Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Glenn Beck's New Book Reveals He Embraces New Age Theology, Is A Knowledgeable Mormon, And A Universalist
In August of 2010, I predicted on my national radio program that it was only a matter of time before Glenn Beck would release a distinctively religious book that would promote his New Age Mormonism and universalism. I sensed that Glenn was setting himself up to be the politically conservative alternative to Oprah. His new book, "7 Wonders That Will Change Your Life", could have been written by Oprah for sure.
Many self-professing Christians cannot see what Beck is up to but there are those in the unsaved world that seem to be exhibiting more worldview understanding than some in the Christian community. The Business Insider published an article on January 4, 2011 entitled, Glenn Beck's New Year's Plan Sounds A Lot Like Oprah's New Network.
On the second week of January of this year, Beck released his latest book entitled The Seven Wonders That Will Change Your Life. The book is co-authored by psychiatrist Dr. Keith Ablow.
Beck's new book is nothing less than the promotion of universalism, postmodernism, and pagan spirituality, also known as the New Age Movement.
I tried to warn America's pastors and Christian leaders in early August of 2010, not to unite with Glenn Beck in his spiritual rally that sought to unite all faiths and look to one God. I gave these Christian leaders plenty of evidence that Glenn Beck was a practicing Mormon that was also embracing New Age paganism.
Some of these Christian leaders said that Beck was a "new Christian", "a baby Christian", "new brother", a "little lamb", or "very close to becoming a Christian." If they think Glenn Beck meets the Biblical descriptions of a Christian then they have no clue what the book of I John says are the Biblical hallmarks of a true follower of Jesus Christ.
A friend of mine even e-mailed a mega pastor that was publically supporting Glenn Beck's 8-28 rally to ask him to be careful about embracing Beck and his black robe regiment because of some of the false theology Glenn was espousing. The pastor replied:
Glenn Beck is a new brother and he is learning and growing and coming to the light day by day as he is being discipled by [name of Christian leader removed]. There was once a day when you and I were in the same place he is now. Be careful that you don't place a yoke on a little lamb rather than an ox.
Would this pastor say Oprah Winfrey is a Christian?
According to Christian Post, another Mega Church pastor said:
I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation persons extremely well known in Christianity and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), 'Glenn is saved' He understands receiving Christ as savior.
How confusing to the unsaved world and to baby Christians it must be to have Christian leaders make this claim about being a Christian in light of Beck's latest book. Many now believe what Beck is promoting in his book is Christianity because Pastors and Christian leaders have announced that "Glenn is saved." I have had teenagers e-mail me and come up to me at our conferences and express how confused they are by what Christian leaders have said about Beck being saved when they have heard Beck promote New Age heresy.
In light of Beck's religious and spiritual proclamations in his new book, this would be the week for the Christian leaders and pastors that embraced Beck on the national stage, and proclaimed Beck's salvation, to release a press release and post a statement on their website that they disagree with Beck's pagan spirituality and that indeed Beck is not demonstrating theology and doctrine consist with what the Bible says are the hallmarks of a Christian. These Christian leaders need to apologize for leading people to believe that Beck was a Christian or to believe that Beck held and promoted religious views that were compatible with Biblical Christianity. Dr. Erwin Lutzer, of the historic Moody Church in Chicago, correctly declared in August of 2010 on my radio program that any pastor or Christian leader involved in Beck's rally would be involved in heresy. I agree 100% with that statement.
In his new book Beck and Dr. Ablow promote psychologist Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, New Age authors Robert Pirsig and James Redfied, Buddha, Buddhist teacher Sogyal Rinpoche, Gandhi, The Bible and the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas. Sadly, Glenn is confused and all Christians should pray that he will come to salvation in the Jesus of the Bible through faith and repentance.
On page 56 Beck says he read A Course in Miracles by Helen Schucman which is the Bible of the New Age Movement. I wrote and entire chapter in my book Grave Influence on Helen Schucman and the demon she channeled that helped her write the book.
I have several friends who were Mormons for many years before accepting the Jesus Christ of the Bible as their Lord and Savior through faith and repentance. Tracy was a Mormon for 26 years and e-mailed me to explain why many Mormons are open to New Age Spirituality:
It's not surprising how easy it is for many LDS to get involved in occult practices based on the "power of the priesthood." For example, energy healing (chakras), cloud-busting, and other mind-power things. My LDS friends and I were always interested in books like The Magic of Believing, Embraced by the Light, and other New Agey kinds of books. I remember seeing Star Wars when I was Mormon and how many of us in the ward (LDS congregation) were comparing The Force to the priesthood power.
Since we believed we were on the godhood track, using the phrase "I AM" in the context Glenn uses it, fits in neatly with the power of the priesthood through which worlds are created (according to Mormon doctrine). In fact, Mormonism teaches that God did NOT create the universe exnihlo, because God can only manipulate and arrange existing matter; he create it. Thus we see, from the LDS perspective, we too can become I AM, through the divine nature within us.
