortune  to support himself and his family ended up going around the world for several decades donating the greater part of his fortune building villages, wells, schools, etc. for people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
                I do think one thing he failed to do was have someone teach Prosperity Consciousness to these people. Still, when someone is living in a tin and cardboard shack, eating a single bowl of watery gruel on a good day, I imagine Prosperity Consciousness has to take a back seat to a real roof over their head and  a few garden tools and seeds.  Typically the man I refer to would buy building supplies for the people, so they could build their own villages, dig wells, etc.
              Because of this work my father was involved in,  our house during my young years saw a constant stream of Catholic priests and monks visiting and reporting on their activities.  Did any of them do bad things to kids? I’ll never know…But what I do know is that more than a few of them (mostly Europeans from “good families”)  donated their fortunes (some of them quite considerable)  and their time, and literally their sweat to building the aforementioned villages and wells.  They used their own money, and funds from the iconic heir. As a young college student, I was quite impressed because many of these priests were basically European bluebloods most of whom had quite profund intellectual attainments. It was evident to me that they could have enjoyed cushy professorial positions in nearly any Catholic university in the world.  Heck—maybe a few of them could have even become evil Cult leaders to leave behind more “torture, child abuse, and death.” And maybe you would say they were “self-loathing” and gave away their money because of guilt, but what I saw was intelligent and dedicated  men whose eyes and faces radiated with Spirit and who were on a mission.
                Yes—the death, wars, dissolute popes, abuse, Inquisition all happened.  But there has been so much good as well. You see, as one of my teachers once told me “The vast majority of people are silently begging to be led.”
                I think the truth of that statement is obvious and instantly observable. (Note the Cult of Obama…) Not everyone can even “get” Prosperity consciousness, much less the higher teachings of Catholicism.  And yes, there are some AMAZINGLY high teachings in Catholicism—mostly centered around Divine Love, unity with Divine Consciousness, etc. And some of these filter down to the people, and hopefully  that process with accelerate very soon. The world is ready.  But historically,  most people have wanted to be led, and so any “religion” has to provide a relatively simple framework of do’s and don’t’s   until people are ready to be their own teachers.  And some people never will be ready in this lifetime.
                But all religions do have their higher levels for those who are ready…
                Jesus Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”
                Buddha:  “Be ye lamps unto yourselves.”
                Lao Tze: “When you reach the state of  Creative Emptiness, you will see the Inner Mystery of things”
                So, Randy, it’s not all about mind-control it’s about levels of teaching and who is ready for each level.
                “Most of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic cult believe the Pope has mystical curing powers from God.  They believe a blessing from him will cure diseases and save lives.”
     I have NEVER heard that in all my 16 years of Catholic education. In the canonization process of any saint (and JP II) is in that process now, the Church looks for so called “miracles” or cures which supposedly can be attributed to that individual. But, to my knowledge, it has never been a Catholic belief  that the Pope is endowed with “mystical curing powers from God.” And let’s be honest, your comment about Ben XVI was pretty snarky.
                “Meanwhile the Vatican continues missions in sub-Sahara Africa teaching the people in the remote villages there that condom use is a sin, condemning millions there to die of AIDS every year.  “   True, and sadly so, until recently, but Benedict XVI began to change all that; Still,  diehards and Neanderthals in the church continue to dig in their heels.
                OK, I’ll end this epic rant now…notwithstanding the mind-control, and centuries of bad stuff perpetrated by the church, the Church has still patronized and been responsible for some of the most inspirational architecture, art, and music on the planet.
                There is Yin and Yang, good and bad in everything, but real critical thinking would see both sides. Thanks for reading--all in the tone of "spirited debate."

  148. Good post Randy. Don't expect to win a popularity contest with it though.
    The Pope has been elected and to add insult to injury it is a person that was involved with the Argentinian military responsible for over 30,000 death after days of torture. His pretences of spirituality are as bad as his Italian.
    I agree that all religion teach rich to be evil and poor to be virtuous, and that is the poison that keeps 95% of people poor or broke or both. 
    The 5% who succeed do so only because they have figured out that it is only by valuing abundance that one can be part of it and that scorning it will turn it away. 
    I have stopped listening to preachers who want to tell me how to live my life and assure me I have to stop working for "material things" yet extend their hand to grab the [dirty] money I have earned with wisdom and effort. 
    I am tired of schizophrenic messages that tell me I must resigne myself on Sunday yet have to work to pay the mortgage the rest of the week and that what I do from Monday to Saturday is wrong yet what they do on Sunday is right, yet they can only do that and live and eat and be housed all year around because of my unworthy dirty activities from monday to saturday.
     
    Religion in it's current form is poison for the mind. I don't know if there is a good religion. If there is I have yet to find it.

  149. Good post Randy. Don't expect to win a popularity contest with it though.
    The Pope has been elected and to add insult to injury it is a person that was involved with the Argentinian military responsible for over 30,000 death after days of torture. His pretences of spirituality are as bad as his Italian.
    I agree that all religion teach rich to be evil and poor to be virtuous, and that is the poison that keeps 95% of people poor or broke or both. 
    The 5% who succeed do so only because they have figured out that it is only by valuing abundance that one can be part of it and that scorning it will turn it away. 
    I have stopped listening to preachers who want to tell me how to live my life and assure me I have to stop working for "material things" yet extend their hand to grab the [dirty] money I have earned with wisdom and effort. 
    I am tired of schizophrenic messages that tell me I must resigne myself on Sunday yet have to work to pay the mortgage the rest of the week and that what I do from Monday to Saturday is wrong yet what they do on Sunday is right, yet they can only do that and live and eat and be housed all year around because of my unworthy dirty activities from monday to saturday.
     
    Religion in it's current form is poison for the mind. I don't know if there is a good religion. If there is I have yet to find it.

      1. @Randy_Gage  @RevampYourMind1 HI Randy,  Thanks for that, let me reply to you, the same you wrote to me once in a tweet,  "Good for you" ..

  150. @Michael Morning  You need to say more about your walk with God, and clearly demonstrate how he has helped you wither the storms of life in ways you never could have without him.

  151. Maybe I am missing your point, but your statement  "amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church" deletes any other positive thing you may have contributed.
     It will always be the individual that expresses the recognition of oneness that is compassion and love owed to all. 
    Institutions hang on for the ride, hiding under the trappings of "authority' and control.

  152. this post has many question that i want to ask and same many answer that i wanted to know . great post

  153. this post has many question that i want to ask and same many answer that i wanted to know . great post

  154. @KyekiBainare <lol> None exist to describe. I don't for one moment believe there is a divine being looking out for me or for anyone else. That is the stuff of fairy tales and weak minds.

  155. PAULG -- I think you're leaving out one very critical aspect of the "good" you seem to feel the church has done: while the actions of members of the clergy may have inspired others, the church itself does very little actual good of its own accord. The Vatican, pope and cardinals horde an extraordinary amount of wealth (Vatican City is THE richest nation in the world, per capita) and they are as guilty of corruption as the many pedophile priests they oversee.</p><p>Further, the extent of wars, persecution, bigotry, genocide, etc. that the church has caused down through the centuries (and still causes today) does not even begin to be wiped away by the bit of charitable work the clergy performs.</p><p>And let's not forget, the church is hardly selfless. EVERYTHING the clergy does comes with strings attached - they spread the word of barbarism and supernaturalism into every corner of the globe, poisoning humanity at every mass and every Sunday school. Religion teaches that the perceived wants and needs of their deity is supreme, with the wants and needs of humanity a distant second. As I always say, for humanity to move forward, religion needs to be left in the dust of history.

  156. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie
    To be fair, Michael, the old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, although in approximately the 2nd century BC a translation was made into Greek.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  The translations into English and other languages were excellent endeavours, and needn't be brought into question.
     
    On the question of cherry picking, yes, you could question the judgements made long ago as to what writings were to be regarded as 'scripture' and what to be regarded as 'apocryphal'.
     
    But surely the language and even the history is not the primary issue at question here - rather it is one of what reasonable and logical meaning we can give to these writings, especially in the light of modern knowledge.

  157. @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie Mark -- yes, I should've been more clear that the new testament was written in Greek, disproving the authenticity of Jesus as a true, historical person. As for what "reasonable and logical meaning" we can give to these writings in light of modern knowledge, that's the easiest question of all: they are obvious storybooks, written by disparate people who themselves fabricated all the stories that were written, many of which (including the entire story of Jesus, his death and supposed rebirth) were borrowed from earlier legends. This is further apparent since there is absolutely no historical evidence for the existence of a historical figure we can point to as Jesus. In other words, the bible is fiction, which too many people have taken literally, to one extent or another.

  158. @MarkReynolds  @Michael Morning My point is that even if there was ever a bible dictated by God himself, the versions people now buy from amazon.com etc. are heavily edited/changed by man, and not due to "good intentions."

  159. We get brainwashed to eat unhealthy foods, to buy more, to have the latest & greatest etc.... TV shows, commercials etc... we get bombarded with lack & unhealthy beliefs from birth.
     
    This programming can lead us to worship other things... money, food etc... making it the most important thing in our lives... or what we think about, worry about, or turn to when we feel alone, sad, depressed, etc.
     
    So I read, watch & listen to healthy stuff... food, money, spiritual...
    to reprogram & relearn... to renew my mind.

  160. You have never heard that people believe a prayer or blessing from the Pope will heal them?  Seriously?  I do agree that the Catholic church (and many other religions) do many good charitable works.  That is part of the problem, because it makes the subliminal negative programming they do so much more effective. I've explored this deeper in the new post I put up today.
    -RG

  161. Standing ovation! Brave, challenging, yet not offensive - and so true. I spent few years within the Christian nation and it is exactly as you describe it. Big words, promises for a distant future and miserable present time. When I tried to inspire Christian to use their mind/brain, I was banned, lol. So thick is the wall of ignorance.

  162. Standing ovation! Brave, challenging, yet not offensive - and so true. I spent few years within the Christian nation and it is exactly as you describe it. Big words, promises for a distant future and miserable present time. When I tried to inspire Christian to use their mind/brain, I was banned, lol. So thick is the wall of ignorance.

  163. My name is Will, I'm 15 years old, and I just recently subscribed to "Randy's Rants".
    I was questioning your blog's prosperity consciousness from the beginning. I mean why call it rants? It's such a negative word, and it implies you are irritatedly talking on and on about negative subjects. But then I read this post and was absolutely horrified because that's exactly what you are doing, ranting on and on about how evil organized religion is and how evil the pope is (or at least their teachings). This is not what I had hoped to read from you Mr. Gage. I was looking for occasional positive insights, your newest ideas, tricks, and prosperity breakthroughs. Talking about all the newest millionaires, great vacations your friends or yourself went on, even things as simple as your $1000 leather shoes which you flew in the Concord at supersonic speeds to get. Please improve the prosperity consciousness level of your writing.

    1. Dear Will, what are you suggesting? I guess you need to subscribe to some other source for the kind of information you want to be fed with. If you know who Randy is and what are his thinking patterns then why do you complain? I don't complain in florists that they don' sell milk.
      If you are only 15 you have a great opportunity to make your life great. Some people find this kind of liberating thoughts when they are too old and their lifes slipped through their fingers.
      Only one think is asked of you - don't be a blind "believer", do some critical thinking to make sure you don't waste your life.
      Regards!

    2. First Will, let me say how great it is to see someone with your consciousness and maturity at 15.  Very impressive.  I hear what you are saying:  I wish I could just put out positive affirmations, teach wealth building techniques, and showcase what a prosperous life looks like and it would work for people.  But I've been doing that for 20 years and what it has shown me is that those things help people develop prosperity consciousness on the conscious level.  The most frustrating part of my work - is then seeing them sabotage that desire, because of worthiness issues they have on the subconscious level.  And by far the single biggest cause of that, is the negative programming they developed worshiping Sky God superstitions.
      -RG

      1. @Randy_Gage Ok, so I'm still a little confused. Why is it ok to talk about prosperity principles in your books and tapes but not on your blog? How is it better to talk about the dangers of blindly believing in organized religion rather than prosperity topics? Perhaps if the problem is believing in our own worthiness that might be a good thing to talk about. I think from a logical standpoint it would be better to talk directly about what is sabotaging our prosperity rather than "ranting" about The Pope.
        P.S. Thanks for taking me seriously.

        1. Of course it is okay to talk about prosperity principles on my blog.  I do it about 150 times a year myself. 
           
          I am talking about worthiness issues as the problem.  And organized religion as a cause of that problem.  And also from government as I have mentioned in other posts. (That is the main point of these posts.)   On Monday I'll be doing another post on how people develop worthiness issues from their family of origin and other situations.  I'm not ranting about the Pope for recreation.  There's a very important lesson in inoculating yourself against mind control viruses in these posts.
          -RG

  164. My name is Will, I'm 15 years old, and I just recently subscribed to "Randy's Rants".
    I was questioning your blog's prosperity consciousness from the beginning. I mean why call it rants? It's such a negative word, and it implies you are irritatedly talking on and on about negative subjects. But then I read this post and was absolutely horrified because that's exactly what you are doing, ranting on and on about how evil organized religion is and how evil the pope is (or at least their teachings). This is not what I had hoped to read from you Mr. Gage. I was looking for occasional positive insights, your newest ideas, tricks, and prosperity breakthroughs. Talking about all the newest millionaires, great vacations your friends or yourself went on, even things as simple as your $1000 leather shoes which you flew in the Concord at supersonic speeds to get. Please improve the prosperity consciousness level of your writing.

  165. A bright paper coming from a bright, gifted person.....Re the new religion you want to be founded , better name it UTOPIA. Is that really possible?....Is it also possible for man-leader/s to successfully bring that perfect society/religion of yours about? (Whoever would pose to be so, better name him 666.) Man or men as they are, don't you think they will just behave as badly eventually against the multitudes who would bring opposition? Use mind controls also or manipulative techniques thru rituals, superstitions & propaganda to make members stay? I think the ancient leaders of today's organized religions were in their right, wise minds to have founded them around GOD, not around men really.  They started really well, the present is another story. In the modern times, they just need to be reformed & redirected back to God-worship. Kudos to the popes & other religious leaders for all their efforts to serve their faiths WITH GOD IN THEIR MINDS & HEARTS.....To all of you, PEACE, NOT WORLD WAR.

  166. A bright paper coming from a bright, gifted person.....Re the new religion you want to be founded , better name it UTOPIA. Is that really possible?....Is it also possible for man-leader/s to successfully bring that perfect society/religion of yours about? (Whoever would pose to be so, better name him 666.) Man or men as they are, don't you think they will just behave as badly eventually against the multitudes who would bring opposition? Use mind controls also or manipulative techniques thru rituals, superstitions & propaganda to make members stay? I think the ancient leaders of today's organized religions were in their right, wise minds to have founded them around GOD, not around men really.  They started really well, the present is another story. In the modern times, they just need to be reformed & redirected back to God-worship. Kudos to the popes & other religious leaders for all their efforts to serve their faiths WITH GOD IN THEIR MINDS & HEARTS.....To all of you, PEACE, NOT WORLD WAR.

  167. Dear Will, what are you suggesting? I guess you need to subscribe to some other source for the kind of information you want to be fed with. If you know who Randy is and what are his thinking patterns then why do you complain? I don't complain in florists that they don' sell milk.
    If you are only 15 you have a great opportunity to make your life great. Some people find this kind of liberating thoughts when they are too old and their lifes slipped through their fingers.
    Only one think is asked of you - don't be a blind "believer", do some critical thinking to make sure you don't waste your life.
    Regards!

  168. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie
     It doesn't matter in who you believe,to whom you pray,to what religion you belong.As the myth says,especially in the movie "the secret is like this
    "
    the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help that never otherwise would have occurred...'- Goethe

  169. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie I was always wondering about the meeting where was decided what books (gospels, epistoles) belong to the Bible and what not. Afterall it was a catholic meeting and where catholic leaders compiled the "Holy writings" and I can't stop wondering why protestants don't protest over that. Because if they accept catholic authority in putting the Bible together, it has a long range of other implications.

  170. First Will, let me say how great it is to see someone with your consciousness and maturity at 15.  Very impressive.  I hear what you are saying:  I wish I could just put out positive affirmations, teach wealth building techniques, and showcase what a prosperous life looks like and it would work for people.  But I've been doing that for 20 years and what it has shown me is that those things help people develop prosperity consciousness on the conscious level.  The most frustrating part of my work - is then seeing them sabotage that desire, because of worthiness issues they have on the subconscious level.  And by far the single biggest cause of that, is the negative programming they developed worshiping Sky God superstitions.
    -RG

  171. Historically I understand the importance of religion to life humanity from a violent past towards a more civilized age.  However, I am really beginning to believe that we have moved past the need for organized religion as science and social media begin to connect us on a level that religion failed to as it segrated us in factions.

    1. @candacemountain life chances and the world changes, you somehow "got it", I agree and you might agree that shadow needs light and opposite.
      I once heard an engineer saying that he likes the catholic believe "system" because they have and teach strong rules so people learn from that spot. I agree to that method. He said he likes it when his wife carries such rules.
      But I also notice, while living in a acountry which more and more develops into a (100%)  technician/engineering country that i.e. couples are being formed differently by now. Men choose women via a certain kind of criteria which is far off the spiritual way. And this will get very, very tricky. No wonder married couples undergo so many divorces.
      People who are so deep into science lose a big part of themself. And they don´t even notice.
      It´s their own belief-system.

  172. Historically I understand the importance of religion to life humanity from a violent past towards a more civilized age.  However, I am really beginning to believe that we have moved past the need for organized religion as science and social media begin to connect us on a level that religion failed to as it segrated us in factions.

  173. @candacemountain life chances and the world changes, you somehow "got it", I agree and you might agree that shadow needs light and opposite.
    I once heard an engineer saying that he likes the catholic believe "system" because they have and teach strong rules so people learn from that spot. I agree to that method. He said he likes it when his wife carries such rules.
    But I also notice, while living in a acountry which more and more develops into a (100%)  technician/engineering country that i.e. couples are being formed differently by now. Men choose women via a certain kind of criteria which is far off the spiritual way. And this will get very, very tricky. No wonder married couples undergo so many divorces.
    People who are so deep into science lose a big part of themself. And they don´t even notice.
    It´s their own belief-system.

  174. Napoleon Hill was attacked for his stance as well.  When he mentioned that religious fanaticism helped create The Fear of Death, many in the religious community despised  his words.  He stated in 'Think and Grow Rich' he mentions that today's educated young men and women were able to think and understand through science that "Fire and Brimstone" was something left over from the past and doesn't apply to the present.  This was 1937.  Even today, many preachers still spout "Fire and Brimstone" when they preach.
     
