Maturity Training By Sandy Simpson

Great article by my friend and brother in the Lord Sandy Simpson-

Maturity Training

by Sandy Simpson

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Heb. 5:14

But solid food is for the MATURE, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

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At the core of maturity in Christ is the issue of training to be able to distinguish between good and evil, right and wrong. But in today’s churches this issue has not only been downplayed, but actually swept aside.

I run a website and get hundreds of emails every week. Since the website deals with apologetics against false teachers and false prophets, about half the email I receive is blasting me for even bringing up the issue. These emails are from “Christians” who claim I am not “anointed”, don’t understand the work of the Holy Spirit, etc. I am forced to remind them of Hebrews 5 and Ephesians 4 and the biblical definition of maturity in Christ. Maturity is not defined as following dynamic speakers, running after people who claim the ability to perform signs and wonders, those with wealth, charismatic teachers with large numbers of followers, those with name recognition, and prophets who make wild prophecies. It is defined simply as training ourselves to know the difference between good and evil.

Where do Christians get solid food? From voices in their heads, intuition, imaginations, flights of fancy, signs, wonders? No. Solid food is consumed by feeding on the meat of the written Word of God.



Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.



If you want discernment and maturity, there is no place else to go than to the written Word. The Word cuts through the “spin” and excuses we make and teaches us about every issue of life. If we heed the Word we will grow.



Jam. 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.



We can deceive ourselves by merely listening to the Word. Many Christians attend church and listen to the Word on a weekly basis and have deceived themselves into thinking that is enough for spiritual growth. It is not. The second part of the equation is to put what they have learned into practice. This is the hard part. It is easy to claim you are mature in Christ, but when you are faced with matters of discernment and you balk at the hard choices to be made, that shows you are not used to practicing what you have learned. If you say you are mature yet you read books by false teachers, you are not mature. If you listen to the words of false teachers and defend them, you move further away from maturity.

There is an argument for eternal security that goes something like this: “Since you are not justified by works, you cannot be lost by works.” This is a true statement. But what this statement fails to account for is faith, belief. Your belief system is not a “work”. It is what you believe, your worldview. The Bible says that you can put your faith in something other than the true Jesus Christ.



2 Cor. 11:3-4 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.



If your belief system is corrupted by false teachers and their materials, what hope do you have then?



Jer. 5:31 The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?



The Bible also says that we can believe in vain if we are believing in the wrong thing.



1 Cor. 15:2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.



We must hold firmly to the Word, to the Gospel, to be saved. Yes, God holds those He knows who are His elect. But if you do not do what He asks us to do, instead turning to false teaching becoming brainwashed by it, you can end up believing in vain. You might say, “This is impossible. How can this happen to a Christian?” Then how do you explain what will happen to many on Judgment Day?



Matt. 7:21-22 "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’



Notice that these people call Jesus Christ “Lord”. They think they are saved, just as the Pharisees thought they were saved by being Jewish leaders. What is their problem? They turned aside to false teachings about Jesus Christ. They placed their belief in another Jesus. They called him “Lord” but they did not really know Him. They did not really obey Him.

So then how important is coming to maturity in Christ to our salvation? It protects us against being deceived. Jesus Himself warned his disciples and all believers that we CAN be deceived.



Luke 21:8 He replied: "Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ’I am he,’ and, ’The time is near.’ Do not follow them.



If you don’t think we have thousands coming in the name of Jesus Christ who are deceived and deceiving others today, you are living in a fantasy world. Why should we not follow them? Because we can be deceived! Do not follow anyone who claims to be a little messiah, a little Christ, the I AM. “Who is saying that today, other than New Agers?”, you might ask?



“You don’t have a god in you, you are one,” (Kenneth Copeland, The Force of Love (Fort Worth, TX: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1987), audiotape #02-0028, side 1.)

“Are you ready for some real revelation knowledge....you are god” (Benny Hinn, “Our Position In Christ”, tape # AO31190-1)



“Jesus was God in the flesh. We must be as He was in the world, and even greater in volume and influence.” (Earl Paulk, The Ultimate Kingdom , 1986, p.121) “We are the essence of God, His on-going incarnation in the world” (Earl Paulk, Held In The Heavens (Atlanta: K Dimension Publishers, 1985, p. p. 125.)



“The Fullness of the Godhead dwells in me ... God has planned for me to be Christ's image on the earth” (Morris Cerullo from the Video MANIFEST SONS OF GOD).



“The believer is called Christ…That’s who we are; we’re Christ!” (Kenneth M. Hagin, Zoe: The God-Kind of Life (Tulsa, OK: Kenneth Hagin Ministries, Inc., 1989), 35-36, 41.)



“Say it again I’m just like God (they repeat it)” (Creflo Dollar, Changing your world April 16, 2002 Lesea Broadcasting)



Say it like you mean it? [He's yelling now.] “I'm an exact duplicate of God!” Yell it out loud! Shout it! [They follow as he leads.] “I'm an exact duplicate of God! I'm an exact duplicate of God!” [Repeatedly] . . . (Casey Treat, “Believing in yourself,” tape 2 in a four part series quoted in Seduction of Christianity p.83)



“ We want to be gods. Jesus said, 'I said ye are gods' (John 10:34). It is with the attitude of gods in the world that Jesus wants the Christian to live.” (John G. Lake: His Life His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, Kenneth Copeland Publications, 1995, p. 13).



“I believe happiness can be achieved through concentration upon oneself, opening to others elevating oneself to God.” (Robert Muller, New Genesis p.180)



“The divine name from Exod. 3:14, “I Am who I Am,” is appropriated by Jesus who shows us how to embrace our own divinity. The Cosmic Christ is the “I am” in every creature” (Matthew Fox , The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, p.154)



There are many, many other quotes I could give you by “Christians” who claim to be little gods. The Bible says we are not to follow them or we can be deceived.

We can also be deceived by thinking that people who claim to be saved cannot fall away.



2 Thess. 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,



But you say, “That day has not come”. I believe it is coming soon, but never forget that the falling away comes first! The falling away comes before the Day of the Lord, not some great end time revival. We will see the church of the last days, the Laodician church, that thinks it is rich and doesn’t need anything, either spiritually or physically, become predominant. But this last days church is really wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked (Rev. 3:14-22). Jesus is about to spit the whole thing out of His mouth. The question is: where will you be when this happens? Will you be a mature, discerning Christian or will you be caught up in the apostasy with the majority?

How serious is the deception that is already upon the churches?



Matthew 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect— if that were possible.



The end of this verse, in the original Greek, actually says ei dunatos planao kai eklektos or “if possible also elect”. The phrase “if that were possible” in the NIV and the KJV “if it were possible” are not present in the original language. This verse is not an argument for whether or not the elect can be deceived which is what seems to have been added later. It is a clear warning that the deception of the end times is so severe that it will deceive many people who, at least, claim to be followers of Christ.

Is it possible that the elect could be deceived? Not in the eternal sense. But from a human perspective we can certainly be deceived. We are not omniscient like God and do not know the final salvation of any human being. Christians trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, but must also obey the Lord and, in so doing, prove they love Him.



John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.



So shouldn’t we be concerned about deception since Jesus and the Apostles warned the Church so many times? How can we avoid being brainwashed and deceived?

We can avoid it by studying God’s Word, by doing what it says, and by staying away from heretics and false prophets. False teachers prey on baby Christians.



2 Pet. 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them— bringing swift destruction on themselves.



The reason to stay away from false teachers and false prophets is that they are introducing heresy into the belief systems of Christians. When heresy and false teaching has come to full flower, it is destructive.



