Clash Of The Titans (2010) trailer

Don't forget to turn HD on! Directed by Louis Letterier Written by Travis Beacham, Phil Hay & Matt Manfredi based on the 1981 film written by Beverley Cross and directed by Desmond Davis Starring Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton, Alexa Davalos, Mads Mikkelsen, Izabella Miko, Liam Cunningham, Hans Matheson, Ashraf Barhom, Mouloud Achour, Ian Whyte, Nicholas Hoult, Vincent Regan, Polly Walker, Pete Postlethwaite, Alexander Siddig, Danny Huston,... Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny... Visit The Movie Planet: themovieplanet.wordpress.com Official site: clash-of-the-titans.warnerbros.com IMDB: www.imdb.com

Please, Have More! For Me

Taaroof is more than a behavior; it is a learned way of thinking. It is a concealed experience that is constantly modeled and modified among families and groups.

How do we learn this behavior?  Well, as a child once we were going to a cultural event or a family gathering, our parents would teach us how to say no once we are offered goodies.   

We were told that we could only take one piece of the food or goodies after the host had made several offers.  We had to say No a couple of times until the host really insisted that we would eat something. We had to practice hard to master this double moral type of behavior. As a child we liked to say yes once we meant Yes. It was emotionally difficult to Say No to dedicates that were this close to our hands.

Many of us do make Taaroof because we believe that we are forced to keep or create social interactions with others.  Most of the times there is a sense of guilt, shame, force, exaggeration, and many forms of invisible agendas that make us to use the Taaroof in our interactions.  We Iranians, we are trained to say Yes to everything that others prepare for us.  One reason for making Taaroof is that we tend to fear people judging us.  Taaroof has to do with our shame-based culture. We Iranian have to be concerned about our facade at all times.  We are constantly concerned about our "grace", something that we easily lose if we do not make Taaroof.  Obviously most of our children who are born and raised in western cultures have hard time to understand our Taaroof.

Taaroof is used daily in our Iranian homes; it is deep rooted in our collectively shaped interpersonal skill. The concept of Taaroof inhibits our inner desires.  For some of us Taaroof is part of our style of life.  We live with it and we maintain it to any price. There are many ideas that cannot, will not, should not, and do not get to be expressed. Taaroof is an act of not saying what we mean or not to mention what we wish due to the deep layers of internalized censorship.  

We seem to fear getting involved in conflicts if we do not offer others whatever we have to offer them.  We are prohibited from expressing our true mind. Taaroof or offer is an act of kindness if we really mean what we say or do.  Once we do make an offer just because then we lose our authenticity and we lose our own integrity.  We need to be more mindful about our traditions and customs.

Poran Poregbal

Vancouver, B.C.

My name is Poran Poregbal. I am doing my master in clinical counseling. My main interest is mental health and healthy relationship. I write mostly about how to explore mental health as a main source of having peace within our families and our communities.

I would like to promote peace, happiness, multicultural counseling and a healthy language in our daily life. I believe that we have to expand our understanding of mental health by viewing the cultural values into our ways of dealing with the world.

I like to emphasize on helping our youth as well as our next generations to integrate within whatever cultures they live in.

For more articles in this area please visit my website : http://middlepeace.com/

Hitokiri II -Road to Destiny movie Trailer (English Subtitles)

The official trailer of the Independent movie Hitokiri II-Road to Destiny, sequel to the movie Hitokiri. From Underworld Films and Chainfree Productions. Directed by Thanos Kermitsis. Coming Fall 2009.

Great Price for $3.55

The Dark God: A Personal Journey Through the Underworld Review

Words are completely inadequate to describe the horror of the experience described by Mr Mann in this book. That human beings are capable of such cruel acts of senseless violence, that we have not yet evolved past such futile, disempowered expressions of rage and envy numbs the mind. What is truly extraordinary is that rather than be crushed by the calamities which befall him, Mr Mann emerges spiritually transformed and able to embrace the world as a radiant, whole being. Having been honored to work with him briefly, I can attest to the truth of this astonishing triumph. Where most of us might be filled with hate and bitterness, Mr Mann remains generous and deeply engaged in the welfare of the world around him. His story is miraculous, but the true wonder is that as we read, we come to know this potential within ourselves. A harrowing, inspiring and deeply moving book.

The Dark God: A Personal Journey Through the Underworld Overview

Imprisoned in a Turkish gaol for possession of a small quantity of hashish, the author relates how he turned to a daily practice of yoga and meditation to combat the darkness, brutality and isolation he found there. Nicholas Mann tells the reader how he found himself exploring the deepest, most fundamental issues of spirituality, facing the fear and denial surrounding the mythic Dark God figure. In doing so, he is lauded as having discovered a bold new insight into the true nature of masculine spirituality.

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Update Post: Jul 28, 2010 18:20:17

new clash of the titans clip - medusa

Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny

Exiled Faces - Dancing through the crime (live)

Exiled Faces perform live their song "Dancing through the crime" at "Hailfest" Underworld-Club 30-3-2008

L'Orfeo: Toccata by Monteverdi

L'Orfeo (L'Orfeo, favola in musica, SV 318, or La Favola d'Orfeo, or The Legend of Orpheus) is one of the earliest works recognized as an opera, composed by Claudio Monteverdi with text by Alessandro Striggio for the annual carnival of Mantua. It was first performed before the Accademia degl'Invaghiti on 24 February 1607 in a now unidentifiable room in the ducal palace at Mantua, and was published in Venice in 1609. The action is based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to rescue his dead lover Eurydice from Hades, the underworld. Le Concert d'Astrée conducted by Emmanuelle Haim

Clash of the Titans Full Movie Part (1 of 12)

alturl.com Click on the link bellow to Watch Clash of the Titans Full Movie Online Free Clash of the Titans is set in the Greek city of Argos, where a war is about to explode between man and the gods. A narration introduces the three Olympians who battled the Titans long ago: the brothers Zeus (Liam Neeson), Poseidon (Danny Huston), and Hades (Ralph Fiennes). Hades provided the means of defeating the Titans with his creation, the Kraken. After the Titans' defeat, Zeus created humans and ruled them while Poseidon ruled the sea, but Hades, having been deceived by Zeus, was forced to rule the Underworld. Zeus and Poseidon gain power from the prayers of humans, but Hades learns another way: fear. A fisherman named Spyros (Pete Postlethwaite) finds a coffin adrift in the sea, discovering a baby, Perseus, and his dead mother, Danaë (Tine Stapelfeldt), inside. Spyros decides to raise Perseus as his own. Years later, Perseus (Sam Worthington) and his family are fishing when they witness a group of soldiers from Argos destroying a statue of Zeus as a declaration of war against the gods. Hades appears and commands harpies to massacre the soldiers before he himself destroys Perseus's family's fishing boat. Perseus tries to save his family, but to no avail. The surviving soldiers take Perseus back to Argos. During a feast for the returning soldiers King Kepheus (Vincent Regan) and Queen Cassiopeia (Polly Walker and Katherine Loeppky) of Argos compare themselves and their daughter ...

