Spiritual Medium Yesenia Berbiar Aims To Heal Hearts By Connecting With Departed Family Members – KHTS Radio

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Santa Clarita Spiritual Medium Yesenia Berbiar explains how our grieving process is tied to our loved ones ability to move forward and find peace.

Berbiar, who first reported having the ability to speak with spirits from a young age, wishes to help those who have lost loved ones move from a place of grief into the light of healing. To Berbiar, this process is important not just for her living clientele, but also for the spirits of their loved ones.

Although grief is a normal, some people may take a longer time to heal than others. Berbiars stated goal is to re-frame the healing process using the messages she receives from departed loved ones to comfort the living in order to ease the worries of departed spirits who want the best for their family on Earth.

My true goal, or my ultimate goal is to heal the heart here (on Earth) and heal the spirit in Heaven, said Berbiar. When your energy is low and youre very depressed and youre grieving, (your departed loved ones) want to stay down here because they want to comfort you. So what happens is that theyre still not at peace.

Berbiar said that in her time as a spiritual medium in Santa Clarita, shes worked with spirits of the departed to help them move on to Heaven. According to Berbiar, the process is one in which respect, love, and attention can go a long way towards helping spirits find peace.

I first try to find out how the person died, Berbiar explained. If it was a tragic death, then I definitely want to do some healing with that person and show them the way to Heaven and how its so much easier and healthier for them to be there. (Then) they tend to just go on their way.

Berbiar said that distance is not a factor when it comes to communicating with clients loved ones. As long as the spirits make themselves available to her, she can work with clients from anywhere in the world from right here in Santa Clarita.

Ive done readings for people as far away as Thailand, Berbiar said. What matters is the spirit. And when that spirit comes to see me and I can make that connection, then everything is possible.

The process starts when Berbiar asks permission from the spirits of the departed to enter into a dialogue with them.

Once I get that permission granted, everybody, even animals come by and start talking to me, Berbiar said. They just love to explain everything.

When asked whether clients needed to show a certain amount of openness before spirits would show themselves to her, she said that while it wasnt necessary, it was very helpful.

If they have an open heart and open mind, its very easy for their loved ones to come through, Berbiar said. No matter what, when you talk to your loved ones and you ask them for signs, there are signs all over the place, she continued.

Berbiar said that spirits often make themselves available to her, even if her clients arent necessarily fully trusting of her ability. On the other hand, she warns potential clients that they must be open to signs from their loved ones coming from unexpected sources, or else they may miss what their spirits are trying to communicate.

If youre completely closed off or youre only wanting to hear that one thing and it doesnt come through, but you have all these other signs, Berbiar said, you just have to be willing to take those blinders off, have an open heart, open mind, and hear them.

For more about Yesenia Berbiar, Spiritual Medium, visit:https://yeseniaberbiar.com/

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Claritas only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Spiritual Medium Yesenia Berbiar Aims To Heal Hearts By Connecting With Departed Family Members - KHTS Radio

Dubais Demand for Niche Spiritual Retreats on the Rise – Skift

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Weve all heard about detox retreats, or spiritual getaways.

Some people have called them a new age travel trend, but wellness tourism has been around for decades. Such getaways, in the last few years, have become increasingly popular in Dubai, particularly among professionals who belong to the upper middle class and are more health-conscious or educated.

Dubai is becoming more spiritually diverse, said 29-year-old Lady Serwaa Bonsu, who has worked as a receptionist at a Dubai-based holistic healing center for nearly two years.

Many clients I meet are choosing to go to places like India and Japan for special four- to 10-day retreats because they are seeking spiritual solutions to their issues.

Bonsu said she meets clients who are considering such retreats to gain insight on how to improve their health, marriages, or even their relationship with money.

Between 2015 and 2017, the annual growth rate of the $639 billion wellness travel market was 6.5 percent, according to the Global Wellness Institute (GWI). This is more than double the 3.2 percent growth rate for tourism overall.

The Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), along with other developing markets such as Latin America-Caribbean, Asia-Pacific, and Sub-Saharan Africa, all accounted for 57 percent of the increase in wellness trips since 2015.

The wellness tourism market is expected to reach $919 billion by 2022, the wellness institute predicts.

People who choose such niche getaways are often seeking safe havens where they can meet like-minded individuals, heal from traumatic experiences, or even gain self-confidence to apply in their everyday lives.

Silfath Pinto who is based in Dubai is a transformational coach and retreat leader. Many of her clients live in Dubai and travel for her getaways in other parts of the world, including Bali, Indonesia, or Greece.

There is a lot going on in Dubai, said Pinto, and I think its because it can be such a transient place where there is so much movement. Local people are facing a lot of challenges and starting to wonder if there is another way and looking for help and resources to be able to change and improve.

Pinto left her corporate banking job in 2009 to begin her life coaching career. Thats when she held her first retreat for clients in Dubai, which has a population of more than three million.

My retreats are not so much focused on discovering the country, although it is part of the experience, said 40-year-old Pinto. The main thing about my retreat is a deep transformational journey. It is really about moving from a state of limitation to a state of expansion.

Pinto facilitates about four retreats a year and packages range from $2,000 to $2,700 for week-long trips.

Pinto admitted that her retreats are not for everyone.

I am not in the retreats where they do yoga in the morning, yoga in the evening, and then they do sightseeing; thats not what I do at all, she said with a laugh. Thats why my retreats might not attract that many people, they attract people who are really ready for a deep transformational journey.

One of Leona Wallaces transformational retreats. Wallace is pictured center. Photo: Courtesy Leona Wallace

Coming from a completely different part of the world, Leona Wallace, a 51-year-old survivor of domestic violence, is a Paris-based certified international life coach.

She worked part-time in 2010 as a life coach and full-time as a real estate agent in the province of British Columbia, Canada.

After attending a retreat in Nice, France, for her own personal development, Wallace decided to quit her job and became a full-time coach and retreat leader in 2011.

She has since led 27 retreats.

Many of these men and women are already on a journey, Wallace told Skift. Some are feeling lost, some have relatable stories, are at a crossroads, and unsure of their next step.

Wallace usually invites six to 12 clients on her trips, which are filled a month in advance.

Clients traveling with Wallace are invited to detoxify physically and mentally by participating in nutrition programs, breathing exercises, and one-on-one coaching sessions, she said.

She typically leads about three retreats a year, but is considering monthly retreats in 2020 due to high demand.

But her five-day retreats are anything but cheap.

Her packages cost about 2,200 euros ($2,467) per person and are held in partnership with luxury spas, chateaus, or with conscious homeowners that have expanded their houses into wellness centers.

While theyve never met before, Pinto and Wallace have much in common.

For starters, they both said they feel called to hold their retreats at energetically charged destinations. They also dont claim to facilitate your average getaways where people go sightseeing, do a few yoga poses, and meditate.

Both Wallace and Pintos clients also come from similar backgrounds. They are typically individuals leading lives in some of the worlds busiest cities from Dakar to Dubai, Paris, New York, and London. Many are also searching for a sense of spiritual and mental fulfillment.

There is also a prescreening process that goes into planning such elite getaways.

Its exclusive in the sense that the people coming on these trips are leaders, thats their path, thats their mission, Wallace said. They might not quite be there yet, but they are influential leaders getting together to reset, renew, and recharge with like-minded people.

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Photo Credit: Silfath Pinto's transformational retreats go beyond yoga and relaxation. Pinto is pictured on a Dubai beach. Seba Haddad

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Dubais Demand for Niche Spiritual Retreats on the Rise - Skift

Spiritual editorial: Last year in the rear view mirror – NorthcentralPa.com

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Around this time, we are all beginning our resolutions for the new year. For many of us, it means that we will commit to lose those stubborn pounds gained over the holiday season. For others, it will mean reading more books or being kinder to those around us. Embarrassingly, my resolutions this year are being rolled over, just like my extra vacation days.

Regardless of what you personally planned on accomplishing in 2019, you may have encountered some challenges last year that you didnt plan on. For many, last year threw more than a few curve balls. You arent alone if 2019 was marked by hurt, pain, disappointment, fear, stress, or struggle.

