WAS IT SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OR DEMONS?

Have you ever witnessed something weird which had no obvious explanation? In my upcoming How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity memoir, I recounted the following strange tale.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Most Sunday services were uneventful, but I'll never forget the bizarre events of the third of June. Sister Roberta opened all the doors and windows beforehand that evening to let the warm breeze waft through the house. Cynthia, Brother Bhagan's daughter who lived in Edmonton, arrived with a friend named Sunil. Though he was a Hindu, she wanted to show him how we worshipped.

As Brother Herald delivered the sermon, a thud shook the house. It sounded as if an overweight person jumped off a chair above us.

John raced upstairs to investigate. "Attention everybody," he called from the top of the stairs in his police officer tone of voice. "There's a fire in the kitchen. You'll all have to leave in an orderly fashion out of the side exit."

We stood in the yard as John and Sister Roberta extinguished the flames. Then we filed back into the sanctuary to resume the service. Though all of us felt somewhat rattled, we stayed to hear the end of Brother Herald's sermon.

John called the fire inspector the next morning. Having scrutinized every aspect of the scene of the blaze, the municipal official found no cause of the explosion. It originated amid a small collection of paper bags next to Sister Roberta's stove. The man ruled out spontaneous combustion because the appliance was off.

Furthermore, the inside doors stood wide open and a steady breeze flowed through the house. Spontaneous combustion, according to him, never happens in well-ventilated areas.

In addition, the range had no brown residue on its enamel leading from the pilot lights to the point of the fire. That ruled out ignition from them.

The inspector returned and questioned Sister Roberta later that week. "We didn't find any matches, cigarette butts, or traces of accellerants in the ashes," he concluded. "Are you sure there aren't any disgruntled church members who may have set the fire?"

She pondered his question, then admitted, "I can't think of any."

As the inspector turned to leave, he paused by the back door. "Let me know if you come up with any names or if you remember any
The inspector closed his investigation some months later without reaching a conclusion.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

How I Was Razed is the testimony of how God revealed his true character to me after charismatic house church elders misled me for more than fifteen years. You're welcome to contact me directly for more information about this upcoming paperback.

THE CURSE OF PETTY BUREAUCRATS.

If I hadn't been there myself, I would scarcely believe that adults in charge of disabled children could be so feckless and corrupt. Yet it did happen and I'm not the only one who witnessed the climate of inbred mistrust at Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind. From a report by an anonymous supervisor at my dorm, here's his conclusion regarding the abuses of the public's trust which these individuals committed. ----------------------------------------------------------------- To conclude, these are the questions that we try to give an answer to, in order to console the Resident boys and girls who are so bewildered. The trampoline should not be used, as Mr. Freemantle was angry; the Bowling Alley has been closed because Mr. Armitage has said it must be closed; you must give 'your urine because Mr. Freemantle has said so, and it is wanted for some tests (one blind boy asked me whether this would mean that they were going to have an operation). What is the real reason for the snacks ending? Why has Mrs. Pearson got all the keys to the Tyler House Boys' lockers, when they should be in the hands of the appropriate Instructors? Why are the drawers of the boys gone through regularly when nobody is present or on duty? Why should the children be made to walk on the paths, though there are acres of available grass? WhY is there so much resistance in letting the kids go on regular camps? One of the reasons is that Mr. Bryce complains he's not the bus driver. ----------------------------------------------------------------- I wish I had this shocking report when I wrote my Deliverance from Jericho: Six Years in a Blind School memoir. It filled in many blanks and explained a large number of arbitrary decisions made by the administrators. Please check my book link for more information regarding my memoir of those times. You're welcome to e-mail me directly with your questions or comments.

EMERGENCY PLANNING TIPS FOR PETS.

