Hot Off The Press- Southern Baptist 'Kids' Bowing To Yoga

New article from my friend and brother in the Lord Bud Press.





Southern Baptist 'Kids' Bowing To Yoga

The Facts, the Dangers, the Photos, the Warnings

by Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

August 16, 2007



Introduction: Across the Western world, professing Christians are participating in New Age practices such as contemplative spirituality, labyrinth, and Yoga--all of which is preparing the way for something darker and more sinister.



And history is riddled with professing Christians who, for whatever reason, turned their backs on Jesus Christ, became apostates, and worked overtime to destroy Christianity.



Concerned, loving parents go to great extremes to protect their children from alcohol and drugs. They teach their children at an early age to Look both ways before crossing the street and Don't talk to strangers! However, in many cases, these same parents fail to monitor their children before and during church-related activities (such as Vacation Bible School, out-of-town retreats, and church recreational programs). And, because the activity is tagged as a "Christian" function and is sponsored by their church, they assume everything is on the up-and-up.



While wholesome church-related activities and programs for children do exist, forces of darkness are working overtime to deceive and victimize their kids, turning them away from the true and living God at an early age. After all, is there a better way to preserve the future of paganism than to indoctrinate children?



Fact: Children who are introduced to so-called "Christian Yoga" stand the chance of further involvement (future guru). A worst-case scenario is total rejection of the One who loves them the most--Jesus Christ.



While this is not an exhaustive work, this article examines certain aspects of Hinduism and Yoga that many Christians are not aware of. It was written specifically for professing Christian parents whose children are practicing Yoga.



Yoga is big business here in the U.S. and throughout the Western world, and Yoga instructors across the nation are cashing in on it.



Yoga books, Yoga DVDs, Yoga music, Yoga CDs, Yoga calendars, Yoga jewelry, Yoga pants, Yoga shirts, Yoga shoes, Yoga posters, Yoga mats, Yoga bags, Yoga kits, Yoga eye pillows, Yoga soda-pop, Yoga food and, Yoga classes designed for all shapes, sizes, and age-groups.



Yes, Yoga is big business. All bases are covered. No stone has been left unturned. As of this writing, a Google search on the word "Yoga" netted over 74 million hits. A search on "Yoga for children" netted over 2 million hits.



The numbers are sure to increase, and innocent, impressionable children are a part of an agenda to preserve the future of Yoga and the New Age Movement.



The dynamics of Yoga



According to the Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, a Hindu guru is,

a personal spiritual teacher. In ancient India, knowledge of the Vedas was transmitted through oral teaching from guru to pupil. The rise of the bhakti movement further increased the importance of gurus, who were often looked on as living embodiments of spiritual truth and were identified with the deity. They prescribed spiritual disciplines to their devotees, who followed their dictates in a tradition of willing service and obedience. Men or women may be gurus, though generally only men have established lineages.



The initiate guided by a guru may practice Yoga (a 'methodic exertion' of body and mind) in order to attain, through mortification, concentration, and meditation, a higher state of consciousness and thereby find supreme knowledge, achieve spiritual autonomy, and realize oneness with the Highest (or however the ultimate goal is conceived) (Britannica Concise Encyclopedia http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-261544/Hinduism, emp. theirs).

And then there is Hatha Yoga, which some say is just a "form of exercise" that has nothing to do with religion or spirituality. However,

The purpose of Hatha Yoga is to locate and activate the chakras (centers of energy), thereby raising the kundalini (dominant spiritual power)...Hatha yoga attempts to balance mind and body via physical postures and exercises (asanas), controlled breathing, and the calming of the mind through relaxation and meditation...It is through the forging a powerful depth of concentration and mastery of the body and mind, Hatha Yoga practices seek to still the mental waters and allow for apprehension of oneself as that which one always was, Brahman. Hatha Yoga is essentially a manual for scientifically taking one's body through stages of control to a point at which one-pointed focus on the unmanifested brahman is possible: it is said to take its practicer to the peaks of Raja Yoga ("Hatha Yoga," http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/practices/hatha_yoga.htm ).

While the word "Yoga" means union with the universal consciousness, the word "Yogi" refers to "one who has attained Yoga, or union of the two bodies, but used commonly to refer to anyone who practices Yoga techniques on a committed basis" ("Yoga A to Z," American Yoga Association ).



Future gurus



Note how the following refers to children as "natural" and "blossoming" yogis:

In Hatha Yoga most of the poses are modeled after animals and objects found in nature. This is why Yoga appeals to a child's imagination and sense of adventure. Children are naturally strong and flexible and know how to live each moment to the fullest. That makes children natural yogis ( http://www.yogayoungsters.org/index.html ).



Planting the seed of yoga will vary with the child, the environment and the teacher. It is important not to be fixated on the outcome, but to persist with the process patiently ( http://www.yogamites.com.au/ ).



Little Lotus Yoga's mission is to share the gift of yoga with all the "blossoming yogis" in our community by offering classes from womb (prenatal yoga) to bloom (teen yoga). Each class is different introducing many poses, breathing and relaxation techniques ( http://www.littlelotusyoga.com/aboutus.html ).



In this class, 4-9 year old children become hopping frogs, slithering snakes, barking dogs and even a twisting, turning rollercoaster as they are introduced to Yoga poses through fun pretend play!

( http://www.wonderscope.org/ds_yoga.php ).

Yoga for children is justified, say the instructors, due to the increase of stress produced by the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced world.



"Children today are under a lot of stress," writes Yoga teacher and therapist Lisa Orkin. "Homework, pressure to compete with other children, endless after-school activities, over-scheduling -- it all adds up. And just like their parents, kids today are turning to Yoga to help them relax" ("Yoga Helps Kids Find Balance In Their Lives," http://www.yogasite.com/yoga%20kids.htm ).



To assist stressed-out children in relaxation and stress-reduction, Angel Bear Yoga™ incorporates "imagery, animal poses, and entertainment into the practice of yoga. Unlike other children's yoga programs, Angel Bear Yoga™ attaches a symbolic character building lesson to each pose, shows how all things in nature reflect back to character, follows an adventuresome storyline, and truly nurtures your child's spirit" ( http://www.angelbearyoga.com/about.php ).



Speaking of animal poses, Yoga Youngsters, one of the many Yoga programs geared specifically for children, describes the Cobra Pose, one of the poses children learn to perform during class:

1. Lie down on the ground, face down.

2. Bring the palms of your hands on the floor, along side your chest.

3. Start straightening the arms as your chest lifts, coming into your full cobra position.

4. You may slither around or hiss like a snake.

And what is the true meaning behind the Cobra Pose? The answer is found in one of India's annual festivals, Naga Panchami.



Bowing to snakes



Nagapanchami is a festival dedicated to the snake-God. It is the festival when snakes, the symbols of energy and prosperity are worshipped. This festival is observed in August. It is celebrated with more fervour especially in the rural areas...In urban areas where snake pits are rare images of the deity are worshipped. Small clay images of the cobra are installed for being worshipped...Worship of the snake Naga on Nagapanchami day is not associated with any other Gods. Naga is a deity in his own right and is worshipped as such. This indicates that apart from all mythologies which have eulogized and deified this reptile, his worship during Nagapanchami owes its origin to some other reason (Festivals of India, http://tinyurl.com/yrwwy9 ).



Each snake is worshipped on a particular day at different times of the year. Besides Vishnu, snakes are also commonly associated with Shiva. He wears a serpent across his chest, as his sacred thread Upanayanam Coiled serpents adorn his hair, neck and arms. For this reason, snakes widely worshipped by Shaivas everywhere and particularly in south India, where Shiva is more popular than Vishnu ("Snake Worship," http://www.gurjari.net/ico/Mystica/html/snake_worship.htm ).

Here are a few photos and captions from the 2006 Naga Panchami festival celebration:



· "A snake charmer entertaining devotees infront of a temple on the occasion of Nag Panchami festival in Allahabad on July 30, 2006" (HERE).

· "Devotees worshipping the statue of snake god at Shiv temple in Patna" (HERE).

· "A devotee offers milk to a statue of the snake god in Kathmandu" (HERE).

· "A woman holds a snake to show her devotion and respect and to seek blessings in Kathmandu" (HERE).



"Lord Shiva" (also referred to as Siva), plays a principal part in the Naga Panchami festival, is considered the third member of the Hindu trinity, and is said to be the "Destroyer God" who wears "a cobra snake coiled round his neck" ( http://www.csuohio.edu/hindu/Shiva.htm ).



Photos of Shiva with his pet cobra:



· Temple shrine to Shiva (HERE).

· Huge statue of Shiva (HERE).

· Art rendering of Shiva meditating (HERE).



Shiva and Yoga are, so to say, joined at the hip:

Shiva is called the Original Yogi. As the aspect of the Divine that is responsible for change and positive transformation, Shiva embodies the very essence of all authentic Yoga practice ( http://www.awakenwithyoga.us/ ).



