From the news report below, it suggests that certain authorities have not made any attempts to capture Ayah Pin. This reflects the influence he has set-in. What is it that the respective figures could have probably witnessed until they did not enforce the law upon Ayah Pin? Hypnotism? Or some mystical powers that is endowed by Ayah Pin. For all we know that this Ayah Pin did not do any criminal harm on anyone. Maybe he has married 4 wives. Perhaps, he has renounced Islam in 2001 and a signed copy of Ayah Pin renouncing Islam is also available which is written in the Malay language.
The photos of the monuments that was posted in my part 1 and part 2 postings in this subject no longer exist today. They were all captured prior to the demolishments by the religious authorities and assisted by the Police Force. Perhaps, if he did not try to influence the Malays against going to the Mosque to attend the compulsory Friday prayers, things would not have been so bad for him. Further to that, there were other elements in his teachings that could be considered as deviationist teachings in the eyes of a Muslim.
Ayah Pin's concept of unifying Islam, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist teachings didn't quite work out with the combination of deviation teachings, strange rituals past midnights till dawn, absurdities of the monuments in terms of the cost involved (in Millions of dollars) and it's intricate meanings. However, there is still good done by this man as can be seen by the photo of the reformed addict with the help of Ayah Pin. He is not the only reformed addict as there are others who have also been cured of drug addiction.
Photo left: This man claims that Ayah Pin had helped him to reform his drug addiction problem.
In the news report below, Ayah Pin has been spotted again ever since his exile in year 2005 to Thailand. He came to celebrate the Pilgrimage Festival (Hari Raya Haji) in Malaysia that yearly involves sacrificing cows by slitting the cows neck. (When the neck is slitted, Quranic verses are read). However, the locals who eye-witnessed Ayah Pin performing "korban" (sacrifice) noted the peculiar difference in the manner that was performed. Ayah Pin started by slitting the cows tail first (very unusual and abnormal for this ritual) and then followed by the usual slit of the neck. He was again the object of the Malay skeptics who ridiculed his actions which they deem extremely weird.
And that ends the tale of the cows tail being slitted. This earth is filled by the strangest people with strangest teachings who may have some fusion of mystique. Perhaps, the mystique part of Ayah Pin is the pulling factor that gets his followers.
...........Star News Report.... Tuesday December 16, 2008 Ayah Pin back in Terengganu, says Barisan rep KUALA TERENGGANU: Self-exiled sect leader Ayah Pin was seen in Terengganu during Hari Raya Aidiladha, the state legislative assembly was told yesterday. The leader of the deviant Sky Kingdom group whose real name is Ariffin Muhamad feted his followers in Besut in the pretext of celebrating the auspicious day. “Ayah Pin freely performed korban on Hari Raya Haji and no attempt was made by the authorities to detain him. I am sure he is on the wanted list and am baffled as to why he was allowed to roam without restraint,” said Ramlan Ali (Barisan Nasional-Jabi) while debating the 2009 state budget during the assembly sitting. “Various enforcement agencies have blamed each other for the lackadaisical approach against him. How long do we have to wait before Ayah Pin is apprehended? “Don’t let the Ayah Pin issue cause a chaotic situation for all of us,” Ramlan added. Ramlan received support from Mohd Nor Hamzah (PAS-Bukit Payong), who urged the authorities to look into other mechanisms to detain Ayah Pin and eradicate any remaining vestige of his deviant teachings once and for all.
What do self-proclaimed prophets have in common? They have more than 1 wife, err... to fulfill their prophetic duties. Reverend Sun in my earlier posting had more than a wife, but Ayah Pin has 4 wives. In the news report below, you will be able to see the photo of his 2nd wife, Zaharah Awang.
But, what is it about this self-proclaimed prophet of all sorts raised the panic button of the Malaysian Islamic authorities?
In 2001 Ariffin renounced Islam. The Syariah court accused him of contravening Section 25 of the Enakmen Pentadbiran Hal Ehwal Agama Islam 1986 (Administration of Islamic Religious Affairs 1986), stating that his teachings and beliefs were false, deviant, corrupting and threatening to the public peace. He pleaded guilty to the charge of "belittling Islam", and was jailed for 11 months and fined RM 2,900. The Religious Affairs Office hoped that Ariffin's arrest would prevent the movement's growth, however Sky Kingdom continued to attract new followers from among university students. Photo below shows a troupe of Muslims who are followers of Ayah Pin.
Tea-pot cult? What on earth is that?
See the photo above. It is a giant sized tea-pot. Look at the size of
the man walking near the tea-pot. What is the purpose of this tea-pot?
To serve tea to guests? Nope this 2 storey high tea-pot is inspired by
the dreams of one of his followers, and reflects a similar vessel in the
sky which God uses to shower his blessings on mankind. The teapot is
said to symbolise the purity of water and "love pouring from heaven".
Followers who visits the commune for the first time have to drink "holy
water" from the vase which is "perpetually" filled by the teapot. Note
the matching blue vase in the background. This tea-pot and the matching
blue vase cost a whooping RM 45 million dollars (about USD 12.8 million
dollars). The money could have been better used for a noble charitable
cause.
Christianity As you already know that I have mentioned in my first
posting, followers claim him to be the reincarnation of Jesus (what a
fusion!), the photo also has a cross in the background that attests to
this.
Image above: The large yellow umbrella, a place of worship designated for followers of Hindu faith.
Image above: The large yellow umbrella is being destroyed by the Islamic authorities.
Ayah Pin and Hinduism. This photo of the large yellow umbrella above has been touted as a place for his followers to take shelter beneath God. The followers claim that this figure is similar to the Hindu practice that worship the 9 planetary gods.
In the center of the photo above is a well, similar to the Well of Zam Zam in the Islamic scriptures. Followers say that the well has curative powers. Perhaps, it is this aspect of mystique that is pulling followers of diverse religion and from diverse geographical backgrounds? Perhaps it is the healing that the followers are after? Ayah Pin, besides the Malaysian following also has followers from Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Indians and Singaporeans. (Part 3: Ayah Pin spotted again after massive crackdown by the Malaysian authorities in 2005)
..........News Report............................. Saturday November 15, 2008 Ayah Pin not seen since 2005, say wives By R.S.N. MURALI BESUT: The wives of sect leader Ayah Pin claimed they had not seen him since he disappeared from the Sky Kingdom commune in 2005. “We read in the newspapers that Ayah Pin had entered the country, but he never came to see us,” second wife Zaharah Awang, 48, said when met at her wooden house at the commune in Kampung Batu 13 yesterday. Ayah Pin’s current whereabouts is unknown, although he is said to be living in self-exile in the southern part of Thailand. Zaharah said she found it strange that her husband did not make any attempt to visit her or his children if he had the opportunity to sneak into the country as reported. Rekindled stage: Zaharah Awang, Ayah Pin's second wife, and a Sky Kingdom follower at her home in Terengganu Friday. “We miss him so much and just want to see him,” she said. “He is old and frail, I don’t think he would pose any threat to the nation, if the police want to apprehend him, go ahead but give us the chance to see him.”
Third wife Ruzilan Mokthar, 44, who was also present at the interview, said she believed her husband would not be afraid of being detained. She believed some vernacular media had rekindled the issue after Ayah Pin was allegedly seen intoxicated at a karaoke outlet in Kuala Lumpur recently. “A few days ago, we saw a group of photographers taking pictures in the commune, and we suspected something amiss. True enough, the Ayah Pin saga has resurfaced,” she said. Terengganu police chief Senior Asst Comm 1 Datuk Mohd Shukri Dahlan said Ayah Pin’s file had yet to be closed and the sect leader might face arrest soon. He said police had discussions with the Terengganu Religious Department on taking action against Ayah Pin. “Ayah Pin is still a threat to the public,” he added.