Let us be clear; God has never and will never be the author of evil in our lives. Just as in the life of Job, His all knowing sovereignty allows events to enter our path for our growth, testing, and maturing. Our human encounters with struggles and difficulties are a result of sins effect on our fallen world. I sure would like to go back and give Adam & Eve a piece of my mind. Because of the first humans choice to rebel against God, you and I are faced with the dilemma of unplanned and unwanted struggle.

Regardless of whether last years struggles were a result of your bad choices or the evil of someone else, we can choose to enter this new year with resolve to rise above what befell us. Through searching the Holy Scriptures, we can visualize three strategies to put this past year behind us.

The first element is forgiveness. Although it needs little explanation, it is the most difficult for us to complete. The Bible states in 1 John 1:9 that God is faithful to forgive us. Some of us need to forgive ourselves or forgive others who have wronged us in the past in order to move on in this new year. It is only when we choose to forgive that we can move forward to accomplish what God created us to accomplish for Him.

Next, the Apostle Paul challenged the believers at Philippi in Philippians 3:13 to place the past behind them and stretch forward to attain the goal and prize that God had placed in front of them. Philippians 3:13b-14 states, Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (NIV). We can only attain what God wants us to accomplish when we separate the past from our present and press toward the future.

Last, we should commit our new year to God. Just as is beautifully stated in Psalm 37:3-5 trust and commit the path of your life to the Lord. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture... Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this. To trust God means to simply place your dependence on the one who created you and has anticipated every step of your life.

Before creating a resolution for 2020, take a moment to reflect on the deep waters of last year and forgive, move forward, and commit your path ahead to God.

The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed in this editorial do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints ofNorthcentralPa.com.

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Spiritual editorial: Last year in the rear view mirror - NorthcentralPa.com

Spiritual Alphabet Soup of Death and Dying – Thrive Global

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The Final Goodbye

Little Betsy is going home now. I was dreaming one morning when I heard the familiar voice of a woman who was waving goodbye to me. She looked like my Aunt Betty, but years younger than my first memories of her. She had been sick for a long time, but I hadnt thought about her in months. I called my mother and found out her sister had died that night. I had never heard her called Betsy, and she said it was a pet nickname only used by my Uncle Walt.

My visitation dream can be considered a form of after-death communication (ADC), one of the four categories of spiritually-transformative experiences (STEs) included in the spiritual alphabet soup of death and dying. I have written previously about the four psychospiritual after-effects of near-death experiences (NDEs), but ADC, nearing-death awareness (NDA) and shared-death experiences (SDEs) also can have significant impact on our worldviews about how life and death intersect.

ADC is the most common of these spiritual acronyms occurring in 20 to 40 percent of the population. It was first popularized by the Guggenheims in their 1997 book Hello from Heaven: A New Field of ResearchAfter-Death CommunicationConfirms That Life and Love Are Eternal based on their research of more than 3,300 first hand accounts. Four categories of ADC have been described in the Journal of Holistic Nursing: 1) visions and dreams, 2) lost-things-found, 3) symbolic messages, and 4) sightings.

Compared to the extensive research that has been done by the International Association for Near-Death Studies on NDEs there is relatively little scientific literature on ADCs. However, my dream does have a couple of the features described in NDE research on veridical perception. I received information about a nickname I had no foreknowledge of that proved to be true. My aunt coming to me to say goodbye prior to being notified about her death can also be considered a form of a Peak in Darien experience where NDEers see dead people not known to have died. Her unfamiliar appearance as if in the prime of life is also typical of visitation dreams.

The dream message about going home is very similar to the stories of NDA first popularized in 2009 by hospice nurse Maggie Callanan in her 2009 book Final Journeys: A Practical Guide for Bringing Care and Comfort at the End of Life. Comments such as Its time to get in line and Im going home soon are relatively common in her experience. The take home message from her work is that acknowledging these phenomena as a meaningful part of the death process can be valuable in providing comfort at the end of life.

Dreams and visions at the end of life are now an emerging field of research thanks to the groundbreaking studies of Dr. Christopher Kerr, chief of palliative care at Hospice Buffalo. His 2015 TEDx talk I See Dead People with over 2 million views highlights the scientific results showing dreams of the deceased are correlated with an increase in comfort levels for the dying. Such dreams increase in frequency in the final weeks of life. If your loved one in their deathbed says not to sit in a particular chair because Grandma is there, it is probably a good idea to respect their wishes.

The least common form of STE associated with death and dying is the SDE which was described by NDE research pioneer Raymond Moody in his 2010 book Glimpses of Eternity: Sharing a Loved Ones Passage From This Life to the Next. At the deathbed close relatives of the dying person who have intuitive abilities are able to participate in the transition process. Their stories may begin with altered perceptions of the room itself and progress to features typical of a classic NDE including being sent back from the final boundary in the heavenly realms.

We discuss all these kinds of mystical and paranormal experiences on a monthly basis at the Rhine Research Centers Psychic Experiences Group and Dream Group meetings. This year is the 85th anniversary of the parapsychology laboratory that was originally housed in the Department of the Psychology at Duke University until 1964. We are celebrating decades of outside-the-box research exploring ESP and other exceptional human abilities including a joint meeting of the Parapsychological Association and the Society for Scientific Exploration here in Durham, NC, June 1619, 2020.

Many people are making all sorts of apocalyptic presidential predictions for 2020, but it is important to remember that apocalypse means Revelation, not Armageddon. Instead perhaps the messages of hope from NDEers may indicate we are converging toward the Omega Point described by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as representing the endpoint in the evolution of consciousness. In that spirit I will be speaking about the spiritual alphabet of death and dying at the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology conference in Baltimore, MD, on 5/18/2020, and at the Haden Institute Dream and Spirituality conference in Hendersonville, NC, on 5/2429/2020.

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Spiritual Alphabet Soup of Death and Dying - Thrive Global

Faith and Values: Look outward for spiritual growth in the new year – The Spokesman-Review

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The best direction for your new year may not be new at all.

In fact, the thirst for something new and different may well keep you from growing in devotion, discipline, selflessness the steady rhythm of a God-centered life you desire yet struggle to maintain.

Youre not alone in this.

People of faith always swim against a strong current of new fascinations that pull us away from the proven, ordinary graces that grow our love toward God and others.

This is what the LORD says: Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, No, thats not the road we want!

We really dont know who we are apart from the God who made us. And our Creator tells us through the prophet Jeremiah that we are a people in desperate need of evaluating direction from time to time: Stand at the crossroads and look around.

The implication in that command is that we will not find right direction, nor satisfaction, by looking within.

God never leaves us to rely upon ourselves or our own resources when it comes to growing spiritually. Self, as it turns out, is often the greatest obstacle to spiritual growth.

Even when looking outside of ourselves, well find plenty to distract us.

Social media shape what we think of ourselves and others. A nonstop news feed shapes what we think of our world. None are especially truthful or complete.

Happily, God does the necessary work of telling us which way to turn when were at the crossroads of evaluating direction: Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it.

We cant become our best selves by looking inward or staring incessantly at our smartphones. We need to look outward at the Word of God.

Jesus, the only perfect person who has ever lived, needed time with the Father every day first thing.

Morning by morning He wakens me and opens my understanding to His will, says Isaiah 50.

The Father continuously called to the Son, and Jesus continuously responded with glad attentiveness: The Sovereign Lord has spoken to me, and I have listened. I have not rebelled or turned away.

Jesus, the person Christians strive to imitate, craved time alone with the Father morning by morning.

His love toward and attentiveness to the Father surely must inform our own.

As God speaks to us through Scripture, He hears from us through prayer.

The Christian is never deprived of a listening ear, someone who cares, someone who understands, someone whose strong presence truly matters. What a privilege is prayer; and how frequently we trade this privilege for far lesser things.

Again, Jesus pattern is meant to be ours: Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray, Mark 1:35.

Of course, spending time with God in Scripture and prayer does not sound new and exciting to us. It sounds so routine; and yet, for many of us, its really not our routine.

