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World Currents!--No.89       Maria #430       CM/FM 3181       4/98
By Maria

Dear Family,
       1. I love you! Here's another set of messages from the Lord and Dad with their insights on what's really happening in the world, and even what's yet to come in some cases! To start with, Dad explains his stand on Castro. Then he tackles some technology issues when he discusses embryo "supermarkets" and "info-mystics."
       2. Next, the Lord answers our questions on whether we should get involved in futures trading with His guidance through prophecy, whether the Asian crash is the crash or not, and what the significance is of the deal between the UN and Iraq.
       3. Finally, the Lord answers some questions we had about the movie "Seven Years in Tibet," and Dad winds up with a message about Hollywood and the latest spiritual craze to sweep it, the kabbalah. We pray that you'll be fed and strengthened by these inspired insights, and that they'll serve as an encouragement to you in exercising your own gift of prophecy!

       
Where Does Castro Really Stand?
       4. {\b \i (Mama:)} In {\b \i END} #1, in Dad's message on the article "The Coexistence of Feast and Famine," he says: "I like Castro. The Lord has put a real special love in my heart for him. He's a good man and genuinely wants to help the poor. I've been saying these things for the past 20 years, and now finally the world is starting to wake up and listen. God bless Castro for his conviction!"
       5. One of our staff members commented, "I wonder if we could ask Dad for some explanation on his stand regarding Castro. Personally, I have a bit of a hard time understanding it, and maybe others do too. I don't think Castro is a bad person, and I certainly sympathize with him because of America's horrible attitude toward him. Nonetheless, his government has pretty severely persecuted the Christians in Cuba and made it very difficult for anyone to preach the Gospel--and we know that not just from the news reports, but from the testimonies of the Family teams who went there and still had to operate very selah. Castro is also a staunch communist, and communism is something that Dad has spoken against very strongly, particularly in Letters like 'The Red Menace' (ML #2246, Vol. 17), saying it's from the Devil, etc. What's the difference between the communists in the Philippines or Russia, whom Dad talked so strongly against, and the communists in Cuba?"
       6. We felt perhaps this would be a good subject for a Currents GN, so one of our channels asked Dad if he could please give us a message to explain and clarify a little more about his views, as well as the Lord's views on Castro and where he really stands. Following is the message Dad gave:

              7. {\b \i (Dad speaking:) }I do love Castro, and always have. His heart is right, you know. Yes, he's been a little misled, and in a way he's been forced into the arms of the communists for the sake of his survival. But unfortunately, even that hasn't helped him much lately. Russia's a bit too weak to do much, and also too weak to scare the U.S. out of bullying Castro around.
       8. Castro's government has squelched people's freedom somewhat, and they have been intolerant of religious activity, but that's not entirely Castro's fault. It's largely the result of the influence of other elements in his government, as well as, at least in the beginning, pressure from his communist backers who support him.
       9. In his heart--though he hardly admits it himself--Castro is a believer in God. He knows there is a greater power than himself. This recent visit with the Pope brought that out a bit, and now, thanks to the good influence of this precious old saint of God, things are opening up a little more in Cuba.
       10. Overall, you'd have to say that Castro did a lot of good for the people. Those embittered Cuban exiles in the States will say otherwise, but you have to realize that most of the people complaining about Castro's treatment are the selfish rich who he took from to give to the poor, who in many ways have been so much better off than they were before Castro took over. Although, of course, it goes without saying that they'd be a whole lot better off if it weren't for the U.S. and their stupid bullying that's hurting those poor people so bad. Sure, taking everything from the rich by force was not the ideal way, but it was the only way he knew--or at least the only way that he knew they would listen and submit to--and that they did, simply because they had no other choice.
       11. Castro is really a socialist. His vision was true communism, the kind Jesus preached, and what he'd heard about as a child. But in the world, people simply don't understand that, and he knew that. They're so deluded by the deceitfulness of riches, and you'll never convince the rich to share with the poor--never! There's really only one way to make'm do it, and that's what he did. "The violent take it by force," and in his case, although his motives were good and his original intentions were pure, he kind of bit off more than he could chew. He got himself a reputation, and got himself involved with other elements that went farther than he would have intended.
       12. He's a man of fire, a man of passion, and his central passion, his life's ambition, is to give to the poor and to serve them. He's a humble man, a servant of his people, and he loves them and truly wants to do all he can for them. It's just that in such a corrupt, greedy and perverse world, there's simply no way to come out all right and be everything you should be or even want to be. There's no black and white any more in politics--everything's just various shades of gray. But compared to so many other politicians in this world who are such crooks and deceivers and have no love or heart for their people, just selfish motivation and a lust for power, you've gotta admit that Castro's "gray" is a lot lighter than a lot of other world leaders--including the president of the U.S.!
       13. You know what's the worst thing about the U.S.?--Their hypocrisy! Sure, Cuba's been restrictive, but they sure never did anything as audacious as going in and burning down the homes and lives of a whole community like the U.S. did in Waco! At least Castro and his regime have been openly anti-religious, and they didn't hypocritically boast that their democracy provides "freedom for all." Malarkey! The U.S. has got such a twisted idea of freedom--the idea that it's more important for some sexual pervert to be able to voice his opinion and exercise his freedom of speech than it is for a little innocent child to exercise his right to free speech by praying in front of his friends! My God, how ridiculous can you get?
       14. Well, I hope that gave you a little more background on what it is that I love so much about Castro. Besides all that, as you know, I've always sympathized with the underdog, the one who's beaten down and trampled upon by everyone else--and that's Castro. But in spite of it all, he hasn't given up. With this visit from the Pope, he's even shown that he's strong enough to bend in the ways that are necessary and that will make things better, while not giving up or backing down on his fundamental convictions.
       15. He's a champion of the poor and a defender of the weak, and he's been stepped on himself in a big way because of it. But he loves the people enough to stay true to his convictions to his own hurt. The Cuban people love and admire him, although admittedly they wish things could be freer and more open, and in a way that's starting to happen now. Most of all, though, they wish that the rest of the world, and especially the U.S., would let up on them.
       16. The poor people, the simple and the humble, don't feel Castro's responsible for their plight, and he's not! He's tried to give them better housing, schooling, medical care, and a better supply of their basic needs than they had before when the land was full of the rich exploiters of the poor. Of course he couldn't always do so because he's still had trouble with the rich, who just moved 90 miles away across the Florida Strait to their rich Uncle Sam and convinced him to slap an embargo on Cuba. They're the ones with most of the tall tales, because he hit them where it hurt. Maybe he didn't act in all justice, fairness and equality, but in such a screwed-up world, you've got to take drastic action to get anywhere, or to be heard or noticed! I oughtta know.
       17. I admire him for having the guts to be an iconoclast, an idol-smasher, and a crusader for his cause. His heart is with the people, his loyalty is to them, and he has been touched by the Lord's Spirit--though of course he doesn't know the Lord as he could. But the Lord loves him and has mercy upon him, and protects him and helps him to keep going in spite of opposition.
       18. It won't be long now! The poor won't suffer forever, and the underdog won't be the underdog forever. The Lord is going to come soon and right all the wrongs, and you can bet He's going to want strong men of conviction and courage like Castro to help Him do the job in the Millennium. (End of message from Dad.)

