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Scientology – Understanding World Religions

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Scientology – Understanding World Religions

History and background

L.Ron Hubbard was a very successful science fiction writer in the 1930’s and 40’s. In 1949 while speaking to a group he reportedly stated, “Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous.  If a man really wanted to make a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion.” Time April 5, 1976, pp. 57.  The next year he released his book Dianetics which was the foundation to the new religion he was starting.

-In his book he announced that his new therapy was a “science of the mind” and it promised to “clear” a person of painful experiences and mental illnesses. These painful experiences are called “engrams”. Engrams are like photo images that are stuck in the brain that need to be cleared so one can reach his full potential. He claimed that the “clear” person “can be tested for all psychoses, neuroses, compulsions, and repressions (all aberrations and can be examined for any autogenetic (self generated) diseases referred to as psychosomatic ills. These tests confIrm the clear to be entirely without such ills or aberrations. Additional test of his intelligence indicate it to be high about the current norm.” Dianetics pp. 14

-John Campbell, Jr., the editor ofA stounding Science Fiction and publisher of many of Hubbard’s science fiction stories was an early supporter. He introduced Dr. Joseph Winter to Hubbard. Both men were fascinated by Hubbard’s work. Dr. Winter even wrote the introduction in the fIrst addition of Dianetics. (These two men worked hard to get Dianetics approved by the medical community.)

-In 1950 after the release of his book, Hubbard introduced the world to the fIrst “clear” person. Sonia Bianca. In front of a large crowd at the Shriner’s auditorium in Los Angeles Sonia was put to a test. “Clears” were supposed to have total recall. Unfortunately, Sonia, a physics student from Boston could not recall any basic physics formula or even the color of Hubbard’s tie, which she saw moments before. Both the media and medical community criticized the movement.

-In 1951 some of the clients started sharing what they thought were negative experiences from past lives. Hubbard took these ideas seriously. He then introduced the concept of a Thetan. A Thetan is like a soul. The Thetan has been around for millions of years moving from body to body. In each reincarnate state (called assumption) they would accumulate negative experiences called engrams. Through counseling (called auditing) the person could be freed of all these negative images in the mind. (Campbell and Winter left the organization at this point. They began to have further questions on if this really worked.)

-During these early years an “E-meter” was developed. Hubbard uses this machine in the “auditing” process to read engrams. This machine helps the auditor to go to earlier chains of engrams. The goal of the session is to erase engrams. (The medical conununity rejected this device. Hubbard was unwilling to allow blind studies to check out its reliability.)

-In 1953 this movement became known as the Church of Scientology. In 1957 they received their tax-exempt status as a religious organization. However, through the years they have fought many legal battles world-wide regarding being a church. In 1963 the FDA raided the church head quarters and took the E-meters. They called it an illegal medical device. There tax status we stripped in 1967. In 1969 they regained their tax exemptions.

-These legal battles have continued worldwide through the years. The most recent case was in France. In October of 2009 Scientology was convicted of fraud. Many countries do not recognize Scientology as a religion. (Wikipedia has a very detailed time line of the history.)

-Hubbard developed different levels of OT (Operating Thetans). This is an advanced spiritual state above clear. At OT III the story of Xenu is shared. According to the founder of Scientology L. Ron Hubbard, the dictator of the “Galactic Confederacy” who, 75 million years ago, brought billions (4)(5) of his people to Earth in a DC-8-like spacecraft, stacked them around volcanoes and killed them using hydrogen bombs. Official Scientology scriptures hold that the essences of these many people remained, and that they form around people in modern times, causing them spiritual harm. This story is only told to those who get to this OT III level.

-David Miscavige became the head of Scientology in 1986 after Hubbard’s death.

-They are involved in a lot of social awareness and service projects. They desire to rid the world of social ills using Scientology’s methods and techniques.

Basic beliefs and practices

-The essential tenets of Scientology are these:

-You are an immortal spiritual being.

