Propaganda

Propaganda – The tools used by all the rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens.

'Illusory truth effect - Biases & Heuristics | The Decision Lab’

I want to take you back in time to the 1930s. Hitler wrote a book “Mein Kampf” and in a section of the book, he wrote about the use of propaganda. In Volume 1; Chapter 6, he wrote, “all effective propaganda must be confined to a few bare essentials and those must be expressed as far as possible in stereotyped formulas. These slogans should be persistently repeated until the very last individual has come to grasp the idea that has been put forward.” Since Hitler wrote about it, you would expect that he used this propaganda.

Christianity in Germany

In 1933 when Hitler and the Nazis gained power, there were approximately 45 million Protestants and 22 million Catholic Christians in Germany. Why didn’t the Christians stop Hitler and the Nazis? Why didn’t the Christians talk out against imprisoning and killing political opponents of Hitler? Why didn’t the Christians stop the Holocaust before millions were slaughtered? They not only didn't stop it, but many participated willingly because they chose to believe the lies. That it was right and good for the country. You were a good patriot if you helped in the cause. Think about this: Most Germans were “professing Christians”; approximately 63% Protestant and 33% Catholic, while the Jewish population was less than 1%. Why didn’t the Christians stop the insanity? Why did many participate? I strongly believe that it was because of the propaganda. Propaganda that produced the illusion of truth. The same kind of propaganda that caused the January 6, ^2021, insurrection (attempted coup) on our US capitol to overturn our election.

Donald J. Trump has been using propaganda to try and gain control of our country. With him being President and having all of the social media platforms at his disposal he's been in the perfect place to spread the lies. Go back and look at all his talks, his speeches, tweets, instagrams, and see how often he repeats things.

His latest big lie is that the election was stolen. He is still repeating the big lie.

There have been countless investigations, law suites, and even offering large sums of money to people who can bring proof of fraud. Nothing, no evidence, but he’s certainly got quite a number of people to believe that there was.

The reason why I am bringing this up right now during Christmas is because Trump is traveling the country and continuing to spread the big lie. There is a strong belief that another uprising like the January 6th insanity on the Capital will happen again. The January 6th incident did not involve the military but there are fears that the next one might with many of the military siding with the insurrectionists.

Wars have been started by the lies told by the leaders. Those who spread the lies rarely if ever participate in the fighting. The ones who do the fighting are the ones who believe the lies or are forced to fight. Most of the ones who die are the unfortunate souls who get stuck in the middle.

It would be best for all of us to treat what we hear from leaders and politicians as lies. Make them provide the proof, credible evidence. In the US court of law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty. It would be good for us to use this same principle when trying to determine what is true. Pay attention how often something is repeated. Those who repeat things over and over again are most likely using this propaganda tool. When you find people repeating the lies over and over again, it would be wise to do like the sailors had to do to stay safe in the Siren story; stay away, cover your ears, and don’t listen. People who listen end up doing things that they regret doing afterwards, as is the case for many of those who participated in the January 6th, 2021 insurrection (attempted coup).

A wise man once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

I believe it was James Comey who said in an interview shortly after he was fired that he noticed that Republicans had changed. They were no longer the people he knew or believed he knew. I also posted once that listening to Trump was like listening to the mythical creature Siren Siren | Definition, Legend, & History | Britannica.

Understanding how this kind of propaganda works I can see how it can change people in very bad ways; change congressmen to no longer look after the interests of the people but for the interests of the few. Change German Christians in the 1930s and 40s so that the Holocaust happened.

I want to bring up something that I just remembered. Trump was elected in the 2016 elections mostly by Christians because of a prophecy. The prophecy that was widely circulated among Christians was that god chose Trump to be president. There was even a movie produced and circulated in churches about the prophecy which I did not know existed until just recently. Back then when I kept hearing from my Christian friends that god chose Trump to be president, I was taken back by this and after much thought on the subject, I wrote a piece “Are Christians being deceived?”. For some reason my wife found “The Trump Prophecy” movie the other day and we decided to watch it. It was difficult to ascertain exactly how the prophecy came to the fireman. Satan appears to him many times and an angle of light only once. The Bible says that Satan himself can disguise himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Ephesians 6:10-18

Lexham English Bible

Spiritual Warfare

10 Finally, become strong in the Lord and in the might of his strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, 12 because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Because of this, take up the full armor of God, in order that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, girding your waist with truth, and putting on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and binding shoes under your feet with the preparation of the good news of peace, 16 in everything taking up the shield of faith, with which you are able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 and receive the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 with all prayer and supplication praying at all times in the Spirit, and to this end being alert with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints,

This is what happens when people listen to the propaganda, lies that are repeated over and over again!

2021 United States Capitol attack

January 6^th, 2021, insurrection (attempted coup) to overthrow the election.

Some of the not quite so disturbing pictures taken during the Holocaust. There are others much worse.

The Holocaust Explained

Mechanics of killing and genocide

I've been reading the book “THE BRAIN THE STORY OF YOU” by David Eagleman. Eagleman talks about killing and genocide. He tells about a number of studies and experiments showing how the human brain works.

