Christians Aware

When talking about a decoration on a floor, nowadays people will look for rugs. It will create a stylish decoration to your floor, thus it also will reflect an appearance of your room. A hand made area rugs is the most popular, instead of other types of rug, such as single Indian durries. Besides, area rugs are also can give a new look of your floor, that can give a positive impression by our guests if we know how to match it with your furniture arrangement.

The size of an area rugs range from 24 inches, up to 10 feet long, depends on the purpose or the sizes of floor that you want to display your rug. Presently, there’s a lot of attractive and decorative creations of area rugs that you can chose from. But, do look for a reputable supplier, in a sense that they can give high quality products, and practicing good customer service etiquette. The most important, try to get from a supplier that can give a huge discounts. A good supplier willing to give cheap rugs, because of its establishment, in addition they also can offer a large selection of area rugs.

Superiorrugs.com is one of the most recommended suppliers, if you’ve planned to buy rugs or area rugs online. The supplier will assist us in choosing area rugs, with their ‘friendly’ website. You can get a lot of discounts and varieties of area rugs in the website. To make your job easy, just click what sizes, colours, shapes and many more factors that were in your mind and you can get listings of all requirements. You also can ask for their recommendation before you make a decision. You also can get tips on how to buy oriental area rugs, by just a simple click.

Even though the road to success is dreary and difficult for a drug addict undergoing rehabilitation, success is not impossible. Drug rehab works; weather you believe it or not. All that is required is faith and the right guidance.
The illicit drug network is growing by the day, all over the world. Each day millions of people are plunging deeper into the dark and shady world of Oxycodone addiction. Drug abuse is a wrecker; it destroys lives and ruins families. The addicts start losing control, and become mere shadows of themselves. Valium addiction also directly results in an increase in the crime rates all over the world. Drug rehab is the only solution to this monstrosity of a problem…
Drug rehab is successful if it fights addiction both at the physical and emotional level. The physical aspect involves Opiate Detox, or cleansing of the patient’s system. The emotional aspect is basically cleansing the victim’s mind, making him believe that sober is the way to be. Self-esteem is instilled in the patients to make them believe in themselves. ‘Drug intervention’ involves helping the addict realise the extent of his problem. Drug intervention is important in making the patient believe in being sober, and understand how out-of-sorts he is. Religion can play a major part in drug rehab, as it is something for the patient to believe in…something to go by.

The Bible is the sole holy Christian text, in which can be found the basic teachings of Christianity, the life and times of Jesus and his ancestors. The bible is divided into the Old and New Testaments.
The Old Testament, also being holy to Islam and Judaism, speaks of Jesus’ ancestors (the Jews), who were promised a messiah by God. Apart from chronological information, it contains many accounts of the people’s belief in God.
The New Testament highlights the life of Jesus and the changes he caused to the lives of the people. Christians believed Jesus to be the messiah spoken of, and wait for his return.
Christianity in the present day is divided into three branches. Roman Catholicism is the original form, which descended from Christ himself. The Eastern Orthodoxy spread through the works of King Constantine. The Protestants split from the Roman Catholics during the Reformation, and certain policies and practices of the Catholics were labelled wrong and eliminated.

Christianity begins in Rome with the birth of Jesus, a Jew who was born to virgin Mary. At around 30 years of age, he had a vision receiving the blessings of God, and since then the miracle began and he spread his teachings. He educated the masses, but 12 special disciples were taught privately. The people believed him to be their saviour and messiah who would bring the ‘Kingdom of God’ to life.
Gradually, though, the Roman opposition against Jesus mounted. The Romans attempted to silence him and his teachings forever…he was crucified. His followers scattered at such an unexpected and drastic event. But when women went to anoint his body 3 days later, the tomb was found empty! Supposedly, an angel had told them that Christ had risen! After initial incredulity, the followers started believing. They claimed that Jesus had attained heaven in front of their eyes! Slowly and steadily, the followers of Jesus grew, and they were now called ‘Christians’.