"I am that God (Siva) who sets everything in motion and who, absorbed in Yoga and enjoying the highest bliss, is always dancing. He who knows that knows Yoga. Kurma Purana (2:4:33)" ("The Religious Science of Sanatana Dharma/Hinduism," http://tinyurl.com/2mppga, emp. theirs).

Take a look at this brief YouTube video of children performing a Cobra Pose

( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRxmrJ61OyI ). If your child is participating in Yoga classes, chances are he or she is bowing to snakes without knowing the true meaning behind it.



Thus, in Yoga, the King Cobra--one of the world's most poisonous snakes--is just one of the gods revered and worshipped in the Hindu religion; hence the Cobra Pose, as demonstrated in these photos HERE, HERE, and HERE.



Yoga in the church



From a Christian standpoint, what does hissing, slithering around on the floor, and imitating a snake have to do with nurturing a child's spirit?



Dave Hunt writes:

And how is it that yoga, which comes from serpent-worshiping Hinduism, has become so popular with hundreds of thousands who call themselves Christians, as well as in many churches? This is true not only in liberal denominations but also in many churches that claim to adhere to the fundamentals of the Christian faith. Who could deny the contradiction? (Yoga and The Body of Christ, 2006, p. 98)

To a degree, a Christian church should serve as an extension of a Christian home, in that children should be made to feel safe, secure, and free from worldly things, including paganistic religions that are wrought with demonic activity. Yet, Yoga is within the Christian church because of ignorance, or compromise or, because there are wolves in the pulpit (as the apostle Paul warned about in Acts 20:27-31).



For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2-3).



The serpent (Lucifer/Satan), made his presence known in the garden of Eden thousands of years ago (Genesis chapter 3). The apostle Paul's fear and concern for the spiritual welfare of the Corinthian church was justified. Yet 2,000 years later, the serpent continues to hiss, slither, contradict, and deceive.



Many professing Christians who practice Yoga maintain they do not worship the Hindu gods or revere the animals and insects found within the Yoga postures. However, like it or not, every professing Christian who practices Yoga is mingling with Hinduism, has learned the Yoga postures from Yoga sources, and is serving the idols produced by Hinduism. Of this God informs and warns:



But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them (Psalm 106:35-36).



Then the sons of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals, and they forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods from among the gods of the peoples who were around them, and bowed themselves down to them; thus they provoked the LORD to anger (Judges 2:11-12).



Think about it.



Yoga: dangerous and demonic



In light of Yoga's popularity and "benefits," one must wonder how pioneer children survived without it. No doubt, their lives were filled with stress, disease, hunger, and hardship. Moreover, how did this Baptist congregation cope with the rigors of life in the late 1800's without Yoga?



Although Yoga is touted as a simple, innocent, wholesome form of exercise, in reality, the long-term effects could be devastating to the mental, physical, and spiritual welfare of both adults and children. Oddly enough, experienced Yoga practitioners deliver their own warnings as to the mental and physical dangers of practicing Yoga:



Gopi Krishna: "In Hatha yoga the breathing exercises are more strenuous, attended by some abnormal positions of the chin, the diaphragm, the tongue, and other parts of the body to prevent expulsion or inhalation of air into the lungs in order to induce a state of suspended breathing. This can have drastic effects on the nervous system and the brain, and it is obvious that such a discipline can be very dangerous. Even in India, only those prepared to face death dare to undergo the extreme discipline of Hatha yoga" ("The True Aim of Yoga," Psychic, January-February 1973, p. 13).



Swami Prabhavananda: "Now we come to breathing exercises. Let me caution you: they can be very dangerous. Unless properly done, there is a good chance of injuring the brain. And those who practice such breathing without proper supervision can suffer a disease which no known science or doctor can cure. It is impossible even for a medical person to diagnose such an illness. I know of one individual who complained to me of constantly experiencing headaches; and though he had gone to a number of doctors, they were unable to do anything for him" ("YOGA-TRUE AND FALSE").



Note that in the same article Swami Prabhavananda writes:



"Shortly before I left India to come to the United States, a young boy of perhaps sixteen or seventeen years of age joined our monastery to practice hatha yoga. When I returned to India after an absence of thirteen years, I visited one of our centers. While sitting on the porch talking to a swami, I happened to notice this young person in the distance. He was acting very strangely. He would prostrate fully on the ground, rise to full height, then repeat the performance—over and over again. The swami said that he had lost his mind."



Sri Chinmoy: "To practice pranayama without real guidance is very dangerous. I know of three persons who have died from it..." (Great Masters and the Cosmic Gods, Agni Press, 1977).



Mary Paffard: "There is nothing safe about yoga. I found myself saying this recently, in response to a metaphorical definition a student presented to me that implied that yoga equals safety. Refuge, yes, and retreat, from time to time. But there is really nothing safe about yoga at all. The best we can say is that yoga is a process of stepping deeper and deeper into the unknown, a way of finding relationship with 'the essential groundlessness of existence,' as Tibetan Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron puts it. This willingness to boogie with the scary and uncharted is what draws me to work with people as wacky as Barbara Benagh and my longtime yoga buddy Rodney Yee" ("THE DANGERS OF YOGA," Ohio Yoga, http://www.ohioyoga.com/dangers.html ).



Yoga Synergy, a form of Hatha Yoga developed by Sri T. Krishnamacharya, maintains:

"There are many reports in the literature of yogic control of autonomic functions via the use of advanced breathing control. Experienced Hatha yoga practitioners are able to perform a variety of advanced breathing techniques, such as very slow deep breathing. However, these advanced breathing techniques are not suitable for beginner yoga practitioners, as they are potentially dangerous" ( http://www.yogasynergy.com.au/articles.html ).

At yogaforbliss.com, where an individual may learn to "Connect with your inner self," Hatha Yoga,

...holds its own place as an independent subject which was initially compiled into a system by the great yogi Swami Svatmarama who wrote the extensive manual entitled 'Hatha Yoga Pradipika' around 1350 AD. Since then Hatha Yoga has evolved into many branches under the hands of many teachers and students who have taken the original form and molded it into specific systems. Not all these systems of Hatha Yoga can be considered good and some of them are downright pretentious and non-traditional and some even dangerous ("What is Hatha Yoga?" http://www.yogaforbliss.com/wihy.html ).

Since Yoga is dangerous for adults, imagine how dangerous it is for innocent, impressionable children. The American Yoga Association advises that,

Yoga exercises are not recommended for children under 16 because their bodies’ nervous and glandular systems are still growing, and the effect of Yoga exercises on these systems may interfere with natural growth. Two of my great teachers, Rama and Lakshmanjoo, advised me of the dangers that Yoga asans may pose for young children ("General Yoga Information," http://www.americanyogaassociation.org/general.html#WhoCanPractice ).

Christian parents who allow their children to participate in Yoga classes assume that since Yoga is part of their church recreational program, then it must be valid. In other words, My pastor and Yoga instructor say it's okay, so it must be okay, they say.



But it isn't okay! In his August 2007 book, FAITH UNDONE, Roger Oakland, founder of Understand the Times International, asks,

Can a Christian incorporate Hindu spiritual practices in order to get closer to the Jesus of the Bible? I have a strong suspicion the 'Hindu gods' have an agenda to introduce unsuspecting yoga practitioners to a different Jesus" (Lighthouse Trails Publishing, p. 96).

And this "agenda" is precisely what the apostle Paul warned about in 2 Corinthians 11:3-4: there is a different, counterfeit "Jesus" roaming around looking for acceptance within the Christian church. And the nature of the counterfeit is to oppress, possess, and destroy:



Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).



Therefore, longtime Yoga practitioners admit that Yoga is dangerous to the physical welfare of children. But what about the spiritual dangers?

Shiva is a complex god with many roles and powers. In his destroyer role, he often haunts cemeteries, wearing a headdress of snakes and a necklace of skulls. A band of terrifying demons, hungering for blood, accompanies him ( http://www.mythencyclopedia.com/Sa-Sp/Shiva.html ).

How then do we understand Lord Shiva and his distribution of mercy? Many powerful demons such as Ravan, Banasura, Vrikasura, and Sudakshina worshiped Shiva. By all appearances it seems that each of these demons were very dear to him and received his mercy. Shiva even went so far as to fight against Lord Krishna on behalf of his devotees Banasura and Sudakshina. Certainly those were signs of his mercy! Or were they? (Madhavananda das, "Mercy and Cheating").



In his purport to Srimad Bhagavatam (4.2.2), His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada describes Shiva as being guru for both the demons and the devotees... (Ibid.).

Demonic activity runs rampant throughout Hinduism. And what is the goal of Yoga? Self-realization. Within Hinduism, there is no need to worship the God of the Bible, because you are "God":

Honor your Self, Worship your Self, Meditate on your Self, God dwells within you as you (Swami Muktananda, 1908-1982).