Clash of the Titans AWESOME Movie Trailer!

movies.kit2u.info Clash of the Titans AWESOME Movie Trailer! Release Date 26 March 2010 Genre: Action | Drama | Fantasy Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Gemma Arterton, Ralph Fiennes, Alexa Davalos, Danny Huston, Izabella Miko Director: Louis Leterrier Writers: Travis Beacham, Phil Hay Studio: Warner Bros. Plot: The mortal son of the god Zeus embarks on a perilous journey to stop the underworld and its minions from spreading their evil to Earth as well as the heavens. Disclaimer: WE DON'T OWN THIS VIDEO No copyright infringement intended. All Videos (Including this one) belong to respective owner(s)

Check Out Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time for $17.05

Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time Review

I am so suprised to notice that no one had given this wonderful book a review if for no other reason than to help prospective buyers know what a gem it is. Being a Persephone woman born of a Persephone-turned-Demeter mother, I have been studying this story for many years and definitely consider it one of my root myths (along with the Myth of Io and the Descent of Inanna). Still I was very pleased by the various versions of the myth given from the context of different psychological perspectives. There is an entire range of Demeter-Mothering which the myth itself doesn't develop but rather gives a basic generic framework in which each woman must fit her own personal experience. It was nice to have suggestions as to how this fitting might work. Moving from the generic to the specific can make an enormous difference as to whether or not one is even able to recognize that a myth is personally relevant. For example, not all of us had mothers who were recognizable (from reading the myth) as being Demeter-mothers due to their own deep wounding and consequent inability to mother. Some Persphone-daughters, for instance, might find it hard to imagine their mothers noticing, much less mourning their sudden disappearance. See particulary the essay entitled "Cycles of Becoming" by Vera Bushe,introduced on page 164 and starting on page 173 (paperback edition). This is just one example of the range of varia-tion that can be found in this grand mother-daughter myth. Even within the context of the same myth, it's a longer journey home for some of us than for others.

Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time Overview

The story of the mother-and-daughter goddesses Demeter and Persephone has seized the imagination of people in every age, from ancient times to the present. Considered today by many to be the archetypal myth for women, it touches on timeless themes in every life, such as the male-female relationship, love between women, initiations into puberty and old age, the mother-daughter bond, death, and ecological renewal Christine Downing has combined essays, prose, poetry, and even performance art with her own insightful commentary to shed new light on the myth's ancient meanings and to offer new insights in its implications for contemporary men and women.

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Update Post: Jul 21, 2010 19:10:21

Gli sguardi trattieni by Christoph Willibald Gluck

from Orfeo ed Euridice, Act 1, Scene 2 Performed in Italian in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Miss Strimer's Bachelor of Arts in Musical Arts degree. Miss Carissa Strimer, soprano Mr. Andrew Ellison, piano Gli sguardi trattieni Orfeo laments the death of his beloved wife, Euridice. Amor, god of love, appears with word that the gods have taken pity on him and will allow Orfeo to descend into the land of the dead to retrieve Euridice. There is one condition, however: Orfeo must not look at Euridice, nor explain why looking is forbidden. Otherwise he will lose her forever. Recitativo: A te soccore, Orfeo, pietoso lAmore! Non disperar! gli Dei son propizi a tua sorte E tu potrai varcar lo Stige E a te Euridice sarà resa ancor! Arioso: Se il soave suon della lira, Eco fedele di dolor, Placar sappia il furor dAverno e vincer lira, Teco verranne ancor colei che il cor sospira. Recitativo: La legge ascolta degli Dei: Entro lombre dAverno Tu guardar non potrai la tua sposa fedel, O perduta lavrai senza speme in eterno. Questo si vuol dal ciel. Del divino favor degno ti renda amor! Aria: Gli sguardi trattieni, Raffrena gli accenti, Rammenta che peni: Che pochi momenti hai più da penar! Sai pur che talora -- Confusi, tremanti con chi glinnamora -- Son ciechi gli amanti. Non sanno parlar. Non gli amanti, non sanno parlar! Recitative: Orpheus, compassionate Love will help you! Do not despair! The Gods are willing to help you, And you will be able to cross the river Styx ...

The Doctrine of Hell - Here's Why You Don't Really Believe in It

There are three types of doctrine mentioned in Scripture: 1) that of Demons, 2) that of Man, and 3) that of Christ and of God.

There's no reason anyone should check one's proverbial brains at the door or eat every can of peas on the shelf when it comes to being a "hearer" of God's Word.

Think, people, think! As Thomas Jefferson said, "Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, He must more approve of the homage of reason, than that of blind-folded fear." Ask until you receive a satisfactory response. In other words, blind faith is ridiculous.

Asking questions about such a seemingly basic aspect of orthodoxy as "Hell" is undoubtedly going to spawn MORE questions. Its answers are bound to create more than a few "Us vs. Them" debates. Please RESIST the tendency to break fellowship with those who disagree with you for "a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand" - and we already have over 30,000 denominations divided over a myriad of differences. On second thought, I recall Jesus saying He didn't come to bring peace but a sword.

I am certain some readers will accuse me - as some already have - of "sending people to a Hell I don't believe in" when, as you'll see, I am not making any such statement. Several individuals have referred to me as spreading heresy, forgetting that many of their own beliefs are still considered heresy by a large portion of Christians (speaking in tongues, Divine Healing, casting out demons, etc.)

Others will be left bumfuzzled after reading this as they struggle to find their place in the Body of Christ because, after all, without the Hell they've come to know and love, they will feel a bit "out-of-work," somehow feeling they've lost their sense of purpose in The Body. I can relate.

Still others will find themselves glad that someone else has asked the questions they dared never vocalize.

I realize that, in accordance with standard orthodox Christian teaching, we are SUPPOSED to believe in, teach about, and warn others about the fiery place of eternal torment. Though one denomi-nation may disagree with the next in regard to a plethora of other topics - some of which, one might contend, will result in a quick ticket to Hell - BOTH will link spiritual arms in pious alliance against anyone who doesn't preach and teach on the traditional concept of Hell.

At least until the NEXT source of doctrinal contention rears its head.

This is such a contradiction when one considers that we are SUPPOSED to be spreading the Gospel (literally, "Good News") in accordance with the command of Jesus but, too often, are the bearers of BAD news, i.e., eternal Hell. We seem to use the subject of eternal damnation as a means for terrorizing others into "getting saved," attempting to cause them to repent of sinful lifestyles or condemning those whom we don't particularly care for anyway. Though such terrorism may be the farthest thing from our minds, truth is, perception is reality. Too often, we are seen as being quite repulsive to others as we "witness" to them and bludgeon them with scriptures.

Clearly, we are good at reminding others of how bad they are, judging others by what they DO and judging ourselves by our good intentions. Forget about showing the kind of agape love Jesus extended to a hooker or the woman at the well - we prefer condemning them, picketing against them, showering them with "go to Hell" Scripture verses, etc. We will even do so in union with people who may differ from us on other core doctrinal issues.

HELL AND WHO GETS TO GO THERE

A college student stopped by one day and he mentioned that his friend, an atheist, had told him he did not respect the faith of most Christians because, if they REALLY believed in the Hell they claim to believe in, they would - out of love - relentlessly attempt, in a consistent manner, to get their neighbors and coworkers converted regardless of consequences, rather than expect the unbelievers to enter their church buildings. Amen!

Do we REALLY believe in Hell as we say we do? If so, why do we play Russian Roulette with the lives of our children by daring to bring them into this world at all, when we know there's less than a 50/50 chance they may ever make a "decision" for Christ?

Think about that.

While you wrestle with that question, if we REALLY believe in the eternal torment of Hell, wouldn't the hideous act of abortion be a merciful act?

OUCH!

What is this "Hell" we hear so much about? Hell is actually an Old English word whereas the word which Mark used in his Gospel was the Greek word "Gehenna," which certainly does imply FIRE. However, the Greek word for "fire" itself is the word "pyr" or "pur" from which we get "pure."

Hmmm. Fire can destroy but it can also purify, purge and bring purity. Keep that in mind.

Unfortunately, in most passages in the translations of the New Testament where the word Hell is found, the original Greek reveals a different word, "Hades" - which does NOT refer to FIRE at all. Homer called the place of the dead the "House of Hades." Hades was the Greek god of the underworld, the god of death. Eventually, Hades evolved into the very name for the underworld itself.

