We’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Did you know that is in the Bible? Seriously....in 1 Samuel 16:7, ”But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Apparently, people during Old Testament times were just as concerned with body image as we are today.
What spurred my thoughts to run to jiggley arms and muffin tops? I just read Margot Starbuck's book, Unsqueezed: Springing Free From Skinny Jeans, Nose Jobs, Highlights, and Stilettos. If you're not familiar with Margot, she has a dry, sarcastic, witty sense of humor and draws heavily on her own life for examples. Stiffling chuckles and silently being convicted as I read, I began to think about body image, relationships, and life in general.
The Bible says we are made in God’s image (Gen 1:27), and our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20). I fail to see anything divine in the jiggly underarm wings and muffin tops we develop as we get older. But wait......could it be that we defiled our temple with daily runs to Starbucks for caramel macchiatos and to McDonalds for super-sized value meals? Jesus walked--a lot--and ate a healthy diet. If we are to care for our bodies, we should follow suit.
It's not just our eating habits in which we are negligent. We are also apathetic in our pursuit of Christianity. Our lives have become convenient and comfortable. Christianity has shifted from a "go" mentality ("go ye therefore into all the nations...baptizing..teaching) to a "come" mentality (come to church and see what God can do for you).
Stay tuned as we explore these themes in upcoming articles!
Blessings!
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Which version are you contemplating?
Someone asked what I have against contemplative spirituality. I’ve heard some people apply the term to a quiet life of prayer. One in which you spend time in solitude to clear your mind and converse with God. That’s fine; we DO need quiet times of prayer. Unfortunately, the growing trend of contemplative spirituality that is popular involves a mixture of new age, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic elements. If you are quietly and prayerfully journeying, and are focused on Christ…that’s ok. When you start trying to tap into the “god within us….spiritual oneness”, when you remove the focus from Jesus and place it on human reasoning or on yourself, and when you manipulate Bible verses to support your purpose…there’s a problem.
Simply expressed, contemplative prayer encourages the use of breathing techniques and repetitive chanting to achieve an altered state of higher consciousness. This is simply transcendental meditation (TM). Wrap TM in some scripture verses and throw in the backing of one or two big names and the end product is contemplative spirituality.
Early monks used a memory system to memorize the Bible so that they would be able to meditate upon it later. Contemplation, as exemplified in monastic orders, is different from that which is arising in the Emergent Church.
New-fangled contemplation puts the focus inward upon the person. It is not longer God-centered. It is a blend of New Age and eastern mysticism.
So, as a matter of semantics, I am both for and against it. When the definition becomes clear, as a Jesus follower, I cannot endorse something which eradicates the need for Jesus and puts the focus solely on man, a collective consciousness, and a god-within mentality. I can; however, support quietly pondering on God’s word while prayerfully communicating with Him and attempting to draw nearer.
Simply expressed, contemplative prayer encourages the use of breathing techniques and repetitive chanting to achieve an altered state of higher consciousness. This is simply transcendental meditation (TM). Wrap TM in some scripture verses and throw in the backing of one or two big names and the end product is contemplative spirituality.
Early monks used a memory system to memorize the Bible so that they would be able to meditate upon it later. Contemplation, as exemplified in monastic orders, is different from that which is arising in the Emergent Church.
New-fangled contemplation puts the focus inward upon the person. It is not longer God-centered. It is a blend of New Age and eastern mysticism.
So, as a matter of semantics, I am both for and against it. When the definition becomes clear, as a Jesus follower, I cannot endorse something which eradicates the need for Jesus and puts the focus solely on man, a collective consciousness, and a god-within mentality. I can; however, support quietly pondering on God’s word while prayerfully communicating with Him and attempting to draw nearer.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Another Gnostic Train Wreck
We've all seen movies in which the protagonist is torn between listening to the cute little angel on his/her left shoulder vs. the demon on the right shoulder. The cartoonish portrayal is complete with the golden halo and the li'l red devil complete with pitchfork. A similar battle ensued in my head when I was approached to review Remembering The Parables: Using The Art of Memory to remember Jesus' parables jointly co-authored by Susan Elliott and Gary Lee Entsminger. I should have listened.....I should have researched it more. Then again, perhaps not for it provides a valuable lesson.
Remembering The Parables is one of several books, lately, whose authors or publishers have gleefully shipped a copy to me in exchange for a fair review. While I'm sure they were also hoping the respective reviews would be glowing, these authors and publishers possess no degree of influence over the resulting review. It is also one of several books whose author(s) embrace the modern-day version of Christianity that embraces New Age ideals, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic thought. Proudly relying on Dominic O'Brien and John Dominic Crossan as experts and a standard to emulate, the book is a theological disaster and one more in a line of many that relies heavily on the gospel of thomas.
For those unfamiliar with who these men are, Dominc O'Brien is a British mnemonist. Billed as an 8-time world champion, he is able to remember an astounding amount of facts, numbers, etc. He has developed a quantum memory system which he peddles online to unsuspecting sacrificial lambs who are interested in improving their own memories. John Dominc Crossan was a professor emeritus at DePaul University--a private, secular school--with several books to his name. One of his biggest achievements was his role in co-founding and running the Jesus Seminar.