On page 79 Beck and Dr. Ablow promote transcendental meditation and Eastern Mysticism. On 85 we read, "As you commit to unlocking and bringing forth the truth inside you, don't be afraid to pray for help. Don't be reticent to sit with yourself in silence and meditate. Connect with the miracle of spirit, of God, that has lived inside you from long before you were born."
Christian mediation is not about "bringing forth the truth inside of you" nor is it about contacting God that has "lived inside you from long before you were born." This is not Biblical and any Christian that thinks otherwise is either a false convert or is Biblically illiterate. Click here to hear a short video clip by Dr. Ron Carlson on the dangers of New Age meditation.
On page 132 Beck and Ablow proclaim, "Pray to whatever higher power you believe in Praying that God or Nature or the Cosmos or your own internal, immeasurable reservoir of spirit allows you the courage and faith to find and then face the truth"
In several places readers are told it really does not matter what religion or religious leader they follow. On page 157 Beck writes, "Finding what worked for me made all the difference. Finding what works for you will do the same."
On page 74 the reader is instructed "Just be sure you visit with a minister or therapist from a religion or healing discipline you actually have affinity for, or suspect you might."
On page 236, reincarnation is promoted through the writings of Robert Pirsig's book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," the 'spirit' of Chris or the 'ghost' of Chris, then you can say without further translation that the spirit or ghost of Chris is looking for a new body to enter."
Beck is a very committed and knowledgeable Mormon:
I have had several Christians tell me that Beck does not really know much about the Mormon faith. That is not what Beck writes in his new book.
"I questioned everything I could think to question about the faith. I went over my doubts again and again with the church bishop. I read everything there was to read on their website and every word of Mormon Doctrine I went to anti-Mormon literature for hints, but I found most of it to be unfair or just plain wrong. I tried every trick I could think of to find a contradiction. The problem was that I couldn't. Mormonism seemed to explain the world and my place in it better than any other faith I had looked at." (Page 149-150)
Beck does not believe in Hell, original sin or that Jesus in the only way:
"Latter-day Saints do not believe that your chances ever cease, even with death. They end only with the full understanding and denial of truth by your own exercise of real free will. And even then there is no 'lake of fire.' (Page 149)
"As Keith likes to say, 'There's no original sin left in the world. Everyone's just recycling pain now.' "(Page 154.)
"There is no infant delivered evil, out of the womb. There never has been. Not even one Charles Manson was not born evil. Ted Bundy wasn't. The BTK killer wasn't. Hitler wasn't." (Page 162)
The Bible says that all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God. (Romans 3:23) The Bible says that even babies are born with a sin nature and that we are all conceived in sin. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalm 51:5)
"People are inherently good." (Page 165).
The Bible says in Jeremiah 17:9, The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Beck's book uses the phrase "Your truth" or "your true path" or "my truth" at least 23 times. Here are a few examples:
"It is never too late to embrace your truth." (Page 124)
"What is your truth whispering?" (Page 130)
"Use compassion to stay on the path to your own truth" (Page 161)
"...determination to unearth and embrace my truth." (Page 215)
"The fact that I am always attempting to honor my truth" (Page 216)
"There is only your truth." (Page 220)
"You must use courage and faith to empty the hard drive of your soul and then fill it with your truth." (Page 288)
Beck's book promotes the New Age that God dwells within all:
"The third chapter of Exodus helped me start to understand how crucial it was that my focus be on finding God not just in the seas or the cosmos, but in myself." (Page 57)
If God is everything and everywhere and inside everyone, then I figured He had to be inside me, too. (Page 58)
This is the promotion of pantheism and panentheism.
"Divine power is still inside you." (Page 71)
"Reach out to people to steady them and enrich them and reflect back to them the light that comes from God inside them. (Page 283)
"You won't doubt your ability to achieve what you want to achieve in this life because you won't doubt that God is not only by your side, but inside you." (Page 254)
Beck's book promotes the New Age idea that you need to tap into a positive energy for a successful and happy life: (Ten times). Some examples include:
You have a polestar inside you. It is connected with all the energy in the universe. When you begin to follow that star you align yourself with immeasurable, inexplicable forces that will actually help you manifest your best intentions. (Page 79)
The current energy that flows in your favor when you stop denying what you have lived through and how it has shaped you and how you must change is the immeasurable force that you can tap into to dramatically improve your existence." (Page 113)
"you will elicit the same positive energy from others. When you stop pretending to be just fine and start admitting that you have struggled, just as we all have, then spiritual energy will fill you." (Page 117)
I wrote this article because I want discerning Christians to have the information they need to refute unbiblical teaching. I want Christians to be watchmen who warn their Christian family and friends about the spiritual deception of people like Glenn Beck, Oprah Winfrey, and a host of other individuals that are promoting another Jesus and another gospel.
Christians also need to be ready to explain to their unsaved family and friends why Glenn Beck's worldview will not lead them to God as their savior but as their judge. Nowhere in Beck's new book does he mention the Biblical gospel. What Glenn is promoting is the same lie promoted by Satan in Genesis 3:1-5. I am fearful that the spiritual poison Beck is promoting is not seven wonders that will change your life but in fact, lies that will condemn the souls of millions for eternity.
