ART APPRECIATION: HOW ART, ACTIVISM, TRAUMA MANAGEMENT, AND RELIGION SETS THE STAGE FOR THIS CHURCH

#TaoFu Joker says: "@heal247, how would you describe your art?" #TaoFu @heal247 says: "A perpetual series of mostly literary installments subject to interpretation and best understood in full context." #TaoFu @charliesheen says: "South Park Impressionism at times?"

— COPE MINISTRIES (@heal247) November 3, 2021
 

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” ― Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV): "43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." ~ Jesus Christ 
Isaiah 9:7 (KJV): "7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this."  [Special Note: Oxford Languages via Google.com defines "zeal" as "great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective" and defines "perform" as "present (a form of entertainment) to an audience" and/or "entertain an audience, typically by acting, singing, or dancing on stage."] 
If you would like to participate in the Theater of COPE Ministries, please click here for more information.

"Art is a language that requires patience and understanding, narcissists lack both qualities and rarely get it often due to lack of study." ~Rev. Minister Angela Smith

Art, Activism, Trauma Management, and Religion are all areas covered by what some refer to as the humanities in college coursework.  Sources:

 https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/a/activist-art

https://www.ted.com/playlists/476/powerful_art_activism

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/artists-as-activists-purs_b_11783614

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/spiritual-wisdom-secular-times/201712/spirituality-and-art

https://www.benedictinecenter.org/art-as-spiritual-practice/

https://study.com/academy/lesson/connecting-literature-to-other-art-forms.html (Literature IS Art)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/well/how-i-used-art-to-get-through-trauma.html

https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/military/helping-vets-with-ptsd-through-the-power-of-comedy/351874787

That being said, in trying to determine how to address what I and many others consider to be a threat to public health and safety in terms of fraud, human trafficking, and cults, I basically did exactly what the government does in many ways though with more freedom because as a civilian different protocols apply to time management.  So, I established a means of public accountability with assistance from many friends and allies that is the HEAL Mission Watch-List.  I accept "enrollments" to the watch-list sometimes solely on the word of a former dissatisfied client or multiple clients without consulting the parties to be enrolled for their side before placement because I take the dissatisfied clients at their word as fellow survivors of institutionalized abuse similar to the way the programs themselves take youth in on the word of other adults without a court order even though in physical material world terms that's technically illegal and that's the art of the watch-list.  It's a virtual representation of the injustice experienced by the victims of the programs populating the watch-list visited upon the programs themselves in a virtual way to hopefully give them an experiential learning experience through artful criticism. 

And, to prove I'm not a hypocrite I meet the recommended "Honesty In Marketing" Standards.  And, anyone populating the watch-list who chooses to meet those standards too, will make their levels and be recognized with my permission to use "Our program meets HEAL/COPE Ministries' Honesty In Marketing Standards".  And, those who fail to do so, will not be graduating, but, may find themselves sooner or later in the virtual cemetery.  And, while you may not see the humor in that, many of us who've actually lost friends or loved ones to frauds, human traffickers, and institutionalized abuse resulting in wrongful deaths, do find the humor in it comforting where for any reason justice wasn't served another way.  (To better understand, see https://www.cope.church/research.pdf )

And, as stated on the homepage, laughter is the best medicine.  So, art is a big part of my church's spiritual practice and being a Protestant, activism is a built in component.  Exposing false prophets is how we do the Monster Mash (up).

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