tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70183929125516618692024-03-08T02:34:55.280-08:00SWITCHBACK WORDSArticles and CommentaryTed Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018392912551661869.post-81222058255884618052013-02-09T10:54:00.000-08:002013-02-09T10:54:08.363-08:00Deceptions of Paul:The Shocking Truth of Paulist corruption.The difference in what Paul and what Yeshua teach.
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><span style="color: red;">( This was originally written and compiled by an unknown author.It was obtained from http://www.truthseekers.co.za/ and I have taken the liberty to edit and insert corrections)</span></b></span></div>
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<b>WHEN LAST DID YOU QUESTION?: Who
actually started Christianity in its present form? Why there are so
many (over 40,000) denominations (divisions)<br />within Christianity?
Who really put the New Testament together?<br />If your Bible is really
the WHOLE Truth and nothing but the Truth?<br />Has your Bible been
manipulated to teach you what THEY want you to know instead of what
you need to know? <a href="http://homelessokc.newsvine.com/_news/2010/11/20/5501307-the-true-history-of-how-the-bible-came-into-being-who-how-and-why-paulist-heresy-and-the-desposynic-church-of-yeshuapart-1-6" target="_blank">The True History of how and why the "Bible" came about.</a><br />Would God allow all this to happen?<br />The
answer will shock and surprise you…THE SHOCKING TRUTH! ("Download"
near bottom of page in FAINT LETTERS<br /><br />A QUICK QUIZ<br />How many
books are there in the Modern Bible?<br />Answer: 66 (SIXTY SIX)<br /><br />Where
did God say there should be 66 books in the Bible?<br />Answer:
Nowhere<br /><br />Where did God say what is scripture and what is not
scripture?<br />Answer: This was essentially left up to the ruling
church of the time -<br />the Catholic church, who IT IS ASSUMED were
directed by God to put<br />in the right books.<br /><br />Do people agree
that the Catholic church is not 100% the TRUTH.<br />Answer: Yes<br /><br />Do
people agree that the Mother of Harlots is the Catholic
Church?<br />Answer: Yes<br /><br />Did everyone agree on what books should
be included in the New<br />Testament?<br />Answer: No – they were
about 50% divided.<br /><br />Conclusion: So the Mother of Harlots who
was 50% divided as to what<br />should be included, decided on what
books you should accept as<br />scripture.<br /><br />WHERE DID GOD
SPECIFICALLY SAY THE BIBLE IS HIS WORD?<br />Answer: Nowhere.<br /><br />This
is the logic accepted by Christians :<br />I say in a letter “All
books are written by Joe”. This now becomes<br />accepted by the
Mother of Harlots (Catholic church) as scripture and<br />now everyone
must accept that all books in the Bible were written by<br />Joe, just
because my letter is included in the Bible. This logic is wrong!<br />(and
no offense to Joe intended)<br /><br />Was it possible for the devil to
deceive angels in Heaven in the<br />presence of God?<br />Answer:
Yes<br /><br />Do you think it would be possible for the devil to deceive
anyone on<br />earth not living in the presence of God?<br />Answer:
Yes<br /><br />How easy is it to be deceived?<br />Answer: If you’re
reading this you have been deceived at some point<br />in your life. In
fact if you answer you are deceived then you are and if<br />you say
you aren’t deceived then you are also deceived.<br /><br />Who decided
on the books that should go into the New Testament?<br />Answer: Man
(6). It is ASSUMED that God would allow nothing but the<br />truth to
go into the Bible. This ASSUMPTION is WRONG!<br /><br />Some things to
consider:<br />Jesus talked about wheat AND TARES being planted in the
same field<br />and BEING LEFT THERE!<br /><br />In the Garden of Eden
there were two trees – the tree of life AND the<br />tree of
Knowledge of Good and Evil.<br /><br />So GOD left the tree containing
EVIL right INSIDE the Garden!!<br /><br />Question: Do you think God
would leave evil inside a book containing<br />truth?<br />Answer: It’s
entirely possible, plausible and consistent with how God<br />works!
God tests people with false people. (See Deut 13)<br /><br />Question: So
could evil writings be in the Bible (containing 66 books)<br />Answer:
YES<br /><br />Question: Which writings are evil? (They all look so
good)<br />Answer: The devil is not stupid and would make bad things
look good.<br />That’s how people catch fish. Put on some good
looking bait with a<br />hook underneath.<br /><br />Question: Does God
expect us to SEARCH out the truth?<br />Answer: YES!!<br /><br />Question:
When last did you question the writings in the Bible?<br />Answer:
Probably never, maybe now you will by reading this.<br /><br />Question:
So can we find out where there are evil writings in
the<br />Bible?<br />Answer: Definitely.<br /><br />Question: Will the evil
writings look good and like the real thing,<br />possibly even like an
“angel of light” ?<br />Answer: Yes<br /><br />Question: So how do I
find out the shocking Truth?<br />Answer: Keep on reading<br /><br />Question:
Should I ask my pastor, teacher, trainer, professor if
that’s<br />OK.<br />Answer: Are you a dummy who cannot think for
yourself? We’d like<br />to think that you are not. Do you think that
turning to a man (6)<br />holding a Bible (66) will be able to provide
you with solid truth. Keep<br />on reading instead and use your common
sense and brain that God<br />gave you. It’s OK and quite acceptable,
actually it’s very intelligent of<br />you to search out the TRUTH
for YOURSELF even if it disagrees with<br />everything you’ve been
TAUGHT and BELIEVED and what everyone<br />else has been TAUGHT and
BELIEVED. That’s the shocking Truth.<br /><br />66(BOOKS) 6(NUMBER OF
MAN)<br /><br />Question: I’m scared<br />Answer: The shocking truth is
not for the timid, faint hearted, or<br />cowards.<br /><br />{A
QUIZ:(DISCLAIMER NOTICE TO READER FROM TEODORO LEON III:THE ORIGINAL
AUTHOR DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE ESSENE GOSPEL OF PEACE WAS A FORGERY AND
HERESY THAT PROMOTED PANTHEISM/MOTHER GOD LIES AND THE SUPPOSED
PRIEST WHO FOUND IT IN THE VATICAN WAS A FRAUD, SO THE AUTHOR WAS
DECEIVED AS TO THIS INFORMATION HERE ON THE ESSENE GOSPEL OF
PEACE)<br />Who wrote the following?<br />"Though I speak with the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become as
sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. Though I tell what is to come,
and know all secrets, and all wisdom; and though I have faith strong
as the storm which lifts mountains from their seat, but have not
love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and give all my fire that I have received<br />from my Father,
but have not love, I am in no wise profited. Love is patient, love is
kind. Love is not envious, works not evil, knows not pride; is not
rude, neither selfish; is slow to anger, imagines no mischief;
rejoices not in injustice, but delights in justice. Love defends all,
love believes all, love hopes all, love bears all; never exhausts
itself; but as for tongues they shall cease, and, as for knowledge,
it shall vanish away. For we have truth in part, and error in part,
but when the fullness of perfection is<br />come, that which is in part
shall be blotted out. When a man was a child he spoke as a child,
understood as a child, thought as a child; but when he became a man
he put away childish things. For now we see through a glass and
through dark sayings. Now we know in part, but when we are come
before the face of God, we shall not know in part, but even as we are
taught by him. And now remain these three: faith<br />and hope and
love; but the greatest of these is love.<br />Answer?: It looks like a
passage from 1 Cor 13 that Paul wrote.<br /><br />Correct Answer: It’s
an excerpt from the Essenes Gospel of Peace(WHICH IS ALSO A FORGERY).
The passage from 1 Cor 13 that looks like this is merely a PLAGIARISM
of that excerpt.<br /><br />Conclusion: So 1 Cor 13 is a PLAGIARISM. Keep
in mind that you have been taught to believe it came from Paul. Why
specifically Paul? What do they know that they don’t want you to
know?<br />Why you didn’t get to find this out before:<br />"Perhaps
even more important is the fact that the (excerpt above from the
Essene Gospel of Peace) was found hidden away in the Vatican Library
and removed by a priest because he believed the world should know the
truth. In fact hidden away in the Vatican Library are copies of
ancient manuscripts that are far older and more pure than anything we
make our biblical translations from today. When asked why the<br />Roman
Church does not make these manuscripts available to Christians today,
they said that they (the church) believ that they are the sole
keepers of the truth -- that these scriptures do not belong to those
who are outside Roman Catholicism. They believe that genuine
followers of Christ will be a part of their Church -- a priest
dedicated to the furtherance of what they consider God's true Church
-- and they<br />therefore believe that they alone have been entrusted
with the ultimate truths of the teachings of The Way, and the secrets
of the Kingdom belong only to them. "}<br /><br />ANOTHER
QUIZ:(THESE ARE VERIFIED TO BE CORRECT BY TEODORO LEON III)<br />Where
do the following come from?<br />“We are his offspring”<br />“Work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling”<br />“in him we
live and move and have our being”<br />“Cretans are always
liars”<br />“Bad company corrupts good character”<br />“The good
that I would I do not; but the evil which I would not do,<br />that I
do”<br />“But if any widow has children or nephews, let them learn
first to<br />show piety at home”<br />“Work out your own salvation
with fear and trembling”<br />Answer: They look like passages from
the letters of Paul.<br />Correct answer:<br />They actually come
directly from the pagan writings of Arastus (c.300<br />BCE);
Epimenides (c 600BCE); Menander (c 350 BCE); Hippolytus (c 430<br />BCE);
Terence (c 200 BCE) who were extollong the idol "Zeus".