       
Embryo Supermarkets!
Shopping for a Baby at an Embryo "Supermarket"
New York Times News Service
       NEW YORK -- Kathy Butler, a 47-year-old New Jersey woman, is pregnant with triplets. But the babies bear no relationship to her or to her husband, Gary. Instead, they are growing from ready-made embryos that the Butlers selected and paid for at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in Manhattan.
       Doctors at the medical center had mixed human eggs and sperm to make a variety of embryos with different pedigrees. Then they froze the embryos. The idea was to allow prospective parents to select embryos whose parents resemble them physically or have the same ethnic background and are well educated--the best possible sperm and egg donors for those who cannot have babies of their own.
       The Butlers are part of a quiet but fast-emerging new world of assisted reproduction in the United States. Doctors have become skilled at creating human embryos, and anguished, infertile couples are more than willing to pay for whatever infertility clinics can offer.
       Mrs. Butler said she and her husband had few options. They had spent all their money on other infertility treatments, so when they discovered that they could select a group of pre-made frozen embryos for $2,750, they were overjoyed.
       Is there something chilling about the idea of making embryos on speculation and selecting egg and sperm donors according to their looks, education, and ethnicity? "It does seem like a supermarket approach to embryos," said Lori Andrews, a professor of law at Chicago-Kent College of Law.

       19. {\b \i (Dad speaking:)} Mail order, made-to-order babies. Lord help us! Man thinks he's opened a new door of progress into the future, but pretty soon he's gonna wake up to the fact that there's a brick wall on the other side, and what a rude awakening that'll be! With all the rapid advancement of science nowadays, there's no longer a threat of creating a Frankenstein's monster. Man has progressed way past the threat stage, because now the monster is here! The monster's loose and he's wreaking havoc! The whole world is on the downgrade, and there's only one stopping place!
       20. Watch out for the System! Use it, but don't let it use you! Don't you go shopping around for her bargains, or you might find you'll get more than you bargained for! Ready-made embryos, of all things! What they don't tell you is what comes along with the package! While they're mixing all those human eggs and sperm, what else are they throwing in besides? Maybe a few demons for free, or other things they're not telling you about in the surprise package! Selah!
       21. God's Own children are conceived from birth, ordained from the womb! He knows when to make a baby and when not to. But now the Devil is trying to mass-produce his own right from the womb!
       22. Did you ever wonder why many women who receive treatment in these fertility clinics are turning out two, three, four, and even five or more babies in some cases? The Devil's trying to speed up the process! The proportions at which these things are occurring are not natural! Only the Lord knows what all they're mixing in these pedigree babies!
       23. Man's trying to prove he can get along without God! Today in the world you have assisted this and assisted that--assisted reproduction, assisted death [EDITED: "suicide"]. They don't want to call on God for assistance, so they're turning to their own hand. Well, if they don't want God's help, then they're gonna have to pay the consequences.
       24. Man's trying to take life into his own hands, when it belongs to the Lord. Only the Lord has the right to ordain the beginning and the end. This is just another step in man trying to prove he's master of his own fate and that He can get along without God. But it won't work! It's all gonna come falling down right on top of him, and those who don't know their God are gonna crumble under the weight of it all.
       25. Watch out for 666! There's more behind this than meets the eye. Under the guise of "scientific discovery and advancement," man is making it sound all nice and good and humane--"a service to society," "a godsend for distressed couples who are infertile." But it's all a part of the godless society. It's all intertwined, all part of the "I'm master of my own fate" crowd.
       26. The Devil knows what he's doing, folks. He knows if he can get people to put their faith in all this scientific bunk, then they will readily accept other "scientific advancements," as they call them--like a tiny little chip in their forehead or right hand. All roads are leading to the same end. Lord help us! It won't be long now! Ever so quickly come, Lord Jesus! (End of message from Dad.)