The story I am going to narrate is about a man called Ariffin Mohamad who was born in Kelantan, Malaysia during the World War 2. This 65 year old man is called "Ayah Pin". In the Malay language, "Ayah" means father and Pin is the shortform for Ariffin (the local Malays have a knack of pronouncing names differently for instance "fin" becomes "Pin".
When he was 10 years old (1953), he became seriously ill and he alleged that an angel had visited him and the same angel had visited him 20 years later which started off his spiritual movement.
Ayah Pin, a muslim, claims that he has direct communication with Heaven. The followers on the other hand believes him to be the reincarnation of Buddha, Lord Siva, Prophet Muhammad and also not to miss out Jesus Christ. My, my, my....what a claim! This is more outrageous than the celebrity Madonna claiming to be the reincarnation of Marilyn Monroe. Some guys who could not tolerate this claims went on to superimpose his image to reflect what he claims to be..."the king of the sky" as can be seen by the photo below:
Not only that, but the followers of the Sky Kingdom strongly believe that one day Ayah Pin will return as the "Imam Mahdi". In Islamic terms, the "Mahdi" means the "guided one". The "Guided One" is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will stay either 7 yrs, 9 yrs or 19 yrs on earth (some variation on the interpretation exists) before the "Yaum al-Qiyamah" meaning the day of Resurrection or Day of the Standing. It is a strange belief where Muslims believe that Jesus Christ and Mahdi will together rid the world of error, injustice and tyranny. I am a little bit loss of words to comment on this one. This concept of Mahdi is actually not at all mentioned in the Quran or in the Hadis belonging to the Sunnies. Infact, the theologians do question the Mahdist beliefs as such though such beliefs do form a necessary part of the Shi 'ite doctrine.
His followers consider him the king of the sky, and the supreme object of devotion for all religions. Yeah, Right! Somehow, strangely, this supreme object of devotion who is the king of sky is now on earth living in exile in Thailand as the Malaysian Islamic body is after him for his blasphemous sermons, claims and activities.
............News report from the Star........
Friday November 14, 2008 Sky Kingdom’s Ayah Pin living in Thailand By STEVEN DANIEL and R.S.N. MURALI Ayah Pin KUALA LUMPUR: Elusive “Sky Kingdom” cult leader Ayah Pin, who disappeared after the crackdown at his Terengganu commune in 2005, is said to be living in self-exile in southern Thailand.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan said Ayah Pin, whose real name is Ariffin Mohamad, had sneaked into Terengganu recently but fled soon after. He said police were about to pick him up but “the state Religious Department told us to leave him be.”
Musa, who was speaking to reporters after a seminar at Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia in Gombak here yesterday, said he had instructed the Terengganu CPO to brief him on the details.
At the height of his popularity, Ayah Pin had four wives and almost 50 followers living with him in the commune, including a police inspector and a drummer of a rock group, all of whom are facing trial now.
The deviant religious group was known for its giant structures of a teapot, vase, umbrella, concrete boat and a “palace” erected at the commune in Hulu Besut, Terengganu.
Ayah Pin had, among others, claimed that God was human. His deviationist teachings included not making Friday prayers compulsory. At one point, many thought Ayah Pin had died as he had not been seen for a while.
Earlier in his speech, Musa pointed to Ayah Pin as an example of overlapping jurisdiction between the state religious departments and Syariah courts with the police on certain cases involving Muslims. He said in the Ayah Pin case, it was the Syariah courts that first monitored the group before the police assisted them in gathering information.
“We passed our information to the religious department but they were slow to act and by the time they gave us the green light to detain him, he had fled,” Musa said.
The IGP suggested it was time the police and the Syariah courts and state religious departments streamlined their laws and jurisdictions to prevent recurrences. Ayah Pin was declared an apostate for leaving Islam and had spent 11 months in jail in 2001 for his activities.
In Kuala Terengganu, State Religious Affairs and Information committee deputy chairman Muhamad Ramli Nuh said the religious department felt that Ayah Pin could no longer influence people as his teachings had been wiped out. “Our mission was to eliminate his teachings and we had no intention of dragging him to court as it would be time consuming and bring no gain. We were successful in shooing him away to Southern Thailand, which is more relevant,” he said here yesterday. He said the “Sky Kingdom” base in Besut was no longer active, while his followers had also dispersed, adding that Ayah Pin was no longer a cause for worry.
Muhamad Ramli denied that enforcement officers were afraid to apprehend him as he possessed supernatural powers where he could vanish upon seeing the authorities. “All this talk is ridiculous. The man is old and frail, let him spend his twilight years repenting,” he added. When asked whether he knew the whereabouts of Ayah Pin when he visited Terengganu, Muhamad Ramli replied “Yes, we have been monitoring his movements closely.
WHAT IS NADA CHIKITSA?(CURING AILMENTS THROUGH MUSIC) Music is a force that unites Humanity the world over. Music has for centuries been known to have a pleasing appeal to both humans and animals. Music is a harmonizing factor in today's world which is full of conflicts and tensions. Transgressing man-made frontiers, Music sends the message of harmony, peace and brotherhood. Musical Ragas (Tunes) are said to help treatment of patients with afflictions of physical and mental nature, in certain conditions.
Parama Poojya Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore, India, Himself a great Musician and a composer, has been conducting Spiritual Music Concerts for meditation and Healing (Nada Chikitsa) in India and many other countries in Europe, America and Caribbean Islands. Listening to His Healing and Meditation music in person, or to his many recordings, is the melodical medicine prescribed by Sri Swamiji for all ailments and conditions ranging from Coma to Cancer and migraine to mental depression.
MUSIC THERAPY "The music therapy is combined with Ayurveda, Psychology, Gemenotherapy and Astrology" says Sri Swamiji. He further adds " I only effect a rapport between man and God, the supreme reality, with help coming from man himself in good measure. I attune man to God through belief and music. Once that results, body-consciousness vanishes gradually, and with that, affliction ceases to be experienced and ceases to exist. That is healing through Music and Meditation.
"There is no complication about it, once you are in tune with the 'modus operandi'. "Listen with your heart and not with your intellect" He insists, not without reason, for He is no purist composer or musician. Sri Swamiji's therapy lays stress on Ekagratha or concentration on the part of the Healer-Musician and listener. "Listening, " He says "is a special technique requiring Indriya nigraha or sense control."
Cerebral sounds are aroused and long concentration on a Raga (tune) creates a healing effect on the listener. He Himself plays an synthesizer which produces the sounds of many instruments. He has opted for the synthesizer to reduce the number of accompanists in His concert troupe. The resounding synthesizer sets pace and the other instruments keep company, a melodious fusion sends the air.
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji sees healing with music as a yogic practice. Yoga teaches that the astral body has 72000 nerve lets and 14 major nadis or nerves. Each nadi vibrates at its own frequency. Music soothes the nadis and helps them to vibrate at the proper rate. Music becomes a therapy, He says, when the healer, musicians and listeners all deeply concentrate on the sound.
Sri Swamiji stresses on concentration or Ekagrata on the part of the healer musician and the listener. Listening is a special technique where sense control or Indriya Nigraha is required. "Physical health and results from a healthy mind," Sri Swamiji says. "Music of the right type helps in achieving relaxation by soothing the nerves and through that, comes peace and stillness of the mind."Sri Swamiji claims that "ragas are the unspoiled sounds of eternal nature, the soul of man and Paramatman.
In the hands of the perfect technician, they are great forces." Sri Swamiji uses a synthesizer because this instrument can reproduce singly or in combination the sounds of more than 1,100 instruments. This allows Sri Swamiji a greater range for healing through music. Not all ailments can be cured by Sri Swamiji's music however, especially those which have already reached a terminal state.