Veggie tales is a series of computer animated videos about a family of ‘veggies’ who discover and learn about life using Bible Themes such as The Good Samaritan and David & Goliath. Let’s see how ‘Veggie Tales’ shapes up in our Discernment test…

1. What does it teach you?

Veggie tales teaches you about God’s perspective on different issues we all face using Bible stories as the basis. The characters learn about forgiving others, where God is when you’re scared, telling the truth and how rumours can hurt.

2. Does it have anything to do with supernatural power?

The stories all relate to the power of God and his supernatural workings. Each story has a Biblical basis with Scripture references through out the story. Eg in Episode 3 the Scripture is “Love your neighbour as yourself” — Leviticus 19:18.

3. Does it have any symbols or characteristics that link it to New Age or Occult powers?

No, Veggie tales does not contain occultic symbols or New Age themes.

4. Does it teach anything about violence or immorality and their consequences?

No. Veggie tales does not portray violence in a positive way. Moral themes are the basis for each show. Eg. in “Loving your Neighbour” Junior asparagus is trying to decide whether to invite the new boy to his birthday party because he comes from a different country and talks funny. His adventure teaches him that we need to accept others just the way they are.

5. Does it build Godly character?

The characters are friendly and happy. They are easy to relate to because they express human emotions that the viewer can relate to, e.g. remorse, compassion, forgiveness, joy etc. Children are challenged to develop Godly characteristics.

Digimon is a popular Japanese children’s toy similar to Pokemon with digital games, movies, T.V shows and battle cards. Digimon was originally called by several other names including Digital Demon, Digi Demon and Digital Monster www.virtualpet.com/vp/farm/digimon/digimon.htm. Let’s see how Digimon shapes up in our Discernment test….

1. What does it teach you?

Digimon is about “Seven kids at summer camp (who) are unexpectedly transported by ‘digivices’ to a colourful and enigmatic world. Lost and alone, they are befriended by small digital monsters, Digimons. The kids and their Digimon partners quickly become inseparable, and the little creatures who guide their human friends throughout the wondrous Digiworld, protecting them from the hordes of evil Digimons” (Fox Kids TV).

2. Does it have anything to do with supernatural power?

Digimon exposes the user to the concept of other supernatural realms. In the Digimon Movie viewers are told that “There are two worlds - our world and the digital world”. The digital world makes you ’scared at first’ but you get used to the strange looking creatures some of whom become “friends for life”.

3. Does it have any symbols or characteristics that link it to New Age or Occult powers?

Yes. Many Digimon characters are able to transmit supernatural power (psychic powers), some are able to evolve or transform (known as shape-shifting). e.g. Patamon becomes Angemon - a majestic male angel with power to defeat all kinds of vicious enemies. Each ‘Digimon’ is trying to obtain power to defeat an enemy by evolving into a more powerful creature.

4. Does it teach anything about violence or immorality and their consequences?

The Digimon characters ‘battle’ each other to defeat their enemies. “In the show, Digimon can kill. It doesn’t happen a lot but can sometimes be gruesome. In one episode, a Digimon has these giant claws, that twirls around really fast and goes right through a ’sea monster Digimon’ tearing it up. Dead bodies dissolve once they have been hit.” J. Breen, age 13.

5. Does it build Godly character?

No, Digimon does not endeavour to develop Godly character because it encourages children to call on a supernatural strength that is not Godly. Instead of calling on Jesus as their help and strength, they learn to call on Digimon as their defender.

You may wish to use the following questions with your children to help them select toys, games and books. Allowing them to make decisions for themselves is one of the ways we can begin to teach children how to be discerning. On the following pages we put “Digimon” and “Veggie Tales” to ‘the test’. (Questions taken from Berit Kjos www.crossroad.to)

1. What does it teach you?

eg. about power, about magic, about friendship, about God? Look for obvious and subtle messages.

