A crucial matter for many students is how to fill their gap year between college and uni, or sometimes the year after graduating (which many students take now as their “gap year”). While travel is the usual option, there are different alternatives to deliberate over, like voluntary work, or to plunge yourself into a Christian Discipleship for 11 months with DNA (dna-uk.org). This article looks in more detail this particular alternative.

DNA are proffering an almost year long experience of complete absorption into Christian Discipleship, running from October to August. This is seen as a pragmatic experience, needing the participant to dwell in a Christian surrounding – either within your own church if you presently belong to one, or an assigned church if you are not presently a member of a church. Your regular day will require helping out with the day-to-day projects of the church, and to be schooled by its members in bible studies. The course promises faith in action, so those who join can anticipate a rather practical experience of living their faith, and not simply the study of it.

Further advantages of the courses include:-

• being challenging, radical and life changing
• helping 18 year olds and older, with no upper age limit
• faith in action; what you’ll learn is what you will do
• your development in skills, understand and character
• dependence on the person and force of the Holy Spirit in and through you

There are 3 types of course open : Track 1 is the predominant entry point to DNA – it is the richest DNA expereince. The overwhelming bulk of people choose this as the best-fit selection for them. Track 2 is more appropriate to you if taking a whole “year-out” is not pragmatically feasible. This could be for reasons such as job or family commitments. Track 2 therefore provides some flexibility. Track 3 provides individuals the opportunity of coming in to be with us for as many individual training sessions or days as they wish.

Khaled Mash’al, leader of the Hamas movement which won the Palestinian elections in January 2006 gave a speech in Damascus which was broadcast on al-Jazeera TV on February 3rd 2006. He told the European nations to apologise to Islam because: ‘Tomorrow, our nation will sit on the throne of the world. This is not a figment of the imagination, but a fact. Tomorrow we will lead the world, Allah willing. Apologize today, before remorse will do you no good. Our nation is moving forwards, and it is in your interest to respect a victorious nation.’ His speech went on to say that the first phase of the Islamic world conquest would be the elimination of Israel and the defeat of the West in Iraq.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agrees. He said in Iran’s holy city of Qom on 5th January, ‘We must believe in the fact that Islam is not confined to geographical borders, ethnic groups and nations. It’s a universal ideology that leads the world to justice.’ He believes his main mission is to ‘pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.’ According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. They believe he will return and be known as the ‘Mahdi’ and reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

At the same time the entire Islamic world has been roused to fury over cartoons printed in a Danish newspaper. We have evidence (available on request) which shows how the cartoons row has been cleverly manipulated by Islamic radicals with the aim of uniting Muslims against the West in order to create submission to Islamic demands and to defend Iran and Syria against censure from the UN. It is not a co-incidence that Denmark is set to assume the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council at the very time that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is expected to refer Iran to the Security Council and demand sanctions. At the same time the Security Council wants to question Syria and the regime of President Assad about the murder of Lebanese President Hariri. To portray Denmark as ‘an enemy of the Prophet’ would be helpful to the Islamic world in creating the idea that all censure of Muslim countries is part of an anti-Islamic western conspiracy.

In the UK, Islamic leaders are using the cartoons controversy to put pressure on the government to limit what can be said in the press about Mohammed. Patrick Sookdheo of the Barnabas Fund comments on this, ‘If we pass laws or even simply create a new code of practice for the press specifically to protect Mohammed, I fear it could prove to be the thin end of the wedge. From self-imposed censorship we could soon move to more serious situations. In Pakistan there has been a mandatory death sentence since 1991 for ‘defiling the name’ of Mohammed.’ He goes on to show how the Muslim Action Committee is using the cartoons furore to reverse the defeat suffered by the Muslims when the House of Commons unexpectedly voted to pass the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill in a form which does not provide the protection for Muslims which the government had intended.

The cartoon controversy led to a demonstration in the streets of London with slogans calling for ‘infidels’ to be beheaded and showing support of suicide terrorism. One said ‘Europe you’ll come crawling when Mujahadeen come roaring.’ There was widespread outrage at this demonstration and moderate Muslims sought to distance themselves from it. However days later a poll of British Muslims revealed that 45% favour the establishment of Shari’a (Islamic) law in Britain.