Music therapy requires more than just intense meditation on sound. This great master understands the varying vibrational qualities of the different ragas and knows which raga can help a particular disease. Certain ragas can only be played at selected times to be healing.
An introduction of HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji. HH Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji was born at Mekedatu in southern India on May 26, 1942. A Moslem saint predicted to His parents that their child would have supreme wisdom and knowledge and was destined to uplift mankind.
The holy Mother of Sri Swamiji In the pious confluence of the rivers Kaveri, Arkavati and Gupta Gamini is situated the village of Mekadatu in Karnataka State, India. This sacred place is famous as "Agastya Kshetra" i.e. the pilgrim center sanctified by Sage Agastya. A pious Brahmin by the name of Linganne Sarma lived in the village. His wife was Savitri. The couple were ritualistic, kind and noble. In the pleasant season of spring, in the month of Fisakha, on the fifth day of the brilliant fortnight (the day on which Adi Sankaracharya was born in 7th century) the divine child Jayalakshmi was born.
She was beautiful and had a divine, noble power of attraction. She radiated mercy, peace and piety as she grew up. She was a source of endless joy to her parents. She worshipped Lord Shiva (Sangameswara) daily and served the saints and sages. She was initiated by a Muslim Fakir. As a result of severe penance she attained God realization and divine powers. She used to enlighten people regarding righteous living and helped them progress in the service of God. With her spiritual powers, she cured the sick and suffering. She relieved many people of their problems with her divine help. Eventually she married Sri Narasimha Sastry. She was a dutiful wife and gave birth to the incarnation of Lord Dattatreya.
Her child is a perfect Yogi, the embodiment of Truth - Knowledge - Bliss (Sat - Chit - Ananda). The child named Satyanarayana is none else than our beloved Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Swamiji who feeds us throughout the world with a diet of Divine Knowledge.
The Actual Birth - occurred on a rock in the Kaveri river. His mother Jayalakshmi was in deep meditation and the child was born covered with holy ash. The child was named Satyanarayana. His mother, whom the Swami calls His first Guru, initiated Him into spiritual life before her passing in 1951. Satyanarayana completed His education like other children, but found school had nothing to offer Him. He was endowed at birth with great knowledge and power.
Even as a child, he organized satsangs and taught bhajans to His friends, and performed "siddhis" to entertain them, such as turning tree leaves into sweets. For some time He performed various mundane jobs to earn a living, such as school teacher and postal worker. All along, however, he had been serving his fellow humans, helping them with their problems. Through his miraculous powers He was able to understand their situations, knowing their past, present , and future and helped them to overcome difficulties. Some of them became his first disciples who were soon to be followed by more. He sang bhajans and kirtans for them and started giving yoga classes in small village huts or on river banks, while he was wandering the countryside as a monk. He acquired a following which demanded all of His time an attention. In 1966 He moved to the present site of the Mysore Ashram, which in the early days was only a straw hut in a field. It was there at Mysore that He became Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji . Since then Sri Swamiji has been helping people in His unique way. People come to Him for help with their worldly affairs, or to become healed of physical afflictions, or for guidance in their spiritual practice. Many come to hear His beautiful and powerful songs, which draw the heart and mind to God or to celebrate the special Hindu holidays in the old vedic traditions.
What do you get when two dogs of different breed mate? A crossbreed. What happens when religion & occult practices mix? A fusion that leads to confusion! It is a common in Asian countries to practice in the occult. The same like the voodoo stuff, shaman, witchcraft and the likes.
The Malays in particular are known to rear supernatural beings such as "djinn" which consists of Islamic djinn and non-Islamic djinn. They are fed with meat. It is common for Malays to rear them in rural provinces to safeguard their fruit farms from thieves or intruders. If one goes and pluck any flower or fruits without the consent of the owner, one can develop allergy, diarhoea or get sick and not curable by allopathic medicines. Only when the person seek for pardon and forgiven by the landlord will the person be cured. This is common and there a lot of accounts by those who have experienced it.
When the owner gets old, the ownership of the djinn is transfered to the next of kin. These djinns cheaper to maintain than having a security guard that needs to be paid monthly wages. So, for the owner, there is no worries of Unions, employee benefit deductions, sick leaves, annual leaves, protest strikes, employee turnover, annual salary increments, payroll clerks, marketing staffs, production, Quality control.....etc. It's a good thing though that they are not tech savvy, for if not a lot of industrial workers may lose to the competition from the djinns in these trying times of economic recession.
The following reports below appeared in the local daily recently.
Burglar who picked the ‘wrong’ house KEMANAN, TERENGGANU: December 13th, 2008.
A burglar entered a house-turned-grocery shop, thinking he was in for a killing. He nearly got himself killed instead. The owner, who was away to celebrate Hari Raya Haji returned home yesterday morning to find the burglar trapped in the house for 72 hours without food and water.
The intruder was fatigued and dehydrated when the owner and his wife returned to the shop in Kampung Binjai from their hometown in Kota Baru. The couple, in their early 50s, found the burglar lying in a room, clasping his hands in an apologetic gesture for his wrongdoing.
The owner, instead of calling the police, decided to call an ambulance to rush the burglar to the nearest hospital. When interrogated later, the 36-year-old burglar told investigating officers that he had sneaked into the house after realising the owner was out.
The burglar, who entered via the back door, claimed that he was blinded once he was inside and felt like he was in a cave. “Each time I wanted to flee, I felt a ‘supernatural figure’ shoving me to the ground,’’ he told police. He claimed this was his first time experiencing such trauma during a break-in. The burglar had no choice but to stay put in the room for three days as his shouts for help were in vain.
Kemaman Deputy police chief Deputy Supt Abdul Marlik Hakim Johar said the couple lodged a police report on the same day. He said the burglar was warded at the Kemaman Hospital and his condition is stable.
......................END OF NEWS REPORT........................
Wednesday December 17, 2008 Grocery shop owner brushes off claims of sorcery By R.S.N. MURALI KEMAMAN: The owner of a house in which a starving burglar claimed he was trapped has brushed off any claims of sorcery. Grocery shop owner Che Ibrahim Che Abdullah instead believes it was punishment from the Almighty for the burglar who claimed he was mysteriously trapped in the shop for three days.
The 57-year-old Che Ibrahim said he was a constant victim of burglaries whenever he and his wife returned to their village in Selising, Kelantan. Mystified owner: Che Ibrahim gesturing as he speaks to reporters at his shop in Kemaman on Monday. (See photo)
“This time, I asked for divine intervention as I could no longer tolerate it,” he said when met here. He said he had recited some prayers before leaving for Kelantan with his 52-year-old wife to celebrate Hari Raya Aidiladha. Last Friday, Che Ibrahim returned to his shop and found the 36-year-old man lying in a room, starving and dehydrated.
The man, (the burglar) who begged for forgiveness, claimed he had broken into the house-turned-grocery shop three days earlier. Upon entering the shop, the man claimed he was immediately blinded and the place felt like a cave. “Each time I wanted to flee, I felt a ‘supernatural figure’ shoving me to the ground,” he told police during interrogation later. He added he had no choice but to stay put in the room for three days as his shouts for help were in vain.
Meanwhile, Kemaman Deputy police chief Supt Abdul Marlik Hakim Johar said the burglar had been warded at the Kemaman Hospital for the last four days. It is learnt that the burglar was still traumatised after the incident.
..................END OF NEWS REPORT...................