2 Tim. 2:15-19 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."



Here is the crux of what I have been saying. We must study God’s Word so that we can correctly handle it and use it. We do this in the face of many false prophets who have gone out to deceive Christians whose faith can be destroyed by heresy. What is the solution? Paul says two things. First, God knows those who are His. We can depend on God bringing us to eternal life with Him if we continue to trust Him. But there is something we must “do”. We must confess the name of Jesus Christ, preach the Gospel, and turn away from wickedness. To turn away from wickedness we must know what wickedness is. We must be able to discern between right and wrong. The only way to do that is to grow to maturity in Christ

Great article by James White

There is quite a bit that I would disagree with James on most of all the Calvinist stuff. That being said James has many fine article's and wrote a really good book on the King James Only Debate.
This article is very good and well worth reading.
Tim

10/22/2007
"But I chose you out of the world, and because of this, the world hates you" Our Lord, John 15:19
James R. White
God's judgment upon decadent God-hating secularism seems to be speeding up. The collapse of Western culture into open, unapologetic persecution of Christians based upon Darwinistic dogmatic fundamentalism is evidenced every day in the media. Unreasoning secularists refuse to even consider engaging in an intellectual defense of their worldview. Instead, with force of human law, they seek to silence all opposition. While we normally see these things happening in Europe first, we can look to the East and Left Coasts in the US for examples as well. Repeated stories about the exaltation of homosexuality to a position of protected, preferred status, with the attendant insistence that the state has the right to force all children into its mind-numbed mold of political correctness is already forcing many Christians to consider fleeing from those nations and states that enforce such evil ideologies. The open denunciation of the simple factual evidence that life is complex and the result of design, and the prohibition of even mentioning this obvious fact within the context of "public education" (far better to identify it accurately: public, government sponsored indoctrination), is another clear example of God lifting His hand of restraint and allowing the evil of men's hearts to run wild.
I have noted that the secularists will probably not last long in Europe anyway. I am hearing stories of how sharia law is being put into practice in Norway, so it is just a matter of time before the secularists are swept away anyhow. Humanistic religion is a brittle thing, and quite incapable of moving men's souls (how could it, since, in its Darwinistic dogma, there is no soul to move?), and hence incapable of putting up an extended fight against Islam. Just as the apostate armies of Israel long ago were no match for the Assyrians, so the apostate secularists will have little chance withstanding the jihadis.
I'm sure most have already read about the bills Schwarzenegger signed in California that seek to give uber-rights to homosexuals and sundry others who define themselves by how they have sex or how they dress, etc. I suppose that makes sense: in a secular worldview, there is nothing spiritual about man to raise him above being defined by such things as what kind of under clothes you like to wear. I mean, we define dogs by "long hair" or "short hair," so man, the evil animal, might as well be defined by such mundane things as well, right? No wonder we no longer see Bachs and Beethovens. Anyway, I noted a while back the move in the UK to make preaching the gospel or just reading the Bible itself in public a hate crime. Here's an article that should likewise make you realize that in a very short time we will all be faced with the choice of suffering persecution and loss of worldly goods at the hands of those who irrationally hate God and refuse to defend their views in argument, and being silent. Note how the secularists hate the idea of truth. Well, except for "their" truth, which is unquestionable. The only truth they will allow is that "there is no truth in religion, only in science." They have no idea they are just as much a caricature as the most wild-eyed Inquisitor in Spain in the 15th century.
I pray God will cause me to love His truth, His church, His people, His gospel, more and more, so that my attachments to this world will grow ever weaker and weaker. The only Christians who will remain strong in the coming years will be those who realize the strong antithesis of these simple words: "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). The only "leverage" the world has against us is that which we willingly give: our ungodly attachments to this world system. The more we are crucified to the world, the more we live in light of our death in Christ and our life in Him, the less power they will have. This is the secret of the persecuted church, and it is a lesson our brothers and sisters in other lands know well. It is one we must learn, and quickly.

What of the Watchmen by Anton Bosch

This article is from my friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord at Herescope.
I had the pleasure of getting to hear Anton Bosch speak at a discernment conference I went to a couple years ago. He is very solid and for sure walks the walk of a Christian. I encourage you to go to Herescope's website and read the rest of the series on "How To Discern" it is biblical based and very solid information.
Peace
Tim





What of the Watchmen?

How to Discern: Part 6
By Anton Bosch


Each believer has responsibility for himself to be on the lookout for error and deception (Revelation 3:11). The Lord has also set the elders in the local church with the duty to watch for wolves who would seek to attack the flock (Acts 20:28-30).

In these last days error is multiplying and spreading faster than the average believer or shepherd can track. Every day brings some new heresy, and modern electronic media and world travel has resulted in new heresies spreading across the globe within hours of being hatched. Often these teachings are so cleverly disguised that it literally takes a specialist to recognize them and to formulate a defense against them.

As a result the Lord has raised up a special group of people who have been uniquely gifted and prepared to act as watchmen to the churches. When Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, the attacks were so incessant that in addition to every man carrying his sword whilst building (Nehemiah 4:17-18), a select group was tasked with looking out for the enemy (Nehemiah 4:9, 16). As a shepherd in a local church, it would be impossible for me to fulfill my duties and keep track of the many new errors that arise almost daily. I am therefore very grateful for those who have dedicated themselves to the work of monitoring, researching, warning and formulating answers to the many winds of false doctrine of our time.

But, as in every area of the Lord’s work, there is the good, the bad and the ugly. Just the fact that someone points out error does not necessarily make them devoid of error themselves. Some err in doctrine, and others in their attitude or lifestyle. It is therefore important that we establish what the difference is between the good and the bad amongst discernment ministries. (I use “discernment ministries” [lower case] as a generic term distinct from Discernment Ministries which refers to a specific organization).

In one sense, this is the easiest ministry that anyone can get into these days. This is true simply because it is much easier to point out mistakes in others than to correct those mistakes. Some who could not write or preach a single word to edify the church get involved in throwing stones. Pulling down is easier than building up and finding fault is easier than teaching truth. Many are involved in these ministries because they want revenge for past hurt, or because they want to be involved in ministry but do not have the gifts to do so, or even because they have a problem with pride.

Here are some important questions to ask about discernment ministries:

What attitude do they display? Is it one of arrogance and pride and do they feel that they are better than those poor heretics over there? Or do they genuinely mourn and weep over the state of the church? Do they speak with humility and grace, recognizing that it is only the grace of God that has kept them? Do they feel that they are superior to everyone else and God’s only remnant? (The series “Contentiously Contending” deal with this in much detail.)

Who are the faces behind that particular ministry? What are their personal lives like? Do they have a history of serving the churches and standing for truth? Are they in fellowship with other believers and ministries, and do they serve a local church? Or are they loose cannons?

What is their motive? Is it revenge, profit, fame and importance? Or is it love for the Lord, His Word and his People? (The previous article “Who’s Who?” applies as much to discernment ministries as to preachers.)

Are their accusations based on thoroughly documented research supported by credible witnesses and empirical proof? Or is it based on second-hand rumor and guilt by association? Many of these ministries could discredit someone just because that person happened to pass through the same airport as a known heretic, even though there is no connection between them.

Do they rely on innuendo, rumor and quotes taken out of context to make their case? Or do they rely on facts, track-records, history and documents?

Are they credible? In other words how do you know you can trust them? Do they exaggerate or embellish to make a point? Have you ever noticed them lying, or are they people of integrity? Is their assessment balanced, or are they biased? Do they ever have something good to say about anyone, or can they only speak about what is evil and wrong?

Are they conspiracy theorists? One such man teaches that the Jews are to blame for every form of evil that plagues our world, that NASA found dinosaur bones on the moon but conspired to conceal the matter, but at another time claimed that man never went to the moon and that it was all a conspiracy! Yes, this man is one of the most prominent speakers, broadcasters and writers against “error.”

Do they teach the truth or only against error? Do they provide an antidote to the heresy, or can they only point out what is wrong? The Lord and the Word never reveal a problem without providing a solution to that problem. Yes, the Bible speaks against sin, but it also provides the antidote – the precious blood of Jesus. It reveals the wickedness of man’s heart but offers the righteousness of God to those who believe (Romans 3:22-23).

Just the fact that someone has a discernment or apologetic ministry does not exempt them from all the checks and balances we have spoken about in this series. They need to be checked. The bad need to be rejected and the good need to be valued. I would urge you to know which of these ministries can be trusted and to read their material regularly. If you are a pastor or preacher, you need to attend a good discernment conference every year in order that you may be warned of the new devices of the evil one.

If you do use their services you need to support them by your prayers, encouragement and gifts. The good ones will never speak of their needs, yet it costs a lot of stamina and finances to keep those ministries going – help them so they can better serve you. Above all, pray for them. It takes a lot of courage and they pay a very high personal price for their stand as they are constantly being attacked. They need your prayers and encouragement.

The fact that Nehemiah set a watch and dedicated some to bear arms, did not absolve the rest of the people from being on guard:

“Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon. Every one of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built. And the one who sounded the trumpet was beside me. Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, "The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us” (Nehemiah 4:17-20).

posted by Discernment Research Group @ 10/12/2007 03:08:00 PM

2 Thessalonians 2:7

"For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way."

Just a quick comment and I would like your comments on this one.
Ive heard this taught that the church is what is holding this evil back and the evil will be revealed once the church is taken away in a secret rapture.
Most pre tribs teach this position.
The only thing wrong with this is you would have to believe in 2 raptures since Matt 24 teaches a after trib rapture.
Also this verse often in teaching refers to the Holy Spirit, which I believe is the more accurate teaching.
All that being said two things to think about.
Do you really believe the church in general is holding any evil back.
Look at all the false teaching of the Word Faith/ Health and Wealth/TBN teaching.
As well as the man/self centered your church as a profit making business teachings of guys like Rick Warren, Bill Hybels etcc.
I doubt if that self centered church holds any evil back.
Second thought.
How much is the Holy Spirit being asked for guidance these days.
Many pastors buy, borrow or steal many sermons because they are to busy to pray because they are running multi million dollar business's.
How many pastors are on their face begging the Holy Spirit to guide them in guiding their congregations.
With all the false teaching and man centered world based teaching I doubt the Holy Spirit is consulted at all.
Look through Rick Warrens many articles and see how often he suggests using the Holy Spirit to guide you.
Because of course Rick wants to guide you.