This is in line with the world vision of Islam which from the days of its inception is to bring the world into subjection to Allah as defined in the Koran. Mohammed’s mission was universal, with the aim of not only preaching, but also changing all existing societies into an Islamic society governed by the laws of Allah, known as the Shari’a.

Therefore Islam grants radical Muslims a mandate to change the existing society into an Islamic society, to make Islam supreme, and thus dominate every aspect of society. This is not only the desire of fundamentalists like Osama bin Laden, but would seem to be the desire of a large number of Muslims all over the world.

This desire is reflected in a document written in 1980 entitled The Islamic Movement in the West by Khurram Murad who was then the head of the Islamic Foundation with branches around the world. He outlined his Islamic revolution and the blueprint of how to bring it about in the West.

On page three of his document he posed the question: ‘What is an Islamic movement?’ He goes on to answer: ‘An Islamic movement is an organised struggle to change the existing society into an Islamic society based on the Koran and the Sunna, and make Islam, which is a code for entire life, supreme and dominant.’

Such views can find ample justification in the Koran which teaches that Muslims must be supreme over non Muslims and should be engaged in a jihad to achieve this until the Day of Judgement.

‘So lose no heart, nor fall into despair. For you must gain mastery, if you are true in faith. Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book (i.e. Jews and Christians), until they pay the Jizya (poll tax to be paid by non Muslims living in a Muslim society) with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.’ Sura At-Tawba 9:29 (Yusuf Ali’s Translation).

So will Islam rule the world? Of course expressing the aim of world domination and achieving it are two different things. Hitler promised 1000 year Reich but in 1945 Berlin lay in ruins and the Nazis were shattered. The Communist Manifesto spoke of the inevitability of world revolution and Communist dominance, but in 1989 the Berlin Wall came down and in 1991 the Soviet Union fell. I remember talking to wild eyed Maoists at Speaker’s Corner in London during the 1970s who said their brand of Communism would be victorious and the thoughts of Chairman Mao would last 10,000 years. Now capitalism has come to China and Mao’s Red Book is a collector’s item. Will the same thing happen to the Islamic radicals? Can we find any clue about this in the prophecies of the Bible?

What the Islamists have going for them is the wealth generated by oil reserves in Middle Eastern countries which has financed much of the spread of Islam worldwide. It also provides a powerful means of exerting pressure on the rest of the world. ‘Don’t upset us if you want a regular supply of the oil necessary to keep your system going.’ They also have a world wide network of mutual support groups through the mosques and Muslim organisations and the concept of ‘umma’ which ties Muslims to each other and means that if one is offended all are offended.

There are a number of things they do not have going for them however. While it is true that the West is dependent on oil most of which comes from Muslim countries, the Muslims are also dependent on the West to supply technology and trade. If they destroy the West they also will be destroyed in the process. It also needs to be said that despite the concept of ‘umma’ the Muslim world is divided along many lines – Sunni and Shi’a, moderate and radical, Arab and non Arab. In fact the biggest killers of Muslims in the world today are other Muslims. Amongst non Muslims terrorism and the kind of agitation unleashed by the cartoon controversy has increased a feeling of fear and hostility towards Islam in much of the world.

When we come to the Bible there are two major issues we need to look at relevant to this question. Firstly the issue of Israel and the surrounding nations. There are a number of passages in Bible prophecy which show that at the end of this age the Jewish people will return to Israel and make the once desolate land a fertile one again (Ezekiel 36). Jerusalem will be focal point of world attention (Zechariah 12.2-3).

The surrounding nations will be hostile to Israel and fulfil the words of Psalm 83.4, ‘Come let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more’. In verses 6-8 of this Psalm there is a list of nations, which can be identified with Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Gaza, Syria and Iraq. In 1948, 1967 and 1973 Israel has had to fight wars for survival against superior armies from these countries bent on pushing the Jewish state into the sea.

