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Destruction classes:
I will be doing an in-depth guide on each class in Warhammer online later. Ratings are from my personal experience and rank from A to F, just like a school report card.

There are three starting racial areas:

Greenskins:
Black Orc = Melee Tank (Orc)
Shaman = Healer / Caster (Goblin)
Squig Herder = Ranged DPS – pet class (Goblin)

Chaos:
Marauder = Melee DPS – dual wield (Mutation)
Chosen = Melee Tank
Zealot = Healer / Caster
Magus = Ranged DPS / Caster – pet class

Dark Elves:
Witch Elf = Melee DPS – dual wield
Sorceress = Ranged DPS / Caster
Disciple of Khaine = Healer / Melee

Tanks:

Black Orc:
This is your melee tank in Warhammer online, special skill is a three combo attack. You use a "starter" skill to start your three skill combo, this opens up "da good plan" skills. You use a "da good plan" skill to progress the combo to "da best plan". After you use a skill from "da best plan" you then start over or use another ability.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Da Brawler" this is for players going 2H. (Using a 2 handed weapon)
"Path of Da Toughest" this is for players going 1H weapon and shield.
"Path of Da Boss" this is for players that want to max out group skills, empowering other players in the group, or protecting them.
"Plays like": A typical "warrior" class.
Solo PvE = B + You really have to do something stupid to die in PvE as a Black Orc.
Group PvE = C Average class in group, as long as you can hold agro.
Solo PvP = D Taking way too long to kill, most players will just ignore you and move on.
Group PvP = A With a healer you are almost unstoppable and will collapse enemy frontlines.

Chosen:
This is your other tank in Warhammer online, special ability is buffs. There are many buffs to choose from and these are "always on" until you die / zone / turn them off. You can only use one buff at a time.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Strife" – this is for players going 2H
"Path of Retaliation" – this is for 1H and shield
"Path of Discord" – This for those that want to concentrate on the buff aspect of the class, usually adding to DPS or an ability.
"Plays like": kind of like a Paladin, not a WOW Pally, more of a DnD Pally.
Solo PvE = B Having a little more DPS then a Black Orc, but less survivability.
Group PvE = B Group buffs do make a difference.
Solo PvP = D Same problem as Black Orc.
Group PvP = B If you have a healer you do halfway decently.

Melee DPS:

Marauder:

This is a straight out DPS class in Warhammer online, specialty is mutation. Basically you are a dual wielder, you use a weapon in one hand and the other hand is a mutation weapon.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Brutality" – This is for players that want max DPS against a single target.
"Path of Savagery" – This is for players doing better DPS with DOT's.
"Path of Monstrosity" – This is for players that want a little better defense and wanting to hit multiple targets.
"Plays like": This is rather a unique class, think of a dual wielding barbarian, better DPS then a tank, but less survivability.
Solo PvE = C + Awesome one versus one, runs into problems with adds.
Group PvE = B Very good against anything but bosses.
Solo PvP = A- Except for tanks this eats everything, and eats quickly at that.
Group PvP = A Rips casters quickly and downs healers better then any other class.

Witch Elf:

This is your other melee DPS class in Warhammer online, and plays very differently from a Marauder. Specialty is a "point" system, build up points and release on a skill, the more points built up, the more damage or effect.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Carnage" – This is for players that want straight out DPS right in the enemies face.
"Path of Suffering" – This is for players that want better DOT's.
"Path of Treachery" – This is for players that want to use tactics to do more DPS. You do a lot more damage hitting from the sides and back, but not so much face to face.
"Plays like": A typical rogue, including the WOW rogue.
Solo PvE = B + a little better agro management then Marauder, but a little less raw DPS.
Group PvE = C + Takes a few seconds more to build up the DPS then a Marauder.
Solo PvP = A You do not want to solo against this class, even healers will have problems.
Group PvP = B + Must build up DPS, otherwise most classes are a cakewalk.

Ranged DPS:

Squig Herder:

Not using magic, but a bow and a mobile pet. Specialty is, of course, da Squig. Only one Squig can be out at a time. Total of 4 Squigs by level 10. Squigs are basic, horned, (better melee) ranged, spiked. (Hard melee) The Squig is a little tricky to play, if you specialize in ranged DPS you get a slightly gimped ranged pet. Specialize in melee you get the "so-so" horned Squig. Specialize in versatility, you get slightly gimped damage, but a strong pet. You can also summon a Squig and jump inside it, but it has been my experience that it is not that great in PvE or PvP. (This is called "Squig Armor")

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Big Shootin" – better ranged DPS, slightly gimped ranged Squig.
"Path of Quick Shootin" – slightly gimped DPS, but the best melee DPS Squig.
"Path of stabbin" – so-so damage and a so-so melee Squig.
"Plays like": This is another unique class, it will greatly depend on your tree choice. Do you want to focus on yourself, the pet, or a little of both?
Solo PvE = A Easy walkthrough in regular PvE.
Group PvE = C- Average damage, does not really bring anything unique to the group.
Solo PvP = C As long as you stay out of range you will do "OK"
Group PvP = A + You are not a healer, caster, or tank, so you are almost always ignored in group PvP, this allows you to sit back and shoot away. You do not need heals as you are always out of range, so you actually help healers. You can always send your pet against an enemy healer / caster to be a pain in the butt for the enemy. (When one Squig dies, you can summon a different class Squig in two seconds.)

Sorcerer:

This is your pure DPS caster in Warhammer online, of course this is going to come at a price. Specialty is a "power pool". This pool builds up as you cast spells, and when it is full, you can release it and cause massive damage. The problem is that most spells you cast have a small percentage to cause "backlash" which actually damages you. You can release all the power built up at any time before it is full if you wish. The problem is that the more you let your power build up, the better critical percent and the better bonus to critical damage the spell will deal, however the percent that a "backlash" will happen is also increased. If you have a healer that knows what he / she is doing this is not too bad, however if you do not you can actually one shot yourself!

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Agony" – This is for players that want to concentrate on a single target at a time, and you do not have to worry "too much" about killing yourself.
"Path of Calamity" – This is for players that want hardcore DOT's and is actually safer then the Path of Agony.
"Path of Destruction" – This is for players that like to go "balls to the wall" and hit many targets at the same times for awesome damage, the drawback is that you also have the greatest chance to face plant right into the ground, because you used more power then you could handle and you killed yourself.
"Plays like": An overpowered mage. However you are not really overpowered, because you threaten and damage yourself.
Solo PvE = C + sometimes when you do get backlash you need to chill out a little, if this happens at the wrong time or you are not paying attention to your health, it really hurts.
Group PvE = A Have fun and nuke everything.
Solo PvP = C With low health and you must stay at range, this can get you in trouble.
Group PvP = A + With a decent healer you can force whole groups to think twice about advancing. When facing noobs, I have seen whole groups back up when a ranged AOE spell is cast.