Of course, the owner has to deny the truth as rearing a djinn is blasphemous & he will be shunned by the Muslim religious clerics of the town for his indulgence with supernatural forces. In Islamic context, this is called "Syirik" (forbidden acts). Perhaps the United Nations should immediately convene to form a resolution to rear these invisible beings to guard nations from terrorism or the Somali sea-pirates? ;)
The Gita Jayanti Festival of 2008 marks the 8th successive year of recitation in Malaysia, initiated by HH Prabhu Dina Anukampana das. On 9th of December, the marathon of Bhagavad Gita (complete recital of the whole texts) took place concurrently in many parts of the world by members of ISKCON (International Society for Krsna Consciousness) group and is usually opened to the public. HH Dina Dass who resides in the holy kshetra of Vrindavana also recited the Srimad Bhagavad Gita at another holy kshetra, Thirupathy for Lord Balaji.
Photo left: The body changes, but the soul remains the same. Bhagavad-gita 2.13 The many, many frames on a reel of movie film, when seen consecutively, appear as one picture on the screen, although there are actually many different pictures. Similiarly, we see a man as localized (above), but actually his body is changing at every second. All this is happening without the notice of the viewer. However the soul within the heart (seen as a sparkling star) does not change; he remains eternally the same.
The Bhagavad Gita. The Srimad Bhagavad Gita, originally written in Sanskrit, is a unique philosophical piece of spiritual literature which contains 700 verses in 18 chapters. It was compiled and arranged by the great Sage Veda Vyasa. The Gita is the central portion of the great epic Mahabaratam. It is in the form of dialogue between Bhagavan Sri Krishna and Arjuna. "Bhagavad" means the Supreme Being Sri Krishna and "Gita" means song. Thus, Bhagavad Gita means the celestial song. Its main theme is the upliftment of man both spiritually and materially.
The Gita enlightens the four Partharthas, Aram, Perul, Inbam and Veedu. They are classified in the Gita as Karma yoga, Dhyana yoga, Bhakthi yoga and Gnana yoga. Karma yoga or the yoga of right action; Dhyana yoga or the yoga of meditation; Bhakthi yoga or the yoga of devotion and finally Gnana yoga or the yoga of contemplation and the realization of the SELF.
"Thirukkural" is a text that that conveys words of wisdom from a Saint to mankind. "Thiruvachakam", is a book that conveys of a Realised Soul's communication with the divine forces. In the Bhagavad Gita, it contains the message of the divine to mankind on right and wrong actions and the ways to draw closer to divinity.
In Gita, the character of "Arjuna" is actually the personification of the entire human beings. God reaches out to mankind but man the limited being cannot understand it and HIS divine message. There is divinity within man. God speaks to man so that he can get rid off his Asuric or negative tendencies, avoid Tamasic gunas (inert, ignorant or lazy nature), Rajasic gunas (passion, greed) and attain Satvic nature (purity, goodness) and seek the Truth and realize God.
Photo left: RM Ravichandar, a disciple of HH Dina Dass.
However, in a little district known as Jawi, in the mainland at South of Penang, Malaysia, the festival concluded a day earlier in a small temple. A day which happens to coincide with the Muslim Pilgrimage Festival where cows are slaughtered which is termed by the local Malays as "Korban" (sacrifice). The chief organiser of the function, Mr. RM Ravichandar decided thus is because he says, "Today, tens of thousands of cows are being slaughtered right now as I speak to celebrate the Muslim festival. Cows are a sacred being next to our maternal mothers as we do feed from their milk & feed their milk to our offsprings. Cries of the cows are heard in all parts of this country as they are slowly killed by slitting the neck and Quranic verses are read in the process of killing the cow. This mass killing carries bad vibrations and are not good for the country therefore being the reason why I intended to carry out the Gita recital today".
Photos of Gita Jayanti in progress on 8th December.
Nostradamus, a jew by birth was born in Southwest of France. If he was still alive today, he would have celebrated his birthday, 2 days ago. He was born on December 14th, 1503 & died on July 2nd, 1566. He is probably the most famous non-Biblical individual(some claim him to be a prophet) on earth whose predictions have not failed to baffle the scholars for the last 400 years. Michel de Notredame has made over 1000 predictions of which half of them according to historians have already come true.
He was brought up under the auspices of the Catholic Church. Although being a physician, his real love revolves in the paranormal, clairvoyance & astrology. He became a traveller wandering around Europe after the demise of his wife and 2 children as victims of the Great Plaque.
Nostradamus predicts a priest who becomes the Pope 15 yrs later. While he was in Italy, he fell to his knees at the feet of a young priest who was walking along the pathway towards him. The priest thought this was a mad man, but then Nostradamus proclaimed, "One day, you would be a Great Man in the Catholic Church. True enough. About 15 years later, the same priest, Felici Peretti was ordained as the Pope Sixtus V.
Why is his prediction often in rhymes & not straight forward? Nostradamus published the book entitiled "Centuries" in the year 1555 containing 100 poems. Each 4 lines of the poems are called quatrains.
Nostradamus often wrote in curious rhyming riddles which is often laced heavily with symbolism and were often open to interpretation. The reason for his riddles are:- 1. He doesn't want to be accused of witchcraft. To protect himself from the superstitious witch-hunters of the time, he wrote the quatrains in an amalgamation of French, Latin, Greek and anagrams and mixes up these quatrains so that they weren't in chronological order. 2. The readers would be entertained & not too frightened by the weight of what he is saying.
Nostradamus predicted 3 powerful evil dictators whom he referred to as Anti-Christs.
Evil Dictator No. 1 The first among these 3 are thought to be Napolean Bonaparte. Nostradamus describes this 1st "Anti-christ" as an emperor born near Italy. Incidently, Napolean's place of birth was in Corsica, near Italy.
Here goes his quatrain:-
An Emperor will be born near Italy, who will cost the Empire very dearly, They will say, when they see his allies, that he is less a prince than a butcher (Century 1; Quatrain 60)
Evil Dictator no. 2 Historians agree that the 2nd Antichrist he was refering to was Hitler whom he names him as Hister.
His quatrain goes as follows:-
From the very depths of the West Europe, a young child will be born of poor people, he who by his tounge will seduce a great troop, his fame will increase towards the realm of the east. (Century 3; Quatrain 35)
Evil Dictator No. 3 ? Nostradamus describes this as a terrifying one and more evil than the first two even if combined.
1. From the three water signs will be born a man who will celebrate Thursday as his feast day. His renown, praise, rule and power will grow on land and sea, bringing trouble to the East. (Century 1; Quatrain 50)
We know Thursdays are special prayer day where Muslims are concerned. In Malaysia, Thursdays are refered to as "Malam Jumaat"meaning the night of Friday. (FYI: It is also the much anticipated day where Muslims will get "pahala"meaning good merits to go to heaven for having sex between husband and wife.)
There are also bad Muslims of the terrorist kind. These Muslims also share the same faith & offer prayers on Thursdays. Could this mean that the Muslim terrorists are the ones Nostradamus refers to as Antichrist? What about Osama bin Laden? Is he still alive or did he die? Nobody has seen his dead body yet. Or perhaps is it deeply buried beneath the earth?
2. Out of the country of Greater Arabia Shall be born a strong master of Mohammed, He will enter Europe wearing a blue turban. He will be the terror of mankind. Never more horror.
We are aware of Saddam Hussein & the gulf war, the scuds, the patriots, the blazing fire of the oil rigs when he lost the war. But, I don't think he is serious enough to be considered a terror to mankind. We can confidently say these as both his saga & his life ended in the gallows just a few months back. But, what about this blue turban thing?
3. In the year 1999 and seven months From the sky will come the great King of Terror. He will bring back to life the King of the Mongols; Before and after war reigns.