So could the Holy Spirit and or the church be taken out of the way simply by grieving the Holy Spirit and relying on man centered methods.
What do you think?
Peace
Tim

New article from Berit Kjos

New article from my sister in the Lord Berit Kjos. Very interesting reading. I voted for George Bush but I am very troubled by his views on God as well as a apparent willingness to attack a country who has not attacked us first. Im well known for my support of the troops but I must say I disagree with any kind of preemptive strikes on any country or nation who has not attacked us.
That being said here is the article by Berit-



BUSH, BELIEFS, AND ELUSIVE BONESMEN




By Berit Kjos

October 20, 2007

NewsWithViews.com

"I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God."[1] President George W. Bush

"Americans of many faiths and traditions share a common belief that God hears the prayers of His children.... There is a power in these prayers...."[2] President George W. Bush

"Quite a mixture of beliefs and activities.... How can The Order [Skull & Bones] have a consistent objective with this potpourri of individual actions? ...the objective of The Order is above and beyond these actions and in fact needs these seeming contradictions.... The answer to this seeming political puzzle lies in Hegelian logic...."[3] America's Secret Establishment

During a recent interview with ABC News, Bush expressed his belief that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. "I think we do," he said. "We have different routes of getting to the Almighty.'"[4]

Keep in mind, George W. Bush is neither a new nor a naive Christian. Throughout his presidency, he has assured us that he reads the Bible and believes in the Biblical Jesus. Various pastors have counseled and encouraged him through the years. Yet, he seems to have forgotten -- unless He never really believed -- that Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6

Consistent with his interfaith beliefs, President Bush hosted an Islamic celebration at the White House on October 4. He welcomed his guests with these words,

"Laura and I are pleased to have you here for our seventh Iftaar dinner. Tonight we celebrate traditions of Islamic faith, which brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people.... Ramadan is also a good time for Americans of all faiths to reflect on the values we hold in common -- including love of family, gratitude to the Almighty...."[5]
What "Almighty" represents "all faiths"? None!

Before the Iftaar celebration, our president was interviewed by Al Arabiya TV. You can read the entire interview at the White House Website, but here are some revealing excerpts:

THE PRESIDENT: ... I believe in an almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That's what I believe. I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace...."

Q: "...Are you also a man of war, as some try to describe, President Bush?"

THE PRESIDENT: "Oh, no, no, I believe the actions we have taken will make it more likely peace happens.... Now, remember, we got attacked.... See, I believe there is a universal God. I believe the God that the Muslim prays to is the same God that I pray to.... I believe in that universality."[6]
Keep in mind that this universalism joins all the world's gods under one umbrella. In that envisioned union, there is no room for the "divisive" cross of Christ.

BUSH ENDORSED THE UNITED RELIGIONS (URI)

Bush's pluralism is the creed of the New World Order. Among its promoters is former Episcopal Bishop William Swing. In 1996, he founded the United Religions Initiative (URI), a global organization designed to bring all religions together to dialogue and seek common ground.[7] "You can work in terms of the model of the UN," he explained, "where you have the General Assembly and the Security Council."[8]

The original URI logo was a ring of symbols of the world's religions. Consistent with that spiritual convergence, Bishop Swing raised his arms to join a Wiccan invocation of Hekate and Hermes at the end of a 2000 global conference.[9] The next year, President Bush confirmed his support for the URI vision of solidarity in this appreciative letter:

"Both the United Religions Initiative and the International Diplomacy Council exist to foster a greater understanding among peoples. I salute these organizations for their roles in facilitating interaction among people and nations."[10]
By 1999, Bishop Swing had moved his headquarters to the Presidio, a former U.S. military base overlooking the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. The Presidio's other tenants included the Gorbachev Foundation [which has since left] and a multitude of globalist, UN, environmental, spiritual and educational organizations joined in a common pursuit: to establish a global management system based on universal values. President Bush's beliefs would fit right in!

FORMER PRESIDENT H. W. BUSH SUPPORTED THE MOONIES

The saffron-robed beggars of the seventies have donned more conservative clothing. "Claiming more than two million members," they are wealthy beyond comprehension -- and eager to buy the public endorsement of conservative leaders with a bent for universalism. Its "front groups" have infiltrated governments, communities, and churches around the world. And when the Rev. Sun Myung Moon offered to pay our former president for his praise and participation in various public events, Bush complied.

According to Lee Penn, author of False Dawn, George H. W. received $100,000 for sharing in the 1996 dedication of Rev. Moon's Tiempos Del Mundo, "a major Latin American paper based in Buenos Aires." Penn quotes Reuter,

"The former U.S. president, guest speaker at a banquet Saturday to launch Moon’s new publication.... referred to Moon as ‘the man with the vision.' Bush then traveled with Moon to neighboring Uruguay... to help him inaugurate a seminary in the capital Montevideo to train 4,200 young Japanese women to spread the word of his Church of Unification across Latin America."[11]
Reverend Moon's next statements show his hostility toward Biblical Christianity:

"I hope that ALL religious people will join their hearts together and follow through on my proposal to establish a council within the United Nations composed of representatives from various religions, parallel with the General Assembly.... It will not be long before the will of the almighty, omniscient and absolute God is accomplished."[12]

"An interfaith group founded by Unification Church leader Sun Myung Moon is spearheading an effort to have Christian ministers remove crosses from their churches, calling them a symbol of oppression and perceived superiority.... The cross has served as a barrier in bringing about a true spirit of reconciliation between Jews and also between Muslims and Christians, and thus, we have sought to remove the cross from our Christian churches....'"[13]
SKULL & BONES (S&B) TRAINS WORLD CLASS LEADERS

This next section may trouble some of you, so I hesitate to include it. But without a glimpse of the organized leadership behind the scenes, we can't begin to understand the values that motivate our president. As an introduction to S&B, let me quote Dr. Carroll Quigley, the history professor at the Foreign Service Schools of Georgetown University whom Clinton honored in his acceptance speech at the 1992 Democratic Convention. In "Tragedy and Hope," Quigley wrote:

"There does exist, and has existed for a generation, an international Anglophile network which operates, to some extent in the way the radical Right believes the Communist act. In fact, this network... has no aversion to cooperating with the Communists, or any other groups, and frequently does so. I know of the operation of this network because I have studied it for twenty years, and was permitted for two years, in the early 1960s, to examine its papers and secret records."[14, p. 950]

"The chief problem of American political life for a long time has been how to make the two Congressional parties more national and international. The argument that the two parties should represent opposed ideals and policies... is a foolish idea acceptable only to the doctrinaire and academic thinkers. Instead the two parties should be almost identical, so that the American people can 'throw the rascals out' at any election without leading to any profound or extensive shifts in policy."[14, pp. 1247-1248]
In other words, elected officials come and go, but the unelected leaders behind the scenes continue their guidance. [See European model] This plan was advanced by wealthy Skull & Bones member William Whitney -- (a director of J. P. Morgan's Guaranty Trust). He and other members of the power elite "expected that they would be able to control both political parties equally" through large financial contributions.[15]

In his article, "Powerful political forces always at war," Dr. Dennis L. Cuddy writes,

"'Time' magazine founder Henry Luce was a member of S&B, and in Robert Herzstein's 1994 biography, 'Henry R. Luce,' S&B is characterized as 'a secretive group of young men pledged to help each other throughout their lives.'... As an example of their influence, S&B member Winston Lord has been president of the Council on Foreign Relations."[15]
These are current and historical facts and can't be dismissed as "conspiracy theories!" Many leading change agents were primed for their future roles while Bonesmen at Yale. You probably recognize some of these family names: Russell, Lord, Taft, Bundy, Harriman, Weyerhaeuser, Rockefeller, Buckley, Heinz, Kerry, and Bush.

According to Wikipedia, "Skull and Bones members played a key role in founding and setting the direction for the Carnegie Institution... as well as the American Economic Association, the American Historical Association, and the American Psychological Association. The first presidents of the University of California, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University were all Bonesmen.... Secretary of War Robert P. Patterson created the Lovett Committee, chaired by Bonesman Robert A. Lovett to develop a new U.S. intelligence apparatus. This resulted in the creation of the CIA, which has employed a number of Bonesmen" including George H. W. Bush.

S&B has trained three generations of the Bush family: Prescott Bush, his son George W. H. Bush, and his grandson George W. Bush, our current president. The book, "Fishing out Skull & Bones," gives us a glimpse of its history:

"The story begins at Yale, where three threads of American social history -- espionage, drug smuggling and secret societies -- intertwined into one.... In 1823, Samuel Russell established Russell and Company for the purpose of acquiring opium in Turkey and smuggling it to China.... Many of the great American and European fortunes were built on the 'China' (opium) trade....