Magus:

This is really an odd class in warhammer online to play as your pet is stationary and you must choose at what range you want to cause the most damage: Long range, medium range or close range. Your specialty is summoning stationary demons. You do not outright nuke as a sorcerer does, yet your DPS is not exactly gimped. This class is very situational.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of the Havoc" – Concentrating on long range attacks against a single target with a pink horror.
"Path of Changing" – Concentrating on medium range decent attacks using a flamer demon.
'Path of Demonology "- Concentrating on short range decent AOE attacks using a blue horror.
"Plays like": Nothing I have played before, as such this class does take awhile to get used too.
Solo PvE = A + Easily dropping mobs as you can summon a blue horror and pull mobs to it
Group PvE = B + As long as you are not moving around too much you do well.
Solo PvP = F Forget it.
Group PvP = B + Excels at guarding flags or areas. Sometimes noobs will even attack your pet not understanding that if they just killed you with your low hit points the pet would die anyway.

Healer:

Shaman:

Of all ten classes this one seems to be slightly OP in Warhammer online. (OP = Overpowered) A Shaman has decent healing abilities and awesome DPS for a healer class. Specialty is "WAAAGH!" which is actually almost useless. Basically when you cast a heal spell it slightly increases your next damage spell, this effect stacks up to three times. So if you cast three heal spells and then cast a damage spell it ends up being an empowered damage spell. Same as if you cast three damage spells and then cast a heal spell, your heal spell will be empowered. The problem here is that there is no sane individual that is going to sit there and count every time they cast a spell. I would advise to simply write this specialty off as a slight bonus that you do NOT need to keep track of, if you need to damage then damage, if you need to heal, then heal.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Mork" For those players that want to play a hardcore healer.
"Path of Gork" For those players that want to put out DPS and heal later.
"Path of Da Green" For those players that want a balance between the two. (Also increases buffs)
"Plays like": A cleric in old school DAOC, go heal or go smite, or gimp yourself and try to do both.
Solo PvE = C + you might take a little longer to kill in PvE, however your rarely die.
Group PvE = A Very versatile, you can heal or DPS.
Solo PvP = A + Do not even try to solo an equal level Shaman.
Group PvP = A + Massive heal or above average DPS, you can choose and simply change your mind with the click of the button.

Zealot:

This class is a lot better healer then it is at DPS in warhammer online, you will commonly be targeted and hunted down, however you have AWESOME survival skills. Specialty is group buffs, only one can be used at a time but it effects the whole group and they are usually very decent.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Alchemy" For hardcore healers.
"Path of Ritual" For those that enjoy buffing and debuffing.
"Path of Witchcraft" For those that wish to try and DPS.
"Plays like": This is another unique class, wearing paper and low hit points, but awesome heals and group buffs.
Solo PvE = C weak DPS, but great survivability.
Group PvE = A + really excels at healing and buffs.
Solo PvP = D Just can not cause enough damage solo, to be viable.
Group PvP = A As long as you keep ranged, you will be a great healing asset.

Disciple of Khaine:

This class is a dual wielding / healer type and plays rather oddly in warhammer online. You can not out-heal a Shaman or Zealot, yet you can off-heal and do decent melee damage. The specialty is rather odd, you have a "pool" of healing that depletes as you heal, however when you melee, it replenishes. This means that you can not sit back and hardcore heal, however you are more then suitable for average melee fights. When you do fight, you replenish your healing pool.

The three skill trees are:
"Path of Ritual" For better healing abilities.
"Path of Torture" For better melee skills.
"Path of Sacrifice" This is a balance between the two.
"Plays like": A very unique class that will take awhile to get used too, however this class does excel if played correctly.
Solo PvE = B + When PvE'ing this plays like a gimped Witch Elf that can heal herself.
Group PvE = A Very flexible as long as you maintain at least a little melee combat.
Solo PvP = C + While you can not greatly heal, you do have average melee skills which makes you a very hard target to kill.
Group PvP = D Because of the complexity of the class it is hard to figure with action is the best to take in the chaos of group versus group PvP.

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Source by Mads Vangsoe

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Well, why not? Ha-ha! Seriously, why would you want to get a Celtic tattoo? In case you have not gotten around to thinking about it much, we'll discuss a few elements and associations that may not have come to mind yet.

Celtic tattoos obviously have something to do with the Celts, but who were they? The Celts were an Indo-European people now represented chiefly by the Irish, Gaels, Welsh, and Bretons. We'll call that the British Isles. For such a tiny area, there's a lot of diversity and history in the British Isles. Just the geography alone includes England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to say nothing of Scotland's coastal Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland islands. When you hear people mention Celtic tattoos, they generally are referring to the pre-historic designs used either in the decorative arts or by warriors.

Celtic tattoos based on art give you an incredibly rich treasure trove for resourcing designs. Because these designs are fairly primitive, they tend to have less detail than a modern cartoon drawing or anime cell would have, for example. This means they can look good even in the hands of a less experienced tattooist. The repetitive nature of the designs also means that they look good on small body parts such as the wrist or ankle.

The Celts' culture has given us the English language, which you are reading right now, along with many of the fairy tales, legends, games, songs, holidays, protestant religion, and literature that are a pervasive part of American culture.

The primitive and archaic feeling as well as the symbolism behind Celtic tattoos makes these designs very attractive. Especially if you live in a large city, surrounded by technology, machines and fiberglass, this connection to our ancient brothers and sisters reminds us that there are other ways to live, and different ways of being than what is considered the modern standard of living.

From a design point of view, a Celtic tattoo gives you a classic, understated look, while sending a subconscious message of association with the "rulers of the known world." You have probably figured out by now that you really do not need to be from the UK to warrant wearing a Celtic tattoo. If you're from the United States, it's pretty common to have a family member who is English, Irish, Scottish or Welsh, even if you do not look even faintly white.

Ok, so those are lots of the reasons that folks are getting Celtic tattoos like they are going out of style. Now, what's your tattoo going to look like? There are a lot to choose from, that's for sure. First of all, spirals. Some of the oldest Britons were called Picts. They wore bluish tattoos or war-paint into battle. We're lucky enough to have stone carvings from the period, which show varied symbols including the sacred spirals, the wheel of Taranis (their version of Thor), and the tree of destiny.

Celtic tattoos in knotwork have to rank right up at the top among the currently popular Celtic tattoos. These designs actually come from illuminated manuscripts from the middle ages or even before that. Illuminated manuscripts are books that were written and illustrated completely by hand, before the printing press! When you think of someone, usually a monk, spending a lifetime developing these designs, it seems kind of incredible that someone could create this without Google image search or Photoshop. The knotwork you find in Celtic tattoos usually went around the edge of the page, and it is almost always seen in band tattoo designs. It can be as simple or as intricate as you desire.

Celtic tattoo designs, the two main ideas of which are the spirals and the knotwork, can be transformed into a myriad of beautiful new designs. Some of the things that can be combined with the spiral and knots are the Claddagh, the triangle, animals such as wild boar, bear, griffin or stag, the sun and moon as parts of the ancient spirituality of the Celts, or perhaps certain heraldic devices.

Celtic tattoo designs might fit you perfectly, but whether they do or not, I hope reading this has given you some ideas about their historic meaning. The Celts' influences are everywhere, so much so that they're a seamless part of the western world most of the time, making a Celtic tattoo a harmonious and subtle choice for your new ink.

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Source by Emma Ritchey

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Mutants: Genetic Gladiators is a cool breeding game that lets you discover and breed different types of mutants using a specific gene.

Each mutant has their own strength and weaknesses depend on the genes they have.