In Biblical usage, the Greek word Hades - used only 11 times in the New Testament - is roughly equivalent to the Old Testament Hebrew word "Sheol," meaning "grave" or "pit ." Compare Acts 2:27 (AMP): " For You will not abandon my soul, leaving it helpless in Hades (the state of departed spirits), nor let Your Holy One know decay or see destruction [of the body after death]" with Psalm 16:10 (AMP): "For You will not abandon me to Sheol (the place of the dead), neither will You suffer Your Holy One to see corruption."

Hades may be likened to a hole in the ground. In the Bible, it has nothing to do with fire. Most modern biblical translators admit that the use of the English word Hell to translate Hades and Sheol is an unfortunate and misleading practice.

Why? Because in reading the word Hell, many readers revert to an ever-burning inferno when this was never remotely intended in the Greek language or in Old English!

Hades, in Biblical usage, refers to the place of the dead - but not in the sense of spirits walking around in some other dimension. In that sense, one might say, everyone who dies goes to Hell. Sheol, as I mention-ed, refers to the actual grave. Sheol was not a place of torment or punishment. Jacob spoke of going there (Genesis 37:35, 42:38, 44:29-31), Job longed for it (Job 14:13), David spoke of going there (Psalm 49:15), King Solomon taught his audience to work hard while on the earth for there is no work in "Sheol", the place they were destined to (Ecclesiastes 9:10), and even Jesus went there (Psalm 16:10, Acts 2:24-31).

Tartarus (or Tartaros) was a name used by the later classical writers such as Virgil as another name for Hades. Homer, on the other hand, described Tartarus as a different place, lying as far beneath Hades as Hades is beneath the earth. It was in this bottomless pit of Tartarus, according to classical mythology, that the Greek god Zeus confined those who had resisted him. 2 Peter 2:4 of the Holman Christian Bible and Young's Literal translations are the only Bible versions I researched that utilized the word "Tartarus" in place of "Hell" ("...God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment...").

QUESTIONS DEMANDING ANSWERS

It's almost as though Christians everywhere are telling the world, "God loves you but if you don't say the Sinner's Prayer/Get Baptized/Walk the Aisle/Say a Profession of Faith, etc., before you die, then my loving God will torture you forever."

Be honest with yourself RIGHT NOW:

Don't you HATE that about God's plan?

Don't you hate that about our "loving" Father?

Don't you REALLY wish the concept of Hell was NOT part of His agenda as you've been taught?

Do you struggle with the thought of a kindly grandparent damned to Hell because of being affiliated with a so-called "cult" or "false religion"?

Do you struggle with the thought of a brave non-Christian fireman who died in the Twin Towers, being consumed forever in Hell's fire?

How about a heroic "unsaved" Marine in Iraq saving the lives of his buddies? Remember, Jesus said "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." [John 15:13 NASB].

If the goal of Heaven is to become like Jesus, these men seem to have accomplish-ed the task.

A wise man once said, "Flood the battlefield of ideas with questions." If you've never asked any, out of fear of "Rocking the Boat" or being ostracized or shunned, consider these:

Q: Is the Gospel merely Good News for that small portion of humanity who "got saved" before they died in a shipwreck, on a battlefield, in a car accidents, from a wild animal attack, from disease or old age?

Q: What about the babies who were miscarried, died at birth, or as infants and toddlers? Are they in Hell, or have we embraced other concepts on this matter in order to comfort ourselves?

Q: Is salvation only for Christians? What about those who never heard the Gospel?

Q: Who do we consider to be "Christians" any way? Those who repeat the Sinner's Prayer? Those baptized by immersion? Those absolved of sins by an ordained priest? Perhaps it's those who have stopped sinning. If so, I'm in trouble! What about the naked tribal people on an island somewhere who died having never heard the Name of Jesus...the deaf mute...the retarded person? Let's think these things through LOGICALLY.

Q: Are Christians limited ONLY to those who "received Jesus" before they died? (Mark 9:37 reveals that when we "receive him", we are NOT receiving Jesus, "but Him who sent me", i.e., The Father).

What about the recent reports of Muslims in Islamic nations who are reporting to have SEEN the risen Christ, became Believers, yet continue to worship God in a mosque through daily prayers, continuing to refer to Him as "Allah" - simply because it's all they've ever known? Does God REALLY look at the heart while man looks at the outside (1 Samuel 16:7)?

Q: Does Jesus decide when He might bring a person to faith, or do we, by way of our religious training, make that determination for Him by way of one of our various man made salvation rituals?

Frankly, one of the main problems in the Church is that we are too often preaching an unbiblical "Gospel of Salvation" while neglecting the teaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom as Jesus instructed us (mainly due to our misunderstanding of the subject).

Q: Why didn't Moses warn about Hell in the Ten Commandments or the Mosaic Covenant consisting of over 600 OTHER laws, ordinances, and warnings? Did He forget? Did He simply neglect to mention it? The Mosaic Law simply stated blessings and cursings IN THIS LIFETIME for failure to keep the Mosaic Law.

Q: Why does David say in the King James Bible, "Though I make my bed in Hell (Sheol) lo, Thou art there? (Note: Most Christian Bibles NO LONGER have the word "Hell" in the Old Testament. The KJV, written over 350 years ago, is an exception. The Jews do NOT put the word "Hell" in their English translations of the Hebrew Scriptures, that is, the Old Testament, and the leading English Christian Bibles have removed it because it is NOT in the originals.

Q: If good people go to Heaven and bad people go to Hell, why does EVERYONE, good or bad, go to the same place in the Old Testament? They ALL go to Sheol which the King James Version translated "Hell" thirty-one times, "grave" thirty-one times and "pit" three times. Are we all destined to go to Hell or did the King's translators make some gross translational errors?

Q: Why don't the Jews, who know the Old Testament better than most Christians, NOT believe in the modern Christian concept of Hell? They say they don't believe it because it is not in their Scriptures. We cannot find Hell in the Old Testament (check it out at BibleGateway.com).

Q: Why is it the most literal, accurate, plain English translation of the New Testament does NOT include the following words: sinner, Hell, Hades, sin, evil, forever, or eternal (Jesus, Christ or lord, for that matter)? It's not that these don't exist, but these actual "churchy" words we use all the time simply aren't there! Think about it!

Q: If Hell doesn't exist in the Old Testament (neither the concept or the word), how could Jesus and His disciples teach that salvation was deliverance from a place that was not even found in their Scriptures (there was only the Old Testament at that time)? Would that not qualify Him as a false teacher? Could it be that Jesus never taught the modern concept of Hell in the first place? Could it be that this concept has been added to the church and SOME Bible translations through "traditions of men" as a result of doctrines of demons, or of man?

Q: Some English translations use the word "Hell" for the Greek word "Gehenna," in the New Testament. Why didn't this same place (Gehenna, south of Jerusalem and the figurative equivalent to the concept of "Hell" - the city's stinky garbage dump where trash, dead criminals, sewage and dead animals wound up - get translated "Hell" in the many places where it appears in the Hebrew form "ga ben Hinnom" (valley of the son of Hinnom) in the Old Testament? (By the way, Gehenna is a beautiful park today - yes, I've actually seen pictures of "Hell").

Q: If the Jews did not see the valley of Gehenna as a symbol of everlasting torture, why do SOME English translations give this word that meaning? Why do we simply "parrot" what we've been taught when so many resources are available that prove otherwise?

Q: Pagans sacrificed their own children to Molech, burning them in Gehenna. What was God's response for Israel doing such a horrible thing to their children? (Jer. 32:33-35)

Q: How could God say "such a thing never entered His mind" if we are taught He is going to do the very same thing to most of His own children? Did He get the idea from the Molech worshipers?

Thinking Christians can probably come up with many other thought-provoking questions besides these.

THEY SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH...