In one experiment, the researchers asked each person of a group of people what they would do in two different scenarios. In the first scenario, they were told to imagine themselves standing next to a railroad track. There's a switch right there that would make the train go in either of two directions. There are 4 workers on the track that the switch is now switched to. On the other track there is 1 worker. A runaway railroad car is coming down the track in your direction. You have to decide what you will do. Will you leave the switch alone and let the railroad car kill the 4 workers or will you switch the track and the car kill the 1 worker. Almost every person said they would switch the track. They felt it was better for 1 to die rather than 4.

In the second scenario, they were to imagine themselves on a water tower next to a railroad track. Again, there are 4 workers on the track but no switch this time. Standing next to you on the water tower is a very large person. There's that runaway railroad car coming down the track and you see that it will kill the 4 workers unless you do something. You can see that if that very large person standing next to you was somehow to fall onto the track it would stop the car. He would die but the 4 workers would be saved. Would you push the one large person off the tower killing him to save the 4 workers? Almost everyone said that they would not push that person off the tower.

When you examine both scenarios, your actions would do the same thing; kill 1 person to save 4. What made them choose differently between the two scenarios?

The researchers found that in the first scenario, the same regions of the brain that it uses to work out a math problem were activated. It was solving a logic problem; pull lever, kill one, save 4. In the second scenario, other regions of the brain were also activated that involve our emotions; pushing an innocent person to his death was wrong. It was no longer just a logic problem for the brain. ((I want to mention something about those regions of the brain that involve our emotions. I believe they are the same regions that are directly connected to the heart. (see post The Heart – It's Not Just A Pump ))

Think about how our brain can change killing someone into a logic problem, just because there is something between us and the one we cause to die. Now think about those who make the decision to go to war but are not involved in the killing. Also think about how killing has been transformed into someone just pushing a button. Killing becomes a logic problem, our emotions don't kick in.

At the end of this section of his book, Eagleman wrote this: “One pundit suggested that the button to launch nuclear missiles should be implanted in the chest of the President's best friend.”

I want to jump to another section of Eagleman's book about genocide. On pg. 152 he writes this: “What allows such an alarming shift in human interaction? How can it be compatible with a eusocial species? Why does genocide continue to happen all around our planet? Traditionally we examine warfare and killing in the context of history and economics and politics. However, for a complete picture, I believe we need also to understand this as a neural phenomenon. It would normally feel unconscionable to murder your neighbor. So what suddenly allows hundreds or thousands of people to do exactly that? What is it about certain situations that short-circuits the normal social functioning of the brain?”

Eagleman goes on to explain how each of us have people in our “ingroup” an others in our “outgroup”. He lists a number of experiments that have demonstrated that we tend to place more value on those in our “ingroup”; we can empathize with them. But, those in our “outgroup” become mere objects to us. Through the form of neural manipulation, propaganda, the dehumanization of those in our outgroup comes about and wars are started.

Why am I bringing up killing and genocide? For one thing, I think it helps to understand how our brain functions. But mainly it's because God can change our minds so that these awful things won't happen if we but recognize we need help.

Just think about some things I've already talked about. (This is what I believe) Hell {at jugement} is not a place but is a form of shame instead. All people will be in God's new kingdom. There is no more death (you can't kill yourself to try and end the shame).

For those who have taken part in killing, how will they feel when or if they meet up with those they killed? When Jesus was with us, He said some things about how it will be more tolerable for some than others in the judgment.

Luke 10:10-16 Common English Bible (CEB)

10 Whenever you enter a city and the people don’t welcome you, go out into the streets and say, 11 ‘As a complaint against you, we brush off the dust of your city that has collected on our feet. But know this: God’s kingdom has come to you.’ 12 I assure you that Sodom will be better off on Judgment Day than that city.

Judgment against cities that reject Jesus

13 “How terrible it will be for you, Chorazin. How terrible it will be for you, Bethsaida. If the miracles done among you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed their hearts and lives long ago. They would have sat around in funeral clothes and ashes. 14 But Tyre and Sidon will be better off at the judgment than you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be honored by being raised up to heaven? No, you will be cast down to the place of the dead. 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. Whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Hebrews 10:19-24 Common English Bible (CEB)

Second summary of the message

19 Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the holy of holies by means of Jesus’ blood, 20 through a new and living way that he opened up for us through the curtain, which is his body, 21 and we have a great high priest over God’s house.

22 Therefore, let’s draw near with a genuine heart with the certainty that our faith gives us, since our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies are washed with pure water.

23 Let’s hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, because the one who made the promises is reliable.

24 And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds.

The Heart – It's Not Just A Pump - 9/16/2016 added new information

Genesis 8:21 New International Version (NIV)

21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”

Deuteronomy 4:29 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

29 But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.

Deuteronomy 4:39 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

39 Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the Lord, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.

Deuteronomy 6:5 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

These scriptures are just a tiny fraction of Bible references to the heart, its condition, and importance. I used to think that this usage of the word “heart” was just another way of talking about our brain; our thoughts and reasoning. I've always thought that the heart was just an organ that pumps blood.

