inF.A.Qs.
Infrequently Asked Questions
Why?
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Can I experience anonymity here?
What about this website's name changes?
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Where to start with so much information here?
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Why?
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Born in 1968, my upbringing became one of entire chance. At 24, my career was destroyed, and a quarter century of periodic psychiatric interventions began. I ceased conventional modes of working in 2010. Consequently, my creativity mushroomed. I'd navigated a life dogged by psychosis and its repercussions, necessarily learning rarer lessons. My writing had begun albeit slowly in 1997, but a consistency of threads over many years led to concrete ideas, including aspects of my recovery.
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It became obvious to me that I should share this work, almost like a vocation, but particularly because universal and basal wisdom should always demand that. Furthermore, mental wellness, or illness, is not a binary system. It's a spectrum that everybody is on, and the more of that spectrum that is understood, then ipso facto, the more of humankind we might understand.
Is this a religion?
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This can only be answered if we agree on a meaning of the word “religion”.
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I reject the supernatural (including karma) and insist that "a god" is within, with no desire to promote the idea of single external god.
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Frank Whaling in “Approaches to the study of religion (1999)”, suggested that religions have some or all of these characteristics: community, ritual, ethics, social and political involvement, scripture, concepts or doctrines, aesthetics and spirituality stressing the inner nature of religion.
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This is a website without user groups or associated physical meetups. There are no rituals involved, especially since my blogging has slowed or stopped. Ethics are not a part of anything here. One could be unethical and in agreement with this website. It's about being genuine, one way or another. Socially and politically, Michael's work here does not overlap outside, and for example Michael belongs to no political party, though he attends a protestant church, which might be seen as a clash with individuality. It's not (we can discuss). Granted, the “I am” book might represent scripture, however, it only holds concepts and not doctrines. An actual path through the ideas served here, would be different for everyone. In terms of aesthetics, beauty is in human uniqueness, and it is hoped that implies both inwardly and outwardly.
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JM Yinger in “The scientific study of religion (1970)”, stated “religion then, can be defined as a system of beliefs and practices by means of which a group of people, struggle with these ultimate problems of human life. It expresses their refusal to capitulate to death, to give up in the face of frustration, to allow hostility to tear apart their human aspirations.”
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I think Yinger's use of the word “belief” makes his words at odds with the ones here, because logic and mathematics rule more than “beliefs”, as will manifest with some reading. Sadly therefore, there's necessarily no offerings of nebulous comfort, to provide admitted help and mental well being in the face of life’s perils.
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Finally, some mainstream religions aim to convert or proselytise everybody to their path, which they believe is the one. I try to reach a tangible and logical core: a most universal message. However, the chief text of the Light on life organisation, “I am”, is so very clear, that complete universality of its suggestions are impossible, because of global climate variations and the unfair distribution of natural resources.
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So, there's no simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, but after consideration of the above, for me it's a "no".
How commercial is this site?
This is a financial liability. Essentially, no-one comes here and buys a book, but they're priced for just a nominal £1 profit anyway, whilst the web hosting cost around £25 a month. With many of the best words available for free, and digitally, I hope it is patent, that my site is not a business, but rather, it is a benevolent area of the internet, offering faith, knowledge, and paths to wisdom. As of 21/11/23, I made the singularly most generous decision of availing most of my material/ books as PDF files on here, for open and free access globally. See the PDFs page.
Can I experience anonymity here?
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I follow Christ but don't identify as Christian, and I sincerely hope goodness will stem from my words.
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Regarding anonymity, if you disallow cookies your own experience here will be unaffected, but your visitor statistics will be denied from me, e.g., how long you spent here, and your country, etc. And regardless of cookies, no questions will ever be ask of you before you download a file. (It is an extremely common practise to demand an active email address, before enabling a download). Patently then, your right to anonymity is important to me.
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That right goes further, because if you choose to buy one of my books from lulu.com, I won't sell it to you, they will. I preset my financial cut, which I've stated is one pound sterling, £1.00, and regardless of the total price or title of the book. Your financial information and shipping address is strictly between you and them.
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Given my sacrifices, I'm asking you to trust me. Regardless of your beliefs or mine, my approach overlaps greatly with the thoughts of Jesus Christ, which St Matthew documented in Matthew Chapter 6.
What about this website's name changes?
I changed this website's name from www.exithell.org to www.hellisonearth.org on the 8th of November 2023, and to www.lightonlife.org on the 15th of March 2024, for these reasons -
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"Exit Hell" assumed somebody is in a figurative hell, and "Hell is on Earth" is one of only two pieces of wisdom, that my late father shared with me. However, even though I mean "Hell" in the figurative sense, I began to wonder if many people had been put off hitting my website altogether, because they assumed it is a religious one. Much of what this website deals with, is closer to trying to solve our self-created problems, made by us collecting false and/or unnecessary identities, i.e., like the Golden Cage scenario. Obviously, the human condition also involves scenarios of hugely greater tragedy, that people needn't waste time with here.
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The name "Light on Life" makes no assumptions about where people are "at" in life, but it might suggest clarifications are available, and that a road from a darker place to somewhere lighter may be possible?
Where to start with so much information on here?
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My ideas have become more crystalline over decades, or since my early twenties. However, my "I am" book is central to this website, and therefore to my overall thoughts. I wrote it in a three week explosion of creativity in 2020, and immediately published it. It is therefore the best starting point. Download it for free. If it resonates, I recommend dipping in all over my work, but for "low hanging fruits", you might try the Gallery page (making sure you both read and click each meme you view. And watch the videos right through. They are all worthwhile).
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