Did you notice that the God who knows us best also anticipates such a disposition? But you reply, No, thats not the road we want!

A new year brings us a new opportunity to change our reply: God has spoken to me, and Ive listened. Ive not rebelled or turned away.

This year it might be time not to try something new. The best direction for your new year may not be new at all.

Why not try something old and find rest for our souls?

Steve Massey is pastor of Hayden Bible Church. He can be reached at (208) 772-2511 or steve@haydenbible.org.

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Faith and Values: Look outward for spiritual growth in the new year - The Spokesman-Review

KEEPING THE FAITH: Local spiritual leaders respond to recent national violence – Evening News and Tribune

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SOUTHERN INDIANA A week after two fatal attacks in houses of worship across the country, local faith leaders are taking stock of how to protect their congregations while maintaining open hearts and standing up to fear.

On Dec. 28, five people were stabbed at a Hanukkah celebration at a rabbi's home in Monsey, N.J. The following day, three were killed, including the shooter, after a man opened fire in a Texas church.

AN ATTACK ON ALL

John Manzo, pastor at St. Mark's United Church of Christ in New Albany, called the recent attacks "appalling and soul-crushing," referencing the loss of human life and the fact that people were targeted during their times of worship and celebration.

"The reality is anytime somebody attacks a church, a synagogue, a mosque, a Buddhist Temple, they're attacking all of us," Manzo said.

But the recent killings are just the latest that have horrified Manzo, a pastor of nearly 40 years. The June 2015 attack at an African American church in Charleston, S.C., which killed nine, was a heavy blow.

"I think most pastors were shaken, because welcoming somebody in our doors and treating them graciously and praying with them are things that most of us would do and not really think twice about it," he said. "It's scary I graduated seminary in 1980 and this was not even close to being on anybody's mind or conversation."

SAFETY PREVAILS

The violence has caused Manzo and some other faith leaders to re-examine and bolster the safety protocols in place at their houses of worship. Several years ago, St. Mark's installed such features among them surveillance cameras and keeping the doors locked most of the time, including during the worship service. Many of the church personnel have also taken security training.

If someone wants to enter the church during the week, they ring a bell and church staff can see on camera who is there.

"And we have to make a choice: are we letting them in or not?" Manzo said. "A lot of times if you're by yourself and you don't know who the person is, you don't let them in."

This practice is out of sync with his religious inclination to welcome all people with open arms, the pastor said, but vigilance is needed.

"There's this balance," he said. "It's important to have open doors...on the other hand, we have a massive responsibility for the people in the congregation."

Pastor Robert Watkins, who previously led services at Bethel A.M.E. in New Albany and is now at Alexander's Chapel in Evansville, said his church body is being cautious, too.

The facility has solid safety measures in place, but Watkins said he wants to revisit those to strengthen them, especially after the most recent attacks. He also shared similar sentiments to Manzo's about the balance between spirituality and safety.

"We kind of keep an eye on I hate to say it new people coming in," Watkins said. "It's kind of shameful that you have to do that in a place of worship, but we are more conscious of our surroundings.

"I just hope some of this violence would go down...but you never know what's in the hearts and minds of the people."

STANDING UP TO FEAR

Trish Gilbertson, pastor at St. Luke's United Church of Christ in Jeffersonville, said she is more vigilant in public, in general, but won't let herself be terrorized by the recent violence.

"The way I feel about it is sort of the way I feel about all of our public spaces...church, movie theaters, schools...everywhere there's been shootings," Gilbertson said. "[But] I think I just try to keep it all in perspective."

This includes her realizing how small the percentage is of mass shooting compared to overall shootings.

"And also realizing that our Jewish brothers and sisters are probably more at risk, so that should be more of a concern how we care for them and spread more love than hate," Gilbertson said. "And I think just trying to practice what I preach, which is not giving into fear...because when we start operating out of fear that's not good for anybody."

The church has safety features in place, but its leaders are looking at strengthening them to include other situations.

"We are working on a safety plan that is trying to be comprehensive and not just look at shootings, but what we would do in medical emergencies, natural disasters, that kind of thing," the pastor said.

BEING PREPARED

The shooter at the Texas church was taken down by a congregant carrying his own weapon, but this isn't standard practice across the board. State laws vary in Indiana, for instance, it's now legal to carry a gun into a church which has an attached school, but it's still up to the church, itself, to make a determination on whether to allow it.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Carey Huls said being proactive about any potential threat can go a long way; that's why the ISP offers unarmed response to shooter training sessions for schools, businesses and more recently, churches to help them stay safe.

"Most of the programs now deal with prevention; we talk about some of the past instances in schools and businesses," he said. "A lot of times there was information there, warning signs that if people would have acted on, they would have...prevented anything from happening."

The sessions also help organizations set up internal safety and assessment teams, people who are trained and prepared to react to various threats including an active shooter, a term which ISP defines as also including other violence, such as a person with a knife.

"Information and knowledge is power so the more people who know 'hey, if I see these types of indications in somebody and it doesn't quite look right,' that they have something to address it," Huls said.

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KEEPING THE FAITH: Local spiritual leaders respond to recent national violence - Evening News and Tribune

GOD SQUAD: Spiritual New Years resolutions – CTPost

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GOD SQUAD: Spiritual New Years resolutions

Here are my spiritual New Years Resolutions. Write to me and tell me yours.

Happy New Year!

Volunteer at Meals on Wheels. I received this soul-warming note from G in Central Florida following my giving to beggars column:

About five years ago, when we moved to Central Florida, we discovered there were senior citizens who had no one to celebrate the holidays with them besides the Meals on Wheels volunteers. At that time, there was a waiting list for Meals on Wheels of over 200 individuals! When we dropped off our annual check this year, we discovered there was a Christmas tree in the lobby with tags asking for certain gifts for senior citizens. We chose a man and a woman whose needs brought me to tears. They werent asking for bicycles or toys; they were asking for basics.

One asked for body wash and a set of towels. Another asked for a comforter and slippers. When we dropped off the wrapped gifts, we asked if there were any senior citizens who hadnt had any Christmas Angels assigned to them. We chose a 76-year-old man who asked for an XL winter shirt and a 71-year-old woman who asked for pajamas and a robe. While the first two were referred to by their caseworkers, the second set of recipients were referred to by their Meals on Wheels volunteers, God bless them.

It was an honor to shop for these people whom we never would meet. Senior citizens have been part of the working system for most of their lives. That they must depend on Meals on Wheels and the generosity of others breaks my heart. I wish there was a way that more attention can be given to senior citizens who are lonely and in need of basics. Thank you, again, for your God Squad column. Peace be unto you.

Learn more about a religion that is not yours. The most arrogant and foolish of all religious beliefs is the belief that God gave all the truth about God and salvation to just one faith. One can believe without arrogance that ones own faith is most true and most conducive to salvation from sin, but also believe that other religions have some really good things in them.

Judaism, for example, created the belief in life after death but sadly, over time, the belief in Heaven has mostly been championed by Christianity. I learned from Father Tom Hartman to appreciate the hope that life after death gives us as we face our own death and the death of those we love. Tommy learned from me about the importance of finding ones beliefs in a sacred text and not just in some trendy popular book. The best way to learn is simple. Just visit some other house of worship. Visit for a service or visit for a study group, but visit. Religions study from books but they are lived in real life. Experience the lives of those walking up the same mountain as you but up a different path.

Read all the Psalms and start with Psalm 34. If you read one Psalm a week you will have completed the Psalter by next year. The Psalms are my favorite part of the Bible because they are so full of wisdom and hope but also because they are the only part of the Bible that links Jews and Christians in our liturgies. Both of us use psalms when we pray and that is a deep and loving bond between us.

Here is just a foretaste of what you have in store for you. You know Psalm 23 but listen to the wisdom of Psalm 34. Pay special attention and meditate on verse 8, O taste and see that the Lord is good. That is the verse I hope you can keep close to your heart this coming year. That verse constitutes the spiritual value of New Years resolutions. They are not thoughts, they are actions. They are not passive intentions. They are active tastings. We cannot live life unless we taste life. We cannot experience Gods goodness unless and until we taste the world.