       
Info-Mystics!
The Age of the "Info-Mystic" Is Upon Us
MSNBC
       Primitive animism has made a comeback: Earth is revered as a nurturing goddess, alive with the forces of nature. And the Sojourner spacecraft's images of ochre boulders strewn across the vacant Martian landscape sent shivers down many a spine. "Isn't it great to see how big God is?" one awestruck woman remarked to her son.
       Making sense of the unknown with appeals to the transcendent is a basic human impulse.
       A related phenomenon is evident on the Internet, which is increasingly invoked by serious scholars as an emerging metaphor for God. Call them "info-mystics," the theologians and physicists who see divinity inherent in the self-organizing, decentralized intelligence of the Internet. Just like God and life itself, electronic networks evolve by a force that can neither be understood nor controlled.
       Info-mysticism does not mean that God is the machine or that God is in the machine. Rather, the speed and computational abilities of artificial intelligence are dissolving the wall between human and machine, carrying us forward to a new stage of spiritual and cosmic history in which flawed matter will evolve into pure mind.
       Info-mystics invoke the ideas of the visionary French philosopher Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. A geologist, paleontologist and Jesuit priest, Teilhard de Chardin in 1925 foretold of a time in which evolution would carry us forward from the biosphere to a disembodied human realm he called the "noosphere" (from "noos," the Greek word for mind), into a sphere of reflection and conscious invention, inhabited by conscious souls.
       Used to its highest purpose, the info-mystics reason, the Internet could represent a fulfillment of what de Chardin expressed in his landmark work, The Phenomenon of Man, as "a harmonized collectivity of consciousness [DELETED] a sort of super-consciousness. The Earth not only becoming covered by myriad grains of thought, but becoming enclosed in a single thinking envelope, a single unanimous reflection."

       27. {\b \i (Dad speaking:)} Poor little ol' man trying to figure out God! It's ridiculous! These electronic networks certainly have evolved by a force that cannot be understood or controlled by puny man! Man hardly understands the Devil; if he did, he wouldn't be duped by him!
       28. This whole system, the Internet, the computer age, modern technology, is fascinating. On the one hand, it's wonderful; it certainly has facilitated our work and made it possible to preach the Gospel like never before! But while the Lord can use anything the Devil's got and turn it around for His good, the Devil is busy pushing, advancing, and lining things up for his big show.
       29. These info-mystics--ha! They think they're making a big discovery as they slightly stumble onto the vast, endless world of the spirit. This whole concept is only a cheap imitation of the real thing--the realities of the spirit world. The Lord wants us all on the same wavelength, all right, as long as it's His wavelength and we're thinking His thoughts, immersed in His Word. Because then and only then will man be happy!
       30. I keep tellin' you all, it won't be long now, and articles like this only prove my point! Man is making a god out of these machines. Now they're worshipping them as divine--putting them on the same plane as God! Just think, the audacity of making a metaphor for God! Ha! Well, that's what man's doing, all right, as they wonder after the Beast and worship the intelligence of the Internet!
       31. And they think the Internet is self-organizing! Ha! Anybody who thinks the Internet is self-organizing is a fool! Folks, Satan is highly intelligent, and he and his imps know exactly how it's organized; they've done a superb job of it! But it's all gonna crumble. Because just as this article states, it's artificial intelligence--a phony! These poor dumb bunnies who walk in the flesh will fall for anything!
       32. It says, "Artificial intelligence--all moving towards a harmonized collectivity of consciousness." It's doing that, all right, but the end result is chaos! Because it's all a fake, a counterfeit; it's not the Lord's intelligence and it's not ruled by His wisdom. They're going in the wrong direction and thinking the wrong thoughts. It's the wrong consciousness, the wrong wavelength.
       33. Things are moving fast, and man is making a god out of his machines. It's so ridiculous to think that all the flawed matter they feed into those machines, as it says, all those myriad grains of thought going out over the Internet, is going to evolve into a pure mind. Ha! Artificial information and flawed matter is not going to come out pure! Silly, stupid man! The only way to arrive at a pure consciousness is to put on the mind of Christ, as the Word clearly states! That's the only pure mind there is, and the only pure state of consciousness there is--to immerse yourself in Jesus! And you certainly don't need any machine, or the Internet, to get there! God's children are eons ahead of these fools!
       34. Just think, all the peoples of the Earth united, thinking the same thing, on the same wavelength, the same channel! Getting the world into one big "single thinking envelope" is exactly where Satan wants them to be--because he's making them into robots, controlled and manipulated, so that they'll fall down and worship the Beast. That's exactly what the Devil wants! (End of message from Dad.)