-Your experience extends well beyond a single lifetime. And your capabilities are unlimited, even if not presently realized.

-Furthermore, man is basically good. He is seeking to survive. And his survival depends upon himself and his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the universe.

-The purpose of Scientology: to enable Man to improve his lot through understanding.

-In the primordial past, Thetans brought the material universe into being largely for their own pleasure. The universe has no independent reality, but derives its apparent reality from the fact that most Thetans agree it exists.! Thetans fell from grace when they began to identify with their creation, rather than their original state of spiritual purity. Eventually they lost their memory of their true nature, along with the associated spiritual and creative powers. As a result, Thetans came to think of themselves as nothing but embodied beings.

Thetans are reborn time and time again in new bodies through a process called “assumption” which is analogous to reincarnation. The effects on participating in MEST (matter, energy, space) after each rebirth becomes stronger thus moving them away from the pure spiritual state.

-Clearing the mind and becoming an Operating Thetan is the goal.

Understanding the mind. There are two major divisions of the mind.

-The reactive mind is thought to absorb all pain and emotional trauma in mental images called engrams. These sometimes sub conscious memories are painful and debilitating.

-The analytical mind is a rational mechanism which is responsible for consciousness.

The goal is to rid one’s mind of engrams. This is done through counseling (auditing).

-One pays to be audited. During this time they will use the E-meter and tone scale to assess where the person is at and help them to remove the engrams. The goal is to be “clear” of all engrams. Once you are “clear” you continue with the process to be a fully functional Thetan. There are many levels of Operating Thetans.

-Scientology embraces all aspects of life. Thus survival is a key concept.
Survival is broken up into 8 Dynamics.
The First Dynamic is SELF.
This is the effort to survive as an individual, to be an individual. It includes one’s own body and one’s own mind. It is the effort to attain the highest level of survival for the longest possible time for self. This dynamic includes the individual plus his immediate possessions. It does not include other people. It is the urge to survive as one’s self. Here we have individuality expressed fully.

The Second Dynamic is CREATIVITY.
Creativity is making things for the future and the Second Dynamic includes any creativity. The Second Dynamic contains the family unit and raising children as well as anything that can be categorized as a family activity. It also, incidentally, includes sex as a mechanism to compel future survival.

The Third Dynamic is GROUP SURVIVAL.
This is the urge to survive through a group of individuals or as a group. It is group survival with the group tending to take on a life and existence of its own. A group can be a community, friends, a company, a social lodge, a state, a nation, a race or any group. It doesn’t matter what size this group is, it is seeking to survive as a group.

The Fourth Dynamic is SPECIES.
Man’s Fourth Dynamic is the species of Mankind. This is the urge toward survival through all Mankind and as all Mankind. Whereas the American nationality would be considered a Third Dynamic for Americans, all the nationalities of the world together would be considered the Fourth Dynamic. All men and women, because they are men and women, seek to survive as men and women and for men and women.

The Fifth Dynamic is LIFE FORMS.
This is the urge to survive as life forms and with the help of life forms such as animals, birds, insects, fish and vegetation. This includes all living things whether animal or vegetable, anything directly and intimately motivated by life. It is the effort to survive for any and every form of life. It is the interest in life as such.

The Sixth Dynamic is the PHYSICAL UNIVERSE.
The physical universe has four components. These are matter, energy, space and time. The Sixth Dynamic is the urge of the physical universe to survive, by the physical universe itself and with the help of the physical universe and each one of its component parts.

The Seventh Dynamic is the SPIRITUAL DYNAMIC.
This is the urge to survive as spiritual beings or the urge for life itself to survive. Anything spiritual, with or without identity, would come under the heading of the Seventh Dynamic. It includes one’s beingness, the ability to create, the ability to cause survival or to survive, the ability to destroy or pretend to be destroyed. A subheading of this dynamic is ideas and concepts and the desire to survive through these. The Seventh Dynamic is life source. This is separate from the physical universe and is the source of life itself. Thus, there is an effort for the survival of life source.