No matter where we live, disasters strike with shocking suddenness. When preparing for eventualities such as quakes, floods, blizzards, or fires, remember to locate a place where your pets can be cared for during the emergency. Shelters for people generally won't allow evacuees to bring their dogs, cats, or other animals with them. Though many residents of northern Alberta lived in fear of grass fires eleven years ago, I had additional worries on my mind. I mentioned them in my When a Man Loves a Rabbit: Learning and Living With Bunnies memoir. Here's an excerpt from that paperback which shows the additional difficulties I faced from a prairie fire raging out of control some miles away. ----------------------------------------------------------------- The spring of 2001 was extremely dry. There were numerous forest fires around the Redwater area. Some people lost their houses to the fire and one church member's farm was partially destroyed. Given that I had a great deal of trouble getting Gideon to the vet, I worried about how I'd evacuate with two rabbits. Emergency shelters don't allow pets of any kind. That meant I would have to either leave the bunnies behind or find a friend to keep them for a while. I prayed hard in those days that the fire wouldn't come near my home. After weeks of fretting about the possibility of my house burning, the firefighters got the blaze under control. ----------------------------------------------------------------- When a Man Loves a Rabbit is filled with many more fascinating stories of life with house bunnies. These vignettes range from the tragic to the hilarious. Please click on the link to my books for details about both of my paperbacks. You're also welcome to contact me directly for more information.

THE LOVEABLE TROUBLEMAKER

The season which rabbit shelter volunteers and rescuers dread is almost upon us. Parents, many warned by news stories about not buying a bunny for Easter, bring in their rabbits, which once seemed so cute, to the shelters. Unless a person is prepared to clean up occasional puddles, rabbit-proof the house, and take time to research the needs of bunnies, they would be much better off buying their children stuff toys. From When a Man Loves a Rabbit: Learning and Living With Bunnies, here's an excerpt showing both the frustrations and joys of living with a house rabbit. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Neutrino started giving me problems again that spring. I walked into the library to get something from the desk and I stopped suddenly and sniffed. There was a bad odour in the room and I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. After searching for a while, I noticed a large, dark stain on the carpet next to the door. Neutrino had been wetting there regularly and I'd been too busy to notice. I realized it hadn't been just a one-time-offence after all, so I placed a litter box over the spot, hoping my bambino would get the hint. He just wet next to it. People told me that rabbits hate strong scents, so I used some after-shave on the spot. Neutrino ignored it. Even vinegar didn't deter him and I knew of no other solution, so I mopped up his messes, hoping that things would get better. Naturally, the little guy also gave me pleasure along with problems. One day, I decided to fill his cardboard tube full of junk such as empty aerosol cans, crumpled newspapers and plastic lids. Neutrino enjoyed clearing out the tunnel. To him, it was like having a warren and he took his excavation duties very seriously. He'd push out the junk and I'd stuff it in behind him. I can't say for sure if he disliked me doing that. However, his tunnel stuffed with toys sure kept him occupied. ----------------------------------------------------------------- When a Man Loves a Rabbit is filled with many more fascinating stories of life with house bunnies. These vignettes range from the tragic to the hilarious. Please click on the link to my books for details about both of my paperbacks. You're also welcome to contact me directly for more information.

THE HIRELING

Have you ever been under the authority of a person who was just doing his or her job? I had that experience many times, particularly in May of 1968. While attending Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind, a supervisor took us boys to the Pacific National Exhibition. Instead of enjoying the outing with us, as the grade five teacher did a few weeks earlier, he just did his duty. In Deliverance from Jericho: Six Years in a Blind School, I related the events of this excursion and how it lacked the warmth of genuine care. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Mr. Moiarty brought us to the exhibition as well during May. This was no sacrifice for him, compared to Mr. Lao's generosity, since Jericho funded the outing. Even so, we did have fun and the weather was warmer than when we went with Mr. Lao. This fairground visit also had its troubles. I made the mistake of wedging my brown Hush Puppy shoe toes under the roller coaster seat in front of me. When I stepped out of the car and glanced down, two black blotches covered my toes. Dread filled my mind since I knew Mom would yell at me the minute she saw that. At supper time, our supervisor bought us each a hot dog and fries from a stand. Though I ate mine slowly, the meal seemed inadequate. "Could I have another hot dog, please?" I asked. "Be glad you got those," Mr. Moiarty barked. "People don't owe you a living, you know." I shut my mouth and tried to put the half- empty feeling in my belly out of my mind. The sun had set when our supervisor decided we should return to the dorm. Just as Mr. Moiarty was ready to walk us to the bus stop, Jimmy thought he would have one last ride on the roller coaster. While our supervisor's back was turned, he sprinted through the gate and onto the ride. It pulled away from the platform before any of us noticed Jimmy was on it. When Mr. Moiarty discovered that he was one boy short, he ordered everybody to stand next to the ride until it ended. The whole group was upset at Jimmy when he stepped off the roller coaster. "Do you realize you made everybody wait while you took one more ride than everybody else?" Mr. Moiarty glared as Jimmy mumbled an apology. That was only the start of our dorm mate's mischief. On the bus home, Jimmy decided to steal a fist-full of Buzzers, the transit company's newsletter. Fortunately, our supervisor was able to flag the bus and return the stolen papers. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Deliverance from Jericho abounds with vignettes of what from poignant experiences of homesickness to hilarious incidents of mischief. Please feel free to click on the link to my books or contact me directly for more information about them.