Genes

There are primarily 6 types of genes that you can use, but only 3 will be available at first. They are Saber, Necro, Cyber, Zoomorph, Galactic and Mythic. There is a chain effect that works like this:

Saber beats Necro and Mythic but is weak against Cyber ​​and Zoomorph.

Necro beats Cyber ​​and Galactic but is weak against Saber and Mythic.

Cyber ​​beats Saber and Zoomorph but is weak against Necro and Galactic.

Each mutant can have either the same genes or is paired with another gene. You can then work out different strategies and figure out how to build your team.

Breeding

You can breed all the different genes and get all sorts of different mutants from it. If you like the undead looking like creatures, then Necro is the way to go for you. If you like human looking creatures, Saber should be your choice. Cyber ​​is primarily robots, giving you the futuristic mutant. Galactic are alien like creatures while mythic are more "mythology" type mutants. You can breed them and get a mix of 2 genes.

The benefit of having 2 genes allows you to have 2 different genetic attacks, allowing you more flexibility when fighting in campaign and PvP mode. Double similar genes is good in the sense that you do get an area of ​​effect (AoE) attack, making it useful to fight up to 3 mutants at once.

It all comes down to preference on what you like the most. If you like AoE attacks, then you will like the double similar gene mutants. If you enjoy a variety of attacks, then a mixed gene mutant will suit you better.

Whatever your choice may be, you have the flexibility to adjust your PvP and campaign team to have a better chance of defeating your enemies.

PvP Tournament

Every 14 days, there will be a PvP tournament which you can participate and win some cool prizes. The most lucrative prize you can win is the Gold Star. What that does is it allows you to breed a really strong mutant.

Bronze Star – Breed 2 level 10 mutants with this and it will get you a bronze version mutant which is 10% stronger.

Silver Star – Breed 2 level 15 bronze mutants and net you a silver version which is 30% stronger.

Gold Star – Nets you a 75% stronger mutant when you breed 2 level 20 silver mutants.

As you can see, your goal is to get the gold mutant and be the strongest of them all!

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Source by Kenny Leng

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The film Smoke Signals is a journey of two young men from the Coeur d'Alene Indian Reservation. One of the young men, Thomas, describes the journey as a "ceremony," as each of them along the way endeavors to discover what it means to be 'Indian' in twentieth century America. Thomas and Victor have conflicting opinions of how Indians should be: Victor is the stoic warrior lacking a battle to fight and Thomas is the visionary storyteller whom no one listens to.

The overriding theme of this film is the sense of loss felt by the Indians, in the past and present. The manner in which the film cuts back and forth between past and present signifies how all events are intertwined, and stresses how Indians strongly hold on to their past and their ancestors' past. One example of this remembrance is seen when Thomas and Victor are walking in the desert to Victor's father's trailer. Thomas says:

Columbus shows up and we start walking away from that beach, trying to get away, and then Custer moves into the neighborhood, drivin 'down all the property values, and we gotta keep on walking, and ole Harry Truman drops the bomb and we gotta keep on walking 'cept it's all bright now and we can see exactly where we're going, and then we get a beachhouse on the moon, but Neil Armstrong shows up and boots us off into space (Smoke Signals).

This speech is an excellent example of the history of the Indians; how they were forced to move from one area to another and then again, as whites moved in and displaced them. It also shows how the Indians feel adrift, like there is no place they can call their own, not even on the moon.

The feeling of loss is also seen in scenes such as when Victor and his father lose the basketball game to the Jesuit priests, and when their seat on the bus is taken by the two white men who say, "No, these were your seats" (Smoke Signals). But however much the Indians live with the remembrance of what they lost, they continue to hold out hope that someday they will regain their former life. This widespread Indian belief is described when Victor's father says that with a sweep of his hand, he could make the "whites disappear" (Smoke Signals).

This is an excellent film as it gives us perspectives into the present life of Native Americans, which is something that is frequently overlooked by our society.

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Source by Mary Arnold

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Football season is not too far away and it is never too late to begin preparation for next season's team. One of the first things you need to do in planning for the formation of a new team is to get all your flag football gear together.

You need to determine what is necessary to have an official flag football team. Official play requires equipment to set up the field as well as what the team needs for each player. Finally there is the basic flag football equipment set that will get the ball rolling. If you are organizing for a league you need to put this list together to establish several teams so that all will be duly fitted out for play.

Field Equipment

According to the United States Flag Football Association certain field equipment must be available to have an official game. The following items make up the list for field equipment.

• There has to be markings to designate boundaries for what is inbounds, out-of-bounds, and the end zones. These markings can be set out through the use of a machine known as a chalk marker or the more elaborate marker, the acrylic latex paint field marker. Both of these items can be purchased through larger sporting goods stores.
• The installation of permanent goals at the boundaries of both end zones for the use of field goals and points made after touchdowns. These goals are defined as two upright posts extending twenty feet above the level of the playing field and with inside measurements of twenty-three feet four inches apart. There shall also be a horizontal bar connecting the two upright posts at a juncture of ten feet above the level of the playing field.
• There is also the need for a down marker to indicate the advancing location of each down and which down number that is currently at play.

The Player's Equipment

The flag football gear for each player to have in order to play an official game must consist of the following items.

• A regular football jersey with a number in a solid blocked format on the front and back of the jersey will constitute the official uniform for each team. Players on opposing teams must wear contrasting colors to provide sufficient team identification during play.
• Footwear shall consist of any type of shoe that covers the whole of the foot. The upper portion of the shoe can be manufactured from canvas, leather, or a synthetic material. The sole shall be composed of leather, rubber or a synthetic composite material. Rubber cleats will enhance foot traction and are permitted for play, but they are not a requirement for official play.
• There is no need for helmets to constitute official flag football play. Headgear can be a stocking cap or ski cap with colors that complement the player's jersey.

Basic Flag Football Gear

To round out the list for official play the following items must be included for official flag football games.

• The official flag football made by the Wilson Sporting Good Company and listed in their catalogue as NCAA 1001 Traditional model number F1001 shall be used at all games. Any substitute football must meet the specifications of this particular playing piece as prescribed by the United States Flag Football Association.
• One of the most important pieces of equipment is the flag belt. Each flag belt must have at least two removable flags attached at each hip. There is an optional flag belt that has three flags that provides an extra opportunity to down a player upon the pull of the flag. The attachment of the flags most generally is the hook and loop type of fastener.
• Goal markers to place at the junction of the goal lines and sidelines as well as the end lines are needed for obvious reasons for official play.

Flag football gear is relatively inexpensive and it is fairly easy to outfit a whole team with a modicum of investment. It is possible to raise the money for all the listed equipment prior to the season's kickoff through various fundraisers that will help you build support for your team long before the team takes the field.

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Source by Andy Brock

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The word "monsters" usually recalls childhood fears of some ugly thing lurking underneath your bed, just waiting for your feet to dangle over the side so it can pull you under. It makes you remember the time when you were afraid so afraid of the dark that you had to dash quickly out of room after switching the lights off just to reduce the chances of that beast in your closet gobbling you up. Like last night.