The Eighth Dynamic is the urge toward existence as INFINITY.
The Eighth Dynamic also is commonly called God, the Supreme Being or Creator, but it is correctly defined as infinity. It actually embraces the allness of all. That is why, according to L. Ron Hubbard, “when the Seventh Dynamic is reached in its entirety, one will only then discover the true Eighth Dynamic.”

-They have Sunday Services, Ceremonies, and prayer.
-Services consist of a Chaplin leading them in reciting the creed, Sermon (Often using lectures from L. Ron Hubbard with the goal of enlightenment), Group Auditing, Announcements and the Freedom Prayer.

-They provide marriage counseling, instructions on working with children, dealing with life’s difficulties.

-They sponsor a number of drug rehab programs, human rights groups, and service projects.

THE CREED OF THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY
We of the Church believe
That all men of whatever race, color or creed were created with equal
rights.
That all men have inalienable rights to their own religious practices and
their performance.
That all men have inalienable rights to their own lives.
That all men have inalienable rights to their sanity.
That all men have inalienable rights to their own defense.
That all men have inalienable rights to conceive, choose, assist or support their own organizations, churches and governments.
That all men have inalienable rights to think freely, to talk freely, to write freely their own opinions and to counter or utter or write upon the opinions of others.
That all men have inalienable rights to the creation of their own kind.
That the souls of men have the rights of men.
That the study of the Mind and the healing of mentally caused ills should not be alienated from religion or condoned in nonreligious fields.
And that no agency less than God has the power to suspend or set aside these rights, overtly or covertly.

And we of the Church believe
That Man is basically good.
That he is seeking to survive.
That his survival depends upon himself and upon his fellows and his attainment of brotherhood with the Universe.

And we of the Church believe that the laws of God forbid Man
To destroy his own kind.
To destroy the sanity of another.
To destroy or enslave another’s soul.
To destroy or reduce the survival of one’s companions or one’s group.

And we of the Church believe
That the spirit can be saved.
And that the spirit alone may save or heal the body

Talking with a Scientologist:
Remember our role is to be an ambassador for Christ. Even though you may look at the theology of Scientology as unusual, remember these people are sincere in their beliefs. Our hope is to dialogue with them and share the claims of Christ.

Build a bridge:
Christianity and Scientology both desire to serve & help others and to help others become whole. I have a few questions about Scientology?

Where did L. Ron Hubbard get his information?

How long have you been involved in Scientology?
-Usually if they have been involved for 6 months or more they have had several E-meter readings and may have been talking about their past lives.

-Ask, have you ever wondered if what they were telling you was true? (They may be reluctant to admit this. However, some may have doubts and may open up some questions.)

Describe a Thetan. How did you come to the conclusion that these souls existed as spirits for millions of years? What evidence do you have?

There seems to be a big contrast between Scientology and Christianity.

Scientology                                                   Christianity

Reincarnation                                                 Born once (Hebrews 9:27,28)

Many gods                                                      One God (Duet. 6:4, Eph. 4 :6)

Mankind is good                                              Mankind is sinful and in a need of a Savior

(Romans 3:23, 6:23)

Christ didn’t die on Cross                               Christ died on the Cross and rose again

(1 Cor. 15:20, John 20:19-29)

Salvation comes through auditing                   Salvation comes through faith in Christ’s

death & resurrection (Romans 5:8; 10:9, 10,

Eph. 4 :8,9)
How did you choose Scientology over Christianity?

Other concerns:

-E-meters have never been allowed to be tested in a blind study. Does that concern you?

-In Scientology once you become clear you continue the auditing process. As you do, you can move up to different levels of Operating Thetans. At these levels you receive “secret knowledge” . You can’t move up unless you pay for these teachings. Does it concern you that you have to pay a lot of money to move up through these levels? Why secret information?

-Where did L. Ron Hubbard discover the story of Xenu? What evidence do we have that it is true?

