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Index To All Six Sections
Why We Have to Bear Some of The Responsibility
So how did all these beliefs and practices become so widespread? While there is no doubt that there were a number of factors that contribute towards the increasing popularity of New Age beliefs, the church has to shoulder it's burden of responsibility. With more fiction than fact in it's teachings and liberal use of incomprehensible jargon, the church has almost completely lost the essentials and simplicity of the Gospel, and are thus unable to provide people with the answers they are looking for. (Is it any wonder that God first proclaimed his message of salvation to peasants tending their sheep).
We go out and tell people about a God of love and mercy, then present them with gory unbiblical versions of "hell" that has served more to turn stomachs than anything else. Is it any surprise that people want nothing to do with a God whom they see as a million times worse than Hitler. See What and Where is Hell? And please note this is not some pie in the sky article but digs deep into the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words and shows how many were translated according to preconceived ideas..
Our equally unbiblical doctrine of predestination tells people that regardless of how much they might esteem and love the Father and live according to His word. No matter how righteously they conduct their life and how many times they pray or help the widow and the orphan they still have absolutely NO idea whether any of this is going to count at all - and it is entirely possible that they are just as lost as the atheist down the road. See Section A Question of Salvation
And, of course we tell people that they are going to have eternal life in heaven. Except for one problem - we been unable to even tell them what and where 'heaven' is. Most of the church, not having the matter a modicum of study, seem to take for granted that Heaven is some ethereal and intangible place somewhere out there, which we go up to. Sounds really inviting! We resort to pious phrases that amount to little more than spiritual gobbled gook, that makes it little wonder that non Christians are not in the slightest bit interested in our "heaven". And who can blame them? See What and Where is Heaven?
We have lost an uncountable number of people to the New Age.
With no answers from the church, and little or no peace in the world, it is little wonder then that the vacuum has been filled with an influx of alternative ideas about the human spirit and the cosmos. New Age teaching profess to answer people's desires for meaning and fulfillment, extend spiritual experiences and guidance, put forward answers to Earth's difficult questions, and offers hope for peace among people (a utopian tomorrow), the acquisition of power and/or knowledge that is spiritual and supernatural is much of the lure. People seem to crave knowledge that is not ordinarily available to everyone
The 'holy books' of eastern cultures were discovered, translated, published and became widely available. Highly educated people like Emerson "began to read Hindu and Buddhist scriptures, and examine their own religious assumptions against these scriptures". As far as they were concerned a loving God would not let so many millions of people go astray, so there had to be truth in their scriptures as well. [35]
And to add insult to injury, virtually ALL the spiritual apostasy that has reared it head in the church in recent years comes from the same demonic sources.
In fact, we have lost all rights to call ourselves Christians by virtue of our Counterfeit Revivals and our wholesale adoption of doctrines and practices DIRECTLY derived from the occult... Tongues, The Word of Faith Movement, Labyrinths, Contemplative Prayer, Slain In The Spirit and Santa Claus.
See Section The Modern Church's Literal Doctrines and Practices of Demons
Christians Are Either Rocking Themselves To Sleep On The Porch or Have Totally Sold Out
Christians really need to sit up and pay attention to the fact that this planet is, not so gradually, being taken over by some of the highest intelligences in the universe, beings that are also master manipulators, against which there is no defense - except God.
While this seething cauldron comes to a head, and the dark minions dig their tentacles further and further into human flesh, believers cannot seem to tear themselves away from their endless round of usually unbiblical trivia. They continue to trot off to their various conferences (each usually less doctrinally sound than the last), watch TBN, read yet another leadership book by the latest hot shot author, indulge in emerging dialogue, and argue about who Cain married... all the while waiting for a Rapture that isn't going to happen in time to save them. See The Rapture Also Why The Fire Hasn’t Fallen
It is a tragedy of epic proportions that, not only are most Christians still unaware of the nature, power, and danger, posed by the New Age ideas among us but, like frogs being slowly brought up to the boil, this adulterous generation inside the church has gradually been acclimatized into accepting ideas and practices that any self respecting Berean would run a mile from.
Is it Really That Easy To Infiltrate The Body of Christ?
Many argue that it cannot possibly be that easy.
Oh yes it is! As said by the late Dave Hunt
The seduction … does not take place as an obvious frontal assault from rival religious beliefs. That would be vigorously resisted. Instead, it comes to some Christians in the guise of faith-producing techniques for gaining spiritual power and experiencing miracles and to others as self-improvement psychologies for fully realizing human potential that are seen as scientific aids to successful Christian living.” [36]
He was right and New Agers know it. Richard Sutphen, author of many New Age titles, said this
One of the biggest advantages we have as New Agers is, once the occult, metaphysical and New Age terminology is removed, we have concepts and techniques that are very acceptable to the general public. So we can change the names and demonstrate the power. In so doing, we open the door to millions who normally would not be receptive. [37]
And every sign points to the fact that he is right. The church has already been thoroughly infiltrated by every manner of apostasy possible. The seduction has been remarkably easy, not accomplished by a direct challenge from another religion, atheism etc. which would have been stoutly repulsed, but insidiously creeping in under far more subtle disguises... Some of which are "finding God", drawing nearer to or experiencing God, visualization, self-improvement techniques, claiming God's 'gifts', etc. etc. etc.