Monsters, of course, are also important literary devices and symbols that have been used to represent the unknown, the inexplicable, and the truly creepy parts of our world. Deeply steeped in fantasy and myth, monster stories are usually about facing a grand fear, typically death. Such is the case for Old English epic poem, Beowulf, which has more mythological beasts than an episode of HBO's True Blood. You've got dragons, sea monsters, some half-human descendant of Cain named Grendel, and his protective mother. JRR Tolkien, author of the equally fantastic The Lord of The Rings trilogy, was a big supporter of examining the use of fantasy and monsters in Beowulf, arguing in the famous lecture "Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics" that such elements were a work of art and integral to the poem's themes of mortality, bravery, and even religion.

Grendel is the biggest jerk in the story, attacking King Hrothgar's mead hall and eating his warriors for a late night snack. This is your worst childhood nightmare realized: monsters are not only real, but they are also breaking into where you sleep and eating you like a bag of potato chips. The fact that the attacks happen at night in the dark, desolate, and bone-chilling tribal regions of the Denmark / Sweden area only amplifies the fear that plagues King Hrothgar's people. No wonder everyone is holed up together in a giant mead hall.

Of course, such fear must be conquered. Enter Beowulf, a brave warrior who is not fazed by the possibility of death, mere monsters, or their overbearing moms. Long story short, he victoriously slews all of them-even though his last encounter with the dragon cost him his life-coming out as the singular hero who saved countless people. Hooray!

But some fear is not so conquerable. The fear of outside creatures or elements infiltrating a refuge is also found in William Golding's classic novel Lord of the Flies, in which a pack of British boys wash up on a deserted tropical island and start to establish a semi-society for them to survive- sort of like the Dane and Geat tribes represented in Beowulf. The boys are all fearful of an imagined beast somewhere on the island, offering it severed pig heads to appease it, as if it were a monster under a bed that could be satisfied by a stuffed teddy bear tossed under so it will not gobble you up. Talk about childhood nightmares. Of course, the childish fears are manifested in other events that bewilder the boys-such as a lifeless parachuting man gliding toward the island.

However, the fear that plagues them is not some Grendel-like creature that can be vanquished-it's something inside of the boys. Simon, the only boy on the island who gets this fact, confirms his suspicions after having a hallucinatory conversation with that severed pig head. Much like Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven in which a fairly one-sided chat with a stately bird causes the speaker to project his own fears and grief until he descends into madness, Simon's talk with the pig head also reflects the inner demons and monsters that are at work within the human psyche. There are no dragons to be slain, no battles to be fought, and no chance for a Beowulf character to ride in and save the day. The epic poem focuses on the external and more manageable unknown, while Golding's novel takes that unknown and follows that fear within. And that monster is something you can not fight off with a nightlight.

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Source by Paul Thomson

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The Irish family crest is a heraldic fashion utilized by individuals of a family to express their great pride in their clan and family heritage. Coats of arms were part of Norman and northern European tradition and did not become prominent among Irish families until after to the English invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Family crests are comparable to modern day gang colors and showed you were part of a particular clan or region. They were also employed in war to tell family and friends from enemies, to act as a rallying point and a symbol of what they were battling for.

The coat of arms was usually placed on a tunic or on the chest of a suit of armor. It also was carried and shown on flags and pendants. In warfare it was often painted onto a warriors shield. These coats of arms were rich in symbolism and meaning and commonly showed ties between families. Three reoccurring symbols found on Irish family crests are the red hand, the stag walking, and the wild boar.

Although its beginnings go all the way back to pagan times "The Red Hand of Ulster" in Gaelic L'mh Dhearg Uladh, is in most cases linked to the O'Neil clan and is sometimes referred to as the "Hand of O'Neil ". The O'Neal's are one of the most ancient families in Ireland and claim ancestry to a grandson of Niall Glun Dubh a 10th century King of Ireland and through him to Niall of the Nine Hostages, a legendary 4th century high king. It was utilized by the O'Neils in the nine year war and their battle cry was "L'mh Dhearg Ab!" meaning "red hand to victory." Its earliest use on a coat of arms goes back to 1243 when Walter de Burgh became Earl of Ulster and added it to his family crest. It may also be observed on the flag of Northern Ireland together with the shields of counties Cavan, Tyrone, Londonderry, Antrim and Monaghan. Other families that use the red hand on their crest are Branagan, Brennan, Byrne, Cullen, Daly, Daugherty, Fox, Guinness, McNeil, Neal or O'Neal, Riley, Reilly or O'Reilly.

The stepping stag is a symbol of stable political strength and is most commonly linked to the McCarthy clan. The McCarthy's were one of the most important families of southern Ireland and trace their ancestry to Carthach, an 11th century E'ganacht Chaisil king and contemporary of Brian Boru High King of Ireland. His son Muireadhach styled himself Mac Cartaigh meaning son of Carthach and his sons put into practice the surname Mac Carthy. The Mac Carthy's were allied to a number of families of southern Ireland and fought regularly with their Norman neighbors the Fitzgerald's and Butler's. Among the other families which feature the stepping stag are Daugherty, Green, McConnell or O'Connell and Rogers.

The wild boar is a symbol of steadfastness, bravery and courage and a determination to battle to the death. As opposed to the boars head which signifies hospitality. The Sullivan's or O'Sulliavan's, Gaelic Ua S'ileabh'in, are another ancient Irish clan. Their crest features two wild boars on a black and white quartered field. The O'Sullivan center of influence was in County Tipperary but they were also numerous in Cork and Munster. They are decent from Fedelmid mac Crimthainn a 9th century King of Munster. Other families that utilize the wild boar symbol are Cassidy, McCann, and Sweeny.

The symbols of Irish heraldry are very plentiful including wild and mythical beasts, weapons, and heraldic emblems; these are just a handful which is usually distinctly Irish. For people with Irish ancestors there are a number good publications available that will assist an armature genealogist investigate their family crest.

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Source by Wm M Martin

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To begin with, my children already lived here with their mother and stepfather. The varsity football team, the Stephenville Yellow Jackets, was the winningest Texas football team in the 90's and my sons, along with their stepfather, urged me to come and see these kids play. "They are phenomenal!" I was assured. I went to watch them play as they won the Texas State Championships in 98 and 99. They WERE phenomenal! My youngest son played football at Stephenville High. His underclass teams won district and he played Varsity ball on a team that went to the Bi-District finals his Senior year. This was enough to get me to criss-cross the wide open spaces of Texas from Arlington, chasing after my son's football games for four years, including quite a few contests right in his home town of Stephenville.

Game by game, the town was growing on me.

Some unusual things were happening there that caught my attention from my apartment in Arlington. For starters, on a Christian radio show I used to listen to, the host, Dawson McAllister, mentioned he would soon be speaking at a rally in … where else? Stephenville! Hmm. Intriguing. Turns out, my kids attended that rally. I found out later, most EVERYBODY's kids attended.

