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Post by mellowyellow on Jun 13, 2010 9:27:17 GMT -5
Yesterday I was bored and looking for inspiration on the online videos. From Hoarders (on a and e), I somehow moved onto Paranormal State, or some such thing. Yeah, I know, nothing to do with hoarding/clutter. I guess I just popped on out of curiosity and shock value.
Well, a lot of the program seems overly dramatic, and in some way, dangerous (dabbling in things we don't fully understand).
But one statement stuck out.
In one case, they were helping a family who was believed to have demon issues. (Yeah, yeah... I know.. where am I going with this one...). But the thing that caught my attention was this:
Immediately upon entering the home, several of the people noted how it was cluttered and dirty. It was not just one person in passing. Several of the "experts" noted the mess inside. When they decided to do an exorcism, they talked to the home owners and said that before anything was done, the family needed to thoroughly clean up the place.
One of the men said that a messy house was "a devil's playground", and would give unseen forces too much power (?), or negative energy to feed from. All of them agreed that the bad spirits would keep returning if there was discord and disorder in the physical environment. And that the disorder was causing problems in the family relationships, which in turn, were attracting more negative energy.
I thought that concept was interesting. Whether you believe in that sort of thing or not, they seemed to echo the same (no-duh) idea that we often share in SOS : that physical discord actually affects the emotional state and well-being of homeowners.
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Post by moggyfan on Jun 13, 2010 9:37:47 GMT -5
So, cleanliness really is next to Godliness?
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Post by mouseanne on Jun 13, 2010 10:27:31 GMT -5
Wow.
Good Fung Shui to all................
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Post by success19 on Jun 13, 2010 12:41:21 GMT -5
Yes I think that is where the Fung shui thing comes in as well. I know in many cultures - they believe in simplicity and no clutter and getting rid of old old stuff.
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Post by Rory on Jun 13, 2010 17:22:50 GMT -5
The Quakers and many christian groups do.
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Post by downandout on Jun 13, 2010 18:01:12 GMT -5
that makes sense doesnt it? its no secret that when the house is in chaos i/we/you feel out of control overwhelmed depressed etc.. it makes sense too that the mess would attract negative thoughts negative energies if you will. hmm. another good reason to declutter.
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Post by howardsgirlfriend on Jun 13, 2010 19:26:39 GMT -5
So, cleanliness really is next to Godliness? If you're dyslexic, cleanliness is next to dogliness!  |
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Post by moggyfan on Jun 13, 2010 19:35:43 GMT -5
HG:
Did you hear about the dyslexic, agnostic insomniac?
He stayed up all night wondering if there really was a dog. ;-)
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Post by mellowyellow on Jun 13, 2010 20:18:34 GMT -5
hehehe |
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Post by homesteph on Jun 13, 2010 21:31:13 GMT -5
That's interesting mellowyellow! As one of "those" Christians as well as a person who has struggled with squalor off and on for ages, I'll add my thoughts!
At times in my life, the mess in my room was kind of protective, it kept other people out. Same as the chub on my person. Later, I'd shop as a reaction to stress, and save stuff I didn't need as a reaction to fear of lack.
In letting material goods or food be my source of protection, comfort, and security, I am using worldly things to fill the roles that the Bible tells me the Holy Spirit has been given to us to fill. In choosing my own solution over God's provision, I am at the least illustrating my lack of trust, and at some extreme I imagine it could become idolatry. I can see where that's hardly a healthy spiritual dynamic, and whether that could make a person susceptible to demonic harassment is an interesting idea.
I don't know of specific Bible references that address messyness but it could be an interesting study. (Believe it or not, there ARE very specific mold-abatement guidelines in the Old Testament!)
I do know that the mess keeps me from reaching out and serving others as effectively as I'd like to do.
Hmm, maybe I'll look into this some more. I have seen books on "spiritual housekeeping" but I think that related to removing items related to sinful relationships or certain occult practices.
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Post by mellowyellow on Jun 13, 2010 22:12:10 GMT -5
("In letting material goods or food be my source of protection, comfort, and security, I am using worldly things to fill the roles that the Bible tells me the Holy Spirit has been given to us to fill. In choosing my own solution over God's provision, I am at the least illustrating my lack of trust...." Good reminder. I find it hard to consider the flowers in the fields and just trust that I will have enough.)
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Post by homesteph on Jun 13, 2010 22:40:41 GMT -5
("In letting material goods or food be my source of protection, comfort, and security, I am using worldly things to fill the roles that the Bible tells me the Holy Spirit has been given to us to fill. In choosing my own solution over God's provision, I am at the least illustrating my lack of trust...." Good reminder. I find it hard to consider the flowers in the fields and just trust that I will have enough.)Me too. My head understands the concept, my heart takes that risk sometimes, but there are other parts of me that are very scared. I keep finding new parts of myself that I need to be kind and gentle to. |
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Post by iguanamamma on Jun 13, 2010 23:50:58 GMT -5
This must be the week for thinking about material goods and your relationship with the creator. The scripture reading for today (Serbian and Russian Orthodox Church)was the part about the lillies of the field and the birds of the air and how we should not worry about what we should eat or wear that God will provide for us. I have been taken care of pretty much out of the blue at times.
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Post by homesteph on Jun 14, 2010 0:06:55 GMT -5
me too iguanamama, and it is so wonderful when that happens. I wish my insides would learn that lesson more permanently!
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Post by serenitynow on Jun 14, 2010 4:24:28 GMT -5
In choosing my own solution over God's provision, I am at the least illustrating my lack of trust, and at some extreme I imagine it could become idolatry. I can see where that's hardly a healthy spiritual dynamic, and whether that could make a person susceptible to demonic harassment is an interesting idea. I do know that the mess keeps me from reaching out and serving others as effectively as I'd like to do. I agree homesteph. I was talking with someone the other day about this. We were discussing whether we thought a devil exists and my thoughts echoed yours. Anything that strikes discord or takes us away from the magnificence that we all are created to be, can be seen, imo, as the machinations of the devil.. keeping our minds spinning away from the Creator. 12 steppers say God = Good Orderly Direction. serenitynow, struggling  |
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