2. Does it have anything to do with supernatural power?

If so, what is the source of that power? Does it agree with or oppose God’s word?

3. Does it have any symbols or characteristics that link it to New Age or Occult powers?

4. Does it teach anything about violence or immorality and their consequences?

5. Does it build Godly character?

eg. Kindness, honesty, forgiveness etc.

In an ever increasing materialistic world, many are struggling to know how to bring up their children in a Godly way. Decisions about the toys, books, games and videos that we select for our children’s entertainment seem to bombard us at every turn. Unfortunately it would seem our lack of time often results in decisions being made on the spur of the moment rather than being prayerfully considered. Many parents could testify to having ‘given in’ to a child begging for a novelty toy or book as you walk the aisles in a Supermarket or Department store. How many of us actually have the time to watch every video the children watch or read the books they read? Many people argue “It’s just a game or fad” or state that “we can’t ban everything, after all EVERYTHING can’t be evil…” Where do we draw the line? How do we know what is okay for our children to play with?

What does God say about bringing up children in this day and age? God has told us to train our children to choose His way. What does this really mean? If our children attend Sunday school and have some Christian friends - that should be enough shouldn’t it? After all, children know the difference between ‘good and evil’ don’t they? I believe we cannot assume that they do. It is our job to not only tell them, but show them “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it” Pr 22:6.

There are certainly mixed opinions about what we should expose our children to. This ranges from extreme views of ‘banning everything with a glimmer of evil’ to an attitude of ‘anything goes.’ However, both extremes do not endeavour to develop a sense of Godliness in our children. Banning everything in the home does not teach children how to make decisions with discernment and exposing children to all forms of evil in our society without properly training them will not encourage them to choose God’s way.

Christian parents need to teach their children to become discerning for themselves - after all we can’t be with them 24 hours a day and sooner or later they need to make decisions for themselves. We can do this by modelling Godly decision-making about the games and toys we buy for our children. Berit Kjos (www.crossroad.to) suggests that as your children grow and develop in the knowledge of the Lord model how you make decisions. Tell your child why you wouldn’t want to buy certain things yourself “Spark awareness in a young child with comments such as, “That monster looks mean!” Teach them a Biblical attitude towards evil before they learn to delight in gross, ugly characters. Make comments such as, “Who would want to play with that evil monster? I don’t even like to look at him. Let’s find something that makes us feel happy inside.” It would seem that many children’s toys are doing just that - encouraging our children to see ugly demonic looking creatures as ‘cute’ and someone you are able to make ‘friends’ with. We should be encouraging our children to find entertainment that is uplifting, positive and wholesome. As the apostle Paul summarised,

“Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - let your mind dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:7-8)

What an excellent measure this is for the choices we make about our entertainment - both adult and child alike! Let us encourage children and teens to make informed decisions about the activities and entertainment they spend hours participating in.

Satan is seeking any opportunity to create a doorway into his world. It doesn’t have to be through a Seance or Satanic ritual - these are obvious doorways to many people. Satan often uses the ‘back door approach’. He will use any way he can to stimulate young people’s interest and knowledge in the occult and these things are all becoming mainstream in our society. We need to be more on our guard now than ever before. Not just with Harry Potter - but with all things that take our eyes off of God. It means taking a stand against what is becoming the norm in our society and unless our young people have a firm grounding in God’s word, occultic practices will begin to appear the norm to them too. We need to be encouraging our children to seek a healthy balance in their life - teaching them discernment and helping them to make Godly decisions for themselves.

Children do not have the emotional and spiritual maturity to distinguish clearly between real life and fantasy - and this is where danger lies. In an interview with Newsweek, the author admitted that she gets letters from children wanting to be the first on the list to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (the fictitious school in the novels) as one child wrote: “I was eager to get to Hogwarts first because I like what they learned there and I want to be a witch” Gioia Bishop, age 10 (San Francisco Chronicle). If children are hoping places like this exist - where do they go from here? Across the world Witchcraft is on the rise. The Pagan federation has reported a flood of inquires from young people, since the release of the Harry Potter books and T.V shows such as “Charmed” and “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.” This is something we can’t afford to ignore!