But God disagrees and sets the record straight:



Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God (Isaiah 43:10-12).



Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God (Isaiah 44:6. See also Revelation chapter 1).



Southern Baptist Convention "kids" bowing to Yoga



Hinduism and Yoga are an integral part of the New Age Movement. In June 1998, the Southern Baptist Convention warned its membership of the "deception and critical dangers" of the New Age Movement:

WHEREAS, The New Age movement has become a powerful political, philosophical, and economic force in our contemporary culture and is exerting its influence into every facet of American life.

Therefore, be it RESOLVED, That we, the messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention, meeting in San Antonio, Texas, June 14-16, 1988, acknowledge the New Age movement's aim to become a one-world religion is diametrically contrary to both New Testament Christianity and our American heritage; and

Be it finally RESOLVED, That we encourage our Convention agencies, local associations, pastors, and church staffs to warn and educate our Baptist constituency of the deception and critical dangers of this movement ( SBC Resolution on the New Age Movement ).

But despite the warning by the SBC against Yoga, numerous SBC churches are promoting the practice, even with children. For instance, Salem Avenue Baptist Church of Rolla, Missouri has incorporated Yoga into its recreational program.



Salem Avenue is listed on the SBC ChurchSearch page at http://www.sbc.net/churchsearch/church.asp?ID=4442%2D65401 ).



According to Salem Avenue's July 18, 2007 newsletter, the Messenger, Yoga classes are offered on a regular basis on Monday nights at 6pm

( http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/files/active/0/July%2018,%202007%20newsletter.pdf, page 2).



In Salem Avenue's August 16, 2006 Messenger, Yoga is promoted at least five times, and includes the following advertisement on page 2:



Heather (Payne) Perdue

a licensed Yoga instructor

will be teaching a free Yoga class on

Monday evenings at 6:00 in our

Fellowship Hall. Men and Women are

encouraged to come and learn the benefits

of Yoga to your health.

Wear loose clothing, bring a mat or towel

and be prepared to stretch!



While additional Messenger newsletters advertise and promote Yoga, Salem Avenue's website includes the following photos of kids bowing to Yoga, along with their instructor, Heather (Payne) Perdue:



· http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=1791

· http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=1788

· http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=1782

· http://www.salemavebaptistchurch.org/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=1668



In its June 1999 "Resolution on Christian Schools," the SBC urged its membership to get involved and uphold bible-based programs for children:

Be it finally RESOLVED, that we urge churches to enter into and vigorously support education programs for children and youth that will provide biblically-based education

( http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/amResolution.asp?ID=314 ).

The SBC's June 1992 "Resolution On Christian Witness And Voluntary Associations" calls upon its membership to avoid "any association which conflicts with clear biblical teaching," including "mystical knowledge":

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the messengers to the 135th session of the Southern Baptist Convention, call upon all Christians to maintain personal purity in all activities, associations, or memberships; avoiding any association which conflicts with clear biblical teaching, including those teachings concerning the taking of oaths, the secrecy of activities, mystical knowledge, or racial discrimination; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, We affirm that biblical doctrine is to be open and public knowledge and that the Christian faith is to be a clear and public expression of the truth that Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation, that the Bible is our infallible guide, and that salvation comes by the Gospel of grace and not by works; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, That we urge all Southern Baptists to refrain from participation or membership in organizations with teachings, oaths, or mystical knowledge which are contrary to the Bible and to the public expression of our faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, which must be above all reproach (emp. added).

While other resolutions warn against secular humanism (June 1981, June 1984) and Transcendental Meditation (June 1976), Yoga continues to grow in Southern Baptist churches. As stated before, unless resolutions of this type are taken seriously, they are powerless and aren't worth the paper they are printed on.



Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world.

Red and yellow black and white,

All are precious in His sight.

Jesus loves the little children of the world.



The Bible teaches that children are a precious gift from God (Psalm 127:3). They are to be brought up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4)--not the demonic-ridden practices and disciplines of a pagan religion.



In the Old Testament, we see the protective hand of God on the baby Moses and young David (Exodus chapter 2; 1 Samuel chapter 17). In the New Testament, Jesus healed a synagogue official's daughter, raised Jairus' daughter from the dead, and rebuked a demon from a father's son and healed him (Matthew 9:18-25; Luke 8:40-56; Luke 9:37-42).



In Matthew 9:13-15, Jesus demonstrated His love for children and desire to bless them:



Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. After laying His hands on them, He departed from there.



Children mimic their parents and adults, and comprehend far more than they are given credit for. For example, if a child is raised in a household where profanity is the norm, they will cuss like a sailor, take God's name in vain, and think nothing of it (Exodus 20:7). Likewise, if a child is raised in a household where Yoga or other forms of the New Age Movement is the norm, then it should come to no surprise if the child wholeheartedly accepts New Age teachings in the future.



While there are those who are quick to portray Jesus holding a lamb with one hand and gesturing a peace sign with the other, Jesus was crystal clear on the fate of those who cause the innocent to stumble:



It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble (Luke 17:1-2).



The word "stumble" (Greek-skandalizô), means to entice to sin; to cause a person to begin to distrust and desert one whom he ought to trust and obey; to cause to fall away (see Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible).



Whether knowingly or unknowingly, enticing a child to turn away from the true and living God to a false god carries serious consequences. Fine-tuned deception is at an all-time high. Parents should cover all bases, leave no stone unturned, and do everything in their power to protect the emotional, physical, and spiritual welfare of their children.



Jesus Christ is the Master de-stresser. Who needs Yoga when Jesus is readily available to soothe the soul?



Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light (Matthew 11:28-30).



Warnings from God



God's holy word supersedes any and all resolutions, position papers, and statements formulated by man, and is the ultimate authority in all matters of the Christian faith:



For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).



And it is by God's word that mankind will be judged:



He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day (John 12:48).



Nowhere in Scripture--from Genesis to Revelation--does God advocate, encourage, promote, or support the believer's involvement with Yoga or any other pagan religious practice. Yoga is a cult of self-worship, and self-worship is idolatry:



So watch yourselves carefully, since you did not see any form on the day the LORD spoke to you at Horeb from the midst of the fire, so that you do not act corruptly and make a graven image for yourselves in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged

bird that flies in the sky, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water below the earth. And beware not to lift up your eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven (Deuteronomy 4:15-19).



You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth (Deuteronomy 5:8).



Let there be no strange god among you; Nor shall you worship any foreign god (Psalm 81:9).



But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them (Psalm 106:35-36).



Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man (Acts 17:29).



Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14).



Little children, guard yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21).



For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen (Romans 1:21-25).



Christian parents are to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, not a pagan religious practice:



Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).



Children are the freshest from the hands of God. God commands Christians to guard and protect their children. This is serious business. Lives are at stake. And because there is a real heaven and a real hell, Christians need to take it seriously.



-- Special thanks to Deborah Dombrowski of Lighthouse Trails Research and Steve Muse

of Eastern Regional Watch Ministries for their valuable assistance in the writing of this article.



Related articles and materials:



God is Jealous for His People (Commentary by Steve Muse)

Yoga: Just Exercise or a Hindu Religion?

Christian Yoga: Rooted in Hindu Occultism (PDF)

Christian Yoga: Innocent Activity or Dancing With the Devil?

LifeWay Removes Brooke Boon's Book, Holy Yoga

LifeWay's Fitness Expert Promotes Yoga

LifeWay Removes Yoga Meditation Music: But Continues Promoting Yoga



FAITH UNDONE by Roger Oakland

For Many Shall Come In My Name by Ray Yungen

Yoga and The Body of Christ by Dave Hunt

Yoga Uncoiled: from east to west (DVD) by Caryl Matrisciana



For additional information, refer to Christian Research Service's "Christian Yoga?" page at http://www.christianresearchservice.com/ChristianYoga.htm



Bud Press is the Director of Christian Research Service and a Christian Investigative Researcher. Christian Research Service is a discernment ministry that provides information, documentation and referral on a wide variety of issues to the body of Christ and the Christian news media worldwide.

Abanes , Harry Potter and a little Warren

2 Thess 2:3-12
Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction.
He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God.
Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
And you know what is now restraining him, so that he may be revealed when his time comes.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.


The past month I had cable shut off and went to satellite TV to try to get more family friendly material. I was interested that several Christian TV channels were listed.
To my dismay the Christian TV was worse than secular because the airtime is now filled with false teachers such as Benny Hinn, Paula White, Steve Muncey and the list goes on.
There has also been a second coming of sorts which now features Jim Baker on TV selling junk again, Peter Popoff, and Robert Tilton.
Benny Hinn , Tilton, Popoff have been exposed to be the frauds and false teachers they are.
But people still send them money and follow their ministries-amazing how the deception has blinded many.
I believe as well a false Christianity is taking shape through the likes of Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Paul Yongii Cho and many others.
A man centered religion where pastors do not seek the Holy Spirit's guidance but their own vain imaginations to build big business's.
These men like Warren are no longer even pastors or shepherds. I believe Rick Warren refers to them as ranchers.
The Holy Spirit is letting go of restraining evil and letting man and his own wits have their own way.
Read those verses above again and compare them to the times we are now in.