It is important throughout the discussion to ask -what do you mean by that? How did you come to that conclusion? Have you considered …

Compiled by Dave Friese

Are We Becoming An Emergent Church (Progressive Church)? (15 warning signs!) – Part 1 of 2

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Author’s Definition for Emergent Church / Progressive Church Theology:  A subversive movement by church leaders with the intended purpose to reinvent mainstream evangelical Christianity and insert a social gospel that is “more inclusive” and “less restrictive”.   Sadly, these leaders believe they are doing what God wants.

Did you already read Part 1 and need to go to Part 2? Click here Are We Becoming An Emergent Church? – Part 2

The Bible addresses this errant teaching in John 14:6 (NASB), “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.’”   This sounds rather exclusive, doesn’t it?  There is only one way to God.  This errant teaching also leads to a de-emphasis on proclaiming the verbal Gospel of Jesus Christ, which believers are commanded to do in Mark 16:15 (NASB), “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.’”  The Greek word for preach in this verse is κηρύσσω (pronounced kērussō or kay-roos’-so), which means to herald or proclaim as a public crier, especially divine truth.

Are We Becoming An Emergent / Progressive Church?

Short List of 15 Warning Signs (see *note at bottom of 2nd Page): (1)Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian Faith; (2) The centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting Church Growth and a Social Gospel, and / or an inconsistent verbal proclamation of the Gospel from the pulpit; (3) More and more emphasis is being placed on building the Kingdom of God now and less and less on the Warnings of Scripture about the imminent Return of Jesus Christ and a Coming Judgment in the Future; (4) The Teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical; (5) The stated teaching or personal belief of the Pastor that God has removed His hand from Israel and that Israel no longer has any Prophetic significance; (6) The Teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the Future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past; (7) An experiential Mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the Postmodern Generation; (8) Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation; (9) The Pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity; (10) While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God; (11) These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist; (12) There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church, Islam, Mormonism,etc.; (13) Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion; (14) There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God; and (15) Members of Churches who Question or Resist the new changes that the Pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.  Often this involves lying and deceptive behavior on the part of the leadership.

Some early warnings and symptoms include the use of terms such as flourishing, inclusive, community, progressive, building God’s Kingdom here on Earth, developing a kingdom focus and perhaps a strong or defined movement towards changing a biblically defined existing Statement of Faith to a new Statement of Faith that is more inclusive.  This usually involves a changing of church bylaws to restrict or remove members biblical authority in challenging truth who should also be involved in church discipline.   A pastor passionate on becoming an Emergent Church will want to remove all obstacles and place himself closer to unfettered power.  (Author’s comments:  Although your church may not be there yet in denying the gospel, this may be the next step if some or most of the warning signs identified below are entrenched in your local church structure.  Listen carefully to your pastor’s sermons to hear if the verbal, proclaimed Gospel is missing from Pulpit sermons and messages.  Often the changes are subtle and it may be years before you realize your church is emergent.) 

Background Information for 15 Warning Signs:

What are the Warning Signs that We Need to Look Out for?  Even though not all warning signs may be present, any one of the 15 warning signs listed further down is a strong signal that your church may be starting down a dangerous and destructive path to becoming an emergent / progressive church, bent on distorting the Gospel and leading people away from their need for the Gospel.

Frequently, this may appear inconsequential at first or you may find it hard to believe that this is really happening to your church.  You might even feel bad questioning your church’s drifting theology because so many wonderful things seem to be happening such as relational life groups to build community, strong community outreach programs and visible community presence for your church, active youth programs, etc.  Please make careful observations and spend time in the Word with prayer and meditation and pray that the Holy Spirit would confirm whether this is happening in your local church body through careful study of God’s Word.  A denial and a refusal to confront these things in truth will later lead to shame and guilt in not being obedient to God’s Truth, not to mention a complicit effort to lead people astray from sound doctrine and teaching.  Please read 2 Timothy 4:3-5.