Much of the church has actually sold out to the occult, drawn into mystical experiences that are direct paths into occultism . Even so-called 'Christian' ministers endorse New Age beliefs and channeled works.
See The New Age and Devil Worship
See Section The Modern Church's Literal Doctrines and Practices of Demons
The New Age - Assisted By The Wolves Inside The Church
The very nature of Satan's deceptions has always been to present it as something so good that it is both harmless and impossible to resist. So what makes anyone think that duplicity on such a grand scale by the master of deceivers, is going to be easy to identify?
Although the word deceive means the person will be tricked, hoodwinked, duped, taken in, fooled, misled, deluded, outwitted. Most Christians foolishly think it can never happen to them and that, when push comes to shove, God will be faithful and take care of us.
I am not sure whether this is wishful thinking or another case of Christians burying their heads in the sand, especially considering that two thousand years ago both Jesus Christ and Paul warned us about what was going to happen, and that we had better be prepared. Jesus also told us that many will be deceived.
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. "Behold, I have told you in advance. "So if they say to you, 'Behold, He is in the wilderness,' do not go out, or, 'Behold, He is in the inner rooms,' do not believe them. "For just as the lightning comes from the east and flashes even to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be. (Matthew 24:24-27 NASB)
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4 NASB)
And of course Satan's deceptions have been aided and abetted by the wolves in the church.. The following three examples perfectly illustrate how the wolves are destroying the church from the inside.
Brian McLaren
Brian McLaren is a well known and popular leader who by completely redefining the coming 'kingdom' of God, teaches that the message of Jesus could also be good news- not just for Christians but also for Jews, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, New Agers, agnostics, and atheist. In fact, his teachings are perfectly aligned with New Age beliefs about a coming utopia. While professing to be a Christian, McLaren teaches that Jesus might have had a "Secret Message". He says
"What if Jesus' secret message reveals a secret plan? What if he didn't come to start a new religion - but rather came to start a political, social, religious, artistic, economic, intellectual, and spiritual revolution that would give birth to a new world? What if his secret message had practical implications for such issues as how you live your daily life, how you earn and spend money, how you treat people of other races and religions, and how the nations of the world conduct their foreign policy? What if his message directly or indirectly addressed issues like advertising, environmentalism, terrorism, economics, sexuality, marriage, parenting, the quest for happiness and peace, and radical reconciliation." [38] See More About McLaren
Joel Osteen
tells the story of a man of modest means on vacation in Hawaii with his wife who came across "a gorgeous house set high on a hill. The property was replete with beautiful palm trees and lush green gardens in a picturesque, peaceful setting with a panoramic view overlooking the ocean." Gazing at the home, the man commented that he could never imagine living in a place like that, at which "something inside him said, Don't worry. You won't".
"Startled at his own thoughts, he asked himself, What do you mean?
As long as you can’t imagine it, as long as you can’t see it, then it is not going to happen for you. The man correctly realized that his own thoughts and attitudes were condemning him to mediocrity. He determined then and there to start believing better of himself, and believing better of God.
Its the same way with us. We have to conceive it on the inside before we're ever going to receive it on the outside. If you don't think you can have something good, then you never will. The barrier is in your mind. It's not God's lack of resources or your lack of talent that prevents you from prospering. Your own wrong thinking can keep you from God's best". [39]
Thomas Keating
Trappist monk Thomas Keating's book Open Mind, Open Heart has remained popular ever since it was first published in 1986. Back in 2006, the Amazon page for the 20th Anniversary Edition stated that the book had sold over half a million copies in English and had appeared in 10 foreign-language editions (Croatian, French, German, Hungarian, Indonesia, Italian, Korean, Polish, and Portuguese). In it he says
God and our true Self are not separate. Though we are not God, God and our true Self are the same thing. [40]
As the old saying goes - With 'friends' like this, who needs enemies?
See Contemplative Prayer
To paraphrase Kenny Oliver (http://thinkerup.blogspot.com) - If you are one of the many modern Christians who stands in awe of what is commonly seen as the deep 'spirituality' of ancient Catholic mystics like the Fathers and Mothers of the desert, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, etc. If you envy the connection with the Divine that modern mystics like Thomas Keating, Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton claim to have, chances are you have not taken the time to find out what is behind these practices and the people that teach it.