Distributed by www.worldviewweekend.com
Friday, February 11, 2011
New Warning About the "Healthy" Habit That Can Damage Your Brain
Before we start, please sign a message to the US Department of Health and Human Services telling them why, instead of lowering water fluoride levels, they should abandon fluoridation completely. The deadline is February 14, so time is running out!
An expert speaking on an Australian TV news show reveals fluoride for what it is -- a poison.People are increasingly starting to realize this truth due to successful grassroots campaigns. In yet another victory against this pervasive toxin, on February 8, 2011, the Calgary (Alberta, Canada) city council voted to stop 20 years of water fluoridation by a 10-3 vote. According to Calgarian James Beck, MD, PhD and co-author of The Case Against Fluoride,
"This is important for the health of 1.1 million people right here. But also it will help us stop fluoridation throughout the Province of Alberta. With the generally no-fluoridation situations in British Columbia and Quebec and the ongoing developments in Ontario we are approaching a fluoride-free Canada. And with the ongoing progress in the United States we are approaching a fluoride-free world."
But a bigger battle is still looming in New York City, where the anti-fluoridation movement has a great champion in New York City, councilor Peter Vallone, Jr. A victory there could signal the beginning of the end of fluoridation in the U.S.
Please contact Carol Kopf at nyscof@aol.com if you want to be part of the NYC effort and possible fluoride rally. It's important to write letters to Mayor Bloomberg, the City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, and your own City Council Member. Their contact information is here: http://council.nyc.gov/html/members/members.shtml
According to Fluoride Alert:
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Want Smarter Kids? Then Make Sure They Avoid This Widely Regarded Preventive...
In a nearly unprecedented about face, U.S. federal health officials admit Americans are getting too much fluoride. It's causing spots on children's teeth (dental fluorosis) and could be resulting in other, more serious problems.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced plans to lower the recommended level of fluoride in drinking water for the first time in nearly 50 years. The change in policy is based on a fresh review of the science.
Yahoo News reports:
"The announcement is likely to renew the battle over fluoridation ... The Environmental Protection Agency released two new reviews of research on fluoride Friday. One of the studies found that prolonged, high intake of fluoride can increase the risk of brittle bones, fractures and crippling bone abnormalities."
For further information about the dangers of fluoride, you can watch the video above about a farmer who sued an industrial company that injured and killed his cows with fluoride emissions. You can see how the animals' teeth were destroyed in the most painful of ways.
In related news, the U.S. EPA has proposed to grant the petition of three environmental groups, and end the use of the insecticide sulfuryl fluoride.
The decision cited concerns about children's health and noted their current overexposure to fluoride through tap water.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Captured on Tape: 60 Minutes Exposes the Maker of the #1 Most Fatal Drug of 2009
You may remember this story from last November when it first hit the news. But in the 60 Minutes interview above, whistleblower Cheryl Eckard opens up to reveal even more disturbing details about the gross negligence at the Cidra pharmaceutical plant, run by one of GlaxoSmithKline's subsidiaries.
They eventually pleaded guilty to the felony crime of distributing adulterated drugs, yet not one single person in charge of the debacle went to jail!
Why Should We Trust Felons?
Once you've been exposed to the seedy underbelly of the drug business—the LEGAL drug business—you can't but realize that we're dealing with a very large group of criminals and felons. There's really no nicer way to put it.
After all, companies are run by human beings. Company logos don't make decisions by themselves.
As it currently stands, the company usually gets away scot free or with a slap on the wrist. Oh, they do have to pay fines, and in this case it was three quarters of a billion dollars, but when your profits are over $100 billion, it's is not much more than a speeding ticket inconvenience and widely regarded as merely the cost of doing business.
Unless actual individuals are held accountable, what's to stop those individuals from perpetrating the same crime again and again? Nothing!
No less than 19 drug companies made AllBusiness.com's Top 100 Corporate Criminals List for the 1990s.
What does that tell you?Keeping that fact in mind, Eckard's story about the goings-on at the Cidra plant in Puerto Rico becomes less shocking. Not because it isn't bad, but because it's already quite clear that 'questionable business practice' has become 'standard practice' within the pharmaceutical business.
What Happened at the Cidra Plant?
The problems at Cidra were first revealed by an FDA inspection. Eckard's quality assurance team was then sent in by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to address those concerns, back in 2002. But when Eckard uncovered even more disturbing issues than those found by the FDA, her superiors simply ignored her.
Many may not realize this, but the FDA does NOT inspect drug manufacturing facilities at regular intervals. In between spot-checks, drug companies are left to police themselves. In the past year alone we've seen numerous instances where this self-policing has failed, as a long list of drugs have been recalled for a variety of different quality and safety issues.