Also<br />quoted is a passage from the Buddhist scriptures (c 500-250
BCE).<br />Thus:<br />Arastus "We are his (Zeus) offspring"
(Acts 17:28)<br />Epimenides "god (Zeus) is not far from each one
of us for in him we<br />live and move and have our being" (Acts
17:27,28)<br />From Epimenides "Cretans are always liars, evil
brutes lazy<br />gluttons(Titus 1:12)<br />From Menander "Bad
company corrupts good character" (1 Cor 15:33)<br />From
Hippolytus "The good that I would I do not; but the evil which
I<br />would not do, that I do" (Romans 7:19)<br />From Terence "But
if any widow has children or nephews, let them<br />learn first to show
piety at home" (1 Timothy 5:4)<br />From Mahaparinibanasuta
Buddhist scriptures "Work out your own<br />salvation with fear
and trembling" (Phillipians 2:12)<br /><br />Conclusion: So once
again we find plagiarisms (from PAGAN<br />WRITINGS!) in Paul’s
letters. It’s as if Paul didn’t have an original<br />thought and
had to beg, borrow or steal passages that looked good<br />(and
actually were extolling another “god”), to put into his letters
that<br />the Christian Church have made you to believe are the WORD
OF<br />GOD!<br /><br />Think again!! You have been deceived…Tear the
parts containing<br />these passages out your Bible, and you may start
being suspicious of<br />others parts of these letters for good
reason.<br /><br />Question: If these letters contain plagiarisms and
excerpts from pagan<br />writings (extolling Zeus) why was I not told
about this before?<br />Answer: Everyone has been deceived and
knowledge of the truth is<br />only now starting to surface. This is
entirely consistent with what the<br />real Word of God said about the
matter (if you bother to examine the<br />real Word of God closely by
yourself).<br /><br />Question: So is the Bible the Word of God?<br />Answer:
No, the Word of God is in the Bible, but the Bible is not the<br />Word
of God.<br /><br />Question: Are there more lies and deception in the
church and in the<br />Bible that I haven’t been told about?<br />Answer:
What do you think? Of course!<br /><br />See Jer 8:8<br /><br />Question:
Could this affect my salvation?<br />Answer: Do you think the devil,
the Mother of Harlot church, and 666<br />(antichrists, enemies of
Christ, deceivers, posing as the real thing)<br />would want you to
find out the way to salvation easily?<br />Jesus said “NARROW AND
DIFFICULT is the way that leads to life, and<br />there are FEW who
find it”<br /><br />Question: Should I seek out the truth?<br />Answer:
Yes – keep on reading. It’s VITALLY important (Vito is a
root<br />word for LIFE)<br /><br />Question: If you gave the devil the
Word of God how long do you<br />think it would take him to manipulate
& misrepresent it, yet still<br />make it look like it was from
God, and then make it look like God said<br />things that God did not
in fact say?<br />Answer: Less than a few seconds. How long after
Jesus’ ascension do<br />you think the devil waited before trying to
deceive everyone again<br />and change and/or add to the Word of
God?<br /><br />Question: In doing so do you think the devil would try to
make you<br />believe him instead?<br />Answer: Yes (an obvious
answer)<br /><br />Question: How would the devil do this?<br />Answer: It
could be done by sending imposters (angels of light,<br />wolves in
sheep’s clothing) who look like the real thing and make you<br />listen
to them instead.<br /><br />Question: Do you think the devil would do the
above?<br />Answer: Do you think the devil is a dummy? Of course he
would do<br />the above and in fact it’s recorded that this was
done.<br /><br />Look closer:<br />Jesus talked about IMPOSTERS and WICKED
MEN (wolves in sheeps<br />clothing)<br /><br />Rev 2:2 (to the church of
Ephesus ie. Ephesians)<br />“I know you cannot stand WICKED MEN, and
how you tested the<br />IMPOSTERS who called themselves APOSTLES, and
proved they were<br />LIARS”<br /><br />Question: Which apostle (who
called himself an apostle) went to the<br />Ephesians?<br />Answer:
Paul<br /><br />Question: Where did Jesus specifically call Paul an
apostle?<br />Answer: Nowhere. Paul said so.<br /><br />Question: How many
apostles did Jesus choose?<br />Answer: 12. Twelve – did you hear
that? Rev 21:14 says “The city walls<br />stood on twelve foundation
stones, each one of which bore the name<br />of one of the TWELVE
apostles of the Lamb”<br /><br />Question: Which number apostle was
Paul? (Or more more correctly<br />which number apostle was Paul that
Paul chose himself to be).<br />Answer: 13. THIRTEEN.<br /><br />TWELVE IS
NOT EQUAL TO THIRTEEN. That’s right you will now
pass<br />Maths.<br /><br />Question: What did Paul say about
lying?<br />Answer: That every man including himself should be a
liar.<br />Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man
(including myself) a liar;<br /><br />James talked about imposters,
actually he singled it to a senseless man (who wrote things in his
letters about faith and salvation that were wrong).<br /><br />James
2:20<br />“Do realize, you SENSELESS MAN, that faith without good
deeds is<br />useless”<br /><br />James was responding to a letter that
talked about having faith without good deeds. Obviously a letter
talking about faith & salvation that James said in effect was
written by a SENSELESS MAN.<br /><br />Question: Hang on, didn’t Paul
write in a letter “For we are not saved<br />by works lest we should
boast”<br />Answer: Yes (gulp). You could get into aPAULogetics here,
but the fact<br />is that this is written in one of his letters. Did
your church tell you works are important for salvation? Probably
not.<br /><br />There’s more…<br /><br />John wrote about being on guard
against the enemies of YESHUA:<br />“and now several antichrists have
already appeared…those rivals of<br />YESHUA CAME OUT OF OUR OWN
NUMBER, but they had never really<br />belonged, IF THEY HAD BELONGED,
THEY WOULD HAVE STAYED WITH<br />US, but THEY LEFT US, TO PROVE that
NOT ONE OF THEM EVER<br />BELONGED TO US”<br /><br />Question: Did Paul
leave the company of true apostles?<br />Answer: Yes, Paul admitted he
only spent a few days with them (why<br />stay?[sic]) and that they
(the apostles that YESHUA chose) never added<br />anything to
him.<br /><br />Comment: That’s bad. Yes it’s bad.<br /><br />Question:
But Paul talked about YESHUA and YAHWEH?<br />Answer: Read John
further. He said they would and that we were to<br />TEST the Spirits.
When last did you TEST the spirit by which Paul<br />operated and when
last did you TEST all the words spoken by Paul.<br />Remember the devil
is a liar and a deceiver. He would sure make his<br />angels of light
look like they were the real thing and in so doing<br />deceive
billions.<br /><br />YESHUA said “MANY false MESSIAHS” would appear.
(That’s a lot of people<br />who look like people of God deceiving
millions of other innocent<br />souls)<br /><br />Question: My church is
not false, surely?<br />Answer: Think again. Does your church contain
100% truth or 99%<br />truth. What lies is it teaching? If you cannot
answer then your church<br />contains deception – it’s up to YOU to
find out what is lies and what is<br />TRUTH.<br /><br />WARNING: Your
church can get very IRATE if you question them and<br />they might hate
you (just like YESHUA said) and kick you out (just like<br />YESHUA
said), say false things about you (just like YESHUA said) and you<br />may
be alienated from your so-called friends and family (just like<br />YESHUA
said) but stand firm for great is your reward.<br /><br />More from JUDE
:<br />“Certain people have INFILTRATED among you…turning the GRACE
of<br />God into licentiousness and rejecting our only Master and
Lord…”<br /><br />Question: Who talked a lot about Grace?<br />Answer:
Paul<br /><br />COMMENT: Did you notice that Jesus, Jude, John, James all
seemed to<br />know about imposters and wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Do you?<br /><br />COMMENT: Did you notice that their comments all point
to the 13th<br />apostle with 13 letters in the Bible, namely
Paul.<br /><br />COMMENT: How many people carry a coffin? SIX and they’re
called<br />PAUL bearers, bearers of DEATH. That’s
aPAULing!<br /><br />Question: How does one reject Jesus?<br />Answer: By
rejecting what He said.<br /><br />Question: Did Paul reject what Jesus
said, change it or manipulate it?<br />You asked for it. Paul
contradicted, changed and/or manipulated the<br />words of Jesus MANY
TIMES. Refer to the addendum(at the bottom of this article) for a big
list.<br /><br />Question: Did the original apostles have a Bible with
the Words of<br />Paul in it?<br />Answer: No. They had the Old Testament
and the Words of YESHUA<br /><br />Question: How many times did Paul
quote YESHUA correctly?<br />Answer: None<br /><br />Question: How many
times did Paul change the Word of God<br />Answer: Many
times<br /><br />Question: But the 2nd letter of Peter calls Paul a good
guy?<br />Answer: The letter of 2 Peter is a forgery and/or a
manipulation – it<br />was not written by Peter. For an extensive
proof of this (agreed upon<br />by many well know pastors/preachers
TOO!) see the
website<br /><a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/content/view/154/53">http://www.truthseekers.co.za/content/view/154/53</a>
<br /><br />The letter of 2Peter was placed in the Bible to make you
believe that Peter supported Paul which he did NOT.(READ THE INTRO IN
THE NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
<a href="http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=1%20Peter&ch">http://usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=1%20Peter&ch</a>=
) “ Some modern scholars, however, on the basis of a number of
features that they consider incompatible with Petrine authenticity,
regard the letter as the work of a later Christian writer. Such
features include the cultivated Greek in which it is written,
difficult to attribute to a Galilean fisherman, together with its use
of the Greek Septuagint translation when citing the Old Testament;
the similarity in both thought and expression to the Pauline
literature ...Yet it is unlikely that Peter addressed a letter to the
Gentile churches of Asia Minor while Paul was still alive. This
suggests a period after the death of the two , perhaps A.D. 70–90.
