FREEDOMJOURNAL PRESS: TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON:We Remember Michael by Carl A. Patton

PART 4: FREEDOMJOURNAL PRESS: TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON www.freedomjournalpress.com carlapatton@comcast.net

Greetings Brethren,

Peace be unto you. We bring you greetings from our Father God Almighty and His son our Savior Christ Jesus, blessed also is the Holy Spirit that moves and guides us the straight and often narrow way. As we continue our sojourn all along the Watch Tower we look out and see that Michael Jackson was "The Greatest Entertainer of all Times." Muhammad Ali was (is) the greatest Heavy Weight fighter and champion of all times. However some would dispute this however none come disputing that Michael Jackson was a musical genius the world has never seen.

It is also written that the good outweighs the bad. There was once a leader of a Black Nationalist organization that cleaned up countless Black men and women from drugs, vice and lives of crime. He was charged never convicted with infidelity and promiscuous behavior bearing children out of wed-lock however the good crushed the bad and one has to be real and just as sure as the wind blows. There was also a great martyred Civil Rights leader that was also charged with the unfaithfulness as he also was alleged to have slept with women other than his wife. But there was nothing else to report as this great man became one of the greatest humanitarian leaders of all times. Recently a former NFL Quarterback was murdered and it seems to imply that he had an extra martial relationship with a woman that was found slain beside his body. However he gave back to the community and from all accounts had a sincere heart of love for the community and all people. This most likely was one of his problems as many people cannot separate love and kindness from an alleged state of weakness.

Meanwhile with the passing of Michael Jackson who has moved from the lowly ranks as the "King of Pop" to the "Greatest Entertainer of all Times" has shook up the world. No one in the history of mankind has attracted the media frenzy and the unprecedented outpouring of sentiments of love as did Michael Jackson when he departed this life June 25, 2009. I am reminded of Sammy Davis Jr. as being a multi-talented entertainer. Although his talent was extraordinary he did not live in the same era as Michael Jackson. Nor did Mr. Davis have the world-wide appeal as Michael Jackson. Therefore are there any parallels with Michael Jackson and President Barack Obama?

Is there something to be learned in the election of Barack Obama to the office of president and his world-wide appeal and the world-wide appeal of Michael Jackson? Are racial barriers falling as we speak as people are becoming more aware of the mood of love and mutual cooperation among the people of the world for the survival of humankind? Meanwhile we would be remiss here if we did not note the following. Is President Barack Obama on the way to being "The Greatest President of all Times?" Stay focused and follow the Spirit. We declare then you will then be able to see as much as the blind man who is not as blind as you may think.

We Remember Michael

Beloved no one knows the burden of another man. Who can speak of what sent one to cosmetic surgeons? But most know that show business has always presented beauty and good looks as only skin deep. However Michael had love deep inside and this is what we saw on the outside.

Never did he defect from his race, his culture as no one ever denied that his lineage back to "The Land of the Blacks" gave him the instincts to move as no other had ever moved in dance filled with songs that penetrated all races and broke down any barriers as to language, custom as the tradition of love is universal.

I saw someone as they reached back to try to claim something from a lost childhood and to show love to those young at heart. So much so that there was a dream that became true at "Never- Land" as here was a paradise for the young and the not so young. I remember also the great feeling to know that Michael came from my community. He made us proud.

He also instilled pride in our hearts and minds as he spoke to the world and the world listened. What demons follow success as the vultures look around every corner giving bad advice seeking to devour the young and the sincere at heart. But we declare as it is written that there is no heart stolen that is pure and sincere.

We remember and I remember Michael that genius is always mis- understood. Also we come realizing that those that conform to all things are never noted as great thinkers and any contributions that follow are limited and bland soaked in the ordinary that is boring even for the slow tortoise as the fleet of foot and mind go by in a flash and taking in the Wind.

Peace and Golden Paradise, Carl A. Patton a willing slave and servant of Almighty God and Christ Jesus writing for the FreedomJournal Press a God Fearing Free Press 16 July 2009 in the year of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus.

Do Miracles Really Happen? Read This Miraculous Story by Michael Lee

A lot of people believe that miracles really happen. Of course, these things don't just happen to everybody. Sometimes, it's just the story of a friend of a friend. Other times, it's a story from a total stranger.