    Hill goes further in other areas regarding the wealth (or lack of) mindset. Today, I see even more of the poverty mentality.  From religious organizations to the government, people are being programmed to think that money is evil.  We see the wealthy being attacked for not giving their fair share (even though the great majority of taxes paid are from wealthiest).  I wonder what Hill would think about today's world?

  175. Napoleon Hill was attacked for his stance as well.  When he mentioned that religious fanaticism helped create The Fear of Death, many in the religious community despised  his words.  He stated in 'Think and Grow Rich' he mentions that today's educated young men and women were able to think and understand through science that "Fire and Brimstone" was something left over from the past and doesn't apply to the present.  This was 1937.  Even today, many preachers still spout "Fire and Brimstone" when they preach.
     
    Hill goes further in other areas regarding the wealth (or lack of) mindset. Today, I see even more of the poverty mentality.  From religious organizations to the government, people are being programmed to think that money is evil.  We see the wealthy being attacked for not giving their fair share (even though the great majority of taxes paid are from wealthiest).  I wonder what Hill would think about today's world?

  176. @Randy_Gage Ok, so I'm still a little confused. Why is it ok to talk about prosperity principles in your books and tapes but not on your blog? How is it better to talk about the dangers of blindly believing in organized religion rather than prosperity topics? Perhaps if the problem is believing in our own worthiness that might be a good thing to talk about. I think from a logical standpoint it would be better to talk directly about what is sabotaging our prosperity rather than "ranting" about The Pope.
    P.S. Thanks for taking me seriously.

  177. Of course it is okay to talk about prosperity principles on my blog.  I do it about 150 times a year myself. 
     
    I am talking about worthiness issues as the problem.  And organized religion as a cause of that problem.  And also from government as I have mentioned in other posts. (That is the main point of these posts.)   On Monday I'll be doing another post on how people develop worthiness issues from their family of origin and other situations.  I'm not ranting about the Pope for recreation.  There's a very important lesson in inoculating yourself against mind control viruses in these posts.
    -RG

  178. This form of brainwashing has gone on for centuries and will be hard to change. Change comes from one person saying I'm going to changed and the other people changing their ways in a concius decision.

  179. This form of brainwashing has gone on for centuries and will be hard to change. Change comes from one person saying I'm going to changed and the other people changing their ways in a concius decision.

  180. The success of the message uf unworthiness and the rich bashing is simple. It takes away all individual responsibility.
    If I am trash, and if evil rich keep me poor, my responsibility to change is zero. Best I can do is ask someone else to do it for me. I can do nothing on my own. I am poor and hopeless.

    Perfect reciepy for the lazy bum....and don't forget that if you screw up bad, there is alwasy the devil to blame for what you did.
    Who wants to hear that everything in my own reality is my own doing? You try to stop the first person on the street and tell him that what he is earning is the result of what he thinks he is worth, not more not less. Better duck because you'll get a punch in the face for sure.

  181. The success of the message uf unworthiness and the rich bashing is simple. It takes away all individual responsibility.
    If I am trash, and if evil rich keep me poor, my responsibility to change is zero. Best I can do is ask someone else to do it for me. I can do nothing on my own. I am poor and hopeless.

    Perfect reciepy for the lazy bum....and don't forget that if you screw up bad, there is alwasy the devil to blame for what you did.
    Who wants to hear that everything in my own reality is my own doing? You try to stop the first person on the street and tell him that what he is earning is the result of what he thinks he is worth, not more not less. Better duck because you'll get a punch in the face for sure.

  182. @Randy_Gage  @RevampYourMind1 HI Randy,  Thanks for that, let me reply to you, the same you wrote to me once in a tweet,  "Good for you" ..

  183. Great blog Randy. I totally agree. I am half Jewish, half Christian but consider myself to be a Pantheist now. I respect everyone's beliefs but encourage people not to blindly accept things without questioning anything. In college, I went through a difficult time and became a born again Christian for awhile.
     
     As a woman with a strong personality, a brain and a love for business, I knew when I was a teenager that my calling was never to be a wife and mother but to be a career woman. I was told by the church that I must pray for the desire to submit to a man and that God wanted me to settle down, get married and have a family. I lived in the closet for years as I was told it was wrong for a woman to be as ambitious as I was. It took me years to let go of the limiting beliefs these people placed on me and am now very against organized religion. I believe it causes separatism instead of unity in the grand scheme of things.
     
     At 41, I am happy to say I got rid of the mind viruses and am a successful business woman who owns two businesses.

  184. Great blog Randy. I totally agree. I am half Jewish, half Christian but consider myself to be a Pantheist now. I respect everyone's beliefs but encourage people not to blindly accept things without questioning anything. In college, I went through a difficult time and became a born again Christian for awhile.
     
     As a woman with a strong personality, a brain and a love for business, I knew when I was a teenager that my calling was never to be a wife and mother but to be a career woman. I was told by the church that I must pray for the desire to submit to a man and that God wanted me to settle down, get married and have a family. I lived in the closet for years as I was told it was wrong for a woman to be as ambitious as I was. It took me years to let go of the limiting beliefs these people placed on me and am now very against organized religion. I believe it causes separatism instead of unity in the grand scheme of things.
     
     At 41, I am happy to say I got rid of the mind viruses and am a successful business woman who owns two businesses.

  185. I encourage people to not believe in Jesus because they believe in the Bible, but to believe in the Bible because they believe in Jesus.
    In my view, the Bible is inspired to serve as the foundation for what we believe, but it was never intended to be the foundation for why we believe.
    In my view, the Bible is far too vulnerable to serve as this foundation. That is, there are far too many problematic aspects to Scripture to make our faith dependent on this book.
    It should never be the case that a person’s faith hangs in the balance on whether or not (for example) the conquest narratives are anchored in history, or whether or not the story about Samson is historical or legend (or a thousand other disputed aspects of Scripture).
    By contrast, the case for believing that the historical Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God is very compelling (on this issue, see P. Eddy, G. Boyd, The Jesus Legend [Baker, 2007).
    When a person’s faith depends on Scripture, every one of Scriptures problematic features becomes all-important and the foundation of their faith is constantly vulnerable as a result.
    But when a person’s faith depends only on the historical Jesus, the problematic aspects of Scripture become irrelevant.

  186. Wow this was a great post, reality is : what is reality anymore ?, it seems as though most of the things we were taught growing up is simply not true.

  187. Wow this was a great post, reality is : what is reality anymore ?, it seems as though most of the things we were taught growing up is simply not true.

  188. Thank you. You forced me thinking. In fact, I see that I have a lot of mems that control my mind. The question: how to escape that control?

  189. Doesn't it say in the bible that God is the truth and the light. So faith in God just means faith in truth and not mind viruses. I think it also says Satan is the master of disguise deceit and lies in other words mind viruses. Gosh Randy that sounds like something you'd say. lol. Then it says to fear God, does that mean I should fear the truth I'm not religious, but there are some things in these religious books that I find valuable and some things that aren't. They are just books and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. When Jesus heals the blind man, he tells him to wash the muck out of his eyes and he'll see. Well if he's talking about spiritual blindness or psychological blindness, then if my therapist can help me achieve that he may perform the same miracle, and then there's the death and resurrection of Jesus was it a physical death and resurrection or a spiritual one, after all isn't it a spiritual book. If it's spiritual, then I've been there and back a few times. Jesus is the son of a loving God, but if we are all God's children then I must be his daughter. A person with brutal parents might find that quite comforting. I think it would be a shame to discard these ancient books but instead value them for what they are - books written a long time ago. I have come across people that say they believe what's in them or don't believe what's in them but have never read them or questioned them. Also many people that claim to be religious don't believe in a God. The bible says you shall have no other Gods before me but in our society we have heaps of Gods. People believe the Pope is God or their leader is God or their dysfunctional parent is God and then they use religion as an excuse for their crimes. It's a bit like saying alcohol is responsible for accidents on the road, but I've never seen alcohol drive a car. If I were a person that was angry or hateful enough to want to hurt someone then I'd have to pick on someone that was a different religion or a different colour to make it valid. If everyone were the same religion and the same colour I'd have a problem but then I could always hurt someone with a different political belief or perhaps someone with different coloured hair or maybe a different make of car.

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  • 347 comments on “Brainwashing Cults…”

    1. I did not grow up in a religious household thank goodness. My parents were too smart for that. We should think about what mind viruses are infected in our subconscious that diverts our behaviour from being ultimately prosperous. With out religion there are many mind viruses out there that we are exposed to in the media. Once again, try and make ourselves aware of what has been planted in our sub conscious that prevents us from being ultimately prosperous.

    2. I did not grow up in a religious household thank goodness. My parents were too smart for that. We should think about what mind viruses are infected in our subconscious that diverts our behaviour from being ultimately prosperous. With out religion there are many mind viruses out there that we are exposed to in the media. Once again, try and make ourselves aware of what has been planted in our sub conscious that prevents us from being ultimately prosperous.

      1. myladay Jp, res. Povzete so sicer iz zapisa v linku, ampak sem na isti strani. Temeljito pranje glav brez primere v zgodovini.

    3. edvardkadic Sem prašala zadnjič mamo, pa dobr, pa kdo so ti komunisti? Je povedala, da tisti, ki sovražijo cerkev.

        1. lenci53 Ne, ne, ne. Nič ni tako preprosto, kot se zdi na prvi pogled. Gre za obsežno kampanjo SDS in NSI, ki je zgradila ta miselni okvir.

    4. edvardkadic Sem prašala zadnjič mamo, pa dobr, pa kdo so ti komunisti? Je povedala, da tisti, ki sovražijo cerkev.

    5. myladay Jp, res. Povzete so sicer iz zapisa v linku, ampak sem na isti strani. Temeljito pranje glav brez primere v zgodovini.

    6. lenci53 Ne, ne, ne. Nič ni tako preprosto, kot se zdi na prvi pogled. Gre za obsežno kampanjo SDS in NSI, ki je zgradila ta miselni okvir.

    7. Wow Randy.. so great!! I agree on all fronts though I wouldn't call my self a fundamentalist agnostic.. I tried ordering a dish of that at the local restaurant and they were all out! LOL. (Loved the comment about Jonah getting a time share in Key West too) In the end, believing in ourselves and what's possible in life is what matters most. I rejected the doctrines of Judaism and all the guilt, 'rules' etc. that go along with it. To me any belief that says there are RULES in life is NOT a belief I will follow. On the other hand, I'm more inclined to side with James Allen. What we think, believe and feel is what manifests in our outer world. End of story.
      Great post and one that shows the depth of your knowledge too.. Love it!

    8. Wow Randy.. so great!! I agree on all fronts though I wouldn't call my self a fundamentalist agnostic.. I tried ordering a dish of that at the local restaurant and they were all out! LOL. (Loved the comment about Jonah getting a time share in Key West too) In the end, believing in ourselves and what's possible in life is what matters most. I rejected the doctrines of Judaism and all the guilt, 'rules' etc. that go along with it. To me any belief that says there are RULES in life is NOT a belief I will follow. On the other hand, I'm more inclined to side with James Allen. What we think, believe and feel is what manifests in our outer world. End of story.
      Great post and one that shows the depth of your knowledge too.. Love it!

    9. I no longer take the Bible literally, but I don't think that when we die we are no different than a dog.
      I do agree that every religion does more than their share of brainwashing.  When you are taught something from a very young age, and your parents believe it, It is hard to just cast those ideas aside.

    10. I no longer take the Bible literally, but I don't think that when we die we are no different than a dog.
      I do agree that every religion does more than their share of brainwashing.  When you are taught something from a very young age, and your parents believe it, It is hard to just cast those ideas aside.

    11. Randy I do not agree with you on this issue! I think you can allow anything to "brainwash you" if you buy into the things tought by PEOPLE under cover of a belief or filosofi, misused and/or misunderstood of that PERSON!!!!!! You cannot shout out names of philosofies or religions that you say is "brainwashing" - you can give examples of those PERSONS that "brainwashed or tried to brainwash or you observed brainwash, that's all. Otherwise you are not any better than the person misusing their understanding and power to brainwash others!
      Every time we buy into someone elses beliefes or philosophy, we allow a small portion of brainwash! That does not mean you lay down your own head, and put it under your arm - and stop observing and thinking yourself. I think it's very wrong to shout ou some specific organisations, religions or philosophies as brainwash! What about our "normal" sociaty, governments, schoolsystems and so forth - ain't that as much brainwash as any other thing you go into blindly? I think it is - THAT you can warn people of and give them tools on how to think - not what to think. I think this is being judgemental.
      I very rarely disagree with you, because your beliefs and mine are very close to eachother - but this one I do.
      You are still my absolute favorite - LOTS of hugs to you from Denmark

    12. Randy I do not agree with you on this issue! I think you can allow anything to "brainwash you" if you buy into the things tought by PEOPLE under cover of a belief or filosofi, misused and/or misunderstood of that PERSON!!!!!! You cannot shout out names of philosofies or religions that you say is "brainwashing" - you can give examples of those PERSONS that "brainwashed or tried to brainwash or you observed brainwash, that's all. Otherwise you are not any better than the person misusing their understanding and power to brainwash others!
      Every time we buy into someone elses beliefes or philosophy, we allow a small portion of brainwash! That does not mean you lay down your own head, and put it under your arm - and stop observing and thinking yourself. I think it's very wrong to shout ou some specific organisations, religions or philosophies as brainwash! What about our "normal" sociaty, governments, schoolsystems and so forth - ain't that as much brainwash as any other thing you go into blindly? I think it is - THAT you can warn people of and give them tools on how to think - not what to think. I think this is being judgemental.
      I very rarely disagree with you, because your beliefs and mine are very close to eachother - but this one I do.
      You are still my absolute favorite - LOTS of hugs to you from Denmark

    13. ..simple answer,,how can you help the most people? by being rich or by being poor?,,"mom said that a man only needs so much to live on, the rest is just for showing off. So I gave some to the nice people at the church, to the hospital, and they named a building after me.." ..Forrest Gumps mom gets it..Real answer, What do you think is the best way to help someone?,,religion can't answer that for you..thanks Randy..

    14. ..simple answer,,how can you help the most people? by being rich or by being poor?,,"mom said that a man only needs so much to live on, the rest is just for showing off. So I gave some to the nice people at the church, to the hospital, and they named a building after me.." ..Forrest Gumps mom gets it..Real answer, What do you think is the best way to help someone?,,religion can't answer that for you..thanks Randy..

    15. edvardkadic ... sporoča nekdo, ki sam o sebi ponosno pove, da je 'famous guy with orange tie'.

    16. I agree Randy!  So many people have been programmed into certain beliefs and that normally started in their childhood.  Though, others fall into it during their adulthood as well.  One of my close friends, Tom Silver, was able to demonstrate how people can be easily brainwashed on an episode of Discovery's Channels "Curiosity" show.  In fact, the episode was called "Brainwashed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpMK5oYioM
       
      One of the things that has been taught in hypnosis circles is that we can't do anything against our will.  Tom was able to show that by accessing the subconscious mind, he was able to install triggers and when fired off, the subject would carry our an assassination (think Manchurian Candidate).  What wasn't shown on the show was that two other people also carried out the assassination as well, including a "little old lady."  I was able to talk to the stuntman that was targeted and that was what scared him the most.
       
      It's no wonder that so many people have easily fallen into cults.  They simply gave up critical thinking and let others think for them.  William Sargant wrote about this in his books, 'Battle for the Mind' and 'The Mind Possessed' many years ago. He led the team that would try to create a real-life Manchurian Candidate before the movie ever came out.  This was back in the late 40's into the 50's.  He was part of the OSS as well.
       
      As with cults, religion and other mind-control aspects of society, we have to start thinking and be critical.  We can block those memes from entering if we do.

    17. I agree Randy!  So many people have been programmed into certain beliefs and that normally started in their childhood.  Though, others fall into it during their adulthood as well.  One of my close friends, Tom Silver, was able to demonstrate how people can be easily brainwashed on an episode of Discovery's Channels "Curiosity" show.  In fact, the episode was called "Brainwashed" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzpMK5oYioM
       
      One of the things that has been taught in hypnosis circles is that we can't do anything against our will.  Tom was able to show that by accessing the subconscious mind, he was able to install triggers and when fired off, the subject would carry our an assassination (think Manchurian Candidate).  What wasn't shown on the show was that two other people also carried out the assassination as well, including a "little old lady."  I was able to talk to the stuntman that was targeted and that was what scared him the most.
       
      It's no wonder that so many people have easily fallen into cults.  They simply gave up critical thinking and let others think for them.  William Sargant wrote about this in his books, 'Battle for the Mind' and 'The Mind Possessed' many years ago. He led the team that would try to create a real-life Manchurian Candidate before the movie ever came out.  This was back in the late 40's into the 50's.  He was part of the OSS as well.
       
      As with cults, religion and other mind-control aspects of society, we have to start thinking and be critical.  We can block those memes from entering if we do.

    18. As always, Randy, you get us to think. I haven't engaged in any formal religious practice for a long time ... preferring instead to grow and develop through other personal growth experiences. And, I surround myself with people who think as openly as you or I. 
      I very much believe in your words here. The hypocrisy of what is said in the pulpit and what is happening in real time blows me away.
      Thanks for your honesty and your eloquent way of saying it.

    19. As always, Randy, you get us to think. I haven't engaged in any formal religious practice for a long time ... preferring instead to grow and develop through other personal growth experiences. And, I surround myself with people who think as openly as you or I. 
      I very much believe in your words here. The hypocrisy of what is said in the pulpit and what is happening in real time blows me away.
      Thanks for your honesty and your eloquent way of saying it.

    20. sounds like your trying to brain wash us.  Everything I have seen in self development I can reference it back to some passage in the Bible. From what I have read God is about love, joy, peace, happiness, mercy, and forgiveness, and wealth.  As far as homosexuality goes its not normal and goes against laws of the universe and nature and we all know what happens when we try to go against those.  One day the universe is going to kick back and its not going to be pretty.  Anyone with common sense can see that its not normal and start addressing it or we will one day suffer maybe not us but or grandchildren.

      1. How are you defining "normal?" And my guess is you don't believe the science that shows people are genetically predisposed to being homosexual. What if your grandchild is homosexual? Who ordained anyone to define "normal"?

    21. sounds like your trying to brain wash us.  Everything I have seen in self development I can reference it back to some passage in the Bible. From what I have read God is about love, joy, peace, happiness, mercy, and forgiveness, and wealth.  As far as homosexuality goes its not normal and goes against laws of the universe and nature and we all know what happens when we try to go against those.  One day the universe is going to kick back and its not going to be pretty.  Anyone with common sense can see that its not normal and start addressing it or we will one day suffer maybe not us but or grandchildren.