“</b></div>
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<b>In fact , please read all the Intros
in the New American Bible: <a href="http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/">http://usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/</a>
<br /><br />Ever heard of the saying: Robbing from Peter to pay Paul
?<br /><br />Question: But Jesus chose Paul.<br />Answer: Jesus chooses
devils as well. See the book of John – “Did I not<br />choose
you…yet one of you is a devil?”(THE CONVERSION STORY HAS 3
DIFFERENT VERSIONS IN ACTS AND IS A LIE, YESHUA DID NOT CHOOSE
PAUL)<br /><br />Question: Didn’t Jesus speak to Paul from the sky and
talk to Paul<br />about pricking against the goads?<br />Answer: Acts 9:3
…and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven 5
…and the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard
for thee to kick against the pricks/goads.<br /><br />This quote was the
catch phrase from the pagan play Bacchantes by Euripides used in
Prometheus Bound and Agamemnon by Aeschylus (like quoting the catch
phrase 'nobody puts baby in the corner' from Dirty Dancing etc).<br /><br />So
Paul made this conversion up, as is also revealed by the
THREE<br />accounts of this supposed conversion all being different.
It’s possible<br />something happened to him, but Paul spiced it up a
bit and added<br />Jesus into the story to make it look real. Paul
forgot to check out<br />whether the Jesus in his story was the REAL
Jesus. Perhaps you did<br />too.<br /><br />WHO TOLD YOU?<br />Ever wondered
who told you that Paul was converted and didn't make it up.<br />Paul
did. Luke(THE SYRIAN) recorded what he was told.<br /><br />Who told you
Paul was a genuine apostle?<br />Paul did. And maybe your pastor.<br /><br />Who
told you Paul's gospel was the true gospel?<br />Paul did. And maybe
your pastor.<br /><br />Who told you Paul's writings were the Word of
God?<br />Paul did. And maybe your pastor.<br /><br />It's time to check
your source.<br /><br />QUOTES FROM FAMOUS PEOPLE<br />Have you ever
wondered what some famous people have said?<br /><br />Albert Schweitzer
:"Where possible Paul avoids quoting the teaching of Jesus, in
fact<br />even mentioning it. If we had to rely on Paul, we should not
know that Jesus taught in parables, had delivered the sermon on the
mount, and had taught His disciples the 'Our Father.' Even where they
are specially relevant, Paul passes over the words of the
Lord."<br /><br />Carl Jung (Psychologist) :"Paul hardly ever
allows the real Jesus of Nazareth to get a word in." (U.S. News
and World Report, April 22, 1991, p. 55)<br /><br />George Bernard Shaw
:"No sooner had Jesus knocked over the dragon of superstition
than Paul boldly set it on its legs again in the name of
Jesus."<br /><br />Bishop John S. Spong (Episcopal theologian) :
"Paul's words are not the Words of God.<br />They are the words of
Paul- a vast difference." (Rescuing the Bible from
fundamentalism, p. 104, Harper San Francisco, 1991)<br /><br />Thomas
Jefferson :"Paul was the first corrupter of the doctrines of
Jesus." (from a letter addessed to W. Short and published in The
Great Thoughts, by George Seldes,<br />Ballantine Books, N.Y., 1985, p.
208)<br /><br />Thomas Hardy :"The New Testament was less a
Christiad than a Pauliad."<br /><br />Will Durant (Philosopher)
:"Paul created a theology of which none but the vaguest warrants
can be found in the words of Christ."<br /><br />Fundamentalism is
the triumph of Paul over Christ.<br />"& "Paul created a
theology about the man Jesus,a man that he did not even know 50 or
more years after the death of Jesus, with complete disregards for
even the sayings attributed to Jesus. Jesus got lost in the
metaphysical fog of Paul's brain".<br /><br />Walter Kaufmann
(Professor of Philosophy, Princeton) :"Paul substituted faith in
Christ for the Christlike life."<br /><br />Carl Sagan (Scientist;
Author) :"My long-time view about Christianity is that it
represents an amalgam of two seemingly immiscible parts--the religion
of Jesus and<br />the religion of Paul. Thomas Jefferson attempted to
excise the Pauline parts of the New Testament. There wasn't much left
when he was done, but it was an inspiring document." (Letter to
Ken Schei [author of Christianity Betrayed])<br /><br />Hyam Maccoby
(Talmudic Scholar) :<br />"As we have seen, the purposes of the
book of Acts is to minimize the<br />conflict between Paul and the
leaders of the Jerusalem Church, James<br />and Peter. Peter and Paul,
in later Christian tradition, became twin<br />saints, brothers in
faith, and the idea that they were historically bitter<br />opponents
standing for irreconcilable religious standpoints would<br />have been
repudiated with horror. The work of the author of Acts was<br />well
done; he rescued Christianity from the imputation of being
the<br />individual creation of Paul, and instead gave it a respectable
pedigree,<br />as a doctrine with the authority of the so-called
Jerusalem Church,<br />conceived as continuous in spirit with the
Pauline Gentile Church of<br />Rome.<br />Yet, for all his efforts, the
truth of the matter is not hard to recover, if<br />we examine the New
Testament evidence with an eye to tell-tale<br />inconsistencies and
confusions, rather than with the determination to<br />gloss over and
harmonize all difficulties in the interests of an<br />orthodox
interpretation." (The Mythmaker, p. 139, Weidenfeld and
Nicolson, London, 1986)<br /><br />Jeremy Bentham (English Philosopher)
:"If Christianity needed an Anti-Christ, they needed look no
farther than Paul." ( paraphrased. . . looking for a copy of
"Not Paul, but Jesus" in order to retrieve the exact
quote.)<br /><br />NO ONE LIKES TO GET DUPED<br />Face it - no one likes to
get duped. Especially when it comes to the<br />things of the Bible and
your church, what you've been taught all these<br />years, and so
on.<br />You know - when you really look around and see the mess the
world<br />is in - and the massive division of the churches, the
infighting,<br />gossiping, arguing, different points of view - you'll
realize that<br />something is definitely wrong.<br />Most outsiders look
at religion (Christianity) and refuse to be part of<br />"it",
why?<br /><br />WHAT WOULD YOU PREFER ?<br />a) Being in a room on your own
with one candle at night and all the<br />lights turned off<br />b) Being
outside in the sunshine with the birds singing, next to
friends,<br />laughing and so on.<br /><br />The choice should be obvious.
Well that's the same with having your<br />lights turned on when you
see the truth. It's like coming out of a dark<br />room that you've
been sitting in all these years.<br />Yes, it's tough sometimes,
getting out of falsehood and deception,<br />because it's what you're
used to - and thought was true. Well the<br />journey to heaven was
never promised to be easy - in fact Jesus said<br />it's a narrow road,
and few find it.<br /><br />A lot of material is available on the website
<a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/">www.TruthSeekers.co.za</a>
<br />to reveal the deception of Paul, his lies, his maligning of the
true<br />Word of God and so on.<br /><br />Most people think Christmas and
Easter are pagan celebrations - so<br />why then do the majority of
Christian churches celebrate these???<br />Doesn't it seem to you that
the church is mixing pagan practises with<br />some truth? Well look in
your Bible, Paul was the number one people<br />pleaser - "please
people in all things", and so on. He even quoted<br />many times
from pagan writings (without really telling you!). Many of<br />the
"nice" scriptures he used come from pagan plays and so
on.<br />They're definitely not "the Word of God" even though
we'd like them<br />to be.<br /><br />By contrast Jesus (Yeshua) was not a
people pleaser - he knew what<br />was in people's hearts.<br /><br />SO
WHO ARE YOU GOING TO CHOOSE,YESHUA OR PAUL?<br /><br />The valley of
decision time is here...<br /><br />THE TRUTH<br />Paul is a false apostle
and a liar. You have been deceived by your traditions, pastor,
church, professor, teacher, friends or family members into believing
that the writings of Paul are all the Word of God. They are NOT. Tear
his writings out your Bible if you choose –that will make it
LIGHTER (not DARKER).<br />It’s up to you to SEARCH out the TRUTH.