On to Abanes-
These comments are from Richard Abanes blog. Richard is the defender of all things Warren and has made attempts to debate me in the past to no avail.
Richard had disappeared from the blog world for almost a year or so.
I would believe that he has emerged because he has a new book out.
Who knows.
I had been interested in what Richard thought of Rick Warren promoting Harry Potter through Ricks own Ministry Toolbox. I first emailed Richard privately once James Emery White posted a article on Harry Potter and his promoting it on Ricks site.
I received no res ponce.
Then I saw Richards blog and site was up so I asked him there. Richard addressed my comments but would not post them. And hey I respect that its Richards blog he can do what he chooses. Anyway here is Richards full blog response get your hip waders on and watch out you dont trip over Richards ego and self promotion.
Abanes has not changed or grown up in the past year or so.
And I think thats sad.
Here we go-

was recently notified via blogger of the following question/statement from Tim Wirth, who sought to post his comment in my The Evil Hogwarts Professor blog entry:

"I would be very interested in your comments about James Emery Whites endorsement of the new Harry Potter book on Rick Warrens Ministry Toolbox which goes out to thousands of pastors. Actually I was suprised to see this because you are basically from the same camp and I thought your original book "Harry Potter and the Bible " was a good read and helped the Body of Christ with good information.I would think a Rick Warren endorsement of Harry Potter would be a conflict of interest with you."

As some background, Tim Wirth is an individual whom I have not gotten along with in the past. He has, on more than one occasion, attacked me personally for my views regarding Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life. In a nutshell, according to Wirth, because I do not consider Warren a heretic, that means that I have somehow been deceived by the siren song of a false gospel. Be that as it may, Wirth raised some interesting points in his post that desereve a full-blown blog response.

* * * * * ** * * * * * *

Dear Tim,

You would be "very interested" in my comments? Nicely put. My conflicts with you in the past have shown me that you are far more interested in fighting, sniping, and name-calling, than you are in rational discourse, especially when it comes to one of your pet obsessions—Rick Warren. I can only shake my head at this point (sigh). Must you be sooooo obvious in your attempts to turn me against Rick Warren by taking Harry Potter, then using mental acrobatics (and half-truths), make it seem like Warren is somehow pushing HP on pastors and churches. Goodness.

Nevertheless, I shall answer you—and be done with it. I am NOT going to allow this blog to be turned into a Rick Warren free-for-all. So, here is your response. And unless you can discuss things rationally, then any further attempts to post in this blog will be rejected. You may, of course, send or post any of the following as long as you do not take me out of context or misrepresent the thrust of my argument (I know, I know, it'll be hard for you, but try):

1. I doubt that Rick Warren has even read HP, just as I doubt that he has personally read every single book listed on White's “Summer Reading” list published in Warren's Issue #316, 6/20/2007. That list includes about a dozen books. Really, do you think Warren, between flying all over the world in addition to his pastoral duties, has spent his valuable time pouring over each of those twelve books, particularly Earthly Powers: The Clash of Religion and Politics in Europe, from the French Revolution to the Great War, or Dissolution (a novel of Tudor England), or Einstein: His Life and Universe? I don't. I am fairly confident that White, as a respected cultural apologist, simply has a standing invitation to publish his lists through Warren's Toolbox, and that is about as far as that goes. So, stop already with the Rick Warren is a HP pusher jag. Get a statement from Rick Warren on Harry Potter before you say: "So it seems that Rick Warren does endorse reading Harry Potter or considers it harmless fantasy." You DO have a quote like that, right? . . . Yeah, I thought so.

2. In the very article you quote, White explains EXACTLY why he includes HP on the list. The very nature of his list is to point people toward books that are relevant to our culture, history, literature, etc. etc. etc. White states (I'll say it again here because it seems you missed it): "My reading list, of course, is not meant to endorse the content of the books, but to recommend the importance of reading the books. For example, the list also recommended reading one of the three main 'atheist' apologetics released this year, such as Christopher Hitchens’ God Is Not Great. I am surprised a blogger or two, using the same reasoning, didn’t accuse me and Rick of endorsing atheism!" That's pretty clear for anyone who can read. . . . Oh, sorry, Tim (tee-hee-hee).

3. As for White's personal views of HP, I would challenge him on a number of statements he has made. I don't believe he has accurately worked through many of the issues relating to Harry Potter—and I'd be the first one to tell him that both publicly and privately. For example, he has said, "the magic used in the books is mechanical, not blatantly occultic. No more than the magical powers of Superman." This is inaccurate. At best, it is simplistic. I discuss this whole issue of mechanical magic in my book Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings. I suggest very strongly that you get a copy of this book, Tim.

In all honesty, I know we are not the best of friends, and that's too bad. But if you want ammunition for accurately, solidly, and thoroughly handling the Harry Potter issue, you really need this updated, revised, and expanded volume I have done on the three works in the title (I also include a significant amount of material on Philip Pullman's His Dark Material and R.L. Stine). Here are a few more statements that White makes with which I disagree. I would be most happy to debate White or anyone else on the issue of HP—any time, any place. I'll let you arrange that one (lol). Basically, White just seems to be repeating what the likes of Connie Neal, John Granger, and Francis Bridger have said about HP without actually taking the time to do the research himself:

WHITE: "The characters develop courage, loyalty, and the willingness toward self-sacrifice"
ME: This is hardly a well-rounded assessment of the behavior displayed by the characters. It utterly downplays, to the point of ignoring, the less-admirable aspects of their moral/ethical actions.

WHITE: "Harry Potter books are best lumped with the fantasy works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, where wizards and witches and magical potions also abound, but in a fantasy framework where the author uses them to present good as good, and evil as evil."
ME: Absolutely false, false, false. I cannot stress this any more forcefully. J.K. Rowling herself has distanced HP from the works of both Lewis AND Tolkien. So, on this point, White and others are contradicting none other than the author of the HP series (documentation is in Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings).

WHITE: "Rowling’s appreciation for Lewis runs so deep that his writing was the primary reason for seven Potter books - she wanted to match the seven in the Narnia series."
ME: False. Wrong. Urban Legend. Poor research on White's part. Again, he is just repeating what he has heard from others. Rowling decided on the number seven as the series completion because she believes the number seven to be "a magical number, a mystical number" (Rowling interview, LA Times, Oct. 25, 2000). And according to her first husband, who was there when she started writing the series, Rowling "had planned the full series of sven books because she believed the number seven has magical associations" (Daily Express, quoted in New York Post, July 11, 2000). This same explanation is confirmed in the introduction to Beacham Publication's educational resource book, Exploring Harry Potter, which reads: "Ms. Rowling has spoken extensively about her plans for future Potter novels, and stated that the magical number seven will see the conclusion of Harry's education at Hogwarts." (So, there you go, James, if you're out there, THAT is why Rowling planned seven volumes. It had nothing to do with Lewis. I do not know where this rumor came from or who started it.)

WHITE: "Rowling herself is a professing Christian and member of the Church of Scotland, and while she doesn’t pretend the Harry Potter series are overtly Christian books, a Christian worldview is behind every page."
ME: This is a far-fetched assumption based on a few highly generalized statements from Rowling that have often been repeated over the years by Harry Potter fans in the Christian community. I discuss at length Rowling's supposed Christianity not only in Harry Potter, Narnia, and The Lord of the Rings, but also in a recent ongoing interview about HP that is being posted over at the Harry Potter Community Journal.

Well, I think that about covers it.

Do I believe White is some kind of heretic for being in error on these points? NO. Do I think Warren is a heretic for having White post his booklist in a pastors.com Ministry Toolbox? NO. Would I say to Rick Warren exactly what I've said here in reponse to White if he were to raise the same pro-HP arguments raised by White? Absolutely! People get all kinds of things right and wrong. Surprise, surprise. We're all human. I will close with a quote from the interview I am currently given at the Harry Potter Community Journal.

"My main point regarding Harry Potter books has remained consistent over the years: Like them. Love them. Hate them. Whatever. But know what they contain, not only from a spiritual perspective (pro & con), but also from an ethical/moral perspective (pro & con). Then, make an appropriate decision for yourselves and your children based on the possible effects of such content, especially on the malleable minds of young, impressionable kids. The HP series should be approached like any other stack of books. They must be judged according to their content, neither overly condemned, nor overly accepted. Take them for what they are, not for what one may want them to be, either out of fear of them, or out of some misguided sense that because culture as a whole accepts them, we also must accept them wholeheartedly or look foolish. I see both of those extremes being displayed within the Christian community. And it's unfortunate. I've looked at the subject, or at least I've tried to look at it, very even-handedly. When it comes to HP, it's really a fairly simple issue, at least to me. But the waters have become muddied by people on both sides of the fence who have their own agenda (especially within the Christian community, where everyone should be showing more restraint, love, and a willingness to look at the facts with an eye toward finding the truth). You have the true Harry-haters on one hand who want to ban/burn the books because they contain occult imagery and mythological references. They are not recognizing the literary merit in the volumes, nor are they seeing some of the valuable lessons in the story or the positive character traits in several of the characters. On the other hand, you have the Harry-worshipers who refuse to hear anything negative about the volumes, and have gone so far as to twist and pervert the books into what they want them to be -- i.e., a blatant Christian allegory (despite words to the contrary by J.K. Rowling, whom they claim to admire so much)."

