First Trip to the ranch, continued:

This thread on my election and first year in Office, including dealing with the Rajneesh, begins with the posting on March 25, 2015. You can get the earlier posts by going into the archives on my web page.  Starting from the beginning will assist you in understanding my posts.

While I was rather enjoying the give and take it finally occurred to him that we were not going to get anywhere with the discussion.  In disgust, he asked me if I wanted a tour of the city.  I said I would love to have a tour. 

We then got into one of the passenger vehicles and we drove north, farther into the city.  During the entire tour, we did not get off the county road, nor did we get out of the car.

However, most of the city and buildings were adjacent to the road.  There were several apartment complexes and four-plexes up the side roads, and a complex of manufactured houses just past the ranch house these were neighborhoods, much as you would see in any city. 

The difference was they all belonged to the commune and were on private roads belonging to the commune.   Their meeting auditorium and a hotel was on another paved road off the county road but could be seen about half a mile away. 

I knew many of these buildings were in a contested battle over whether they should be allowed to stand.  The county had not issued permits for them, the Commune had taken it to court to make the county accept them and it was a bitter dispute. 

I didn’t say anything about it, it wasn’t in my jurisdictional duties AND I sure didn’t want to say something that might come back later to haunt the county.  I did think about it, though.

On the east side of the county road was their airport.  The runway was a mile long and over fifty yards wide.  They had a small terminal across the way.  Parked on the side of the runway on its own tarmac next to the terminal was a Convair 240 twin engine passenger plane, about the size of a B17, the commune owned.  

Getting onto the air strip was a complicated process; you had to have permission from the Rajneesh.  But it was also tricky landing, I am told because it was between high ridges the wind impacted the landing procedure.

They had several planes, most of which were smaller in size.  I noted there were a number of prefabricated buildings along a private paved road that ran parallel to the runway on the east side of the runway.  These buildings consisted of a hanger, plus a number of maintenance and storage areas. 

I had been told, by my campaign manager (who had visited there in the past) there was also a regular television studio in the upstairs of one of the buildings, I didn’t ask about it.  

Closer to the main part of the city at the end of the runway, and on the east side of the road, were several paved lanes about 20 feet wide and 60 or so feet long, with about two or three covered benches alongside each lane.  I learned these were bus pick up points to be used during the festival.

They had regular bus stops throughout the ranch and regular routes to pick up the followers and then take them back to that location.  They would then walk up to their rooms. 

There were two lakes that were on the property that were used for recreation and they, too, were on the route. 

There was also a bank of about 20 pay phones on the east side of the bus lanes.  Along the west side of the road, was a large lot full of yellow school busses.  While I didn’t count them, there appeared to be well over 50 of them.

One of my responsibilities as Sheriff was to approve the security details for their annual festival to be held the last week of June and first week of July.  I will go into more detail at a later time, but suffice it to say for now; I was not satisfied with past actions.  

The Mayor wanted to show me the city so he could show me how they set up the ranch for the 15,000 visitors coming into the ranch and city area during the festival. 

There were several small fields where they would be setting up the temporary shelters.  Those shelters consisted of canvas tents on wooden platforms.  They would house four people each.  This was to be the fourth year they had the festival.  They would have those shelters up and ready in just about 3 days from start to finish. 

They were well organized and had a lot of members to accomplish the work.  Many of the apartments and four-plexes had been built to house visitors during the summer months, including the time of the festival.  Most of these buildings were empty the rest of the year.

We drove over a small bridge that crossed over the Big Muddy Creek.  On the left as we turned the corner to the right, still on the county road, was the old ranch house and some buildings that had been used by the ranchers to operate the ranch.  Now they were offices and a bakery for the commune.  We drove south through the business district.

The business district was about a normal city block long.  It was, for the most part, on the west side of the road.  The main structure was a very long building that had been built in such a manner that the businesses occupied storefronts, much like a mall.   It was built in two stories. 

There was a covered wooden sidewalk all along the front of the stores.  The stores consisted of a travel agency, beauty shop, gift shop, restaurant and a couple of other convenient stores.  Most of the upper level was a large open office complex.  The corporate offices were located in this area. 