Your salvation could depend<br />on it! Don’t be deceived.<br /><br />You
may use the following website as a good starting
point<br /><a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/">http://www.TruthSeekers.co.za/</a>
<br />Speak to the person who gave you this important document.<br /><br />“You
shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall set you
FREE”<br /><br />ADDENDUM:<br /><br />PAUL CONTRADICTS THE TEACHINGS OF THE
SAVIOR YESHUA OVER AND OVER:<br /><br />1). ON THE TIME OF THE COMING OF
THE LORD:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.13<br />[12] the night is far gone, the
day is at hand.<br /><br />Jesus says:<br />Luke.21<br />[8] Take heed that
you are not led astray; for many will come in my name,<br />saying, . .
. `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.<br /><br />2). ON THE
SOURCE OF THE TRUTH AND THE TRUE GOSPEL:<br />Paul says:<br />1Cor.2<br />[13]
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by
the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the
Spirit.<br />Gal.1<br />[12] For I did not receive it from man, nor was I
taught it, but it came through a revelation of Jesus Christ.<br />YESHUA
says:<br />John.17<br />[14] I have given them thy word;<br />[17] Sanctify
them in the truth; thy word is truth.<br /><br />3). ON THE GOD OF THE
DEAD:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.14<br />[9] For to this end Christ died and
lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the
living.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Luke.20<br />[38] Now he is not God of
the dead, but of the living;<br /><br />4). ON THE SUM OF THE
COMMANDMENTS:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.13<br />[9] The commandments, "You
shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal,
You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up
in this sentence, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
WHAT HAPPENED TO LOVING GOD?<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.22<br />[37]
And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all
your heart, and with all your soul, and<br />with all your mind.<br />[38]
This is the great and first commandment.<br />[39] And a second is like
it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.<br />[40] On these two
commandments depend all the law and the prophets.<br /><br />5). ON WHOM
GOD HAS MERCY:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.9<br />[15] For he says to Moses,
"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I have compassion."<br />[16] So it depends not
upon man's will or exertion, but upon God's mercy.<br />[18] So then he
has mercy upon whomever he wills, and he hardens the heart of
whomever he wills.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.5<br />[7] Blessed are
the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.<br /><br />6).ON FORGIVENESS
OF TRESPASSES :<br />Paul says:<br />Eph.1<br />[7] In him we have
redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses,
according to the riches of his grace<br />Rom.4<br />[25] who was put to
death for our trespasses and raised for our justification.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.6<br />[14] For if you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father also will forgive you;<br />[15] but if you do not
forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your
trespasses.<br /><br />7). ON BEING JUSTIFIED:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.3<br />[24]
they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption
which is in Christ Jesus,<br />[28] For we hold that a man is justified
by faith apart from works of law.<br />Rom.5<br />[9] Since, therefore,
we are now justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him
from the wrath of God.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.12<br />[37] for by
your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned.<br /><br />8). ON THE COST OF ETERNAL LIFE:<br />Paul
says:<br />Rom.6<br />[23] For the wages of sin is death, but the free
gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.19<br />[29] And every one who has left houses or
brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands,for my
name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal
life.<br />Luke.14<br />[28] For which of you, desiring to build a tower,
does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to
complete it?<br />[33] So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce
all that he has cannot be my disciple.<br /><br />9). ON WHAT IS
HONORABLE AMONGST MEN:<br />Paul says:<br />2Cor.8<br />[21] for we aim at
what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight
of men.<br />Rom.12<br />[17] Repay no one evil for evil, but take
thought for what is noble in the sight of all men.<br />Rom.14<br />[18]
he who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by
men.<br />1Cor.10<br />[33] just as I try to please all men in everything
I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many,<br />that they
may be saved.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Luke.16<br />[15] But he said to
them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows
your hearts;for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the
sight of God.<br />Luke.6<br />[26] Woe to you, when all men speak well
of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.<br /><br />11).
ON THE BASIS OF JUDGEMENT:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.2<br />[12] All who
have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all
who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />John.12<br />[48] He who rejects me and does not receive my
sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on
the last day.<br /><br />12). ON THE COMMANDMENTS AND ETERNAL LIFE:<br />Paul
says:<br />Rom.7<br />[9] I was once alive apart from the law, but when
the commandment came, sin revived and I died;<br />[10] the very
commandment which promised life proved to be death to me.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.19<br />[17] And he said to him, Why do you ask me about
what is good? One there is who is good. If you would enter life, keep
the commandments.<br /><br />13). ON YOUR ABBA(FATHER):<br />Paul
says:<br />1Cor.4<br />[15] For though you have countless guides in
Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in
Christ Jesus through the gospel.<br />Phlm.1<br />[10] I appeal to you
for my child, Ones'imus, whose father I have become in my
imprisonment.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.23<br />[9] And call no man
your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in
heaven.<br /><br />14). ON QUALIFYING FOR ETERNAL LIFE:<br />Paul
says:<br />Rom.5<br />[21] so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also
might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus
Christ our Lord.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />John.5<br />[24] Truly, truly,
I say to you, he who hears my word and believes him who sent me, has
eternal life; he does not come into judgment, but has passed from
death to life.<br /><br />15). ON THE DESTINY OF THE CREATION (HEAVENS
AND EARTH):<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.8<br />[21] because the creation
itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the
glorious liberty of the children of God.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.24<br />[35] Heaven and earth will pass away,<br /><br />16).ON
THE DESTINY OF THE LAW AND PROPHETS :<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.10<br />[4]
For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be
justified.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.5<br />[17] Think not that I
have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to
abolish them but to fulfil them.<br />[18] For truly, I say to you,
till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass
from the law until all is accomplished.<br /><br />17). ON THE NUMBER AND
IDENTITY OF TEACHERS:<br />Paul says:<br />1Cor.12<br />[28] And God has
appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third,
teachers,<br />Eph.4<br />[11] And his gifts were that some should be
apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and
teachers,<br />1Tim.2<br />[7] For this I was appointed a preacher and
apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the
Gentiles in faith and truth.<br />2Tim.1<br />[11] For this gospel I was
appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.23<br />[8] But you are not to be called rabbi, for you
have one teacher, and you are all brethren.<br /><br />18). ON THE NUMBER
TO BE SAVED:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.11<br />[25] Lest you be wise in your
own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a
hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the
Gentiles come in,<br />[26] and so all Israel will be saved; as it is
written, "The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish
ungodliness from Jacob.<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.7<br />[13] Enter
by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that
leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.<br />[14] For
the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those
who find it are few.<br /><br />19). ON THE NUMBER AND IDENTITY OF
PASTORS(SHEPHERDS):<br />Paul says:<br />Eph.4<br />[11] And his gifts were
that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some
pastors (shepherds) and teachers,<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />John.10<br />[16]
And I have other sheep, that are not of this fold; I must bring them
also, and they will heed my voice. So there shall be one flock, one
shepherd.<br /><br />20). ON THE NUMBER AND IDENTITY OF LEADERS:<br />Paul
says:<br />1Cor.4<br />[15] For though you have countless leaders in
Christ ...<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.23<br />[10] Neither be called
leaders, for you have one leader, the Christ.<br /><br />21): ON TOTAL
DEPRAVITY:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.3<br />[9] What then? Are we Jews any
better off? No, not at all; for I have already charged that all men,
both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin,<br />[10] as it is
written: "None is righteous, no, not one;<br />[22] For there is
no distinction;<br />[23] since all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God, . . ..<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.12<br />[35] The good
man out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil man out
of his evil treasure brings forth evil.<br />Luke.6<br />[45] The good
man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil
man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance
of the heart his mouth speaks.<br />Matt.23<br />[35] that upon you may
come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of
innocent Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah the son of Barachi'ah, whom
you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.<br /><br />22). ON
UNCONDITIONAL ELECTION:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.9<br />[16] So it depends
not upon man's will or exertion, but upon God's mercy.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.7<br />[21] Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,'
shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my
Father who is in heaven.<br />[22] On that day many will say to me,
`Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in
your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' [23] And then will
I declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from me, you
evildoers.<br /><br />23).ON SACRIFICES TO GOD :<br />Paul says:<br />1Cor.5<br />[7]
For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed.<br />Eph.5<br />[2]
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a
fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />Matt.9<br />[13] Go and learn what this means, `I desire
mercy, and not sacrifice.'<br /><br />24). ON RENUMERATION FOR PREACHING
THE GOSPEL:<br />Paul says:<br />1Tim.5<br />[17] Let the elders who rule
well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor
in preaching and teaching;<br />[18] for the scripture says, "You
shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain," and,
"The laborer deserves his wages.<br />1Cor.9<br />[11] If we have
sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your
material benefits?<br />[12] If others share this rightful claim upon
you, do not we still more?<br /><br />YESHUA says:<br />Matt.10<br />[7] And
preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'<br />[8]
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You
received without paying, give without pay.<br /><br />25). ON HOW ONE
BECOMES A CHILD OF GOD:<br />Paul says:<br />Rom.8<br />[23] and not only
the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the
Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the
redemption of our bodies.<br />Gal.4<br />[5] to redeem those who were
under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.<br /><br />YESHUA
says:<br />John.3<br />[3] Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born
from above,* he cannot see the kingdom of God.<br />[6] That which is
born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is
spirit.<br />[7] Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born
from above.*(AS FROM HEAVEN)<br />* John 3:3 and 3:7 are the author's
translations. These differ from the RSV only in the expression "born
from above" that replaces "born anew' in the RSV. "Born
anew" does not represent the fullness of what Jesus is stating
here, and does not correspond to the literatal translation of the
Greek, anothen (a()nwqen).<br /><br />IN CONCLUSION:<br />So what's keeping
you from finding out the truth?<br />Fear?<br />Do you think that it's
too scary to leave your comfort zone, the<br />church, your friends and
family perhaps, to find out the truth?<br />Or are you scared that
you'll go to hell, as people love to say, if you<br />dare start
thinking.<br />It's time to get bold. Perfect love casts out fear. Take
a look at what YESHUA said. And what happened to Him. Didn't He tell
us to carry our cross and to count the cost.<br />Well if you want to
get out of deception then drop the fear.<br />And pray daily that the
Lord will lead you into all truth.<br />It's worth it.<br />For
scriptural references and more information visit the website
:<br /><a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/">www.TruthSeekers.co.za</a></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://www.truthseekers.co.za/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_details/gid,1/Itemid,61/" target="_blank">The Shocking Truth</a><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
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Ted Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018392912551661869.post-15888327253309628242007-03-16T15:14:00.000-07:002007-03-17T13:07:30.633-07:00immigration and Billy Gates<em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">IMMIGRATION AND BILLY GATES</span></em><br />It seems that the globalization that Gates wants is aimed to destabilize our economy by allowing specific peoples ,who's income in their native country is considerably less than in the US ,into this country to vie for jobs that are badly needed by our own people.The pittance that these workers will get compared to their American counter parts will in fact allow them to return to their country ,when/if their visas expire ,rich citizens.The issue is not so much Mexico and its people ,but the country of India and China and their growing tech society.Thats who we need to be wary of ,and people like Gates who will instill unrest ,hatred,jealousy and vengeance amongst our own people against these new imported help.<br />Look at what is happening to France,Holland and Germany.They are enacting legislation to counter the problems resulting from their lax immigration policies that allowed foreigners to<br />come into the countries to take up the slack in the work force for the jobs nobody wanted.But what Gates proposes is just a slight bit different,They will take the usually high paying jobs that many Americans are well qualified for and that they need and give it to a people that are no better qualified at and incur the wrath and resentment of the American people .Haven't we had enough of these elitists(LOL). <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/144/2828/1600/tu_logo.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/144/2828/200/tu_logo.jpg" border="0" /></a><strong><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><a href="http://www.techsunite.org/news/display.cfm?ID_Content=5045">http://www.techsunite.org/news/display.cfm?ID_Content=5045</a></span></em></strong><br /><span style="color:#cc0000;">Immigration </span><br /><a href="http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/001322.html">http://weblog.infoworld.com/techwatch/archives/001322.html</a><br /><strong><span style="color:#cc0000;">Immigration</span></strong><br /><a href="http://bink.nu/Article3868.bink">http://bink.nu/Article3868.bink</a><br /><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff6600;">H1base.com</span></strong><br /><a href="http://www.h1base.com/page.asp?id=348">http://www.h1base.com/page.asp?id=348</a><br /><br />Ted Leon III<br /><a href="mailto:lioner2@yahoo.com">lioner2@yahoo.com</a> reservedmind.blogspot.com<br /><a title="Get this widget from Widgetbox" href="http://www.widgetbox.com/widget/switchback-welcome-?wbx.refer=1"><img alt="Get this widget from Widgetbox" src="http://widgetserver.com/syndication/images/wbx-pbadge8.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://reservedmind.blogspot.com/2006/12/welcome.html"><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ffff33;"><strong>back to SWITCHBACK MAIN</strong></span></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OtTNgT4x4p8/RcTBFtpCKGI/AAAAAAAAALc/GqTjsJapNOg/s1600-h/exit+sign.JPG"></a><br /><br /><a href="http://reservedmind.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OtTNgT4x4p8/RcTBFtpCKGI/AAAAAAAAALc/GqTjsJapNOg/s320/exit+sign.JPG" border="0" /></a>Ted Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018392912551661869.post-48623371655343327352007-03-16T15:11:00.000-07:002007-03-16T15:12:31.587-07:00Homeless counted in Oklahoma City<a href="http://olive.newsok.com/Daily/skins/Oklahoman/navigator.asp?skin=oklahoman&BP=OK&AW=1169826187875"><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ffffff;">THE OKLAHOMAN</span>: article 1/26/07 Section:Local and State page 13A(click)</a><br /><span style="color:#ffff66;">Poverty: Shelters, aid groups hope population count will lead to help</span><br /><strong><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;">How many are homeless?</span></strong><br /><span style="color:#33ff33;">• Last year’s study found about 1,500 people living at camps in metro area.<br />By John David Sutter Staff Writer<br /></span>Dural Hurley is homeless and unemployed, but he carries two work identification tags around his neck. They’re reminders that work and hope found him in the past — and he will search them out again. “If I can find one employer who really likes my work, then he’ll put me on fulltime,” said Hurley, 46, who has been sleeping outside for about five months. Hurley was one of hundreds who filled out a “point in time” survey of Oklahoma City’s homeless population Thursday. This is the fourth year advocacy groups have partnered with the city on the survey. Their count a year ago showed about 1,500 people are homeless in the city on any given day. This is the first year workers used a helicopter to augment their count. Dan Straughan, executive director of the Homeless Alliance, rode in the helicopter to count homeless camps from the sky. He said the bird’s-eye view gave him new insight into how widespread homelessness is in Oklahoma City. Straughan said he saw about 30 campsites where homeless people sleep. They’re scattered across the city, from NW 122 to SW 59, he said. It previously was thought that nearly all homeless people lived downtown. The information may lead to new services for people who largely choose to avoid the help available downtown, Straughan said. He said a shelter where residents are allowed to drink could be a possibility, because many homeless people with substance abuse problems refuse to sleep in shelters, since they will be kicked out if caught with liquor or drugs. Some of the people who were spotted live in small tents held up by barrels, he said. Others have built substantial shacks along the Oklahoma River, made of corrugated metal and scrap lumber. A different approach Most of the homeless people are counted by surveys distributed at shelters and locations that serve free meals. Straughan acknowledged the helicopter might have been frightening to some of those counted, but the information collected may benefit them. Volunteers and nonprofit groups pay for the survey. Oklahoma City’s helicopter was used, and the city paid for the fuel, police Capt. Steven McCool said. About 70 volunteers passed out surveys asking an array of questions: Where did you sleep last night? Do you have mental health or substance abuse issues? What family members could you fall back on? Answers help shelters and private aid groups know how best to help, organizers said. “We’re in the business of serving people,” said Jennifer Gooden, program coordinator at the Homeless Alliance, “and like any business, you’ve got to have working information. You’ve got to know who you’re serving.” This year’s survey gathers more detailed information than before. Gooden said some of it will be used to extrapolate a social cost of homelessness based on jail time, medical care, emergency room visits and other services that drain public money because so many people live on the street. A tough life Hurley just hopes people will understand how difficult it is to lose everything. After his wife died about five years ago, he moved from Idaho to Oklahoma, he said. He found himself jobless, unable to pay rent and eventually on the street. “You never know with day labor. It’s kind of hard to pay rent when you don’t know what you’ve got coming in,” he said. He said he’s had his only possessions — a sleeping bag, blankets and clothes — stolen by other homeless people. And it’s hard to find a job without transportation, so he’s saving up for a bike or an old car. “I know if I had a nice apartment before, I can get back to that again. It’s just going to take some time to figure things out and do it.” Until then, he will continue walking 30 minutes to a temporary worker center each morning. He arrived at 4:45 a.m. Thursday, he said, and no work was available for the day. Few temp jobs have been available since frigid weather hit the city more than a week ago, he said. Margaret, 39, said the homelessness survey she took was not a bother, but she doubts it will help. “How is it going to benefit the homeless?” she said. “I don’t know. They need to possibly figure out a way to get some jobs of something for people, for them to get their foot in the door somewhere. “That would be a start.”