Another happening that the Holy Spirit used to lure my attention to Stephenville was the war against prayer in the schools, particularly at sporting events and graduations. The reports were on virtually every nightly newscast. I noticed during my brief visits to town that there were many kids wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with the words "I Pray before I Play" emblazoned boldly upon the front. Following are some pieces of articles I found on the Internet, the likes of which I seemed to be hearing regularly back in the late 90's. They speak for themselves, painting an accurate picture of the climate of those days:

"… The athletic field is rapidly turning into a culture war battle zone, as it did Friday night at a game in Stephenville, Texas, over the issue of school prayer. Education boards and school principals across Texas are struggling with federal guidelines on religious activities, including the ban on official school prayer. Earlier this year, the 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that some religious references were permissible at school events like graduation ceremonies, but were inappropriate – not sufficiently sacred – during other activities like athletic contests. Jurists ruled that the hootin 'and hollerin' of a down-home football standoff lacked the "singularly serious nature" of other functions, such as a graduation event.

"That did not stop a small group of 15 students on Friday night, though, from smuggling a portable public address system into a high school game in Stephenville, Texas, to lead supporters in public prayer …

"One of the" prayer warrior "students at Friday night's game told the Stephenville Empire-Tribune paper," This was not about football, it was about God. We decided to pray for God (sic). "According to an Associated Press report, local high school superintendent Larry Butler said that the impromptu prayer rally did not have support of authorities from the district." With that being said, "added Butler, "I applaud them for doing something that they feel really strongly about. I think the entire community of Stephenville believes in school prayer. "

"So far, there are no other reports of spontaneous prayer outbreaks at weekend football games. News accounts suggest that most school district throughout Texas are abiding by the Circuit Court guidelines …"

FROM ANOTHER ARTICLE …

"A number of" spontaneous "protest at football games have taken place in Stephenville. Last week, the Board of Trustees of the Stephenville Independent School District grappled with a policy which would permit a student selected by popular vote to deliver a pre-game" message, "provided certain rules were observed. The local Empire-Tribune newspaper noted:" The rules are that the purpose of the message is to encourage good sportsmanship and student safety and to promote the proper environment for the competition … The message may also be used to welcome or greet fans and the opposing team and / or to commend them for their achievements.

"While one board member mused that the new policy" would legally create an open forum for a period of time designated for the message and designate a place for the student message, "another member saw through the obfuscation. Referring to the 5th US Circuit Court decision disallowing pre-game prayer, he told fellow board members: "This is the law today whether we like it or not. Until this is cleared up, I personally think we go against the law if we allow student prayer, or any prayer, before the game … ""

HERE'S ONE MORE FROM '99 …

Students Defy Federal Judge on Prayer at High School Game

Stephenville, TX – The August 27th football season opener for the Stephenville High School Yellow Jackets was not only memorable for the lop-sided victory they had, but also for the courage shown by the student body and the fans in the crowd. A district federal judge had issued a decision forbidding prayer at public school gatherings, even if initiated by students. The students of Stephenville High believe this is a violation of their constitutional right to freedom of religion. The student body not only takes pride in being the defending 4A state champions, but in exercising their constitutional rights.

Before the opening kickoff, one of the students of Stephenville High grabbed a microphone and led a "spontaneous" prayer. Several students joined the young man on the sidelines, but what was even more powerful was the fact that not some, but all of the people in the stands stood up, removed their hats and joined in the prayer. Local news stations were there to cover the game and questioned the police and high school administrator as to what they planned to do about the "illegal" praying. There was no response from the police, but the high school administrator simply said that no actions were to be taken against the students. School officials also pointed out that since the school had not officially sanctioned the action, it could not be held legally liable for what happened.

The federal judge, upon hearing about the public prayer, said that the prayer was in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state. Some supporters of the students pointed out that the Constitution does not demand separation of church and state, but guarantees that there will be no laws made establishing any official religion or prohibiting the free exercise of religion. Students interviewed said that they planned to pray publicly at their next game.
One thing that most local reports on the event failed to mention was that it was not just the Stephenville students and supporters, but their football adversaries as well that stood up to be counted. The Weatherford High School Kangaroos, and all their fans, honored the brave individuals that dared to challenge the edict of a federal judge by standing with them during the prayer. With reporters scouring the crowd for an opposing view, not one person was found whom the prayer offended. Still the judge finds this act illegal and irresponsible!

What happens going forward from here depends on how determined the judge is to force his will on the people, and how determined the citizens of Stephenville are to defend their constitutional rights. For one night at least, this was seen as a victory for Texans in the exercise of their rights. As for Weatherford High, it was the one bright spot in a night that resulted in a 34-7 loss to the Yellow Jackets.

AND ANOTHER …

MORE SCHOOLS IGNORE FOOTBALL PRAYER BAN

North of Dallas, Celina high school football fans prayed before a football game with a Christian school. The apparently coordinated prayer by fans, football players, cheerleaders, and band members violates the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ban on school football prayers because football is not properly solemn enough for God.

Rev. John Mark Arrington, pastor at Lighthouse Full Gospel Church in Garland distributed 250 T-shirts with the slogan, "Celina Bobcats Pray Before They Play." Arrington want students to obey "God's law," which justifies the growing rebellion of evangelicals against the US Constitution.

In Stephenville, students brought their own sound system to football games and delivered a religious message using the equipment. There was no report that school officials took any action to prevent it.

In Midland, student-led prayers at football games still happen. School officials said the prayers would continue until someone filed a lawsuit to make them stop.

FINALY, THIS FROM US NEWS & WORLD REPORT …

To pray – or not to pray "by Robert Bryce.
US News & World Report, Sep 13, 1999 (Vol 127, No 10). Page 26.

Joel Allen and Alan Ward, two Stephenville, Texas, high school students, refused to be denied the tradition that surrounded their school's football games. So to circumvent a federal court order barring use of a school's public address system for prayer before high school football games, the two students borrowed a small speaker system and led the crowd in prayer, much to the fans' delight.

The court ruling that affects Stephenville, Texas, handed down in February 1999, by the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals has revived a national furor over the place of prayer in public school events. The court's decision stated that student-led prayer during graduation ceremonies is allowed, but prayer during events such as football games is not since they do not represent a "solemn" enough occasion.

This latest ruling is one of several conflicting federal decisions on school prayer in recent years. In July 1999, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an Alabama school district could not ban student-initiated prayer at school activities, even when attendance of the event is mandatory.

The Fifth Circuit Court's decision will most likely be appealed to the US Supreme Court. In the meantime, some school districts in Louisiana and Texas say they will hold a moment of silence in lieu of prayer. Others vow to ignore the ruling altogether.

YOU GET THE PICTURE.

I was fascinated, waiting with baited breath for the next act of civil disobedience to come from the kids from this li'l ol 'town in Texas I'd never heard of until my kids moved there.

Finally, I became very ill and was faced with a difficult decision. I had to leave Arlington, a place I'd lived for 14 years and a Church of which I was a Charter Member and Assistant Pastor as well as a good-paying job where I held a prestigious position. But I could not bend over to load my dishwasher, walk a flight of stairs or carry groceries to and from my car. I needed my children's help.

Stephenville, here I come!

Crippled and in pain, finding a job was nearly impossible. I came very close to filing Medicaid papers and becoming a ward of the state. I could not bring myself to do it. Where God guides, He provides and He regularly sent ravens to take care of my needs. My old college roommate lived in Dublin just 12 minutes away. He directed a publishing company to contact me as they needed an illustrator for a series of children's books. That job alone, a job I could do from my kitchen table or even from propped -up pillows, was enough to help me make ends meet. Between chapters, recipients of my weekly email Bible broadcasts would occasionally come through with a love offering.