Be aware that when you do decide to confront your pastor and or leaders in regard to what God’s Word has to say, that you may become a target for a misapplication of Matthew 18 and singled out as a divider (creating division).  Many times there is a price to be paid in becoming bold for God’s Truth.  Take Galatians 4:16 (NASB) to heart, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

Based upon your pastor’s reaction to you, this may show that your pastor may not have a heart willing to receive correction as exhorted in Acts 17, 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.  We’re supposed to be able to speak truth into each other’s lives. He may instead try to relegate any further discussion from you to an elder (usually their role is to be a hatchet man) and if the elder (more times than not) decides that you will need to drop this and not pursue it, you are then expected to follow the Pastor’s and the Elder’s authority. This buffering of doctrinal challenges to the pastor is becoming more prevalent in Emergent / Progressive Churches where the leadership is facing opposition to the new theological direction they’re taking the church.

Your church leaders may even instruct you in the following scriptures on submitting to church authority,  Hebrews 13:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1, Philippians 1:1, etc.  Oftentimes, they also neglect to read or cite the following scriptures as well, which talks about their expected behavior as a leader, Matthew 20:25-28, 1 Peter 5:1-5, and 3 John 9-12.  Oftentimes they may start dealing with people challenging erred doctrine with a heavy hand and use Matthew 18 as a club instead of the purpose, which is to restore a sinning member to fellowship.  Since when does speaking the truth in love become a sinful behavior.  Yes, there is a Biblical manner in which to approach your pastor and we are to speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4:14-16 (NASB), “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

Matthew 18 and Galatians 6:1 do address the biblical process pretty specifically (proper private approach, confrontation with witnesses, desired repentance and prayerfully restoration).  The biblical goal is always restoration.  As a final result after non-repentance is shown, then church dismissal, disfellowship or excommunication is applied.  This biblical discipline applies to the pastor and elders as well.  Members, according to Matthew 18 can biblically confront the pastor.  In some emergent churches, the structure of the bylaws is being rewritten and, this writer believes, in an unbiblical manner to only allow this to be applied and enforced from an Executive Board of Elders and exclude regular elders and members from having any authority.

Click below to link to the second part of this article, http://www.bibleanswerstoquestions.com/are-we-an-emergent-church/part2 .

 

Do You Love the Church?

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Do you love the church?

Paul said Jesus, “loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  Paul loved the church as well.

A couple of weeks ago I was teaching Genesis 29.  Jacob went to Haran as a single man, and he ends up with four wives, 12 sons and daughters.  It’s a mess.  His first wife’s name is Leah.  And the Bible says she was unloved by Jacob..

If Genesis 29 was just about Jacob and his wives you would leave depressed.  But the Bible is about God.  Jesus told the religious leaders that they searched the scriptures thinking that in them they would find eternal life.  But he said, “They speak of Me.” (John 5:39)

God reveals himself in written for us the Bible.  He is the God of the universe, but he shows his care, concern and affection for individuals.  At the end of Genesis 29 it says God saw Leah, and God heard Leah. He knew Leah even better than she knew herself.  She mattered to Him.  God had great affection for her. He loved Leah before she was ever born.  He loved he before she has ever done anything.

My daughter [left blank] is expecting her first child this month.  She had an ultrasound Friday.  She saw clearly her little girl’s face, she was sucking her thumb, and her hair was flowing.  She said she was beautiful.  She is her mother, and she loves her already.  And she will for the rest of her life.  Just like [left blank] and I love [left blank].  [Left blank] loves that little girl before she has done anything bad or good.  She has a mother’s affection for her.

Leah named her first son see a son.  She thought Jacob would now see and love her.  She named her next son hears.  She hoped Jacob would hear and love her.  She named he next son joined or cleaves.  She thought with three sons Jacob would cleave to her and love her.  He didn’t.  She named her fourth son the Lord be praised.  She knew God saw, heard and cleaved to her.  She knew the Lord loved her.  So she would praise Him.