"From the sky the great King of Terror".... Who brought back to life the King of Mongols? Mongols were known to terrorize, loot, rape women & capture lands. It's 2008 now & almost reaching for 2009. Almost a decade past this prophecy. Before & after 1999, war still continues. Currently, only the Muslim terrorists fit this bill though I am not accusing for these groups have attacked the New York Twin Tower "before" 1999 and the terrorist attacks still plague on different parts of earth 10 years later. In South of Thailand, in a district called Patani, Muslim religious extremists were practically bombing tourist spots in their pursuit for independent Muslim country. In Bali, Indonesia bomb exploded in the Marriot Hotel. Perhaps somebody ought to issue a "Fatwa" (an informed authoritative statement) that the gateway of Heaven no longer is opened for those who "jihad" (martyr). And, of course, soorrrryyy no more virgins waiting in Heaven for people who KILL IN THE NAME OF RELIGION!!!
The story that follows is of visions that George Washington's once had. Washington, a pious Christian devout, received the vision at Valley Forge during a cold winter in 1777 at a time when the revolutionary army was facing its worst trying hours. It was a time when the Continental Congress failed to supply food or money & some of the troops didn't even have shoes to wear in the snow. Many soldiers were sick, dying & the morale was very low. Although the Colonies were pretty worn out & had enough of trying to secure America's freedom from England, George Washington was persistent to see it through.
The old soldier, Anthony Sherman narrates the vision.
The account of the prophecy that Washington had comes to us through an old soldier by the name of Anthony Sherman who recalled it in 1859 & gave these information to a writer, Wesley Bradshaw. The 3 visions are about 3 great wars in America. The first being a revolutionary war, the 2nd is of the civil war & strangely till today, the 3rd war is yet to come. Two years after the old soldier confessed to the writer, the Civil War broke out in 1861.
These accounts were printed.
The old soldier's account of Washington's vision was reprinted in December of 1880 by The National Tribune, the U.S. war veterans' paper, and on December 21, 1950 by The Stars and Stripes.
The old soldier relates account when George first had his vision..
"One day, I remember it well, when the chilly winds whistled through the leafless trees, though the sky was cloudless and the sun shown brightly, he remained in his quarters nearly all the afternoon alone. When he came out, I noticed that his face was a shade paler than usual. There seemed to be something on his mind of more than ordinary importance. Returning just after dusk, he dispatched an orderly to the quarters who was presently in attendance. After a preliminary conversation of about an hour, Washington, gazing upon his companion with that strange look of dignity which he alone commanded, related the event that occurred that day."
George Washington's own confession & his words describing his experience.
"This afternoon, as I was sitting at this table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third and even a fourth time did I repeat my question, but received no answer from my mysterious visitor except a slight raising of her eyes.
"By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible. I assayed once more to address her, but my tongue had become useless, as though it had become paralyzed.
"A new influence, mysterious, potent, irresistible, took possession of me. All I could do was to gaze steadily, vacantly at my unknown visitor. Gradually the surrounding atmosphere seemed as if it had become filled with sensations, and luminous. Everything about me seemed to rarify, the mysterious visitor herself becoming more airy and yet more distinct to my sight than before. I now began to feel as one dying, or rather to experience the sensations which I have sometimes imagined accompany dissolution. I did not think, I did not reason, I did not move; all were alike impossible. I was only conscious of gazing fixedly, vacantly at my Companion.
The Mysterious Angel begins to forewarn Washington...
"Presently I heard a voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn,' while at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly. I now beheld a heavy white vapor at some distance rising fold upon fold. This gradually dissipated, and I looked upon a strange scene. Before me lay spread out in one vast plain all the countries of the world-Europe, Asia, Africa and America. I saw rolling and tossing between Europe and America the billows of the Atlantic, and between Asia and America lay the Pacific.
'Son of the Republic,' said the same mysterious voice as before,'look and learn.' At that moment I beheld a dark, shadowy being, like an angel, standing, or rather floating in midair; between Europe and America. Dipping water out of the ocean in the hollow of each hand, he sprinkled some upon America with his right hand, while with his left hand he cast some on Europe. Immediately a cloud raised from these countries, and joined in mid-ocean. For a while it remained stationary, and then moved slowly westward, until it enveloped America in its murky folds. Sharp flashes of lightning gleamed through it at intervals, and I heard the smothered groans and cries of the American people. "A second time the angel dipped water from the ocean, and sprinkled it out as before. The dark cloud was then drawn back to the ocean, in whose heaving billows it sank from view.
(The First Peril: The above vision could be the ongoing revolutionary war between "Europe and America".)
A third time I heard the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn,' I cast my eyes upon America and beheld villages and towns and cities springing up one after another until the whole land from the Atlantic to the Pacific was dotted with them.
"Again, I heard the mysterious voice say, 'Son of the Republic, the end of the century cometh, look and learn.' At this the dark shadowy angel turned his face southward, and from Africa I saw an ill-omened spectre approach our land. It flitted slowly over every town and city of the latter. The inhabitants presently set themselves in battle array against each other. As I continued looking I saw a bright angel, on whose brow rested a crown of light, on which was traced the word 'Union,' bearing the American flag which he placed between the divided nation, and said, 'Remember ye are brethren.' Instantly, the inhabitants, casting from them their weapons became friends once more, and united around the National Standard.
(The Second Peril. ...at the end of century ....and from Africa I saw an ill-omened spectre approach our land..."Remember, ye are brethen" probably depicts the Civil War.)
"And again I heard the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' At this the dark, shadowy angel placed a trumpet to his mouth, and blew three distinct blasts; and taking water from the ocean, he sprinkled it upon Europe, Asia and Africa. Then my eyes beheld a fearful scene: from each of these countries arose thick, black clouds that were soon joined into one. Throughout this mass there gleamed a dark red light by which I saw hordes of armed men, who, moving with the cloud, marched by land and sailed by sea to America. Our country was enveloped in this volume of cloud, and 1 saw these vast armies devastate the whole country and burn the villages, towns and cities that I beheld springing up. As my ears listened to the thundering of the cannon, clashing of swords, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat, I heard again the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' When the voice had ceased, the dark shadowy angel placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long and fearful blast.
"Instantly a light as of a thousand suns shone down from above me, and pierced and broke into fragments the dark cloud which enveloped America. At the same moment the angel upon whose head still shone the word 'Union,' end who bore our national flag in one hand and a sword in the other, descended from the heavens attended by legions of white spirits. These immediately joined the inhabitants of America, who I perceived were well nigh overcome, but who immediately taking courage again, closed up their broken ranks and renewed the battle.
"Again, amid the fearful noise. of the conflict, I heard the mysterious voice saying, 'Son of the Republic, look and learn.' As the voice ceased, the shadowy angel for the last time dipped water from the ocean and sprinkled it upon America. Instantly the dark cloud rolled back, together with the armies it had brought, leaving the inhabitants of the land victorious!
"Then once more I beheld the villages, towns and cities springing up where I had seen them before, while the bright angel, planting the azure standard he had brought in the midst of them, cried with a loud voice:'While the stars remain, and the heavens send down dew upon the earth, so long shall the Union last.' And taking from his brow the crown on which blazoned the word 'Union,' he placed it upon the National Standard while the people, kneeling down, said, 'Amen.'
"The scene instantly began to fade and dissolve, and I at last saw nothing but the rising, curling vapor I at first beheld. This also disappearing, I found myself once more gazing upon the mysterious visitor, who, in the same voice I had heard before, said,'Son of the Republic, what you have seen is thus interpreted: Three great perils will come upon the Republic. The most fearful is the third, but in this greatest conflict the whole world united shall not prevail against her. Let every child of the Republic learn to live for his God, his land and the Union.' With these words the vision vanished, and I started from my seat and felt that I had seen a vision wherein had been shown to me the birth, progress, and destiny of the United States."
The Third Peril.
.....Europe, Asia & Africa..dark clouds joined as one. We know that Asian countries such as Pakistan, India, Korea are now equipped with Nuclear powers. "Instantly, a light as thousand suns shone above me"... could this be a Nuclear attack?