At the time, the Cidra plant was making 20 patented drugs for the US market, and when Eckard saw what was happening at the plant, she was shocked, and worried about patient safety. "All the systems were broken, the facility was broken, the equipment was broken, the processes were broken. It was the worst thing I had run across in my career," she tells 60 Minutes' correspondent Scott Pelley.
Some of the problems included:
* Using water contaminated with bacteria to make tablets
* Failures on production lines that led to inconsistent dosages
* Employees contaminating products by not following procedures
As an example, Eckard claims employees would open the lid to the sealed tank containing the anti-bacterial ointment Bactroban, and stick half their bodies into the tank to scrape it out. "It saved money," she replies when asked why anyone would consider doing such a thing. But that's not even the worst of the problems Eckard uncovered.
GSK Knowingly Put Patients' Lives at Risk to Save a Buck
Due to various production line failures, powerful medications were also getting mixed up. Potent and potentially dangerous drugs were literally ending up in the wrong bottles! The antidepressant Paxil was mixed into bottles of Avandia, a diabetes drug. And Avandia was found in packages of the over-the-counter antacid Tagamet. All in all, Eckard identified nine different mix-ups of various drugs.
She urged the vice president of quality assurance for North America to stop the trucks from leaving the dock the day she discovered the mix-ups, and to shut down the factory and contact the FDA. But nothing happened… And, when one such mix-up was later discovered by a patient, GSK denied it ever happened. But "we all knew, they all knew it was real," Eckard says.
Finally, after eight months of reporting problems at the plant, Eckard sent a summary to seven executives detailing the numerous quality problems, warning that if the FDA knew of these issues, the plant would likely be seized.
Just weeks later, Eckard was out of a job. Concerned for the welfare of patients taking the affected drugs, she blew the whistle and notified the FDA. Federal agents searched the plant and seized hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of defective drugs. In the end, GSK pleaded guilty to a felony: knowingly manufacturing and selling adulterated drugs, manufactured between 2001 and 2005.
Their punishment for putting people's health at such incredible risk?
A grand total of $150 million in criminal fines and $600 million in civil penalties—little more than a slap on the wrist. None of the actual people who allowed it to happen suffered any ill consequence as a result of their actions, aside from the one who blew the whistle...
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Blockbuster Drug Now Proven Too Dangerous
Meanwhile, GSK's blockbuster diabetes drug Avandia made headlines again last year when it became clear that the drug not only had major risks, but that GSK kept the dangers of the drug under tight wraps—for a very long time.
As it turns out, GSK spent 11 years covering up trial data that showed that Avandia was a risky drug for the heart—again providing indisputable evidence that the drug paradigm is about money, not health. Avandia topped the list of drugs linked to fatal adverse events in 2009, according to an analysis of U.S. FDA records, with 1,354 deaths reported that year alone. As a result, the FDA recently decided to restrict access to the drug.
In the US, Avandia is now only available to new patients if they are unable to achieve glycemic control using other medications and, in consultation with their health care professional, decide not to take a different drug for medical reasons. Europe decided to ban the drug due to its exaggerated health risks.
What Can You Expect from GSK in the Future?
Well, considering the fact that media mogul Rupert Murdoch's son, James Murdoch, is now a member of GSK's corporate responsibility committee (a position he entered in May 2009), I predict we'll see more of the same types of cover-ups in the future.
James Murdoch, as you may know, is also the chairman and chief executive of News Corporation Europe and Asia, and chairman of BSkyB. I can only imagine the extent to which GSK can benefit from having a media mogul on their pay roll. Clearly they've thought this one through, and it makes perfect sense when you consider the clout they need to keep the media quiet about their various wrongdoings...
Having Murdoch in a role to oversee their corporate responsibilities is like having a top mobster as the god-father of your child. I think it's safe to say that if strings need to be pulled, they will be pulled—hard.
Meanwhile, Scam-Buster Efforts by States and the Feds Continue
Fortunately, states' attorneys general like Zoeller are gaining ground in gathering support for rooting out the criminal acts that Big Pharma continues to perpetuate. More and more, organizations like the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, the False Claims Act Legal Center, and Politicol News are starting to investigate and publicize the illegal – and criminal – actions that these companies have been getting away with for years.
Last July, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also announced the formation of the Healthcare Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team, which together with the Department of Justice, US Attorneys' Offices and other federal agencies will target healthcare and drug fraud.
Thanks to the federal False Claims Act, state and federal investigators have a gun that they can use to hunt down and prosecute these heinous crimes with. If you visit the False Claims Act Legal Center website, you'll get a hint of just how much this type of corporate crime has been going on. One thing should be crystal clear at this point though, and that is that the drug industry simply cannot be trusted. They have the criminal history to prove it.
A Safety Issue Even More Disturbing than that of Unsafe Drugs
One aspect that truly worries me is that while the criminal cases we've seen in the past several years are related to drugs, many of these companies, including GSK, also produce VACCINES.
And guess what?
They're typically not liable for damages from, or harm done by, contaminated or otherwise dangerous vaccines! We've recently seen evidence of "mistakes" in vaccine manufacturing as well, but vaccine makers are rarely if ever punished for these willful errors and omissions, which should provide you some further food for thought.