Personally, I believe in the existence of miracles. There are a great many stories out there that tell of such impossible feats and experiences. Sometimes, these miracles appear in the form of one's faith in God. Sometimes, these miracles appear in the form of one's strong will.

But do miracles really happen?

Miraculous True Story Of A Mother and Her Children

Stories of miracles performed by God are not uncommon. However, one never gets tired of reading or hearing about His miracles.

This particular story is that of a mother and her twins. One is a boy and the other is a girl. When the mother gave birth to these two special children, everything seemed to be okay. However, as months passed, she noticed that while her male child was growing like a normal baby should, her female child wasn't. The latter was unresponsive and couldn't even eat properly or manage a crawl.

The mother took her kid to the hospital where the baby girl was diagnosed as being hypotonic. According to the doctor, her development was three months behind her twin brother. The possibility of normalcy seemed low. Would she be able to crawl, much less walk? It seemed too much to comprehend.

Do Miracles Really Happen When You Have Faith in God?

One's faith in God has been known to make miracles happen. Such events have been recorded in the bible. Even now, God's healing powers seem to know no bounds.

The mother prayed hard to God for her baby to get well. Her faith was strong. Lo and behold, the next morning, her baby girl seemed different. She was much more responsive than she had ever been in the last few months. The mother took her baby back to the hospital where they couldn't find anything wrong with her. The doctor couldn't pinpoint what exactly made her better either.

Of Miracles and Such

So does this answer the question, "Do miracles really happen?" The answer to that depends on how much faith you have in the greater power. Miracles can happen through a divine intervention or law of attraction. Sometimes, man is used as an instrument of change.

Some doctors, despite their scientific background, also believe in miracles. In their profession, it's hard to miss when something biologically impossible happens. When a person on a deathbed suddenly gets better... When a child diagnosed with very weak muscles suddenly becomes normal in 24 hours...

If after this article, you still remain a skeptic, why don't you try reading more stories of healing and miracles? If you still don't believe that miracles really happen, perhaps now is not yet your time. Perhaps one day, when you yourself witness a miracle or have one happen to you, that is the time when you'll learn to believe.

Embracing the Shadow - Inner Peace Tip by Catherine VanWetter, MSW

Debbie Ford, who wrote the book, The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, has finished a movie called "The Shadow'. It was released June 26, 2009 and is available for purchase. It is a movie well worth watching.

I have been following Debbie's work for years and had the opportunity to meet her at the Chopra Center in LaJolla, California, and again at the Coronado Hotel in California. Debbie's workshops focuses on that part of ourselves that we push away and that we are ashamed of. It's that part of our self that we don't like and try to hide. The shadow is sneaky and can show up as a sarcastic remark, as judgment, or in criticism. When uncovered, it often laughs, as if to soften the edges of being dishonest, cruel or unfaithful.

Carl Jung, a psychoanalysis, coined the phrase shadow to describe those places in us that are often buried deep in our unconscious. The parts of our self that we try to forget about and hope that no one sees it. Everyone has a shadow. Whenever we are not in love, joy or light, we are in the shadow.

I work with individuals and groups who want to uncover their shadow thus shedding some light onto it. They have come to a place in their life where the shadow part of them brings them so much grief and pain, that they want to get to the core of it. It takes courage to do this depth of work because we often go into those places in us that we would just as soon ignore but that keep coming up, reminding us of their existence. It's like having a thorn in our side. We're aware that it is there and yet it is illusive and shows up as addictions, distractions, anxiety and depression, to name just a few.

Throughout my years of training and self-healing, I have begun to come to a place of peace within myself, and my shadow. My sense is that the shadow's initial intention was to protect us. One of the ways that the shadow did this was to help us feel that we were connected to those around us and that we had something in common with others. We could talk negatively of someone, gossip, and "puff" ourselves up because we thought that we were better than the one that was being ridiculed. Yet, that part that we didn't like in someone else often was a part in us that we didn't like. This is where the ego plays a huge part in the shadow. If we are proven wrong, the ego expands, and if we are successful in hiding our shadow it expands as well. Often people who begin to get in touch with their shadow may have the dark night of the soul or several, where the parts of them that are no longer working show up in the middle of the night as they are trying to sleep. It's that anxiety attack that seemingly comes out of nowhere waking them from a deep peaceful slumber.