A question is a truth-finder. We cannot make quality decisions without quality information. When you know the truth, that truth shall make you free! Those who have the truth should encourage questions and provide solid answers that make sense. Did YOU have answers to those questions listed above?

I am certain that many who read this article will respond with a variety of proof texts with which to support the traditional concept of Hell. (Please don't waste your time; I can come up with just as many verses IN SUPPORT of the traditional teachings on this very subject in contrast to original meanings). On the other hand, based upon the many questions and comments I've received over the years, I think it's time we start answering the questions for which many haven't been receiving satisfactory answers.

Trust me, just like the current "Town Hall Meeting" trend in regard to America's Health Care issue, people are asking questions that their spiritual leaders aren't answering adequately. "Towing the party-line" is no longer sufficient and, frankly, is beginning to tick people off.

THE PURIFICATION PROCESS AND PURPOSE

The Bible says that it is appointed to men once to die, and after that the judgment (Heb. 9:27-28). It does NOT say, "after death all hope is gone!"

For example: Sodom's fiery judgment is "eternal" (Jude 7) UNTIL God "will restore the fortunes of Sodom (Ez 16:53-55). (For similar examples of "forevers" that lasted UNTIL, go to Jer 30:12-17; Micah 1:9 and Ezekiel 16:53; Zephaniah 2:9, Jeremiah 25:27 and Jeremiah 49:6; Deuteronomy 23:3; Habakkuk 3;6 and there are MANY other "forever-UNTIL" examples.)

The verses that speak of everlasting fire or judgment, must be understood in the light of God's love. They are "everlasting" - continuous and on-going UNTIL God's judgment serves to accomplish His unchanging will and purpose to unite ALL creation in Christ (Gen. 12:3, Romans 4:13, Heb. 6:17). Second Corinthians 5:19 tells us that God was in Christ reconciling the world ("cosmos" or universe) to Himself; that's either true or it's a lie.

The point is, eternal torment was never on the mind of God nor was it ever implied in Revelation 21:8, "...But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

This defines most of us, doesn't it? Ever been afraid? Ever entertained doubt? Ever been immoral? Ever lied? Jesus said we murder when we don't love and commit adultery when we lust. The purification process is one we must all endure.

Pure, purge, purifying... all derived from "pur" - the Greek word for FIRE!

Don't fret. Now, as an Overcomer, you'll have no part of the second death. Those who have NOT yet overcome, yes, these WILL require that purification fire, a purification fire which began at Pentecost. Our God IS a consuming fire. As with the burning bush, anything unholy or impure MUST be destroyed (you may recall how the bush Moses saw was NOT consumed).

God's fire has one purpose: purification and cleansing. Gold, silver, precious stone are all purified by fire. An interesting note: According to Strong's concordance Brimstone, (#2303) comes from the Greek "theion" which, according to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, refers to divine incense, because burning brimstone was regarded as having power to purify, and to ward off disease. The Greek "theion" has the same root as "theos," meaning "God." In other words, it is God's judgment that purifies.

We are described as being "living stones." Those who stand before God with fear, unbelief, having not overcome, will be "salted" with His fire.

Here's a thought: God told Jeremiah that he'd put His words in Jeremiah's mouth and they'd become fire that would burn the residue of His people. Psalm 104:4 tells us: "[God] makes winds His messengers, flames of fire His ministers." With that in mind, we are ALL ministers of reconcili-ation; a royal priesthood; a kingdom of priests and kings. Could it be that our message - the Good News - is what will bring about the restitution of all things and restore the created to its Creator? If so, when will we begin that mission?

WHERE DID THE CONCEPT OF HELL COME FROM?

The eternal torment doctrine entered into Church during the Dark Ages. The Church brought people into bondage to this doctrine in order to keep them subservient to the Church. I call it "Systems Manage-ment." That Middle Ages church, the mother of harlots, birthed "many daughters" and even those who claim to be free today remain bound - fearful - by this teaching on eternal punishment.

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) was a medieval Italian poet. His travels among the damned are recorded in The Inferno, the first part of his three-part Divine Comedy, an account of his imaginary journeys through Hell, Purgatory and Heaven.

Does life imitate art? Apparently so. Dante didn't get his concept from the Bible or Church doctrine. No, the Church got these ideas from Dante.

Though Dante's primary purpose in writing the poem was to satirize persons and circumstances of his day, the theology of his work is based firmly on the system of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Italian theologian and philosopher. The Divine Comedy is a relatively accurate dramatization of medieval Christian theology. Simpleton's of Dante's day actually believed he had visited Hell and was giving an eye-witness report. This writing made a tremendous impression on popular Christian thought to this day and has taken root firmly in our culture.

Dante's medieval picture of Hell was as an enormous prison camp - a nightmarish place of eternal torment, horrible beyond imagination, ruled by Satan and his demons. We KNOW Satan doesn't live there with his minions because 1 Peter 5:8 tells us, "...your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." Regarding the war in the heavenlies, Isaiah 14:12 says of Lucifer, "..."How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world."

Personally, I don't believe Satan and his army were tossed into Hell. They were thrown to Earth (there goes the neighbor-hood), bringing with them all the hierarchical systems of Heaven that were intended for angels, NOT man, who was intended to be the most liberated creature in the universe. This heavenly system pervades everyday life. The Army, for example, which has generals at the top of the pyramid and privates at the bottom, is a hierarchical system. Education, industry, medicine, politics... even Religion... have all adapted to the ungodly hierarchical model.

God never intended for any man to rule over another. The ONLY time we should look down upon another is when we're reaching down to help them up.

Long as I'm sharing my own opinions, it's my opinion Dante's Inferno was a cruel joke upon the Church that began over 700 years ago. To quote Don McLean's American Pie, "...I saw Satan laughing with delight..."

The concept of some type of Hell can be found in one form or another among all the world's great religions. Billions have lived and died over the millennia believing in - and fearing - a place of eternal torment and punishment. Many today continue to wonder, "Is there really a Hell?" and "Will I end up there?"

Perhaps this is why Hebrews 12:14-15 tells us, "Since, therefore, [these His] children share in flesh and blood [in the physical nature of human beings], He [Himself] in a similar manner partook of the same [nature], that by [going through] death He might bring to naught and make of no effect him who had the power of death--that is, the devil-- and also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the [haunting] fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives."

Gehenna's fires "are not quenched and its worm does not die" was a metaphor Jesus used that the Jews could relate to. Gehenna, like any other garbage dump, belched out smoke and fire and was filled with maggots.

Did you know that 33% of Manhattan is filled land created from household trash from the past two centuries? Fresh Kills Landfill in Staten Island is now a beautiful landscape built on 51 years of New York City trash. My own son - once a Texas garbage collector - was initially surprised at the extreme heat under all the trash as well as the pipes throughout the dump which allowed gas to escape.

Again, Gehenna's fires "are not quenched and its worm does not die" - UNTIL the restoration of ALL things which has been spoken of by all God's holy prophets (Christ included) since the world began. Jesus did not come to contradict His own prophets; He came to fulfill the law AND the prophets!

Acts 3:19-21 reminds us, "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom Heaven must receive until the times of restoration of ALL things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began."

Our Lord does not "cast off forever" (Lam. 3:31-32, Heb. 13:8). He who taught us to forgive and bless our enemies will surely do the same for His own. For every tongue will give thanks that in Him they have righteousness and strength. All flesh will bless His name forever and ever. Our Lord will not fail or become discouraged until He fulfills all of God's purpose, word and will.

Jesus tells us: "For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt." (Mk 9:42-49)

The REAL purpose of our fiery trials is NOT to torture us, though they may bring torment for a season. The REAL purpose is to free us from that which keeps us in bondage. Do you see the demonstration of agape love in that? The Lord's disciplines do not CANCEL God's covenant to set us right with Himself. Our Father's "fires" are part of His means to FULFILL His covenant! They are NOT unending.