       
Futures Trading and Prophecy!
       35. {\b \i (Mama:)} We recently received a question from a Family member asking about the possibility of the Family trading on financial markets, investing in what are known as futures contracts or options, and being led by prophecy to know when to buy and sell them. He suggested this might be a way to help make money for the Family, especially those Homes in poor fields which often suffer when their local currency crashes.
       36. We wanted to ask the Lord about this, but first I thought I'd get a little more background on the subject from a brother in one of our units who used to be somewhat involved in it. Following are his comments:

       37. "Futures trading is basically gambling on a commodity like corn, wheat or soybeans, or on a currency or precious metal like Japanese yen or gold. For example, if you believe the price of corn is going to go up in August, then you can buy a contract on August corn now for its current low price. If the price goes up a lot before August, then you can sell that contract for a lot of money. You can also buy another sort of contract, betting that the value of something will go down, and make a lot of money if that turns out to be the case. Naturally, you can lose money just as easily.
       38. "I used to work for a man who managed an investment fund, and futures trading was his specialty, although it wasn't very profitable for his clients. This was years ago, so some of my knowledge and facts and figures may be outdated. From what I recall, however, this man's clients made money now and then, but they generally lost it--thousands of dollars of it. I was very involved in the various transactions, since I used to keep track of the daily balance of each of his accounts through a computer program I wrote for that purpose, make occasional calls to his broker to notify him to buy this or sell that, and bill each of the clients for services provided.
       39. "Actually, whether you as an investor make money or lose money, the people who run the investment firm always make money. They charge you a fee to manage your money, based on the amount you have invested, payable either each month, quarter or year. Then they charge you a small fee for each trade they make for you, whether or not it makes money. Then, if it does make money, they usually collect a share of the profits on a percentage basis. And, of course, if they invest your money through a certain broker or in a certain bank, that broker or bank will often pay the investment manager a small monthly fee for each client he brings as incentive to bring even more clients or money his way. It's called a finder's fee. So people who run investment funds can make a great deal of money whether or not their clients make anything at all.
       40. "As far as investing in currency futures, such as yen, DM, dollars, etc., from what I recall it's one of the riskiest forms of futures investing. The investment manager I worked for wouldn't touch trading in currency futures. He preferred commodity futures, things such as soybean futures or corn, pork bellies, and cattle. These are things which are influenced by supply and demand, or weather and harvests, and are easier to predict. Profits are lower, but so is the risk.
       41. "Currency future trading, on the other hand, is very risky, because the value of a country's currency can be influenced by almost anything, and can suddenly nosedive overnight. If there's labor trouble, political problems, a remark by a world leader or banker, etc., it can send a currency into an abrupt tailspin. Currency futures trading is so risky that people used to have to put up more collateral in the beginning, what's called margin, because there were so many spectacular busts and bankruptcies that took place among people playing this market.
       42. "It's worse than gambling in some ways, because you can gamble money you don't even have. For example, to invest in a million-yen contract, you might have to put up two hundred thousand yen. I'm not sure of the figure or even the value of the item invested in--it varies from item to item in the futures market, but is generally much less than the full value of the item you invest in.
       43. "Anyway, let's say you actually have a million yen, and you invest in five of these million-yen contracts because you can do so for only a fifth of their value. If the yen goes up, you may make a great deal of money. If, however, the yen goes down for some reason, you may not lose just your million yen but five million yen. If the market goes what's called 'limit down,' no one may want to buy your yen contracts anymore. And when your losses start exceeding the amount you've put up for margin or collateral, your broker wants more money to be put up. It's called a 'margin call'--he calls for more money from you, the investor, because you're responsible for the full value of the item you bought. In this case, it would be all five million yen.
       44. "Anyway, it's a big and complex subject. Options can be even more risky than futures trading, because they're more volatile. And derivatives, which are a little bit further out, are even more risky, and trading in them has caused some big banks and brokerage houses to go bankrupt.
       45. "Of course, I realize that you can make money on gambling when led by the Lord. Look at the story of Grandmother and the slot machine, which Dad wrote about, or the tales of different Family members who have accompanied friends or fish to casinos and made a little money or even a fair amount of money for them or for themselves. So I know the Lord could lead us to make money on such things if it were His will. I just wanted to mention the fact that it's not a sure-fire automatic thing or a simple matter." (End of note from member of WS unit.)