Angelic intervention to the rescue of America?
There is some word mentioned about the need to attune oneself to God. "kneeling down...saying Amen". There is also some mention that the Angels will come down & protect the inhabitants of USA in times of despair. "...descended from heavens attended by legions of white spirits.
Battle of the Traditional ways?
"...marched by land & sailed by sea to America...". This is a thing of the past. Remember during the Gulf war, missile weapons? The Saddam had "Scuds" versus the "Patriot" from USA. In our present time, we have air planes. Remember the"Kamikazes" by the Japanese planes during WWII? This statement regarding sailing by sea & marching by land is a thing of the past & does not bite any sense to say that it has yet to come.
Finally, in relating to the 3rd peril, the question is whether has it come, yet to come, or all of this a mere halucination of a man battered in a cold winter? We have come to see many fortunes told by layman as well as prophecies foretold by mystique spiritual personalities from all parts of the earth. Nevertheless, there is also the famous doomsday cult who take a liking for the world to end & never learn to appreciate what lays before their eyes in the Present!
(Photo) Pope John Paul II speaking with Lucia de Santos, 93, on May 14, 2000.
The first secret: Was a vision of Hell: Our Lady showed us a great sea of fire which seemed to be under the earth. Plunged in this fire were demons and souls in human form, like transparent burning embers, all blackened or burnished bronze, floating about in the conflagration, now raised into the air by the flames that issued from within themselves together with great clouds of smoke, now falling back on every side like sparks in a huge fire, without weight or equilibrium, and amid shrieks and groans of pain and despair, which horrified us and made us tremble with fear. The demons could be distinguished by their terrifying and repulsive likeness to frightful and unknown animals, all black and transparent. This vision lasted but an instant. How can we ever be grateful enough to our kind heavenly Mother, who had already prepared us by promising, in the first Apparition, to take us to heaven. Otherwise, I think we would have died of fear and terror.
The second secret: It is a statement that World War I would end and supposedly predicts the coming of World War II should God continue to be offended and if Russia does not convert. The second half requests that Russia be consecrated to the Immaculate Heart:
You have seen hell where the souls of poor sinners go. To save them, God wishes to establish in the world devotion to my Immaculate Heart. If what I say to you is done, many souls will be saved and there will be peace. The war is going to end: but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out during the Pontificate of Pius XI. When you see a night illumined by an unknown light, know that this is the great sign given you by God that he is about to punish the world for its crimes, by means of war, famine, and persecutions of the Church and of the Holy Father. To prevent this, I shall come to ask for the consecration of Russia to my Immaculate Heart, and the Communion of reparation on the First Saturdays. If my requests are heeded, Russia will be converted, and there will be peace; if not, she will spread her errors throughout the world, causing wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred; the Holy Father will have much to suffer; various nations will be annihilated. In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she shall be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.
Controversies of the 2nd Secret...
Some critics are saying that the second prophecy was only disclosed on August 1941 which is after the WWII had begun. Therefore, it is difficult to define it as a prophecy. But still then, on July the 7th, 1952, Russia was consecrated by Pope Pius XII.
The Third Secret.
The third part of the secret was written down "by order of His Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and the Most Holy Mother ..." on 3rd January 1944. Bishop Silva, visiting Lúcia on 15th September 1943 while she was bed-ridden, first suggested that she write the third secret down to ensure that it would be recorded in the event of her death. Lucia was hesitant to do so, however. Finally, in mid-October, Bishop Silva sent her a letter containing a direct order to record the secret, and Lúcia obeyed. In June of 1944, the sealed envelope containing the third secret was delivered to Silva, where it stayed until 1957, when it was finally delivered to Rome.
It was announced on 13th May 2000, 83 years after the first apparition of the Lady to the children in the Cova da Iria, that the third secret would finally be released. The text was published on 26th June 2000:
I write in obedience to you, my God, who command me to do so through his Excellency the Bishop of Leiria and through your Most Holy Mother and mine. After the two parts which I have already explained, at the left of Our Lady and a little above, we saw an Angel with a flaming sword in his left hand; flashing, it gave out flames that looked as though they would set the world on fire; but they died out in contact with the splendour that Our Lady radiated towards him from her right hand: pointing to the earth with his right hand, the Angel cried out in a loud voice: 'Penance, Penance, Penance!'. And we saw in an immense light that is God: ‘something similar to how people appear in a mirror when they pass in front of it' a Bishop dressed in White 'we had the impression that it was the Holy Father'. Other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious going up a steep mountain, at the top of which there was a big Cross of rough-hewn trunks as of a cork-tree with the bark; before reaching there the Holy Father passed through a big city half in ruins and half trembling with halting step, afflicted with pain and sorrow, he prayed for the souls of the corpses he met on his way; having reached the top of the mountain, on his knees at the foot of the big Cross he was killed by a group of soldiers who fired bullets and arrows at him, and in the same way there died one after another the other Bishops, Priests, men and women Religious, and various lay people of different ranks and positions. Beneath the two arms of the Cross there were two Angels each with a crystal aspersorium in his hand, in which they gathered up the blood of the Martyrs and with it sprinkled the souls that were making their way to God.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger tries to sum up the 3rd secret... Along with the text of the secret, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger published a theological commentary, in which he states that: "A careful reading of the text of the so-called third 'secret' of Fatima ... will probably prove disappointing or surprising after all the speculation it has stirred. No great mystery is revealed; nor is the future unveiled." After explaining the differences between public and private revelations, he cautions people not to see in the message a determined future event: "The purpose of the vision is not to show a film of an irrevocably fixed future. Its meaning is exactly the opposite: it is meant to mobilize the forces of change in the right direction. Therefore we must totally discount fatalistic explanations of the “secret”, such as, for example, the claim that the would-be assassin of 13 May 1981 was merely an instrument of the divine plan guided by Providence and could not therefore have acted freely, or other similar ideas in circulation. Rather, the vision speaks of dangers and how we might be saved from them." He then moves on to talk about the symbolic nature of the images, noting that: "The concluding part of the 'secret' uses images which Lucia may have seen in devotional books and which draw their inspiration from long-standing intuitions of faith." As for the meaning of the message: "What remains was already evident when we began our reflections on the text of the 'secret': the exhortation to prayer as the path of 'salvation for souls' and, likewise, the summons to penance and conversion.
Controversies begin surrounding the 3rd Secret...
The Vatican withheld the third secret until June 26, 2000 – despite Lúcia's declaration that it could be released to the public after 1960. Several sources, including Canon Barthas and Cardinal Ottaviani, said that Sr. Lúcia insisted to them it must be released by 1960, saying, "by that time, it will be more clearly understood." When 1960 passed without any such announcement, immense speculation over the content of the secret materialized.
Father Nicholas Grunner from Fatima Center disapproves...
The Fatima Center, which is run by Father Nicholas Gruner makes an objection & disapproves of the content of the 3rd secret. Gruner was suspended as a priest by the Avellino, Italy diocese. The Congregation for the Clergy announced on September 12th, 2001, that Gruner's suspension was "confirmed by a definitive sentence of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature." Father Gruner rejected the validity of the suspension and continues to perform the functions of a priest. On November 22, 2006, the Italian author Antonio Socci published Il Quarto Segreto di Fatima (The Fourth Secret of Fatima) in Italian, which also argues that the Vatican has not formally released the entire Third Secret. These critics, for example, point to the fact that Lucia's vision, as recorded in the officially released text, does not contain any words from Mary, as one might expect, and says nothing about a crisis of faith in the Church.
3rd secret reveals the doomsday??
