------------------------------------------------------------------- September 25, 1994 Sunday e-sermon #2 Today I would like to share a little secret with all of you. Some of you may have suspected it. To others it will come as a surprise. My friends, today we are at war, and not just at war, but besieged. Each one of us here today is under attack, right here in our own homes. Who or what is attacking us? Surely not the Evil Empire again? Or is Saddam Hussein sneaking around in the back yard? No, my friends, the enemy we face today is more fearsome than any nation, and more powerful than any individual. In Walt Kelly's immortal words, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Today we face the American world-view. In 1992 a pamphlet called "Seizing the Media" was published by a group known as the Immediasts. The pamphlet's first page deserves to be quoted here at length: <<< We can each see how extended exposure to television and mass media dulls people with a sense of numbness and nausea. From every public space a monologue of coercion penetrates our senses and rapes our attention. Wherever we look, wherever we listen, wherever we go: the pornography of billboards, bus side placards, subway cards, glaring storefront signs and displays, the glut of junk mail, stupid fly-by beach planes and blimps, coupons, obnoxious bumper stickers and breast pins, embarrassing service uniforms, plastic banners and ribbons, absurd parades, street-corner handouts, windshield wiper flyers, matchbook ads, business cards, screaming radios, the daily papers, every nanosecond of television, the package wrapped around everything we buy--from the label in our underwear to the robot computer that calls our homes--only the upper atmosphere and the ocean floor offer any sanctuary from America's ecology of coercion. And at every turn the monologues drone on, imbedding the psychological mutagens that coax us to become pathetic customers and unquestioning flag wavers. At every turn, we are under attack. >>> What can we as individuals do to defend ourselves from this ceaseless attack? Well, my friends, I have been pondering this very question for many years now, and I have arrived at some definite conclusions. Right now, I'm going to present a series of CONCRETE STEPS that each one of us can take to insulate ourselves from the American world-view. Taken together, these ideas comprise what might be called the "Immediast School of Self-Defense." Avoid watching television. No other single change you can make will have a greater long-term effect on your well-being. Remember, what you see on television is NOT REAL, even the news, ESPECIALLY the news. Television is colored lights on a glass screen, nothing more. Now I know that many of you have "favorite programs" that you can't imagine living without. A gradual approach is best, but keep in mind that television advertisements are EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. They are filled with powerful subliminal messages that reinforce the dominant world-view. If you have a VCR, and a particular program interests you, videotape it; this way you can fast-forward through the advertisements. If you absolutely must watch live television, at least turn the sound off during the advertisements! Use computers as little as possible. I know this is difficult, especially for you Internet users out there, but it makes a big difference. Like televisions, computers emit substantial amounts of ELF radiation, but more important, they encourage certain types of thinking at the expense of others. Excessive computer use can lead to serious imbalances, of which headaches, eye strain and carpal tunnel syndrome are merely symptoms. In Chinese medicine, the condition is generally described as excess fire in the liver. The liver nourishes the eyes and is associated with analytical reasoning and verbalization. Note that the liver's "time" is from 1:00 to 3:00am. If you're usually awake then, your liver is not being recharged properly. In other words, if you must hack, try not to do it late at night. If you develop symptoms, see an acupuncturist as soon as possible. In my experience, acupuncture and certain crystals (especially malachite) are the only things that work, other than not using computers. The octopus is strongest in the cities. There are a variety of physical factors, and most of them are obvious. Here are some less obvious ones: 1. Not only is the air poisonous, it is also literally humming with electromagnetic energy of every imaginable frequency. 2. The high concentration of concrete adds to an already extreme level of background radiation. 3. The constant sharing of space with cars leads to a false sense of equality with or even inferiority to machines. 4. Paradoxically, the higher the population density, the greater the feeling of alienation. Aggression is another common side effect. Picture yourself in the middle of a crowded street, pressed up against on all sides, unable to move, with people bumping into you. Now examine your feelings. Do you feel like screaming? Punching someone? It happens all the time. For you city-dwellers, this means getting away periodically. Just walking on something other than concrete or asphalt is VERY beneficial, especially with bare feet. Nowhere is pollution less recognized than in the audio spectrum. Try to remember the last time you were somewhere "quiet" outdoors. Could you hear the sound of cars? If so, then it wasn't really quiet, was it? No other sound more completely symbolizes the "post-modern" generation than the sound of cars. We take it for granted and scarcely hear it, yet parents born in the thirties grew up without this sound. What sounds did they hear instead? The best remedy for audio pollution is earplugs. The little foam cylinders are the best; they are usually rated for at least 25dB of noise reduction. Riding the subway without earplugs is folly! Studies have consistently linked urban life and subways in particular with hearing loss. Do not use "portable stereos" or walkmen! They ADD to the noise, and worse, they reinforce the dominant world-view of separateness, by cutting you off from the few organic sounds that remain. Avoid animal flesh. There are many reasons for this, and I won't bother with the ordinary ones like pesticide levels and clogged arteries. In the 1940's America had enormous grain surpluses. Rather than stockpiling the grain or reducing production, the federal government engaged in a massive campaign to promote meat consumption. The result was the factory farm system we know today, which has made us one of the world's leading IMPORTERS of grain. The factory farm system has serious consequences beyond mere wasteful use of resources. The animals that are raised in these "farms," be they cows, pigs, or chickens, suffer terribly. Their feelings are present in their flesh. By eating these animals, you absorb their misery, and contribute to your own suffering. This weakens your immune system, which in turn makes you more susceptible to media attack. Truly, you are what you eat. I sincerely hope that these suggestions help each and every one of you as much as they've helped me. Remember, we are at war! The war will end when EVERYONE wants it to. The more of you who resist the media onslaught, the more hope there is for the Earth. Nothing can last forever; the Spectacle's days are numbered. Wear your media condom at all times! Don't leave your house without it! Until next time... P.S. Contact the Immediasts via: OPEN MEDIA, PO BOX 2726, WESTFIELD, NJ 07091 ------------------------------------------------------------------- Rev. Chris Korda The Church of Euthanasia ftp: ftp.etext.org pub/Zines/Snuffit gopher: gopher.etext.org Zines/Snuffit