In my research of this subject, I have found that there is scientific evidence that the heart plays a much bigger part in our lives than we once thought. There is a relatively new field of science called Neurocardiology.

Neurocardiology refers to the pathophysiological interplays of the nervous and cardiovascular systems. It is an emerging field in medicine over the last decade. The constant communication between the heart and the brain have proved invaluable to interdisciplinary fields of neurological and cardiac diseases.

Neurocardiology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurocardiology
Wikipedia

Here are just some of the things that I have discovered in my research:

From the web page “THINKING FROM THE HEART – HEART BRAIN SCIENCE”

The heart is in a constant two-way communication with the brain and there is more information traveling from the heart to the brain than vice versa, brain to heart. The parts of the brain that the heart and the cardiovascular system communicates with are the parts of the brain that “play a direct and important role in determining our perceptions, thought processes, and emotional experiences.”

“Recent work in the relatively new field of neurocardiology has firmly established that the heart is a sensory organ and an information encoding and processing center, with an extensive intrinsic nervous system that’s sufficiently sophisticated to qualify as a heart brain.”

The Heart is not a Pump by John Chitty, RPP, RCST www.energyschool.com

There is evidence both scientific and logical that leads us to believe that the heart can not be just a pump. There are over 40,000 km (more than 24,000 miles) of blood vessels in the human body. It would take a hydraulic pump a whole, whole lot stronger than the heart to push blood through all those paths. Think about it, many or most of these pipes that the blood flows through are capillaries, about the diameter of a single cell. Have you ever tried to pump a liquid, let's just say water, through a very small tube? It takes great pressure to do that.

Heart Trivia

The Heart beats 100,000 times a day, about 3,000,000,000 or more in an 80-year lifetime. Blood circulatory volume is about 5 quarts per minute, or 2,000 gallons per day. The capillaries total about 40,000 km in total length. If all the capillaries were laid end to end, they would cover the area of three football fields (Cowan, The Fourfold Path to Healing, Ch. 3 p. 4). The healthy heart varies its rate up to 20 beats per minute throughout the day. Heart rate arises from a delicate precise balance between information provided by the heart itself, the brain, the vessels, the blood-rich organs and the capillaries. 60%-65% of the cells in the heart are neural cells, and about 70% of these are glial cells not neurons. The heart produces 2.5 watts with each heartbeat. Electromagnetic amplitude is 40-60x that of brain waves, making the heart by far the strongest EM signal produced in the body. The EM field radiates at least 12-15 feet beyond the body; it is easily measurable at 3 feet. Arteries and Veins are named for Yang (Ares) and Yin (Venus) mythological archetypes. Heart, brain and planet earth all oscillate in the same 30 cps range. About half of those who suffer their first heart attack have no risk factors (high cholesterol, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure) (Pearsall, p. 36). Overwhelming evidence points to life experience (love, stress, etc.) as the primary factor. The progenitor of the heart (neutral principle) appears on day 17 of embryonic development, one day earlier than the liver (yin principle) or central nervous system (yang principle). The blood (extraembryonic mesoderm in the trophoblast) is considered to be the very first “organ,” appearing about day 12.

As I was thinking about this information about the heart, I asked myself, “What happens to a heart transplant patient who receives a heart from a donor? Do they receive some of the personality traits from that donor?”

There are some pretty remarkable stories about heart transplant recipients experiencing memories, habits, and desires they had never experienced before; some have knowledge of people who only the heart donor could have known.

From the website “UK Apologetics”, I found this article: “ Yes, the Heart Really Can “Think” and Have Emotions!

Amazing New Scientific Evidence Corroborates Biblical Teaching Yet Again!”

by Robin A. Brace, 2006.

Here is an article I found on the MBG mindbodygreen website written in 2013 by Dr. Joel Kahn :

7 Scientific Reasons You Should Listen To Your Heart (Not Your Brain)

I don't know about you, but for me knowing this new information about the heart sheds more light on the scriptures in the Bible that talk about the heart. It also helps me see God just a little clearer. He created us in His image (Genesis 1:27). No words can describe my awe of God.

I'm starting to view the heart much like I view God. I said in a previous post that I see God like a conductor as in an orchestra or choir. The heart is the conductor of the body.

I used to look at creation just at the surface of things, just skin deep. It is amazing and beautiful just to see creation at this level, at the level of just what one can see. It was when I began looking below the surface and seeing how something was made and how it functioned that I really started seeing God, the Creator.

I used to read the Bible the same way I saw creation, only skin deep. So many things that I read, when I really thought about it, were just words. The words had meanings but only from what I had been taught over the years. So often I would come across passages that just didn't seem to fit. I used to put theme aside thinking that it was beyond my understanding. I don't do that anymore; I keep asking Father God to paint this picture of my understanding a little clearer each day. He is doing that but each new thing I see makes me more aware of how much more there is. God is awesome!

9/16/2016 I thought about this post and decided to find out if there have been any new findings about Neurocardiology and came across this article posted 2/15/2016 on "Waking Science" website called

The Intelligence of the Heart: Is the Heart Another “Brain”?