    22. I agree with this post, and I am Catholic and delusional in your opinion.  Randy, you still have a lot to learn my friend. 
       
      This blog site and your followers are a cult.  IT is not a positive cult, as you wish it to be.  You abuse people who don't agree with you.  And,  like the Pope and many others in the Catholic organization you don't practice what you preach.
       
      Here, take it from me someone who is MOSTLY POSITIVE: The world is changing.  Many Catholics would agree with this post.  It won't happen overnight.  Your writings on this will help, but not as much as you would like RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know.  Believe that the world is moving on the right spiritual path and maybe it will.
       
      You say you like debate, but you don't.  YOu say you like "I" statements, but I used one on the "Sabolator" post, instead of attacking you, and you allowed others in your "CULT" to abuse me, without intervention.  WHY?  Because, I am a heathen in your CULT.  Because, I have a belief that serves me, and it isn't going to go away even with your RANTINGS. 
       
      WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, and this means that whatever happens to the little people effects all of us.  IT is in our best interest, yours, mine, everyone;s to have an attitude that we should help others, without knowing why they are the way they are, without believing we know they could be better if only they tried harder, but with the faith that maybe with our HELP they will change.
       
       
      ONE of the followers of the "MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH" said to me the other day that I needed medical help. (YOU RANDY APPROVED)  ANOTHER FOLLOWER of the Cult of the MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH, said I was negative (THE ALL GREAT AND MIGHTY APPROVED).  Sound familiar?  Why was I ostracized so?  Because I disagree with the almighty RAndy and his band of loving positive followers, who are so full of positivity they have to abuse others to prove it. 
       
      YEAH, I said I was mad on that post.  OOOOOO so Scary.  I didn't even disagree with it, I didn't even disagree with your post.  I just think the way you say things is not always positive, and it can lead people to more negative thinking.  My goal here has mostly been to get you to be more empathic.  That's it.  Because, I like most of your messages, but your delivery could use some improvement. 
       
      But, you won't see what I am saying.  YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank.  YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others if their feelings don't align with yours and theirs. 
       
      YOU want me to be like, "Oh RANDY, you are so right.  I have been such an idiot. I have beliefs that don't serve me."  DUH.  I believe in my strengths though too. 
       
      I Read "ATLAS SHRUGGED", I listen to your messages.  I questioned my beliefs.  I still came up with same answer though.  Not, because my MEMES are so strong.  Because, I just don't agree.  Even after hearing the message. Have your read the book about Social Justice, I suggested? 
       
      Randy your are a smart man, with a great mind.  But, you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET".

      1. @Annieb Annie, the reason people keep telling you that you need help is your inability to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.  This comment is a prime example.  Ten or 11 paragraphs, not a single sentence on the issues and ideas in the post, just attacks against me and other people in the community.  If you ever decide to intelligently and rationally discuss the ideas, you'll find people happy to converse with you in a meaningful way. 
        -RG

        1. @Randy_Gage Randy, your post is about Brainwashing and cults.  So, is  my response.  YOU, and your followers attacked me.  I did not attack you first this time.  MY post in the "Sabolator" was not an attack.  It was an admission of how the post made me feel.  And, why I felt that way, I didn't say you were unkind or harsh I said the post was.  I was assuming maybe you didn't realize how it sounded to someone trying to digest it, and get something out of it.
           
          You should not let people say those things to other posters,  I have never told anyone they need medical help.  That is very hurtful.  It was to me.  I wouldn't say it to anyone.  I would think you should apologize to me after your comments on yesterdays post.
           
          MY IDEAS were totally in line with your post.  They were just on your RELIGION instead of mine.  IF you don't want to be attacked then don't attack me in your POST, and then say but I am above answering their attacks.  When YOU DID!!!!!  And, I erased the first comment I put on the "Sabolator" post because I thought it did sound like an attack.  The other ones that caused so much uproar were about my feelings!  I didn't expect you to respond, I just wanted you to know how it landed on me.  Because, I do listen to you and your advice.
           
          You are behaving like a very small person, not at all like the professional you should be.
           
          I don't think you were so intelligent or rational yesterday calling me a crazy idiot.  And not matter how you slice it that is what you did.
           
          After I was attacked by the other bloggers on the "Sabolator" post I wasn't going to write here anymore.  I was just going to read.  BUT, then  a post came along about "Self-Sabotagers" and I was being insulted yet again, but this time by the Author!
           
          Now, I will recieve all kinds of rude responses from your Posters.  Because of this.  And it is YOUR FAULT.  Because you do not abide by your own rules of civility.
           
           I will refrain from insulting them. But, just watch how your positive followers abuse me.  And I know you will do nothing to stop it.  Because you tend to abuse and belittle anyone who challenges you.  Just as you said cults do above.  YOU will soon see here a perfect example of a "CULT" being manipulitive and abusive just as you proposed.

          1. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage if the messages in this blog are so offensive in your opinion and everybody "attacks" you, why are you still here? why haven't you left such a "horrible" place?
             
            To be honest, i don't think you need medical help, i just think you have Heavy victim hood issues.

          2. @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage Yeah, you're right.    I stay because I love Randy, and I keep thinking his messages help.  But, mostly I just get hurt.  I was actually trying to leave, by just reading and not posting, but that didn't really work.

          3. @Annieb  @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage
             I really think you need  a good psychologist. That will work for you. I say this not to attack you, but i just want the best for you.

          4. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage Have you consider to study Emotional Freedom Techniques before? it might come in handy!
            As well, you could explore more about victimhood, when you open yourself to self development, you also have to be open to use all kind of tools and consider all possibilities available to go on your journey

          5. @Annieb Annie, you have no connection with reality here.  For that reason I will attempt to point out where you have lost touch with rational thought and will not respond any longer. 
             
            I wrote a post which is ten pages long in a word document about the negative effects of mind control cults and organized religion.  Did you want to debate the accuracy of the virgin birth, whether the Vatican bank was really money laundering, how the Muslims treat women, Christians and Jews, how children get programmed with beliefs when they are young, what kind of mind control techniques are being practiced?  No, you didn't want to discuss a single idea or issue from the post.  Your whole comment was accusations or insults about me or other readers. 
             
            Go back and read what you wrote.  There's no Communist conspiracy here.  No one edited your remarks.  Come back to reality and look at what you comments: 
            "Randy, you still have a lot to learn.."  "This blog site and your followers are a cult."  "you don't practice what you preach."  "RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know."   "You say you like debate, but you don't"  "YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank."  "YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others..."  "YOU want me to be like..."  "you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET"."
             
            There is not a single sentence in your comment about the ideas or issues the rest of us were discussing.  This is not a rational person discussing ideas.  It appears to be a petulant child, but probably is someone with some serious emotional issues personalizing and attacking because of their fears.  As I told you above, you simply don't have the emotional maturity  to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.
             
            Now you go even further in your response, fabricating false accusations such as I called you a "crazy idiot."  I can certainly understand how you may feel that shoe fits you, but that is your own assumption; it certainly wasn't a statement I made. 
             
            This blog community is not really right for you at this point in time.  You will save yourself a lot of anxiety if you read something else each day.  I wish you all the best.
             
            -RG

          6. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage 
            Annie, with all due respect to another RG follower/believer, I am not here to insult you, but I'v read all your posts & what i figured out is that you have low self-esteem & thats why you reply so aggressively. Once I used to be very much like you are now. i used to reply & defend myself with whatever words I cud sum up, so that 'the others' dont insult me. But slowly I learned to control it & now my blogs are even more famous then ever n so am I,
             
            As I learned to let the dogs bark, coz they love barking, but that dsnt mean we bcum them.
             
            Plz dont be defensive, it weakens one, instead take your opposers as a challenge to bcum better then them.
             
            Love,
            Another fellow human 🙂

    23. I agree with this post, and I am Catholic and delusional in your opinion.  Randy, you still have a lot to learn my friend. 
       
      This blog site and your followers are a cult.  IT is not a positive cult, as you wish it to be.  You abuse people who don't agree with you.  And,  like the Pope and many others in the Catholic organization you don't practice what you preach.
       
      Here, take it from me someone who is MOSTLY POSITIVE: The world is changing.  Many Catholics would agree with this post.  It won't happen overnight.  Your writings on this will help, but not as much as you would like RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know.  Believe that the world is moving on the right spiritual path and maybe it will.
       
      You say you like debate, but you don't.  YOu say you like "I" statements, but I used one on the "Sabolator" post, instead of attacking you, and you allowed others in your "CULT" to abuse me, without intervention.  WHY?  Because, I am a heathen in your CULT.  Because, I have a belief that serves me, and it isn't going to go away even with your RANTINGS. 
       
      WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE, and this means that whatever happens to the little people effects all of us.  IT is in our best interest, yours, mine, everyone;s to have an attitude that we should help others, without knowing why they are the way they are, without believing we know they could be better if only they tried harder, but with the faith that maybe with our HELP they will change.
       
       
      ONE of the followers of the "MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH" said to me the other day that I needed medical help. (YOU RANDY APPROVED)  ANOTHER FOLLOWER of the Cult of the MILLIONAIRE MESSIAH, said I was negative (THE ALL GREAT AND MIGHTY APPROVED).  Sound familiar?  Why was I ostracized so?  Because I disagree with the almighty RAndy and his band of loving positive followers, who are so full of positivity they have to abuse others to prove it. 
       
      YEAH, I said I was mad on that post.  OOOOOO so Scary.  I didn't even disagree with it, I didn't even disagree with your post.  I just think the way you say things is not always positive, and it can lead people to more negative thinking.  My goal here has mostly been to get you to be more empathic.  That's it.  Because, I like most of your messages, but your delivery could use some improvement. 
       
      But, you won't see what I am saying.  YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank.  YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others if their feelings don't align with yours and theirs. 
       
      YOU want me to be like, "Oh RANDY, you are so right.  I have been such an idiot. I have beliefs that don't serve me."  DUH.  I believe in my strengths though too. 
       
      I Read "ATLAS SHRUGGED", I listen to your messages.  I questioned my beliefs.  I still came up with same answer though.  Not, because my MEMES are so strong.  Because, I just don't agree.  Even after hearing the message. Have your read the book about Social Justice, I suggested? 
       
      Randy your are a smart man, with a great mind.  But, you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET".

    24. It is my believe that the Lord our God and his Son Jesus, wishes us to be healthy, wealthy and happy.   It is the love of money that is evil not its possession.    At our Pentecostal church last Sunday that was the clear message.

    25. It is my believe that the Lord our God and his Son Jesus, wishes us to be healthy, wealthy and happy.   It is the love of money that is evil not its possession.    At our Pentecostal church last Sunday that was the clear message.

    26. How are you defining "normal?" And my guess is you don't believe the science that shows people are genetically predisposed to being homosexual. What if your grandchild is homosexual? Who ordained anyone to define "normal"?

    27. @Annieb Annie, the reason people keep telling you that you need help is your inability to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.  This comment is a prime example.  Ten or 11 paragraphs, not a single sentence on the issues and ideas in the post, just attacks against me and other people in the community.  If you ever decide to intelligently and rationally discuss the ideas, you'll find people happy to converse with you in a meaningful way. 
      -RG

    28. Excuse me Randy for my english but I am Colombian and don't speak so much english. Sorry my dear Randy, I had read your book about MLM and It is a very good material to us, the networkers. BUT... I don't share totally your opinion about Religions... BUT I want share you a little thing about GOD... GOD IS LOVE ... and to me the "RELIGIONS" are an invent of the human race ... and the only one thing that you must to do is to have a intimate relationship with that God of love, the rest is bulls....., if you don't have that relationship you are a religious, BUT if you have it, you have found GOD ... I invite you to try that type of relationship, and later you'll tell me what happend ... Ahhh ... I'm Christian but I'm not a religious ... I love that God of love ...

    29. Excuse me Randy for my english but I am Colombian and don't speak so much english. Sorry my dear Randy, I had read your book about MLM and It is a very good material to us, the networkers. BUT... I don't share totally your opinion about Religions... BUT I want share you a little thing about GOD... GOD IS LOVE ... and to me the "RELIGIONS" are an invent of the human race ... and the only one thing that you must to do is to have a intimate relationship with that God of love, the rest is bulls....., if you don't have that relationship you are a religious, BUT if you have it, you have found GOD ... I invite you to try that type of relationship, and later you'll tell me what happend ... Ahhh ... I'm Christian but I'm not a religious ... I love that God of love ...

    30. @Randy_Gage Randy, your post is about Brainwashing and cults.  So, is  my response.  YOU, and your followers attacked me.  I did not attack you first this time.  MY post in the "Sabolator" was not an attack.  It was an admission of how the post made me feel.  And, why I felt that way, I didn't say you were unkind or harsh I said the post was.  I was assuming maybe you didn't realize how it sounded to someone trying to digest it, and get something out of it.
       
      You should not let people say those things to other posters,  I have never told anyone they need medical help.  That is very hurtful.  It was to me.  I wouldn't say it to anyone.  I would think you should apologize to me after your comments on yesterdays post.
       
      MY IDEAS were totally in line with your post.  They were just on your RELIGION instead of mine.  IF you don't want to be attacked then don't attack me in your POST, and then say but I am above answering their attacks.  When YOU DID!!!!!  And, I erased the first comment I put on the "Sabolator" post because I thought it did sound like an attack.  The other ones that caused so much uproar were about my feelings!  I didn't expect you to respond, I just wanted you to know how it landed on me.  Because, I do listen to you and your advice.
       
      You are behaving like a very small person, not at all like the professional you should be.
       
      I don't think you were so intelligent or rational yesterday calling me a crazy idiot.  And not matter how you slice it that is what you did.
       
      After I was attacked by the other bloggers on the "Sabolator" post I wasn't going to write here anymore.  I was just going to read.  BUT, then  a post came along about "Self-Sabotagers" and I was being insulted yet again, but this time by the Author!
       
      Now, I will recieve all kinds of rude responses from your Posters.  Because of this.  And it is YOUR FAULT.  Because you do not abide by your own rules of civility.
       
       I will refrain from insulting them. But, just watch how your positive followers abuse me.  And I know you will do nothing to stop it.  Because you tend to abuse and belittle anyone who challenges you.  Just as you said cults do above.  YOU will soon see here a perfect example of a "CULT" being manipulitive and abusive just as you proposed.

    31. i'm an atheïst (like most europeans), so i'm actually glad i'm not religious after reading this blogpost ! what a drama to be religious ...
       
       Randy i see you not agree with most religions, maybe you must start your own religion 😉

    32. i'm an atheïst (like most europeans), so i'm actually glad i'm not religious after reading this blogpost ! what a drama to be religious ...
       
       Randy i see you not agree with most religions, maybe you must start your own religion 😉

    33. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage if the messages in this blog are so offensive in your opinion and everybody "attacks" you, why are you still here? why haven't you left such a "horrible" place?
       
      To be honest, i don't think you need medical help, i just think you have Heavy victim hood issues.

    34. Perception developed from one's beliefs seems to in hand here.  I remember going back to see my relatives in the Ozarks and they had thought I was some sort of evil witch because I had studied hypnosis.  In fact, many looked away from my eyes thinking I was going to control their minds.  That false belief still permeates many of them.  And yes, I did go to those "Tent revivals" as a kid.  And I also realize that the preachers use many of the same tools that a stage hypnotist uses.
       
      So-called demon possession doesn't exist, except in one's beliefs.  I've actually recreated on stage some of the same occurrences that is used in those circumstances.  It's about thinking, not just believing. If you simply learn from just one source, then you're not really growing.  It's the same attitude in institutions of higher learning.  They get set in their own way of thinking.  I've seen this phenomenon whenever I'd go to APA conferences and talk with fellow PhD's.  Folks, it doesn't just occur in religion, it's all over. It's in businesses too!  Critical thinking about your personal beliefs is the solution.

    35. Perception developed from one's beliefs seems to in hand here.  I remember going back to see my relatives in the Ozarks and they had thought I was some sort of evil witch because I had studied hypnosis.  In fact, many looked away from my eyes thinking I was going to control their minds.  That false belief still permeates many of them.  And yes, I did go to those "Tent revivals" as a kid.  And I also realize that the preachers use many of the same tools that a stage hypnotist uses.
       
      So-called demon possession doesn't exist, except in one's beliefs.  I've actually recreated on stage some of the same occurrences that is used in those circumstances.  It's about thinking, not just believing. If you simply learn from just one source, then you're not really growing.  It's the same attitude in institutions of higher learning.  They get set in their own way of thinking.  I've seen this phenomenon whenever I'd go to APA conferences and talk with fellow PhD's.  Folks, it doesn't just occur in religion, it's all over. It's in businesses too!  Critical thinking about your personal beliefs is the solution.

    36. if you were speaking this in a live audience, i would totally be standing up and clapping at this, i have met a lot of people who uses god as an excuse to not to be healthy and prosperous, they claim is god's will for them to not to be rich or healthy and they will respect that, and that's one of many dangerous teachings that comes from catholicism, i know this because i used to be one before i jumped to atheism, and now, i have gotten rid of all their negative mind viruses thanks to extensive reading and searching
       
      thanks for this message Randy!

    37. if you were speaking this in a live audience, i would totally be standing up and clapping at this, i have met a lot of people who uses god as an excuse to not to be healthy and prosperous, they claim is god's will for them to not to be rich or healthy and they will respect that, and that's one of many dangerous teachings that comes from catholicism, i know this because i used to be one before i jumped to atheism, and now, i have gotten rid of all their negative mind viruses thanks to extensive reading and searching
       
      thanks for this message Randy!

    38. @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage Yeah, you're right.    I stay because I love Randy, and I keep thinking his messages help.  But, mostly I just get hurt.  I was actually trying to leave, by just reading and not posting, but that didn't really work.

    39. @Annieb  @EternalFreedom  @Randy_Gage
       I really think you need  a good psychologist. That will work for you. I say this not to attack you, but i just want the best for you.

