| You could say I have a God-given love for
| |
| | attractive and I was devoted to it. I
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| the Jews and the nation of Israel (Isaiah
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| | engaged in their ceremonies, singing and
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| 62:6-7). That sacred bond has been
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| | dancing, chanting their mantras and going
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| strengthened over the years by the fact
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| | into a group trance. But even though I
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| that I've been blessed to have lived all
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| | knew their religion didn't accept drugs,
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| over Israel, getting to know its land and
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| | I still used them, though they were
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| people quite well.Apart from 5 months as
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| | unaware of it. I was around 17 when I
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| a kibbutz volunteer at Ramat Yohanan near
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| | began to shoot up drugs."After awhile
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| Haifa, I've also served as a kibbutz
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| | David began to seriously question his
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| volunteer at Sdot Yam on the
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| | involvement with the Krishnas. He feared
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| Mediterranean, next to Caesarea, the site
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| | he had been wrong, had been misled in
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| of my first ulpan (intensive Hebrew
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| | going to the guru. His amount and use of
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| course), and where Israel's heroine,
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| | drugs began to dramatically increase,
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| Hannah Senesh, was from; Regavim, near
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| | going to the bars every night of the
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| Zichron Yaakov, where I continued my
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| | week, getting high and drunk, began to
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| Hebrew lessons amid its rolling green
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| | take its toll on his body. By then it
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| hills; Reshafim, near Bet She'an, with
| |
| | seems he had lost any spiritual strength
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| Mt. Gilboa practically in our backyard,
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| | he had."God Help Me""I really began to
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| and Jordan's mountains in lovely view out
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| | think about God," he says. "Suddenly I
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| front; Adamit, on Lebanon's border, high
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| | began to think about him seriously and
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| up on a mountain, from where on clear
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| | wondered if I had been deceived or
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| days you can see all the way to Haifa's
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| | enlightened in Krishna. I begged God to
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| Mt. Carmel; Shoval, a rose in the Negev
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| | lead me into all the truth. I had prayed
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| desert, just north of Be'er Sheva; Dan,
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| | about it many times and then one of the
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| way up in the northernmost part of
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| | greatest miracles in my life happened" -
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| Israel, in between Syria and Lebanon,
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| | he explains while getting down on his
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| next to the majestic snow-covered Mt.
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| | knees to show how he had been praying.
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| Hermon, where I was living when
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| | "All I remember is that I was purposely
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| "Operation Desert Storm" blew in; and
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| | praying to the God of the Bible and
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| Ha'On, with its campground and ostrich
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| | really hoped that somehow He would answer
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| farm on the eastern shores of the Sea of
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| | my prayer. Then it was like a hot brand
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| Galilee, across from Tiberias; and last
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| | was put upon my forehead. Two words were
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| but not least, my beloved Jerusalem, next
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| | forcibly impressed upon my mind: "FORSAKE
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| to my favorite spot on earth: the Temple
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| | HINDUISM!" Then I actually wondered
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| Mount.It was during my sojourn at Kibbutz
| |
| | whether it was my subconscious that gave
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| Ramat Yohanan, while looking for the home
| |
| | me those words. I turned to my Bible that
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| of the widow Simcha Gombo, a Worldwide
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| | was beside me and, unintentionally,
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| Church of God member and mother of
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| | opened it up to Psalms 115:4-8 - David's
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| Michal (who was deaf) - both of whom I
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| | holding his Bible and reading it out
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| had briefly met during the 1980 Church of
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| | loud: "Their idols are silver and gold;
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| God celebration of the biblical Festival
| |
| | the work of men's hands. They have
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| of Tabernacles in Jerusalem - that I met
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| | mouths, but they speak not; eyes have
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| Ilan Itzhayek on the street and asked
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| | they, but they see not; They have ears,
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| directions, as related in Israel Work
| |
| | but they hear not; noses have they, but
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| History (Worldwide Church of God).Ilan
| |
| | they smell not; They have hands, but they
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| Itzhayek wrote the following full page
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| | handle not; feet have they, but they walk
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| article in Hebrew that appeared in Hed
| |
| | not; neither speak they through their
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| HaKiryot, a newspaper in Northern Israel,
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| | throat. They that make them are like
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| just West of the Sea of Galilee, November
| |
| | them; so is every one that trusts in
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| 19, 1982. Please note that David Hoover
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| | them." "After that I didn't need any
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| is the name I was born with before I
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| | further proof to know that it had truly
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| legally changed it to David Ben-Ariel,
| |
| | been from God. That same day I burned all
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| and forgive the imperfect translation of
| |
| | my Hindu books, beads, posters..."."Dirty
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| the Hebrew into English in this attempt
| |
| | needles"The drugs caused David's
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| to preserve a part of the Church of God
| |
| | condition to continually deteriorate.