"William Huntington Russell (S&B 1833) Samuel’s cousin, studied in Germany from 1831-1832. Germany was a hotbed of new ideas.... [Professor Georg] Hegel (an occultist) called the state the 'march of God in the world'...."

"When Russell returned to Yale in 1832, he formed a senior society [Skull & Bones] with Alphonso Taft.... Far from being a campus fun-house, the group is geared more toward the success of its members in the post-collegiate world....

"On September 29, 1876, a group... broke into the Skull and Bones holy of holies.... Upstairs was lodge-room 322, the sanctum sanctorum of the temple, furnished in red velvet with a pentagram on the wall.... 'On the west wall [of the parlor], hung among other pictures an old engraving representing an open burial vault, in which, on a stone slab, rest four human skulls, grouped about a fool's cap and bells, an open book, several mathematical instruments....'"[16]
How significant were these symbols? We don't know. But that particular blend of images is characteristic of other secret societies blending ancient gnosticism and alchemy. They remind outsiders like us of another world -- a world driven by social and spiritual forces determined to erase God's "divisive" truths from the minds of the masses. That other world seems far removed from the land we love. In that strange dark domain, power counts more than peace -- and compromise replaces convictions. That's why its members can accept any deity as long as it serves their ultimate purpose.

The article, "Bush 'Worship' at Shinto Temple Troubles Christians" adds another clue to President Bush's views. On a visit to Japan in February 2005, he and his wife chose to enter the temple built to house the spirit of a former Japanese emperor. They clapped to awaken the revered spirit, then bowed in worship. Yet, they didn't have to do this. Their escort, the Prime Minister, waited in the car, since the Japanese constitution bans his participation in Shinto rituals.[17]



Considering the evidence, I tend to believe that President Bush and the S&B share a common interest in mysticism, political power, pragmatic elitism, and dialectic compromise. Today's postmodern times fit their aims. Certainty is out (banned by the dialectic process); but social and spiritual evolution are in. During the Christian era, many Bonesmen had to show outward conformity to Christian values to maintain their influence. But now, anything goes -- except Christian absolutes.



"The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders.... because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10



Footnotes:



1, Interview of the President by Al Arabiya, Oval Office, White House, October 4, 2007,
2, National Day of Prayer, 2007: A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
3, By Antony C. Sutton (Liberty House Press, 1986), pp.33-34.
4, "Bush on Religion and God," 10-24-04
5, "President Bush [speaks at Islamic] Dinner at the White House," 10-4-07,
6, "Interview of the President by Al Arabiya," Oval Office, 10-4-07
7, See www.uri.org/Peacebuilding.html and www.uri.org/Cooperation_Circles.html. The URI form of facilitated dialogue (between diverse members) in small groups is based on the occult teachings of Georg Hegel. See Hegel and the Hermetic Tradition
8, Richard Scheinin, religion reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, February 3, 1996
9, Lee Penn, False Dawn (Sophia Perennis, 2004), page 5
10, The International Diplomacy Council, a non-governmental organization (NGO) which helps State Department officials welcome foreign groups of dignitaries. The letter was posted at www.diplomacy.org/PresLet.html but has been removed. Source: Lee Penn, 1-5-02, "Bush Praises URI Initiative," The Christian Challenge, Washington, DC.
11, Reuters, “Bush Praises Sun Myung Moon as ‘Man of Vision,” November 25, 1996. Cited in False Dawn, page 116
12, Rev. Sun Myung Moon, "God's Fatherland and the One World," December 9, 2002
13, Jeff Johnson, "Christian Churches Should Stop Using the Cross," 8- 22-03
14, Carroll Quigley, "Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time" (New York: The MacMillan Company, 1966), pages, 950
15, Dr. Dennis L. Cuddy, "Powerful political forces always at war," March 5, 2004
16, Kris Milligan, editor, "Fishing out Skull & Bones: Investigations into America's Most Powerful Secret Society" (Trine Day, 2003) pages 1-4.
17, Mark Ellis, "Bush 'Worship' at Shinto Temple Troubles Christians in Japan and U.S.,"



© 2007 Berit Kjos - All Rights Reserved







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Berit Kjos is a widely respected researcher, writer and conference speaker. A frequent guest on national radio and television programs, Kjos has been interviewed on Point of View (Marlin Maddoux), The 700 Club, Bible Answer Man, Beverly LaHaye Live, Crosstalk and Family Radio Network. She has also been a guest on "Talk Back Live" (CNN) and other secular radio and TV networks. Her last two books are A Twist of Faith and Brave New Schools. Kjos Ministries Web Site: http://www.crossroad.to/index.html

John MacArthur and Yoga-Hot Off The Press

Note before article-I just want to say I think John MacArthur is a wonderful man of God and strong defender of Gods Word. Of course there are certain Calvinist leanings I would disagree with John on but all and all I think he is a wonderful preacher. Reading Johns book "Charismatic Chaos" help prepare me for what I went through playing in many TBN and Word Faith churches.
That being said John was wrong to imply that a strong Christian could practice yoga. Even though John discouraged the practice in the next statement he made he still left the door open by his first statement which is misleading and wrong.
I called John out on this at the Pulpit Magazine blog and John needs to correct, clarify and repent of the statement that yoga is ok for a strong Christian (whatever that means).
John needs to do this publically if he does not want to confuse the Body Of Christ.
Which he has done by his misleading statement.
Tim Wirth






Letter to Dr. John MacArthur

Is it okay for a 'strong Christian' to practice Yoga?

by Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

September 20, 2007



Introduction: Dr. John MacArthur is the pastor of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, president of The Master's College and Seminary, host of the nationally syndicated radio show Grace to You, a prolific author, and the Editor-in-Chief of Pulpit Magazine which, according to its blog, is both magazine and blog ( http://www.sfpulpit.com/about/ ).



According to the Pulpit Magazine, on Tuesday, September 11, 2007, "John MacArthur was asked by CNN to participate in a live discussion on the topic of yoga and Christianity, for a segment of Prime News with Erica Hill. The other guest in the discussion was Doug Pagitt, a pastor in Minneapolis and a recognized leader in the emerging church movement" (the transcript and video may be reviewed at http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/09/13/john-macarthur-doug-pagitt-and-yoga/ ).



After a careful review of the transcript and video, Christian Research Service (CRS) wrote a letter to John MacArthur (below), and made numerous attempts to contact him afterwards. While CRS did receive replies from Nathan Busenitz, a member of MacArthur's staff, as of this writing there has been no reply from MacArthur.



In his correspondence with CRS, Busenitz stated that a quick reply could not be promised, although he would try to ask MacArthur before he leaves to travel out-of-state and overseas. According to Busenitz, MacArthur would not return until October 13.



CRS explained that while MacArthur's busy schedule was taken into account, time was of the essence, due to the fact that CRS has heard from fellow Christians, of whom were just as concerned or confused over MacArthur's statement during the CNN Prime News interview.



Indeed, had CRS's attempts to contact MacArthur revolved around a simple question or comment, waiting weeks or a month for a reply would be acceptable. However, because of the potentially high number of people who could watch the CNN Prime News segment, or read the Pulpit Magazine transcript in question, and because of the confusion certain statements may present, it is critical that this situation receives immediate attention.



It needs to be noted here that on the Pulpit Magazine website, it states that the magazine's Editor-in-Chief, John MacArthur, "is well aware of the articles that are posted here. And we also make sure to print out pertinent comments for him to read" (Frequently Asked Questions, http://www.sfpulpit.com/about/ ).



With that in mind, note that Pulpit Magazine has a Response section, where in his September 14 post, Tim Wirth, Director of The No Goofy Zone ministry, shared his concerns about MacArthur's statement.



Other ministries, such as Lighthouse Trails Research (September 13 post) and CRS's Bud Press (September 16 post), shared their concerns as well.



Finally, in no way should this information and letter be viewed as a public denouncement of John MacArthur, but rather an urgent call for correction and clarity regarding the serious matter of Yoga and the body of Christ. In the days where spiritual deception is at an all time high within Christianity, let us be reminded of what the word of God tells us:



These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates (Zechariah 8:16).



Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another (Ephesians 4:25).



Letter to Dr. John MacArthur



September 14, 2007



Dr. John MacArthur, Pastor

Grace Community Church

13248 Roscoe Blvd.

Sun Valley CA 91352

P: (818) 909-5500

F: (818) 909-5712

http://www.gracechurch.org/



Dear John:



This letter is in regards to a particular statement you made during the live interview titled, "John MacArthur, Doug Pagitt, and Yoga" (Pulpit Magazine, September 13, 2007, http://www.sfpulpit.com/2007/09/13/john-macarthur-doug-pagitt-and-yoga/ ).