    40. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage Have you consider to study Emotional Freedom Techniques before? it might come in handy!
      As well, you could explore more about victimhood, when you open yourself to self development, you also have to be open to use all kind of tools and consider all possibilities available to go on your journey

    41. Is there white smoke coming from Randy's chimney indicating a forthcoming announcement of his take on the new Pope?

    42. Is there white smoke coming from Randy's chimney indicating a forthcoming announcement of his take on the new Pope?

    43. There is nothing wrong with faith, faith in God in ourselves, so far I know Jesus tought about love, love for your fellow men, for your brother, tought about being merceyful, tought about being fair, tought about not being afraid to do what it is wright to do even if your life is committed into giving it for a friend,  or for anybody that can't stand for defending it  by own means! if you are free of guilt throw the first stone! he also said to be responsible in governmental affairs, give Caesar what beolngs to Caesar and God what belongs to God! There is nothing wrong about being rich, it is greed what's wrong, greedy attitude starting with ourselves is the one fact that makes us poor in the very first place, the single idea about turning rich questions the fact if we are going to be brave enough to ACCEPTI IT FIRST and then share it with those that have not the same fortunate condition!! there is nothing wrong with sex, it is promiscuos conduct that's wrong, that conduct is responsible for many diseases, you wouldn't have to use a condom if you wouldn't act like a hungry sex monkey , and try to have sex with everything that moves... (or not)!!! RESPONABILITY FOR RESPECTING NATURE AND THE LAWS OF NATURE, not viceversa, what is wrong with that!!! So it is very easy to blame it all on the ROMAN Church, in fact it is a Church made out of human beings,  as any other that exists, the Church indeed makes mistakes, it is a falible human church trying to follow higher aspirations and is trying to redeme its faults and misconducts also!
       
      That supreme universal force that you like to talk about, has only a name and you know it!

    44. There is nothing wrong with faith, faith in God in ourselves, so far I know Jesus tought about love, love for your fellow men, for your brother, tought about being merceyful, tought about being fair, tought about not being afraid to do what it is wright to do even if your life is committed into giving it for a friend,  or for anybody that can't stand for defending it  by own means! if you are free of guilt throw the first stone! he also said to be responsible in governmental affairs, give Caesar what beolngs to Caesar and God what belongs to God! There is nothing wrong about being rich, it is greed what's wrong, greedy attitude starting with ourselves is the one fact that makes us poor in the very first place, the single idea about turning rich questions the fact if we are going to be brave enough to ACCEPTI IT FIRST and then share it with those that have not the same fortunate condition!! there is nothing wrong with sex, it is promiscuos conduct that's wrong, that conduct is responsible for many diseases, you wouldn't have to use a condom if you wouldn't act like a hungry sex monkey , and try to have sex with everything that moves... (or not)!!! RESPONABILITY FOR RESPECTING NATURE AND THE LAWS OF NATURE, not viceversa, what is wrong with that!!! So it is very easy to blame it all on the ROMAN Church, in fact it is a Church made out of human beings,  as any other that exists, the Church indeed makes mistakes, it is a falible human church trying to follow higher aspirations and is trying to redeme its faults and misconducts also!
       
      That supreme universal force that you like to talk about, has only a name and you know it!

    45. As in most everything it is the desire of humans to manipulate other humans and get the masses to accept their impoverished lot without rebellion - with the promise (hope) of eternal salvation.  The basic morals taught in every religion set standards to which we should all aspire.  Unfortunately, in their constant striving for power, their greed consigns those most deserving to eternal poverty.  A billion pennies into the offatory each week adds up to a lot of money - extracted mainly from the poverty of the believers.

    46. As in most everything it is the desire of humans to manipulate other humans and get the masses to accept their impoverished lot without rebellion - with the promise (hope) of eternal salvation.  The basic morals taught in every religion set standards to which we should all aspire.  Unfortunately, in their constant striving for power, their greed consigns those most deserving to eternal poverty.  A billion pennies into the offatory each week adds up to a lot of money - extracted mainly from the poverty of the believers.

    47. by the way, in every religion cult or whatever  existing organization out there in the world includes stupid jackasses among them who try to teach important things  in the very own way their tiny comprehention allows them to understand it, so in sum, we can say that  a dove dosen't make spring, such as a single stupid guy makes a church or any organization!

    48. by the way, in every religion cult or whatever  existing organization out there in the world includes stupid jackasses among them who try to teach important things  in the very own way their tiny comprehention allows them to understand it, so in sum, we can say that  a dove dosen't make spring, such as a single stupid guy makes a church or any organization!

    49. "Of course a rational person in control of their mental faculties couldn’t believe any of these things.  But of course that leaves us almost four or five billion others who are irrational...."
       
      I don't think those people are really irrational, Randy. They're just lazy. Or scared. Or defeated. They're desperate to find meaning in life, and they either don't want to go through all the work of figuring it out for themselves, or they don't trust their own ability to think it through. So they turn to whoever has the best claim (in their eyes) to have "the answer", and they blindly follow those teachings and hope for the best. Granted, it's a sad way to go through life; but labeling them as "irrational" is selling them short. Their problem is often rooted in a lack of self-esteem, not a lack of rationality.

    50. "Of course a rational person in control of their mental faculties couldn’t believe any of these things.  But of course that leaves us almost four or five billion others who are irrational...."
       
      I don't think those people are really irrational, Randy. They're just lazy. Or scared. Or defeated. They're desperate to find meaning in life, and they either don't want to go through all the work of figuring it out for themselves, or they don't trust their own ability to think it through. So they turn to whoever has the best claim (in their eyes) to have "the answer", and they blindly follow those teachings and hope for the best. Granted, it's a sad way to go through life; but labeling them as "irrational" is selling them short. Their problem is often rooted in a lack of self-esteem, not a lack of rationality.

        1. @Tim_Berry Hey, I've been told I'm going to hell too... I guess since I don't have a concept of that... No experience, unless you count combat... And yes, I've read Dante's Inferno (the current concept of Hell)... And sulfur?  Hmmmm, it must be all the garlic I've eaten lately... LOL!!!

    51. religions has been created as first to enhance people's lives, and to manage their day by day activities. However; humans messed things up, same as everything. since we are not perfect, and have different perspectives.. some people used religions to improve their lives, and others used religions to control other people.
       
      religions are not the conflict, the conflict lies within people. you might read a book and see it as a useless thing, and your friend might find a real value in it. its a same concept, related to each one of us.. call it culture, call it environment, call it behavior and attitude. 
       
      your blog might be little harsh for some people. and that's the essence of PROSPERITY. we can't live in a world where everyone agree with us on our ideas and thoughts. being competed by other philosophies is the main reason to grow. 
       
      PEACE TO ALL ... LIVE RICH (Y)

    52. religions has been created as first to enhance people's lives, and to manage their day by day activities. However; humans messed things up, same as everything. since we are not perfect, and have different perspectives.. some people used religions to improve their lives, and others used religions to control other people.
       
      religions are not the conflict, the conflict lies within people. you might read a book and see it as a useless thing, and your friend might find a real value in it. its a same concept, related to each one of us.. call it culture, call it environment, call it behavior and attitude. 
       
      your blog might be little harsh for some people. and that's the essence of PROSPERITY. we can't live in a world where everyone agree with us on our ideas and thoughts. being competed by other philosophies is the main reason to grow. 
       
      PEACE TO ALL ... LIVE RICH (Y)

    53. Loved this part and thanks for adding this: "Even now, another generation of kids in church Sunday Schools and private Christian schools are getting infected with self-loathing, guilt, and worthiness issues, as the church marches on. More Gay teens will take their lives, believing they have been forsaken by their God. " ~Randy Gage

    54. Loved this part and thanks for adding this: "Even now, another generation of kids in church Sunday Schools and private Christian schools are getting infected with self-loathing, guilt, and worthiness issues, as the church marches on. More Gay teens will take their lives, believing they have been forsaken by their God. " ~Randy Gage

    55. @Annieb Annie, you have no connection with reality here.  For that reason I will attempt to point out where you have lost touch with rational thought and will not respond any longer. 
       
      I wrote a post which is ten pages long in a word document about the negative effects of mind control cults and organized religion.  Did you want to debate the accuracy of the virgin birth, whether the Vatican bank was really money laundering, how the Muslims treat women, Christians and Jews, how children get programmed with beliefs when they are young, what kind of mind control techniques are being practiced?  No, you didn't want to discuss a single idea or issue from the post.  Your whole comment was accusations or insults about me or other readers. 
       
      Go back and read what you wrote.  There's no Communist conspiracy here.  No one edited your remarks.  Come back to reality and look at what you comments: 
      "Randy, you still have a lot to learn.."  "This blog site and your followers are a cult."  "you don't practice what you preach."  "RAndy, because your mind is shut as tight as the Fundamentalists I know."   "You say you like debate, but you don't"  "YOUR mind is closed like a vault in a bank."  "YOU teach your followers to be abusive to others..."  "YOU want me to be like..."  "you are to me, the very definition of a "FALSE PROPHET"."
       
      There is not a single sentence in your comment about the ideas or issues the rest of us were discussing.  This is not a rational person discussing ideas.  It appears to be a petulant child, but probably is someone with some serious emotional issues personalizing and attacking because of their fears.  As I told you above, you simply don't have the emotional maturity  to discuss the IDEAS in any post, instead of personalizing it and attacking the messenger.
       
      Now you go even further in your response, fabricating false accusations such as I called you a "crazy idiot."  I can certainly understand how you may feel that shoe fits you, but that is your own assumption; it certainly wasn't a statement I made. 
       
      This blog community is not really right for you at this point in time.  You will save yourself a lot of anxiety if you read something else each day.  I wish you all the best.
       
      -RG

    56. @Tim_Berry Hey, I've been told I'm going to hell too... I guess since I don't have a concept of that... No experience, unless you count combat... And yes, I've read Dante's Inferno (the current concept of Hell)... And sulfur?  Hmmmm, it must be all the garlic I've eaten lately... LOL!!!

    57. I always appreciate your depth of research on the topics you write about. Thank you for that.  My question is, where does faith come into the equation of religion? And, what is the balance in critical thinking and faith.

      1. @Lisa Jimenez  Hi Lisa, good questions.  Faith falls along the same lines as belief.  Religion needs its followers to believe, without question, that what it says is the truth.  Some religions go insane in this regard.  And even misinterprets the original meaning from its doctrines.  As each generation that passes as well as societies, different interpretations come forth.  Remember, when the New Testament was created, it was based on stories passed down through the years.  Think of it this way, we have stories of our founding fathers and because of different viewpoints, we also have different stories.  People simply have faith that those stories are true.  Hollywood has gone even further in telling stories.  Each writer will create his or her interpretation.  And people will believe it, even if facts don't support it.
         
        Faith in each religion helps to keep the people there.  Yet, in each sect there are different interpretations of the story.  One religious leader will tell a story to emphasize a point.  Even though it could be taken out of context of the whole story.  And it is those stories that bind.  Emotions are key to the binding... To drive faith...
         
        Faith is good if you believe in yourself, your abilities and your dreams.  If it takes the belief of God to help, then its positive.  If you're told that God wants you to be poor, then that is not good.  It is control.
         
        Critical thinking can be part of faith.  When I say that, I mean thinking critically when we get ideas that helps to support our dreams, goals... I agree with Randy in that parts of the Old Testament is excellent in helping with that.  A lot of the premise of Solomon's Proverbs in which the gaining of wisdom is important.  In my own interpretation, that means to gain knowledge from many sources and apply it into your own life, as long as it's not done for evil purposes.  Others may read a different interpretation.
         
        Critical thinking helps to bring in facts when faith creates havoc.  I would say that the belief that "the meek shall inherit the earth" is a good application of critical thinking.  Also, the fire and brimstone that is used by contemporary bible-thumpers is another application of critical thinking.

    58. I always appreciate your depth of research on the topics you write about. Thank you for that.  My question is, where does faith come into the equation of religion? And, what is the balance in critical thinking and faith.

    59. @Lisa Jimenez  Hi Lisa, good questions.  Faith falls along the same lines as belief.  Religion needs its followers to believe, without question, that what it says is the truth.  Some religions go insane in this regard.  And even misinterprets the original meaning from its doctrines.  As each generation that passes as well as societies, different interpretations come forth.  Remember, when the New Testament was created, it was based on stories passed down through the years.  Think of it this way, we have stories of our founding fathers and because of different viewpoints, we also have different stories.  People simply have faith that those stories are true.  Hollywood has gone even further in telling stories.  Each writer will create his or her interpretation.  And people will believe it, even if facts don't support it.
       
      Faith in each religion helps to keep the people there.  Yet, in each sect there are different interpretations of the story.  One religious leader will tell a story to emphasize a point.  Even though it could be taken out of context of the whole story.  And it is those stories that bind.  Emotions are key to the binding... To drive faith...
       
      Faith is good if you believe in yourself, your abilities and your dreams.  If it takes the belief of God to help, then its positive.  If you're told that God wants you to be poor, then that is not good.  It is control.
       
      Critical thinking can be part of faith.  When I say that, I mean thinking critically when we get ideas that helps to support our dreams, goals... I agree with Randy in that parts of the Old Testament is excellent in helping with that.  A lot of the premise of Solomon's Proverbs in which the gaining of wisdom is important.  In my own interpretation, that means to gain knowledge from many sources and apply it into your own life, as long as it's not done for evil purposes.  Others may read a different interpretation.
       
      Critical thinking helps to bring in facts when faith creates havoc.  I would say that the belief that "the meek shall inherit the earth" is a good application of critical thinking.  Also, the fire and brimstone that is used by contemporary bible-thumpers is another application of critical thinking.

    60. Always love how you make me think Randy.
       
      A few thoughts:
       
      I think the main issue here is limiting beliefs that come from religion and not religion itself. I've grown up semi-religious but I've noticed most of my limiting beliefs come from friends, family and my martial arts training. I was always taught to be humble and I took that so far that I couldn't even take a compliment because I thought it wasn't being humble. 
       
      I've also been an avid fitness philosopher and I've noticed the idea of brainwashing and critical thinking get's thrown around a lot when it comes to diet and exercise beliefs.  It seems like everyone with a strongly held belief about how they stay in shape claim that their ideas are outside the box and go against the norm. That they are the critical thinkers and not like the foolish brainwashed masses who believe other wise. 
       
      I used to think that for a long time, only to learn that believing I was the correct, smart and critical thinker (and everyone else was foolish to believe otherwise) was an incredibly limiting belief. 
       
      I now realized that I clung to many of my ideas not because of the logic or the science but because I believed they made me smarter and higher up than the "masses."
       
      Of course the joke was on me because everyone who disagreed with me was thinking the same thing. 
       
      My new philosophy is that we think we are right for logical reasons but believe we are right for emotional ones. I think we adopt ideas because there is an emotional need to do so. Beliefs are like seeds that grow in the fertile soil of the mind that is not only open to receive them, but that idea is filling in an emotional vacuum that exists for one reason or another. 
       
      Anyway, I'm always glad to read your posts and wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks for always having the courage to share yours.

      1. @TheFitRebel Beliefs are never logical.Sometimes we use them as a way to explain the HOW and WHY of existence. Other times, we want comfort to protect us from the chaos that is life.Other times, we want  a reason to explain why our lives are horrible, and an excuse to not even try. 
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    61. Always love how you make me think Randy.
       
      A few thoughts:
       
      I think the main issue here is limiting beliefs that come from religion and not religion itself. I've grown up semi-religious but I've noticed most of my limiting beliefs come from friends, family and my martial arts training. I was always taught to be humble and I took that so far that I couldn't even take a compliment because I thought it wasn't being humble. 
       
      I've also been an avid fitness philosopher and I've noticed the idea of brainwashing and critical thinking get's thrown around a lot when it comes to diet and exercise beliefs.  It seems like everyone with a strongly held belief about how they stay in shape claim that their ideas are outside the box and go against the norm. That they are the critical thinkers and not like the foolish brainwashed masses who believe other wise. 
       
      I used to think that for a long time, only to learn that believing I was the correct, smart and critical thinker (and everyone else was foolish to believe otherwise) was an incredibly limiting belief. 
       
      I now realized that I clung to many of my ideas not because of the logic or the science but because I believed they made me smarter and higher up than the "masses."
       
      Of course the joke was on me because everyone who disagreed with me was thinking the same thing. 
       
      My new philosophy is that we think we are right for logical reasons but believe we are right for emotional ones. I think we adopt ideas because there is an emotional need to do so. Beliefs are like seeds that grow in the fertile soil of the mind that is not only open to receive them, but that idea is filling in an emotional vacuum that exists for one reason or another. 
       
      Anyway, I'm always glad to read your posts and wanted to share my thoughts. Thanks for always having the courage to share yours.

    62. I enjoy frank discussion. Have no time for political correctness. Speak your mind, stand for something or as my old friend Bill Britt would say you'll fall for anything.

    63. I enjoy frank discussion. Have no time for political correctness. Speak your mind, stand for something or as my old friend Bill Britt would say you'll fall for anything.

    64. I agree with what you have said about dogma and self sabotage because I have seen it happen to those who I am even close to...that has never been my issue. I had other issues to battle and thankfully religious dogma was not one of those.

    65. I agree with what you have said about dogma and self sabotage because I have seen it happen to those who I am even close to...that has never been my issue. I had other issues to battle and thankfully religious dogma was not one of those.

      1. @Michael Haley
        That's merely your opinion, Michael. Give yourself some credit. By attributing people's succes to their deity, it marginalizes the individual. This is precisely what the article is saying - stop demeaning humanity in favor of elevating deities. Humans are capable of amazing things - all on their own and without help from some invisible man in the sky (to quote George Carlin).

        1. @Michael Morning  @Michael Haley Hehehe... George Carlin was a funny guy and was right about a lot of things. But he was no authority on the things of God, that is for sure. 
           
          Michael, I know and appreciate you and your knowledge in health. I won't debate these other things much with you. It's pointless. I have experienced and know the truth. If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know what I mean.
           
          For me to admit I am weak but strong in Christ, if you knew the strength of Christ in your life compared to your own strength, you would have no problem letting Him be your strength and setting your own capability aside, however great your own capability happens to be. That doesn't demean you, but it does elevate Him, that is all. Being created in His image is an awesome thing - not something to demean.
           
          I have gone through most of my life under my own strength. I kicked butt. Then I learned the truth, leaned on Christ's strength, and truly amazing things are happening - the kind that I wasn't accomplishing with merely with my own extreme confidence.

          1. @MichaelHaley1  Hi, Michael. Thank you for the kind words, and also for the extensive health/nutritional/political information you post (I see you on Twitter several times per week). But with regard to the idea that god is somehow responsible for your success...you have no proof of this other than your belief that it's true. Any success you come by is due to your own efforts, not some being outside of you. To suggest otherwise, then you must also explain why other true believers are not successful. In other words, if a divine being is looking out for you and boosting your efforts, what makes you so special? What makes those other people less special, less deserving of divine assistance? Logically, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

          2. @Michael Morning , I too have followed much of your content. Your knowledge in nutrition and fitness is among the best of the best.
             
            Regarding this discussion, He certainly causes it to rain on the just and unjust. But that is not what I am necessarily talking about.
             