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| history in the Promised Land (and honor
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| | Everyone told him that he was destroying
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| Ilan Itzhayek for helping to make it).The
| |
| | himself. He knew himself that he was
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| Drug Addict Who Discovered God and the
| |
| | going to die, but he wasn't able to help
|
| Kibbutzby Ilan ItzhayekHis name is David
| |
| | himself."All that horrible time" - David
|
| Allen Hoover - he's 22 years old and was
| |
| | says with a shaky voice - "I really
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| born in Toledo, Ohio, USA.David, and
| |
| | wanted to be free. I didn't want to be
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| other members of the Church he belongs to
| |
| | addicted to drugs. But I also felt that
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| arrived in Israel last month as visitors
| |
| | there wasn't anything in this world worth
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| in Jerusalem, but David stayed behind as
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| | living for. I didn't have any power but I
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| a volunteer at Kibbutz Ramat Yohanan. He
| |
| | still tried to get off drugs. I ended up
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| doesn't mind any of the work they give
| |
| | throwing away my needles, hoping to stop,
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| him to do - whether it's in the fields,
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| | but later I'd turn around and go back and
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| in the factory or in the chicken
| |
| | take them out and use them." Even though
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| incubators - he has ideals.David belongs
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| | his needles had been in the garbage,
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| to a very special Church called the
| |
| | dirty and broken, he said he still used
|
| Worldwide Church of God - they call
| |
| | them up to a dozen times, even though
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| themselves the true Christians and
| |
| | you're only supposed to use them once! "I
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| consider the conventional Christians
| |
| | was taking the needles in my frustration
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| pagan. They believe in the Torah of Moses
| |
| | and would bash them against the wall so
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| and observe Sabbath, as well as all the
| |
| | that I couldn't use them, but later I'd
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| annual holy days mentioned in the Torah.
| |
| | attempt to until it hurt me and I was
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| They believe Jesus Christ is the
| |
| | bleeding. That's when I realized that I
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| Messenger of God. The Church has 100,000
| |
| | was addicted." David says, thinking out
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| brethren all over the world. A common
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| | loud: "All I knew was that only GOD could
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| belief they have is that they have been
| |
| | help me, not man!"David experienced
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| chosen by God to join the community of
| |
| | "almost sure death" another time, besides
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| believers. Their leader is Herbert
| |
| | the rock concert, when he was 18, and was
|
| Armstrong, 91, whom they admire and
| |
| | in his bedroom mainlining some drugs. His
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| consider that he's come in the spirit of
| |
| | mother was home at the time but was
|
| Elijah.David talks quite excitedly about
| |
| | unaware of what was happening to her son.
|
| his Church. He's very patient and ready
| |
| | "Suddenly everything seemed strange to
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| to explain his convictions to you again
| |
| | me" - David says trying to remember -
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| if you haven't understood them. His
| |
| | "the music started sounding really
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| answers are filled with verses from the
| |
| | weird...Later I woke up in the hospital
|
| Bible and the New Testament - verses that
| |
| | and a doctor informed me that I had
|
| he knows by heart. He calls himself
| |
| | damaged my liver and that it was a
|
| "chosen" because in his Church there
| |
| | miracle that I still had a brain and
|
| isn't those "religious and not religious"
| |
| | could think clearly."Goodbye and Good
|
| - there's only the chosen. If you don't
| |
| | Riddance"Those were my times of wandering
|
| agree the Church doesn't want you - which
| |
| | in the wilderness. God delivered me and
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| means that God hasn't called you.Scar in
| |
| | took me out of Egypt into His light" -
|
| the HeartDavid hasn't always been in the
| |
| | David says reflecting on his past. "The
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| Church. He was raised on a farm in Ohio
| |
| | inner struggle between good and evil
|
| that belongs to his father's family. His
| |
| | wearied me after awhile. I had been
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| parents were divorced when he was 11
| |
| | asking God what I was supposed to do. I
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| years old. A year later his alcoholic
| |
| | asked for power because I didn't have any
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| father died at the early age of 36. "All
| |
| | strength and none of the churches I
|
| I remember about my father," David says
| |
| | encountered had the power necessary to
|
| with a sort of bitter smile, "is that he
| |
| | deliver me from drugs. At the time I
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| was drunk and always messing up the house
| |
| | opened up my Bible unintentionally to
|
| and arguing with my mom. He was always
| |
| | Isaiah 45. The first verse that caught my
|
| arguing with her. I was really young then
| |
| | eye was verse 2: "I will go before thee
|
| so I really didn't even get to know him.
| |
| | and make the crooked places straight: I
|
| I almost can't remember how he looks."It
| |
| | will break in pieces the gates of brass,
|
| was a drastic change - his parents
| |
| | and cut in sunder the bars of iron...".
|
| divorced, the move from the farm to the
| |
| | That verse succeeded to do for David what
|
| city, a new school and then his father's
| |
| | he, of himself, had been unable to do for
|
| death that deeply affected him.Soon, with
| |
| | years."No more drugs!" David said and
|
| all of his being, David began to search
| |
| | that is how he finally managed to be free
|
| for a way to help him with his hurt.
