Gaslighting

I found the following pieces of information on the internet and thought there was a lot of merit to the writing and the image. I will share the following in the content that I found them in.

“Have you ever asked yourself, ‘am I crazy?’ If you have ever asked yourself that, you’re not crazy. You’re most likely being gaslighted. Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse aimed at controlling a person by altering reality to the point where the person will doubt their own sanity.

 

The term “gaslighting” comes from a 1930’s play called Gas Light. The main character in the play literally tries to drive his wife crazy by gradually dimming the gas-powered lights in their home. When she notices the lights dimming, her husband not only denies that the lights are dimming, he convinces her that she is imagining it to the point where she questions her own sanity.

 

We are living in a perpetual state of gaslighting. The reality that we are being told by the media is at complete odds with what we are seeing with our own two eyes. And when we question the false reality that we are being presented, or we claim that what we see is that actual reality, we are vilified as racist or bigots or just plain crazy. You’re not racist. You’re not crazy. You’re being gaslighted.

 

New York State has twice as many deaths from Covid-19 than any other state, and New York has accounted for one-fifth of all Covid-19 deaths, but we are told that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has handled the pandemic better than any other governor. But if we support policies of Governors whose states had only a fraction of the infections and deaths as New York, we’re called anti-science and want people to die. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

We see mobs of people looting stores, smashing windows, setting cars on fire, and burning down buildings, but we are told that these demonstrations are peaceful protests. And when we call this destruction of our cities, riots, we are called racists. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

We see the major problem destroying many inner-cities is crime; murder, gang violence, drug dealing, drive-by shootings, armed robbery, but we are told that it is not crime, but the police that are the problem in the inner-cities. We are told we must defund the police and remove law enforcement from crime-riddled cities to make them safer. But if we advocate for more policing in cities overrun by crime, we are accused of being white supremacists and racists. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

The United States of America accepts more immigrants than any other country in the world. The vast majority of the immigrants are “people of color”, and these immigrants are enjoying the freedom and economic opportunity not available to them in their country of origin, but we are told that the United States is the most racist and oppressive country on the planet, and if we disagree, we are called racist and xenophobic. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

Capitalist countries are the most prosperous countries in the world. The standard of living is the highest in capitalist countries. We see more poor people move up the economic ladder to the middle and even the wealthy class through their effort and ability in capitalist countries than any other economic system in the world, but we are told capitalism is an oppressive system designed to keep people down. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

Communist countries killed over 100 million people in the 20th century. Communist countries strip their citizens of basic human rights, dictate every aspect of their lives, treat their citizens as slaves, and drive their economies into the ground, but we are told that Communism is the fairest, most equitable, freest, and most prosperous economic system in the world. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy?

 

No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

 

***The most egregious example of gaslighting is the concept of “white fragility”. You spend your life trying to be a good person, trying to treat people fairly and with respect. You disavow racism and bigotry in all its forms. You judge people solely on the content of their character and not by the color of their skin. You don’t discriminate based on race or ethnicity. But you are told you are a racist, not because of something you did or said, but solely because of the color of your skin. You know instinctively that charging someone with racism because of their skin color is itself racist. You know that you are not racist, so you defend yourself and your character, but you are told that your defense of yourself is proof of your racism. So, we ask ourselves, am I crazy? No, you’re being gaslighted.

 

Gaslighting has become one of the most pervasive and destructive tactics in American politics. It is the exact opposite of what our political system was meant to be. It deals in lies and psychological coercion, and not the truth and intellectual discourse. If you ever ask yourself if you’re crazy, you are not. Crazy people aren’t sane enough to ask themselves if they’re crazy. So, trust yourself, believe what’s in your heart. Trust our eyes over what we are told. Never listen to the people who tell you that you are crazy because you are not, you’re being gaslighted.”

 

Are You a Good Person?

So many people today think they are a "good person" what does that mean?  What does that look like? What are we really saying when we think we are "good"?  Are any of us truly good?  Hmmm, that requires deeper investigation.

Ray Comfort has some incredible teachings and this one too will not disappoint. I have yet to listen to something from him that doesn't make me grow or challenge me.

In this video he will explore the Genius of John Lennon and what motivated him and his artistic expressions in song and music. Fascinating information about his upbringing, his early years, events on the road and even the news around his death are shared in this intriguing look back at the Beatles and "being happy".