Richard Abanes
Posted by rabanes at 9:26 AM 0 comments



Tuesday, August 07, 2007

This was my comments to Richard after his post. My comments were not posted on Richards blog and again I respect that.

Richard: Thank you for your comments. And of course answering in a way you alone can do. Im glad to see by your comments you still know how to dance.
I have read your other book Harry Potter, Narnia, and the Lord of the Rings. Thought it was pretty much a copy and paste job on the writing. I enjoyed your other book "Harry Potter and The Bible" and again thought it had some good well thought out views and helped the Body of Christ.
As far as Rick not knowing about James Emery White promoting Harry Potter on Ricks website I find that very hard to believe.
If Rick does not know shame on him for not being more responsible.
I agree though Im not going to take Rick Warren to task on your site.
Just like the people that send Benny Hinn money still after constant reliable information and expose' they didnt get it then, they probably wont get it in the future.
The same goes for Rick Warren and what he is all about.
And just for the record you know that I emailed you as soon as the James Emery White article and endorsement came out.
I really did want to see what you think because of what you profess to believe.
Im kinda glad your back out in the blog world again though.
You'll do more in exposing what Rick Warren is all about than I could every do.
The Bible states we will know them by their fruits.
I do hope you finish well though.
Tim Wirth
PS
I will address this all on my blog in more detail.


Tim Wirth

Well folks thats it judge this for yourselves. I do believe that Richard will always do more in exposing what Rick Warren is all about than most discernment ministries ever will.

Matt 7:15-16
""Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?"


Eph 5:11
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them ."

And to Richard Abanes who my friends in discernment ministries have nicknamed Sir Hamalot.
I hope you finish well and the Holy Spirit wakes you up.
Tim Wirth

Letter to Pres George Bush from Evangelical Christians

This was sent to me from Ed Newby my friend and brother in the Lord from The Berean Call. Take note that the first sentence is not from the Berean Call but from the blog owner Shaw where this article was taken from. I dont get into politics that much but this is relevant to what we warn about here. Its amazing what passes as a Evangelical Christian these days. Check out the folks who signed this and then connect the dots for yourselves. Tim

The open letter below (from the NYT yesterday) is an AMAZING example of how we can encourage our spiritual leaders to engage politically. The letter is frank, Biblical in its argument, and intense in its Kingdom orientation. And check out the amazing list of signees!

—
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We write as evangelical Christian leaders in the United States to thank you for your efforts (including the major address on July 16) to reinvigorate the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to achieve a lasting peace in the region. We affirm your clear call for a two-state solution. We urge that your administration not grow weary in the time it has left in office to utilize the vast influence of America to demonstrate creative, consistent and determined U.S. leadership to create a new future for Israelis and Palestinians. We pray to that end, Mr. President.

We also write to correct a serious misperception among some people including some U.S. policymakers that all American evangelicals are opposed to a two-state solution and creation of a new Palestinian state that includes the vast majority of the West Bank. Nothing could be further from the truth. We, who sign this letter, represent large numbers of evangelicals throughout the U.S. who support justice for both Israelis and Palestinians. We hope this support will embolden you and your administration to proceed confidently and forthrightly in negotiations with both sides in the region.

As evangelical Christians, we embrace the biblical promise to Abraham: “I will bless those who bless you.” (Genesis 12:3). And precisely as evangelical Christians committed to the full teaching of the Scriptures, we know that blessing and loving people (including Jews and the present State of Israel) does not mean withholding criticism when it is warranted. Genuine love and genuine blessing means acting in ways that promote the genuine and long-term well being of our neighbors. Perhaps the best way we can bless Israel is to encourage her to remember, as she deals with her neighbor Palestinians, the profound teaching on justice that the Hebrew prophets proclaimed so forcefully as an inestimably precious gift to the whole world.

Historical honesty compels us to recognize that both Israelis and Palestinians have legitimate rights stretching back for millennia to the lands of Israel/Palestine. Both Israelis and Palestinians have committed violence and injustice against each other. The only way to bring the tragic cycle of violence to an end is for Israelis and Palestinians to negotiate a just, lasting agreement that guarantees both sides viable, independent, secure states. To achieve that goal, both sides must give up some of their competing, incompatible claims. Israelis and Palestinians must both accept each other’s right to exist. And to achieve that goal, the U.S. must provide robust leadership within the Quartet to reconstitute the Middle East roadmap, whose full implementation would guarantee the security of the State of Israel and the viability of a Palestinian State. We affirm the new role of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and pray that the conference you plan for this fall will be a success.

Mr. President, we renew our prayers and support for your leadership to help bring peace to Jerusalem, and justice and peace for all the people in the Holy Land.

Finally, we would request to meet with you to personally convey our support and discuss other ways in which we may help your administration on this crucial issue.

Sincerely,

Ronald J. Sider, President
Evangelicals for Social Action

Don Argue, President
Northwest University

Raymond J. Bakke, Chancellor
Bakke Graduate University

Gary M. Benedict, President
The Christian & Missionary Alliance

George K. Brushaber, President
Bethel University

Gary M. Burge, Professor
Wheaton College & Graduate School

Tony Campolo, President/Founder
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education

Christopher J. Doyle, CEO
American Leprosy Mission

Leighton Ford, President
Leighton Ford Ministries

Daniel Grothe, Pastoral Staff
New Life Church (Colorado Springs)

Vernon Grounds, Chancellor
Denver Seminary

Stephen Hayner, former President
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor
Northland Church
Member, Executive Committee of the NAE

Jo Anne Lyon, Founder/CEO
World Hope International

Gordon MacDonald, Chair of the Board
World Relief

Albert G. Miller, Professor
Oberlin College

Richard Mouw, President
Fuller Theological Seminary

David Neff, Editor
Christianity Today

Glenn R. Palmberg, President
Evangelical Covenant Church

Earl Palmer, Senior Pastor
University Presbyterian Church Seattle

Victor D. Pentz, Pastor
Peachtree Presbyterian Church, Atlanta

John Perkins, President
John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation & Development

Bob Roberts, Jr., Senior Pastor
Northwood Church, Dallas

Leonard Rogers, Executive Director
Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Andrew Ryskamp, Executive Director
Christian Reformed World Relief Committee

Chris Seiple, President
Institute for Global Engagement

Robert A. Seiple, Former Ambassador-at-Large,
International Religious Freedom
U.S. State Department

Luci N. Shaw, Author, Lecturer
Regent College, Vancouver

Jim Skillen, Executive Director
Center for Public Justice

Glen Harold Stassen, Professor
Fuller Theological Seminary

Richard Stearns, President
World Vision

Clyde D. Taylor, Former Chair of the Board
World Relief

Harold Vogelaar, Director
Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice

Berten Waggoner, National Director
Vineyard USA

A Return to the Catholic Church? -long article

This ties in a James White article and a new Lighthouse Trails book from Roger Oakland " Faith Undone". And of course Pope Benedict has came out stating the Catholic Church is the only true faith in Christianity. Which of course is not true because the Catholic plan and teachings cannot save anyone from hell.Its amazing (or not) that guys like Rick Warren and most of the Emerging Church thinks its ok to team up with a church who plainly wants to bring people back into the fold of their false teachings.

From James Whites blog-
03 May
Head of the Evangelical Theological Society Swims the Tiber
About a month ago I followed a link to Frank Beckwith's blog. The article (found here) is a response to John MacArthur on the topic of Lent. As I read through the article I could not help but feeling a very odd feeling about what I was reading. The language, the sources cited, all sounded so very familiar...as if I was reading the opinions of a newly minted follower of Rome, anyway, over at The Journey Home or some other RC apologetics blog or website. But Frank Beckwith? Current President of the Evangelical Theological Society? It struck me as very odd. I even opened up my blogging software to write a response, but, as is so often the case, was over-run with other duties, and had to give up on it.
The ending of Beckwith's article was particularly troubling:

Pastor MacArthur and Ms. Litz would have also discovered that some of the same Church Fathers the pastor cites to dispute the perpetuity of spiritual gifts celebrated Lent. So, one finds an ancient church, celebrating Lent according to beliefs, events, and practices found in Scripture, that is able to produce the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed, establish the canon, and make correct judgments (according to MacArthur) on the matter of spiritual gifts.
Not too shabby for a "pagan" church.