            There are things that happen unexplainable such as knowledge given ahead of time and things of the Spirit that when you follow them, you are doing the work of God. The Spirit is always right 100% of the time.
             
            The problem with many Christians is that the flesh wars against the Spirit and many follow the flesh. That doesn't mean that those that follow the Spirit won't have troubles. Everyone of us, (even Randy Cage), is going to continue to age and eventually the flesh will fail. It rains on the Godly and ungodly.
             
            Everyone here will have good and bad things happen in their lives. Those that follow the Spirit will just have more... that is more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
             
            My success, well, you might consider financial success as a measurement. But when I think of success, I don't consider money as the primary metric. What about things like impact on other people's lives, joy, relationships, and the likes of?

          3. @Michael Morning  You need to say more about your walk with God, and clearly demonstrate how he has helped you wither the storms of life in ways you never could have without him.

          4. @KyekiBainare <lol> None exist to describe. I don't for one moment believe there is a divine being looking out for me or for anyone else. That is the stuff of fairy tales and weak minds.

    66. Interesting article. I agree with a lot of what you say about religion causing a aqusition of wealth to be somehow bad mentality. However, this is more often due to the selective misinterpretation of the bible. This is due primarily to societys wealth hang up which they reflect on religion. Not the other way around. There are too many examples of Great men and women of God who where blessed with incredible wealth. (i.e. Job, Soloman, Lydia,  Abraham, etc) recorded in the Bible. As far as your personal political beliefs on abortion, homosexual rights etc. which you pontificate as fact, this has nothing to do whatsoever with wealth mentality. One does not have to be a Liberal or Libaritarian in order to understand and appreciate that  weath is not a bad thing. I would challenge you to consider and read the bible yourself without the interpretation or in many cases misinterpretation of organized religion which is by the way not always evil.

    67. Interesting article. I agree with a lot of what you say about religion causing a aqusition of wealth to be somehow bad mentality. However, this is more often due to the selective misinterpretation of the bible. This is due primarily to societys wealth hang up which they reflect on religion. Not the other way around. There are too many examples of Great men and women of God who where blessed with incredible wealth. (i.e. Job, Soloman, Lydia,  Abraham, etc) recorded in the Bible. As far as your personal political beliefs on abortion, homosexual rights etc. which you pontificate as fact, this has nothing to do whatsoever with wealth mentality. One does not have to be a Liberal or Libaritarian in order to understand and appreciate that  weath is not a bad thing. I would challenge you to consider and read the bible yourself without the interpretation or in many cases misinterpretation of organized religion which is by the way not always evil.

    68. I find this intellectually vapid.  Your indictment of bad religion is not an indictment of religion.  You have set up a straw horse and knocked him down.  I suspect you simply wrote this polemic to stir the pot.  I find that demeaning both for you and the folks who are interested in your ideas.

      1. @haroldgardner These "ideas" you say I and others believe are the foundation of the freedom you now enjoy which you use to bad mouth the very fabric which gave you freedom. As far as your sudden self righteous statement of demeaning to us folks I find it quite interesting since you condesendingly demean what is foundational to western civilization "ideas". You then say are demeaning to those who who believe it? Sir, Your statement is intellectually vapid and hypocritical.

      2. @haroldgardner
        Actually an indictment of "bad religion" is pretty much an indictment of all religion. Not a single religion is free of corruption or a history of persecution, bigotry, xenophobia, etc. So when seen through the lens of history, there really isn't any such thing as "good religion".

    69. I find this intellectually vapid.  Your indictment of bad religion is not an indictment of religion.  You have set up a straw horse and knocked him down.  I suspect you simply wrote this polemic to stir the pot.  I find that demeaning both for you and the folks who are interested in your ideas.

    70. I agree that at the childdhood stage a foundation of belief is built,yet with so many religious system to choose from its easy to say the heck with believing in anything.. but I will say this,I Believe in God the father and Holy spirit, and his wrath is evident on American soil.. because we were built(God bless america) with the founders proclaiming Him as Sovereign,.George Washington first inaugural speech  gave warning of turning away from God and his statues, on what was all then apart of the Hudson district of what is now ground zero(9/11). Hurrricane smashed right into New Yor((very unlikely))MOre destruction will come, unless there is repentance...JS

      1. @MANCEE3637 You Sir have the courage to tell the unpopular truth in which you will undoubtable be critisized for. God bless, stay strong serving the God of truth.

    71. I agree that at the childdhood stage a foundation of belief is built,yet with so many religious system to choose from its easy to say the heck with believing in anything.. but I will say this,I Believe in God the father and Holy spirit, and his wrath is evident on American soil.. because we were built(God bless america) with the founders proclaiming Him as Sovereign,.George Washington first inaugural speech  gave warning of turning away from God and his statues, on what was all then apart of the Hudson district of what is now ground zero(9/11). Hurrricane smashed right into New Yor((very unlikely))MOre destruction will come, unless there is repentance...JS

    72. @MANCEE3637 You Sir have the courage to tell the unpopular truth in which you will undoubtable be critisized for. God bless, stay strong serving the God of truth.

    73. I'm not going to talk long about religion because it can upset people all to easily. The only thing that people all over the world who live a long life have in common is they are religious. Hopefully we can turn this in to living a long time all together in peace. Balance is so important in life.

    74. I'm not going to talk long about religion because it can upset people all to easily. The only thing that people all over the world who live a long life have in common is they are religious. Hopefully we can turn this in to living a long time all together in peace. Balance is so important in life.

    75. I must admit I'm shocked! This kaleidoskope of ideas is misleading because one cannot see the wood from the trees! People where raised praising their faith not because they where meant to stay poor! They just have to learn empathy and compassion! Maybe someone which is very rich will consider answering here in order to have an appropiate view!

    76. I must admit I'm shocked! This kaleidoskope of ideas is misleading because one cannot see the wood from the trees! People where raised praising their faith not because they where meant to stay poor! They just have to learn empathy and compassion! Maybe someone which is very rich will consider answering here in order to have an appropiate view!

    77. I've always wondered whether people whom I subscribe to like to know when I am removing them from my newsfeed...  I am totally anti-religion, but brother you have made some large generalizations and have "thrown the baby out with the bath water".  I can see you have a very humanistic approach and understand your core beliefs from this post.  Live long and prosper.

    78. I've always wondered whether people whom I subscribe to like to know when I am removing them from my newsfeed...  I am totally anti-religion, but brother you have made some large generalizations and have "thrown the baby out with the bath water".  I can see you have a very humanistic approach and understand your core beliefs from this post.  Live long and prosper.

    79. @TheFitRebel Beliefs are never logical.Sometimes we use them as a way to explain the HOW and WHY of existence. Other times, we want comfort to protect us from the chaos that is life.Other times, we want  a reason to explain why our lives are horrible, and an excuse to not even try. 
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    80. A good one Randy. Nothing new to me, just agreeing and liking how you put things down. Now we have a new Pope, white smoke, from Argentina… He has got a hell of a lot of work to do, do I think he is up to his job? I hope so, I doubt it.

    81. A good one Randy. Nothing new to me, just agreeing and liking how you put things down. Now we have a new Pope, white smoke, from Argentina… He has got a hell of a lot of work to do, do I think he is up to his job? I hope so, I doubt it.

    82. @Annieb  @Randy_Gage 
      Annie, with all due respect to another RG follower/believer, I am not here to insult you, but I'v read all your posts & what i figured out is that you have low self-esteem & thats why you reply so aggressively. Once I used to be very much like you are now. i used to reply & defend myself with whatever words I cud sum up, so that 'the others' dont insult me. But slowly I learned to control it & now my blogs are even more famous then ever n so am I,
       
      As I learned to let the dogs bark, coz they love barking, but that dsnt mean we bcum them.
       
      Plz dont be defensive, it weakens one, instead take your opposers as a challenge to bcum better then them.
       
      Love,
      Another fellow human 🙂

    83. @haroldgardner These "ideas" you say I and others believe are the foundation of the freedom you now enjoy which you use to bad mouth the very fabric which gave you freedom. As far as your sudden self righteous statement of demeaning to us folks I find it quite interesting since you condesendingly demean what is foundational to western civilization "ideas". You then say are demeaning to those who who believe it? Sir, Your statement is intellectually vapid and hypocritical.

    84. Randy, i respect you as a successful leader of leaders and inspiring person, but to be candid, i disagree with you on this post. Just because you are a rational person does not mean you should ever facet of religion under the bus. What do you believe in? this world is not our final place, i hope you know that. we are just actors in the stage of life and when your performance is over, you leave the scene. Have you ever thought of Life after Death? did this world come by accident? what keeps the planets, solar system in check? have you thought about that. Is it rational thinking No. Now i KNOW there are some who use religion as a cloak to perpetrate their selfish means and use religious books as a crutch to brainwash people. But there are some people who have hinged their entire lives on this. Do not insult people's intelligence. Amen. I rest my case. Cheers

      1. @Jonathan Okanlawon
         It's only your opinion that anything exists beyond death. While I'd love to be wrong about this, it's an obvious fairy tale. Anyone buying into it is deluding themselves. So please don't insult MY intelligence by suggesting otherwise.Read my post above about religion being incompatible with personal freedom. Your questions of "why this" and "why that" don't require a supernatural answer. Simply throwing up your hands and saying "God is responsible" is caveman thinking.

    85. Randy, i respect you as a successful leader of leaders and inspiring person, but to be candid, i disagree with you on this post. Just because you are a rational person does not mean you should ever facet of religion under the bus. What do you believe in? this world is not our final place, i hope you know that. we are just actors in the stage of life and when your performance is over, you leave the scene. Have you ever thought of Life after Death? did this world come by accident? what keeps the planets, solar system in check? have you thought about that. Is it rational thinking No. Now i KNOW there are some who use religion as a cloak to perpetrate their selfish means and use religious books as a crutch to brainwash people. But there are some people who have hinged their entire lives on this. Do not insult people's intelligence. Amen. I rest my case. Cheers

    86. I was stop reading after 50 word , because i dont like to be brain washed , i dont like to read for pops and tv's show or else i do what i wont to do, NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHAT TO DO , eve you Randy !!!

    87. I was stop reading after 50 word , because i dont like to be brain washed , i dont like to read for pops and tv's show or else i do what i wont to do, NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHAT TO DO , eve you Randy !!!

    88. Randy, I'm a fellow atheist with lots to reflect about regarding the impact of religion, religious leaders, and religious ideas and ideals on people's lives - and I agree with many of your observations.
       
      Generally, though, I keep my thoughts to myself unless someone engages me in a conversation about these topics.
       
      There are many who have a deep faith and find that it serves them well.  There are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world.  My own personal opinion is that their philosophical base is deluded, but that's just my opinion, and again I'll leave them alone in this unless they wish to engage me in a conversation about these things.
       
      BTW, my primary degree is a Bachelor in Theology, with enough additional topics for nearly a theological degree twice over and very close to full ministerial training, as well as 15 years of extensive experience in full-time religious involvement.
       
      I have changed, but when I did I vowed I at least wouldn't change from being an evangelist for the faith to an evangelist for atheism.
       
      While I'm not at all suggesting that those of us who think differently should just keep our opinions completely to ourselves (after all, there are plenty of highly opinionated and vociferous exponents of religion), I do think that when we engaged in such topics, we need to do so with some carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs and opinions of others.

      1. @MarkReynolds
        I agree with much of what you're saying. However, as I get older, I find that the "live and let live" attitude (i.e. being "sensitive to the beliefs and opinions of others") has tended to allow the religious to have their way. Government and even the military are now fully engrossed in religion (at least to religious postering), and the rest of us have to contend with living by their irrational rules. Were Christianity left to its own whims, America would have a society every bit as repressive as the most fundamentalist Muslim nation.One thing to consider is this: religion and personal freedom are absolutely incompatible because, for the religious, the perceived wants and needs of their imaginary deity will always come before the wants and needs of the individual. For this reason and many more, for humanity to move forward, religion should be left in the dust of history. Just my opinion, of course.

        1. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Only problem with your theory of Christianity being repressive is that you are living in a nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles and as such has the hightest standard of living and standard of freedom in the world. Please read your history. Your issue, as well as Randy, who takes every excuse to bash and stereotype Christianity, is with God.  Money and wealth is great but in the end we all die. Consider the next life. Denial of it does not make it or God go away.

          1. @TonyPierre  I'm afraid you are mistaken. The U.S. was NOT founded on Christianity. Most of the founding fathers were deists, and wrote extensively on their dislike and distrust of the pope and organized religion in general. Christianity is NOT responsible for the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. (and let it be known, the U.S. is far more repressive than Europe, which is vastly more secular than the U.S.).

          2. @Michael Morning No sir, I am afraid you are mistaken.  The founding fathers, being Deists, is a myth that has been spread for awhile as of late.  Again, I say with respect, look at the history. 70% or more of the founding fathers were professing Christians, and a large percent of them were ministers and businessmen, or politicians..  It is the Bible that affirms man's dignity and worth We are made in the image of God.  Again, look carefully at the facts.  Whether you agree with Christianity or not, please be open minded enough to objectively examine the facts and not just recite the same worn out and unexamined myths created by renegade revisionitsts.

          3. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Yeah, with the death of habeas corpus, the Patriot Act, the NDAA, indefinite detention, and so on, "freedom" is an illusion here.

          4. @DigitalWheelie  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Try bashing religion in Saudi Arabia and if you live,  tell me how oppressive United States and Christianity is.

          5. @TonyPierre
            Actually, I have numerous letters and quotes from the Founding Fathers. They were, in fact, deists. Few were actual practicing Christians. And let's not forget, there is not a single mention of god in the entire Constitution. Our laws were based largely on the Magna Carta and British common law, not the bible.

          6. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning
             Tony- to say the founding fathers being Deists is a "myth" simply isn't true. There is MUCH debate over it.

          7. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds
             
            Tony. I don't know how on earth you could have derived from my post that I suggested that Christianity is repressive.
             
            I talked about how I only bring these topics up if someone else engages me in them, how many have a deep faith that serves them well, that there are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world, and that when we discuss these things we need to do so with carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs of others.
             
            As for your suggestion that I need to understand history, and that I live in a  nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles - you need to bear in mind that this is an international forum.  From the sounds of it I do not reside in the same country that you do.

        2. @Michael Morning
          I take the attitude that while we ought to be respectful of communities that we are not members of, but that we have the right to voice our opinion about the communities that we are members of.
           
          For example, I wouldn't have much to say about the culture of another country that is completely foreign to my own (bearing in mind that there are varying degrees of 'foreigness').  The exception to this would be regarding questions of human rights and international relations.
           
          On the other hand, by definition we have not only a right but in many ways a responsibility to discuss openly social issues in those communities and societies that we are members of.
           
          In that sense I agree with you, Michael.  When someone or some group in our own society initates a dialogue - and more importantly actions - that we disagree with and see danger in, we have every right to voice our own opinion.
           
          On the other hand, let's not tar all religious adherents with the same brush, any more than I would want someone to conclude that all atheists are alike.  There are degrees of rabidness, and in opposing some things let's not make the mistake of becoming in our approach like the very ones that we differ with.

    89. Randy, I'm a fellow atheist with lots to reflect about regarding the impact of religion, religious leaders, and religious ideas and ideals on people's lives - and I agree with many of your observations.
       
      Generally, though, I keep my thoughts to myself unless someone engages me in a conversation about these topics.
       
      There are many who have a deep faith and find that it serves them well.  There are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world.  My own personal opinion is that their philosophical base is deluded, but that's just my opinion, and again I'll leave them alone in this unless they wish to engage me in a conversation about these things.
       
      BTW, my primary degree is a Bachelor in Theology, with enough additional topics for nearly a theological degree twice over and very close to full ministerial training, as well as 15 years of extensive experience in full-time religious involvement.
       
      I have changed, but when I did I vowed I at least wouldn't change from being an evangelist for the faith to an evangelist for atheism.
       
      While I'm not at all suggesting that those of us who think differently should just keep our opinions completely to ourselves (after all, there are plenty of highly opinionated and vociferous exponents of religion), I do think that when we engaged in such topics, we need to do so with some carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs and opinions of others.

    90. Someone said to everyone that he is atheist  ,than someone else asked him:
      If you want to be atheist than you have to be sure that there isn't God at all,
      Did you search the God in any place, all over the universe and didn't find him?
      How you can be sure that God isn't exist?
      Tolstoy said that the" Religion  is like opium for the people",may  be he was right

    91. Someone said to everyone that he is atheist  ,than someone else asked him:
      If you want to be atheist than you have to be sure that there isn't God at all,
      Did you search the God in any place, all over the universe and didn't find him?
      How you can be sure that God isn't exist?
      Tolstoy said that the" Religion  is like opium for the people",may  be he was right

    92. It is interesting - I was struck by the thought of teaching us, or the Pope saying, that as Americans we are greedy and should give more.  I have always felt America is the opposite of that; we give TOO much, as a people and as a country. At least, we give inappropriately.  I am all for giving to those less fortunate - but with the intent of creating a situation in which they can become more fortunate; not to perpetuate their feeling of worthlessness.  What is that old saying?  'Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.'  What is the point in giving if you aren't solving the base problem.
       
       
      Anyway - I digress and really should get back to your post and give it the attention that it deserves. 🙂  I need to pass this on to my husband, he will thoroughly enjoy your point of view.

    93. It is interesting - I was struck by the thought of teaching us, or the Pope saying, that as Americans we are greedy and should give more.  I have always felt America is the opposite of that; we give TOO much, as a people and as a country. At least, we give inappropriately.  I am all for giving to those less fortunate - but with the intent of creating a situation in which they can become more fortunate; not to perpetuate their feeling of worthlessness.  What is that old saying?  'Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.'  What is the point in giving if you aren't solving the base problem.
       
       
      Anyway - I digress and really should get back to your post and give it the attention that it deserves. 🙂  I need to pass this on to my husband, he will thoroughly enjoy your point of view.

    94. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man. I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love.Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

    95. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man.
       
      I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including most of this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love. Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ, and I follow Him. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:
       
      “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

    96. Good job getting traffic. This would certainly do it. I read it as a critical thinker...did some serious inquiry into my beliefs...and I still follow Jesus and the Word. I believe religion is man's way of trying to get to God. And Christianity is all about God reaching man.
       
      I am a Christian. And while I don't agree with many things people do or say, including most of this post, I don't persecute. I strive to love like Jesus did. That's how I want to live. Yes, speak out against sin. Against hatred. Against things leading people to death. But always love. Jesus was either lying, He was crazy, or He was telling the truth. I don't believe He was lying or that He was crazy. I have no other choice than to believe that He is who He says He was, the Christ, and I follow Him. I do believe the Scriptures, completely. And I'll leave this comment with some of my favorite Scripture:
       
      “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:37-40

    97. Shame on you, Randy. I will pray for you, even though…..
      Oops, sorry about that. I am a recovering Catholic, but fell off the wagon there.
      It's either make a little joke, or continue to be angry about how religion got in the way of my faith.