Some say that the 3rd secret is a warning that the earth will be hit by a comet or asteroid in 2012 in the style of "Armageddon" or "Deep Impact" movies. Somehow, humankind will not perish altogether though the extent of damage will be quite substantial. But, I have heard quite a lot of fancy theories of Armageddon in the past such as 7th of July 1977 or 7-7-77 & another fancy one is on the year 2000 about some milenium bug. Lets not bug ourselves with the unknown uncertainties & just get on with living in the present. Anyway, if it should come, why worry? We are all going to die someday, aren't we. If it would help, do a little prayers on daily basis & should earth be struck by a comet, then be it so.
We may be the inhabitants of earth, but each living mortal is not going to be here forever. The best principle one can have is to extend one's love to another humankind irrespective of culture, creed, religion or geographical background and seek the divinity within ourselves. One thing that we can remind ourselves is that science cannot explain the rational or the mystique of the dancing sun and certainly scientists can't explain all the phenomenon especially when it comes to things that are related to the divine though they may try....
The story begins 91 years ago when 3 Portuguese children, Jacinta Marto, Lucia dos Santos & Francisco had claimed to have a vision of Mother Mary in a place called Fatima in Portugal. Hence, it got the name, "the Prophecy of Fatima" or "the Fatima Prophecy".
The description of the Appartition.... Lúcia described seeing the lady as "brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal ball filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun."
Children required to do penance. upon revelation of the 3 secrets. Lúcia's says, the lady confided to the children 3 secrets. She exhorted the children to do penance and to make sacrifices to save sinners. These children wore tight cords around their waists to cause pain, abstained from drinking water on hot days, and performed other works of penance.
The children were asked to say the Rosary every day. Lúcia said that of most important of all, the lady asked them to say the Rosary every day, reiterating many times that the Rosary was the key to personal and world peace. At the time, many young Portuguese men, including relatives of the visionaries, were fighting in World War I (1914-1918).
Attention brings problems to the children...
Attracted by reports of visions & miracles, thousands of people flocked to Fátima and Aljustrel in the following months. On August 13, 1917, the provincial administrator and Arthur Santos & anticlerical Freemason , believing that the events were politically disruptive, intercepted and jailed the children before they could reach the Cova da Iria that day. Prisoners held with them in the provincial jail later testified that the children, while upset, were consoled by the inmates, and then led the inmates in praying the Rosary.
Unsuccessful attempts by the administrators to get the secrets prematurely. The children were subject to interrogation by the administrators and yet they were unsuccessful in their attempt to get them to reveal the content of the secrets. In the process, he frightened the children that he would boil them one by one in a pot of oil unless they confessed the secrets. The children, however, resisted. That month, instead of the usual apparition in the Cova da Iria on the 13th, the children reported that they saw at nearby Valinhos, the Lady again on August 19th the same year.
Thousands witnessed the "Miracle of the Sun". During July, The Lady had promised to the children a miracle for the final apparition, on October 13, so that all would believe. What took place on that fateful day became known as the "Miracle of the Sun". A crowd of approximately 70,000 gathered at Cova da Iria to witness including newspaper reporters and photographers. The continuous rain had finally ceased and a thin layer of clouds cloaked the silver disc of the sun such that it could be looked upon without hurting one’s eyes. Lúcia called out to the crowd to look at the sun. Sometime while Lucia was pointing towards the sun and seeing various religious figures in the sky, the sun appeared to change colors and rotate, like a fire wheel. For some, the sun appeared to fall from the sky before retreating, for others, it zig-zagged. The phenomenon was witnessed by most in the crowd as well as people many miles and miles apart.
Witnesses described what they saw in the press. 1. Columnist Avelino de Almeida of O Século (Portugal's most influential newspaper, which was pro-government in policy and avowedly anti-clerical), reported the following "Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, whose aspect was biblical as they stood bare-headed, eagerly searching the sky, the sun trembled, made sudden incredible movements outside all cosmic laws - the sun 'danced' according to the typical expression of the people."
2. Dr. Domingos Pinto Coelho, an eye-specialist, wrote for the newspaper Ordem describes, "The sun, at one moment surrounded with scarlet flame, at another aureoled in yellow and deep purple, seemed to be in an exceeding fast and whirling movement, at times appearing to be loosened from the sky and to be approaching the earth, strongly radiating heat".
3. The special reporter, O dia, of the Lisbon Daily reported in the edition for the October 17, 1917, "...the silver sun, enveloped in the same gauzy grey light, was seen to whirl and turn in the circle of broken clouds...The light turned a beautiful blue, as if it had come through the stained-glass windows of a cathedral, and spread itself over the people who knelt with outstretched hands...people wept and prayed with uncovered heads, in the presence of a miracle they had awaited. The seconds seemed like hours, so vivid were they."
Could there be another Astronomical explanation to the phenomenon of the Sun described by many? No movement or other phenomenon of the sun was registered by scientists at the time. According to contemporary reports from poet Afonso Lopes Vieira and schoolteacher Delfina Lopes with her students and other witnesses in the town of Alburita, the solar phenomena were visible from up to 40 kilometers away.
Eventhough we are inhabitants of earth, there are many things on earth that are not fully understood. Only 5% of the deep sea have been explored leaving another 95% still unknown. How can science explain the rational or the mystique of the sun? Scientists can't explain all the phenomenon especially when it comes to things that are related to the divine though they may try....
Reverend Sun Myung Moon, a Korean born will be 89 yrs come 6th of January 2009. He comes from a once traditional Confucius family which later converted to Christianity when he was just 10 yrs old. Today, he is the founder & the leader of the worldwide Unification Church and also owns, operates & subsidizes organisations involved in political, cultural & mass media including Washington Times.
This self-proclaimed "Messiah" as he calls himself claims that he is the 2nd coming of Christ himself and is here to complete the unfinished mission of Jesus Christ. For On April 17, 1935, when he was 16, Moon claims to have had a vision or revelation of Jesus while praying atop a small mountain. He says that Jesus asked him to complete the unfinished task of establishing God's kingdom on Earth and bring peace to the world. Today, Moon & his Moonies (followers) are not spared of criticism for their religious beliefs and their socio-political involvement.
Did the Korean authorities allow this man to propagate his "Teachings"?
In 1946, Moon was arrested by the Korean officials, who showed him no mercy by beating him up to near death. But, Moon's dark days was not long in the moonlight due to the aide of his follower who nursed him back to his health to see the sun. But, his church backs him up by saying that the whole thing arose due to jealousy as parishioners stopped tithing in their old churches and started tithing in Moon's church.
Moon's 2nd & 3rd arrest.
Moon was arrested again 2 yrs later and was slapped with a 5 year jail term but was saved when the UN troops marched in leaving the guards fleeing their guardpost. This is a place where prisoners were usually overworked but not properly fed causing a high fatality rate. But, Moon who was cautious with the water ration by cleaning his hands to remove the chemical that he deals with as a part of his prison work credits God for protecting his life. Moon's 3rd arrest on counterfeiting charges happened during the Korean war when he tried to spend some North Korean currency in South Korea. He was released soon enough.
Moon's many marriage adventures.
He 1st married in 1943, at the age of 23. He got himself divorced with 2 children in 1953. He got married to his 2nd wife while he was still legally married to his 1st wife and the church does not regard this as infidelity. She was sent to Japan to avoid legal dificulties when she became pregnant. In 1960, he married his 3rd wife who was 17 yrs old at the time of marriage. The 3rd wife is known as the "True Mother" & they both are known as "True Parents". These "True Parents" produced 14 children and hence their family is called the "True Family".
The practice of Messiah Moon out in the Sun...
Nansook Hong, ex-wife of Hyo Jin Moon, Sun Myung Moon's eldest son, said in her 1998 book In the Shadow of the Moons: "My Life in the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's Family", that both Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han told her about Moon's extramarital affairs (which she said he called "providential affairs"), including one which resulted in the birth of a boy raised by a church leader, named by Sun Myung Moon's daughter Un Jin Moon on the news show 60 Minutes.