As my regular readers know, the "establish the canon" claim would be more than enough to get my attention. Now, I personally have little interest in the Lenten argument (outside of noting the gross abuse of such an idea inherent in Mardi Gras and the insight that provides into the thinking of many in the Roman communion), but when I saw repeated references to Roman Catholic sources, the New Advent website, etc., I could not help but think for a moment of how many have splashed their way across the Tiber due to the combination of 1) an out-of-balance view of philosophy's authority in comparison with that of divine revelation, and 2) the influence of direct and regular cooperation in moral/cultural conflicts with members of the Roman communion (i.e., pro-life, pro-family groups). I have chronicled my own journey in struggling with cultural cooperation in reference to the matter of the gospel in the past, and will not repeat it here. Suffice it to say that there have been many who, upon forging friendships based upon common moral stands (against abortion, against homosexuality, etc.), have found their commitment to the centrality of justification by faith, or sola scriptura, sliding down the list of "most important life-defining beliefs." Of course, it works both ways. Many of those on the other side of the Tiber who are involved in the same activities tend to become quite "ecumenical" and are willing to set aside dogmatic definitions, often leading to a functional inclusivism or even universalism. Of course, many in the pro-life movement are radically Marian in their devotion, but both sides can testify to seeing the theological imperatives of their respective beliefs turned upside down by the "ecumenical attraction" syndrome.
In any case, I received information today that Dr. Beckwith has, in fact, returned to the Roman Catholic communion (I saw "returned" only because it appears, from his biographical information, that he was raised in the Roman communion). Now, I have searched the web, including Dr. Beckwith's websites/blogs, and have not found any confirmation of this information. However, I have now received multiple, independent attestation to this fact. I would imagine we will, in time, be provided a fairly full apologia of his decision. At that time it would be highly appropriate to once again provide a biblical response. For the moment, there is another matter I wish to consider.
Let's ponder the hypothetical situation of a President of the Evangelical Theological Society converting to Roman Catholicism in the midst of his tenure. In 1998 I attended the national meeting of the ETS in Orlando, Florida. At one of the sessions some of the founding members were being asked questions about why they did certain things, why they wrote the statement of faith as they did, etc. A woman asked a question of the panel. "Why did you write 'the Bible alone' in the statement of faith?" The ETS statement of faith is very, very short. It reads:

"The Bible alone, and the Bible in its entirety, is the Word of God written and is therefore inerrant in the autographs. God is a Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each an uncreated person, one in essence, equal in power and glory."

Roger Nicole rose, slowly, and made his way to the podium. He looked out at the lady and said, "Because we didn't want any Roman Catholics in the group." He then turned around and went back to his seat. While most sat in stunned silence, I and a friend with me broke into wild applause. The brevity of the response, and Nicole's dead-pan look, was classic. Most looked at us like we were nuts, but we appreciated what he said. Here, one of the founding members made it clear that the ETS was founded as a Protestant organization and that primary to their own self-understanding was a belief in sola scriptura.
I would like to very seriously propose that any person who, while in the leadership of such an organization, choses to abandon the faith he professed when elected, and embrace a faith substantially different (which clearly the founders of the ETS intended to exclude the views of Roman Catholicism), should by any meaningful ethical standard step down from his position. The very fact that he was elected as one standing in a particular theological spectrum who, then, abandons that position in a substantive, directly relevant way, would be enough to bring a moral imperative to bear upon him. I do not believe such a person has the right to overthrow the intentions of the founders of the organization just to make a point or promote his new religious ideologies. There are, of course, many Catholic biblical societies such a person could join.
Of course, ETS has already shown that it is unable to expel from its ranks those who are Open Theists, and this due to the maddening brevity of the statement of faith. And, I have learned today as well, this entire discussion may be irrelevant, since there are already Roman Catholic members of ETS. But while Open Theism, at least in the form promoted by such men as Boyd, Sanders, and Pinnock today, was not even in the minds of the founders of ETS when they formed the organization, Roman Catholicism, as Nicole's comment shows, was. And while membership is one thing, can anyone seriously argue that the election would have gone the way it did with a confessing Roman Catholic running for the Presidency?
Now that just such a high-profile conversion has taken place, prepare yourself for the flood of substance-less "Come Home to Rome" articles. Let me make a prediction: as is so often the case, the very act of conversion, not the reasons for so doing, will be the primary focus. "He's so brilliant, if he converts, he must have a brilliant reason!" There are very few "new" reasons for conversion that have not been fully addressed in the past, and Rome's modern apologists have learned that it is never to their advantage to give air to the replies offered by the most careful of their critics. As any review of the current body of Roman Catholic "conversion stories" will bear out, fair, balanced, insightful representation of the facts related to sola scriptura, Papal primacy, the Mass, the Marian dogmas, purgatory, etc., is utterly lacking. Emotional appeals to "the ancient church," mythical references to the "unity" of Rome (those actually inside the communion and familiar with its rancorous disputes cannot help but chuckle at those blissfully naive, breathless commentaries), and the warm feeling of "coming home" to the Church (almost never anything about conversion to Christ) are the keys to successful conversioneering.
Of course, folks like yours truly will ask all the boring questions, like, "How do you escape the circularity of the Roman claims regarding papal infallibility?" or "How can Rome's claims, built as they were historically, upon such a wide variety of fraudulent documents, stand today in light of her own history?" And more to the point, "Do you really believe you can approach the Mass 20,000 times in your life and still die impure, and that this re-presentation is the same sacrifice as the perfect work you once professed to embrace?" Of course, those are the tough questions, which lead folks back to the inspired Scriptures, and that is the last place The Coming Home Network wants to go.
In any case, as sad as it always is to read of someone abandoning the gospel for the false pretenses of Rome, it really does not surprise me when it happens. Why? Because we live in a day when the faithful are being tested as they were in Elijah's day. If you do not passionately love the truth, God is under no obligation to continue to allow you to possess it. And how many do we see in the post-evangelical world who are truly passionate about the truth of the gospel? Oh, folks may be very passionate about their particular cause, but there is a vast difference between being cause-passionate and being gospel-passionate. There is little difference between the zeal that consumes basketball fans this time of year and that which is created by a particular cultural "cause." But the gospel is different. It speaks of attributes of God's character that the natural man does not have the capacity to truly love. It strikes at the heart of man's arrogance, it removes, by its emphasis upon powerful, effective, sovereign grace, any ground of boasting in the man. But over time, if one is apathetic about the truth of the gospel, God may well bring judgment to bear in causing one to love a lie. And surely, anyone who has gazed in awe at the grandeur of the finished work of Christ in the light of the eternal decree of a holy and just God, who can then "trade that in" for the endless treadmill of Rome's sacramental system, the unfinished work of the Mass, and the specter of satispassio in purgatory, is one far beyond my comprehension and understanding. I truly pray for Dr. Beckwith's restoration, but more so, I pray God will once again cause His people to recognize the centrality of the truths of the gospel so that others may not fall into the same temptations to trade in the reality of peace with God for the empty facade of Roman piety.


posted at 20:34:06 on 05/03/07 by James R. White - Category: Roman Catholicism

From Lighthouse Trails-

by Roger Oakland
Understand the Times
From Faith Undone:

For those who are not aware of the Catholic Church's New Evangelization program, let me provide a brief overview. The Catholic Church plans to establish the kingdom of God on earth and win the world to the Catholic Jesus (i.e., the Eucharistic Christ). This will be accomplished when the world (including the separated brethren) comes under the rule and reign of Rome and this Eucharistic Jesus.

The Eucharistic Jesus is supposedly Christ's presence that a Catholic priest summons through the power of transubstantiation, the focal point of the Mass. Many Christians believe the Christian tradition of communion is the same as the Catholic tradition of the Eucharist. But this is not so. The Eucharist (i.e., transubstantiation) is a Catholic term for communion when the bread and the wine are said to be transformed into the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. The Catholic Catechism states:
In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained."1
The host is then placed in what is called a monstrance and can then be worshiped as if worshiping Jesus Himself. The implications are tied directly to salvation itself. With the Eucharist, salvation becomes sacramental (participation in a ritual) as opposed to justification by faith in Christ alone, described in Galatians 2:16. While this mystical experience is a form of idolatry (as well as the very heart of Catholicism), there is a growing interest by evangelical Christians in this practice, particularly by the emerging church.

The Catholic Church leadership, concerned with apathy for the Eucharist within the Catholic ranks, is hoping to "rekindle the amazement"2 of the Eucharist through what is called their "New Evangelization program."3 With a two-fold purpose--to keep present Catholics and to bring evangelicals into the Catholic Church--church leadership has a plan to re-emphasize the Eucharist as the focus of the Catholic faith. By saying "rekindle the amazement," they mean bring out the mystical, supernatural element of the Eucharist.

All Catholics are expected to worship the host (Eucharistic Adoration of the transformed wafer), and church leadership says it is anathema (to be accursed) to reject this teaching....