Surely some of the world tastes bitter but the world is sweeter than you would ever know if your only contact with the world is through news and social media. You must taste the world yourself and tasting requires moving beyond the posture of an observer and becoming a true participant in the wonder of your life. The possibility that I might become an outside commentator on my own life and not a full living owner of my life is too terrible to contemplate. So taste and see that the Lord is good. It will make it so much easier for you to believe that the Lord is good.

Send ALL QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS to The God Squad via email at godsquadquestion@aol.com. Rabbi Gellman is the author of several books, including Religion for Dummies, co-written with Fr. Tom Hartman.

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GOD SQUAD: Spiritual New Years resolutions - CTPost

Bill Tinsley: Develop a physically and spiritually healthy heart – StarNewsOnline.com

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We have adopted our New Years resolutions, and many of us are focused on a healthy heart. It apparently is making a difference. According to a study published in an American Heart Association journal, The epidemic increase in heart disease mortality ended in the 1960s or 1970s. Deaths from heart disease have fallen dramatically over the last 50 years. Heart-healthy alternatives are produced in almost every food category. Restaurants include heart-healthy menus. Smoking has been banned in most public places. Physicians and nonprofits promote diet and exercise.

I first read Dr. Kenneth Coopers book, Aerobics, in 1982. It was a groundbreaking book that opened the eyes of millions to the benefits of aerobic exercise and healthy diet for a healthy heart. When I visited Brazil I was fascinated to find hundreds of Brazilians walking and jogging every morning to get in their Cooper. The doctors name had found its way into Portuguese as a synonym for heart-healthy aerobic exercise.

When I followed Coopers regimen, I experienced the benefits: lost weight, increased strength and stamina. Unfortunately, I have not always followed those disciplines, and it shows. Developing a healthy heart requires more than knowledge.

As important as it is to maintain a healthy heart physically, it is even more important for us to develop a healthy heart spiritually. The Bible clearly sets forth the disciplines and characteristics of a healthy spiritual heart. They include gratitude, hope, forgiveness and love. If we discipline ourselves to be grateful every day for what God has done, if we hope when things look hopeless, if we forgive those who injure us, if we love our enemies instead of just loving those who love us, we will have a healthy heart.

But, like our physical heart, having a spiritually healthy heart requires more than knowledge. We may know that we need to be grateful, hopeful, forgiving and loving. But how do you create heartfelt gratitude, hope, forgiveness and love?

In the spiritual realm, this requires a spiritual heart transplant. God has to create a new heart within us, something that He is more than willing to do. We are all born with spiritual heart disease. Jeremiah says, The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jer. 17:9). But later he writes, I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God (Jer. 24:7). And in Ezekiel He says, Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh (Ez. 36:26).

God sent His son Jesus so that He might create in us a healthy heart that is full of gratitude, hope, forgiveness and love. He changes the heart that has grown callous, bitter and resentful into one that overflows in gratitude. Someday our physical heart will beat its last beat and our bodies will die. But the spiritually healthy heart that God creates will live forever.

Bill Tinsley reflects on current events and life experience from a faith perspective. Visit http://www.tinsleycenter.com. Email bill@tinsleycenter.com.

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The spiritual meaning of the word – magviral

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In the English language, Christians usually use the word baptism to indicate the primary sacrament of initiation (baptism is also used, but not so often).

The word has much depth and can be traced to a Greek word that is used throughout the New Testament. The catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the following meaning of the word baptism.

This sacrament is called baptism, after the central rite with which it is performed: baptism (Greek baptizee) means: Immersion or Immersion; the dive in the water symbolizes the catechumen buried in the death of Christ, from which he rises by resurrection with him, as a new creature. (CCC 1214)

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Baptism by full immersion was most common in the early church and most fully connects this symbolism of death, which visually the death experiencing the catechumen.

It means and actually brings about dead to sin and access to the life of the Most Holy Trinity through configuration to the Easter mystery of Christ. (CCC 1239)

At the same time, the word also refers to washing away sin, and emphasizes this aspect of water, especially when baptism is administered by pouring water over ones head. The Catholic encyclopedia focuses on this dimension of the word.

The word Baptism is derived from the Greek word bapto or baptizo, to wash or immerse. It therefore means that the washing is of the essential idea of the sacrament when the terms Baptism, Baptism without an appropriate word are used, they are meant to supper wash which is the soul cleansed from sin at the same time, that water is poured onto the body.

As a result, baptism has a profound meaning that helps explain the profound spiritual mystery that is taking place.

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The spiritual meaning of the word - magviral

Czech out Svickova Na Smetane and get spiritual about bread: this week’s food events in Eastern Iowa – The Gazette

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Fight away that cold weather with some of these warm meals.

A Czech meal that is influenced by many cuisines, but has most similarities with French cooking, svckov na smetane is one of the most popular Czech meals. Mostly prepared for special occasions, the meal includes beef roast, side dumplings, creamy svckov sauce, cranberries, lemon and whipped cream. This Kirkwood Community College Continuing Education course will cover the preparation and cooking of all aspects of this Czech meal.

When: 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday

Where: NewBo City Market, Kirkwood Kitchen, 1100 Third St. SE, Cedar Rapids

Cost: $75 for two participants

Details: (319) 398-1022, kirkwood.edu/ce

Join WineStyles for a six course meal with wine pairings, prepared by Chef Andy Deutmeyer. The evening starts at 6 p.m. with a sparkling wine welcome with an aperitif and jazz music by Jim Buenning, with dinner at 6:30 p.m.

When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: WineStyles Cedar Rapids, 4201 42nd St. NE, Cedar Rapids

Cost: $75 to $85

Details: (319) 200-4171, winestyles.com/cedarrapids

Join Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development for a homegrown brunch and conversation. This celebration of local family farms, food hubs, farmers markets and more will feature food from area producers, prepared by The Hotel at Kirkwood Centers Chef Joshua Spalding.

When: 10 a.m. to noon Sunday

Where: The Hotel at Kirkwood Center, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids

Cost: $40 to $45

Details: iowavalleyrcd.org/brunch

Facilitators Tara King, Laurie Erlacher and Jenifer Hanson will lead an afternoon of bread baking and exploring the connections bread makes in lives and spirits. Participants will return home with a fresh-baked loaf of homemade bread. No bread making experiences is necessary.

When: 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Where: Prairiewoods, 120 E. Boyson Rd., Hiawatha

Cost: $30

Details: (319) 395-6700

Dive into gin with this immersive hands-on cocktail class taught by Joshua OConnell.

When: 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Where: Rodina, 1507 C St. SW, Cedar Rapids

Cost: $65

Details: (319) 200-2515, facebook.com/pg/rodinaiowa/events

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Czech out Svickova Na Smetane and get spiritual about bread: this week's food events in Eastern Iowa - The Gazette

I have faced the roughest time in my spiritual walk, Rose Muhando – The Standard

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Gospel Artist Rose Muhando during the Pamoja concert at Nakuru ASK Show January 1,2020 (Photo: Kipsang Joseph/Standard)

Rose Muhandos electric performance has been described by all manner of adjectives including spine-tingling and highly charged. When she steps on stage, it is almost impossible to imagine what she will do next.

She might ditch her shoes and perform barefoot like she did last week in Nakuru. She could gyrate, shake her braids or jump on stage.

Fans marvel at her energy on stage. Bodies sway to the rhythm of the songs, arenas shake with the stamping of feet and believers experience a spiritual moment of praise.

Muhando is a magician. She has unique vocals and it feels like when she gets on stage, a part of her leaves the world, says Bento Oriko, a music producer in Nairobi.

Muhando has many personalities. There is the musician with electric performance. It is the personality most people are familiar with.

People rarely encounter the calm and composed woman who speaks in a low voice. When we catch up with her in a hotel in Nakuru, her face lights up when she talks about her music and plans for the future. Her voice lowers when she talks about her troubled life.

I have battled stress and depression. I have faced the roughest time in my spiritual journey, faced insecurity but I am well now. I will narrate what I went through when God allows, she says.