The 6 Mary's & the sex rituals...
In 1993 Chung Hwa Pak released the book Roku Maria no Higeki (Tragedy of the Six Marys). The book contained allegations that Moon conducted sex rituals among six married female disciples ("The Six Marys") who were to have prepared the way for the virgin who would marry Moon and become the True Mother. Chung Hwa Pak had left the movement when the book was published and later withdrew the book from print when he rejoined the Unification Church. Before his death Chung Hwa Pak published a 2nd book entitled "The Apostate" and recanted all allegations made in Roku Maria no Higeki.
And the "True Father" says,
Rev. Moon teaches that before the first human beings were able to grow into a natural completion of their relationship with God they sinned through a misuse of love. Thus they experienced separation from God and from their original, pure nature. (Yeah, Right!!)
Thus the messiah comes as "true Adam" to restore what the first ancestors should have achieved, to restore all people to a sinless state and to build the kingdom of God on earth. Largely because of the failure of John the Baptist, Jesus accomplished only the first part of this spiritual salvation, so a new messiah must appear from Korea to finish the work. (Like....more sex?? ;)
So, what does he actually preach?
One of the key concepts in the Divine Principle is found in Rev. Moon's interpretation of Genesis 1:28, "Be fruitful and multiply… and have dominion over the fish of the sea…" as constituting the "Three Blessings" that represent God's command to all human beings:
1. To grow to healthy maturity in body and spirit, where the body and spirit are integrated in mutual benefit and live in relation to the creator God, and for the sake of others;
2. To establish an ideal family and expand that to instantiate true family love to all levels of social expansion, again always in relation to the creator God; and
3. To maintain responsible stewardship of the earth and all of nature, and live a joyful and abundant physical life in preparation for an even more fantastic joy and abundance in eternal spiritual life.
Well, there's much more than meets the eye. The wise say that the eye is the window to the soul. Sometimes, the eyes get blinded in the midst of lunacy. The accounts above is only a fragment of unbelievable claims by a man on earth who claims to be the messenger of God from Heaven. The most difficult thing to understand is or rather the mystique part is how man allows himself to be deluded by such a phony individual.
Ram Bahadur Bomjon nicknamed "Buddha Boy" is a Nepalese boy born in Ratnapuri Village, District of Bara, Nepal on 9th April 1990. His official Buddhist name is however "Palden Dorje". The locals believe that he is the next reincarnation of Lord Buddha. It is reported that his mother fainted when she found out that her son meditated for an undefined period of time. His mother's name is Maya Devi Tamang, the same first name as Buddha's mother.
He began to attract thousands of visitors daily & also media attention after word spread out that he has been spending months on meditation. He first began meditating on the 16th May 2005 and disappeared on 11th March the following year. However, he was spotted in the same country that year on the Boxer's Day but strangely disappearing on 8th March 2007. His twice disappearance so far falls in the same month, the 3rd month of the Gregorian calendar. However, this disappearance mystique was quickly dispelled when he was spotted meditating in a ditch by the Police of Ratnapuri.
Why does he disappear? There is a reason for his disappearance. On 19th March, in 2006, a group of Bomjon's followers met with him about 3 kilometers southwest of his meditation site. They say they spoke to him for 1/2 hour, during which Bomjan said "there is no peace here" and that he would return in 6 years. He left a message for his parents telling them not to worry.
Does Bomjon knows people look up on him as Buddha's incarnate? On the 8th of November 2005 Bomjon arose and said to the public, "Tell the people not to call me a Buddha. I don't have the Buddha's energy. I am at the level of a rinpoche." A rinpoche is the level of a teacher, which indicates he believes he has achieved a significant amount. He said that he will need six more years of meditation before he may become a Buddha.
What does his followers have to say?
According to his followers, Bomjon may have reached the stage of a "bodhisattva", a person on the path to attaining full enlightenment of buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. According to the historical Buddha, Gautama Buddha, there were innumberable Buddhas before him and infinite Buddhas to come in future. Proponents also claim that Bomjon might also be the emanation of Maitreya Bodhisattva, the predicted successor to the historical Buddha.
The Boy with Divine Powers...
In 2007, the Discovery Channel produced a documentary titled The Boy With Divine Powers. On their first, four-day attempt, the film crew was required to stay outside a guarded barbed-wire fence, and their camera's infrared capabilities did not pick up evidence of a body at the base of the tree where Bomjon sat during their non-stop recording. On a second attempt a few weeks later, however, the film crew was able to film Ram continuously for 96 hours, day and night, during which time he did not drink any fluids or eat any food. According to scientists on the documentary, an average person would be expected to die from kidney failure after four days without drinking any fluids. The boy showed no signs of classical physical deterioration caused by dehydration. A close inspection conducted by the film crew of the area around the tree where Ram was sitting, no hidden water or food pipes were found.
Young Bomjon's Preachings...
On 2nd August 2007 Bomjon addressed a large crowd in Hallori jungle in Bara district of southern Nepal. The Namo Buddha Tapoban Committee, which is devoted to looking after Bomjon, assembled the meeting. A notice about the boy's first-ever preaching was broadcast by a local FM radio station, and the committee also invited people by telephone. Around 3000 people gathered to listen to Bomjon's address. A video of the event has also surfaced.
His Message: Bomjon's message was "The only way we can save this nation is through spirituality". His speech goes as follows:
"Murder, violence, greed, anger and temptation have made the human world a desperate place. A terrible storm has descended upon the human world, and this is carrying the world towards destruction. There is only one way to save the world and that is through dharma. When one doesn't walk the righteous path of spiritual practice, this desperate world will surely be destroyed. Therefore, follow the path of spirituality and spread this message to your fellows.
Never put obstacles, anger and disbelief in the way of my meditation's mission. I am only showing you the way; you must seek it on your own. What I will be, what I will do, the coming days will reveal. Human salvation, the salvation of all living beings, and peace in the world are my goal and my path. "Namo Buddha sangaya, Namo Buddha sangaya, namo sangaya."
I am contemplating on the release of this chaotic world from the ocean of emotion, on our detachment from anger and temptation, without straying from the path for even a moment, I am renouncing my own attachment to my life and my home forever, I am working to save all living beings. But in this undisciplined world, my life's practice is reduced to mere entertainment.
The practice and devotion of many Buddhas is directed at the world's betterment and happiness. It is essential but very difficult to understand that practice and devotion. But though it is easy to lead this ignorant existence, human beings don't understand that one day we must leave this uncertain world and go with the Lord of Death. Our long attachments with friends and family will dissolve into nothingness. We have to leave behind the wealth and property we have accumulated. What's the use of my happiness, when those who have loved me from the beginning, my mother, father, brothers, relatives are all unhappy. Therefore, to rescue all sentient beings, I have to be Buddha-mind, and emerge from my underground cave to do vajra meditation. To do this I have to realize the right path and knowledge,so do not disturb my practice. My practice detaches me from my body, my soul and this existence.
In this situation there will be 72 goddess Kalis. Different gods will be present, along with the sounds of thunder and of "tangur", and all the celestial gods and goddesses will be doing puja (worship).
So until I have sent a message, do not come here, and please explain this to others. Spread spiritual knowledge and spiritual messages throughout the world. Spread the message of world peace to all. Seek a righteous path and wisdom will be yours."
There are so many things on earth that we can never explain and much more that we will never understand. I hope that Ram Bahadur Bomjon succeeds in his endeavor! As about the skeptics, just leave them be as you will find them in any parts of the world in abundance but poor in value of their thoughts. How often do you come across a teenage boy who chooses to delve in spiritualistic journey when hormones go running wild at such age. Life on earth is more than merely making riches in this materialistic world.
