FREEDOM!
By; Champagne

Are you sure......are you REALLY sure that total freedom still exists in our society?
If yes is your answer, in part I must agree especially when compared to other countries. do have freedom in many areas which as our jobs, homes, lifestyles, clothes, shows, music, news speech etc. However, what about religious freedom? If our answer is yes, consider the following:
What thoughts come in mind when one says the word "metaphysics"? Quite possibly and as has been my experience, the initial response is Satanism, occult, witchcraft, voodoo, spell-casting, rituals, etc., etc. How about when one talks about meditation, out of body, spirits guides and teachers on the astral plane or one's higher power?
To begin with, let's discuss the word META (enhanced) PHYSICAL (the study of nature and its relatioins to beings or other objects- physical.
Metaphysicians are people joined together for study of all subjects and how they relate to ourselves and our surroundings, plus how we as people and a group of people might help our Earth mother to survive the rape that occurs on her daily. Love of our fellow persons and our Earth mother abounds in our groups no matter how large or small. Where, then, can we be spoken of in the same breath as a Satanist is beyond me. Websters dictionary defines metaphysics as "A system of principles underlying a particular study or subject, a division of philosophy that includes ontology and cosmology."
Going further, Webster defines Ontology as "A branch of metaphysics concerned with the nature and relations of being. or the kinds of existents"; and Cosmology as "A branch of metaphysics that deals with the universe as an orderly system, a branch of astronomy that deals with the origin, structure, or space-time relationships of the universe." Now, by reading the above, can one say we are really Satanists? I say "NO!"
Meditation is another "bad word for most people of other religions. However, meditation is quite simply the act of "focusing one's thoughts on; reflect on or ponder over." Meditation and prayer are initially the same thing; i.e., prayer to God or meditation to our higher power. Both are periods of time where one quiets themselves and communicates with God, Jesus, Higher Power, Great White Father, Budha, Yahwah, etc., etc., etc. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE WHAT WE CALL OUR PERSON JUST AS LONG AS WE LOVE AND CARE AND TRUST IN THIS ENTITY? We do not worship or pray or meditate or ask Saints to intervene for us as the Catholic people do, but we do not downgrade them for their practice. Why is it so wrong to use other words for prayer and God in our society? Our guides and spirits are just as the Catholics have their Saints. When we meditate to focus on our guides and teachers with our thoughts, it is the same as Catholics praying to their Saints for intervention in a problem. I see NO DIFFERENCE!
Many people look down on those of us who use incense, candles, smudge sticks, crystals for healing, laying on of hands, herbs, etc. as being wrong and evil. The incense smells beautiful and fills our hearts with a "good and loving feeling"; the candles create an atmosphere along with the incense, crystals are beautiful and have been known to have energy transmitted from them; laying on of hands goes back to the beginning of time and to even motherhood when one tries to comfort a child or loved one or neighbor; and finally, herbs have been used for centuries as remedies when other medicines were not available and have very well known healing qualities. As long as I have been in a metaphysical group, I have yet to hear one of our members scoff at Jewish people for wearing a little cap to services on the back of their head; at Catholic peolple for wearing lace scarves on their heads or for dipping their fingers in holy water and genuflecting before entering church; and many different known religions eat bread and water (or wine) while making believe it is the body and blood of Christ; and etc..
We as a group believe Satanism exists, but are not part of this "religion". Our belief feels that harm should come to no one or to our Earth mother and all objects and creatures thereupon. We are a group of learners and inquisitors of all aspects in our lifetime and enjoy sharing with our brothers and sisters whoever and wherever they may be.
Give us that "religious freedom," that we crave and do not put us down until you have studied and walked in our shoes for a while.

PEACE

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