<br /><br />BY CHRIS LANDSBERGER, THE OKLAHOMAN Homeless Alliance volunteer Jennifer Gooden helps an Oklahoma City homeless man fill out a census survey at the Baptist Church Mission downtown on Thursday. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OtTNgT4x4p8/Rboh2y8wkQI/AAAAAAAAAHY/gnXO4O4btIA/s1600-h/r+decker.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024365559558476034" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 167px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 118px" height="181" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_OtTNgT4x4p8/Rboh2y8wkQI/AAAAAAAAAHY/gnXO4O4btIA/s320/r+decker.gif" width="228" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="color:#33ff33;">(I 've personally known this man for just over a year...he is alright)</span>Ted Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018392912551661869.post-31405331612174036332007-03-16T15:08:00.000-07:002009-04-16T15:16:45.171-07:00why I hesitate to call my self a witch.by Sandra<span style="font-size:130%;"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff6600;">My agreement in essay colored orange"ONLY"</span></strong> or whatever color this is on your computer.READ THIS disclaimer!!<br /></span><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Crafters and Natural Witches</strong></span> /Author:<span style="color:#ff6666;"> Sandra</span><br />Posted: January 7th. 2007 Times Viewed: <span style="color:#33ff33;">1,358<br /></span><br />Or… Why I hesitate to call myself a witch.The distinction I am about to make is my own, albeit shared by many others like me. It by no means claims to be the <span style="color:#ffff33;">sole definition</span> nor is it an attempt to create division (division is already there and it isn’t a dirty word) . I write this article for the same reason I write anything online at all: to reach out to those that are like me and need to hear it to find inner peace.Trying to share worldviews is one of the most difficult things people can attempt. We can debate, argue and discuss beliefs; this is easy enough. <span style="color:#ff6600;">But to truly understand another person, we need to shift to their perspective on life – and most of us cannot do this. If you are a natural or trained empath, you know exactly to what I’m referring.I mention this because many people get riled up at other people’s definitions and beliefs when it is connected to witches. </span>I have discovered that it is perfectly acceptable to distinguish between shamans and practitioners of shamanism – one is a person devoted to serving the ‘tribe’, the other is a person using the techniques and living the practices. Neither is more devoted to their path than the other, but most practitioners that are not entirely devoted to the life would not disrespect shamanism by taking on the label ‘shaman’. Similarly, Druids today openly admit they are living a reconstruction of that ancient path. However, get into distinctions about ‘witches’ and you quickly find yourself in some ridiculous conversations. I have read all sorts of articles about the etymology of wicca/wicce, about an old religion renewed, about modern inventions, and so on.Although I have a deep interest in etymology, I find it entirely irrelevant to most of these issues. You could take on a word used 3000 years ago; it doesn’t make you that thing. What matters is socially or culturally defined meaning.So with this perspective, I totally accept anyone who wishes to call him/herself a witch. Words are not static creatures, they are dynamic; we push and mould them until they fit what we understand. We can debate until we’re blue in the face that ‘gay’ originally meant happy, but it has absolutely nothing to do with how we use it today. <span style="color:#ff6600;">If ‘witch’ now means a person of a nature-based religion, who worships a goddess and god, and who does magic, then I have no problem with that. In fact, there are as many definitions as there are witches. It does mean though that I hesitate to call myself a witch, as with so many definitions, we have in my opinion, unfortunately rendered the word virtually meaningless</span>.My concern is that many of those of the current forms of witch paths deny the existence or possibility that there is another meaning at all. And this is where I enter into my worldview. If you are a true spiritual seeker, you will now take my hand, close your eyes, and come on a realm walk with me into my mind.My experience is of a life where witches are in the dark corners; they are silent and walk in line with the shadows. They are not political, they don’t wish to be accepted, have rights, or fight environmental issues. Those find them that both fear and respect them. They don’t worship any god or goddess. <span style="color:#ff6600;">They don’t do magic</span>.They don’t what? Yes, I hear you.Allow me to share with you the distinction. In my world, there are two main types of witches, and yes, both call themselves witches, but one only for convenience and usually by outsiders rather than themselves.The two are Crafters and shadow walkers.A Crafter practices what is known world wide as witchcraft. Witchcraft (and identical cultural variants, such as brujaria) is a term that was actually used by non-witches/crafters to talk about what they thought witches did. Witches have no problem with a certain amount of incorrect information.Look at your history, and you will discover that from very ancient times, being a witch was being an evildoer. Witches were more an idea than any actual person. Yes, that’s right, evil witches are not a Christian invention, however inconvenient that is for a handful of modern pagans. The ancients despised them long before Christianity was a twinkle in a Jew’s eye. Ancient pagans killed witches. People have always had to explain bad luck and misfortune, the concept of the witch filled the purpose of a scapegoat.Social history is never linear; many complex circumstances eventually produced people that actually did do witchcraft.Witchcraft is actually a set of crafts, plural. But it all revolves around magic – poppets or dolls, spells, charms, talismans and amulets, protection, banishings, and much more.This is known as folk magic – used by cunning folk, wise women, and crafters.In some parts of the world, I have seen this merge with the pagan religion or with pagan concepts and worldviews. This has produced religious Crafters all over the world, including British Witchcraft, Stregoneria and Stregheria, and even in my own Brujaria. I refer to them as pagan-witches. There are Crafters in my family, both religious and not. Every witch cultural variant I have come across has the two, and more, styles – Crafters and shadow walkers.Pagan-witches, or religious Crafters, often do rituals; they believe in gods or some form of being that usually is worthy of worship or reverence. Their style of witch path is a religion to them because it is inextricable from their beliefs of divinity. Another form of religious Crafter that I first discovered about 4 years ago call themselves Wiccan. This is a highly diverse group, but they tend to be united by certain worldviews. Their flavor of ‘witch’ is religious and leaning towards the ceremonial and alchemical side, often in conjunction with folk magic. That is, they believe the world is made up of four elements and perform simple to elaborate rituals for/with their gods, while simultaneously using the practices of the wise folk, such as herb knowledge.The above are by necessity basic explanations, only serving as guides to compare with the rest.Ok, so what is the other, this shadow walker, I mention?This is the witch of my understanding: the shadow walker, the root worker, the feather walker, the dream seer, the web weaver…..<span style="color:#ff6600;">This ‘witch’ cannot choose the path; the belief is that the path chooses the person. Just as some are born natural artists or musicians, so are some born witches</span>.This witch finds magic (use of the will to create change) contrary to her worldview, while she still uses healing methods and similar practices. <span style="color:#ff6600;">She is bestowed with a role that is both an honor and a burden.</span> She sees no deity that requires her worship, devotion or reverence. She is an equal walker on this realm and all realms with the spirits of nature and the ancestral spirits. She breathes in one breath with nature.<span style="color:#ff6600;"> Drawing a circle around her is contrary to her purpose and perspective of the realms. Reality is not male/female, light/dark – it is neither two nor four. There are no four corners, but a spiraling reality of all spirits</span>. <span style="color:#ff6600;">She is wild and has no use for formal ritual. </span><span style="color:#66cccc;">She does not write down her thoughts or use symbols – she is as nature, free of social constructs</span>.She is gatekeeper, key mistress. She is neither above anything or anyone nor below anything or anyone; there is no hierarchy in the realms and certainly none on earth. There is no coven, no priest/ess; there is only Family or solitary existence. She does not meditate, is not psychic or prophetess. She is not politically active. She cannot survive well in urban society – neither in common jobs, roles or living conditions. <span style="color:#ff6600;">Just like the shaman, she must separate from social norms to fully realize who and what she is. It isn’t that you cannot be a witch in suburbia - you are what you are. </span>It’s that if you live in such ways, you will feel suffocated, disconnected, exposed, not at peace. The old stories of the witch at the edge of the village tell of a truth – she must separate.<span style="color:#ff6600;">Also, we don’t charge for what we do, ever. However, we work with the flow of nature, and nature is in constant balance and exchange. We believe that if one takes, one must give back. This is accepted in whatever method the person can manage, whether it is coins (money), food, livestock, labor, or knowledge. We don’t request it; the spiritually sound person knows to give.We have no tools of any special meaning. We don’t have sabbats or esbats or any designated observance on particular days or times – these are human constructs,</span> nature has no special days. Some of us take special note of solstices/equinoxes for feather walking or other workings.