The rest of the upstairs was another restaurant.   As we passed the stores we went around the bookstore, which was in a separate building and on the east side of the street. 

We then drove by a number of four-plexes.  Like those up the numerous draws, these were permanent buildings.  Built on a foundation and complying with all building codes, but without planning commission approval.

Beyond those buildings were other buildings I was told were class rooms for the Rajneesh’s college and for seminars that are held throughout the summer.  We passed this area and I could see a large vacant field and then an opened covered area of about 40,000 square feet. 

The vacant field of a couple acres would house more temporary shelters.  We stopped at the covered shelter for a moment.   There were no walls, just pillars holding up the roof.  He explained that this was a field, mobile kitchen and the main dining area. 

There were a number of prefabricated buildings on the north side of the shelter; these were used for storage of food during the festival.  The floor was of concrete and there were a few picnic tables on the floor.  He told me that there would be hundreds of tables set up for the festival.

Past this area was a very large field they use for recreational activity such as soccer.

Still driving south we drove across the county line into Jefferson County. 

To be Continued:

1 Kings 3:9-13 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

¹⁰ And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

¹¹ And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

¹² Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

¹³ And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

During the Civil War, here in America, it is said both sides believed that God was on their side.  That God would intervene on their behalf because their cause was right.

We have to ask, how these men could feel that God would be on their side against the other who was equally convinced God would help their side win?

We hear people, particularly athletes, say that God gave them the victory over another person or team.

Does God really take sides in an athletic event?  What if both sides ask God to help them win – who does He choose?

You observed athletes point upwards when they make a good play, they are found praying after they are successful, giving God and Jesus the glory for their victory – are those valid profession of faith?

Most are just acknowledging their God given ability and thankful that they could use it for their sport.  It is one thing to pray for the ability to do the best they can and everyone should be free from injury and a something else entirely to ask for victory over another team – who may also have Christians on it.

What does the parent of children who are in competition against each other pray for?  Which one should win?

What they pray for is their children play well, are protected from injury and will come home safely.

When we ask God to guide our lives, how do we pray?

We do want victory, we do want to be successful, but for what?

Are we bad Christians because what we pray for doesn’t come about?

There was a song by Chiemene Badi a few years ago that started out with:

Oh, Lord won’t you please buy me a Mercedes Benz?  Then a color TV and then a night on the town.  I’m counting on you, Lord, please don’t let me down.

It was a catchy tune.  It was a farcical song about asking God for material things (at least I think it was absurd and not meant to be taken seriously.)

But how different is that from asking God to help us win in a game or thinking that God is on our side in a war where Christians are on both sides, as in the Civil War?

Solomon could have asked for many things when God spoke to him in his dream.  But Solomon knew that he needed help from God to be the King God wanted Him to be – so he asked for wisdom.

There is just something wrong about praying that I defeat another person.  When I was running for Office, I prayed that He would guide me and assist me in my campaign.  I ran against others, some were good people and some even Christians – how could I ask God to help me defeat the other person?

As we grow closer to God we realize that He truly wants what is best for us, but He rarely will He intervene in a contest.

Yes, He sent the Hebrews into the land and protected them as they won victory after victory – but can we really say that our competition is about glorifying God, or is it about us wanting recognition?

We need to think about our conversations with God.  We need to use wisdom to understand what is appropriate and what quite possibly offends Him – at the least makes Him question our hearts.

We can go through the bible and see many examples of prayer; examples that show that God does want to hear our needs and He will assist us.

We need to pray for our well-being, it is okay to pray for deliverance, but let us not get so focused on ourselves that we forget that God knows what we need – and instead focus on the needs of others.

Colossians 1:9-10   For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

¹⁰ That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

God is not our ‘personal’ lucky charm.  He has many facets and will allow us to ask of Him whatever is in our heart.

Let us ask that others come to Him; that those serving Him will be covered and led by His Holy Spirit and not worry about asking for a Mercedes Benz.

Later, Art :-)

From the ColumbiaRiverGorgeous
May Our Good Lord Bless and Keep YOU....’til we meet again