It was from that fourth son Judah that Jesus came.  God chose Leah, the unloved, to be in the line of His son.

We teach a lot about actions and attitudes, but it’s the affections of the heart God God wants.  There are only two commandments The first is to love Him.  The second is to love our neighbor.

Romans 16 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  Paul pours out his affection for the church in Rome.  The church to Paul was not a place of convenience.  It was a place of concern and care.  Life matters when other people matter to you.

The church is a place to be a blessing and not a burden, a help and not a hindrance, a stepping stone and not a stumbling block.  It’s not a place where you say, “Serve us.”  It’s a place of service.  It’s not a place where you endure people.  It’s a place where you enjoy people.

The church is not a place where you shop for the best deal for yourself.  It’s a place where you love people.  Do you love the church? 

The church Paul writes to in Romans 16 is a place of love and affection.  It’s characterized first by:

1.  Extraordinary Unity:  In Gal 3:27-29 it says we are all one in Christ Jesus”  Whether Jews or Gentiles, man or women, slaves or free, we are all one.  It doesn’t matter what custom or culture dictate.  Every person has equal value.  No matter what gender, what ethnic background or wealth or social status we are all in one family.  Jesus chooses us to be part of his family, and we choose a church family.

Paul in Romans 16 writes to men and women.  4 out of the first 7 people he lists are women  He writes to Jews and Gentiles.  He writes to people with slave names.  He writes to the poor and the rich.

The church isn’t a business, ti’s a body.  It isn’t a corporation, it’s a community, it’s not a factory.  It’s a family.  Christ breaks down every wall.  We all have a common father and brother.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ.  And we have family affection for each other.  No one is better than anyone else.  We stand equal before the Lord and each other.

2.  Extraordinary Diversity:  We don’t talk alike or look alike or act alike.  The goal is not union or sameness.  We have different backgrounds, abilities, likes and dislikes.  Some of the people in Rom 16 we Jews, and some were gentiles.  Some had spectacular conversions.  Some were saved when they were children.

Some were very hard workers like Aquilla and Priscilla.  Some did the right thing, for the right way, at the right time and for the right reason.

Some of the people in Rome were trying to gain praise, some were busybodies, some suffered from self righteousness.  Some served for the right reasons.  And some for the wrong reasons.  Some were control freaks.  They had to write the constitution and bylaws of the church themselves and head up the boards.  They had to have their own way.  But they were all part of the same family.  They were kinsmen.  And Paul loved them all.

3.  Extraordinary Affection:  I was asked to speak once in a church off Hwy 50 in [left blank]. The church did not have a great building.  The preaching and the music there were so so.  The church didn’t have a big staff or a lot of good programs that church consumers are looking for.  But they had to have an overflow room, because there were so many people there.

Why?  They loved the Lord.  And they loved each other.  I knew the pastor there well.  He was not a talented person.  He was not good looking,, gifted or filled with charisma.  But he loved the people there.  He was filled with care and concern.  He love the Lord and taught His truth from the Bible.  The church ministered to the Lord, they ministered to the Lost, and they had a ministry of Love for each other.

The church was not filled with wealthy people.  But they gave [left blank] and I the biggest honorarium we ever received.  They just showered us with love and affection.  Their cups overflowed toward the Lord, the lost, toward each other and us.  Affection brought people there.  Affection kept people there. Goodness and mercy followed those folks.  You left there saying, “Surely, the presence of the Lord was in this place.”

It was an extraordinary experience.

In Rome and [left blank] It all started with the truth of God’s word.

The church in [left blank] didn’t have any great method of presenting the word of God.  But they believed it, and they did it.  It wasn’t that they could explain the Bible any better than any other church.  It was their trust and obedience.  And they spoke the truth in love.  They lived the truth out with great affection.

The church to Paul and the people in [left blank] was a people to love.  It was a place to serve.  It was a place to praise.  They were not looking for better methods.  They were looking to be better men and women.  They were looking for people to love.