During the interview, CNN Prime News anchor Mike Galanos asked you:

Alright, let’s say I do decide to try yoga, head to the local gym, give it a shot. What am I opening myself up to spiritually that could go against my Christian faith?

You replied with:

Well that would depend on how the yoga is conducted. If it’s just purely exercise, and you’re a strong Christian, it probably wouldn’t have any impact on your faith. But in the big picture, why would Christians want to borrow an expression from a false religion, from pantheism (god is everything, you’re god, everything is god), when we believe there’s only one true God (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). Why would we need to import that? If you want to exercise, exercise. But why borrow a term that has been part of a false religion for centuries?

Granted, your statement correctly termed Yoga as being a part of a "false religion" and "pantheism." However, my concern is with the first sentence of your statement:

Well that would depend on how the yoga is conducted. If it’s just purely exercise, and you’re a strong Christian, it probably wouldn’t have any impact on your faith.

John, as one among many who is battling against Yoga and the New Age within the body of Christ, your statement is not only disturbing, it has the potential to mislead gullible and innocent Christians into thinking that as long as they steer clear of the religious aspects of Hinduism, the use of Yoga postures as a method of exercise is acceptable.



Moreover, if your statement were true, then a "strong Christian" would have nothing to fear from participating in a Christian Wicca ritual, having their palms and stars read by a Christian Astrologist, or fellowshipping with Roman Catholics, atheists, and Buddhists in a Christian Zen Workshop.



But your statement isn't true, due to the fact that God warns the believer not to participate in or have anything to do with pagan practices:



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



Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8).



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, of which God commands the believer to avoid (1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 John 5:21).



Although Yoga instructors here in the U.S. would like for Christians to think different, Yoga is not just a simple exercise. Yoga postures are designed for worship of Hindu gods (see Southern Baptist 'Kids' Bowing To Yoga for further information).



In his book, Yoga and The Body of Christ, Dave Hunt explains in no uncertain terms that,

Yoga is dangerous. Yoga is deceitful. The "correct" pursuit of yoga is designed to call upon demonic power and influence; it invites inside us the very separation from God and ultimate destruction it claims to forestall. Yoga is not good for anyone; clearly it is not acceptable for Christians (The Berean Call Pub., 2006, p. 159).

In his article, Dealing with the Demonic, Dr. Jimmy Draper (former President of the Southern Baptist Convention and LifeWay Christian Stores), warns that,



Our society is ripe for demonic activity. Our preoccupation and even "flirting" with the occult invites demonic oppression. Even the seemingly innocent and careless use of occult tools is tragic. Things like the use of a Ouija board, astrological horoscopes, witchcraft, and even yoga are dangerous and provide openings for the demonic into unsuspecting lives.



John, Yoga within the body of Christ is at epidemic proportions, and has infiltrated churches, bookstores, colleges, and universities across the nation. I pray you will prayerfully consider the above and set the record straight immediately and publicly.



Thank you, John. We are here to assist you. In the meantime, I look forward to your reply at your earliest possible convenience.



Sincerely in Christ,

Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

www.christianresearchservice.com

[phone number edited]

Jude 3



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.

Universalism in the World has Permeated the Church

Universalism in the World has Permeated the Church

by Sandy Simpson, 10/12/07





The current fad of interfaith solidarity and unity is simply a thin guise of inclusivism, Universalism and pluralism.



Universalism is defined by Dictionary.com as:



The doctrine that emphasizes the universal fatherhood of God and the final salvation of all souls. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/universalism) Universalism is a religion and theology that generally holds all persons and creatures are related to God or the divine and will be reconciled to God. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universalism)



Pluralism is defined as:

The doctrine that reality is composed of many ultimate substances. … The belief that no single explanatory system or view of reality can account for all the phenomena of life. (American Heritage Dictionary, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pluralism)

Inclusivism is:


"Inclusivism posits that even though the work of Christ is the only means of salvation, it does not follow that explicit knowledge of Christ is necessary in order for one to be saved. In contrast to pluralism, inclusivism agrees with exclusivism in affirming the particularity of salvation in Jesus Christ. But unlike exclusivism, inclusivism holds that an implicit faith response to general revelation can be salvific. God expects from man a response proportional to the light given. Saving faith is not characterized so much by its cognitive content as it is by its reverent quality." (Ken Keathley, None Dare Call It Treason: Is an Inclusivist a Paul Revere or a Benedict Arnold? (Ken Keathley, Assistant Professor of Theology and Philosophy New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, http://baptistcenter.com/Journal%20Articles/Spr%202004/08%20Corporate%20Inclucivism.pdf)

We deal with these old heresies brought forward to modernity, these ideas that all men have have a relationship with God that will cause them to be able to avoid judgement in our book on the teachings of the World Gathering on Indigenous People movement called “Idolatry In Their Hearts”. The idea that all men who worship a “god” are worshipping the true God, YHWH, has bubbled up to the very top of our societies and religions, and even Christendoom, and should sound a warning alarm to true Biblical Christianity. Instead, as usual in our day, most Christians are asleep at the wheel while Universalists claim that you can pray to a “god” like Allah and be praying to the true Trinue God, YHWH. I also dealt with the fact that Allah is not YHWH, both in our book and in the article “Is Allah The Same As YHWH?”.
Yet just recently George Bush, a professing Christian, who has obviously been led astray by false teachers and his heretical counselors like T.D. Jakes and Ted Haggard, came out with these statements in an interview.
"I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That's what I believe. … See, I believe there is a universal God. I believe the God that the Muslim prays to is the same God that I pray to. After all, we all came from Abraham. I believe in that universality." (Interview of the President by Al Arabiya, Oval Office, White House, October 4, 2007, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071005-5.html)

"Americans of many faiths and traditions share a common belief that God hears the prayers of His children and shows grace to those who seek Him. ... There is a power in these prayers [to various gods].... I ask the citizens of our Nation to give thanks, each according to his or her own faith, for the freedoms and blessings we have received and for God's continued guidance, comfort, and protection." (President George W. Bush, National Day of Prayer, 2007: A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America, http://www.ndptf.org/press_room/Index.cfm?Entity=4&Department=4&Dept_Order=1&This_TopicOrder=8&This_SubtopicOrder=1#3)

President Bush hosted an Islamic celebration at the White House on October 4. He welcomed his guests with these words,

"Laura and I are pleased to have you here for our seventh Iftaar dinner. Tonight we celebrate traditions of Islamic faith, which brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people. For Muslims around the world, the holy month of Ramadan is... a time to celebrate Islam's learned and vibrant culture, which has enriched civilization for centuries.... Ramadan is also a good time for Americans of all faiths to reflect on the values we hold in common -- including love of family, gratitude to the Almighty....” ("President Bush [speaks at Islamic] Dinner at the White House," 10-4-07, http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/print/20071004-9.html)

But Bush is not the only “Christian” making these kinds of statements. Of course we expect Universalism in the world. We know that the United Religions Initiative of the United Nations, which Bush supports, is promoting Universalism.

“We believe that the wisdom of our religious and spiritual traditions should be shared for the health and well being of all. Therefore, as communities of faith and interdependent people rooted in our faith, we now unite for the sake of peace and healing among religions, peoples and nations, and for the benefit of the earth and all living beings.” We believe that all religions derive their wisdom from that ultimate Source. Therefore, the world's faith traditions share in common wisdom, which can be obscured by differences in religious concepts and practices. ... The United Religions promotes dialogue. A theology of acceptance will help the world's people explore common ground. Our awareness of unity within religious diversity promotes ever-increasing kinship” (quoted in SCP JOURNAL 22:4-23:1 By Lee Penn.)

We also know that false religions like Bahai have been promoting Universalism for years (when they are really trying to get people to worship Bahaullah).

“Many names in many religions are used to describe the same God. … Be aware that all major religions promote the belief in one God and one mankind, and that God is the source of Truth and Guidance. … In other words, God creates all religions. … The source of all religions is one. Truth is One. God is One.” (http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:j2PHu49peN0J:www.sfu.ca/~cabs/Kerns/1-Unity.doc+mungu+attributes&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=15)

“Although we may have different concepts of God's nature, although we may pray to Him in different languages and call Him by different names--Allah or Yahweh, God or Brahma--nevertheless, we are speaking about the same unique Being” (The Bahá'í Concept of God http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-2.html)

We know that the coming Maitreya will be revealed using this Universalist mantra.