In this Psalm there is a reference to Zeba and Zalmunna, who said, ‘Let us take for ourselves the pastures of God for a possession’ (v 12). We find reference to Zeba and Zalmunna in Judges 8. They were kings of Midian, leaders of the army, which came against Israel in the days of Gideon. In Judges 8.21 we read: ‘Gideon arose and killed Zeba and Zalmunna and took the ornaments that were on their camels’ necks’. The Hebrew word used for ‘ornaments’ is ‘ha saharonim’, an unusual word, which is correctly translated in the New King James Version as ‘crescent ornaments’. The crescent ornament showed dedication to the moon god of paganism. Today there is a world religion, which also uses the crescent as its symbol – Islam. Islam embodies everything spoken of in this Psalm in its attitude towards Israel. It is the dominant religion of the countries, which surround Israel. Nevertheless the countries which come against Israel in Psalm 83 are defeated and are not successful in their aim.

The prophecy of Ezekiel 38-9 goes further and brings in a great power to the uttermost north leading the armies of Gog and Magog which include Persia in their number. While there is much debate amongst commentators as to the identity of the nations involved there is no doubt where you get to if you go to the uttermost north of Israel – Russia. Russia today is emerging from the humiliation of the collapse of the Soviet Union to become a major player in world affairs with its huge oil and gas reserves and its growing arsenal of weapons. Russia has a large Muslim population within its borders and the Asia republics of the former Soviet Union have Muslim majorities. Although Russia became unpopular with the Islamic radicals over its policy in Chechnya, it has historically favoured the Arab states hostile to Israel. President Putin has invited Hamas leaders to Moscow and the Russians are supplying the material for the construction of the Iranian nuclear power station in Busheir which is the cause of the current crisis. If the United States or Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities it could bring Russia into the fray of the Middle East powder keg.

Whether Russia is the subject of this prophecy is debatable (we have a tape / CD on the subject available on request at £3 including postage). What is not debatable is that Iran / Persia is. Apart from the possibility of Russia, the nations which come against Israel on this occasion are Islamic. They come with the intention of wiping out Israel but they meet their doom on the ‘mountains of Israel’ as God intervenes directly and destroys those armies. (Ezekiel 38.18-23).

The next question to ask is whether or not this event is the same as Armageddon (Zechariah 14, Revelation 16 and 19). There are a number of reasons why I believe it is not (given on the tape already mentioned). If it comes some time before Armageddon one has to ask ‘What would be the effect on the Islamic world of such an event?’ Far from conquering the world by first conquering Israel, Islam would suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of God not any human power. The Bible says that this event will cause the Lord (i.e. the God of Israel) to be ‘hallowed in the sight of many nations’ (Ezekiel 39.27). The clear implication of this is that Islam will not succeed in ruling the world.

The Bible teaches that ‘the Antichrist is coming’ but also that ‘many antichrists have come’ (1 John 2.18). It is my view that the Islamists are one of the ‘many antichrists’ who will come before the end of days but not the Antichrist. While they have many characteristics of antichrist – denial of Jesus as Son of God, persecution of Christians, a goal of worldwide rule – there are a number of features of the Antichrist which do not fit in with Islam. The main ones are these.

According to 2 Thessalonians 2.3-4 the second coming of Jesus will be preceded by the revelation of the ‘man of sin … who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ In other words he opposes not only the true God but all gods. This is also shown in Daniel 11.37 and Revelation 17.16-17. He also proclaims himself to be god (just as the Roman Caesars did). Both of these aspects of the coming Antichrist are entirely contradictory to Islam which believes in submission to Allah and is wholly opposed to anyone claiming to be a god equal to Allah.

In Revelation 13 the false prophet sets up an image to be worshipped by all and causes all to receive the mark of the beast without which they cannot buy or sell. The worship of images is forbidden under Islam so how could an Islamic leader bring in such a system? This also implies a highly technological society which has developed the means to give everyone a number and to control them by some kind of mark which gives them the ability to buy or sell. This fits in much more with a society dominated by the technology developed in the West.