Sounds harmless and impressive, right? Sure, except for the fact that O'Brien's memory system is based on quantum memory (thought is matter; reality is what you perceive....think The Secret) and Crossan is a hero of the Christian Aetheist movement (a rejection of God, but the belief in following the teachings of Jesus who was not God but just a great man with a really cool idea of how to live a revolutionary life).
O'Brien's Quantum Memory system promises a limitless ability to memorize data. There will not be a limit on the amount of data that you will be able to memorize-therefore know-if you use his system. Sounds as though he is promising you will become omniscient. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil didn't really work out for Adam and Eve. Trying to build a tower to Heaven didn't really work out in Babel. And, I'm sure studying quantum memory and buying into the new age ideology when applying it to religion is not going to work for a true follower of Jesus.
Crossan, Irish born, predominantly European educated, and ordained a priest from 1957--1969, was elevated to professor emeritus at DePaul University where he taught world religion. Self-taughted as an expert on Christianity, and proclaiming to be a Christian, he dispelled belief in all doctrines of Christianity. He taught that mankind explains the higher power through each culture's religious system, espoused Christianity was not the only way, and declared anything he found difficult to believe in as unfounded events that did not happen. Indeed, Crossan declared the majority of Jesus' sayings in the New Testament as fiction.
The Gospel of Thomas....ah, where do I BEGIN with the problems associated with esteeming it as a legitimate gospel...the equivalent of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Ah, yes, but it was validated by none other than John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar. The Gospel of Thomas was one of 13 volumes found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. Most true, biblical scholars believe it was actually written in the second century in Syria and is a restatement of what was contained in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John along with its own ideology. This contrasts with the view of the new-agey, christian aethists who date it older than the accepted gospels.
How on earth have these beliefs managed to infiltrate mainstream Christianity? The Bible warns followers to beware. Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14). In the New Testament, Jesus referred to them as "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:25)
New Age beliefs are not actually new. They spring from the ancient heresy of gnosticism and espouse the "god within....know yourself and know the gods, heaven is not a place but is a state of mind" rhetoric. Pray for discernment. Memorize scripture. Stay focused on Christ.
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. (1 Timothy 6:3) These people, though they may proclaim they know Jesus, will not be known to Him in the end.
Remembering The Parables is one of several books, lately, whose authors or publishers have gleefully shipped a copy to me in exchange for a fair review. While I'm sure they were also hoping the respective reviews would be glowing, these authors and publishers possess no degree of influence over the resulting review. It is also one of several books whose author(s) embrace the modern-day version of Christianity that embraces New Age ideals, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic thought. Proudly relying on Dominic O'Brien and John Dominic Crossan as experts and a standard to emulate, the book is a theological disaster and one more in a line of many that relies heavily on the gospel of thomas.
For those unfamiliar with who these men are, Dominc O'Brien is a British mnemonist. Billed as an 8-time world champion, he is able to remember an astounding amount of facts, numbers, etc. He has developed a quantum memory system which he peddles online to unsuspecting sacrificial lambs who are interested in improving their own memories. John Dominc Crossan was a professor emeritus at DePaul University--a private, secular school--with several books to his name. One of his biggest achievements was his role in co-founding and running the Jesus Seminar.
Sounds harmless and impressive, right? Sure, except for the fact that O'Brien's memory system is based on quantum memory (thought is matter; reality is what you perceive....think The Secret) and Crossan is a hero of the Christian Aetheist movement (a rejection of God, but the belief in following the teachings of Jesus who was not God but just a great man with a really cool idea of how to live a revolutionary life).
O'Brien's Quantum Memory system promises a limitless ability to memorize data. There will not be a limit on the amount of data that you will be able to memorize-therefore know-if you use his system. Sounds as though he is promising you will become omniscient. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil didn't really work out for Adam and Eve. Trying to build a tower to Heaven didn't really work out in Babel. And, I'm sure studying quantum memory and buying into the new age ideology when applying it to religion is not going to work for a true follower of Jesus.
Crossan, Irish born, predominantly European educated, and ordained a priest from 1957--1969, was elevated to professor emeritus at DePaul University where he taught world religion. Self-taughted as an expert on Christianity, and proclaiming to be a Christian, he dispelled belief in all doctrines of Christianity. He taught that mankind explains the higher power through each culture's religious system, espoused Christianity was not the only way, and declared anything he found difficult to believe in as unfounded events that did not happen. Indeed, Crossan declared the majority of Jesus' sayings in the New Testament as fiction.
The Gospel of Thomas....ah, where do I BEGIN with the problems associated with esteeming it as a legitimate gospel...the equivalent of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Ah, yes, but it was validated by none other than John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar. The Gospel of Thomas was one of 13 volumes found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. Most true, biblical scholars believe it was actually written in the second century in Syria and is a restatement of what was contained in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John along with its own ideology. This contrasts with the view of the new-agey, christian aethists who date it older than the accepted gospels.
How on earth have these beliefs managed to infiltrate mainstream Christianity? The Bible warns followers to beware. Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14). In the New Testament, Jesus referred to them as "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:25)
New Age beliefs are not actually new. They spring from the ancient heresy of gnosticism and espouse the "god within....know yourself and know the gods, heaven is not a place but is a state of mind" rhetoric. Pray for discernment. Memorize scripture. Stay focused on Christ.
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. (1 Timothy 6:3) These people, though they may proclaim they know Jesus, will not be known to Him in the end.
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