Please take the 35 minutes to view this entire video; you will never be the same.  I have shared this with SEVERAL people from all types of backgrounds; people who are "saved", people who think they are "saved", people who hope they are "saved" and even those who have really never been questioned the topic and ALL of them walk away from the video in the least full of conviction and even some needing to make some things right.  See none of us plan on dying; John Lennon certainly wasn't expecting to die at 40.

I encourage you to not only watch the video but then share it with those you love and care about.  It is an easy way to bring up one of the most important questions ANY of us can face - where will we go when we die?

I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened and that you too will find the peace that only can come from the truth of the gospel message found in Jesus Christ.  Blessings my brothers in Christ and may your 2013 start off strong, with the Lord on your side!

Hallelujah Chorus

So I am sure you have heard of these "group" type videos where a "random" and "spontaneous" event breaks out that is scripted to look like it just happened, right?  Well, this was another cleaver endeavor just done a couple days ago on October 30, 2010 when the Opera Company of Philadelphia brought together over 650 choristers from 28 participating organizations to perform one of the Knight Foundation's "Random Acts of Culture" at Macy's in Center City Philadelphia.

According to their information published on the link they Opera Company was accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ - the world's largest pipe organ - the OCP Chorus and throngs of singers from the community infiltrated the store as shoppers, and burst into a pop-up rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's "Messiah" at 12 noon, to the delight of surprised shoppers. This event is one of 1,000 "Random Acts of Culture" to be funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation over the next three years.  The initiative transports the classical arts out of the concert halls and opera houses and into our communities to enrich our everyday lives.

To learn more about this program and view more events, visit randomactsofculture.org. The Opera Company thanks Macy's and the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ (wanamakerorgan.com) for their partnership, as well as Organ Music Director Peter Conte and Fred Haas, accompanists; OCP Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden, conductor; and Sound Engineer James R. Stemke. For a complete list of participating choirs and more information, visit operaphila.org/RAC. This event was planned to coincide with the first day of National Opera Week.

What I thought was so cool about it was the choice of the song, the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel.  This is a Christian song but because of it's place in history is viewed by many as a piece of art rather than for the literal meaning in the words.  Either way, was is SO incredible to me is that ALL these people are joining in together to sing praises to MY God and King.  That is REALLY something to shout, "Hallelujah" about!  See, every knee will bow one day and every mouth will confess Jesus Christ as Lord!  What a great musical picture this was of that day to come.  Be blessed and sit back and watch people join in as they sing praises to Christ!  Amen and Hallelujah!

Resurrection of Christ by Ron DiCianni

You may not recognize the name Ron DiCianni but I bet you will recognize his artwork entitled, "Spiritual Warfare".  It is has sold tens of millions of prints globally.

 He has painted artwork for Frank Peretti and Max Lucado and done many other projects you  may or may not know of. A few years back he was asked to paint the largest mural ever of the Resurrection of Christ.  The finished mural is 12 feet high by 40 feet wide and it took him two years to complete.  It will soon be hanging on display at the Museum of Biblical Art in Dallas, Texas.

"The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single act in history that separates Christianity from every other religion, every other philosophy and every other belief system."  Ron DiCianni.  He shares his inspiration for the new painting and the reasonings to the imagy shown in it.  He not only depicts Jesus but he also addresses the "great cloud of witnesses" including Moses, Elijah and King David to name a few.  In this link, he will personally walk you through all the details in the new painting.  Simply incredible and I for one can't wait to see it in person but until then, here is a sneak preview!

This is Love - Todd Vaters

Love the song and LOVE the art.  This is a two-for-one as Todd Vaters sings, This is Love and draws an image of what that love looks like.  Incredible talent and excellent song!

I did some checking and found this link called Live Art by Todd Vaters.  Love his image of Jesus. 

Drawing Heaven

This is an incredible testimony of how God finds us.  Are Akiane is a 12-year-old who paints pictures of what she has seen of heaven.  She was 4 when she began this incredible journey and has made many beautiful paintings since then.

The most fascinating part of this story is that Are came from a family that were not Christians.  She told her mother of her visions of heaven and had to relate faith to her mother from her own personal experiences.  WOW - that could preach!  We ALL need to be sharing of OUR personal experience of how God intersects OUR lives and not just repeating some other person's revelation or experience!

Recently, Are has begun to play the piano and is now composing music and yes, you guessed it.  She have never had art or music lessons. 

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.