Remember The Dr. Oz Show Today
Last Tuesday I was in Manhattan to film The Dr. Oz Show where he actually allowed me to mention a number of these issues. I suspect some of the footage will not be aired but my guess is most will. Please be sure and tune in. You can see a trailer for the show here. You can go to this link to find out where it is aired in your area. If you want to watch it right now though you can go their site and view it. For those of you wondering about the astaxanthin I discuss on the second segment, we hope to have it available on the site in a few weeks.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
When Contending Costs Everything
By Jan Markell
Olive Tree Ministries
What on earth is Pastor Rick Warren thinking? I have avoided being harsh concerning Rick but on the issue I am about to outline, I must be blunt. A series of errors is outlined below but the zinger following them is my focus.
- Praising Syria for its religious freedom when it is an evil, repressive regime.
- Perfecting church-growth efforts that even include synagogues, but what is missing in the process is the proclamation of the gospel. Warren's church-growth plan focuses only on numbers.
- Being a part of the leadership or board of advisors for questionable organizations such as the World Economic Forum, The Council on Foreign Relations, and Tony Blair's Faith Foundation which is a pagan, ecumenical outfit.
- Speaking to the North American Islamic Society in July 2009 but withholding the gospel from his message. This was another ecumenical effort.
- Misquoting Jesus in The Purpose Driven Life saying that He stated, "My return is none of your business" when, in fact, the Bible emphasizes that His return is our blessed hope. The Bible encourages us to watch and pray for His return. This theme consumes more than one-third of the Bible.
- Embracing the false theology of Kingdom Now/Dominion eschatology which says the church will save the world through Pastor Warren's global P.E.A.C.E. plan, global AIDS' efforts, etc. This is raging through evangelicalism and is a delusion, as we are on a cursed planet that only Christ's return can save.
- Underplaying the issues of hell, sin, repentance, etc., in his book and other global platforms he has been given.
"God's prescription for your health. Be a part of this transformational debut to be a healthier you! We'll hear from world-renowned doctors on a plan to get healthy and stay that way in the new decade."Who are "the world-renowned doctors" who have designed this program just for Saddleback Church? Men who are blatant promoters of Eastern mystical practices. Let me elaborate.
Best-selling author Dr. Richard Amen is a professor of psychiatry and teaches Eastern religious meditation and New Age energy-based Reiki.
You can hear Rick and Dr. Amen interacting on the Saddleback Web site. On page 238 of Amen's book, Making a Good Brain Great, he states,
"I recommend an active form of Yoga meditation called Krya Kirtan. It is based on five primal sounds."He advocates repeating these sounds daily for 12 minutes.
Dr. Mark Hyman is a four-time New York Times best-selling author who again promotes mystical meditation based on Buddhist principles. In his book, The Ultramind Solution, Hyman emphasizes meditation, saying it doesn't matter what religion one is - all will benefit from it (p. 322). He praises the practice perfected by Buddhists (p. 384).
Dr. Mehmet Oz is a promoter of Reiki and Transcendental Meditation. Oz says he is also inspired by Emmanuel Swedenborg, an 18th century cult founder who taught that all religions lead to God. Swedenborg denied all orthodox Christian beliefs. There are many followers of the cult of Swedenborgism today.
What is Pastor Warren's comment on the character of his three guests?
"I am honored to be partnering with these internationally distinguished health experts."Has he no understanding that putting into practice the various procedures they teach will put his congregation in great jeopardy?
Is the deception that great today? And what about the tens of thousands of churches who align with Saddleback? Will they get on board as well, putting millions of Christian's souls and lives at stake? How many demons are lurking around the wicked practices of Transcendental Meditation, Reiki, Yoga, and similar Eastern traditions?
As apologist Eric Barger says,
"Among the most troubling aspects of Warren's progression are his alliances. When the most visible Christian leader of our day rubs shoulders with and aids the causes of assorted globalists, New Agers, Muslims, and now looks to one who is inspired by cultist Emanuel Swedenborg, the results are devastating. When leaders decide to reject discernment in favor of ecumenism, then innocent, unsuspecting people are, in effect, targeted by Satan's unrelenting plan to move the church away from the truth of God's Word. This is a perfect example of why following men, instead of the Bible, is a dangerous proposition."Rick Warren says, "Americans are getting fatter and fatter and we must do something." This seems a strange cause for a man some call 'America's pastor.' Shouldn't our burden as evangelicals be the leanness of the soul and not the body? Equally perplexing is why his church leaders and members are fine with this year long effort to glorify men who promote Eastern mysticism and other practices that are ungodly.
Ministry leaders have to choose our battles. Criticizing Christian leaders causes us distress and results in the loss of supporters, donations, churches, and even friends. We are called every name imaginable so understand that contending for the faith costs everything. But contending isn't an option. It's a commandment in Jude 3. Saddleback Church is now presenting a different gospel via the three doctors who will speak into the lives of many for one full year. These men will be affirmed by Pastor Rick Warren. There will be damage.