The Bible teaches that at the end of days the Beast or Antichrist will rule the world: ‘And authority was given him (the beast) over every tribe, tongue and nation.’ Revelation 13.7 and that he and the dragon (Satan) who gives him his power are worshipped by all peoples. As we have seen Islam aspires to world dominion. However in my opinion it lacks the ability to deliver on this. You can threaten countries with terrorism and cause chaos but this does not make you popular. The implication of Bible prophecy is that initially the Antichrist will be popular offering people ‘peace and safety’ (1 Thessalonians 5.3) and be worshipped in return, just as Hitler was very popular when he came to power and was worshipped by people raising their hands and saying ‘Heil Hitler’. It is hard to see how Islam could ever be in such a position worldwide.

Finally the prophecies of Daniel 9.27 and Isaiah 28.14-19 imply that at the end of days the Antichrist will make a deceptive peace treaty with Israel. If Islam succeeds in ruling the world it would simply snuff Israel out like a child blowing out a candle. Why bother with a peace treaty?

Putting all this together in my judgement the most likely scenario goes as follows. There will be a failed Islamic assault on Israel with many seeing that God is not fighting for but against those who seek to destroy Israel. Out of the fear created by this war which threatens the safety of the whole world the Antichrist will arise offering ‘peace and safety’ probably out of the EU or the UN (or both). He will use the advanced technology of the West to impose a one world economic system backed by an occult religious system which will appeal to people disillusioned by the mess of contemporary religions (including Islam and nominal Christianity). Once this is in place the final period of the great tribulation will begin and a great time of persecution will take place. The world will gather for the final battle of Armageddon involving all nations led by the beast and the false prophet. They will meet their doom when the Lord Jesus returns in power and glory with the saints (believing Christians). As a result of this the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Messiah and He shall reign for ever and ever (Revelation 11.15). In that day ‘The Lord shall be King over all the earth. In that day it shall be ‘The Lord is one and His name one.’ Zechariah 14.9. Hallelujah!

Tony Pearce began Light for the Last Days in 1988 when he was working as a school teacher in north London and wrote a few articles about Bible prophecy which he circulated to friends.
It has become a quarterly magazine giving up to date information on issues relating to the second coming of Christ, and a monthly CD/cassette tape called This Month in Prophecy. The magazine is now also available in French, German, Russian, Romanian and Malayalam. Tony has also produced a Bible Study course on the end times called The Omega Course. He has also written three books, The Omega Files, The Messiah Factor and The House Built on the Sand (published April 2006). These books can be ordered from www.newwineministries.co.uk.
The website www.lightforthelastdays.co.uk contains past and present articles from the magazine.

God’s Word has a lot to say about fruit and bearing fruit. I would like to start out by talking about what fruit is. Fruit is what comes at harvest time. Fruit is the end result of our faith. Fruit is what the Father wants from us. What steps must we take to produce fruit in our lives? Do we produce it on our own? We should want to understand what fruit is and why it is so important to have it born in our lives.

Jesus said in John’s Gospel…John 15:3-8. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

We see that it is the Father’s will that we bear much fruit. Bearing fruit is what discipleship is all about. It is a result of abiding in God’s Word and having God’s Word abide in us. Jesus calls this discipleship. He who does not bear fruit will be cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. That sounds very serious. God is glorified when we bear fruit so that is something I want to do. I want to glorify God. When harvest time comes I want there to be a harvest of fruit in my life. I want fruit that lasts.

So what must we do to be productive and fruitful, thus becoming a disciple of Christ? First of all we hear His Word. Secondly His Word must abide in us and we must abide in Him. No fruit will be produced if these things don’t happen.

Jesus talks about this in the 8th chapter of Luke. I would like to take a close look at the parable of the sower. Jesus is giving us instructions on how we can bear fruit. Since these are the Lord’s instructions on fruit bearing, we should pay close attention. He is giving these instructions so that we will bear fruit. So let’s take a look.

Luke 8:5-8. The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

When His disciples asked Him about it He said to them, … vs’s.10-18. To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
And the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, (keep it) and bear fruit with patience. No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

First of all we see that the seed is the Word of God. The seed was created by God for the sole purpose that the end result will be a harvest. This is the purpose for the seed. The seed would be no good if it were not capable of germinating growing and bearing fruit would it? What would be the purpose of the seed if it could not reproduce after it’s own kind. Life always produces life.