       46. {\b \i (Mama:)} We also asked the Lord for His viewpoint on it, and following is what He had to say:

       47. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} My children, be not unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do the children of light have with the children of darkness, with those who sup at the table of mammon and eat the bread of unrighteousness? Ye are of the light, therefore walk in the light.
       48. Yes, there is money to be made from commodity futures and options trading, but I offer a more sure and certain way of profit--the rewards which come from distributing My Words and message to the multitudes. Though it does not pay with spectacular profits, the rewards are eternal and far exceed any you could make through playing the market with these devices of man. One immortal soul is of more value to Me than thousands or millions of gold and silver!
       49. Yes, I could lead you to make money in this way, and in some needy or desperate situations, I may indeed do so. But the danger in such situations is that you would begin to look to yourself instead of to Me, or to say, "Behold what my own hand has done and accomplished!" Prosperity which comes in such a way could be dangerous for you, My children. You must know that your sufficiency is only of Me. I lift up and put down. I supply and cause to prosper. And I will supply and cause you to prosper, as I have promised.
       50. The financial world is controlled by the god of this world, the Devil, for the kingdoms of this world are given over to him. If you were to enter his territory in this way, you would need to be heavily guarded by My spirit helpers and totally dependent on Me. Though some Godly men have made money in this world, it is the realm of the ungodly, those who seek profit and riches on this Earth, rather than riches in the world to come.
       51. The Enemy even tries to use the testimonies of those Christians who have made profits therein, to lure some of My other unsuspecting children into the fowler's snare, where they are then trapped. As they make a little money, they are encouraged to put in more, to bet more. As they risk more and more, they open themselves up to losing all, and many are brought to destruction thereby.
       52. Such is the stock market of this world. As it soars higher and higher in the U.S., more and more people are encouraged to invest their money, placing their faith in pieces of paper with promises of profits. It does seem to be soaring for now, but so suddenly shall the Great Confusion come, that it will cause a mighty widening of the eyes of those who have not discerned the signs of the times.
       53. Beware of placing your faith in the wrong things, My children--in the things which are seen rather than the things which are unseen. The day is coming when the markets of this world will tumble. Their skyscrapers are built on sand and have no foundation, and great will be the crash thereof. You do well to invest in souls and salvation and the poor of this world, for you will reap everlasting rewards, and friends which will be yours forever. (End of message from Jesus.)

       
The Crash Goes On!
       54. {\b \i (Mama:)} In the message above, the Lord touched a little on the coming crash. We were interested to know if the Asian economies, which are on a downward spiral right now, would rebound, or if this is indeed the crash, the beginning of the big one. While Asia is having such a rough time and South America is also struggling, the stock market in the U.S. is the highest it's ever been and the U.S. economy seems to be booming. So we asked the Lord if He could please give us a peek ahead into what the future holds.

       55. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} My children, you've had many peeks into what lies ahead. The crash is here, as your Father David has said, and has been here for some time. Markets may go up and down, but the crash is proceeding little by little. If you don't believe this, ask the poor of this world. While the rich grow richer, the poor grow poorer.
       56. The crash goes through practice runs in country after country, and area after area, as the Evil One pulls the strings of his puppets, or manipulates the kingdoms of this world which are given into his hand. He pulls a string here, and if the marionette will not yield to his tug, it comes tumbling down. Then it is rewired so that he has greater control and a more submissive marionette. He prepares his way through his little crashes here and there, making the nations of the world more dependent on him and his financial institutions, and more desperate for his solutions. Ever so slowly has he worked, extending his control little by little.
       57. The economies of South America, Russia, Asia, and other places have crashed in recent years. Through this, the puppet master gains greater control each time, and prepares the way for the really big crash. He sees what works and what doesn't. And through such things I also test the faith of My children, purifying and trying and making white their faith and increasing their dependence on Me. So these things do work together for good, both in preparing the End and in preparing My children.
       58. In the days to come there will be more crashes and more rebounds. Take heed that you be not deceived by the great climbing financial markets of the world. They're built on wood, hay and stubble, and with one flick of a match they become ashes between the teeth of those who look to them. You do well to invest your funds in souls and the tools for winning them, for such investments are as gold and a multitude of precious jewels!
       59. As for Asia, there is an ill wind out of the East. All is not well there, and you will yet see turmoil and strife in that region. Be prepared. (End of message from Jesus.)

       
Wars and Peace in the Mideast!
       60. {\b \i (Mama:)} As most of you probably know, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan made a trip to Baghdad and was able to defuse a growing crisis between the U.S. and Iraq over visits by UN weapons inspectors. The U.S. still has an armada of aircraft carriers and warships in the Persian Gulf, as well as other forces poised to strike Iraq at the slightest provocation. So the situation is volatile, but seems to be moving more towards peace at the moment.
       61. We asked the Lord if He could give us any insight into the agreement between Iraq and the UN, and any news about what's still coming in the Mideast. Following is His revelatory reply:

       62. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} The United Nations has returned to center stage to show the need for global government and rule. This too is orchestrated by the Evil One, who seeks to prepare the way for his Man of Sin and his final world government--the day in which he hopes to rule the world and gain the hearts of men.
       63. America is in decline. Though it may not seem so now, and though she is touted as the world superpower, her days are numbered. So sudden will be her fall, and so mighty the crash, that it will cause a mighty widening of the eyes, as My prophets have predicted. Be not deceived by the Great Society, for it will suddenly come to naught!
       64. The events in the Mideast do work My will and purpose in preparing the way for the Evil One and the End. For all things I have said in My Word must indeed be fulfilled, and then shall the End come, when I will return to gather My children unto Me. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, with nation rising against nation, and great conflicts are yet to come. Israel will indeed be invaded, as My Word predicts, and great will be the devastation in the Mideast. These things are not yet for a time, but they shall be. The Author of Confusion is marshaling his forces.
       65. Because you know not the day nor the hour of these matters, you must stay very close to Me, for I am able to lead you and guide you step by step. I will show you when and how you may protect yourselves as the days draw nearer, and where you may seek refuge. Stay very close to Me, as a child holds tightly to the hand of her father when she is scared, or a wife clings tightly to her husband in time of trouble. I am a refuge in the storm, a haven from the blast of the terrible ones.
       66. Pray for the peacemakers. And pray for the Palestinians. They suffer much, and daily they cry out to Me. I shall avenge them who call upon My Name upon their enemies, but hard times yet lie ahead for them.
       67. I use these days to fill up the cups of iniquity of those who work evil in the world. Those who take up the sword to live and conquer by it will die by it in the end. Those who are against Me and persecute My children have One Who sees and waits, and their judgment is sure and terrible. These who rattle the saber in the Gulf and in that region should also beware, lest I come upon them suddenly and their own arm will not be able to save them. Then where will the sword or saber of their strength be, when they face the wrath of an angry God?
       68. You do well to minister to the poor and the needy of the Arab world, and to My poor and needy around the world. As you consider the needs of the poor, I consider your needs and do supply and provide. And I shall yet do so. Have faith, My children. I love you and will care for you. You are My beloved Bride, in whom I am well pleased, and you bear many children for Me. (End of message from Jesus.)

       
"Seven Years in Tibet"
       69. {\b \i (Mama:)} In the recent movie "Seven Years in Tibet," which is based on a true story, an Austrian mountain climber finds himself in Tibet at the end of World War II. There he meets the young Dalai Lama and they develop a lasting friendship that affects both the Dalai Lama and apparently even Tibet.
       70. We wondered why the Lord had allowed this to happen, and whether it was to give the Dalai Lama a chance to know the Lord or to allow the Lord's message into Tibet. Although the Austrian was not portrayed as either a Christian or a witness, Austria is a strongly Catholic country. As the mountain climber grew up there in the early 1900s, he was undoubtedly surrounded by Christian influences and may well have been a Christian himself. While he tutored the Dalai Lama, he may have passed on his faith among the other things he taught him. The movie doesn't show this, of course, but that's why we wanted to ask the Lord what really happened.
       71. The Dalai Lama is now sort of a "spiritual superstar," as some newspapers have called him, and goes around the world promoting his cause. He's Buddhist, and in some ways it seems like that works against people who are truly searching, because when they turn to Buddhism, they don't find a personal, loving Savior, but a do-it-yourself salvation by good works. Buddhism is just sort of a moral philosophy with all sorts of strange beliefs, and Tibetan Buddhism in particular is pretty dark.
       72. Tibet has been occupied by the Chinese for nearly 50 years. They've made it a province of China and moved a lot of Chinese settlers in. There's relative peace and prosperity there, as long as the Tibetans don't agitate for independence, in which case the Chinese crack down on them like they did their own students at Tiananmen Square. We also wondered whether the persecution was to strengthen the faith of the people there, or whether the Chinese were sort of a scourge upon Tibetan Buddhism in a way.
       73. I asked one of the folks in my Home who hadn't seen the movie to pray about these different questions, and following is what the Lord had to say in reply.