According to esoteric teachings, Maitreya is the awaited Fifth Buddha. He is also known as the Christ, World Teacher, Imam Mahdi, Messiah, & Kalki Avatar. The word 'Christ' is not the name of an individual, but the title of an office or function within the Spiritual Hierarchy of Masters. The Leader of all the Masters for our planet's Spiritual Hierarchy is known to many in the west as the Christ and as the Bodhissatva in the east. The Hierarchy is known to some as the 'Great White Brotherhood'. Without infringing upon our freewill, Maitreya and his disciples, the Masters of Wisdom will guide humanity into a future which will be much lovelier than most of our better futurists currently imagine. …Preferring to be known simply as 'the Teacher', Maitreya has not come as a religious leader or to found a new religion, but as teacher and guide for people of every religion and those of no religion. He has come "like a thief in the night," (Peter 3:10) when least expected. He is returning for the good of everyone, both the religious and non-religious alike. (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/maitreya5.html)

But let’s look at Universalist statements by other “Christians” and “Christian” organizations. When they make these statements they are denying the core doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in CHRIST alone, thereby teaching heresy.

WYCLIFFE (Bible Translation Mission): “From the outset one has to deal with identifying the name for the Supreme Being, God. This can be difficult and potentially divisive. However, each language and culture appears to have within it a ‘ “homing instinct” for God – deeply buried by the sin and corruption that affects all cultures, yet still there’ (Williams, 2004: n.p.). Each religion has a different understanding of deity that is based upon how the Supreme Being is defined (Thomas, 2001: 305). The characteristics of the local deity must be identified so that it can be determined how these will impact the understanding of God. Is it possible for any language to totally explain the meaning of God? Or is there a need to add further definition or explanation? The challenge is to identify what intrinsic capacity exists within the language that helps provide the meaning of God. (Theological and Cultural issues in Bible Translation, A lay person's guide to a basic understanding of what is important, Article by Kirk Franklin, Executive Director Wycliffe Australia, http://www.wycliffe.org.au/html/missiological_articles/missiological_article007.htm)

SOCIETY OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE (Bible Translation Society) “There is an unwarranted skepticism towards the heathens' possession, if at all, of a very limited and low knowledge of the divine from the so-called “natural/native religion.” The adoption of a local name for the universal God will facilitate mutual transformation of both Christianity and the native religion and culture.” (God's Asian Names: Rendering the Biblical God in Chinese, Archie C. C. Lee, SBL Web Site, http://www.sbl-site.org/Article.aspx?ArticleId=456)

LEON SIU (Aloha Ke Akua): “So these are clues that we felt God had left (the Hawaiian people) and evidence that He’s left as well as processes He has left in which our Hawaiian people can respond in a very natural way to God and really set things right between them and God. … A few years ago some friends and I were contemplating how we would be able to reach indigenous peoples and we thought that what was prevalent at that time was a misconception among, within the church of God's presence here in the islands. The misconceptions that, as was expressed earlier, was that God didn't arrive until the missionaries arrived. You know, and so when we started to look at this we started to look into our culture and see what things within our culture what God had originally intended for this particular group of people, Hawaiians.” (Leon Siu, Aloha Ke Akua, Word to the World with host Danny Lehmann, KLHT, 2001, show #544)

TERRY LEBLANC (World Vision Canada): “There’s a myth that we have labored under for centuries in indigenous communities and the myth is that we are a godless heathen people. … “And yet all brings glory to God in its own special way, and that’s true of human beings and cultures as well. …“God is now calling forth from among the indigenous communities of the world that good deposit which He has made in them of their cultures, their languages, their musical expressions and all that sort of thing ... as an expression of praise and worship unto Himself.” ” (Terry LeBlanc, World Vision Canada, Word to the World with host Danny Lehmann, KLHT, 2001, show #542)



RICHARD TWISS (President of Wiconi International), keynote speaker at the 2001 conference, said the land restitution is “the fruit of following traditional indigenous protocol in presenting the redemptive message of faith and hope in Jesus Christ as Healer, Great Spirit and Chief Shepherd of all tribes and nations.” (Richard Twiss, Charisma Magazine, October 2004, http://www.charismamag.com/a.php?ArticleID=9744) Richard Twiss was on the 700 Club show with Gordon Robertson (Pat Robertson’s son) and in an interview he told Gordon that the Great Spirit of the Indians is the same as the Holy Spirit. Robertson heartily agreed. The problem with this idea is that the Great Spirit has no son, and without the son there is no redemption. The Great Spirit required human sacrifices and other atrocities.( http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/lehmann2.html)



DANIEL KIKAWA (Aloha Ke Akua): So by finding the native name of God which in, in Japan we found that name Ameno mi-naka-nushi which means the God in the glorious center of heaven and he is their creator God who created everything. And so we found this name of this creator God there, and it immediately says he’s a Japanese God and he loves them.” (Word to the World interview with Daniel Kikawa, Feb. 16, 2006 #9) It is time that Christians reclaimed the many beautiful names of the One Creator God in native languages instead of falling into Satan's trap and destroying them. We should reclaim those names and wash the dung of corruption off of them instead of giving them up to Satan. We must cast off the corruption that Satan has thrown on the many beautiful names of God in native languages.” … “Instead of destroying and ridiculing the native names of the Creator God, we should help preserve them as a legacy for these peoples. It is their legacy of God's enduring interest, involvement and care for their culture and people! Christians should cease representing Jesus as the Son of the foreign God of a foreign people, especially if these foreigners had never shown concern for nor had any involvement in the lives or culture of the natives. We should instead introduce Jesus as the Son of their creator God. God lovingly created them in the beginning never left them without a witness and, in his great love for them, even sent His only begotten Son, Jesus, to die for them! (Daniel Kikawa, Perpetuated In Righteousness, pp.26-27 4th ed.)



BILLY GRAHAM (Billy Graham Evangelism Association): They (the heathen) may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think they are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven" (Billy Graham, Straightway, September, 1997. The entire article may be received from the author upon request, http://www.foundations.edu/online_material/straightway/1997/vol25_no9.htm). “I used to think that pagans in far-off countries were lost--were going to hell--if they did not have the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them. I no longer believe that. ... I believe there are other ways of recognizing the existence of God--through nature, for instance--and plenty of other opportunities, therefore, of saying yes to God.” (Billy Graham, McCall’s Magazine, 1978)

RICK WARREN (Saddleback Church): (Talking about Catholics, Methodists, Mormons, Jews and ordained women whom he trains in his seminars) "I'm not going to get into a debate over the non-essentials. I won't try to change other denominations. Why be divisive?" he asks, citing as his model Billy Graham, "a statesman for Christ ministering across barriers." (Rick Warren in "This evangelist has a 'Purpose'", by Cathy Lynn Grossman, USA TODAY, 7/21/2003, http://www.usatoday.com/life/2003-07-21-rick-warren_x.htm) “God accepts us unconditionally.” (Rick Warren, Learn to Love Yourself, Ladies Home Journal, March 2005, 36.) Warren cites Henri Nouwen, though the quote does not present anything to be uneasy about, he is not a good source to quote. We find Nouwen is a promoter of contemplative prayer and is a universalist (Purpose Driven Life page 269). On his website “My wife, Kay, recommends this book! In it, Nouwen divides the life of ministry into five categories: teaching, preaching, pastoral care, organizing, and celebrating” (Henri Nouwen, Sabbatical Journey Creative Ministry, http://www.letusreason.org/Popteac23.htm) Rick Warren told an interfaith audience at the 2005 UN Prayer Breakfast that God didn't care what religion they were, they just needed to add Jesus to their lives, what he meant was that you can stay Hindu, or Buddhist, or Muslim, but you need Jesus. It's called the New Missiology. It promotes the following ideas: 1. You can keep your own religion - Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Mormonism - you just need to add Jesus to the equation. Then you become complete. You become a Buddhist with Jesus, a Hindu with Jesus, a Muslim with Jesus and so on. 2. You can throw out the term Christianity and still be a follower of Jesus. 3. In fact, you can throw out the term Christian too. In some countries, you could be persecuted for calling yourself a Christian, and there is no need for that. Just ask Jesus into your heart, you don't have to identify yourself as a Christian. (Rick Warren, UN Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, referenced http://simplyagape.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html)

HENRY NOUWEN (Christian/New Age author) “Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God's house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God” (Henri Nouwen's last book p.51, Sabbatical Journey Crossroad publishing Co., New York, 1998, Quoted in a Time of Departing by Ray Yungen, http://www.letusreason.org/Popteac23.htm)

TONY CAMPOLO (The Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education): On a recent edition of CNN's Crossfire, Tony Campolo refused to say Jesus is the only way to heaven. The panel was discussing events at the Southern Baptist Convention in Atlanta. Campolo would not answer the question directly but said, "The Apostle Paul says that there are people who have light that is not Christian light, and they will be judged on that basis." In an earlier appearance on PBS's Charlie Rose, Campolo muddied theological waters by stating, "I am saying that there is no salvation apart from Jesus; that's my evangelical mindset. However, I am not convinced that Jesus only lives in Christians" (National Liberty Journal, 8/99). CNV News Service, http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/campolo.html) “We want to convince the whole human race that there is a God who established the infinite value of every person, who mystically dwells in each person ...” (A Reasonable Faith: Responding to Secularism, p. 59). “I do not mean that others represent Jesus for us. I mean that Jesus actually is present in each other person” (ibid. p. 192).



