u/RegisterOk4916

Wow! Such a great read. Lots of history. For those seeking the history of our religion, it is really interesting. It's not the sensationalist confirmation of Murrayite theories about the 'witch cult'. Rather it is a very sober look at all of the people who influenced the formation of our religion in the early to mid 20th century. One figure does stand out, though. Ernie Mason. He claimed to be a witch of the 'White Order', and anecdotal evidence shows him as an adept of extraordinary ability. Make of that what you will. A thoroughly good read. Totally recommend it.

Are we to read Song of Songs as a blueprint for the relationship between Christ and the church, His bride? If so, what can we gain from 4:7?

So, I've been meeting with these Mormon missionaries and sharing Bible stuff, and they've been directing me to read portions of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. I've found a chink in the theological armour which I've just shared with them.

"I have a theological sticking point, which would've been easy to gloss over, but it stuck out. Alma 5:40 says, "For I say unto you that whatsoever is good cometh from God, and whatsoever is evil cometh from the devil." This is in direct contrast from Isaiah 45:5-7, which says, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me, there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." Throughout the Bible, the figure of Satan does nothing without God's approval or allowance. It's not just a matter of free will. Raising the devil to be on equal footing with God is a theological blunder. It's a borrowing from Zoroastrianism that has a god of good (Ahura Mazda) and a god of evil (Ahriman). There is no such thing in Christianity. The devil or, more properly, Satan or Ha Saitan acts as an opposing force in our spiritual progress to provide much needed resistance in much the same way as you exercise with weights. No weights, no growth of muscle. In the desert, when Jesus is tempted, that is his function. To test Christ's mettle before he begins his ministry. The Bible is very clear, God is the ultimate power and authority. Thus why Christ can and does cast out demons. He has authority over them. When the devil is cast into oblivion in Revelation, it is because his function has ceased. There is no need to try or test souls anymore. I'll pray on it. But my heart tells me that the devil is not a god (small g) that creates evil. He is an angel, or emination of God, one of the Elohim which has the power to oppose and try souls. The KJV is more explicit in Isaiah 45:7 where it uses the word 'evil' rather than 'disaster'. The point is the same, if God is sovereign (which he is), evil cannot exist as an independent opposing power."

Is my theology sound? Does the Judeo-Christian mythology of the war in Heaven and fall of Satan occur anywhere in The Bible? Please do not use Isaiah 14:12 or Luke 10:18 out of context, that's whack.

I find that if I drink monster, my sense of time passing changes. It's as if time passes faster. Anyone else get that?

I've recently been seeing ads for haritaki as an aid for lucid dreaming. Has anyone had any experience with it? Is it worth exploring? Is it better, say, than calea zacatechichi? Your thoughts, please.