       74. {\b \i (Jesus speaking:)} I am a light in the midst of gross darkness, and I banish the darkness by My presence and the power of My Spirit. Though My children speak not to testify of Me, their spirit bears witness that they have been with Me, to greater or lesser degrees. Their spirit bears witness of Me, the Great Spirit, the Spirit of Love.
       75. Such was this one who traveled to Tibet and shed a light in the midst of darkness. Great was the darkness there, and through his presence, he was able to start opening up Tibet to Me. He created an awareness not only of the West, but of Western religions--of Christianity. I allowed him to develop this friendship with the ruler of the country to influence him, just as I have often had My men at the right hands of rulers who would be open to My influence. In his most tender, receptive years, I brought the Dalai Lama one who was a Christian, who had Christian values. Though he was not a witness like those who preach My Gospel, yet he was a role model, and the Gospel was preached in its way.
       76. The Chinese were agents of both good and evil. In that era when they invaded Tibet, they were in great rebellion against Me and against the forces of God in their country. They slew many of My children in China and sought to snuff out the light there, as well as the light that would have blossomed in Tibet. In their fury, they raged against the light that I would have shed in China, and even in Tibet.
       77. Yet I do work all things for good, even the persecution of My children. Those who came to Me during that time received a crown of great glory for the price they paid and for staying true to Me, and those who remained, who were weak in the faith, were strengthened in their faith. My children have grown and thrived in China. The more the forces of darkness have sought to snuff them out, the more they have grown and flourished, and there are many more millions today than there were in decades past!
       78. In the Tibet of the present, the Chinese serve a dual purpose. Though they dominate the country and impose their will upon it, it is always so in the world, where the strong dominate the weak. Yet I allow this so that those who would seek Me and who know Me not may cry out to Me with greater desperation. No religion of good moral codes, no counterfeit of the Enemy, can satisfy the need for a Savior. Self-goodness and self-righteousness lead not to salvation, but to emptiness. So Buddhism is put to the test and found wanting, and those who would seek Me are more receptive to My message.
       79. I also allow the Chinese to control the Tibetans to keep the forces of Buddhism in check. It is a dark religion that has devastated that nation and brought it to ruin, and the Chinese are My scourge upon those who are agents of that darkness.
       80. Though the cause of Buddhism is now promoted by the Chinese occupation, so also is the cause of My children around the world who are persecuted. Again, I use this to work to your good, My children. For in promoting the cause of those who suffer for their faith in Tibet, people must include the many more millions of Christians around the world who suffer for theirs as well, in true righteousness.
       81. Though Buddhism is a counterfeit, I allow it for some who have rejected Me and My truth in the past. They receive strong delusion in its place, and embrace it. When they wish to save themselves, I give them over to this religion of works, that they may see how futile it is to try to save yourself.
       82. Others of My children pass through Buddhism on their path to Me--those who have not fully rejected Me. As they test Buddhism, they find it wanting and become even more convinced that their own arm and works cannot save them. Thus they are more open and receptive to Me and My true children. Buddhism merely waters the seed of that searching soul, and I come along and give it life when they call out to Me--new life, eternal life!
       83. Pray for My children in many lands, both distant and near, who search after Me. Continue to reach them with your witness and the Words I have given you, and great shall be your reward in Heaven.
       84. As for the Dalai Lama, the seed has been sown. Only the fool has said in his heart, there is no God, and he is no fool. (End of message from Jesus.)

       
Kabbalah and Hollywood!
Kabbalah is the new religion of Hollywood
Daily Telegraph
       An obscure spiritual movement called the kabbalah has become a major force in Hollywood, where it has been embraced by many of the town's rich and famous as the answer to their constant search for wisdom, truth, and a new guru.
       So fervent are the followers of the kabbalah that it is poised to supplant Buddhism and the Dalai Lama as the celebrities' spiritual cause célèbre.
       The complex branch of Judaism that emphasizes the link between self and the universe has attracted Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Roseanne Barr and Jeff Goldblum among its followers, and has become so popular that there are not enough instructors to satisfy the demand for enlightenment.
       Until recently, the kabbalah--from the Hebrew term for "received tradition"--and its principal text, the Zohar, were so esoteric that they were studied only by rabbis and religious scholars. Now, with the millennium approaching and many celebrities searching for a new spiritual source, the kabbalah has become a mainstream movement.
       Rabbi Chaim Solomon, an instructor at the Kabbalah Learning Center in Los Angeles, said: "There is an upsurge in spiritualism because we are entering a new cosmic age, and the kabbalah is particularly popular with celebrities because they have realized the age-old truth that money and stardom don't buy happiness. People who have everything and have been everywhere still don't have peace of mind and they are looking for answers."

       KABBALAH, pronounced kab ah LAH, is a mystical movement in Judaism. Kabbalah presents a set of doctrines about the nature of God and creation. According to these doctrines, God is best reached through the individual's looking into his or her own self. The Kabbalist tries to attain personal purity and hasten the coming of the Messiah. This goal involves closely following Jewish law to counteract evil. Some Kabbalists use certain divine words as magic to heal the sick and perform miracles. (From World Book Encyclopedia.)