As one begins to notice the shadow and shed compassion light on it, then the true work of resolving that part can occur. Until we have compassion for that part of our self and become aware of it, as a witness, we will not be able to embrace it. The shadow shows us duality. With the dark is the light. There are saints and there are sinners. This duality allows us to see the contrast that we walk in everyday. It's finding the balance and honoring all of our self, especially the shadow. By doing this we can heal that shadowy part that has kept us from our pure essence of light, love and joy.

The times that we are in are challenging and as a result are activating many people's shadows. It's showing up as road rage, pervasive anxiety, violence, corruption, and betrayal. The shadow is appearing in ways that is evasive and often sneaks up on us when we are not conscious, when we're stressed out or tired. To become aware of our shadow and how it shows up our life is to begin noticing it. It's in the noticing that we can begin to come to terms with it, and to begin to heal that part of our self that has been deeply wounded. Give yourself permission to begin this sacred healing through gentle noticing and deep awareness. You may be very surprised at the gems you find deep within your shadows.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Trans-Siberian Goodwill Tour by Linda Wieland

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Trans-Siberian Tour members deliver workshops in the Buryat Republic

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers Trans-Siberian Goodwill Tour has completed it's stay in Ulan-Ude, the capital of the Buryat Republic in south-central Siberia. For several months the tour has been providing workshops, seminars and one-on-one help in the region.

Teachers at a secondary school who attended a workshop on Study Technology thought what they learned would greatly benefit their students and the community at large. The workshop covered fundamental laws on learning, researched and discovered by L. Ron Hubbard. One teacher was surprised how much this applied to her students' ability to perform music. Another teacher said the information would improve her students' performance and she was grateful it was being made broadly available through the work of the Goodwill Tour.

The tour provides workshops on the many subjects covered in the Scientology Handbook, including how to cope with problems at work, how to improve relationships, raise happy children and achieve one's goals in life.

L. Ron Hubbard once wrote, "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance." The Trans-Siberian Goodwill Tour is one of ten Goodwill Tours dedicated to accomplishing this purpose, bringing help to people in remote areas. For more information visit the Scientology Volunteer Ministers web site.

Scientology Course on the Human Mind Delivered in Romania by Linda Wieland

With interest high in Scientology and Dianetics a course called "The Anatomy of the Human Mind" met with great success in Timisoara, Romania.

The publication last fall of 9 Scientology and Dianetics books in Romanian has ignited tremendous interest in the subject of the human mind. Add to that the presence in the country of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers European Goodwill Tour, and demand for Scientology and Dianetics courses was inevitable.

In answer to the many requests for more information, a course was presented called "The Anatomy of the Human Mind Course." It was held in the city of Timisoara, Romania to a packed house and covered basic concepts of the Scientology religion. The course was based on a series of lectures first delivered by Scientology founder, L. Ron Hubbard in December 1960 and January 1961.

The course contains a precise description of the mind, how the mind works, its components, and its relationship to the individual. It addresses such things as improving memory, how past instances of pain and painful emotion affect one's life in the present and how to eradicate these ill effects.

Copies of the original lectures by L. Ron Hubbard are available in English and 15 other languages through New Era Publications Incorporated in Europe and Bridge Publications for the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia and Oceania.

Faith Can Help You Through Recession, Adversity by Joel George

Joel George wants you to have faith.

And his message couldn't come at a better time. With unemployment reaching record levels and the economy reeling from bank failures, market lapses and multiple industry bail-outs, hope for the future is dimmer than ever.

But George, author of Signs and Visions Fulfilled from Morris Publishing (www.signsandvisions.com), has faced tough times, including an employer who cheated him out of money, false accusations of criminal activity and an accident that had him bouncing from doctor to doctor.

"When you are going through something like I have," George said, "some people do not like to see that you can still smile and have joy and be thankful to the Lord while you are going through your suffering."

George's story makes the current economic crisis pale by comparison.