If some do not sound a warning, millions will be swept up in a program that could cause far more damage than obesity could ever do. The gods represented by the three doctors are after souls. They are gods who lead people away from eternal life in heaven and target souls for a Godless eternity. We cannot be silent no matter what the cost is to the critics.
Pray for Pastor Rick Warren and his church leaders. The program launched last weekend could be stopped by the leadership if they would grasp the offense of this effort.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Israel Wary of Vatican Synod (Bishop Claims God's Promise To Israel Is "Cancelled")
This was in the context of admonishing Israel to commit "to a sincere, just and permanent peace." Elsewhere in the document the synod expresses "hope that the two-State-solution might become a reality and not a dream only," and, that the UN would take "the necessary legal steps to put an end to the occupation of the different Arab territories." The Israel National News reporter comments: "The Catholic church in recent years has been trying to overcome centuries of anti-Semitism and proof that it exploited the Holocaust to try to convert Jews who were saved." He is referring to recent revelations that, while the Vatican claimed to have intervened and saved many Jews from Hitler’s gas chambers, in reality, it did so to convert them to Catholicism. Babies, in particular, who were saved, were baptized and placed with Roman Catholic families and never told of their Jewish heritage.
The tenor of the final document is clearly in favor of the Palestinians as victims of "occupation" and denied "justice." Little mention is made of the relentless Palestinian attacks on Israel and their constant demand that the only "just" solution that they will accept is the elimination of Israel.
At the conclusion of the synod, one archbishop, Cyril Salim Bustros, restated the pope’s long held belief that God’s promise of an eternal homeland for the Jews, was cancelled when Jewish leaders rejected Jesus as the Messiah: "For Christians, one can no longer talk of the land promised to the Jewish people… There is no longer a favored people, a chosen people; all men and women of every country have become the chosen people."
This belief is the spark that has ignited centuries of persecution of the Jews. "Christ killers" was the cry of the crusaders who slaughtered thousands of Jews on their way to liberate Jerusalem from the Muslim infidels. Hitler’s "final solution" to the "Jewish problem" was partly inspired by this attitude.
They also know that the pope is an additional enemy with eyes fixed on Jerusalem. Not only is it holy to Judaism and Islam, the Vatican is also maneuvering behind the scenes to gain control of it. Rome’s expressed solution to the problem of Jerusalem is to internationalize it under UN jurisdiction. The popes’ cozy position with the UN would, presumably, give them a part in ruling the city. Many details of this history of the Vatican against the Jews have been preserved in the accounts given by ex-Jesuit Alberto Rivera. The Alberto series of Crusader Comics by Chick Publications pulls together some of the facts behind Roman Catholicism’s historic attempts to eliminate the Jews and substitute itself as the "people of God."
Saturday, January 8, 2011
The President of the United States Is a Socialist and Some "Evangelicals" Are Helping Him
by David A. Noebel
It's official-Barack Obama is a socialist! Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly posed the question to Dick Morris: "In your heart, you believe [Obama] is a socialist?" to which Morris replied, "Yes, I do" (The O'Reilly Factor, December 15, 2010).
Dick Morris has made very few political mistakes in his life, and his opinion confirms my longstanding belief that our current president is a Fabian Socialist with a bias toward revolution! Anyone who counts among his associates and mentors Frank Marshall Davis, Saul Alinsky, Cornel West, Jim Wallis, Jeremiah Wright, Michael Klonsky, and Bill Ayers could not come away without such a bias.
Remember John C. Drew who knew Obama when they were both students at Occidental College back in the early 1980s? Drew admits that he was at one time a revolutionary Marxist and concluded that Obama was "a pure Marxist socialist." Indeed, he also said that from his perspective Obama "had a hard Marxist-Leninist point of view." (See Stanley Kurtz, Radical-in-Chief: Barack Obama and the Untold Story of American Socialism, page 88.)
Obama's very rhetoric gives him away! He refers to opponents in the Senate and House as "enemies." He exemplifies the typical Marxist socialist who lines up in his crosshairs for destruction whatever institution he has his eye on to socialize (nationalize) in his quest to destroy capitalism in any way possible. His move to nationalize the health care industry (which will eventually make the federal government the single payer) and the student loan industry are dead giveaways of what Marxists have in mind: ultimately all Americans will be dependent on government for their health care and only radical students will be eligible for student loans! Evangelical conservative Christians need not apply!
The confirmation that Obama is swimming in Marxist waters right up to the present time is his endorsement that allowed the Communist Party USA to participate in the October 2, 2010, "One Nation Working Together" rally in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the George Soros funded Tides Center.
Andree Seu at World magazine picked up the significance of this event when she remarked, "Once Communists in America lurked in the shadows: now the Communist Party USA is an unabashed presence at the Oct. 2 'One Nation Working Together' rally" (November 6, 2010, p. 79).