    98. Shame on you, Randy. I will pray for you, even though…..
      Oops, sorry about that. I am a recovering Catholic, but fell off the wagon there.
      It's either make a little joke, or continue to be angry about how religion got in the way of my faith.

    99. After reading these quotes from the Koran, I really can't see any fault in blowing people up if they don't believe what you do. Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all.

    100. After reading these quotes from the Koran, I really can't see any fault in blowing people up if they don't believe what you do. Makes perfect sense to me. Doesn't seem unreasonable at all.

    101. I wonder with "whom" or "what" you clicked to write this post EXACTLY the same day the new pope was elected!?!?!
      I better don´t wonder 😉

      1. @Leeloo
         So i have to find out via randy's blog that there is a new pope. Sinds i don't follow the news ... o my god !

    102. I wonder with "whom" or "what" you clicked to write this post EXACTLY the same day the new pope was elected!?!?!
      I better don´t wonder 😉

    103. @MarkReynolds
      I agree with much of what you're saying. However, as I get older, I find that the "live and let live" attitude (i.e. being "sensitive to the beliefs and opinions of others") has tended to allow the religious to have their way. Government and even the military are now fully engrossed in religion (at least to religious postering), and the rest of us have to contend with living by their irrational rules. Were Christianity left to its own whims, America would have a society every bit as repressive as the most fundamentalist Muslim nation.One thing to consider is this: religion and personal freedom are absolutely incompatible because, for the religious, the perceived wants and needs of their imaginary deity will always come before the wants and needs of the individual. For this reason and many more, for humanity to move forward, religion should be left in the dust of history. Just my opinion, of course.

    104. @Jonathan Okanlawon
       It's only your opinion that anything exists beyond death. While I'd love to be wrong about this, it's an obvious fairy tale. Anyone buying into it is deluding themselves. So please don't insult MY intelligence by suggesting otherwise.Read my post above about religion being incompatible with personal freedom. Your questions of "why this" and "why that" don't require a supernatural answer. Simply throwing up your hands and saying "God is responsible" is caveman thinking.

    105. @haroldgardner
      Actually an indictment of "bad religion" is pretty much an indictment of all religion. Not a single religion is free of corruption or a history of persecution, bigotry, xenophobia, etc. So when seen through the lens of history, there really isn't any such thing as "good religion".

    106. Randy - I have read and re-read Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!  It was my first introduction to your work. I agree that organized religion is a great enabling power BUT as you relate in your first chapter People have to take responsibility for themselves as you took responsibility for you getting stabbed and for the mistakes at the hospital.

    107. Randy - I have read and re-read Why You’re Dumb, Sick & Broke, and How to get SMART, HEALTHY & RICH!  It was my first introduction to your work. I agree that organized religion is a great enabling power BUT as you relate in your first chapter People have to take responsibility for themselves as you took responsibility for you getting stabbed and for the mistakes at the hospital.

    108. @Michael Haley
      That's merely your opinion, Michael. Give yourself some credit. By attributing people's succes to their deity, it marginalizes the individual. This is precisely what the article is saying - stop demeaning humanity in favor of elevating deities. Humans are capable of amazing things - all on their own and without help from some invisible man in the sky (to quote George Carlin).

    109. Randy, you have done a lot but you can't be known everything. Concerning religious i will advice you to not say much about it.

    110. Randy, you have done a lot but you can't be known everything. Concerning religious i will advice you to not say much about it.

    111. @Michael Morning  @Michael Haley Hehehe... George Carlin was a funny guy and was right about a lot of things. But he was no authority on the things of God, that is for sure. 
       
      Michael, I know and appreciate you and your knowledge in health. I won't debate these other things much with you. It's pointless. I have experienced and know the truth. If you had seen the things I have seen, you would know what I mean.
       
      For me to admit I am weak but strong in Christ, if you knew the strength of Christ in your life compared to your own strength, you would have no problem letting Him be your strength and setting your own capability aside, however great your own capability happens to be. That doesn't demean you, but it does elevate Him, that is all. Being created in His image is an awesome thing - not something to demean.
       
      I have gone through most of my life under my own strength. I kicked butt. Then I learned the truth, leaned on Christ's strength, and truly amazing things are happening - the kind that I wasn't accomplishing with merely with my own extreme confidence.

    112. @MichaelHaley1  Hi, Michael. Thank you for the kind words, and also for the extensive health/nutritional/political information you post (I see you on Twitter several times per week). But with regard to the idea that god is somehow responsible for your success...you have no proof of this other than your belief that it's true. Any success you come by is due to your own efforts, not some being outside of you. To suggest otherwise, then you must also explain why other true believers are not successful. In other words, if a divine being is looking out for you and boosting your efforts, what makes you so special? What makes those other people less special, less deserving of divine assistance? Logically, it just doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

    113. @Leeloo
       So i have to find out via randy's blog that there is a new pope. Sinds i don't follow the news ... o my god !

    114. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Only problem with your theory of Christianity being repressive is that you are living in a nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles and as such has the hightest standard of living and standard of freedom in the world. Please read your history. Your issue, as well as Randy, who takes every excuse to bash and stereotype Christianity, is with God.  Money and wealth is great but in the end we all die. Consider the next life. Denial of it does not make it or God go away.

    115. @TonyPierre  I'm afraid you are mistaken. The U.S. was NOT founded on Christianity. Most of the founding fathers were deists, and wrote extensively on their dislike and distrust of the pope and organized religion in general. Christianity is NOT responsible for the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. (and let it be known, the U.S. is far more repressive than Europe, which is vastly more secular than the U.S.).

    116. Awesome.
       
      I just wish you mentioned how "the bible" that cling to (AKA The King James Bible) is a politically motivated translation. The Aramaic version is quite different...

        1. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie
          To be fair, Michael, the old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, although in approximately the 2nd century BC a translation was made into Greek.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  The translations into English and other languages were excellent endeavours, and needn't be brought into question.
           
          On the question of cherry picking, yes, you could question the judgements made long ago as to what writings were to be regarded as 'scripture' and what to be regarded as 'apocryphal'.
           
          But surely the language and even the history is not the primary issue at question here - rather it is one of what reasonable and logical meaning we can give to these writings, especially in the light of modern knowledge.

          1. @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie Mark -- yes, I should've been more clear that the new testament was written in Greek, disproving the authenticity of Jesus as a true, historical person. As for what "reasonable and logical meaning" we can give to these writings in light of modern knowledge, that's the easiest question of all: they are obvious storybooks, written by disparate people who themselves fabricated all the stories that were written, many of which (including the entire story of Jesus, his death and supposed rebirth) were borrowed from earlier legends. This is further apparent since there is absolutely no historical evidence for the existence of a historical figure we can point to as Jesus. In other words, the bible is fiction, which too many people have taken literally, to one extent or another.

          2. @MarkReynolds  @Michael Morning My point is that even if there was ever a bible dictated by God himself, the versions people now buy from amazon.com etc. are heavily edited/changed by man, and not due to "good intentions."

          3. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie
             It doesn't matter in who you believe,to whom you pray,to what religion you belong.As the myth says,especially in the movie "the secret is like this
            "
            the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help that never otherwise would have occurred...'- Goethe

        2. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie I was always wondering about the meeting where was decided what books (gospels, epistoles) belong to the Bible and what not. Afterall it was a catholic meeting and where catholic leaders compiled the "Holy writings" and I can't stop wondering why protestants don't protest over that. Because if they accept catholic authority in putting the Bible together, it has a long range of other implications.

    117. Awesome.
       
      I just wish you mentioned how "the bible" that cling to (AKA The King James Bible) is a politically motivated translation. The Aramaic version is quite different...

    118. @Michael Morning No sir, I am afraid you are mistaken.  The founding fathers, being Deists, is a myth that has been spread for awhile as of late.  Again, I say with respect, look at the history. 70% or more of the founding fathers were professing Christians, and a large percent of them were ministers and businessmen, or politicians..  It is the Bible that affirms man's dignity and worth We are made in the image of God.  Again, look carefully at the facts.  Whether you agree with Christianity or not, please be open minded enough to objectively examine the facts and not just recite the same worn out and unexamined myths created by renegade revisionitsts.

    119. I think the Bible was meant for encouragement & guidance... to be grateful, loving & forgiving... to be joyful...
       
      But the fruit of the Spirit is:
      love,
      peace,
      forbearance,
      kindness,
      goodness,
      faithfulness,
      gentleness
      self-control.
      Against such things there is no law. “ Galatians 5:22-23

    120. Question to all: How has the story of your life and those that came before you led to where you're at now?  That includes your beliefs, values and so forth... 
       
      More questions: Do you live the kind of life you want?  Or are you still struggling with it?  
       
      Remember, your beliefs do have an affect on everything you do.  If you haven't gotten to where you want to get to, it's your beliefs that led you to where you are at now.  If you are poor, then it is your beliefs that created it.  If you are rich, same thing.  If you are healthy and fit, beliefs...  And in every other area of your life.  Beliefs even enable you to deal with challenges, including resiliency...
       
      Are your beliefs serving you at the highest and best way possible?

    121. Question to all: How has the story of your life and those that came before you led to where you're at now?  That includes your beliefs, values and so forth... 
       
      More questions: Do you live the kind of life you want?  Or are you still struggling with it?  
       
      Remember, your beliefs do have an affect on everything you do.  If you haven't gotten to where you want to get to, it's your beliefs that led you to where you are at now.  If you are poor, then it is your beliefs that created it.  If you are rich, same thing.  If you are healthy and fit, beliefs...  And in every other area of your life.  Beliefs even enable you to deal with challenges, including resiliency...
       
      Are your beliefs serving you at the highest and best way possible?

    122. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Yeah, with the death of habeas corpus, the Patriot Act, the NDAA, indefinite detention, and so on, "freedom" is an illusion here.

    123. @DigitalWheelie  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds Try bashing religion in Saudi Arabia and if you live,  tell me how oppressive United States and Christianity is.

    124. @Michael Morning , I too have followed much of your content. Your knowledge in nutrition and fitness is among the best of the best.
       
      Regarding this discussion, He certainly causes it to rain on the just and unjust. But that is not what I am necessarily talking about.
       
      There are things that happen unexplainable such as knowledge given ahead of time and things of the Spirit that when you follow them, you are doing the work of God. The Spirit is always right 100% of the time.
       
      The problem with many Christians is that the flesh wars against the Spirit and many follow the flesh. That doesn't mean that those that follow the Spirit won't have troubles. Everyone of us, (even Randy Cage), is going to continue to age and eventually the flesh will fail. It rains on the Godly and ungodly.
       
      Everyone here will have good and bad things happen in their lives. Those that follow the Spirit will just have more... that is more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.
       
      My success, well, you might consider financial success as a measurement. But when I think of success, I don't consider money as the primary metric. What about things like impact on other people's lives, joy, relationships, and the likes of?

    125. I agree and now that I have really opened my mind to the religion topic, I am aware of all the memes I was raised with. Thanks for sharing this true and will surely end up on a very interesting controversy. Thanks for talking about this topic. You rock!!
      I have my faith and faith on the creator who wants me to be prosperous, happy, worthy and that is what I say to my daugther everytime she says that she wants to be "a god servant" by praying and following the 10 Commandments. I say the best way to serve God is to do good, be wealthy, be prosperous and help others to do the same.

    126. I agree and now that I have really opened my mind to the religion topic, I am aware of all the memes I was raised with. Thanks for sharing this true and will surely end up on a very interesting controversy. Thanks for talking about this topic. You rock!!
      I have my faith and faith on the creator who wants me to be prosperous, happy, worthy and that is what I say to my daugther everytime she says that she wants to be "a god servant" by praying and following the 10 Commandments. I say the best way to serve God is to do good, be wealthy, be prosperous and help others to do the same.

    127. Randy,  Your fixation on material gains is sad.  The vast majority of people, certainly by the time they reaching your age, have realized there are higher purposes, higher callings in life,  than just material gains.  Perhaps, deep down, you realize that you "missed the bus", failed to "make the cut", yet your ego blocks you from dealing and solving the issue like a full man so you strike out at virtually any and all other beliefs or purposes beyond just money.  You seem much like the skinny grade school kid who has to continually make fun of the fat kid, poor kid, disabled kid, to compensate for a lack of self value or worth...All the time failing to realize you have a big booger hanging from your nose and its you that everyone is laughing at, feels sorry for, but certainly won't forget becasue of it.
      Take care

    128. Randy,  Your fixation on material gains is sad.  The vast majority of people, certainly by the time they reaching your age, have realized there are higher purposes, higher callings in life,  than just material gains.  Perhaps, deep down, you realize that you "missed the bus", failed to "make the cut", yet your ego blocks you from dealing and solving the issue like a full man so you strike out at virtually any and all other beliefs or purposes beyond just money.  You seem much like the skinny grade school kid who has to continually make fun of the fat kid, poor kid, disabled kid, to compensate for a lack of self value or worth...All the time failing to realize you have a big booger hanging from your nose and its you that everyone is laughing at, feels sorry for, but certainly won't forget becasue of it.
      Take care

    129. @TonyPierre
      Actually, I have numerous letters and quotes from the Founding Fathers. They were, in fact, deists. Few were actual practicing Christians. And let's not forget, there is not a single mention of god in the entire Constitution. Our laws were based largely on the Magna Carta and British common law, not the bible.

    130. I'm a preacher's kid, so I was always on my way to hell! People have misinterpreted things and taken them to the extreme! I thank God, I'm free of that. I encourage each person to read their own religious book - whether the Bible or Koran to see what it says FOR YOURSELF, instead of just listening to the crap being said from the pulpit.

      1. @lusundraeverett That's so true! And anyone who actually reads the bible with an open mind will quickly recognize the many inconsistencies, untruths, historical misinformation and outright contradictions for themselves. No need to listen to clergy OR an atheist...simply read it for yourself. Then notice that there is no support for any of it within the historical record. It's all there to be seen without having to take anyone's word for it.

    131. I'm a preacher's kid, so I was always on my way to hell! People have misinterpreted things and taken them to the extreme! I thank God, I'm free of that. I encourage each person to read their own religious book - whether the Bible or Koran to see what it says FOR YOURSELF, instead of just listening to the crap being said from the pulpit.

    132. Each and every one believes in what they choose to believe in...letting your beliefs stand in the way of rational thinking is hmmm not very ok...but to sound as if there is no God is what I find totally absurd...I am a Christian, totally believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ...but as the Bible clearly spells it out, work out your own salvation...Phil 2:12...so at the end of the day, it is YOU, Yourself and YOU...

    133. Each and every one believes in what they choose to believe in...letting your beliefs stand in the way of rational thinking is hmmm not very ok...but to sound as if there is no God is what I find totally absurd...I am a Christian, totally believe in and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ...but as the Bible clearly spells it out, work out your own salvation...Phil 2:12...so at the end of the day, it is YOU, Yourself and YOU...

    134. Religion is a subjective issue. It arouse a lot of controversy and hate when discussed in an environment like this, Randy. For the sake of your better than good sense of professionalism, kindly desist from posting religious articles on your most sought after blog and page. I pray you get this admonition.

    135. Religion is a subjective issue. It arouse a lot of controversy and hate when discussed in an environment like this, Randy. For the sake of your better than good sense of professionalism, kindly desist from posting religious articles on your most sought after blog and page. I pray you get this admonition.

    136. @lusundraeverett That's so true! And anyone who actually reads the bible with an open mind will quickly recognize the many inconsistencies, untruths, historical misinformation and outright contradictions for themselves. No need to listen to clergy OR an atheist...simply read it for yourself. Then notice that there is no support for any of it within the historical record. It's all there to be seen without having to take anyone's word for it.

    137. I'm with you 100% about the dangers of religion. . . Especially about not persecuting those that don't share yours. And about opening the tent for all; that we're all equal. Unfortunately, you cheapen this by joking that you could be a polygamist Mormon.

    138. I'm with you 100% about the dangers of religion. . . Especially about not persecuting those that don't share yours. And about opening the tent for all; that we're all equal. Unfortunately, you cheapen this by joking that you could be a polygamist Mormon.

    139. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning
       Tony- to say the founding fathers being Deists is a "myth" simply isn't true. There is MUCH debate over it.

    140. In my personal view, the Catholic Church has played a huge roll in censoring what we are told. We are not getting the whole story and I for one do not believe in organized religion of any kind. There is a good reason why only 7% of all Americans are Catholic and the majority of that 7% is from immigrants from Latin America. We are free to think as we like and we are not fooled by religious leaders. Been there, done that, and will never go there again!

    141. In my personal view, the Catholic Church has played a huge roll in censoring what we are told. We are not getting the whole story and I for one do not believe in organized religion of any kind. There is a good reason why only 7% of all Americans are Catholic and the majority of that 7% is from immigrants from Latin America. We are free to think as we like and we are not fooled by religious leaders. Been there, done that, and will never go there again!

    142. Let's get back to the premise of what Randy had wrote about... And what he's always written about... The mindset... It's about the wealthy mindset versus the poverty mindset... You can argue all you want... Yet, without wealth, religions could not exist.  It takes money to build churches, right?  Where does that come from?  Not from the poor... 
       
      I don't really care about one person's belief versus another person.  My family is all over the place.  I have a sister who is a Mormon and previously she was a Catholic... My mother was a Buddhist turned Lutheran turned Baptist... I have another sister who is Pentecostal... My Japanese family are all Buddhists... My relatives in the Ozarks are Pentecostal... I have friends from all religions and beliefs...
       
      It is about how each believes.  My family in the Ozarks live very poorly and some have been on drugs.  They have one kind of attitude that doesn't suit me personally.  I have friends who do go to church and are wealthy...
       
      It is all about the attitude regarding money.  There are those that say money isn't everything and won't get you happiness.  That may be true, though it makes it easier to live and give better choices.  Additionally, having more wealth will enable you to better help others... Warren Buffett was once asked (as he was at the beginning stages of his wealth) to contribute to charities.. He refused, saying that he knew how to better use the money he had then the charities that asked for it.  And he certainly did.  Had he gave his money away, Berkshire Hathaway would never have existed.  And he finally was in a position to help a greater amount of people then earlier in his life...

    143. Let's get back to the premise of what Randy had wrote about... And what he's always written about... The mindset... It's about the wealthy mindset versus the poverty mindset... You can argue all you want... Yet, without wealth, religions could not exist.  It takes money to build churches, right?  Where does that come from?  Not from the poor... 
       