The Lord's fiery judgments and disciplines are only "everlasting" in the sense that they are THOROUGH. His purifying fires do not cease burning UNTIL they've done their good work. God's corrective disciplines continue until they help to ACCOMPLISH the restoration of ALL things "spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began," (Acts 3:21)

Those who disobey the Gospel and persecute Christians will suffer the consequences of "everlasting" (that is, continuous) tribulation, destruction and punishment UNTIL, by loving, persistent correction, God shows them their need for Christ.

What was written by the prophets WILL come to pass, that all shall be taught of God, and everyone who has heard and learned from the Father (eventually) comes to Christ. Thus, all the families of the nations will worship Him. All will submit to Him and sing His praises. God's promise will be fulfilled and ALL men shall reverence Him, proclaim His works, and wisely consider His doing (Ps. 22:27-28, 64:4-5, 64:9, 2 Thess. 1:7-10).

To me, that paints a beautiful, faith-inspiring, awesome, loving picture - so much better than the "eternal" torment which many ascribe to, Christian and non-Christian alike.

Without exception, the question always comes, "Does that include Hitler? Surely HE deserves God's fiery Hell!" Yes, God's mercy extends even to him... and Adam, father of all OTHER deviant humans ever born whose sins required a Savior.

The mind boggles at the depth and power of that kind of love, grace, mercy and forgiveness. Yet, as we cannot help but humanize God's attributes, most Christians struggle with anything short of extreme torment. Myself included, but truth is truth. (By the way, Hitler only punished the Jews for a few years. According to the "Christian" teaching on Hell, God will take those SAME Jews and burn them FOREVER in a pit of fire. Who's worse?) We struggle with these questions because we have imagined God in our own image, where all activity ends at the grave. Our (spiritual) life does not end there; our physical life, which is actually death, does. As Jesus said, "He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living...,"(Mark 12:27 KJV).

One more thing: at the risk of getting political, though Hitler and other tyrants - including Christian leaders - throughout world history have killed millions, let's remember that a handful of Supreme Court justices who've brought a death sentence upon FIFTY MILLION babies, 4500 daily, through legalized abortion.

Just thinking.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF HELL?

Almost all translations and concordances will describe Hell as a place of eternal torment. But its definition is not true according to the original language - and anyone, including you, can check that out for yourself. Perhaps the following will aid you:

The correct word for "eternal" (aion or aeon) is defined by Marvin Vincent, D.D., Baldwin Professor of Sacred Literature at Union Theological Seminary, New York, as a period of longer or shorter duration, having a beginning and an end, and complete in itself. "There is one aeon of a human life, another of the life of a nation, another of a crow's life, another of an oak's life. The length of the aeon depends on the subject to which it is attached." Torment in the fire is NOT eternal; not never-ending. Jonah was in the whale's belly "forever"... that's what it says but it was REALLY only 3 days and 3 nights. The word we use for "eternity" is a mistranslation.

The English word "hell" originally came from the Anglo-Saxon word "hel" which was a genitive form of the word "helle" meaning "a hidden place", also the word "helan" meant to cover or conceal. Such a primitive meaning is found in the English word hole, i.e., a hole in the ground. If something was buried in a pit, it could be said to be in an Anglo-Saxon "hel" or hidden place. Something that covers the head is a "helmet."

In some parts of England to cover a building with a roof with tiles or thatch was "to hell the building," and the job was done by people called "helliers." (Please write Pastor Michael at team1min@our-town.com to obtain this article in its entirety)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
His mission is to bring Discipleship and Encouragement to the Body of Christ. Since '99, he has broadcast nearly 700 inspirational articles to his online subscribers and a dozen booklets on subjects sure to interest the thinking Christian and accelerate the process of spiritual development.

He is the founder of t.e.a.m. ministries. An Author, Pastoral Counselor and Teacher, his eMail broadcasts, known as "Your Town for Jesus" are read around the globe. Subscribe at team1min@our-town.com. Michael's eBooks on these and related subjects may be found at http://stores.lulu.com/YourTown4Jesus

QHS 4th year student: Greek Mythology

The Greek god and godesses and the creeps in the underworLd

Clash of the Titans E3 2010 Skull Hammer Gameplay Part 1 Trailer [HD]

Clash of the Titans E3 2010 Skull Hammer Gameplay Part 1 Trailer [HD] Developer: Game Republic Release: TBA Genre: Action/Adventure Platform: PS3/X360 Publisher: Namco Bandai Games Website: clashofthetitansgame.com Hades has unleashed his minions and you must conquer all or be conquered, in this epic war of the gods. Relive the adventures of Perseus as you battle through a vast mythical underworld with over 100 different enemies. Clash of the Titans is based on the forthcoming action fantasy film from Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures and goes beyond the script to give you additional quests, weapons, and enemies. You can acquire and use your enemy's weapons and grow stronger as you defeat them. TAGS: Clash of the Titans E3 2010 Skull Hammer Gameplay Trailer [HD] videogame video game xbox 360 xbox360 microsoft playstation playstation3 ps3 sony computer entertainment scea soe online namco Bandai game republic classic film movie legendary pictures perseus zeus hades greek god of war sam Worthington avatar liam neeson Ralph fiennes yt:quality=high

Prayer Ritual to Greek god Hades Yule and Meaghan Ellis

This was a prayer ritual to Hades Greek god of the underworld, Meaghan Ellis and to recognize Yule. Honoring of the deceased the dead and the season. Done at Pan's Grove pansgrove in Wyoming. Hail the gods!

Gaea VS. Morrigan - Part 1

Class project. Gaea = Greek goddess, pretty much represented Earth and the mother of all things. Morrigan = Celtic goddess of war, sovereignty, and fertility. This is a creative adaption of their archetypal qualities mixed with some Hindu/Buddhism references and the apocalypse. It's also meant to serve as a social commentary, but perhaps that's better suited for a longer version that doesn't have photography that "borrows" from other films. ;) Got some flack for mashing movies, but it's out of respect. For full credits and props to the films and music used, they're at the end of part 2. That is, of course, if you're offended by such simple things. This world is for open minds. The movie is not historically accurate. Or maybe it is? Who knows? :)

Inspiration for Teachers: 8 Universal Laws

The Law of the Future

I realize this is a bumper sticker cliche, but it doesn't make it any less true. You really do "touch the future" with your students.

The Law of the One

Most people can remember the one or two teachers who believed in and took a special interest in them. For many of us, these special teachers made a tremendous difference in our lives. Might you be "the one" this year?

The Law of Learning

Whatever subject you teach, if you can foster a love of learning in your students, you have done more than perform your job well.

The Law of the Three P's

Politics: In teaching, as in any other profession, there are politics. You don't have to be an integral part of all of it. You do need to be aware of it, however.

Paperwork: Many teachers complain about the overwhelming amount of paperwork that keeps coming at them each year. I'm certainly no fan of paper work. The most important thing is to not let the first two Ps interfere with the third P.

Passion: When you bring a sense of passion to what you do inthe classroom, it will spread to your students. Not to all of them, of course. But enough of them will pick up on and catch your passion to make a huge difference.

The Law of the Role

Too many times, I hear someone say, "I'm just a teacher." Stop right there. You are so much more. Instead of concentrating on your job title, focus instead on your role. You are so much more. You are a: Counselor - Confidant -Influencer - Future-shaper - Preparer of minds - Future changer - and much more.

The Law of a Difference

All the roles listed above, and many others, contribute to you making a difference in the lives of your students. It was said best by a few lines on a framed picture my lovely wife Lauren gave me:

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove ... but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."

The Law of the Visit

If you are one of the folks who have been truly blessed by "the visit," you'll be able to relate to how powerful this is.