<span style="color:#ff6600;"> We acknowledge the particularly deep power of the moon on the flows in nature: sap, tides and blood. Ethics are tied to people, not the path. We have no creeds or guidelines. We understand responsibility in accepting consequences – sometimes even a painful price is worth it</span>. We have no concept of karma.To the shadow walker, <span style="color:#ff6600;">Fate is everything</span>. <span style="color:#ff6600;">Those that adhere to the great concept of wyrd should understand this<a href="http://www.octavia.net/anglosaxon/Wyrd.htm">Great Concept of Wyrd(click here)</a></span>. As you can see, understanding this in its full scope requires a great shift in consciousness and in worldviews, an intellectual or mental empathy.<span style="color:#ff6600;">Finally, all witches sacrifice for their role</span>. <span style="color:#ff6600;">Although sacrifice is not the appropriate word, as how we view it is that we exchange with nature</span>. This might mean no life partner, no children, ostracism, or anything out of the social norm. Obviously not an easy path.Although the belief is that you are born as a witch, it is possible to choose to live the ways, to an extent. For those that have come to me over the years, unsatisfied with other flavors of being witch, the ways of the shadow walker offer an alternative, and it is to these people, as well as to the natural ‘witches’, that I reach out to with my words.My family rarely uses the word witch; <span style="color:#ff6600;">there is no name for who and what we are, but ‘witch’ is the easiest and closest match</span>. Until you discover that there are now even more definitions available. Whatever witch you are, no matter if we are entirely different in our beliefs and worldviews, I recognize our shared sisterhood through the label. But I do wonder, just how appropriate or socially meaningful is the word ‘witch’ today?Thank you for allowing me the space to be express difficult/controversial words.<br />Copyright: Copyright 2006 Sandra Martinez<br />ABOUT... <span style="color:#ff0000;">Sandra</span><br />Location: <span style="color:#33ff33;">South, England</span><br />Website: <a href="http://oldthreadwitch.wordpress.com/"><span style="color:#ff0000;">http://oldthreadwitch.wordpress.com/</span></a><br /><span style="color:#ffff00;"><strong>Bio: A shadow walker of Family tradition. Given the secondary role of Empath, Sandra focuses on guiding others to the gate.<br /></strong></span><span style="color:#ffffff;">Other Articles: Sandra has posted 2 additional articles</span>- <a href="http://www.witchvox.com/va/list_articles.html?a=ukgb2&id=302409">View them</a>?<br /><span style="color:#ffffff;">Other Listings: To view ALL of my listings:</span> <a href="http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_all.html?a=ukgb2&id=302409">Click HERE</a><br />(Teodoro Leon's summary and agreement with Sandra following,though full article is very insightful concerning etymology and social and psychological impacts...and deserves ones discernment)<br /><i>But to truly understand another person, we need to shift to their perspective on life – and most of us cannot do this. If you are a natural or trained empath, you know exactly to what I’m referring.I mention this because many people get riled up at other people’s definitions and beliefs when it is connected to witches.<br />If ‘witch’ now means a person of a nature-based religion, who worships a goddess and god, and who does magic, then I have no problem with that. In fact, there are as many definitions as there are witches. It does mean though that I hesitate to call myself a witch, as with so many definitions, we have in my opinion, unfortunately rendered the word virtually meaningless.<br />My concern is that many of those of the current forms of witch paths deny the existence or possibility that there is another meaning at all. And this is where I enter into my worldview. If you are a true spiritual seeker, you will now take my hand, close your eyes, and come on a realm walk with me into my mind.My experience is of a life where witches are in the dark corners; they are silent and walk in line with the shadows. They are not political, they don’t wish to be accepted, have rights, or fight environmental issues. Those find them that both fear and respect them. They don’t worship any god or goddess. They don’t do magic.They don’t what? Yes, I hear you.<br />This ‘witch’ cannot choose the path; the belief is that the path chooses the person. Just as some are born natural artists or musicians, so are some born witches...<br /> She is bestowed with a role that is both an honor and a burden...<br /> Drawing a circle around her is contrary to her purpose and perspective of the realms. Reality is not male/female, light/dark – it is neither two nor four. There are no four corners, but a spiraling reality of all spirits. She is wild and has no use for formal ritual...<br />Just like the shaman, she must separate from social norms to fully realize who and what she is. It isn’t that you cannot be a witch in suburbia - you are what you are...<br />Also, we don’t charge for what we do, ever. However, we work with the flow of nature, and nature is in constant balance and exchange. We believe that if one takes, one must give back. This is accepted in whatever method the person can manage, whether it is coins (money), food, livestock, labor, or knowledge. We don’t request it; the spiritually sound person knows to give.We have no tools of any special meaning. We don’t have sabbats or esbats or any designated observance on particular days or times – these are human constructs...<br /> We acknowledge the particularly deep power of the moon on the flows in nature: sap, tides and blood. Ethics are tied to people, not the path. We have no creeds or guidelines. We understand responsibility in accepting consequences – sometimes even a painful price is worth it.<br />Fate is everything. Those that adhere to the great concept of wyrd should understand thisGreat Concept of Wyrd<br /><a href="http://www.octavia.net/anglosaxon/Wyrd.htm">Wyrd concept click here</a><br /> As you can see, understanding this in its full scope requires a great shift in consciousness and in worldviews, an intellectual or mental empathy.<br />Finally, all witches sacrifice for their role. Although sacrifice is not the appropriate word, as how we view it is that we exchange with nature.<br />there is no name for who and what we are, but ‘witch’ is the easiest and closest match.</i>Ted Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7018392912551661869.post-22483953569457778292007-03-16T15:02:00.000-07:002007-03-16T15:07:59.600-07:00Americans were abducted, executed..Seattle Times 1/27/07<br /><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Americans ‘were abducted and executed’ in Karbala<br /></strong></span>The operation was well rehearsed, says military<br />Baghdad (AFP)<br />Four of five US soldiers killed in a raid by militants last week in Iraq’s shrine city of Karbala were abducted and executed by men wearing “American-looking uniforms”, the military revealed yesterday.<br />The grim details of the January 20 attack were released for the first time by the US military.<br />A US military statement said the Karbala raid had been “well rehearsed”, with gunmen getting past Iraqi checkpoints in “a convoy consisting of at least five sport utility vehicles”.<br />One soldier was killed in the initial assault while four others were shot dead after being kidnapped by the insurgents, who fled with them in the SUVs.<br />Iraqi police later found the vehicles near the town of Al Mahawil, east of Karbala.<br />“Two soldiers were found handcuffed together in the back of one of the SUVs. Both had suffered gunshot wounds and were dead. A third soldier was found shot and dead on the ground,” the statement said.<br />“Nearby, the fourth soldier was still alive, despite a gunshot wound to the head.” He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died on the way.<br />Identified<br />In an initial statement released on January 21, the military had said five US soldiers were killed and three wounded “while repelling the attack”.<br />The internet site icasualties.org, which tracks US losses in Iraq, identified the five as Captain Brian Freeman, Lieutenant Jacob Fritz, Specialist Jonathan Chism, Private 1st Class Jonathan Millican and Private Shawn Falter.<br />Yesterday’s statement said “an estimated nine to 12 armed militants” with US-type weapons had stormed the Provincial Joint Coordination Centre in Karbala, where they opened fire and hurled hand grenades at US troops.<br />After damaging three US vehicles with explosives, “the attackers broke off the assault, withdrawing from the compound with four captured US soldiers.<br />“The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution,” US spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Scott Bleichwehl said in the statement.<br />“The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the compound,” Bleichwehl said.<br />“We are looking at all the evidence to determine who or what was responsible for the breakdown in security at the compound and the perpetration of the assault.”<br />U.S. now says 4 soldiers seized, executed<br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong><em>REPORTERS QUESTIONED ACCOUNTTHAT TROOPS DIED IN ASSAULT Gunmen spoke English, got through checkpoint<br /></em></strong></span>BY LEILA FADEL McClatchy Newspapers<br />KARBALA, Iraq – Four American soldiers whom the U.S. military originally reported were killed when unknown gunmen stormed an Iraqi provincial office in Karbala last Saturday were, in fact, taken hostage and later executed, military officials said Friday.<br />The abducted soldiers, shot in the head, were discovered when five Chevrolet Suburbans used in the attack were found abandoned, their doors open, in the town of Mahawil hours after the attack. Mahawil is about 25 miles from Karbala.<br />Military officials offered no explanation for why the men originally were reported as having died “repelling the attack.” The Pentagon named the men in a news release Tuesday and said they had died “from wounds sustained when their patrol was ambushed while conducting dismounted operations.”<br />Sources confirmed that the attackers spoke English and posed as Americans to pass through Iraqi security in one of the most sophisticated operations against U.S. soldiers since the Iraq war began in 2003.<br />News of the security breakdown, kidnappings and slayings leaked just as President Bush faces stiffening congressional opposition over his plan to flood Baghdad and surrounding regions with 21,500 more U.S. troops.<br />Lt. Col. Todd Vician, a Pentagon spokesman, said the Pentagon news release was “based on information provided by the Army.” Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, the U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, didn’t respond to e-mails and phone calls seeking an explanation.<br />The inaccurate accounts of how the four men died recalled the controversy surrounding the death of former NFL player Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. The Pentagon initially said Tillman had been killed by Taliban insurgents. Only later did they say that he had been shot by fellow U.S. soldiers.<br />It was unknown Friday what families of the abducted servicemen had been told about their deaths. Efforts to contact the families were unsuccessful.<br />U.S. officials have been largely silent about the circumstances of last Saturday’s raid in which gunmen slipped unchallenged past checkpoints manned by Iraqi soldiers and stormed a government compound where American officials were meeting with local Iraqi counterparts.