       85. {\b \i (Dad speaking:) (Praying in tongues and weeping.)} Who will go? Who will get out and do the job? Who will give these poor people a chance? Jesus, Jesus, Jesus! Help our folks to get the vision and the burden to reach these poor lost souls with the truth. You're no respecter of persons, Lord. You want to save all mankind, and You've given us the whole truth, so that we may in turn give it out. Lord, help the Family! Give them faith to reach out to these poor, pitiful ones who are in need--these who are rich in the eyes of the world, but so very, very poor in spirit, in the things that count. It's pitiful, so pitiful!
       86. Lord, help our folks! Put the burden on someone's heart. Who will go? Who will at least pray for these desperate people? Who will uphold them in prayer and reach them in prayer, so that You can work in their hearts? Who will help these needy ones? Not everyone can go, but some can. Lord, give them the faith and the love. Lay it on someone's heart to go and give Your Words of life to these folks who are dying--these who are often the most needy of all spiritually.
       87. Lord, the Family has been willing to minister to anyone You bring their way. But help them to know that sometimes they have to go out of their way--out into the highways and the byways and compel them to come in--to at least give them a chance.
       88. We've always witnessed to the needy. Some are down and out physically as well as spiritually, and others, like some of these rich folks, are some of the most destitute of all--as this article just goes to prove. These of the Hollywood crowd, and others who are rich and famous, are needy!
       89. Some are crying out, just begging for real love! They've been battered and torn, beaten and raped by this world--all for the love of money. But now some of them are waking up and they're finally seeing that it's left them wanting. They've sold themselves for the love of money, only to see that what money buys does not satisfy.
       90. Help the Family, Lord! Lay it on someone's heart to at least pray and seek You and see how we can reach these folks. Everyone can't go, but surely someone, or a few someones, can get the burden to reach these folks. Nothing is too hard for You!
       91. We know it's Your will to reach them, to give those who are hungry a chance to hear Your Words of life. Help our folks to not be afraid of their faces, Lord, but to go in sincerity, in humility, and in love--real love, Your love, sacrificial love.
       92. Folks, this article oughta break your hearts! That's why the rich and famous are in such a mess--very few have the guts to preach'm the real truth, to lead'm to Jesus. And, sad to say, they've seen a dandy bad example of what true Christianity is, so they've been soured on the Lord.
       93. They're living on the dark side of town, but many of them are reaching out toward the light. In the spirit they can feel that something big is about to happen, but they're looking for answers in the wrong places. It's not always their fault; some just don't know better. They're being led astray by the ones who run things from behind the scenes, the ones who are always seeking to lead God's children astray. They're manipulated and managed and controlled by the one who runs Hollywood.
       94. The world looks at Hollywood and they see all the glamour and glitter and lights, and they worship it. But the Lord sees things differently. Up Here, Hollywood is considered the dark side of town--shantytown would be a better word to describe it--whose inhabitants are for the most part sick and downtrodden, the dregs of society, the most neglected class of all. I always said the rich were the most Gospel-neglected class of people, because so few missionaries have the faith to reach them.
       95. Lord Byron said, "I've drunk at every fount of pleasure and quaffed every cup of fame, and yet I die of thirst!"--and this article proves his point! It proves that fame and fortune alone will never satisfy the hungry heart and the longing soul. There's a famine in the land for the Words of life, and if we don't reach these folks, who will? Kabbalah and others will, that's who, and that's just what's happening!
       96. The Devil is smart. He knows he can't keep these rich and famous from seeking spiritual things and spiritual answers to their problems, but at least he'll try his best to keep'm from finding the real truth! So he's pushing all these other religions on'm--those filled with half-truths.
       97. The stars and famous people are held up before the world as idols and role models, but what you see in Hollywood is deception. That dream girl or guy is a mess inside! They're hungry, lonely, and starving for the truth and for the Words of life! They're searching for answers, for something more real that can satisfy the deep longing they have.
       98. It's not necessarily our job to win'm, but it is our job to give'm the message, to preach the Gospel! There are many in need, and they need to hear the message. They need someone to show'm the living sample! There are many groups who are after these famous folks for their name, their influence, and their money--but who will be concerned just for them? Who will give'm the sample, the love, and the Words of eternal life? Who alone has the far-out, radical message for today?
       99. These folks have heard the message of the churches, and they don't want it. They've had everything but the whole truth! They're seeking the Wild Wind--the true, free Spirit of the Living God! They've had the freedom of the flesh and they know it doesn't satisfy. What they want is the freedom of the Spirit! They're sick and tired and fed up with being used, exploited and raped. They want true love, a love that will care for them, for what they truly are.
       100. It's the Words, our message, that they need! It's the Words, our message, that will change their lives! It's the Word that can go places you never thought possible. It's the Words that will free them and feed them and comfort them.
       101. Madonna was looking; she's been searching. She couldn't find it in the Catholic Church, so the kabbalah just snatched her right up! They gave her a ray of hope, something to feed her dying spirit, something to fill that longing she has deep inside. Kabbalah is one more of the Devil's detours, one of his sidelines, his half-baked half-truths to lure them away from the truth.
       102. What does it say in this article that these folks are searching for?--Wisdom and truth! They want answers! Who has more wisdom and truth than the Family? Who can teach'm where to find the answers they need better than the Family? In the kabbalah and other sideline religions they might find a tiny speck of truth mixed in with all the trash and rubble, but the real answers they seek are in the Words of life the Lord gives.
       103. These poor celebrities are no different than any others the Lord leads across our path. They're dying without the Words of your father, and they need them now! Many may not have a big initial reaction, a spectacular outward sign of enthusiasm; some may and others may not. But let me tell you, it's your job to get those Words to'm and let the Lord work in their hearts however He sees fit. Your job is to preach the truth and to try to win those to whom you preach it, then it's all in the Lord's hands.
       104. One thing I can guarantee you is that as the soon-coming world events start to unfold, when the going gets rough and world conditions get so bad, then they'll know that prophets have walked among them--and they'll be seeking you out!
       105. Things are lining up, and many are feeling it. These folks who have fame and fortune are in touch enough with the spirit world to sense it. They know that worldly things have left them empty inside, and they're searching, grasping, reaching out. But the Devil fights them real hard! He knows he has too much staked on'm to lose'm from his grasp, so he's offering these sideline religions to keep'm lured into his trap.
       106. The Devil knows how popular these celebrities are and how the world looks up to them, so he's hitting'm hard with this new wave. Because when the world sees what they follow, he hopes to gain others as well.
       107. If the Family doesn't reach them with the truth, who will? Who has a burden? How many more will go on without the Words of life? (End of message from Dad.)

       
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family