It may come in the form of a phone call, e-mail, letter or actual visit. It's when one of your former students comes back and lets you know what a difference you made in his or her life. It may not even be something you remember saying, but the former student does because it made a difference. It can make your day or even your year, and reminds you why you are doing what you are doing.

The Law of the Starfish

Later this year, if you find yourself overwhelmed, stressed out and just tired of it all, you may wonder if you're making any difference at all. Save this story for those times.

A man was walking down the beach one day and came across hundreds of tiny starfish that had washed up on shore. He immediately began to pick up as many as he could and throw them back in the ocean. He repeated this over and over, until another man walked up and asked him what he was doing.

"Isn't it obvious," said the man. "All these starfish will die if we don't get them back in the water. Please help me."

The second man replied, "What's the use, you'll never be able to get them all back in the water. So what difference does it make?"

The man bent down, picked up just one starfish, and tossing it back into the water said,

"It makes a difference to this one."

Visit SecretsofGreatRelationships.com for tips and tools for creating and growing a great relationship. You can also subscribe to our f*r*e*e 10 day e-program on how to enrich your relationship today, from relationship coach and expert Jeff Herring.

White Doves Flying: In Memoriam to Rosa Parks

Over 4000 people attended the public funeral of Rosa Parks, the women who single-handedly ignited the Civil Rights Movement.

Martin Luther King saw the significance of a dignified quiet forty-two-year-old woman refusing to give up her bus seat at the command of a belligerent bus driver in Montgomery, Alabama.

Putting hardship on themselves, the black community boycotted the buses and the Civil Rights Movement blossomed.

Three-dozen speakers paid her tribute at her funeral.

John Dingell said, "Somebody said to me once that she was a seamstress. She was. This country has had two great seamstresses - one was named Betsey Ross, who put together the flag which flies beautifully over parts of country and is in all our hearts. Rosa Parks lent meaning to that flag by the leadership she gave."

Bernice King said, "And though we mourn the loss of this singular champion of racial justice, we also celebrate her home-going as a woman of unwavering faith who served God and humanity with unconditional love and devotion."

Bill Clinton said, "Rosa parks ignited the most significant social movement in modern American history to finish the work that spawned the Civil War and redeem the promise of the 13, 14, and 15 Amendments. For 50 more years, she moved beyond the bus continuing her work on that promise. It was my honor to present her with a presidential medal of freedom and to join the leaders of congress in presenting her with a congressional gold medal."

Finally, Al Sharpton said, "You ought to make one commitment in her name to yourself. You ought to resolve that you are going to do something that makes a difference because we're here because she made a difference,"

I add my final tribute with the following poem:

White Doves Flying: In Memoriam to Rosa Parks
by
John T. Jones, Ph.D.

Flashing in the azure sky,

White wings shining in the sun,

Tears of sadness mark the cheeks

Of those who loved the Quiet One

She was a simple seamstress

Like our Betsy Ross.

Betsy made our precious flag.

Rosa made it glow.

With her inherent dignity

She gave not into sin.

With one defiant act

Our civil rights began.

Others helped to make the fight

That gave us hope to end our plight

But Rosa was the single soul

Who fueled the engine; she made it go!

Now thousands pay her due respect.

They pay her homage with one regret;

She has passed on to gain her crown.

Who will replace her? We look around.

Yes, as we leave her funeral site,

We ask, Where is her shining light?

How will we walk without her might?

Who will do what she knew was right?

The answer stares us in the face;

We must save the human race

From evil thoughts and unjust acts.

WE must do it! Let's face the facts.

Flashing in the azure sky,

White wings shining in the sun,

Tears of sadness mark the cheeks

Of those who loved the Quiet One

Copyright©John T. Jones, Ph.D. 2005

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tjbooks@hotmail.com), a retired college professor and business executive, Former editor of an international engineering magazine. To learn more about Wealthy Affiliate University go to his info site. If you desire a flagpole to Fly Old Glory, go to the business site.

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Hercules Fandub - Megara and Hades

Heather aka fragilecapricorn portrays a sultry, sassy Meg, while I tackle the divinely insane cosmic hustler, Hades - Greek God and Lord of The Underworld! Enjoy!

Great Price for $9.24

The Kingfisher Book of Myths and Legends Review

The Kingfisher Book of Myths and Legends Overview

The sagas of Zeus, Isis, Thor and Beowulf are some of the best-known adventure stories ever told. This collection of over 30 myths and legends, retold by Anthony Horowitz, includes:"Isis and Osiris"; "Pyramus and Thisbe"; "Orpheus in the Underworld"; and "The Dragon and St George".

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Update Post: Jul 11, 2010 03:20:17

Greeks, Geeks and Party Myths (Part 2)

This production was entirely devised by the Citizens Theatre Young Company and performed at the Citizens Theatre on October 2006. We collaborated the idea of Greek mythology with the lifestyle of a teenage party. The Storyline -------------------- Pandora (played by Alex Barr) is persuaded by her best mate Diyonsis Dan (played by me, Omar Raza) to have a party to improve her popularity. The party spins into a chaotic, manic social gathering and spins off 3 main storylines which all cross over each other. Echo and Nathan -------------------------- (Echo is attracted to Nathan but can't see past his 'true reflection') Mad Maddy -------------------- (3 popular girls have invited Madusa, or, Mad Maddy as they say and told her that it was fancy dress. Are looks deceiving?) Morpheous in the Underworld ---------------------------------------- - (Morpheous is looking for his girlfriend, Sarah, but can't really seem to avoid the many obstacles, distractions or fights!) Youth and alcohol mixed with toga's and olives; is it really a dangerous combination? Oh YES!!!!

Cursing 'Thees' and 'Thous' - Why I Used to Flunk Literature

Don't you just hate studying Literature? When I was in high school (and even after) this subject was the absolute plague for me, together with similar subjects like Creative Writing and History. This was the only subject that required me to read hundreds of pages of the densest prose and dozens of lines of the most confusing poetry ever invented by man, woman or whatever beast I thought brought this plague into existence.

It all started when we started taking up Shakespeare. One look at Romeo and Juliet's first page almost got me into convulsions. I was amazed at how old the thing was and it really showed in the way it was written. What did I care about two young teenagers who became too horny for their own good? I was gearing up to be a mechanic and I was definitely not going to need all the 'thees' and the 'thous' to change someone's oil. It didn't help that the teacher was an ancient dude who spoke in whispers and would get totally

I just decided to read an old synopsis on the Internet for the test and as expected, I totally failed. I wondered why. I had memorized the old, musty character names. Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt, Mercutio... I memorized them all. I knew the basic plot. So how could I fail? I would curse the name of Literature (and Shakespeare) after that.

But after a few years, I fell in love. It was a forbidden love because her parents thought I was shit. Whatever I did, we just couldn't be together, no matter how hard I fought for the relationship. We went our separate ways and I fell into depression. It was in these dark times that I picked up Romeo and Juliet from under a stack of papers and finally got it...

Literature is more than memorizing names and phrases-it's a reflection of man's greatest experiences and ideas. It brought me great comfort reading those lines and it changed the way I looked at myself and the rest of the world. I'm now a confessed literary fan-who happens to be a mechanic too!

If you want to see more of the subjects you love to hate in a different light, check out: http://crunkish.com/category/article-pages/lifestyle/educational/top-10-subjects-students-love-to-hate/

Clash Of The Titans HD Part 1 Full Movie

Watch the full movie here: watch-moviez.info Clash Of TheTitans (2010) Part 1 Full Movie, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Part 1 Movie, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Movie Part 1, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Part 1 The Movie, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Part 2 Full Movie, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Movie Full Movie, Clash Of The Titans (2010) (2010) Movie Part 1 English Full, Clash Of The Titans (2010) Movie HD trailer. The ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.