With a sense of ‘warm fuzzies’ Rowling’s novels cleverly indoctrinate the reader into a relaxed perception of the practices of Witchcraft. The books blatantly make you ‘appreciate’ Witchcraft as something that is just ‘misunderstood’ by most people. It is portrayed as people having harmless fun, with ‘good magic’. The novels, along with T.V shows like ‘Charmed’, convince you that witches are the ‘good guys’ fighting against ‘evil. Such deception! There is no ‘good’ magic or ‘good witches’. Either you are for God or against him. There is no middle road. Let us not turn a blind eye to Satan’s schemes for we are to have “nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” Ephesians 5:11. We at Torrens Valley Christian school ask you to prayerfully consider this information in making your decision about the Harry Potter books.

Lord Voldermort was then able to control her into to doing things like killing all of the school’s roosters, attacking a cat and hanging it on a wall next to a morbid message in the school hallway.

In book 3 the Dementors make an appearance

“Dementors are among the foulest creatures that walk this earth. They infest the darkest, filthiest places, they glory in decay and despair, they drain peace, hope and happiness out of the air around them… get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself - soulless and evil. You’ll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life…” (p 140). Later the Dementor’s kiss is described; “they clamp their jaws upon the mouth of the victim and suck out his soul.” (p 183)

Again and again the books cleverly present counterfeits of God’s workings. In book 1 Harry comes across a mirror that “shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.” (p 157) surely a counterfeit of Psalm 37 “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Later in book 3, a cheering charm learnt in charms class leaves Harry and his friends “with a feeling of great contentment.” (p 217) another counterfeit of God’s intentions that we learn to rely on him for our happiness and contentment (Philippians 4:12). More and more examples are found on each page.

The Harry Potter books certainly provide the reader with ample knowledge of witchcraft practices. At school, Harry attends classes that teach him everything about witchcraft - nothing is held back with detailed descriptions of making potions, spells, curses, transformations, crystal ball reading, charms- all of the practices God says to have nothing to do with! In Deuteronomy God says “Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or a spiritist or who consults the dead.” (Det 18:10). God can’t be much clearer than that can he? Yet nearly all of these things listed here is represented in the Harry Potter books - for example, one of Harry’s school subjects is “Divination” class” (the practise of predicting the future) - see School Subjects.

The author states that she believes that her books are moral - but that is only so if witchcraft itself is moral. Wicca (the religion of Witchcraft) has a sovereign law that states that “If it harm none, then do as you will.” This focus is portrayed subtly again and again in the books as Harry defies authority by repeatedly breaking the rules to battle the ‘evil one’ (and yet he is continually rewarded for it by his teachers and made to be a hero). Harry is supposedly a ‘nice guy’ (as stated by many avid readers) yet he demonstrates behaviours such as seeking revenge, thinking hateful and murderous thoughts, lying, cheating, blackmailing and stealing - these behaviours are continually justified in the book as okay because Harry is seen as working for ‘good’ - the message that comes across is it’s okay to do immoral things if you are working for a ‘good’ cause.

The reason these books are so popular is because, our society, including our children are hungry for spiritual answers. God created us all with an inbuilt desire to worship - it is just the object of our desire that we make a choice. In our own way we are all searching, hungry for the truth. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tells us that Satan “masquerades as an angel of light.”. He is very clever. He likes to package his deception in ‘trendy, seductive and appealing packages’. He knows just what to do to attract people to him and away from God. Especially our children. If children are so eagerly soaking up books like Harry Potter and watching T.V shows, films and video games about the occult - what does this reveal to us about their spiritual hunger? Reading one Harry Potter book isn’t necessarily going to lead a child or teenager into the occult - but a constant feeding on all of these things can surely harden your heart and leave no room for God to speak into your life.