YWAM (Youth With A Mission): The Charisma article noted: "Messianic Muslims, who continue to read the Koran, visit the mosque and say their daily prayers but accept Christ as their Savior, are the products of the strategy which is being tried in several countries." A YWAM staff writer wrote: "They continue a life of following the Islamic requirements, including mosque attendance, fasting and Koranic reading, besides getting together as a fellowship of Muslims who acknowledge Christ as the source of God's mercy for them... YWAM is also adopting this approach in India, where a team is working with a Hindu holy man." (YWAM in Foundation, May/June 2000, p. 39)



VICTOR KAZANIIAN JR (Episcopal priest): He wrote in Episcopal life Forum, “ We walk side by side, fellow travelers on life's pathways. I speak of being awakened to the wonder and mystery of the world, using words that reflect my window to the divine, the one whom I call my Lord and my God, Jesus, the Risen Christ. You, too, speak of being awakened to the wonder and mystery of the world, using words that reflect your window, to the divine through the teachings of the Buddha, of Baha'u'llah, of Lord Mahavir, of Muhammad, teachings from the Torah, the Guru Granth Sahib and the Vedas. As I hear you speak and as I look into your eyes, I see God. I feel God. I experience God in you, not just a partial reflection of my Christian God, but the creator, the divine spirit in wham we all live and move and have our being. How magnificent is this divine force that it should appear across the Earth like the flowers of a garden in so many different shapes and hues.” “It is not simply so-called “religious fundamentalists” who practice this exclusivism. No, there is a kind of tolerance of difference preached by liberal church folk, which still clings to a Christocentric world view and becomes apparent when we proclaim our faith using language that devalues the faith of others.” “There is no place for religious exclusivism in Christianity. It has been arguably the single greatest source of human misery during the past two millenniums. It must be replaced by an understanding of the interwovenness of all life, of all religious traditions” (Episcopal life Forum p.20, June 1998)

RODNEY R. ROMNEY (Pastor of Seattle’s First Baptist Church): “He [Jesus] meant to establish a world religion that would embrace every soul and synthesize every creed, and his work will not be consummated until he has done just that.” (Rodney R. Romney Pastor of Seattle's First Baptist Church. Romney Journey, p. 31.)

MOTHER THERESA (Deceased missionary to India): “I love all religions. ... If people become better Hindus, better Muslims, better Buddhists by our acts of love, then there is something else growing there.” She upheld that there are many ways to God': “All is God--Buddists, Hindus, Christians, etc., all have access to the same God.” (12/4/89 Time, pp. 11, 13)

PETER KREEFT (professor of philosophy at Boston College): “We can and should investigate and learn from the wisdom in other religions” (Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.79). “Allah is not another God...we worship the same God”(Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.30). “The same God! The very same God we worship in Christ is the God the Jews-and the Muslims-worship.” (Ibid. p. 160)

ROBERT SCHULLER (Crystal Cathedral): “We know the things the major faiths can agree on. We try to focus on those without offending those with different viewpoints, or without compromising the integrity of my own Christian commitment” (USA Today, March 23, 1989.) “It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope]. Schuller has stated “if he came back in 100 years and found his descendants Muslims, it wouldn't bother him....” (Robert Schuller, comments on the Papal visit, LA, 1987) "The Christ Spirit dwells in every human being, whether the person knows it or not." (Robert Schuller, Possibilities Magazine, Summer 1986, pg.12)

CHUNG HYUN-KYUNG (World Council of Churches leader): She exalted pagan concepts of God (at the WCC Assembly). Of the Holy Spirit Chung said, “Don't bother the Spirit by calling her all the time. She is working hard with us.” Eighteen times Chung summoned the spirits of the dead who have suffered injustices in the past and claimed that “without hearing the cries of these spirits, we cannot hear the voice of the Holy Spirit.” After calling on the spirits of the dead, Chung said, “I hope the presence of all our ancestors' spirits here with us shall not make you uncomfortable.” She also summoned “the spirit of Earth, Air, and Water.” (WCC's Seventh General Assembly that took place in Canberra)

POPE JOHN PAUL II (Deceased pope of the RCC): “He welcomed snake worshipers, fire worshipers, spiritists, animists, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and shamans, was supported and attended by representatives of the World Council of Churches and even evangelicals. Represented there were the YWCA and YMCA, the Mennonite World Conference, the Baptist World Alliance (which includes the Southern Baptist Convention), the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Lutheran World Federation.” (1986 Gathering For Prayer At Assisi, http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/jp2.htm)

GEORGE OTIS, JR. (The Sentinel Group – Transformations) “If we accept the premise that Jesus literally purchased, that He literally purchased our salvation with His blood... and He paid the Father... then this approach, first of all portrays God the Father as being vindictive and bloodthirsty and totally incompatible with biblical forgiveness. It also presents another grave difficulty. If Jesus literally paid for our sins with His blood, and a paid debt is no longer a debt, and He died for the sins of the whole world, then we can only come to one conclusion and the theological word for that is Universalism – which means that everybody will be saved” (George Otis Jr., Lecture to YWAM DTS, 1981:lecture 4).

BRIAN MCLAREN (Emerging Church leader): "Jesus seems to say, 'The kingdom of God doesn’t need to wait until something else happens. No, it is available and among you now.... Invite people of all nations, races, classes, and religions to participate in this network of dynamic, interactive relationships with God and all God’s creation!" ... the kingdom of God will be radically, scandalously inclusive. As we’ve seen, Jesus enjoys table fellowship with prostitutes and drunks.... He affirms and responds to the faith of Gentiles—Romans and Syrophonecians and Samaritans." (Brian McLaren, The Secret Message of Jesus: Uncovering the Truth that could change everything (Nashville: Thomas Nelson's W Publishing Group, 1006), page 74 & 94).) “Universalism is not as bankrupt of biblical support as some suggest,” (Brian McLaren, The Last Word and the Word After That, ( San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003), pp. 103 (cf. pp. 182-183) But without question McLaren does hold to the doctrine of inclusivism which teaches that while salvation has been made possible by Jesus Christ, it is not necessary to know who Jesus is or the precise nature of what He has done. (Brian McLaren, The Last Word and the Word After That, ( San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003), pp. 103 (cf. pp. 182-183) "It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts,"… "Is our religion the only one that understands the true meaning of life? Or does God place his truth in others too? ... The gospel is not our gospel, but the gospel of the kingdom of God, and what belongs to the kingdom of God cannot be hijacked by Christianity" (p. 194). (Brian McLaren, An Emergent Manifesto, Baker Books, referenced http://simplyagape.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html)



BISHOP SPONG (retired Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark): He is against evangelism and missionary enterprises, the latter being "base-born, rejecting, negative, and yes, I would even say evil" (p. 178). This shocking redefinition of missions as "evil" is associated with his universalism and epistemology that "we possess neither certainty nor eternal truth" (p. 179). (John Shelby Spong, A New Christianity for a New World: Why Traditional Faith Is Dying and How a New Faith Is Being Born, San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 2001)



REV. JAMES MORTON (former dean of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City and founder of the Interfaith Center of New York) Mr. Morton, who described himself as ``anti-boundaries,'' urged the audience to be “the best Muslim, Jew, Buddhist that you can be,'' but
to explore other religions and cultures as they might explore foreign cuisines. They won't lose their identities, he said, but “become
richer.” (http://www.apologeticsindex.org/an990301.html#26)



JOHN HICKS (former teacher of philosophy at the University of Birmingham) “I now no longer find it possible to proceed as a Christian theologian as though Christianity were the only religion in the world. Surely our thinking must be undertaken, in the “one world” of today and tomorrow, on a more open and global basis” (John Hicks, God and the Universe of Faiths, p. 102.)



WILLIAM SHANNON (Author or Silence On Fire) "[T]here is a oneness in God that unites all women and men ... The goal of all true spirituality is to achieve an awareness of our oneness with God and with all of God's creation." (A Time of Departing, p. 87)



ALAN JONES (Author of Reimagining Christianity) "The Church's fixation on the death of Jesus as the universal saving act must end, and the place of the cross must be reimagined in Christian faith. Why? Because of the cult of suffering and the vindictive God behind it" (Alan Jones, Reimaging Christianity, p. 132).