While it is true that during the Reformation and Counter Reformation, many who refused to believe in transubstantiation were tortured and executed for their faith in the Gospel, time has a way of forgetting the facts of history.

In April of 2003, the pope wrote an encyclical promoting the "New Evangelization" program for the purpose of "rekindling amazement" for the Eucharist.4 Then in October of 2004, John Paul II initiated "The Year of the Eucharist" as part of his evangelistic plan to bring the world to the Eucharistic Christ. Following his death in April of 2005, Pope Benedict XVI picked up Pope John Paul's mission immediately. He called the "faithful to intensify" devotion to the Eucharistic Jesus, and said the Eucharist is the "heart of Christian life...."5

The New Evangelization program plans to revitalize the Catholic faith by reigniting strong interest in the Eucharistic Jesus. It is not just the pope who is enthusiastic about this--cardinals, bishops, and priests all over the world are joining in to help with the mission. Something very significant is happening. Eucharistic adoration is becoming the foundation for the new evangelization of the Catholic Church....

In speaking of the pope's view on the Eucharist, Protestant-turned Catholic Scott Hahn states:
The coming of Jesus Christ - what the Greek New Testament calls his "parousia"--is not simply some far-off event. It is his presence in the Eucharist. Fundamentalists reduce the meaning of "parousia" to Christ's coming at the end of time; but for the first century Greek speakers the word meant "presence." Catholic theology holds on to that original meaning.6
The presence of Christ in the Eucharist is the Second Coming Catholic style. Unfortunately, many evangelical Protestants are not even aware of this....

While Eucharistic adoration contradicts biblical Christianity, a growing number of popular evangelicals (especially those leaning toward emerging spiritualities) seem to find no offense in such a doctrine. And with the increased acceptance of mysticism and an attraction to imagery within evangelical circles, it only makes sense that many evangelical Christians find nothing wrong with the Eucharist and Eucharistic adoration. Such acceptance, however, is neutralizing former evangelical resistance to all things Catholic....

In Doug Pagitt's 2003 book Church Re-imagined, he describes his initial attraction to rituals associated with the Eucharist:
The first day of Lent this year brought the first Ash Wednesday gathering in our church's history and in mine.... Until this point, Ash Wednesday had not been part of my Christian faith experience. Not only had I never applied ashes to anyone's forehead, but I had also never had them applied to mine. After this experience I wondered how I could have celebrated 19 Easters as a Christian without this tremendous experience.7
Scot McKnight, another emerging church influencer, is professor of religious studies at North Park University and on the Coordinating Group for Emergent Village.... McKnight is the author of The Real Mary and The Jesus Creed. In referring to an Anglican service, McKnight speaks of the Eucharistic focus. He states:
[T]he point of an Anglican gathering on a Sunday morning is not to hear a sermon but to worship the Lord through the celebration of the Eucharist... First some scripture readings and then the sermon and then some announcements and then the Eucharist liturgy--with everyone coming forward to kneel and participate - publicly--in the body and blood.8
McKnight says that "the Eucharist profoundly enables the grace of God to be received with all its glories and blessings."9 No doubt, McKnight will have an impact on those in the emerging church movement, and his views on the Eucharist will rub off. He is a popular speaker at many events including Willow Creek's Small Group Conference and the National Pastors Convention. Both of these events reach the postmodern generation. (See Faith Undone for other examples of evangelical leaders showing tolerance toward the Catholic Eucharist, one of which is Rick Warren.)

The late Robert Webber was very influential in closing the gap between Eucharistic adoration and the evangelical church. A document he authored called "A Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future" states: "We call for a renewed consideration of how God ministers to us in ... Eucharist."10 Two well-known evangelical publishers, Baker Books and InterVarsity Press (both of which now publish emerging church authors) sponsored the document as did Christianity Today. The AEF, which the document is called, is endorsed by various emerging church leaders such as Brian McLaren who calls it "a preaching resource" that "emphasize[s] the importance ... of Advent or Lent."11
Participants of the AEF include numerous Christian seminaries like Bethel Seminary in Minnesota, Dallas Theological Seminary, and pastors from many different denominations including Nazarene, Wesleyan, Mennonite, Reformed, and Baptist. ...

To those who traditionally haven't had much ritual in their lives (i.e., Protestants), the ambience of the Mass would have great appeal because of its religious novelty--thus the interest in the Eucharist by those who promote contemplative spirituality. And for many Catholics, the Mass (where the Eucharist is presented), in, and of itself, is not a mystical experience. However if the contemplative dimension is added, one actually can enter the mystical realm. On the surface, this phenomenon seems complex, but once we begin to understand mysticism, it all makes sense. Within the contemplative prayer realm, the meditator is actually getting in touch with a spiritual power or force. Combining the tradition of the Eucharist, which appeals to many raised in the Catholic Church, with the relatively recent explosion of contemplative practice, the Catholic Church sees this as a way to recover its robust state of previous decades....

Right now, some may be asking, is the physical presence of Jesus held inside the elements of the Eucharist? Or as some evangelicals and emergents have suggested, is there a special presence and power in the Eucharist? The answer to both is a resounding no! Jesus Christ indwells the heart of every person who is born again and who belongs to Him by faith through grace. He promises never to leave or forsake us, meaning that His presence is in our lives at all times. We are not required to partake in a ritual to experience His presence, nor is He confined in benign, lifeless wafers and wine (or juice). As Jesus said:

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit [spiritual as opposed to physical], and they are life. (John 6:63, emphasis added)
Jesus said this in response to his disciples' confusion over His statement "my flesh is meat indeed" (vs. 55). Paul adds further clarity in writing to the Romans that all we need to do is call upon the true Jesus, and He is there:
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:8-13)
At this point, we see the great chasm that separates Catholicism from the light of the Gospel--a light the reformers saw, for which many of them gave their lives. They recognized that participation in the sacraments is not what saves people.

[T]he Catholic's New Evangelization is no small issue. Darkness has crept over the Christian church the same way an avalanche sweeps down a mountain. Every day new unsuspecting victims are being swept away and buried. And the role the emerging church plays in bringing this about is something that should alarm every discerning Christian. (From Faith Undone, excerpts from chapter 8)

To read more about the emerging church, read Faith Undone - to be released August 1st, 2007.

Notes:
1. Catechism of the Catholic Church, para. 1374, page 383.6
2. H. J. Schroeder, The Canons and Decrees of The Council of Trent (Rockford, IL: Tan Books and Publishers, 1978), page 79, Canon 1.
3. Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, "The New Evangelization" (http://www.ewtn.com/new_evangelization/Ratzinger.htm).
4. Zenit: The World Seen From Rome, "Why the Pope Would Write an Encyclical on the Eucharist: To Rekindle Amazement," cited April 17, 2003, http://www.zenit.org.
5. "Pope Benedict calls on faithful to intensify devotion to Eucharistic Jesus," http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=3686.
6. Interview with Scott Hahn, "Eucharist in the Pontificate of Benedict XVI" (Pontifications, June 12, 2005, http:// catholica.pontifications.net/?p=940).
7. Doug Pagitt, Church Re-Imagined, op. cit., p. 103.
8. Scot McKnight, "An Anglican Service" (Jesus Creed blog, http://www.jesuscreed.org/?p=2258).
9. Scot McKnight, Turning to Jesus, (Louisville, KY: Westminister John Knox Press, 2002 edition), p. 7.
10. Robert Webber, "A Call to an Ancient Evangelical Future" (Online at: http://www.aefcall.org/read.html.
11. Brian McLaren, "The AEF Document as a Preaching Resource" (From the AEF Call website: http://www.aefcall.org/documents/TheAEFDocumentasaPreachingResource_000.doc).


For more information on the "New Evangelization" program of the Catholic church and the move toward the mystical:

"Catholic, other religious leaders, laity try silence when peace talks fail"
from Understand the Times (July 23rd, 2007).

Pope's message for World Youth Day 2008: Seeking a new "Pentecost"

From Lighthouse Trails-Thomas Keating and Kundalini

Great article from my friend and sister in the Lord- Deb Dombrowski
(Cool Graphics lifted from Phil Johnson's blog-a Calvinist with a sense of humor go figure)All kidding aside Phil is a great writer with many great articles even though Im not a tulip kinda guy.-Tim

According to Thomas Keating, the father of the modern day centering (contemplative) prayer movement that is sweeping widely within evangelical circles, the silence or sacred space that is reached during contemplative prayer/centering prayer is the same state that is reached during what is called kundalini.