Without the seed there could be no fruit. The seed sown into good soil represents firstly, those who bring a noble and good heart to the hearing of the Word, and secondly those who hold fast or keep the Word, the end result being a harvest. You don’t get the harvest without hearing the Word with a noble and good heart, and then holding fast to what you have heard. The New English Translation says it like this. Vs.15. but the seed in good soil represents those who bring a good and honest heart to the hearing of the Word, hold it fast, and by their perseverance yield a harvest.

I think that says it a little clearer. Jesus is saying in order to preserve the seed you have to hold it fast. Only the preserved seed will yield fruit, and seed that is not preserved will not yield. There is certainly nothing wrong with the seed. This seed we are talking about is the Word of God, yet the seed can’t produce on it’s own. Only when it is sown into fertile soil. Jesus is giving us instruction and insight on how to have fertile soil coupled with the seed to produce a harvest in our lives.

God’s Word is good seed and will always produce when the soil is fertile, always. But God’s Word must be sown into hearts that are capable of preserving that which it received.
In turn this enables the seed to germinate and grow, and to eventually bear fruit. There are types of soil that will not preserve the seed. Jesus talks about these.

Our hearts are the soil. Our hearts must be good and honest and capable of receiving. The problem is the dirt. What kind of dirt will allow the seed to be preserved so that we can get a harvest? In order for seed to grow in the natural there must be fertile soil, the right amount of moisture and then nutrients in the soil for the seed to germinate so that it will eventually grow.

Jesus talks about the dirt. He says what bad dirt is and what good dirt is. This is the thing that we have control over, and must work to cultivate. Jesus said some people have stony hearts, the seed lays on the stone and withers and dies. Is this the fault of the seed? No it’s not the seed’s fault. It’s not the seed that fails, the seed will never fail when planted in good dirt. The condition of the ground is what causes the seed to either wither and die, or produce fruit. Gardeners know this. You can’t sow your corn seeds out on the driveway and expect to go back out there in several months and pick a bushel of corn can you? Yet the same seed sown into fertile soil will produce. Whether the seed sown is for salvation, healing, deliverance, or whatever the issues of life, you must preserve the seed in order for it to grow. We the body of Christ must lay hold of this important truth. These are Jesus instructions for our faith to produce. We must preserve the seed at all cost!

This is what Solomon was saying in the book of proverbs.

Proverbs 4:20. My son, give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.
21. Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart;
22. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.
23. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.

Out of what springs the issues of life? Out of your heart, out of the soil the Word of God was sown into. This is what vs. 21 was saying, keep them in the midst of your heart.
Keep the seed. Preserve the seed at all cost!!!! Guard your heart, out of it flows the issues of life. This is where the fruit grows. This is where the issues of life come from.

I want to have lasting fruit in my life, lasting fruit is not fruit that will perish with this world but fruit that will go on for eternity. The fruit that perishes is the fruit of the flesh but the fruit that lasts is the fruit of love. Paul said to the Corinthians…

1 Corinthians 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

What ever we do if it is not sown in love there will be no profit. Sow in love and reap.

Paul said to the Philippians… I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. The Philippians were disciples of Paul and he earnestly wanted for them to bear much fruit. We can see that it was Paul’s desire to see them grow, mature, and produce the fruit that God wanted them to produce, he said this because he had the same desires as his Heavenly Father. Our Father wants us all to bear lasting fruit. That is His desire, and should be ours as well.

My hearts desire is to sow life into others even as I have received, not only to sow into others but sow into others who will in turn sow into others themselves. As you have received, I encourage you to guard your heart, let the seed grow and flourish and produce fruit, and in your turn sow that seed into someone else’s life.

This truly is the fruit that lasts.

You can start the process if you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior by taking that first step now.

If you want to know for sure that you are a child of God, then I would like to invite you to earnestly pray this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you in the name of Jesus. Your word says, “…and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.” (Jn.6:37), So I know You won’t cast me out, but You take me in, And I thank you for it. You said in your Word, “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Ro. 10:13).
I am calling on Your name, So I know You have saved me now, You also said, “…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Ro.10:9,10).
I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. I believe He was raised from the dead for my justification. And I confess Him now as my Lord, Because Your Word says, “… with the heart one believes to righteousness…” and I do believe with my heart, I have now become the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Cor. 5:21),
And I am saved! Thank You, Lord!
I can now truthfully say, I see myself as a born again child of God!