Rare Collectibles - The Lord's Prayer Antique Engraving by Godfrey Lundberg

Lundberg's Early Life

Godfrey Lundberg was born in Westervik, Sweden on May 4, 1879. He was the second child of Isak and Edla Maria Lundberg. In 1891 when Lundberg was 12 years old his parents and their five children moved to the United States and settled in Spokane, Washington where his father was hired by a Swedish Lutheran Church to be its music director.

Lundberg entered the Spokane public schools and excelled in art and music. As a 14 year old, one of his pen and ink drawings was good enough to be chosen for exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. This was a precursor of illustrious things to come. Twenty-two years later, in 1915 at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco, his remarkable engraving of the Lord's Prayer on a tiny gold pin head amazed thousands of visitors from all over the world.

He studied in Europe under Herberich, a German government engraver, and also while in Germany, engraved banknotes for the German Government. By 1911 he was an established engraver in Spokane working for the E. J. Hyde Jewelry Company.

Godfrey Lundberg had his own engraving business in Spokane from 1914 -1918. In addition to normal engraving jobs such as stationary, wedding invitations, business cards, steel die embossing and die cutting, Lundberg did fine engraving and designing for a number of wealthy eastern clients.

His Masterpiece - The Lord's Prayer Pin

It was professional pride that inspired Godfrey Lundberg to attempt engraving the Lord's Prayer on the head of a tiny pin only .047 inch in diameter. In 1907, Paul P. Wentz engraved the Lord's Prayer on a brass pin head with a diameter of 2mm or .079 inch and an area of 0.00487 sq. inch. Wentz's pin is in the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia located at 1300 Locust St.

Lundberg became aware of this pin in about 1912 and was convinced that he could do a much more difficult piece of work, namely engrave the Lord's Prayer on a pin head with a much smaller area. He chose a gold pin with a head diameter of .047 inch and an area of 0.00173 sq. inch, about 1/3 the area of the Wentz pin head. He preferred gold, as it is very stable and does not corrode, rust, or become negatively affected by age.

Before commencing the work, Lundberg realized that he needed to be in top physical shape to undergo the rigors of such a long, nerve-racking endeavor. He designed for himself a grueling physical conditioning program and and took six months to design the perfect engraving tool for the extremely delicate work.

After finishing his magnum opus, as a finale Lundberg engraved on the point of a fine gold needle the letters IHS for "Iesus Hominum Salvator" or "Jesus, Savior of Men". The nervous strain of engraving his masterpiece caused Lundberg to loose weight and culminated in a nervous breakdown after he had finished the incredible engraving feat. He declared, "I wouldn't undertake a feat like that again for any amount of money."

After completing the pin, Lundberg and his brother Carl designed glass airtight holders for the pin and needle, stands for the two microscopes, and a carrying case for the engravings, stands, and microscopes. Being exhausted with nervous prostration and in desperate need of total rest, Lundberg entrusted the task of revealing the pin to the public to his brothers Carl and Mauritz.

Master Antique Engraver - Later Years

In 1919 Lundberg, his wife Anna, and son Edris moved to Seattle, Washington where he was employed by his longtime friend Alvin H. Hankins. He was in the jewelry manufacturing business in Seattle and was eager to have Lundberg work for him.

Lundberg did not work for himself after coming to Seattle. He did however make many United States Government medals 30 and also one-of-a-kind custom pieces of jewelry for wealthy clients. Not being a real good businessman, but being an acknowledged world-class engraver, Lundberg's association with Mr. Hankins was mutually beneficial. It is most likely that Lundberg gave the gold needle with IHS engraved on the point to Hankins.

Godfrey Lundberg died in 1933 at the Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. He was 54 years old. Godfrey Lundberg is buried at Evergreen-Washelli Cemetery in Seattle. The world-renowned engraver preferred to be humbly buried in the military veteran's section. His wife Anna and son Edris are also buried at Evergreen-Washelli.

Lundberg's world-famous engravings have remained in a bank vault since the tour was completed in late 1917. There have been only a few public and private showings of this rare antique since then.

Timothy Warren's background is in travel, but along this adventurous journey he has come to represent of one of the world's most rare antique engravings, Lords' Prayer hand engraved on the head of a small gold pin. Please visit our website dedicated to this rare antique collectible and the incredible story of the Lord's Pin Engraver, Godfrey E. Lundberg.

Great Price for $1.80

The Secret Language of the Soul: A Visual Exploration of the Spiritual World Review

Beautifully illustrated with works of religious art from the world's diverse faiths, this book offers a colorful smorgasboard of spiritual symbols for those who seek understanding of truths that elude literal explanation. Because this "smorgasboard" offers just a taste of each spiritual tradition, it is not "food for the soul," but rather a feast for the eyes, and perhaps an appetizer to stimulate readers to delve more deeply into one of the many topics presented. Jane Hope is concerned with the "loss of the soul" or "ennui" being experienced by so many in Western society, where "the world is seen as separate from the individual self." She believes that "through the various manifestations of faith - vision, symbol, ritual, discipline - we may still grasp the archetypal reality that underlies all experience." Her book proffers a ring of keys to this reality. It is up to us to choose a key, if we haven't already, and turn it in the lock. -Emily L. VanLaeys, author of DREAM WEAVING: USING DREAM GUIDANCE TO CREATE LIFE'S TAPESTRY

The Secret Language of the Soul: A Visual Exploration of the Spiritual World Overview

The latest in the Secret Language series, The Secret Language of the Soul is an inspiring survey of faith and ritual through the ages, from Native American vision quests to chakras, avatars, and archangels. Turning to all the major religious traditions as well as more obscure philosophies, author Jane Hope considers destiny, enlightenment, and salvation; the lives of spiritual figures; and esoteric ideas as diverse as Tantric meditation and spirit helpers. Original and ancient artworks depict some of the most profound and compelling images ever devised -- the Tibetan Wheel of Life; the Judaic seven-branched candlestick; the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus. In the tradition of Huston Smith's World Religions, this richly illustrated volume is an inviting universal guide to the realm of the divine.

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Update Post: Jul 04, 2010 22:30:10

PANTHEON ETCHED I: JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA QUICK CHANGE - CHRISTOPH BROWN The Etch A Sketch Man

Dedicated to Paul Levitz, the nicest legend in Comics I ever did meet and to all the DC creators, writers, artists, dreamers who make men super and women do wonders. This is the first of a gallery series I did titled "The Pantheon Etched". This series gridded out the Greek Gods and Heroes into 4x4 pocket etch a sketches = 16 total arch-type etch drawings per myth. This grid was then applied to 16 Great ancient and modern Mythologies. And it fits...more of the PANTHEON ETCHED SERIES to come!!! The Pantheon ETCH A SKETCH GRID DETAILS: ROW ONE: The Elemental Gods 1.King ZEUS (Sky, Heavens, Life & Light). 2. King HADES (Underworld, Hell, Death & Darkness) 3. Triple Goddess: Goddess GAIA (Crone of Creation & The Earth), Queen RHEA (Mother of Olympus),Princess HESTIA (Maiden of the Hearth's Fire) 4. King POSEIDON (Water & Thunder) ROW TWO:The Servant Gods 5.Servant HERMES (Travel & Messages)6. Tradesmen HEPHAESTUS (Tools, fire & the forge)7. Prince APOLLO(Sun, Music,Philosophy, & Prophecy), sister/mother DEMETER(Harvest & Life),daughter/consort PERSEPHONE (Winter & Death)8.Queen wife HERA (Sky, Immortality, & Marriage) ROW THREE:The Gods of Humanity 9.Princess ARTEMIS(The Hunter's Moon & Unity of Beasts) 10. APHRODITE(Vessel of Love & Peace) 11. ARES(Machine of War & Hate) 12. ATHENA (Book of Strategy & Wisdom) ROW FOUR:The Next Generations... 13. HERACLES(Clone or Heir to Throne) 14.DIONYSUS VS. PAN (Step-Children) 15.THE NEW GOD (New Ideas) 16. MYTH TITLE & GODLY MASCOT. Etch ...