John Sweeney, former president of the AFL-CIO, also allowed Communists back into his union. David Horowitz and Richard Poe in The Shadow Party say, "Much has been made of Sweeney's political radicalism. A card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America [a part of the Socialist International founded by Karl Marx], Sweeney opened the AFL-CIO's door to Communist Party organizers for the first time since the 1950s, allowing Communists to distribute literature at his conventions and recruit workers to their cause" (p. 166). President Obama plans to award Sweeney the Medal of Freedom in February.
Yes, the AFL-CIO was also one of the 400 Marxist organizations participating in the October 2 rally. In fact, the list of organizations participating in the "One Nation Working Together" rally provides a good cross section of the radical Marxist organizations operating in the United States. There were more Communists in attendance at that rally than are found in Moscow's Red Square and probably Beijing's Tiananmen Square!
Of course, Jim Wallis and his Sojourners organization were also rally goers. Wallis made recent news on another front as well. According to Newsweek's Educational Site, on November 30, 2010, Wallis was among a dozen "moderate" Christian leaders who gathered in Washington to discuss ways to "articulate a vision of Christianity that will counter a new-and newly powerful-religious-right rhetoric in advance of the 2012 election." In other words, they were plotting ways to make conservative evangelicals think of Obama as one of them. How this pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, pro-socialist president could be "one of them" is difficult to fathom. But Joel Hunter, pastor of the Northland Church in Orlando, and Tony Campolo, sociologist and advisor to former President Clinton, were among the Christian leaders at the meeting.
Campolo set the tone for the meeting by denouncing the religious right's "vision of America as God's own country, and free-market capitalism as crucial to the nation's flourishing." He went on to elaborate that what motivates religious conservatives is this distorted vision of God and country and that anyone who disagrees with them "is a socialist or a communist."
To this group and others of like mind, the "radical right" (i.e., conservative Christians) must be demeaned if not destroyed so the new guard of evangelicals, led by the Rev. Wallis and his loyal sidekicks Bill and Lynne Hybels (Lynne writes for Sojourners magazine) of Willowcreek Church in Chicago, must emerge as the new leaders.
The truth is that Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo have been part of the religious left for years (see Ron Nash's Why the Left Is Not Right), and Wallis has been swimming in Marxist waters ever since his college days at Michigan State University when he was involved with Students for a Democratic Society.
Wallis recently showed his dialectical morality when challenged by Marvin Olasky, editor of World magazine. When Olasky asked Wallis to finally admit he was "a man of the left," Wallis insisted he was a man of the center. When Olasky insisted that men of the center don't take financial help from the radical leftist George Soros and his Open Society Institute, Wallis insisted his organization (Sojourners) never took funds from Soros. When Olasky produced evidence that Sojourners has taken tens of thousands of dollars from Soros, Wallis finally had to say "uncle." Indeed, Wallis actually apologized to Olasky for calling him "a liar." (See World magazine, August 18, 2010.)
Evangelical Christians will no doubt hear how bigoted and brain dead they are if they plan to vote against the socialist Obama in 2012. America is presently at the edge of a spiritual, moral, political, and financial abyss. Congress and the president just made the military safe for a practice that every religion in the history of the world has condemned. Stay tuned to see which evangelicals line up to push America over the edge in favor of some form of global governance and socialist paradise!
David A. Noebel, President
Summit Ministries
719.685.9103
Distributed by www.worldviewweekend.com
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Author: More teens becoming 'fake' Christians
(CNN) -- If you're the parent of a Christian teenager, Kenda Creasy Dean has this warning:
Your child is following a "mutant" form of Christianity, and you may be responsible.
Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls "moralistic therapeutic deism." Translation: It's a watered-down faith that portrays God as a "divine therapist" whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem.
Dean is a minister, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of "Almost Christian," a new book that argues that many parents and pastors are unwittingly passing on this self-serving strain of Christianity.
She says this "imposter'' faith is one reason teenagers abandon churches.
"If this is the God they're seeing in church, they are right to leave us in the dust," Dean says. "Churches don't give them enough to be passionate about."
What traits passionate teens share
Dean drew her conclusions from what she calls one of the most depressing summers of her life. She interviewed teens about their faith after helping conduct research for a controversial study called the National Study of Youth and Religion.
The study, which included in-depth interviews with at least 3,300 American teenagers between 13 and 17, found that most American teens who called themselves Christian were indifferent and inarticulate about their faith.
The study included Christians of all stripes -- from Catholics to Protestants of both conservative and liberal denominations. Though three out of four American teenagers claim to be Christian, fewer than half practice their faith, only half deem it important, and most can't talk coherently about their beliefs, the study found.
Many teenagers thought that God simply wanted them to feel good and do good -- what the study's researchers called "moralistic therapeutic deism."
Some critics told Dean that most teenagers can't talk coherently about any deep subject, but Dean says abundant research shows that's not true.
"They have a lot to say," Dean says. "They can talk about money, sex and their family relationships with nuance. Most people who work with teenagers know that they are not naturally inarticulate."