THE MARK OF THE BEAST.

What is this "mark of the beast" that so many preachers talk about? It comes from Revelation 13:16-17 which reads, "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." The host of The Bible Answer Man radio program, Hank Hanegraaff, recently explained that this mark was a metaphor of character, not some sort of RFID chip or tattoo as many teachers claim. This interpretation makes logical sense as John's letter, which is the last book of the Bible, was written to seven first-century churches. It has no prophetic relationship to twenty-first century believers, with the exception of Christ's return. In my upcoming How I Was Razed: A Journey from Cultism to Christianity memoir, I wrote about the erroneous explanation that the minister of the house church gave us and how it frightened me in May of 1974. ----------------------------------------------------------------- As with that explanation, I accepted everything else which Brother Herald taught as gospel. During one Bible study in Revelation, he informed us about the mark of the beast beginning its advance. "My son, Brian, was approached by some promoters of the mark at his job in Fort McMurray," he began. "They wanted him to sell their tattoo banking machines for them." He opened his Bible as he continued, "It says in Revelation, chapter thirteen, verse sixteen, that no man may buy or sell unless he has the mark in his hand or forehead. These machines tattoo a person's right hand with numbers which glow in ultraviolet light. It's pretty hard to misplace your hand, whereas credit cards are easily lost or stolen." While we absorbed that, he continued, "Brian informed me about this and I told him it was nothing less than the mark. He told those men never to come back with their satanic machines or he'd bust their faces." A chill of fear shot through me. "Will it come to Edmonton soon?" I asked. "I believe it will, and it will come quickly," Brother Herald replied. The chain stores will soon own every aspect of food supply. The banks already want people to use the MasterCharge cards so it will condition them to accept the mark. This is why we must save up food for the day when we can't buy it in the stores." ----------------------------------------------------------------- How I Was Razed is the testimony of how God revealed his true character to me after charismatic house church elders misled me for more than fifteen years. You're welcome to contact me directly for more information about this upcoming paperback.

AN OLD BUNNY WITH SPRING FEVER.

Like us, animals slow down as they age. They also are subject to many of the same diseases which restrict and afflict us in our senior years. From When a Man Loves a Rabbit: Learning and Living With Bunnies, here is a touching vignette about the time a seven-year-old bunny showed me he could still frolic like a youngster. By the way, "binky" is a term that some rabbit lovers use for an ecstatic leap of pure pleasure. ----------------------------------------------------------------- One May evening, I decided to lie in the living room doorway with my camcorder. I watched Neutrino and wondered what my bambino would do once he noticed that the door was open, even though my body was blocking the way. As I aimed the camcorder, Neutrino began dashing back and forth along the runners. Then he started binkying for about ten minutes. After his frisky spell ended, Neutrino flopped contentedly by the sink. How sweet that my darling mischief-maker could express his joy so freely. I hadn't seen him that excited in ages. It was like having a young bunny again and that gladdened my heart. ----------------------------------------------------------------- When a Man Loves a Rabbit is filled with many more fascinating stories of life with house bunnies. These vignettes range from the tragic to the hilarious. Please click on the link to my books for details about both of my paperbacks. You're also welcome to contact me directly for more information.