Check Out Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time for $17.05

Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time Review

I am so suprised to notice that no one had given this wonderful book a review if for no other reason than to help prospective buyers know what a gem it is. Being a Persephone woman born of a Persephone-turned-Demeter mother, I have been studying this story for many years and definitely consider it one of my root myths (along with the Myth of Io and the Descent of Inanna). Still I was very pleased by the various versions of the myth given from the context of different psychological perspectives. There is an entire range of Demeter-Mothering which the myth itself doesn't develop but rather gives a basic generic framework in which each woman must fit her own personal experience. It was nice to have suggestions as to how this fitting might work. Moving from the generic to the specific can make an enormous difference as to whether or not one is even able to recognize that a myth is personally relevant. For example, not all of us had mothers who were recognizable (from reading the myth) as being Demeter-mothers due to their own deep wounding and consequent inability to mother. Some Persphone-daughters, for instance, might find it hard to imagine their mothers noticing, much less mourning their sudden disappearance. See particulary the essay entitled "Cycles of Becoming" by Vera Bushe,introduced on page 164 and starting on page 173 (paperback edition). This is just one example of the range of varia-tion that can be found in this grand mother-daughter myth. Even within the context of the same myth, it's a longer journey home for some of us than for others.

Long Journey Home: Revisioning the Myth of Demeter and Persephone for Our Time Overview

The story of the mother-and-daughter goddesses Demeter and Persephone has seized the imagination of people in every age, from ancient times to the present. Considered today by many to be the archetypal myth for women, it touches on timeless themes in every life, such as the male-female relationship, love between women, initiations into puberty and old age, the mother-daughter bond, death, and ecological renewal Christine Downing has combined essays, prose, poetry, and even performance art with her own insightful commentary to shed new light on the myth's ancient meanings and to offer new insights in its implications for contemporary men and women.

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Update Post: Jul 02, 2010 22:10:22

Stimulating, Medicating Mint

In Greek mythology, Pluto, god of the Underworld, fell in love with the beautiful nymph, Minthe. Pluto's wife, Persephone (the daughter of Zeus), became jealous and changed Minthe into the herb, mint. Pluto could not bring Minthe back to life, but he gave the herb a fragrant aroma and arranged it so that the more Minthe was trodden upon, the sweeter her smell would be. Hence the popularity of mint as a "strewing" herb. In medieval times, strewn mint not only helped as an air freshener, but its antiviral and antibacterial qualities were reputed to combat the plague. The Pennyroyal species of mint has long been used as an effective flea deterrent. Pennyroyal, incidentally, is one species of mint that should never be taken internally. It is especially toxic to pregnant women and can cause miscarriages.

The genus Mentha
consists of 19 original species, but these have hybridized into about 2,000
different mints resulting in botanical confusion, but culinary and medicinal
profusion.

Contrary to what many gardeners believe, most species
of mint do not require shade and wet soil. In fact, like most herbs, mints
thrive in well-drained soil in full sun. Indeed, mint is susceptible to rust if
kept too damp. Because this herb spreads rampantly through invasive roots, it
is ideal for container growing. Grow different species in separate pots in
widely spaced locations to discourage cross-pollination. Cutting back the plant
and especially the flowers will also discourage cross-pollination and ranginess
and encourage new growth.

The original medicinal mint was spearmint. Peppermint,
which is stronger in flavor, is a hybrid of spearmint and water mint. Because
it is milder in flavor, spearmint is preferred for raw foods like tabbouleh
salad. Most cooks agree that the best species of peppermint for culinary
purposes is Blue Balsam, or Mitchum, mint. Bergamot mint or orange or other
citrus mints are best with fruits and desserts or for iced tea.

Mint leaves can be round, oval, slightly pointed,
smooth or wrinkly and have toothed or serrated edges. The telltale feature of
all mints is that the stems are square.

In Ayurvedic medicine, mint is recommended as a tonic
and digestive aid and for coughs and colds. The medieval Abbess and herbalist
Hildegard of Bingen prescribed mint for indigestion and gout.

In Dr. James A. Duke's excellent book, The Green Pharmacy, he cites mint as
effective in the treatment of arthritis, backache, gallstones, herpes virus and
morning sickness. Peppermint in particular he recommends for treating not only
indigestion, but also claims its antioxidants will help prevent cancer, heart
disease and other ailments associated with aging.

The classic savory application for mint of course is
for roast lamb. However, the herb goes equally well with all meats including
chicken and fish and especially with the hearty taste of wild meats such as
venison, particularly if served with a berry sauce. Most vegetables also will
be enhanced with the addition of mint, notably new potatoes, peas and carrots.

Here's a great recipe for Roast Duck with Gooseberry Mint Sauce. The recipe can be expanded
and a goose substituted for the duck. This would make an excellent replacement
for the traditional turkey on Thanksgiving Day.

·
1 medium sized duck (4-5
pounds)

·
1 celery rib, diced

·
1 carrot, diced

·
1 onion, diced

·
1 large bunch of Blue
Balsam or other peppermint

·
½ cup of gooseberry jam

·
¼ cup of shredded mint
leaves (any species - even spearmint)

·
A few mint sprigs

·
Salt and freshly ground
pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Wash and
dry the duck. Pierce the skin on the fatty parts to help drain the fat. Lightly
salt and pepper the duck inside and out. Place the duck, breast side up in a
roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes.

Remove the duck from the oven and fill the cavity with
the vegetables and the Balsam mint. After pouring the accumulated fat from the
pan, reduce the oven heat to 350 degrees and roast the duck for another hour.
Remove the duck from the oven and place on a platter. Separate the fat from the
juices and slowly stir the gooseberry jam and the shredded mint into the
latter. Simmer this over a low heat for a few minutes, stirring continually.
Return the oven heat to 450 degrees and after brushing the duck with some of
the mixture return it to the oven for up to 15 minutes or until the duck is
well glazed. Remove the duck and let it stand for about 10 minutes before
attempting to carve. Mix the remaining sauce with the new pan juices and pour
into a serving container. Garnish the duck with the extra mint sprigs.

Mint is famous for its soothing, cooling qualities,
but recent research has confirmed mint's ability to enhance memory,
concentration and alertness, especially if inhaled. Mint therefore makes the
ideal car freshener, for it will dispel stale, unpleasant odors while
increasing the alertness of the driver.

I am indebted to Kathleen
Gips of the Village Herb Shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio for this excellent recipe
for

Cinnamint Herbal Auto Refresher

·
1/3 cup of dried, cut
spearmint

·
2 Tbsp. dried whole mint
leaves (preferably peppermint)

·
1 Tbsp. broken cinnamon
pieces

·
1 Tbsp. non-clumping
kitty litter mixed with 1 tsp. spearmint oil and 10 drops of cinnamon oil.

Age the mixture for one week in a closed container.
Package in small fabric bags with hangtags. These can be hung from the car's
rear view mirror, strapped to the sun visor or placed anywhere in the car.
Squeeze the bag occasionally to release the fragrance

The above recipe will make many bags, depending upon
their size (a business card-sized bag is best). Sell them or give them to your
friends. They make great gifts.

Bruce Burnett is an award-winning writer, a chartered herbalist and author of HerbWise: growing cooking wellbeing. Bruce and his wife Delaine own Olivia’s Fashion, Furnishings & Gifts (http://www.olivias.ca/) in Ladysmith, BC Canada. Read more published articles by Bruce Burnett on his websites: http://www.bruceburnett.ca/ and http://www.herbalcuisine.com/