The gradual, but sure, infiltration of the church means that there is nothing to hinder the return of pure and unmitigated evil. We are so busy congratulating ourselves on how "spiritual" we have become, that we little suspect that we have actually lost all right to call ourselves "Christians". In other words, we have endorsed the invitations and are along for the ride... And what a ride it's going to be... a Church expecting revival and the return of Christ will soon find itself face to face with the antichrist instead. See The Antichrist
Make NO Mistake - Christians Are the Enemy
The Seven Ray Institute that supports the work of the United Nations believes that, along with countless other groups that "no religion has the last and final work concerning the relation of God and man." They state that (Emphasis Added)
It is necessary for adherents of the world's faiths to understand that each great world religion comes, ultimately, from One Source which The Secret Doctrine reveals.... Introducing and explaining these few points to the unenlightened millions is a huge work and it will be resisted strenuously by the fanatical adherents of various faiths - and all faiths have their fanatics! But the day of the fanatics has its term and is destined to fade away.... The Great Lord Maitreya, the Christ, the Head of the Spiritual Hierarchy is "on His way". His intention is to reappear when a measure of economic sharing prevails, when a measure of peace has been restored, and when the "Church cleans house" ... [41]
Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin of The Center for Visionary Leadership say that "war is only one form of change, and often the least effective", but add there is yet (Emphasis Added)
"... a role for the right use of destruction when it is used against rigid and crystallized forms of thought and cultural patterns that prevent Life from evolving to it's next step" [42]
"If groups are aligned with the Higher Will when this energy is released through them, they will expand and become more creative, alive, powerful. If they are out of alignment, they will degenerate emotionally, physically and mentally. This process has already begun, as we can see through the downfall of groups that are opposing evolution and synthesis, and will only accelerate in the years ahead. [43]
In other words... They believe that the Shambhala energy will get Christian fundamentalists out of the way, to which I only have one thing to say.. Good luck with that!
Again these are not just certifiable kooks. Corinne McLaughlin coordinated a national task force for President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development, while Gordon was formerly the Executive Director of the Social Investment Forum, and of The Center for Environmentally Responsible Economies. They both have served on the adjunct faculty of The American University and the University of Massachusetts, and are Fellows of The World Business Academy. More about these groups HERE
Warren Smith's words get even more significant with every passing day...
"God's message today is loud and clear. This is not a time for celebration. This is not a time for the church to be expecting some kind of a special blessing. This is a time to be sober and vigilant. This is a time to watch and pray. This is a time to be spiritually prepared. This is a time to be warning your brothers and sisters and family and friends about what is happening in the world.
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8 NASB)
When storms with the potential to kill are just offshore, reasonable people make reasonable preparations. They don't party in the face of the impending danger. They don't sit on their front porches pretending that nothing is happening. Jesus warned in Scripture that storms would come. He particularly warned about those that would come at the end of time. He wasn't being negative. He wasn't trying to scare us. He was telling us these things ahead of time so that we would be prepared; so that we would not be deceived nor intimidated nor frightened into compromising or questioning our faith. Jesus said that if we listened to His words and applied them to our lives, that our faith would withstand any storm. [44]
End Notes. Part VI
Unless Otherwise Stated, All URLs were accessed in February 2018.
[35] Lewis, Jone Johnson. "What is Transcendentalism?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 30, 2017,
https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-transcendentalism-3530593.
[36] Dave Hunt & T.A. McMahon, The Seduction of Christianity, Harvest House Publishers, 1985, Pg. 11. Emphasis Added
[37] Dick Sutphen, "Infiltrating the New Age into Society," What Is, Summer, 1986, p. 14, as quoted by Douglas Groothuis, Confronting the New Age, InterVarsity Press, 1988, p. 142; also cited by Gary Kah, The Demonic Roots of Globalization, Huntington House, 1995, p. 154
[38] Brian McLaren. The Secret Message of Jesus. Thomas Nelson Paperback Edition (April 2007) Ch. Troubling Questions About Jesus. Pg. 4
[39] Joel Osteen Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential. Chapter 1.
https://www.writerswrite.com/books/excerpts/yourbestlifenow.htm
[40] Thomas Keating. Open Mind Open Heart -20th Anniversary Edition. Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic; 20th Edition edition (November 1, 2006). Chapter 12.. Guidelines for Christian Life, Growth and Transformation
[41] 27th Annual International Conference of the Seven Ray Institute and The University of the Seven Rays. Mesa, Arizona. April 3 to April 14, 2013. Envisioning an Ideal World Spirituality: Resurrecting the Soul of Humanity. http://www.sevenray.net/sri_conference.html
[42] Corinne McLaughlin and Gordon Davidson. Spiritual Politics: Changing the World from the Inside Out. Ballantine Books; 1 edition (July 19, 1994) Pg. 41
[43] ibid. Pg. 245
[44] Warren Smith. Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel. www.eaec.org/bookstore/Reinventing_Jesus_Christ.pdf]
OR you can buy it here http://www.eaec.org/bookstore/books/reinventing_jesus_christ.htm
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