Catholic priest Philip St. Romain wrote a book called Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality. Kundalini is based on the occultic chakra system where a supposed universal energy flows through a human being and through all of creation, uniting all and acknowledging divinity in all things and all people. Ray Yungen says kundalini is a "Hindu term for the mystical power or force that underlies Hindu spirituality" (ATOD, 2nd ed., p.46). In Hinduism, kundalini is called serpent power. In former New Age medium Brian Flynn's book, Running Against the Wind, Flynn discusses the kundalini effect and lists some of the symptoms:

* Burning hot or ice cold streams moving up the spine.
* Pains in varying locations throughout the body.
* Vibrations, unease, or cramps in legs and other parts of body.
* Fast pulse and increased metabolism.
* Disturbance in the breathing--and/or heart function.
* Sensitivity to sound, light, smell, and proximity of other people.
* Mystical/religious experiences.
* Parapsychological abilities.
* Persistent anxiety or anxiety attacks, confusion
* Insomnia, manic high spirits or deep depression. Energy loss.
* Impaired concentration and memory.
* Total isolation due to inability to communicate inner experiences out.
* Experiences of possession and poltergeist phenomena. (RAW, 2nd ed., p. 165)

Through practicing meditation, Romain came to depend on what he calls an "inner adviser" (spirit guide). Symptoms during his deep meditative experience included "prickly sensations on the top of his head" that would "fizzle with energy" (ATOD, p. 47).

Thomas Keating, who has inspired many evangelical contemplatives like Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster1, and Brennan Manning, 2 wrote the foreword to Philip St. Romain's book, and in it, Keating acknowledges that kundalini is the same as Christian contemplation. He states:
Since this energy [kundalini] is also at work today in numerous persons who are devoting themselves to contemplative prayer, this book is an important contribution to the renewal of the Christian contemplative tradition. It will be a great consolation to those who have experienced physical symptoms arising from the awakening of kundalini in the course of their spiritual journey ... Most spiritual disciplines world-wide insist on some kind of serious discipline before techniques of awakening kundalini are communicated. In Christian tradition ... the regular practice of the stages of Christian prayer ... contemplation are the essential disciplines...
Keating explains that the reason spiritual directors are needed is to help guide the Christian contemplative because of the powerful and dangerous nature of kundalini. He says that these "spiritual directors" may need to consult with "Eastern teachers in order to get a fuller understanding." Keating ends his foreword with:
This book will initiate Christians on the spiritual journey into this important but long neglected dimension of the transforming power of grace.
It is disturbing to know that evangelical leaders, like Beth Moore, are touting Brennan Manning 3 whose spirituality is so influenced by mystics like Thomas Keating. Southern Baptist LifeWay Store Jim Shull said this of Keating when defending their promoting of him in their stores: "He has written books on contemplative prayer, but this does not make him a New Age sympathizer."4 When we realize that New Age and kundalini have the same premise (God in all, and God is all), then we can see how troublesome LifeWay's comments are. (Lifeway has since discontinued carrying Keating's book but to our knowledge has not retracted its statement about him. In addition, they remain in partnership with Leadership Network, which promotes both the contemplative and emerging church movements,5 and they continue offering mystical promoting books like Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson.6

Surely Thomas Keating's recognition that contemplative and kundalini are one in the same will convince even the most skeptical Christian.

See also:

Book Alert: Soul Feast by Marjorie Thompson

Hot Off The Press

From my Friend and Brother In The Lord Bud Press-

'Is Harry Potter the Son of God?'

Comments on Abigail BeauSeigneur's Editorial

by Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

August 2, 2007



Abigail BeauSeigneur is convinced that J.K. Rowling is a closet Christian, and that Rowling's fictional character, Harry Potter, is an archetype of none other than Jesus Christ.



But can one be a Christian and promote occultism at the same time? Is Harry Potter an archetype of Jesus Christ? Is God's word, the Bible, sufficient for the believer, and to be used as the ultimate and final authority in faith and all matters of the Christian life?



After reading BeauSeigneur's article, "Is Harry Potter the Son of God" ( http://www.mugglenet.com/editorials/editorials/edit-beauseignera01.shtml ), one of the first Scriptures that came to mind is Ecclesiastes 1:9:



The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.



God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. Nothing happens without his knowledge. Nothing happens without His allowing it to happen.



Of Jesus Christ, the Bible teaches: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (Colossians 1:16-17).



In the opening stages of God's word, we find the serpent tempting, wooing, and enticing Eve to betray God (Genesis chapter 3). And Eve fell prey to the subtle lies of the serpent.



Elsewhere in Scripture, we see God commanding mankind to steer clear of the occult and those who promote it:



Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God (Leviticus 19:31).



And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people (Leviticus 20:6).



In Deuteronomy 18:9-12, God defines occultism and terms those who practice it an abomination:



When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee (Deuteronomy 18:9-12).



In Galatians 5:19-21, God warns that witchcraft is a work of the flesh, and that those who practice it will not inherit the kingdom of God. And in Revelation 21:8, sorcerers are among those who will be eternally separated from God and occupy the lake of fire forever:



But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.



In 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, the apostle Paul reminds the church at Corinth about the ease in which Eve fell for the serpent's subtle, fine-tuned deception. Paul writes of the existence of a counterfeit Jesus, spirit, and gospel. Those who preach the counterfeit are ...false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).



In Galatians 1:6-9, Paul warns that those who serves and false Jesus and preach a counterfeit gospel are under a divine curse (anathema).



In the Garden of Eden, the serpent (Satan), overshadowed Eve prior to the fall. Down through the ages, Satan has overshadowed, oppressed, and even possessed those involved in the cults and the occult.



Jesus said, Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44). Satan is the father to the unsaved--whether directly or indirectly.



There is a big difference between hearing and listening. Those who hear God's word are of God. But those who refuse to listen are not of God (John 8:47).



Thousands of years ago, God established His rules, His guidelines, and His authority. He established clear-cut, easy-to-understand admonitions, commands, and warnings throughout His holy word, by which all Christians are subject to. 2,000 years ago, Jesus warned of false prophets and false teachers, of whom would proliferate the landscape. They pay lip-service to Jesus Christ. But in reality they are hypocrites, because their hearts are far from Him (Matthew 15:7-9).



While Christians cannot judge the person, Christians are to be fruit inspectors. If the fruit of a person's teachings and prophecies are rotted in falsehood, Jesus says they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15).



Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:20-23).



Indeed, there is a terrible price to pay for living a life of deception, playing nicer than God, and paying lip-service to Jesus Christ.



And God warns that one cannot fellowship with Jesus Christ, demons, and the world of the occult at the same time:



Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils (1 Corinthians 10:21).



Today, false prophets and false teachers work overtime to deceive Christians and prevent the unsaved from coming to Jesus Christ. They use both direct and indirect methods to accomplish their goals.



For instance, cultists such as Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormon missionaries use the direct method, by going door-to-door in neighborhoods and conducting "Bible studies" with the unsuspecting. On the other hand, proponents of the New Age Movement use the indirect method, by infiltrating the Christian church with "Christian Yoga," Contemplative Prayer, Labyrinth, mysticism, and the Emerging Church movement. While they all sound "Christian," they are as the apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders--grievous wolves, who enter in to the church from the outside and arise from the inside of the church:



Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears (Acts 20:28-31).



Never before in the history of the world has the Christian church experienced the present level of deception--a deception so fine-tuned that Christians are being drawn away from the real Jesus left and right, and drawn into the demonic realm of fantasy, illusion, hocus-pocus, trickery, fairy tales, sorcery, witchcraft, delusion, wizardry, and the occult--all of which the Bible warns against, and all of which is incorporated into J.K. Rowling's fictionalized character, Harry Potter.



Did the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, or Jesus' apostles provide camouflaged clues or cryptic messages about who the Son of God was and is? NO! Did they incorporate the demonic into their ministries as a means to witness to the lost? NO! Did the apostle Paul use occultic books and writings to reach out to the occultists and New Agers of his day? Again, NO!



In fact, during Paul's missionary efforts in Ephesus, the Bible teaches that as Paul shared the gospel of Jesus Christ, many were saved--including those caught up in the occultic arts--many of whom brought their demonically inspired books and burned them publicly:



And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed (Acts 19:18-20).



Is Harry Potter the Son of God or at least a pattern, model, or an archetype of Jesus Christ? He may be to J.K. Rowling and Abigail BeauSeigneur, and he may be to his growing number of fans and followers worldwide. But Harry Potter isn't the Son of God. He is, however, a pattern and model of the wretched, horrid, and abominable world of the occult, and an archetype of terrible things to come:



Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be (Matthew 24:23:-27).



Is God's word, the Bible, sufficient for the Christian faith and for sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost?



But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou

hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:13-17).



And for those of who truly love the risen Savior, Jesus Christ encourages us to stand strong in the faith and believe in His return:



Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3).



Reject Harry! Receive Jesus Christ...



--Special thanks to Ray and Tracye Gano of Prophezine.com for their valuable assistance in the writing of this article.



Bud Press is the Director of Christian Research Service and a Christian Investigative Researcher. Christian Research Service is a discernment ministry that provides information, documentation and referral on a wide variety of issues to the body of Christ and the Christian news media worldwide.