Her confession hints at what her followers have been saying online and off the net. Muhando is not well. Over the years, the fire she ignited by churning out consistent music albums started waning.

Her songs, like Mteule Uwe Macho, Yesu Nibebe, and Yesu Nakupenda became a reminder of the voice that redefined gospel music in East Africa. Her stage appearances reduced, and by last year, she barely made any performance. When she appeared in public, the spark she had in her eyes and voice had been replaced by a blank look and emaciating body. Then came the viral video that showed the controversial pastor of Neno Evangelism Centre performing exorcism on her as she lay wailing helplessly on the ground.

False narrative

She was unwell. She requested for spiritual healing from me. I only facilitated that. She is like a patient in a hospital. Do you usually call the doctor to inquire about the health details of a patient you are not related to? Pastor Nganga responded when questions on how Muhando ended up in her church emerged.

The musician now opens up on the incident saying she cannot remember what transpired before the event and has no recollection on how she was lured to Ngangas altar.

Pastor Nganga had invited me to his church and I had reported a day earlier. However, on the day the video was shot, I had a lot of pain in my stomach and he told me he would pray for me. I blacked out after the first three words and to date-I still cannot tell what transpired, she says.

She says she has never gone back to that church, nor talked to the pastor.

Muhandos entry into music was as controversial as the life that followed her in fame. As a daughter of a Muslim sheikh, she says her father was opposed to the idea of converting to Christianity.

Trouble seems to follow her; from fallouts with her producers, rumours of procuring an abortion, hospitalisation after being attacked by a venomous snake, and being entangled in fraud cases.

Then came rumours that she had sunk deep into drugs. Her slow gait, burn marks on the body and erratic behaviour were linked to drug use. Muhando denied the allegations vehemently.

For More of This Stories Subscribe to the Standard Epaper to get a copy of Eve Woman in the Standard

She accused her former manager of spreading the false narrative after she refused sexual relations with him.

I refuse to be anyones sex slave she had said when confronted.

Her other struggle is the turbulent relationships she has had, and her desire to remain single amidst a community that believes in marriage.

All my children are in school. All of them have different fathers because every one of them left me when I was either pregnant or when the child was young. I have however managed to enroll them in good schools and soon my firstborn will be graduating with a degree in law, she says.

The musician says being unmarried is a blessing in disguise as it allows her to travel and perform.

Abject poverty

She says her children, a daughter, and two sons, are her biggest investment. Muhando discloses that she has businesses and land in Tanzania, disputing talks that she is wallowing in poverty.

Even her choice for role model is not typical of what her Christian followers expect. She draws her inspiration from the late Michael Jackson.

People will find it strange but Michael Jackson was a great inspiration. His music brought the world together as mine did. My inspiration also comes from my everyday challenges. I sing every song to praise God for holding my hand in my music career, she says.

Since the year began, Muhando has made two trips to Kenya, sparking speculations that she could be working on a big project. She even composed a song about President Uhuru Kenyatta. She says Kenyans are her fans and she likes their generosity.

That is why I composed a song for President Uhuru. Kenya is like my second home and has given me a lot of opportunities. I get inspiration from fellow artists like Emmy Kosgei and get to appreciate people with great music like Mary Atieno, she says.

Currently, she is nurturing upcoming artists like Stewart Davidson who says Muhando is like a mother to him.

She is doing great to help us, upcoming artists. I have already recorded one song and shot a video since we met last year, Davidson said.

One thing she believes is there is nothing under the sun that can take away her powerful voice.

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I have faced the roughest time in my spiritual walk, Rose Muhando - The Standard

Blackbird, Regnum Christi, and the Legacy of Spiritual Abuse – Patheos

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Shortly before Christmas, I wrote a little about the Legionaries of Christs new report, coming clean about some of the abuse theyve committed over the years since their inception by the pedophile Marcial Maciel. I wrote about my experiences in the diocese of Columbus in the late nineties and early oughts, where the Legionaries were officially not allowed to be but where their lay branch, Regnum Christi, ran meetings of their childrens branch, ECYD, with impunity. I spoke about the spiritual abuse those groups committed, catechizing us with heresy and sending my more popular peers on horrendously dangerous mission trips to rural Mexico and eventually abusing some of them in their boarding school. I talked about the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi who led many of the meetings and caused so much suffering.

One of my commentators mentioned to me that one of the star consecrated women of Regnum Christi, Elena Sada, had eventually escaped and written a memoir about rebuilding her life. I was surprised. I knew of Elena by name she was not the consecrated woman named Elena who came to Columbus, whom I mentioned in my piece; she was another Elena, a celebrity among Regnum Christis consecrated women. I couldnt believe shed left.

I bought her memoir, Blackbird, right away with my Christmas money and read it all within twenty-four hours. I couldnt put it down. I do recommend that all my readers give it a look, but be warned that it will make you furious.

Sada describes the constant surveillance the consecrated women were under, the way they were kept from forming relationships with one another or even talking to each other in the dormitories; the absolute regulation of all of their day-to-day activities; the way they were encouraged to shame and tattle on one another. She reveals that consecrated men and women in Regnum Christi take a fourth vow in addition to the expected vows of poverty, chastity and obedience after they take those three vows, they are taken aside in private and made to vow never to criticize a superior in any way. Some consecrated men and women were made to take these vows, in secret, at the age of sixteen. She talks about how members of Regnum Christi were made to lie to protect the Legionaries of Christ and above all, to protect Father Maciel. Consecrated persons who claimed they saw Maciel doing something wrong were accused of hallucinating and sent away to rest.

She writes:

RC was a cult, or at least, had all the cult elements: leadership that commits crimes, is adored, cannot be criticized, and has no accountability; a caste system where the leader is at the very top of the pyramid and is untouchable; a structure with informants or spies, and that forbids communication between subjects, and between these and their families; a culture where the leader undermines other systems, including ones own family, and uses guilt for control; and protocols that ration sleep, nourishment, and rest.

I am so angry.

With who?

Am I angry with Elena Sada for all the harm she did to other young men and women as someone in the elite upper crust of Regnum Christi? Well, yes. I cant imagine the sheer number of people who were ruined with her involvement. I resent that she had such a comparatively easy time starting over after she left, and that she got to tell her story when so many didnt. Many of the girls she duped were destroyed for life, and didnt ever get to tell their stories. I know some of them.

On the other hand, she herself was absolutely a victim. No nineteen-year-old is mature enough to take vows, let alone one whos been brainwashed for several years first. Elena was also a victim of Maciel, in a different way, as surely as he victimized other young women and men sexually. She was his slave, so unquestioningly obedient that she wore a cilice garter around her thigh daily until it formed a permanent scar because Father Maciel had given it to her as a penance, because she sometimes woke up feeling sexually aroused. Thats not the action of someone who is free to make her own choices. Thats someone who was exploited and abused until she believed she deserved it.

Am I angry with the people I knew growing up who were involved in Regnum Christi, the parents who willingly sacrificed their daughters and sons to the cult? The ones who signed off on sending them on dangerous mission trips and to the pre-candidacy school, and my own parents who only insisted I go to weekly meetings? Yes, I am. They ought to have known better. Im angry that the moment our equally cult-likespiritually abusive Charismatic community collapsed, I got shuffled into what Elena Sada herself admits is a cult. Im angry that they didnt listen when I tried to tell them it was like a cult. That never should have happened. Eventually, the pressure took effect and I started going to meetings because I felt I ought to, on my own volition, but it started with them forcing me.I cant imagine the person I would have become if they hadnt felt the need to do that.

On the other hand, werent my parents, and the other parents in Regnum Christi, just looking for a community? Isnt that something its perfectly normal to want? Dont we all want to be part of a community, not going it on our own but living as a family with other believers? Dont I long for that myself? Havent I also joined parishes and all kinds of groups here in Steubenville, always with disastrous results, because I hoped against hope that it would be a community and a spiritual family for me? Of course I have. A family, not just a nuclear family but a network of people to be your extended family, is something we all want. Its supposed to be part of our religious experience. We suffer when we dont have it, not because were weak, but because community is a real need.