In "Almost Christian," Dean talks to the teens who are articulate about their faith. Most come from Mormon and evangelical churches, which tend to do a better job of instilling religious passion in teens, she says.
No matter their background, Dean says committed Christian teens share four traits: They have a personal story about God they can share, a deep connection to a faith community, a sense of purpose and a sense of hope about their future.
"There are countless studies that show that religious teenagers do better in school, have better relationships with their parents and engage in less high-risk behavior," she says. "They do a lot of things that parents pray for."
Dean, a United Methodist Church minister who says parents are the most important influence on their children's faith, places the ultimate blame for teens' religious apathy on adults.
Some adults don't expect much from youth pastors. They simply want them to keep their children off drugs and away from premarital sex.
Others practice a "gospel of niceness," where faith is simply doing good and not ruffling feathers. The Christian call to take risks, witness and sacrifice for others is muted, she says.
"If teenagers lack an articulate faith, it may be because the faith we show them is too spineless to merit much in the way of conversation," wrote Dean, a professor of youth and church culture at Princeton Theological Seminary.
More teens may be drifting away from conventional Christianity. But their desire to help others has not diminished, another author says.
Barbara A. Lewis, author of "The Teen Guide to Global Action," says Dean is right -- more teens are embracing a nebulous belief in God.
Yet there's been an "explosion" in youth service since 1995 that Lewis attributes to more schools emphasizing community service.
Teens that are less religious aren't automatically less compassionate, she says.
"I see an increase in youth passion to make the world a better place," she says. "I see young people reaching out to solve problems. They're not waiting for adults."
What religious teens say about their peers
--Elizabeth Corrie, Emory University professor
Elizabeth Corrie meets some of these idealistic teens every summer. She has taken on the book's central challenge: instilling religious passion in teens.
Corrie, who once taught high school religion, now directs a program called YTI -- the Youth Theological Initiative at Emory University in Georgia.
YTI operates like a theological boot camp for teens. At least 36 rising high school juniors and seniors from across the country gather for three weeks of Christian training. They worship together, take pilgrimages to varying religious communities and participate in community projects.
Corrie says she sees no shortage of teenagers who want to be inspired and make the world better. But the Christianity some are taught doesn't inspire them "to change anything that's broken in the world."
Teens want to be challenged; they want their tough questions taken on, she says.
"We think that they want cake, but they actually want steak and potatoes, and we keep giving them cake," Corrie says.
David Wheaton, an Atlanta high school senior, says many of his peers aren't excited about Christianity because they don't see the payoff.
"If they can't see benefits immediately, they stay away from it," Wheaton says. "They don't want to make sacrifices."
How 'radical' parents instill religious passion in their children
Churches, not just parents, share some of the blame for teens' religious apathy as well, says Corrie, the Emory professor.
She says pastors often preach a safe message that can bring in the largest number of congregants. The result: more people and yawning in the pews.
"If your church can't survive without a certain number of members pledging, you might not want to preach a message that might make people mad," Corrie says. "We can all agree that we should all be good and that God rewards those who are nice."
Corrie, echoing the author of "Almost Christian," says the gospel of niceness can't teach teens how to confront tragedy.
"It can't bear the weight of deeper questions: Why are my parents getting a divorce? Why did my best friend commit suicide? Why, in this economy, can't I get the good job I was promised if I was a good kid?"
What can a parent do then?
Get "radical," Dean says.
She says parents who perform one act of radical faith in front of their children convey more than a multitude of sermons and mission trips.
A parent's radical act of faith could involve something as simple as spending a summer in Bolivia working on an agricultural renewal project or turning down a more lucrative job offer to stay at a struggling church, Dean says.
But it's not enough to be radical -- parents must explain "this is how Christians live," she says.
"If you don't say you're doing it because of your faith, kids are going to say my parents are really nice people," Dean says. "It doesn't register that faith is supposed to make you live differently unless parents help their kids connect the dots."
'They called when all the cards stopped'
Anne Havard, an Atlanta teenager, might be considered radical. She's a teen whose faith appears to be on fire.
Havard, who participated in the Emory program, bubbles over with energy when she talks about possibly teaching theology in the future and quotes heavy-duty scholars such as theologian Karl Barth.
She's so fired up about her faith that after one question, Havard goes on a five-minute tear before stopping and chuckling: "Sorry, I just talked a long time."
Havard says her faith has been nurtured by what Dean, the "Almost Christian" author, would call a significant faith community.
In 2006, Havard lost her father to a rare form of cancer. Then she lost one of her best friends -- a young woman in the prime of life -- to cancer as well. Her church and her pastor stepped in, she says.
"They called when all the cards stopped," she says.
When asked how her faith held up after losing her father and friend, Havard didn't fumble for words like some of the teens in "Almost Christian."
She says God spoke the most to her when she felt alone -- as Jesus must have felt on the cross.
"When Jesus was on the cross crying out, 'My God, why have you forsaken me?' Jesus was part of God,'' she says. "Then God knows what it means to doubt.
"It's OK to be in a storm, to be in a doubt," she says, "because God was there, too."