I was living from miracle to miracle until I received a call from my old college pal informing me that the local Chamber of Commerce was in need of a receptionist. I did not even know what a Chamber of Commerce actually did but I was feeling miraculously better, well enough to have applied for work at a local dairy reading the ear tags on cows just the day before. Funny, I can not recall a job interview where a prospective employer asked if I'd mind occasionally getting "splattered with manure." (I replied that it sounded like my last job. He did not laugh.) Any way, I went right to The Chamber and I'll be there 5 years this July 7th. It's a great job and the Lord has allowed me numerous opportunities to tap into the spiritual roots of the community from my position.

UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY

At the Chamber, I've been privileged to work for and with wonderful Christian people. Several years back, one lady I worked with had the idea of ​​putting on an event that would give teens something to do after school ended in may. as we brainstormed, the event evolved into "The Extreme Thing." In no time, other church members and ministers jumped on board. In the end, we had 29 churches involved, 9 bands, bouncy toys, organized games, 1,000 attendees and several ministers. The event was closed by a wonderful Church of Christ choir and their pastor. It was awesome!

In 2002 and 2003, I organized a July 4th parade entry which I called "The Declaration of Dependence." I designed a T-shirt and matching banner and about 50 Christians suited up and took part. The next year, over 150 Christians took part from 11 different churches – including Hispanic Churches. We had the largest entry in the parade that year.

One day, a man from the Assembly of God Church took me to lunch. He had an idea for a door to door prayer ministry he called "Operation Jesus." I designed a logo for a T-shirt and, in the past two years, hundreds of participants have prayed for virtually every dwelling place in town. We're about to start over and the numbers of participating churches is increasing every time we go out.

A young Youth Minister from the Disciples of Christ had the vision to organize an event he called "The Unity Conference." In the end, hundreds of believers attended from various denominations to listen to seven different ministers speak on a variety of subjects and worship together in song with several church worship teams. I was honored to have been one of those who ministered. Just a few months ago, I actually preached the Sunday morning services in that same church on two consecutive Sundays.

My own ministry has expanded to include opportunities to speak at the high school and the local college where I recently participated in a panel discussion on homosexuality in a grad level counseling / psych class. Last Sunday, I completed my 6th and final week of teaching at the First United Methodist Church. I've been invited back. The Pastor called me at work just today to thank me for "sharing my gift" with his congregation. Nice man.

The pastor from the local Cowboy Church – a Baptist group that has blossomed to 500 members in its first year – has asked that I come and teach the Cowboys about the cults. Though I'm not Baptist, I have taught too many times to count at the Sunday meetings of the local Baptist Ministry. I attend a weekly house church meeting that includes several Pentecostals, some Baptists and a couple of Catholics. We've prayed together and ministered to others and have seen miracles and spiritual gifts in operation.

Jesus prayed that we would be one as He and the Father are one. Unity commands a Heavenly blessing.

THAT'S MY STORY …

That's how I got to town and what God's shown me in the mean time. Has it been without its trials? Hardly. Aside from hate mail via my computer, I once visited a woman in the county jail and even helped arrange her release. She later accused me of a crime and filed a restraining order against me. Not only did that case never make it to trial, but that woman has been sent to the state jail for another crime. On top of that, there have been a few people who would not allow their kids to sit under my teaching because they learned I've been divorced. At least no one's shooting.

Oh, one last bit of good news is this: I moved to a cabin in the woods and, when I met my wonderful wife, Barbara, we not only moved here and love it, but we bought a Victorian home in town that my parents moved into from Las Cruces, New Mexico and are managing as a rooming house. We call it Vanderbilt Place. Barb is a registered nurse and got a job at the hospital located just 2 blocks from my downtown office at The Chamber. I see all 4 of my kids, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren regularly. I can recall the times that I was always so all alone and sickly.

I'm not sure what it is the Lord is doing here in this wonderful little town but, knowing Him, I know it's gonna be great! I encourage anyone reading this now to grow where you're planted, regardless of circumstances. I've learned that anything we can see with human eyes is subject to change. Even at my sickest, I was mailing Christian Gospel tracts to Middle Eastern-sounding names from the phone book on the chance the recipients might be Muslim. I made it to the letter "J" as I recall. My stamp-licking tongue was not broken, after all. Later, a dear friend gave me a good used computer and my email ministry was on its way. I STILL only type with one finger (40 wpm, not bad, huh?).

Now, scroll down and FORWARD the message. Rate it if you like.

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Source by Michael Tummillo

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Before I go on please note that I did NOT say "Halo is better than Star Wars" so this is not an argument for or against either franchise. As I typed the title I could already feel the Force grip of millions of Jedi's around my neck whilst in the back of my mind I could hear the chant of "This is not the article you should be writing" repeatedly, Obi-Wan style!

Halo is my favourite franchise of all time. I love the game, I love the story and I love the idea. It's another cultural phenomenon that has captivated not only the imagination of gamers but those outside the community as well.

Star Wars and Halo are very different beasts but what they represent – culturally – is very similar.

Star Wars means a lot to a huge amount of people and rightfully so.

The original trilogy is fantastic. The trial of good over evil represented through ideas such as the Force, utilized by the opposing ideals of the Jedi and Sith, was completely original and fascinating at the time. George Lucas' creation captured the hearts and minds of not only Sci-Fi fans but families and children across the world.

The shocking revelation that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker's father at the climax of The Empire Strikes Back and his redemption at the end of Return of the Jedi were shining examples of imaginative vision and an apt conclusion to an inspiring series of movies.

Subsequent movies, comic books, novels, and video games; further filled out the Star Wars universe introducing us to many unique characters and a galaxy complete with its own history, myths and legends.

The impact of the original trilogy and the franchise is recognized throughout modern cinema and pop culture. There are not many people who have no idea what a Stormtrooper is or could not point out an Ewok in a crowd. Star Wars has touched millions of people.

I was not around when Episode IV: A New Hope was released in 1977 but I watched the movies on TV on numerous bank holidays and Christmas vacations before owning them on VHS and DVD. Countless viewings served to immerse me in the story.

But immersion is the key.

Star Wars used the media at the time it was released to tell a story. It was one of the first blockbuster movies. Special effects were getting better and George Lucas was able to utilize these, as well as a brilliantly crafted plot and a rich ensemble cast, to broadcast his vision worldwide.

Halo: Combat Evolved, similarly, used the technology of the time to introduce a new generation to a vast science fiction universe using the Xbox back in 2001.

Cinema, which provided something more stimulating than books to the youth of its day, is now nowhere near as immersive (there's that word again) a tool than a game is.

If handled correctly, a game can absorb the player, and weave itself in their consciousness, making the experience incredibly personal.

As a game, it was a stand-out contribution by Bungie to the First Person Shooter genre. The controls were weighted, the visuals sharp and pristine and the gameplay was perfect. The multiplayer aspect was amazing. It later even allowed gamers to use map editor Forge to create their own arenas of battle and create sculptures within the Halo setting.

The key though was how involving it was.

Becoming Master Chief John-117 (although his name was not revealed until Halo 3) meant you took the reigns of the last SPARTAN warrior, humanities last, best hope in the final years of an intergalactic war in the 26th century. This soldier was a honed killing machine but was more than just a robotic nobody who the player could dive in and out of. Who was this mysterious character? Why was he the last of his kind? What were his motivations? What were his origins?