If I ever see them again, I hope to tell my parents I understand why they did that. I dont excuse, but I understand. They wanted our family to be part of a spiritual family, and thats a normal thing to want. We ought to have had it. We were victims.

If youve never been involved in a cult, please be patient. If youve never, yourself, been spiritually abused, please try to empathize. People who join cults or get pushed into them including people who allow cults to hurt their children do so for understandable reasons. Theyre seeking things that everyone needs: family, community, a sense of safety. And then things get out of hand.

It was the Church that failed us.

People inform me that I hate the Church, because I speak out against spiritual abuse. But if I really hated the Church, Id just leave her alone to destroy herself. Shes doing a good job of that. Sometimes I feel a great deal of anger toward her, but in another way I cant hate her. I am a part of her you and I, the baptized, are the Body of Christ. We are the Catholic Church. And I have to speak out when I see members of that Body going rogue and ripping off pieces of Christs flesh, claiming theyre doing it in His name. This is not a comfortable position for me to be in. I have very loving and well-intentioned non-religious friends who tell me Im hurting myself and ought to leave the Church entirely; I also have well-meaning Catholics in my life who treat me like Ive already become an apostate. But I have to tell the truth to anyone who will listen. And so Ill say it again: the Church failed us. And she continues to fail us.

John Paul the Second was, at best, a gullible dupe who refused to be reasoned with. He, perhaps because of his traumatic young life in communist Eastern Europe, couldnt or wouldnt see what was happening around him and thought he was doing the right thing somehow. I loved him, I mourned when he was gone, I prayed for his canonization. I cheered when the usual waiting period was waived. When the truth of what hed covered up and ignored was made known, I felt like Id been betrayed by a father and now I feel that his feast day ought to be struck from the calendar. Benedict, whom I love, didnt go far enough because he didnt shut the entire fake order down when he had the chance and that is his great shame. Pope Francis, whom I love, hasnt shut it down either. It still exists, and this is baffling to me. You cant reform a religious order that was founded by a Maciel. Religious orders are reformed by returning to the charism of their founders. Franciscans reform by becoming more like the beloved Poor Man of Assisi. Dominicans reform by returning to the charism of their father Dominic. Who are the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi supposed to return to? They dont have a father. What they had was a pimp who trafficked them and theyll never be anything more than that. The Church is not helping them to heal by letting them pretend to be a real religious order.

Still, Im glad that Elena escaped. Im glad I was shown the door and didnt have to escape in the first place, as painful as that was. I am glad that the truth is being made known now.

Im glad of those things. And Im angry. And Im dreadfully sad, embarrassed and frustrated at the same time.

I think thats what all Catholics should be right now, honestly. We ought to be feeling one anothers pain and humiliation, and working from there.We are one Body, after all. Were supposed to suffer with one another.

That would be a start.

(image via Pixabay)

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Blackbird, Regnum Christi, and the Legacy of Spiritual Abuse - Patheos

WW3 news: How has the world responded to the US-Iran conflict? – Express.co.uk

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On Wednesday, Iran fired around 20 rockets toward US airbases in Iraq which housed American military personnel. This was in retaliation for the killing of a top Iranian General - Quassem Soleimani.

A US sanctioned drone strike killed General Soleimani more than a week ago and sparked fury from Iran and fears of an all-out war.

However following the missiles hitting the US bases in Iraq, President Donald Trump gave a speech from the White House declaring very little damage was caused by the Iranian missiles, and no personnel were harmed.

Mr Trump also said: Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned and a very good thing for the world.

However, the President pledged to immediately impose additional punishing economic sanctions on the Iranian regime."

Read More:Iran-US war: Iraq furious at escalating tensions as they refuse war

The Iranian government had previously repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible.

The plane was shot down early on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad. No-one was wounded in the attack on the bases.

A military statement carried by state media said the plane was mistaken for a "hostile target" after it turned towards a "sensitive military centre" of the Revolutionary Guard.

The military was at its "highest level of readiness," it said, amid the heightened tensions with the US.

"In such a condition, because of human error and in an unintentional way, the flight was hit," the military said. It apologised and said it would upgrade its systems to prevent future tragedies.

This came despite Mr Trumps calls for the UK to follow the US in abandoning the 2015 nuclear agreement.

Speaking to Rouhani Mr Johnson also spoke of the "continued detention of mistreatment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and other dual nationals, asking for their release.

Saudi Arabia condemned Iran's attacks on Iraqi bases hosting US forces as a "violation of Iraqi sovereignty", Saudi state TV reported.

Iran fired around 20 rockets toward US bases in Iraq, but there have been no recorded fatalities and only minor damage according to US President Donald Trump.

A statement carried by the official SPA news agency said: The kingdom denounces and condemns the Iranian violations of Iraqi sovereignty.

"Saudi Arabia calls on all parties to exercises self-restraint.

Also following on from the attack on US airbases, a statement from Turkeys foreign minister said they do not want Iraq to become a battle zone.

Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference along with his Iraqi counterpart in Baghdad, Iraqi capital: We don't want Iraq to be the battle zone of the foreign forces.

In response to Iran scrapping the limits imposed on their nuclear enrichment, Germanys foreign minister called for European powers to put forward a joint response.

Heiko Maas told reporters on Tuesday: What Iran has announced is, we believe, not the right course and so we need to find a joint response.

Iran cannot build its own nuclear weapons.

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WW3 news: How has the world responded to the US-Iran conflict? - Express.co.uk

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WW3: Is World War 3 about to happen? Will there be another war? – Express.co.uk

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On Friday, January 3, a US drone strike killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani - triggering outrage and pledges for retaliation from Iran. World leaders called for de-escalations following the assassination US PresidentDonald Trump sanctioned, but Iran responded on Wedensday with 20 rockets hitting US bases in Iraq.

The attack - carried out on Wednesday morning - saw Iran send around 20 ballistic missiles to airbases housing US troops in Iraq.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said the attack was in retaliation for the death of General Soleimani on Friday.

Soleimani was regarded as the second-most important person in Iran, behind only Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah.

Now, following his death,Iran has said it will not be respecting the restrictions laid out in the 2015 nuclear accord.

A statement released last Sunday said: Iran will continue its nuclear enrichment with no limitations and based on its technical needs.

Read More:WATCH Iran plane crash: Unseen footage shows moment of fiery blast

The head of the European Commission said on Monday that Iran must comply with the 2015 nuclear deal adding her voice to international calls for Iran to help salvage the pact that US PresidentDonald Trumpwithdrew from in 2018.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement: We are deeply concerned by Iran's announcement that it will not respect the limit set by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) any longer,"

"From a European viewpoint, it is important for Iran to return to the nuclear deal. We have to convince Iran that it's also in its own interest.

Ms Von der Leyen confirmed EU foreign ministers will hold a special session on Friday.

All eyes are on the promised retaliation from Iran, who has vowed severe revenge against the US.

But after the Iranian missile attacks, the nation's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Twitter: Iran took & concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched.

We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.

There has as of yet been no declaration of war between the US and Iran.

Many fear the recent attacks could be the start ofWorld War 3with the hashtags #WW3 and #WorldWar3 trending on Twitter shortly after Soleimani's death was announced.

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Ali Alfoneh, a senior fellow at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington said: "Iran has no choice but to strike back and retaliate for the assassination of Major General Soleimani.

"But the Islamic Republic is patient and the timing and nature of that strike is not yet known to us."

US President Donald Trump has published a series of tweets following Irans decision to not respect the 2015 accord.

In his tweets, he spoke of the US military being by far the BEST in the World and vowing to return any attack Iran made against the US.

Mr Trump wrote: The United States just spent Two Trillion Dollars on Military Equipment. We are the biggest and by far the BEST in the World!

If Iran attacks an American Base or any American, we will be sending some of that brand new beautiful equipment their way...and without hesitation!

He later tweeted: They [Iran] attacked us, & we hit back.

If they attack again, which I would strongly advise them not to do, we will hit them harder than they have ever been hit before!

He also tweeted in entirely capital letters: IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON!