| |
| | from drugs. "Now I felt ready to begin to
|
| That's when someone mentioned to him how
| |
| | listen to God. Sometimes you have to
|
| you feel "high" when you do drugs. So he
| |
| | first live in darkness before you can
|
| began to really look for drugs. He tried
| |
| | appreciate the light. I knew I wanted to
|
| to find out who used them and where they
| |
| | live God's ways of life so I said
|
| hung out. Shortly after trying pills, pot
| |
| | good-riddance to drugs and to my old
|
| and hash, he began to buy them
| |
| | friends and bad influences - to all of
|
| regularly."When I was 15 years old I
| |
| | that I said goodbye and good
|
| stopped taking them by the mouth and
| |
| | riddance!""Drugs are a Lie"Shortly
|
| started snorting them" - quickly adding '
| |
| | afterwards, David discovered the
|
| "it's far more potent that way and it
| |
| | Worldwide Church of God through their
|
| affects you more quickly...money to buy
| |
| | Plain Truth magazine. The ideas in it
|
| drugs with wasn't a problem for me. It
| |
| | seemed so logical to him and not like all
|
| wasn't hard to get. The man my mom had
| |
| | the others he had known.Soon David was
|
| remarried wasn't rich, but he definitely
| |
| | one of its excited believers. After a
|
| wasn't poor. The allowances I got I used
| |
| | whole year of observing Sabbath and all
|
| to buy drugs with instead of clothes or
| |
| | the holy days of Israel, he was baptized
|
| other things. My sister and I kept it
| |
| | as a brother into the Church.One of the
|
| secret that we were getting high and so
| |
| | Worldwide Church of God beliefs is that
|
| our parents kept giving us good
| |
| | there will be a politico-military mess
|
| allowances."It seems like David will
| |
| | that will take place by next year. In
|
| never forget a Jethro Tull rock concert
| |
| | their opinion, Germany, and maybe even
|
| that he attended. "I had snorted some
| |
| | Italy, will attempt to conquer the world.
|
| drugs, smoked a lot of pot and hash and
| |
| | That attempt will ignite a world war that
|
| was drinking beer until I was really
| |
| | will take two thirds of the world's
|
| high." He remembers, "I felt really
| |
| | population, but that afterwards there
|
| strange. All I remember is being sat down
| |
| | will begin a true peace for planet Earth.
|
| by some friends and the chair began to
| |
| | The members of the Worldwide Church of
|
| fall backwards...3 days later I woke up
| |
| | God will be among those that survive and
|
| in the intensive care unit of the
| |
| | they believe that eventually their
|
| hospital with a heart monitor attached to
| |
| | beliefs will be accepted by all the
|
| me. I was in serious condition and it had
| |
| | Earth.The doctrines of the Church are all
|
| been getting worse but the doctors worked
| |
| | biblically based. Besides the
|
| hard to save me." "Later there was a
| |
| | above-mentioned prophecy there is another
|
| special agreement between me and my
| |
| | one that states the world leaders will
|
| parents," David grins. "I was promised
| |
| | sit in Jerusalem and that Israel will
|
| that if I quit taking drugs they'd allow
| |
| | become a "Light to all nations." The
|
| me to let my hair grow long. I promised
| |
| | whole world will have one
|
| and I didn't keep it. My hair grew down
| |
| | government.David is writing a book, from
|
| to my waist."Wanderings and its MoralA
| |
| | his biblical research, about the two
|
| different stage began in David's life:
| |
| | prophets who will prepare the way for the
|
| wandering through different churches. He
| |
| | days to come. David is also contemplating
|
| was in and out of many churches during
| |
| | about writing an autobiography. He
|
| his search for the true morals and
| |
| | already knows what he would call it -
|
| values. He considered the members of
| |
| | Wanderings! He's convinced that he has a
|
| traditional Christianity as hypocrites.
| |
| | lot of experience to give to others, and
|
| Those churches had failed to fulfill
| |
| | he's very interested in warning those who
|
| him.After failing to find what he was
| |
| | might consider abusing drugs. "Drugs are
|
| searching for, David came in contact with
| |
| | a lie" - he says - "and it would be a lot
|
| Hinduism - the Hare Krishnas. He was
| |
| | better if people would learn form the
|
| attracted by its exotic appeal, the
| |
| | experience of others. Today I'm alive,
|
| incense and vegetarian members of that
| |
| | very alive - and I feel I have a lot to
|
| cult. During a special Krishna festival
| |
| | live for!"David Ben-Ariel is a
|
| in Philadelphia, he met a famous leader
| |
| | Christian-Zionist writer and author of
|
| in their movement who wanted him to
| |
| | Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall.
|
| become his personal aide and travel all
| |
| | With a focus on the Middle East and
|
| over. David decided not to join because
| |
| | Jerusalem, his analytical articles help
|
| he didn't want to be separated from his
| |
| | others improve their understanding of
|
| family. "I believed in Hare Krishna,"
| |
| | that troubled region. Check out the
|
| David says assured, "I loved the religion
| |
| | Beyond Babylon blog.
|
| because it was physically and spiritually
| |
| |
|