<br />A statement Friday quoting Bleichwehl on details of the abductions and executions was released only after The Associated Press distributed a story quoting Iraqi police officials and two unnamed U.S. officials.<br />Iraqi police officials have portrayed the raid as a major breach of security. A police official in Hilla, a city adjacent to Mahawil, said Monday that one of the vehicles used in the attack carried a license plate stolen from a car of Iraq’s minister of trade.<br />One Iraqi official said the leader of the assault team had blond hair, but no other official confirmed that.<br />They apparently were well enough informed about the compound, known as the Provincial Joint Coordination Center, that they went directly to where the Americans were in the compound, attacking with a barrage of grenades and rifle fire. Three Humvees were destroyed.<br />“The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests that the attack was well-rehearsed prior to execution,” Bleichwehl was quoted as saying. “The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the provincial government facility, by-passing the Iraqi police in the compound.”<br />A senior Iraqi military official said the sophistication of the attack led him to believe it was the work of Iranian intelligence agents in conjunction with anti-American cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army militia, which Iran funds, arms and trains.<br />At the main building, soldiers heard the explosions and tried to defend themselves. One grenade was tossed into the command center where the provincial police chief’s office is housed, killing one soldier and wounding three, the statement said. After about 15 minutes, the gunmen snatched four soldiers and fled toward Babel province. As they passed a checkpoint into the province, police grew suspicious and gave chase.<br />They found the five abandoned vehicles, doors still open, near Mahawil, east of the Euphrates River. Inside one vehicle two soldiers were handcurity cuffed together and shot in the head. A third soldier, also shot in the head, was found sprawled on the ground. A fourth soldier was found wounded and died as Iraqi police took him to a hospital, the statement said.<br />The U.S. statement Friday did not say who was suspected in the attack. A guard at the coordination center told McClatchy Newspapers that all the guards there are now under investigation.<br />The guard, who asked not to be identified because he also is a suspect, said he had handed his weapon to the attackers and allowed the men into the compound because they were dressed in U.S. uniforms, spoke English and were using interpreters. He said it was customary not to challenge Americans.<br />Babel police spokesman Capt. Muthana Ahmed said Monday that the attackers had first gathered weapons at the police headquarters in Karbala before attacking the provincial compound. U.S. Humvees now are stationed at the police headquarters, and Iraqi police commandos are providing security at both the police headquarters and the provincial headquarters.<br />Hilla police chief Maj. Gen. Qais al-Maamuri said five vehicles used in the attack were found Saturday and two vehicles were found Sunday.<br />Al-Maamuri said one of the vehicles bore a license plate registered to Iraq’s minister of trade, Abdul Falah al-Sudani, a Shiite who belongs to the Dawa party whose members include Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. A spokesman for al-Sudani, who lives in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad, denied that the plate had been stolen.<br />Al-Maamuri also said police do not know how the attackers obtained military uniforms or IDs, but said that ownership documents had been found in two of the vehicles. He said the cars had come to Karbala along the road leading from Najaf, where al-Sadr is headquartered, and were unchallenged until they entered Babel province.<br />Inquiries reveal soldiers wereshot after attack<br />Four U.S. soldiers were abducted in Karbala last Saturday, and killed elsewhere, contrary to reports they repelled attackers. Nine to 12 militants in Chevrolet Suburban vehicles, the type used in U.S. convoys, attacked the compound while wearing U.S. military fatigues, carrying U.S. weapons and speaking English.<br /><br /><br />Dallas Morning news<br /><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff0000;"><strong>Lost in a brazen attack<br />U.S. initially said soldiers died repelling gunmenin Iraq, but details of abduction emerge</strong></span><br />From Wire Reports<br />BAGHDAD, Iraq — In perhaps the boldest and most sophisticated attack in four years of warfare, gunmen speaking English, wearing U.S. military uniforms and carrying American weapons abducted four U.S. soldiers last week at the provincial headquarters in the Shiite holy city of Karbala and then shot them to death.<br />The U.S. military confirmed a report earlier Friday by The Associated Press that three of the soldiers were dead and one was mortally wounded with a gunshot to the head when they were found in a neighboring province, about 25 miles from the compound where they were captured. A fifth soldier was killed in the initial attack on the compound.The new account contradicted a U.S. military statement last Saturday, the day of the raid on an Iraqi governor’s office, that five soldiers were killed repelling the attack.The security breakdown and the dramatic kidnapping and murder of four soldiers leaked out just as President Bush faces stiffening congressional opposition over his plan to flood Baghdad and surrounding regions with with 21,500 more American troops. Two of Congress's most vocal war critics, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Rep. John Murtha, were in the Iraqi capital as the news broke. 1st Lt. Jacob Fritz of Verdon, Neb., 'always wanted to be in the military,' a friend said. In a statement issued late Friday, the military said two of the soldiers were handcuffed together in the back seat of an SUV near the southern Iraqi town of Mahawil. A third dead soldier was on the ground nearby. The fourth soldier died on the way to the hospital. The four were identified as 1st Lt. Jacob Fritz, 25, of Verdon, Neb.; Spc. Johnathan Chism, 22, of Prairieville, La.; Pfc. Shawn Falter, 25, of Homer, N.Y., and Pvt. Johnathon Millican, 20, of Trafford, Ala. All were with the 2nd Battalion, 377th Parachute Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, of Fort Richardson, Alaska. Capt. Brian S. Freeman, 31, of Temecula, Calif., "died of wounds suffered when his meeting area came under attack by mortar and small arms fire." Spc. Johnathan Chism of Prairieville, La., 'liked anybody and everybody,' his mom said. The brazen assault, 50 miles south of Baghdad, was conducted by nine to 12 gunmen posing as an American security team, the military confirmed. The attackers traveled in black GMC Suburban vehicles – the type used by U.S. government convoys – had American weapons, wore new U.S. military combat fatigues and spoke English, according to two senior U.S. military officials as well as Iraqi officials. None of the American or Iraqi officials would allow use of their names because of the sensitive nature of the information. The confirmation came after nearly a week of inquiries. The U.S. military in Baghdad initially did not respond to repeated requests for comment on reports that began emerging from Iraqi government and military officials on the abduction and a major breakdown in security at the Karbala site. Pfc. Shawn Falter of Homer, N.Y., followed three of his older brothers into the Army. Within hours of the AP report that four of the five dead soldiers had been abducted and found dead or dying about 25 miles east of Karbala, the military issued a long account of what took place. "The precision of the attack, the equipment used and the possible use of explosives to destroy the military vehicles in the compound suggests that the attack was well rehearsed prior to execution," said Lt. Col. Scott Bleichwehl, spokesman for Multi-National Division Baghdad. "The attackers went straight to where Americans were located in the provincial government facility, bypassing the Iraqi police in the compound," he said. "We are looking at all the evidence to determine who or what was responsible for the breakdown in security at the compound and the perpetration of the assault." The Karbala raid, as explained by the Iraqi and American officials, began after nightfall on Jan. 20, while American military officers were meeting with their Iraqi counterparts on the main floor of the Provisional Joint Coordination Center in Karbala. Iraqi officials said the approaching convoy of black GMC Suburbans was waved through an Iraqi checkpoint at the edge of the city. The Iraqi soldiers believed it to be American because of the type of vehicles, the distinctive camouflage American uniforms and the fact that they spoke English. One Iraqi official said the leader of the assault team was blond, but no other official confirmed that. A top Iraqi security official for Karbala province told the AP that the Iraqi guards at the checkpoint radioed ahead to the governor's compound to alert their compatriots that the convoy was on its way.Iraqi officials said the attackers' convoy divided upon arrival, with some vehicles parking at the back of the main building where the meeting was taking place, and others parking in front.<br />The attackers threw a grenade and opened fire with automatic rifles as they grabbed two soldiers inside the compound. Then the guerrilla assault team jumped on top of an armored U.S. Humvee and captured two more soldiers, the U.S. military officials said. In its statement, the U.S. military said one soldier was killed and three were wounded by a "hand grenade thrown into the center's main office which contains the provincial police chief's office on an upper floor." The attackers seized four soldiers and an unclassified U.S. military computer and fled with them east toward Mahawil in Babil province, crossing the Euphrates River, the U.S. military officials said. The Iraqi officials said the four were captured alive and shot just before the vehicles were abandoned. Police, who became suspicious when the convoy of attackers and their American captives did not stop at a roadblock, chased the vehicles and found the bodies, the gear and the abandoned SUVs.The military statement said: "Two soldiers were found handcuffed together in the back of one of the SUVs. Both had suffered gunshot wounds and were dead. A third soldier was found shot and dead on the ground. Nearby, the fourth soldier was still alive, despite a gunshot wound to the head." The wounded soldier was rushed to the hospital by Iraqi police but died on the way, the military said. The military also said Iraqi police had found five SUVs, U.S. Army-type combat uniforms, boots, radios and a non-U.S. made rifle at the scene. Three days after the killings, the U.S. military in Baghdad announced the arrest of four suspects in the attack and said they were detained on a tip from a Karbala resident. No further information was released about the suspects<br />Article Specs Article ID: 11111 VoxAcct: 302409 Section: words Age Group: Adult Days Up: 3 Times Read: 1,358 RSS Views: 15,422Ted Leonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06416928276107268763noreply@blogger.com0