Mr Trump reiterated this in an address from the White House on Wednesday, saying while he was in office he would make sure Iran would never possess nuclear weapons.

He called on the UK, Germany, France, Greece, China and Russia to abandon the Nuclear accord which the US withdrew from in 2018.

The US President said:"Iran must abandon its nuclear ambitions and end its support for terrorism.The time has come for the United Kingdom,Germany,France, Russia and China to recognize this reality.

"They must now break away from the remnants of the Iran deal -- or JCPOA -- and we must all work together toward making a deal with Iran that makes the world a safer and more peaceful place."

Iran has now announced its military "unintentionally" shot down the Ukrainian jetliner which crashed earlier this week, killing all 176 aboard.

The Iranian government had previously repeatedly denied Western accusations that it was responsible.

The plane was shot down early on Wednesday, hours after Iran launched a ballistic missile attack on two military bases housing US troops in Iraq in retaliation for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in an American airstrike in Baghdad. No-one was wounded in the attack on the bases.

A military statement carried by state media said the plane was mistaken for a "hostile target" after it turned towards a "sensitive military centre" of the Revolutionary Guard.

The military was at its "highest level of readiness," it said, amid the heightened tensions with the US.

"In such a condition, because of human error and in an unintentional way, the flight was hit," the military said. It apologised and said it would upgrade its systems to prevent future tragedies.

Allies of both Iran and the US have weighed in on the conflict, calling for a de-escalation.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab became the latest Government figure to distance the UK from US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Iranian cultural sites could be targeted.

He said: "We have been very clear that cultural sites are protected under international law and we would expect that to be respected."

Speaking after a meeting of senior ministers to discuss the crisis, Mr Raab said: "Clearly our first priority is to make sure that UK nationals, citizens, shipping, diplomatic missions and military personnel are safe.

"We've changed our travel advice, we are going to be reinforcing in due course the Royal Navy protection for shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

"On a diplomatic front our overwhelming message that the Prime Minister and I are conveying to our European and American counterparts, and also critically our partners in the Middle East, is the importance of deescalating the tensions and finding a diplomatic way through this crisis."

However, Mr Trump has been adamant the US took action to stop a war, not to start one.

However Iranian general Esmail Ghaani, who has taken Soleimanis place as head of Irans Quds Force, has stated Iran will be taking actions against the US as revenge for the death of Soleimani.

Ghaani told Iranian state television on Monday: God the almighty has promised to get his revenge, and God is the main avenger. Certainly, actions will be taken.

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WW3: Is World War 3 about to happen? Will there be another war? - Express.co.uk

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#WW3 may be trending, but experts say its unlikely – CBC.ca

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UPDATE: When we originally published this article on Jan. 8, we said there was no evidence to connect a plane crash that killed 63 Canadians in Iran to the death of Qassem Soleimani. On Jan. 9, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the plane was likely shot down by an Iranian missile. He added that it "may have been" an accident and called for a thorough investigation.

When the news came out that U.S. President Donald Trump had ordered the death of one of Irans most powerful military commanders, #WW3 started trending on TikTok and Twitter.

Many of the early posts were sort of darkly funny, using the idea of a Third World War as the inspiration for a series of gloomy memes.

But as the situation started to escalate, some people got scared.

Turns out, that whole #WW3 thing? Not likely to happen any time soon, many experts say.

There will be no World War Three due to the current confrontation between Iran and U.S. - Political scientist Houchang Hassan-Yari

But lets back up. Why was #WW3 trending in the first place?

Iranian Maj.-Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike on Jan. 3.

Why? The U.S. Defence Department said Soleimani had approved plans to attack Americans in the past and was preparing to do it again.

U.S. President Donald Trump spoke about the attack on Soleimani to the media on Jan. 3. He said it wasnt an act of war, but a way to prevent it. (Tom Brenner/Reuters)

Iran called it an act of terrorism and promised revenge.

On Tuesday, the Middle Eastern country retaliated by firing missiles at two Iraqi military bases where U.S. soldiers were staying.

No Canadians were hurt in the attack, even though Canada has about 500 troops stationed in Iraq as part of an effort to fight a militant group called ISIS.

That mission is now on hold until Canada can ensure the safety of its soldiers.

The U.S. and Iran have been enemies for a long time and their relationship had become worse in recent months.

Some are suggesting these recent attacks could cause even more damage to that relationship.

But dont panic.

There will be no World War Three due to the current confrontation between Iran and U.S., said Houchang Hassan-Yari, a professor emeritus in political science at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ont.

The conflict is confined to a small part of the world, he told CBC Kids News.

Also, many of the more powerful nations on the planet arent directly involved, Hassan-Yari said. There is no desire among big powers to confront each other.

BBC defence and diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus echoed that idea when answering questions from the public online.

The fact that countries like Russia and China are not significant players in this drama will help ensure the conflict doesnt get too big, he said.

This will not prompt World War Three, said Marcus.

Some people are taking to the streets in the U.S. and Canada to voice their concerns about the increased tension between the U.S. and Iran. (Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune/The Associated Press)

The CBCs Nahlah Ayed, who has reported on a number of clashes across the Middle East, also said the fact that both Iran and the U.S. are heading into elections soon means all-out war isnt likely.

Still worried? Here are some tips for dealing with sad or scary news.

On Wednesday, 63 Canadians were killed when a plane crashed shortly after leaving Tehran, which is the capital of Iran.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said evidence suggests the plane was shot down by an Iranian missile and it may have been an accident.

Iranian officials have denied any involvement.

The investigation continues.

With files from CBC News, The Associated Press

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#WW3 may be trending, but experts say its unlikely - CBC.ca

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How Americans and Iranians are using memes and hashtags to cope with conflict – CNN

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That's right, memes, those images you see on social media that are created, shared, remixed and shared again.

A cursory glance at any of the content posted there is sure to leave the impression of a disingenuous and foolhardy person. But a deeper look reveals a far more complex portrait of a people using humor to mask their deep sense of dread.

One person familiar with the feeling is Kate Hewitt, a federal contractor and adviser at Girl Security, a nonprofit organization that educates girls in middle and high school on national security. She has authored several articles on Iran and researched the country's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"People are certainly afraid and sometimes pictures, GIFs, memes and tweets can express what you either don't know how to or don't want to fully articulate," she told CNN.

"It's certainly easier for some people to see a meme that takes a serious issue, like what's happening with rising US-Iranian tensions, and makes you laugh either because it is absurd or you're afraid or you don't fully understand the issue," Hewitt said.

The threat of "WWIII" has loomed large on the internet for years

The subreddit languished for more than two years until a week ago. The forum's growth has been extraordinary, Price said.

"It was a huge shock. I actually completely forgot about the subreddit until it started growing last week," Price told CNN. "I think memes just happen whenever there's a big cultural event, regardless of the nature of it. A few years ago, a movement seemed to start where the darker the joke was, the more popular the meme was and I guess these new ww3 memes are just an extension of that."

Withorne cited the overuse of "the draft," instead of "conscription" or "selective service" on Twitter, and how people feared getting called up to serve in the US military.

"I think the language used specifically in the memes is particularly interesting and perhaps indicates that the people making them are not familiar with international conflict," Withorne told CNN via email. "I think this unawareness of the linguistics they are using is indicative of an unawareness about the nature of conflict itself and could be potentially dangerous as tensions continue to rise."

The simmering tension in the Middle East hits close to home for Iranians

While many Americas are using memes to filter their fears, Reza Akbari, a 22-year-old from Mashhad, Iran, used his Twitter account to share his unadulterated feelings.

Many of Akbari's other tweets include anger over the airstrikes that killed Soleimani, a revered and powerful figure. Soleimani loomed large in Iran as the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps elite Quds Force and the leader of the country's overseas operations.

"Still tears streaming down our eyes with his name and his memory ... and only with a vengeance on his killers Iran will lose a bit of our sadness ...Iran have nothing to do with the common people of US. Iran is taking revenge on US politicians," Reza told CNN through a Twitter message after the funeral.

Hannah Kaviani, a journalist at Radio Farda, the Iranian service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, believes that recent history may explain why Iranians have responded on social media in their own way.