It began with him falling out of a tree at work, and then being manipulated by his employers so they could avoid a worker's compensation claim and liability for the fall. At one point, they even had a doctor trying to convince him the damage to his knee didn't come from the fall, but rather, by a just-detected cancer.

After that, he was accused of selling drugs and abducting a young woman, but through it all, George held fast to his belief in God and was rewarded with happiness and joy in his faith, he said. He credited his ability to persevere to his relationship with his Pastor and the Elders of his church, and his unique outlook on the Christian religion.

"I hope that someone doesn't think that I'm trying to persuade them. I am just giving my testimony," he explained. "But as the country faces adversity and hopelessness, I just wanted to let them know that hope is not gone. Hope, perhaps the best of things, can be delivered to each of us through faith. Scripture tells us 'Act as ye have faith, and faith shall come unto thee.' I'm living proof that it works."

George expressed his belief that those who suffer can be brought closer to God as a result of their suffering. He is very steadfast in that conviction, stating that, "When you see the goodness in someone, you see God."

He is also very strong in his belief that forgiveness is a key component to a life of faith and redemption, even amidst the profiteering and fraud that seems to run rampant in the marketplace.

"You cannot get into heaven with hate in your heart," he said. "You see, if some people would turn down the hate and exercise love, we can overcome. The first thing people should do is learn how to forgive one another."

The Second Cycle by Alan Richards

Kira Blakely is a lucky girl.

She is getting a scholarship to a prestigious University, one that she would never have been able to afford. There is, however, a catch. Her last class must be one of her mysterious benefactor's choosing. When she arrives for her first day, she finds she is the only student and it is not a class, it is a paper that she must write. Her professor hands her a paper with a question on it - a question that leads her on a quest for truth.

The Second Cycle by Alan Richards, Emerald Book Company (www.emeraldbookcompany.com) is the story of a journey. Kira, Julia, Daniel and Peter embark on a journey that challenges the beliefs of major religions. Their journeys represent the myriad roads that we all may encounter when we embark upon the search for answers.

• Kira - Like most people, Kira Blakely has never considered that there could be another truth than the one she has believed all her life, until her friend Julia reenters her life. Kira's search for the truth about her mysterious benefactor leads her to a truth about her past that she never expected.

• Julia - Julia Edwards was certain in her belief in Christianity. She left college to learn more about her religion. Somewhere along the way she lost her faith, and gained a surprise.

• Daniel - After a miraculous recovery from a serious car accident, Daniel Aiello awakens to find that God has chosen him to impart certain truths. Truths that contradict the teachings of the prevailing religions.

• Peter - Peter Grayson stumbled into an internship in medical research. This research will reveal the truth behind human memory and challenge the idea that death is an ending.

When Kira and Julia meet Daniel, they are not sure if he is a prophet or delusional.

"God created a finite number of souls," said Daniel in the book. "Each soul resides in the same person for all eternity. The soul is never separated from its person. The appearance of the body will change as the soul progresses through the seven cycles of existence, but the person inside the body never changes."

The Seven Cycles of Existence, according to Richards' book, are:

• innocence • knowledge • compassion • perseverance • courage • tribulation • purity

Daniel believes that each soul must fulfill a certain number of "Achievements" in each cycle. A soul is reborn into each cycle until it has completed each of the Achievements. When the last soul has completed the last cycle and all souls are with God, then peace, love and harmony will rein.

Every year on the anniversary of his accident, Daniel falls asleep at the time of day he went into a coma. It is then that God imparts his messages to Daniel, who then awakens at the exact same time of day that he awoke from his coma.

Kira and Julia suggest to Daniel that he join Peter's research group. Peter's professor is conducting experiments on human memory. They decide that Daniel will make a fascinating subject.

Is he remembering an actual event or is he delusional? The results cause the experimenters to question their perception of truth in spirituality.

"Every religion is based upon faith," according to Daniel in the book. "Belief is unverifiable. If you're looking to believe in something you can prove, it isn't religion."

Those who have never questioned their relationship with their religion will find much to contemplate in this story. For those who have reflected upon their faith, the story of Kira, Peter, Julia and Daniel will enhance their experience. As the characters in this novel search for their spiritual identity, they learn that they cannot rely on logic alone to uncover their personal truths.