The environment was equally as absorbing. One moment you were battling through the corridors of the Pillar of Autumn and the next you were looking out of forests and mountains of Halo; a massive, artificial ring-world. At some points, when facing in the right direction, you could see the immense construct reach up into the sky above you to meet its apex before curling back round behind you. You were left asking more questions – who built this world? What were they like? Why was it so valuable to your enemies?

You faced off against the Covenant. This was a multi-racial theocracy. Lead by The Prophets, this society was on a quest to take back all Forerunner artifacts (the beings who had built Halo) in the belief that this was a spiritual journey. They reviled humanity and viewed the Chief as a demon who stood in their way to enlightenment. Again, I was left wanting more – who were these aliens? What was their Great Journey? Why were they so malevolent?

On exploring Halo, Master Chief and the United Nations Space Command Marines unleash a terrible entity know as The Flood. This species, controlled by a being known as the Gravemind, took control over any living creature and distorted it, using it as host and fed upon anything in its path. Why were they sealed away on Halo? How long had they been there?

The game posed many questions and was so well put together that it attracted a huge fan base. People flocked in droves to purchase the game and I'm sure it worked in Microsoft's favour to sell a few Xboxes.

But, as Master Chief responded to Cortana at the end of Halo: CE, "I think we're just getting started."

I was hooked.

Nothing had ever gripped my imagination like this before. All the pieces were in play, all the questions that I NEEDED answered. I awaited the release of Halo 2 with baited breath.

As did I with Halo 3, Halo Wars, Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach.

Bungie had developed a completely involving space opera and one that you could become a part of. YOU were the hero. Everything about the Halo universe was designed to feel real, particularly the behaviour of the characters and units in the game. Halo made you part of a galactic conflict that felt like it could happen.

But Halo did something that only the likes of Tomb Raider had done before. It was no longer confined to the console.

Eric Nylund wrote novels to accompany the series which were endorsed by the producers. These went into incredible detail about the aspects of humanities ascent into the stars, its colonial wars, and the shocking and controversial development of the SPARTAN project. The books also looked at the war from both sides, offering the unique perspective of the Covenant forces; the Grunts, the Elites, the Brutes and the Prophets.

We were introduced to Dr. Catherine Halsey, the mastermind behind the SPARTAN inception. We met Fred and Kelly, members of John-117's original unit. And learned of the tragic fall of Reach, Earth's last, major bastion before it was attacked by the Covenant. The novels followed Master Chief throughout his journey as Earth's hero but also fleshed out many other characters and events along the way, expanding on the Halo universe as it went.

Many comparisons were made between the books and Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers in terms of content, storytelling, and realism.

When Halo 3 was released things went a step further.

By this time Halo and Master Chief had become household names. Adverts for the game were shown in theatres and TV and the franchise broke records for merchandising, something that another staple of pop culture, Harry Potter, had held before.

This was unlike any other gaming experience. It was a story that broke the constraints of its platform and went on to influence games that came after it. It shifted the focus from making not just an involving game but crafting an incredible story on which to support it.

Comic books by Marvel have been written showcasing the adventures of Master Chief, to accompany the games and the multitude of characters in the franchise. A Blu-ray was created to delve even deeper to the mystery of Halo, its origins and the history of The Covenant and humanity. A continuing range of action figures and vehicles have been released following all the games and developing the ideas within the saga. Halo Wars and Halo: Reach are both prequels to the trilogy that started with Halo: CE.

Reach was Bungies farewell to the series it so successfully ushered into the world. 343 Industries have now taken over management of Halo – this division of Microsoft was developed solely to run all things Halo and is even named after the Forerunner AI, 343 Guilty Spark, from the games.

This year, the game that started it all is ten years old and gets a re-mastering of its own.

Drawing any parallels to another franchise I mentioned earlier?

I was not there for Star Wars original release but Halo seems to have had that same cultural impact on my generation. It has captured fan's imagination and ran with the ball, going from strength to strength.

I hope it can continue to keep up the pace.

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Source by Rob Richardson

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The SIEGE is one of the most commonly used battle tactics employed by the devil to render Christians useless or partially ineffective in their spiritual service. I intend to use some of the principles of ordinary siege warfare to shed light on spiritual siege warfare. Before we look at this satanic strategy, however, I'd like to proclaim a few powerful truths. God wants us to be vibrant and victorious! He wants us to be wonderfully alive with His Spirit! He's given us access to His character through Jesus Christ. He's endowed us with POWER.

Through His Word and His Spirit, we have access to His love, joy, and peace in consistent and abundant quantities. With all His goodness so readily available to us, it's a wonder we submit ourselves to anything less. So why is it that we often succumb to base desires and instincts? Why is it that lust, greed, pride, and fear exercise a powerful hold on us at various times and in varying degrees? Why do we so often lose our sense of victory and purpose, which has already been overwhelmingly won for us by Jesus Christ?

Satan's Desire

The answers to these questions lie in understanding our old nature, and in recognizing the mission of our adversary – Satan himself. A proper understanding of his intentions and methods will go a long way in helping us to thwart his attacks.

Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. -1 Peter 5: 8

Satan is evil incarnate. His ONLY objectives are to steal, kill, and destroy. He desires to devastate our walk with the Lord. He hates Jesus Christ and all those who claim salvation in His name. It gives the devil great pleasure to shipwreck a Christian, in regard to his faith. He will ruthlessly employ any scheme or method to help him reach his goal. Satan is not playing games. He is dead serious about his calling, unlike many of us. What Jesus said about Satan's desire to sift Peter like wheat can also, in a measure, be said of Satan's desire for the entire Body of Christ – and that means you and me! We need to recognize that we are at WAR with his satanic majesty! We need to respond to his threats in the POWER of the Spirit of God! He has robbed us far too long! We have submitted to him needlessly. We must remember that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. We need to be aware of Satan's wiles, and frustrate his every move with a Holy Ghost-inspired move of our own!

City Under Siege!

When Satan comes against a believer, he usually brings with him a long-term strategy for defeating him. He realizes that true disciples of Jesus are formidable opponents. He knows that if he comes against them in obviously brutish fashion, his chances for success are reduced. For this reason, he often comes as an angel of light, using some form of alliance. When he does choose to reveal his true intentions, he often uses the siege form of attack in order to wear down the spiritual strength of the believer.

An attacking army may use siege warfare when the enemy resists outright confrontation. In siege warfare, one army surrounds a fortified area with the intent to capture it. I'll use an example of siege warfare as it was employed in biblical times to illustrate Satan's siege tactic.

How to besiege a city or a fortified stronghold:

1: Surround it and cut off supplies.

2: Approach the enemy walls by digging zigzag trenches

to get within striking distance.

3: Use stone-throwers, catapults, and flaming arrows

to hurl objects over the walls of the enemy fortress.

4: When the defense of the enemy is weakened, send soldiers swarming up ladders, and / or enter through a tunnel bored through the wall. If available, use a battering ram to acquire forceful entrance.

5: Once sufficient numbers are inside, terrorize all inhabitants, kill or capture any opposition that remains, and completely dominate the affairs of the conquered.