Iran, no stranger to military conflicts, has lived under the threat of war before.

"There are still pictures of soldiers of that war on the walls of cities and many streets around town bear their names. The state media is also very much trying to keep that memory alive through its own propaganda tools. But then I also think youth in Iran, due to so many different reasons, get involved in socio-political matters much sooner than in the West," Kaviani said.

"You see jokes going around on social media and messaging apps, about all sort of heavy news coming from inside and outside of the country," Kaviani told CNN.

"Obviously the talk of heightened tension between Iran and the US in the past days is the number one topic being discussed among Persian-speaking users on all platforms, and it has caused hot debates among those who believe a confrontation with the US can rid Iran from its current regime, those who are against war, and others who think Islamic Republic should confront the US."

CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, Zachary B. Wolf, Amir Vera and Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this story.

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How Americans and Iranians are using memes and hashtags to cope with conflict - CNN

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WW3 news: What are the rules of military conscription? Who is exempt? – Express.co.uk

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World War 3 has trended on most social media websites and Google since Friday last week when a US drone strike killed Irans top military General Qasem Soleimani. The General was responsible for commanding Irans extraterritorial military presence, and his death prompted a severe reaction from the country, which has vowed swift revenge.

Military conscription is an aged concept, rarely used outside of times of national crisis.

Conscription is otherwise known as the draft and compels people into military service during war.

Several countries have a permanent draft in place, while others only use it in times of crisis.

In countries where it isnt currently active, such as the US and UK, governments can introduce the draft.

In the UK, the draft was introduced on two occasions, during World War One and World War Two, while the US kept the draft until 1973.

Traditionally, those eligible for the draft comprise of men aged 18 to 25, with women ineligible.

However, rules can vary by country.

READ MORE:WW3: Is it safe for Britons to travel to Turkey?

The US modern-day military is currently an all-volunteer force, and has approximately 1.2 million active-duty troops.

To change this, Congress would have to pass a law reinstating the draft, and the president would have to sign it.

These are actions which would likely need extensive political support.

All men from 18 to 25 years old in the United States are required to register with the Selective Service System (SSS).

The SSS was founded in May 1917 and has minimal practical effect today due to the voluntary nature of the military.

Many men check a box to register when receiving their drivers license, and others sign up when they apply for federal student aid to go to college.

However, just because you have registered does not mean you will be drafted.

Jennifer Mittelstadt, a professor of history at Rutgers University who has studied the military told the New York Times: Right now, registering for selective service really means nothing about the likelihood of you serving in the current military.

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With most active drafts, there are conditions which exempt people from compulsory service.

If a government introduced a military draft, it would also need to issue a classification programme specifying who would not need to serve.

The same programme would also define the various forms of service people might have to perform.

According to howstuffworks.com, people deemed fit to serve immediately in the US will receive an induction notice and classified as 1-A.

In the US, an induction notice would then come from the SSS.

If people deemed 1-A have good reason not to serve, they have 10 days to file a reclassification claim.

To do so successfully, they must fall within one of several outlined groups.

According to the SSS, the following groups are exempt from service:

- High school students: Younger than 20 and in full-time education

- College students: Seniors may postpone for a year, freshman, sophomore and juniors until the end of the semester

- Religious ministers: Must be practising

- Ministerial students: Full-time students working to become an ordained minister

- Armed forces members on active duty

- Men with dependents: Men with dependents can defer the draft if it would cause hardship for those they look after

- Government officials: Judges and elected officials are deferred

- Non-citizens and dual nationals

- Conscientious objectors: Those strongly against war for moral or religious reasons

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WW3 news: What are the rules of military conscription? Who is exempt? - Express.co.uk

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WW3: Britons in this country urged to leave immediately as FCO issue new travel warning – Express

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World War Three is alarmingly seeming more likely than ever as Iran/USA tensions boil. The Iranian crisis escalated after the USA killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike. Iran threatened severe revenge in response and on Tuesday Tehran fired ballistic missiles at two Iraqi bases home to American troops.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard went on to warn the USA and its allies against responding militarily to any Iranian retaliation for the assassination of Soleimani.

The Guard issued the warning via a statement: We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted, reported Iran's state-run IRNA news agency.

As tensions rise, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have updated their travel advice to affected areas.

A number of countries in the Middle East now come with travel warnings, including Dubai, Turkey and Egypt.

READ MORE:World War Three: Safest countries in the world mapped

Today, the FCO issued an urgent warning to Britons in Iran and urged them to return home.

They now warn against travelling to the country. The FCO said: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advise against all travel to Iran.

Additionally, the FCO advise against all air travel to, from and within Iran. If youre in Iran, you should review your departure options and consider leaving the country.

There are heightened tensions in the region. On 8 January 2020, Iran fired missiles against two military bases in Iraq containing US personnel.

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Tensions between Iran and other countries could escalate rapidly. Anger inside Iran is high, following the death of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in a US strike in Baghdad on 3 January.

There is a possibility of an increased threat against Western interests and the security situation could worsen with little warning.

To add to the escalating tensions, a Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed moments after it left Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran at 6.10am local time (2.40am GMT) on Wednesday, bound for the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. There were 176 passengers on board flight PS752, all of whom died.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has since said he has "a body of information" that shows Iran is to blame for the crash.

However, Irans government spokesperson Ali Rabiei has since denied the country is responsible for the crash.

He said reports that a missile hit the Ukrainian plane is a psychological warfare against Tehran.

The FCO said of the tragedy: There is uncertainty surrounding the crash on 8 January of a Ukrainian International Airlines flight shortly after take-off from Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran.

If you decide to travel by air against FCO advice, contact your airline or travel company for the latest information before travelling.

Flight schedules may be subject to cancellation at short notice. There are alternative land and sea-based routes to leave Iran.

The Foreign Office issued advice to anyone still in Iran at this time. In the event of a sudden deterioration in the security station, there may be limits to the assistance the FCO can provide, depending on the security and transport situation, said the FCO.

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World War 3: Is World War 3 official? Will WW3 happen and will the UK get involved? – Express.co.uk

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In the aftermath of the drone strike, World War 3 has been trending across social media.

Millions have expressed concern about the assassination and whether it could become the trigger for World War 3.

General Soleimani. 62, was responsible for commanding the Quds Force and attained celebrity status as a military mastermind for Irans war efforts in Syria and Iraq.

Since his death, several high-ranking Iranians have condemned the execution of General Soleimani.

The countrys President, Hassan Rouhani, promised Iran would continue to resist American expansionism and take revenge on the dead generals behalf.

Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami said: A crushing revenge will be taken for Soleimanis unjust assassination... We will take revenge from all those involved and responsible for his assassination.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted: The US act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani... is extremely dangerous and a foolish escalation. The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.

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World War 3: Is World War 3 official? Will WW3 happen and will the UK get involved? - Express.co.uk

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World War 3: Iran may OVER-RETALIATE in swift attack to send ‘severe’ warning to US – Express.co.uk

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Relations between the US and Iran continue to deteriorate as the world waits on how Tehran will enact their revenge on Washington. International Crisis Group Iran Project Director Ali Vaez argued that Iran may disproportionately retaliate against the US. While speaking on Bloomberg Mr Vaez warned of a similar incident where 280 Americans lost their lives in an attack on a US Barracks in Beirut in 1983.

Mr Vaez said: There is no doubt that the Iranians will retaliate.

The important question is when and where.

Usually Ayatollah Khomeinis modus operandi is that he would respond in a proportionate fashion.

So we might see a response in Iraq against the senior US military or diplomatic official.

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If that option is not open then we might also see a similar action taken somewhere else in Afghanistan or even beyond the Middle East.

There is also the risk that the Iranian might miscalculate thinking that a disproportionate response would be a better option for them.

Something similar to the attack on a U.S Marine Barracks in Beirut in 1983 that killed more than 280 Americans.

This is because it would deter the US from further escalation and without any doubt, this is a very dangerous moment.

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World War 3: Iran may OVER-RETALIATE in swift attack to send 'severe' warning to US - Express.co.uk

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