      I don't really care about one person's belief versus another person.  My family is all over the place.  I have a sister who is a Mormon and previously she was a Catholic... My mother was a Buddhist turned Lutheran turned Baptist... I have another sister who is Pentecostal... My Japanese family are all Buddhists... My relatives in the Ozarks are Pentecostal... I have friends from all religions and beliefs...
       
      It is about how each believes.  My family in the Ozarks live very poorly and some have been on drugs.  They have one kind of attitude that doesn't suit me personally.  I have friends who do go to church and are wealthy...
       
      It is all about the attitude regarding money.  There are those that say money isn't everything and won't get you happiness.  That may be true, though it makes it easier to live and give better choices.  Additionally, having more wealth will enable you to better help others... Warren Buffett was once asked (as he was at the beginning stages of his wealth) to contribute to charities.. He refused, saying that he knew how to better use the money he had then the charities that asked for it.  And he certainly did.  Had he gave his money away, Berkshire Hathaway would never have existed.  And he finally was in a position to help a greater amount of people then earlier in his life...

    144. @TonyPierre  @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds
       
      Tony. I don't know how on earth you could have derived from my post that I suggested that Christianity is repressive.
       
      I talked about how I only bring these topics up if someone else engages me in them, how many have a deep faith that serves them well, that there are many religious organisations who do a lot of good in this world, and that when we discuss these things we need to do so with carefulness and sensitivity to the beliefs of others.
       
      As for your suggestion that I need to understand history, and that I live in a  nation whose foundation was based on Judeo/Christian principles - you need to bear in mind that this is an international forum.  From the sounds of it I do not reside in the same country that you do.

    145. @Michael Morning
      I take the attitude that while we ought to be respectful of communities that we are not members of, but that we have the right to voice our opinion about the communities that we are members of.
       
      For example, I wouldn't have much to say about the culture of another country that is completely foreign to my own (bearing in mind that there are varying degrees of 'foreigness').  The exception to this would be regarding questions of human rights and international relations.
       
      On the other hand, by definition we have not only a right but in many ways a responsibility to discuss openly social issues in those communities and societies that we are members of.
       
      In that sense I agree with you, Michael.  When someone or some group in our own society initates a dialogue - and more importantly actions - that we disagree with and see danger in, we have every right to voice our own opinion.
       
      On the other hand, let's not tar all religious adherents with the same brush, any more than I would want someone to conclude that all atheists are alike.  There are degrees of rabidness, and in opposing some things let's not make the mistake of becoming in our approach like the very ones that we differ with.

    146. Randy---
                  I love and respect your work and have benefited tremendously from it and from a Prosperity mindset, which I largely cultivated based on your teachings. But I have to say I was dismayed by this post which, frankly, comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
                  Let me explain:
                  I myself was born, raised, and educated Roman Catholic, but in my last year of college I did my own bit of critical thinking and decided I could no longer remain a practicing Catholic. I just could not believe the “story” than “Man” is originally sinful and that God the Father, the all-knowing, all compassionate, all-wise,  all-powerful Creator of the Universe would have to send his “son” to endure a horrific self-sacrifice on the Cross to “redeem” sinful humanity. So I left.
                  That said, I did see an amazing amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church all over the world. Your assertion that “this cult has already brainwashed millions of followers, leaving behind a legacy of torture, child abuse, and death” is  totally DEVOID of the critical thinking you pride yourself on. Has the institutional Catholic Church and some of its members done bad stuff---certainly!  And for many centuries bad stuff has happened. But have you ever stopped long enough to consider how much GOOD the Catholic church has done?? Obviously not…
                  I was in a unique position to observe the GOOD. My late father was a close personal friend of John Paul II and also a close friend and associate to the heir of an  iconic American company  whose name anyone would recognize in an instant.  This man, while starting another business and investing a small portion of his fortune  to support himself and his family ended up going around the world for several decades donating the greater part of his fortune building villages, wells, schools, etc. for people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
                  I do think one thing he failed to do was have someone teach Prosperity Consciousness to these people. Still, when someone is living in a tin and cardboard shack, eating a single bowl of watery gruel on a good day, I imagine Prosperity Consciousness has to take a back seat to a real roof over their head and  a few garden tools and seeds.  Typically the man I refer to would buy building supplies for the people, so they could build their own villages, dig wells, etc.
                Because of this work my father was involved in,  our house during my young years saw a constant stream of Catholic priests and monks visiting and reporting on their activities.  Did any of them do bad things to kids? I’ll never know…But what I do know is that more than a few of them (mostly Europeans from “good families”)  donated their fortunes (some of them quite considerable)  and their time, and literally their sweat to building the aforementioned villages and wells.  They used their own money, and funds from the iconic heir. As a young college student, I was quite impressed because many of these priests were basically European bluebloods most of whom had quite profund intellectual attainments. It was evident to me that they could have enjoyed cushy professorial positions in nearly any Catholic university in the world.  Heck—maybe a few of them could have even become evil Cult leaders to leave behind more “torture, child abuse, and death.” And maybe you would say they were “self-loathing” and gave away their money because of guilt, but what I saw was intelligent and dedicated  men whose eyes and faces radiated with Spirit and who were on a mission.
                  Yes—the death, wars, dissolute popes, abuse, Inquisition all happened.  But there has been so much good as well. You see, as one of my teachers once told me “The vast majority of people are silently begging to be led.”
                  I think the truth of that statement is obvious and instantly observable. (Note the Cult of Obama…) Not everyone can even “get” Prosperity consciousness, much less the higher teachings of Catholicism.  And yes, there are some AMAZINGLY high teachings in Catholicism—mostly centered around Divine Love, unity with Divine Consciousness, etc. And some of these filter down to the people, and hopefully  that process with accelerate very soon. The world is ready.  But historically,  most people have wanted to be led, and so any “religion” has to provide a relatively simple framework of do’s and don’t’s   until people are ready to be their own teachers.  And some people never will be ready in this lifetime.
                  But all religions do have their higher levels for those who are ready…
                  Jesus Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”
                  Buddha:  “Be ye lamps unto yourselves.”
                  Lao Tze: “When you reach the state of  Creative Emptiness, you will see the Inner Mystery of things”
                  So, Randy, it’s not all about mind-control it’s about levels of teaching and who is ready for each level.
                  “Most of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic cult believe the Pope has mystical curing powers from God.  They believe a blessing from him will cure diseases and save lives.”
       I have NEVER heard that in all my 16 years of Catholic education. In the canonization process of any saint (and JP II) is in that process now, the Church looks for so called “miracles” or cures which supposedly can be attributed to that individual. But, to my knowledge, it has never been a Catholic belief  that the Pope is endowed with “mystical curing powers from God.” And let’s be honest, your comment about Ben XVI was pretty snarky.
                  “Meanwhile the Vatican continues missions in sub-Sahara Africa teaching the people in the remote villages there that condom use is a sin, condemning millions there to die of AIDS every year.  “   True, and sadly so, until recently, but Benedict XVI began to change all that; Still,  diehards and Neanderthals in the church continue to dig in their heels.
                  OK, I’ll end this epic rant now…notwithstanding the mind-control, and centuries of bad stuff perpetrated by the church, the Church has still patronized and been responsible for some of the most inspirational architecture, art, and music on the planet.
                  There is Yin and Yang, good and bad in everything, but real critical thinking would see both sides. Thanks for reading--all in the tone of "spirited debate."

      1. Maybe I am missing your point, but your statement  "amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church" deletes any other positive thing you may have contributed.
         It will always be the individual that expresses the recognition of oneness that is compassion and love owed to all. 
        Institutions hang on for the ride, hiding under the trappings of "authority' and control.

      2. PAULG -- I think you're leaving out one very critical aspect of the "good" you seem to feel the church has done: while the actions of members of the clergy may have inspired others, the church itself does very little actual good of its own accord. The Vatican, pope and cardinals horde an extraordinary amount of wealth (Vatican City is THE richest nation in the world, per capita) and they are as guilty of corruption as the many pedophile priests they oversee.</p><p>Further, the extent of wars, persecution, bigotry, genocide, etc. that the church has caused down through the centuries (and still causes today) does not even begin to be wiped away by the bit of charitable work the clergy performs.</p><p>And let's not forget, the church is hardly selfless. EVERYTHING the clergy does comes with strings attached - they spread the word of barbarism and supernaturalism into every corner of the globe, poisoning humanity at every mass and every Sunday school. Religion teaches that the perceived wants and needs of their deity is supreme, with the wants and needs of humanity a distant second. As I always say, for humanity to move forward, religion needs to be left in the dust of history.

      3. You have never heard that people believe a prayer or blessing from the Pope will heal them?  Seriously?  I do agree that the Catholic church (and many other religions) do many good charitable works.  That is part of the problem, because it makes the subliminal negative programming they do so much more effective. I've explored this deeper in the new post I put up today.
        -RG

    147. Randy---
                  I love and respect your work and have benefited tremendously from it and from a Prosperity mindset, which I largely cultivated based on your teachings. But I have to say I was dismayed by this post which, frankly, comes across as ignorant and arrogant.
                  Let me explain:
                  I myself was born, raised, and educated Roman Catholic, but in my last year of college I did my own bit of critical thinking and decided I could no longer remain a practicing Catholic. I just could not believe the “story” than “Man” is originally sinful and that God the Father, the all-knowing, all compassionate, all-wise,  all-powerful Creator of the Universe would have to send his “son” to endure a horrific self-sacrifice on the Cross to “redeem” sinful humanity. So I left.
                  That said, I did see an amazing amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church all over the world. Your assertion that “this cult has already brainwashed millions of followers, leaving behind a legacy of torture, child abuse, and death” is  totally DEVOID of the critical thinking you pride yourself on. Has the institutional Catholic Church and some of its members done bad stuff---certainly!  And for many centuries bad stuff has happened. But have you ever stopped long enough to consider how much GOOD the Catholic church has done?? Obviously not…
                  I was in a unique position to observe the GOOD. My late father was a close personal friend of John Paul II and also a close friend and associate to the heir of an  iconic American company  whose name anyone would recognize in an instant.  This man, while starting another business and investing a small portion of his fortune  to support himself and his family ended up going around the world for several decades donating the greater part of his fortune building villages, wells, schools, etc. for people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
                  I do think one thing he failed to do was have someone teach Prosperity Consciousness to these people. Still, when someone is living in a tin and cardboard shack, eating a single bowl of watery gruel on a good day, I imagine Prosperity Consciousness has to take a back seat to a real roof over their head and  a few garden tools and seeds.  Typically the man I refer to would buy building supplies for the people, so they could build their own villages, dig wells, etc.
                Because of this work my father was involved in,  our house during my young years saw a constant stream of Catholic priests and monks visiting and reporting on their activities.  Did any of them do bad things to kids? I’ll never know…But what I do know is that more than a few of them (mostly Europeans from “good families”)  donated their fortunes (some of them quite considerable)  and their time, and literally their sweat to building the aforementioned villages and wells.  They used their own money, and funds from the iconic heir. As a young college student, I was quite impressed because many of these priests were basically European bluebloods most of whom had quite profund intellectual attainments. It was evident to me that they could have enjoyed cushy professorial positions in nearly any Catholic university in the world.  Heck—maybe a few of them could have even become evil Cult leaders to leave behind more “torture, child abuse, and death.” And maybe you would say they were “self-loathing” and gave away their money because of guilt, but what I saw was intelligent and dedicated  men whose eyes and faces radiated with Spirit and who were on a mission.
                  Yes—the death, wars, dissolute popes, abuse, Inquisition all happened.  But there has been so much good as well. You see, as one of my teachers once told me “The vast majority of people are silently begging to be led.”
                  I think the truth of that statement is obvious and instantly observable. (Note the Cult of Obama…) Not everyone can even “get” Prosperity consciousness, much less the higher teachings of Catholicism.  And yes, there are some AMAZINGLY high teachings in Catholicism—mostly centered around Divine Love, unity with Divine Consciousness, etc. And some of these filter down to the people, and hopefully  that process with accelerate very soon. The world is ready.  But historically,  most people have wanted to be led, and so any “religion” has to provide a relatively simple framework of do’s and don’t’s   until people are ready to be their own teachers.  And some people never will be ready in this lifetime.
                  But all religions do have their higher levels for those who are ready…
                  Jesus Christ: “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you.”
                  Buddha:  “Be ye lamps unto yourselves.”
                  Lao Tze: “When you reach the state of  Creative Emptiness, you will see the Inner Mystery of things”
                  So, Randy, it’s not all about mind-control it’s about levels of teaching and who is ready for each level.
                  “Most of the 1.2 billion members of the Catholic cult believe the Pope has mystical curing powers from God.  They believe a blessing from him will cure diseases and save lives.”
       I have NEVER heard that in all my 16 years of Catholic education. In the canonization process of any saint (and JP II) is in that process now, the Church looks for so called “miracles” or cures which supposedly can be attributed to that individual. But, to my knowledge, it has never been a Catholic belief  that the Pope is endowed with “mystical curing powers from God.” And let’s be honest, your comment about Ben XVI was pretty snarky.
                  “Meanwhile the Vatican continues missions in sub-Sahara Africa teaching the people in the remote villages there that condom use is a sin, condemning millions there to die of AIDS every year.  “   True, and sadly so, until recently, but Benedict XVI began to change all that; Still,  diehards and Neanderthals in the church continue to dig in their heels.
                  OK, I’ll end this epic rant now…notwithstanding the mind-control, and centuries of bad stuff perpetrated by the church, the Church has still patronized and been responsible for some of the most inspirational architecture, art, and music on the planet.
                  There is Yin and Yang, good and bad in everything, but real critical thinking would see both sides. Thanks for reading--all in the tone of "spirited debate."

    148. Good post Randy. Don't expect to win a popularity contest with it though.
      The Pope has been elected and to add insult to injury it is a person that was involved with the Argentinian military responsible for over 30,000 death after days of torture. His pretences of spirituality are as bad as his Italian.
      I agree that all religion teach rich to be evil and poor to be virtuous, and that is the poison that keeps 95% of people poor or broke or both. 
      The 5% who succeed do so only because they have figured out that it is only by valuing abundance that one can be part of it and that scorning it will turn it away. 
      I have stopped listening to preachers who want to tell me how to live my life and assure me I have to stop working for "material things" yet extend their hand to grab the [dirty] money I have earned with wisdom and effort. 
      I am tired of schizophrenic messages that tell me I must resigne myself on Sunday yet have to work to pay the mortgage the rest of the week and that what I do from Monday to Saturday is wrong yet what they do on Sunday is right, yet they can only do that and live and eat and be housed all year around because of my unworthy dirty activities from monday to saturday.
       
      Religion in it's current form is poison for the mind. I don't know if there is a good religion. If there is I have yet to find it.

    149. Good post Randy. Don't expect to win a popularity contest with it though.
      The Pope has been elected and to add insult to injury it is a person that was involved with the Argentinian military responsible for over 30,000 death after days of torture. His pretences of spirituality are as bad as his Italian.
      I agree that all religion teach rich to be evil and poor to be virtuous, and that is the poison that keeps 95% of people poor or broke or both. 
      The 5% who succeed do so only because they have figured out that it is only by valuing abundance that one can be part of it and that scorning it will turn it away. 
      I have stopped listening to preachers who want to tell me how to live my life and assure me I have to stop working for "material things" yet extend their hand to grab the [dirty] money I have earned with wisdom and effort. 
      I am tired of schizophrenic messages that tell me I must resigne myself on Sunday yet have to work to pay the mortgage the rest of the week and that what I do from Monday to Saturday is wrong yet what they do on Sunday is right, yet they can only do that and live and eat and be housed all year around because of my unworthy dirty activities from monday to saturday.
       
      Religion in it's current form is poison for the mind. I don't know if there is a good religion. If there is I have yet to find it.

        1. @Randy_Gage  @RevampYourMind1 HI Randy,  Thanks for that, let me reply to you, the same you wrote to me once in a tweet,  "Good for you" ..

    150. @Michael Morning  You need to say more about your walk with God, and clearly demonstrate how he has helped you wither the storms of life in ways you never could have without him.

    151. Maybe I am missing your point, but your statement  "amount of GOOD done by the Catholic church" deletes any other positive thing you may have contributed.
       It will always be the individual that expresses the recognition of oneness that is compassion and love owed to all. 
      Institutions hang on for the ride, hiding under the trappings of "authority' and control.

    152. this post has many question that i want to ask and same many answer that i wanted to know . great post

    153. this post has many question that i want to ask and same many answer that i wanted to know . great post

    154. @KyekiBainare <lol> None exist to describe. I don't for one moment believe there is a divine being looking out for me or for anyone else. That is the stuff of fairy tales and weak minds.

    155. PAULG -- I think you're leaving out one very critical aspect of the "good" you seem to feel the church has done: while the actions of members of the clergy may have inspired others, the church itself does very little actual good of its own accord. The Vatican, pope and cardinals horde an extraordinary amount of wealth (Vatican City is THE richest nation in the world, per capita) and they are as guilty of corruption as the many pedophile priests they oversee.</p><p>Further, the extent of wars, persecution, bigotry, genocide, etc. that the church has caused down through the centuries (and still causes today) does not even begin to be wiped away by the bit of charitable work the clergy performs.</p><p>And let's not forget, the church is hardly selfless. EVERYTHING the clergy does comes with strings attached - they spread the word of barbarism and supernaturalism into every corner of the globe, poisoning humanity at every mass and every Sunday school. Religion teaches that the perceived wants and needs of their deity is supreme, with the wants and needs of humanity a distant second. As I always say, for humanity to move forward, religion needs to be left in the dust of history.

    156. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie
      To be fair, Michael, the old Testament was originally written in Hebrew, although in approximately the 2nd century BC a translation was made into Greek.  The New Testament was written in Greek.  The translations into English and other languages were excellent endeavours, and needn't be brought into question.
       
      On the question of cherry picking, yes, you could question the judgements made long ago as to what writings were to be regarded as 'scripture' and what to be regarded as 'apocryphal'.
       
      But surely the language and even the history is not the primary issue at question here - rather it is one of what reasonable and logical meaning we can give to these writings, especially in the light of modern knowledge.

    157. @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie Mark -- yes, I should've been more clear that the new testament was written in Greek, disproving the authenticity of Jesus as a true, historical person. As for what "reasonable and logical meaning" we can give to these writings in light of modern knowledge, that's the easiest question of all: they are obvious storybooks, written by disparate people who themselves fabricated all the stories that were written, many of which (including the entire story of Jesus, his death and supposed rebirth) were borrowed from earlier legends. This is further apparent since there is absolutely no historical evidence for the existence of a historical figure we can point to as Jesus. In other words, the bible is fiction, which too many people have taken literally, to one extent or another.