Each of the aforementioned points correspond with a part of Satan's besieging strategy. Take his intentions personal …

1: Satan's first tactic is to surround us and cut off our supplies. It is his desire to get us out of the Word, out of fellowship, and out of prayer. Just as the ancient army sought to cut off their enemy from food, water, and contact with allies who could aid them, likewise Satan seeks to cut off the believer from the life-giving Word of God- the Bible, from fellowship with other believers , and from prayer. If you find yourself drifting away from consistent contact with other Christians – watch out! If your devotion to prayer is waning, and your consistent study of the Word is lacking – be careful! You are in the first stages of being besieged. I have found, upon reflection, that all of my serious brushes with backsliding began in this way. I would be bopping along, walking with the Lord, and growing in His Word. Then, for one of many seemingly plausible reasons, I'd find myself ceasing from consistent prayer and Bible study.

The reasons for these lapses ranged from an "innocent" interest in sports, TV, or other amusements, to a more blatant and unconfessed sin. If I did not rouse myself from this state, the strange, downward spiral of complacency would pull on me, drawing my affections away from the things of God and the people of God. We must stay in prayer before the Lord. We must stay in the Word. We must remain in fellowship with believers. Following these principles in truth will keep us in tune with the Spirit of God, Who will guide us through the battle, unharmed.

2,3: Once the enemy effectively cuts us off from the Word, fellowship, and prayer, he begins to hurl thoughts and desires at us which are contrary to the Word of God. He hopes that our faith, which we can use as a shield to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one, is sufficiently weakened and of no effect. If we continue to offer feeble resistance, but still do not rectify the downward spiral of Tactic 1, he simply continues approaching and continues to hurl evil thoughts and desires at us until we give in. If we do not cry out to God at that point, if we toy with the ideas presented to us, if we do not fight back using the powerful spiritual weapons at our disposal, then temporary setback is very much a possibility.

… For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses -2 Cor. 10: 4

We do not have to submit ourselves to the mental onslaught of demonic attack. We can destroy every wicked thing in the name of Jesus – by living according to the power in His name. The war between good and evil, as it relates to us, is waged in our minds. God intends to build a holy castle in the mind of every believer. Satan seeks to tear down this Christian edifice in the soul, and build fortresses of pride, fear, lust, anger, and other evils. Since this is his intention, we must take every imagination, speculation, reasoning, argument, and proud obstacle – EVERY THOUGHT – captive to obey Christ. We do this by renewing our minds, by obeying the Word of God. We do this by resisting evil things. If it does not line up with righteous thinking, REJECT IT! Do not meditate on unprofitable things any longer than it takes to determine their origin and to decide their destiny. If you do not deal with temptation in the first precious moments of its birth, you will find it increasingly more difficult to lay hold of the victory. God's Word promises the way of escape in every temptation, that we might be able to stand up under each and every one-but to fool around with thoughts catapulted into your mind by devils is worse than playing with fire!

4,5: If the evil thoughts which have been hurled over into the mind have begun to produce repeated acts of sin, the enemies then seek to swarm in and take over the daily life of the believer. If the firebrands, which were thrown over the wall, found dry wood, with no water made ready to quench them, they would surely burn and cause great destruction. If the wicked thoughts and desires Satan sows find a place in the life of the believer, that believer will surely suffer loss. The amount of loss depends on the extent to which the believer allows the evil to flourish. Satan well knows this principle of sowing: Sow a thought, reap an act; sow an act, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a life-style. He desires to cause a serious and lengthy malaise to engulf you. He does not just want to cause you to sin a little bit here and there; he wants you to be bound in a LIFE-style of sin. He wants your faith derailed, your mind deranged, and your testimony destroyed. If an act of sin is not repented of, it could become a wicked habit. The habit could become a filthy life-style, and wreak continuous havoc in the life of the besieged. There are many "Christians" today who are hiding wicked habits or filthy life-styles. They attend church regularly, they sing, they tithe. They say all the right things and wear the right clothes; but inside, they are dead, or dying. Their fellowship with the Lord has been cut off. In the lives of many of these lukewarm churchgoers, the enemy is near to completely dominating their fortress. The overtaking of their spiritual citadel is close at hand.

Prevent The Siege

The key element in defeating siege warfare lies in diffusing the possibility of it happening before it actually occurs. A powerful city with vast supply stocks, diverse routes of escape, superior weaponry, and numerous allies at least as powerful as itself, is not likely to be besieged in the first place. If some enemy is senseless enough to try, it will be soundly defeated. This is the true lesson of this true lesson of this article!

Stay alert! Stay devoted to the Word, to prayer, and to fellowship with God's people. Realize that Satan is a defeated foe. No weapon formed against us can harm us! We are more than conquerors, because of the great things God has done for us in Christ! Satan knows that the only power he can have over us now is power that we appropriate to him. He is the prince of darkness. Only when we willingly choose to dwell in an area of ​​darkness can he exercise a measure of authority over us. For this reason, and of course, because it greatly offends our heavenly Father, we should seek to be free of sinful habits. As AW Tozer once said, "Deal THOROUGHLY with sin." This does not mean you will not ever sin again if you somehow make up your mind not to. It means that incidences of sin must remain isolated, be repented of, and be cast out- DAILY! Do not allow sin habits to form! Repent of anger, if it erupts, as soon as possible. Do not allow the "sinking seedlings" of lust and pride to find good ground in your heart, and grow into ornery oaks of lust and pride. Do not let the power of unforgiveness keep you under enemy attack! You know the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Jesus has our preventative spiritual medicine ready, to keep us from defeat and despair. He also is the Cure in case we do ever fall to the besieging hordes of darkness. Through His great wisdom and power, the fortress of the fallen believer can again be won for righteousness, the looters expelled, the devil dethroned.

Conclusion

If you find yourself in need of cleansing today, if you really want to be set free from the dominance of some evil thing, pay close attention! Humble yourself. Be honest about your struggles before God and man. Ask the Lord to forgive you, again. Ask Him to help you forgive yourself. If you are like me, you are sometimes harder on yourself than is necessary. Forgive yourself! Yield yourself to Him, for His purposes. Cry out to God, "Lord, tear down the towers of sin in my life and strengthen me to do what is pleasing in Your sight! Ask Him to quench the burning lust Satan has planted in your mind. Ask Him to repair the devastation, which the "battering rams" of evil have caused in your life, and to repair "tunnel" damage, through which Satan has undermined your very foundation.

Confess your sin to a strong, trustworthy brother or sister – one who will be willing and able to stand with you through your recovery. Get yourself back into a regular prayer life. Meet constantly with your Lord in prayer -that is a key! Get into the Word, and return to it daily. Keep your sword sharpened! Fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters constantly! These are the elements with which to make and keep your fortress a safe haven, free from the threat of the besieger. Above all, lean not on your own strength. Learn to lean fully on the Lord. "Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." He is the Mighty and Awesome Warrior! A strong and mighty tower is our God! Keep Him on the throne of your heart. His real presence there will preclude satanic siege, or will ensure certain defeat upon the enemy foolish enough to think his weapons will be any more effective than a water gun would be against a NUCLEAR BOMB !!

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Source by Brian K Burns