Glory to God!!!! Amen.

I was raised Catholic, and was born again at the age of 17. I received God’s call into ministry at the age of 19 and began to prepare for ministry. I graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center in 1979, The Lord has called me to teach. I want to help other come to a knowledge of the truth and have started a web site for the purpose of teaching and discipleship called The Olive Branch;
Mark E. Baker
http://www.olivebranchministries.us

Early men were leading a nomadic like. They were hunters and food gatherers. They were as free and as happy as wild animals. Gradually they started agriculture and lived in settlements. When agricultural production increased, the concept of property and wealth came into existence.

With the accumulation of wealth, people became worried for the security of life and property. Because people of one settlement plundered the wealth of other settlements. So people started believing in two powers – one is supernatural power and other is human power. They believed that the source of supernatural power is God and the source of human power is King. Either all people believed in these two powers wholeheartedly or few people forced others to believe and keep faith in them. The later possibility appears to be true. For few people became wealthy and few people became religious leaders or rulers.

Few people who projected a particular God and forced others to believe Him, became their religious leaders. They created different religions and sects centering around different Gods and Goddesses. These leaders lead a parasitic life and assured people that God who is Almighty may protect them.

However people never got protection. So other groups of people projected Kings as powerful men on earth, who may protect life and property of people. These rulers fed on masses by extracting taxes. However people did not get protection. These rulers fought with each other for more wealth, more territory and more power.

In order to increase their domain of power, religious leaders and rulers came closer. Religious leaders sought the help of rulers for spreading religion and rulers took the help of religion for binding masses together. Religious leaders composed epics in praise of ruling class. Indian Ramayana and Mahabharat and even Bhagvat Gita were composed for this. Rulers were described as incarnation of God. Rama and Krishna are worshiped even today in temples.In order to attack other territories, rulers spread racism and religious hatredness. In the last century, millions of people were killed and became homeless because of religion and politics.

The present day religion and politics are no different. Elections are fought on racial, religious and temple issues. Sectarian violence are started. Saddam and Laden are created by supplying money and arms. Again after a period their power is annihilated with more money and arms. By this leaders don’t suffer; only innocent people and soldiers suffer.

At present terrorism is the perfect and fatal blend of religion and politics. Terrorists claim that they are fighting for religion and God. They believe that after death they may enter into heaven. So much prejudice exists even in this 21st century.

So if we shall analyse what wealth, religion and politics has given to mankind, we shall see that it has given only pain and misery. People are not free evenif freedom is enshrined in every Constitution.

One cannot realise spiritual truth, unless one is free and self-dependant. In order to sustain life and to remain self-dependant one should work and earn money. However for a healthy and spiritual life one does not need much earning. For breathing fresh air one does not give money, but for breathing intoxicating air in a theatre or club one gives money. For natural water one does not give money, but for alcohol or beverage one gives money. For sex with wife one does not give money, but for sex with call girls one gives money. Similarly simple food and comfortable dresses are less expensive. A hut in a countryside is less expensive, but a flat in a posh locality is very expensive. So it can be well observed that what is inexpensive is really good for health and peaceful life.

Similarly religion should be accepted as nothing more than a social identity. What the saints and seers of Ancient India gave us as Spiritualism and Yoga was not a religion or Hinduism. It was for the whole mankind. So we should rise above religion and accept true Spiritualism and Yoga that frees a man from all blind beliefs and practices. Through the practice of Yoga one realises the truth.

A free and spiritual man should not get involved in politics. The aim of politics is to clinch power at any cost. In the arena of politics, political leaders, capitalists, corrupt officials and criminals are one. They talk of freedom and equality, but so far no society in the world has achieved that feet. Every where there is inequality, unemployment, disease and death.

For knowing more about spiritualism and yoga readers may go through the Author’s book ‘Quest for truth: the spiritual and yogic way’ published by Thornton Publishing Inc, USA.
http://www.bookstobelievein.com/questfortruth.php

premansu_chand@rediffmail.com