    158. @MarkReynolds  @Michael Morning My point is that even if there was ever a bible dictated by God himself, the versions people now buy from amazon.com etc. are heavily edited/changed by man, and not due to "good intentions."

    159. We get brainwashed to eat unhealthy foods, to buy more, to have the latest & greatest etc.... TV shows, commercials etc... we get bombarded with lack & unhealthy beliefs from birth.
       
      This programming can lead us to worship other things... money, food etc... making it the most important thing in our lives... or what we think about, worry about, or turn to when we feel alone, sad, depressed, etc.
       
      So I read, watch & listen to healthy stuff... food, money, spiritual...
      to reprogram & relearn... to renew my mind.

    160. You have never heard that people believe a prayer or blessing from the Pope will heal them?  Seriously?  I do agree that the Catholic church (and many other religions) do many good charitable works.  That is part of the problem, because it makes the subliminal negative programming they do so much more effective. I've explored this deeper in the new post I put up today.
      -RG

    161. Standing ovation! Brave, challenging, yet not offensive - and so true. I spent few years within the Christian nation and it is exactly as you describe it. Big words, promises for a distant future and miserable present time. When I tried to inspire Christian to use their mind/brain, I was banned, lol. So thick is the wall of ignorance.

    162. Standing ovation! Brave, challenging, yet not offensive - and so true. I spent few years within the Christian nation and it is exactly as you describe it. Big words, promises for a distant future and miserable present time. When I tried to inspire Christian to use their mind/brain, I was banned, lol. So thick is the wall of ignorance.

    163. My name is Will, I'm 15 years old, and I just recently subscribed to "Randy's Rants".
      I was questioning your blog's prosperity consciousness from the beginning. I mean why call it rants? It's such a negative word, and it implies you are irritatedly talking on and on about negative subjects. But then I read this post and was absolutely horrified because that's exactly what you are doing, ranting on and on about how evil organized religion is and how evil the pope is (or at least their teachings). This is not what I had hoped to read from you Mr. Gage. I was looking for occasional positive insights, your newest ideas, tricks, and prosperity breakthroughs. Talking about all the newest millionaires, great vacations your friends or yourself went on, even things as simple as your $1000 leather shoes which you flew in the Concord at supersonic speeds to get. Please improve the prosperity consciousness level of your writing.

      1. Dear Will, what are you suggesting? I guess you need to subscribe to some other source for the kind of information you want to be fed with. If you know who Randy is and what are his thinking patterns then why do you complain? I don't complain in florists that they don' sell milk.
        If you are only 15 you have a great opportunity to make your life great. Some people find this kind of liberating thoughts when they are too old and their lifes slipped through their fingers.
        Only one think is asked of you - don't be a blind "believer", do some critical thinking to make sure you don't waste your life.
        Regards!

      2. First Will, let me say how great it is to see someone with your consciousness and maturity at 15.  Very impressive.  I hear what you are saying:  I wish I could just put out positive affirmations, teach wealth building techniques, and showcase what a prosperous life looks like and it would work for people.  But I've been doing that for 20 years and what it has shown me is that those things help people develop prosperity consciousness on the conscious level.  The most frustrating part of my work - is then seeing them sabotage that desire, because of worthiness issues they have on the subconscious level.  And by far the single biggest cause of that, is the negative programming they developed worshiping Sky God superstitions.
        -RG

        1. @Randy_Gage Ok, so I'm still a little confused. Why is it ok to talk about prosperity principles in your books and tapes but not on your blog? How is it better to talk about the dangers of blindly believing in organized religion rather than prosperity topics? Perhaps if the problem is believing in our own worthiness that might be a good thing to talk about. I think from a logical standpoint it would be better to talk directly about what is sabotaging our prosperity rather than "ranting" about The Pope.
          P.S. Thanks for taking me seriously.

          1. Of course it is okay to talk about prosperity principles on my blog.  I do it about 150 times a year myself. 
             
            I am talking about worthiness issues as the problem.  And organized religion as a cause of that problem.  And also from government as I have mentioned in other posts. (That is the main point of these posts.)   On Monday I'll be doing another post on how people develop worthiness issues from their family of origin and other situations.  I'm not ranting about the Pope for recreation.  There's a very important lesson in inoculating yourself against mind control viruses in these posts.
            -RG

    164. My name is Will, I'm 15 years old, and I just recently subscribed to "Randy's Rants".
      I was questioning your blog's prosperity consciousness from the beginning. I mean why call it rants? It's such a negative word, and it implies you are irritatedly talking on and on about negative subjects. But then I read this post and was absolutely horrified because that's exactly what you are doing, ranting on and on about how evil organized religion is and how evil the pope is (or at least their teachings). This is not what I had hoped to read from you Mr. Gage. I was looking for occasional positive insights, your newest ideas, tricks, and prosperity breakthroughs. Talking about all the newest millionaires, great vacations your friends or yourself went on, even things as simple as your $1000 leather shoes which you flew in the Concord at supersonic speeds to get. Please improve the prosperity consciousness level of your writing.

    165. A bright paper coming from a bright, gifted person.....Re the new religion you want to be founded , better name it UTOPIA. Is that really possible?....Is it also possible for man-leader/s to successfully bring that perfect society/religion of yours about? (Whoever would pose to be so, better name him 666.) Man or men as they are, don't you think they will just behave as badly eventually against the multitudes who would bring opposition? Use mind controls also or manipulative techniques thru rituals, superstitions & propaganda to make members stay? I think the ancient leaders of today's organized religions were in their right, wise minds to have founded them around GOD, not around men really.  They started really well, the present is another story. In the modern times, they just need to be reformed & redirected back to God-worship. Kudos to the popes & other religious leaders for all their efforts to serve their faiths WITH GOD IN THEIR MINDS & HEARTS.....To all of you, PEACE, NOT WORLD WAR.

    166. A bright paper coming from a bright, gifted person.....Re the new religion you want to be founded , better name it UTOPIA. Is that really possible?....Is it also possible for man-leader/s to successfully bring that perfect society/religion of yours about? (Whoever would pose to be so, better name him 666.) Man or men as they are, don't you think they will just behave as badly eventually against the multitudes who would bring opposition? Use mind controls also or manipulative techniques thru rituals, superstitions & propaganda to make members stay? I think the ancient leaders of today's organized religions were in their right, wise minds to have founded them around GOD, not around men really.  They started really well, the present is another story. In the modern times, they just need to be reformed & redirected back to God-worship. Kudos to the popes & other religious leaders for all their efforts to serve their faiths WITH GOD IN THEIR MINDS & HEARTS.....To all of you, PEACE, NOT WORLD WAR.

    167. Dear Will, what are you suggesting? I guess you need to subscribe to some other source for the kind of information you want to be fed with. If you know who Randy is and what are his thinking patterns then why do you complain? I don't complain in florists that they don' sell milk.
      If you are only 15 you have a great opportunity to make your life great. Some people find this kind of liberating thoughts when they are too old and their lifes slipped through their fingers.
      Only one think is asked of you - don't be a blind "believer", do some critical thinking to make sure you don't waste your life.
      Regards!

    168. @Michael Morning  @MarkReynolds  @DigitalWheelie
       It doesn't matter in who you believe,to whom you pray,to what religion you belong.As the myth says,especially in the movie "the secret is like this
      "
      the moment one commits oneself, then providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help that never otherwise would have occurred...'- Goethe

    169. @Michael Morning  @DigitalWheelie I was always wondering about the meeting where was decided what books (gospels, epistoles) belong to the Bible and what not. Afterall it was a catholic meeting and where catholic leaders compiled the "Holy writings" and I can't stop wondering why protestants don't protest over that. Because if they accept catholic authority in putting the Bible together, it has a long range of other implications.

    170. First Will, let me say how great it is to see someone with your consciousness and maturity at 15.  Very impressive.  I hear what you are saying:  I wish I could just put out positive affirmations, teach wealth building techniques, and showcase what a prosperous life looks like and it would work for people.  But I've been doing that for 20 years and what it has shown me is that those things help people develop prosperity consciousness on the conscious level.  The most frustrating part of my work - is then seeing them sabotage that desire, because of worthiness issues they have on the subconscious level.  And by far the single biggest cause of that, is the negative programming they developed worshiping Sky God superstitions.
      -RG

    171. Historically I understand the importance of religion to life humanity from a violent past towards a more civilized age.  However, I am really beginning to believe that we have moved past the need for organized religion as science and social media begin to connect us on a level that religion failed to as it segrated us in factions.

      1. @candacemountain life chances and the world changes, you somehow "got it", I agree and you might agree that shadow needs light and opposite.
        I once heard an engineer saying that he likes the catholic believe "system" because they have and teach strong rules so people learn from that spot. I agree to that method. He said he likes it when his wife carries such rules.
        But I also notice, while living in a acountry which more and more develops into a (100%)  technician/engineering country that i.e. couples are being formed differently by now. Men choose women via a certain kind of criteria which is far off the spiritual way. And this will get very, very tricky. No wonder married couples undergo so many divorces.
        People who are so deep into science lose a big part of themself. And they don´t even notice.
        It´s their own belief-system.

    172. Historically I understand the importance of religion to life humanity from a violent past towards a more civilized age.  However, I am really beginning to believe that we have moved past the need for organized religion as science and social media begin to connect us on a level that religion failed to as it segrated us in factions.

    173. @candacemountain life chances and the world changes, you somehow "got it", I agree and you might agree that shadow needs light and opposite.
      I once heard an engineer saying that he likes the catholic believe "system" because they have and teach strong rules so people learn from that spot. I agree to that method. He said he likes it when his wife carries such rules.
      But I also notice, while living in a acountry which more and more develops into a (100%)  technician/engineering country that i.e. couples are being formed differently by now. Men choose women via a certain kind of criteria which is far off the spiritual way. And this will get very, very tricky. No wonder married couples undergo so many divorces.
      People who are so deep into science lose a big part of themself. And they don´t even notice.
      It´s their own belief-system.

    174. Napoleon Hill was attacked for his stance as well.  When he mentioned that religious fanaticism helped create The Fear of Death, many in the religious community despised  his words.  He stated in 'Think and Grow Rich' he mentions that today's educated young men and women were able to think and understand through science that "Fire and Brimstone" was something left over from the past and doesn't apply to the present.  This was 1937.  Even today, many preachers still spout "Fire and Brimstone" when they preach.
       
      Hill goes further in other areas regarding the wealth (or lack of) mindset. Today, I see even more of the poverty mentality.  From religious organizations to the government, people are being programmed to think that money is evil.  We see the wealthy being attacked for not giving their fair share (even though the great majority of taxes paid are from wealthiest).  I wonder what Hill would think about today's world?

    175. Napoleon Hill was attacked for his stance as well.  When he mentioned that religious fanaticism helped create The Fear of Death, many in the religious community despised  his words.  He stated in 'Think and Grow Rich' he mentions that today's educated young men and women were able to think and understand through science that "Fire and Brimstone" was something left over from the past and doesn't apply to the present.  This was 1937.  Even today, many preachers still spout "Fire and Brimstone" when they preach.
       
      Hill goes further in other areas regarding the wealth (or lack of) mindset. Today, I see even more of the poverty mentality.  From religious organizations to the government, people are being programmed to think that money is evil.  We see the wealthy being attacked for not giving their fair share (even though the great majority of taxes paid are from wealthiest).  I wonder what Hill would think about today's world?

    176. @Randy_Gage Ok, so I'm still a little confused. Why is it ok to talk about prosperity principles in your books and tapes but not on your blog? How is it better to talk about the dangers of blindly believing in organized religion rather than prosperity topics? Perhaps if the problem is believing in our own worthiness that might be a good thing to talk about. I think from a logical standpoint it would be better to talk directly about what is sabotaging our prosperity rather than "ranting" about The Pope.
      P.S. Thanks for taking me seriously.

    177. Of course it is okay to talk about prosperity principles on my blog.  I do it about 150 times a year myself. 
       
      I am talking about worthiness issues as the problem.  And organized religion as a cause of that problem.  And also from government as I have mentioned in other posts. (That is the main point of these posts.)   On Monday I'll be doing another post on how people develop worthiness issues from their family of origin and other situations.  I'm not ranting about the Pope for recreation.  There's a very important lesson in inoculating yourself against mind control viruses in these posts.
      -RG

    178. This form of brainwashing has gone on for centuries and will be hard to change. Change comes from one person saying I'm going to changed and the other people changing their ways in a concius decision.

    179. This form of brainwashing has gone on for centuries and will be hard to change. Change comes from one person saying I'm going to changed and the other people changing their ways in a concius decision.

    180. The success of the message uf unworthiness and the rich bashing is simple. It takes away all individual responsibility.
      If I am trash, and if evil rich keep me poor, my responsibility to change is zero. Best I can do is ask someone else to do it for me. I can do nothing on my own. I am poor and hopeless.

      Perfect reciepy for the lazy bum....and don't forget that if you screw up bad, there is alwasy the devil to blame for what you did.
      Who wants to hear that everything in my own reality is my own doing? You try to stop the first person on the street and tell him that what he is earning is the result of what he thinks he is worth, not more not less. Better duck because you'll get a punch in the face for sure.

    181. The success of the message uf unworthiness and the rich bashing is simple. It takes away all individual responsibility.
      If I am trash, and if evil rich keep me poor, my responsibility to change is zero. Best I can do is ask someone else to do it for me. I can do nothing on my own. I am poor and hopeless.

      Perfect reciepy for the lazy bum....and don't forget that if you screw up bad, there is alwasy the devil to blame for what you did.
      Who wants to hear that everything in my own reality is my own doing? You try to stop the first person on the street and tell him that what he is earning is the result of what he thinks he is worth, not more not less. Better duck because you'll get a punch in the face for sure.

    182. @Randy_Gage  @RevampYourMind1 HI Randy,  Thanks for that, let me reply to you, the same you wrote to me once in a tweet,  "Good for you" ..

    183. Great blog Randy. I totally agree. I am half Jewish, half Christian but consider myself to be a Pantheist now. I respect everyone's beliefs but encourage people not to blindly accept things without questioning anything. In college, I went through a difficult time and became a born again Christian for awhile.
       
       As a woman with a strong personality, a brain and a love for business, I knew when I was a teenager that my calling was never to be a wife and mother but to be a career woman. I was told by the church that I must pray for the desire to submit to a man and that God wanted me to settle down, get married and have a family. I lived in the closet for years as I was told it was wrong for a woman to be as ambitious as I was. It took me years to let go of the limiting beliefs these people placed on me and am now very against organized religion. I believe it causes separatism instead of unity in the grand scheme of things.
       
       At 41, I am happy to say I got rid of the mind viruses and am a successful business woman who owns two businesses.

    184. Great blog Randy. I totally agree. I am half Jewish, half Christian but consider myself to be a Pantheist now. I respect everyone's beliefs but encourage people not to blindly accept things without questioning anything. In college, I went through a difficult time and became a born again Christian for awhile.
       
       As a woman with a strong personality, a brain and a love for business, I knew when I was a teenager that my calling was never to be a wife and mother but to be a career woman. I was told by the church that I must pray for the desire to submit to a man and that God wanted me to settle down, get married and have a family. I lived in the closet for years as I was told it was wrong for a woman to be as ambitious as I was. It took me years to let go of the limiting beliefs these people placed on me and am now very against organized religion. I believe it causes separatism instead of unity in the grand scheme of things.
       
       At 41, I am happy to say I got rid of the mind viruses and am a successful business woman who owns two businesses.

    185. I encourage people to not believe in Jesus because they believe in the Bible, but to believe in the Bible because they believe in Jesus.
      In my view, the Bible is inspired to serve as the foundation for what we believe, but it was never intended to be the foundation for why we believe.
      In my view, the Bible is far too vulnerable to serve as this foundation. That is, there are far too many problematic aspects to Scripture to make our faith dependent on this book.
      It should never be the case that a person’s faith hangs in the balance on whether or not (for example) the conquest narratives are anchored in history, or whether or not the story about Samson is historical or legend (or a thousand other disputed aspects of Scripture).
      By contrast, the case for believing that the historical Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God is very compelling (on this issue, see P. Eddy, G. Boyd, The Jesus Legend [Baker, 2007).
      When a person’s faith depends on Scripture, every one of Scriptures problematic features becomes all-important and the foundation of their faith is constantly vulnerable as a result.
      But when a person’s faith depends only on the historical Jesus, the problematic aspects of Scripture become irrelevant.

    186. Wow this was a great post, reality is : what is reality anymore ?, it seems as though most of the things we were taught growing up is simply not true.

    187. Wow this was a great post, reality is : what is reality anymore ?, it seems as though most of the things we were taught growing up is simply not true.

    188. Thank you. You forced me thinking. In fact, I see that I have a lot of mems that control my mind. The question: how to escape that control?

    189. Doesn't it say in the bible that God is the truth and the light. So faith in God just means faith in truth and not mind viruses. I think it also says Satan is the master of disguise deceit and lies in other words mind viruses. Gosh Randy that sounds like something you'd say. lol. Then it says to fear God, does that mean I should fear the truth I'm not religious, but there are some things in these religious books that I find valuable and some things that aren't. They are just books and can be interpreted in a variety of ways. When Jesus heals the blind man, he tells him to wash the muck out of his eyes and he'll see. Well if he's talking about spiritual blindness or psychological blindness, then if my therapist can help me achieve that he may perform the same miracle, and then there's the death and resurrection of Jesus was it a physical death and resurrection or a spiritual one, after all isn't it a spiritual book. If it's spiritual, then I've been there and back a few times. Jesus is the son of a loving God, but if we are all God's children then I must be his daughter. A person with brutal parents might find that quite comforting. I think it would be a shame to discard these ancient books but instead value them for what they are - books written a long time ago. I have come across people that say they believe what's in them or don't believe what's in them but have never read them or questioned them. Also many people that claim to be religious don't believe in a God. The bible says you shall have no other Gods before me but in our society we have heaps of Gods. People believe the Pope is God or their leader is God or their dysfunctional parent is God and then they use religion as an excuse for their crimes. It's a bit like saying alcohol is responsible for accidents on the road, but I've never seen alcohol drive a car. If I were a person that was angry or hateful enough to want to hurt someone then I'd have to pick on someone that was a different religion or a different colour to make it valid. If everyone were the same religion and the same colour I'd have a problem but then I could always hurt someone with a different political belief or perhaps someone with different coloured hair or maybe a different make of car.

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