NEALE DONALD WALSCH (Christian/New Age author) “There is only one message that can change the course of human history forever, end the torture, and bring you back to God. That message is The New Gospel: WE ARE ALL ONE.” (Neale Donald Walsch, Friendship with God, an uncommon dialogue, 1999 p. 373) “There are a thousand paths to God, and every one gets you there” (Neale Donald Walsch, Friendship with God, an uncommon dialogue 1999, p. 357)



WILLIAM BARCLEY (Christian Universalist) “I am a convinced universalist. I believe that in the end all men will be gathered into the love of God.” (William Barcley, I Am A Convinced Universalist, http://www.tentmaker.org/biographies/barclay.htm)



GREGORY MACDONALD (Author of "The Evangelical Universalist?") “Can an evangelical be a universalist?” In other words, could someone be an evangelical and also believe that one day all people will be saved? If I asked that question of almost any evangelical I know the answer would be a clear and unequivocal, “No!” … So it is with some fear and trepidation that I choose to turn my little fishy nose against the stream and head off in the opposite direction from the majority of my fellow evangeli-fish. I will suggest that the answer to my opening question is actually, “Yes! It is possible to be an evangelical universalist.” Oh, “and would you like to be my friend?”



LEONARD SWEET (Author of Quantum Spirituality and Emerging Church leader) Sweet calls this the Theory of Everything. This theory not only says that all creation is connected but that it is all inhabited with Divinity (God). (Leonard Sweet, Quantum Spirituality, comment by Tim Wirth, http://simplyagape.blogspot.com/2007_06_01_archive.html)



There are many more quotes that could be added to this article and I intend to continue to update it as I discover more. Suffice it to say that Universalism is taking over the churches through movements like the World Gathering on Indigenous People and many leaders in Christianity today.

It is simple to put the notion that Jesus Christ is going to save Jews or Gentiles because they pray to some supreme being to rest according to Scripture. Those who have never known God have no way to have a relationship with Him and cannot be saved unless the Gospel is preached to them. The Bible is clear that Gentiles do not know God, are without God and without hope, are on their way to eternal destruction, and cannot know God until the Gospel is preached to them.

Ac 4:12 Salvation is found in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

Joh 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.

1Co 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Ga 4:8 But then, indeed, when you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not gods.

2 Thes. 1:8-9: “ He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.”

Eph. 2:11-13: “Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called "uncircumcised" by those who call themselves "the circumcision" (that done in the body by the hands of men)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

Rom. 10:14-15: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

Living In A Bubble

This will be short and to the point.
A big danger that has always prevailed in Christianity is compromise.
Im not talking about what the color of the church carpet is but when we choose to ignore what scripture teaches.
Every time we ignore scripture we are headed for trouble.
Out of the many things we have compromised one is allowing divorced men to pastor.
Another compromise is to let women pastor.
And now we have situations currently in which divorced women will now continue to pastor.
Read 1 Timothy 3 if there is any confusion on how God wants to qualify leaders in the church.

Now since mega churches are nothing more than mega business pastors have effectively put themselves inside a bubble accountable to no one.
And when a pastor states he is only accountable to God watch out because trouble will come.
Of course big names pastor (who I think sometimes we elevate to a cult of personality) will deny this and point to their boards and deacons etc..
In my experience in playing in some TBN and several mega churches the pastors often hand pick who they are accountable to.
Most of the time its a group of yes men.
Because thats the way big biz is run.
This puts the pastor is a very bad position.
We all make mistakes and errors but if we dont recant, confesss, and repent of them they will come back to haunt us.
Its also interesting to note that the early church was governed by groups of elders not a single men.
There also were no female pastors as well.

We are really doing many good men of God a tremendous injustice by not holding them responsible for error.
But the biggest problem is many pastors are just living in a Bubble which they have blown up for themselves.

Tim Wirth

New from Lighthouse Trails

New article from my brothers and sisters in the Lord at Lighthouse Trails.

October 5, 2007 - Today on the Oprah show, Oprah's guest will be the author of the best-selling book, Eat, Pray, Love. Elizabeth Gilbert's book is the story of how she left her husband and her life behind and found what she came to call "the only true religion": the silence. Her journey took her around the world, where she learned to meditate in an India ashram.

Oprah, who openly resonates with the New Age and meditation techniques, said she is very excited to have Ms. Gilbert on her show. Calling it a "phenomenon" and "a life-changer," Oprah expresses her excitement for the book and the author.

Gilbert explains that the first step in her journey was to go on an eating binge in Italy. "I would not have been able to physically do the yoga, the meditation, the hard rigor of spiritual work. So I went to Italy first and I ate my guts out for four months."

From Italy, Gilbert traveled to India where she learned to meditate: "There was something about that yoga path that really appealed to me--and you do that through silence and the discipline of meditation -- and I really wanted to go pursue that full out." "None of this works without stillness," Liz says. "One of the great teachings that I learned in India is that silence is the only true religion."

During her time at the ashram, Gilbert had a meditative experience where she says "the scales fell from my eyes and the openings of the universe were shown to me."

Oprah's promotion of Gilbert and her book will likely cause millions of women (and many men too) to go out and buy the book. And once again Oprah, who has become a prophet and an evangelist for the New Age message, will help lead so many over the cliff of spiritual lostness through meditation (i.e., the silence).

Is it any wonder why ministries like Lighthouse Trails show such concern when Christian leaders tell followers, You can't really know God without the silence.

Different than finding a quiet place away from noise and distractions, the silence is referring to a stillness of the mind.

Ray Yungen, author of A Time of Departing, says it is like putting the mind in neutral. Contemplatives say it is like tuning into another frequency. New Agers call it different things like a thin place, sacred space, ecstasy; whatever it is called, both New Agers and Christian leaders are telling us we must practice silence and stillness if we really want to know God.

Here is a sampling:

"What you need is stillness and silence so that the sediment can settle and the water can become clear." - Ruth Haley Barton, "Beyond Words"

"The basic method promoted in The Cloud [of Unknowing] is to move beyond thinking into a place of utter stillness with the Lord ... the believer must first achieve a state of silence and contemplation, and then God works in the believer's heart." - Tony Jones, The Sacred Way, pp. 71-72

"Progress in intimacy with God means progress toward silence.... It is this recreating silence to which we are called in Contemplative Prayer. - Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, p. 155

"It is through silence that you find your inner being." - Vijay Eswaran, In the Sphere of Silence

"This book [In the Sphere of Silence] is a wonderful guide on how to enter the realm of silence and draw closer to God." - New Age sympathizer, Ken Blanchard, from In the Sphere of Silence website - see above

"[G]o into the silence for guidance" - New Ager, Wayne Dyer, A Time of Departing, p. 18

"While we are all equally precious in the eyes of God, we are not all equally ready to listen to God's speech in his wondrous, terrible, gentle, loving, all embracing silence."- Richard Foster, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home, p. 156

"When one enters the deeper layers of contemplative prayer one sooner or later experiences the void, the emptiness, the nothingness ... the profound mystical silence ... an absence of thought." - Thomas Merton, cited in biographer, William Johnston's book, Letters to Contemplatives, p. 13

"In the silence is a dynamic presence. And that's God, and we become attuned to that." - Interspiritualist, Wayne Teasdale, ATOD, p. 55, from a KQED (San Francisco) radio program with Teasdale, 2000

"I do not believe anyone can ever become a deep person [intimate with God] without stillness and silence. - Charles Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: Eight Essential Disciplines to Get You There, p. 12

"The most important human activity in the life of any believer is spending time with God in meditation," referring to his 3 part series, Meditation: The Power of Silence. - Charles Stanley, 4/11/06 radio broadcast, Be Still DVD supporter (see credits at end of DVD)

"But how do you get these "enlightened eyes"? They develop as a natural result of your time with the Lord --through your solitude, silence, and surrender." from Charles Stanley's website AND "You have to have silence and solitude to be renewed and refreshed." (also from Stanley's site)

"One of the great things silence does, it gives us a new concept of God." - Calvin Miller, Be Still DVD participant

"[I]f we are not still before Him [God], we will never truly know to the depths of the marrow of our bones that He is God. There's got to be a stillness." - Beth Moore, from the Be Still DVD (see "Beth Moore Gives Thumbs Up to Contemplative Spirituality")

Interestingly, Elizabeth Gilbert relates a story how a new found meditator/friend experienced "colors," "sounds," "whirling," and "twirling" during his meditation times. This is a description of the kundalini effect (or serpent power) . In Kundalini Energy and Christian Spirituality, Ray Yungen explains exactly what Gilbert's friend experienced and the spiritual ramifications of going into the silence. Such an experience led mystic and Catholic priest Philip St. Romain to hear the voices of other beings or what he called his "inner adviser."

While it is understandable that Oprah would promote the silence because of her spiritual blindness, it is beyond comprehension how Christian leaders are promoting the silence rather than issuing stern warnings against it.

For related information:

"Oprah Winfrey's Spirituality" by Ray Yungen

"Should we wait in silence?" by Larry DeBruyn

"In the Sphere of Silence" and Ken Blanchard

"The Silence of Spiritual Formation"

Click here for an online version of this report.

From the Editors at Lighthouse Trails Research Project