Archive for the ‘CHILDREN AT RISK!’ Category

LTRP Note: For parents or grandparents who have thought it is harmless to let their little children or grandchildren watch an hour of Sesame Street once a day, we offer this warning. While many Christian parents have most likely seen the liberal slants of the popular T.V. show, and perhaps kept their children away from the show, turning to Mr. Rogers instead, many Christian parents have allowed Sesame Street into their homes, feeling that the underlying New Age, liberal message was subtle enough to bypass the hearts and minds of little eyes and ears. But the following articles show that Yoga (the heartbeat of Hinduism) is alive and “well” on Sesame Street, and parents should beware. While warning a 4 year not to participate in any Yoga exercises they might see on Sesame Street can make parents feel they have done their job in protecting their kids, it isn’t likely that a 4 or 5 year old will understand the dangers when Big Bird tells them how fun it is or when they see their favorite personality on Sesame Street telling a room full of kids to do the Yoga exercises. Check out the following articles and see the video clip below.

New York Times:  ”Same Street, Different World: ‘Sesame’ Turns 40″:

The pedagogy hasn’t changed, but the look and tone of “Sesame Street” have evolved … Now there are green spaces, tofu and yoga…. 

This season has an Om sensibility. “My mom takes me to yoga class, I love doing yoga,” a little girl in pigtails says in an episode that ran in October. She is narrating a short film that shows a pixieish teacher and her pupils folding into the downward dog position. After class her mother arrives with a plastic water bottle. “She says it’s important to drink water when you exercise,” the girl explains. “When I grow up I want to be a yoga teacher.” 1

The Independent (London, UK): “Why Sesame Street still counts”

In recent years Sesame Street has faced challenges. It can sometimes seem at odds with the era of political correctness. The Cookie Monster has been accused of promoting obesity and sponsorship by McDonald’s was drew wide criticism. The show still attracts big name guest-stars but is up against competition from newer forms of entertainment. Even the programme’s core values have changed. In 1970 it taught racial tolerance, now young viewers hear about the environment or healthy food. In an episode of the new series a child talks about her mother’s yoga class. “I love yoga,” she announces. “When I grow up, I want to be a yoga teacher.”2

Check this out:

(from Sesame Street, Season 9, Episode 52)

(Courtesy Underground News)

“Yoga helps even little ones channel energy, emotion”

CNN: Decatur, Georgia (CNN) — Gigi reaches up into her sun salutation. She steps back into her high lunge and kicks her legs straight into plank pose, a push-up she holds without wobbling for 10 seconds before looking up impatiently at her yoga teacher.

It’s close to 6 p.m. She’s had a long day.

She collapses on her mat, rolls on her back and closes her eyes. And then sends one finger digging up her nose.

What? C’mon, she’s only 5.

This is yoga for kids. Once an oddity reserved for only the crunchiest communities, downward dog for the grade-school set is now being taught in studios from Minnetonka, Minnesota, to Moscow, Russia. And educators, including Chicago’s Namaste School, which serves mostly poor kids who speak a language other than English, are turning to yoga to connect with a generation that many say has been dismissed as deficit this or hyperactive that.

At Decatur Yoga and Pilates studio, just outside Atlanta, Georgia, Dylan Laakmann, sits quietly next to his mother. The lanky 12-year-old whose fashionably shorn hair hangs in his face, describes himself as a “downer” before he started taking yoga two years ago.

“I wasn’t really that happy a kid, I guess, and my grades, they weren’t that good,” he says, his taut mouth easing as he relaxes in conversation. “I wasn’t that joyful.”

To read our research on Yoga and reasons we believe it is New Age and NOT spiritually beneficial but rather harmful, click here.

By YOAV GONEN Education Reporter
New York Post
(Courtesy of Underground News)

Thousands of city public-school students and teachers are participating in a “Brain Education” program run by a group with ties to an alleged cult.

For the past three years, the Department of Education has shelled out nearly $400,000 for 44 schools to participate in the Power Brain Education company’s lessons and workshops.

But dozens of former employees of an organization called Dahn Yoga — whose founder developed the teachings for Brain Education — said the school program is run by a group that is part of a vast web of interrelated companies conning participants into investing all their time and money in unproven health and healing activities.

The former workers of Dahn Yoga, which operates 130 health centers and two training retreats across the country, filed a federal lawsuit in Arizona in May charging that its activities are abusive and grow increasingly devotional over time to the group’s founder and spiritual leader, 57-year-old Seung Huen “Ilchi” Lee.

“If my child was [participating in Power Brain], I would pull them out in about two minutes,” said lawyer Terry Brostowin, who settled a wrongful-death suit against Dahn Yoga last year. “I would be very scared.” Read more: click here.

By Debra Rae
NewsWithViews.com

Recent shopping trips underscore the inevitable—namely, “the holiday season” is upon us. Everywhere I turn, I’m greeted with a hodge-podge of images depicting spiders, witches, vampires, turkeys, Santa Clauses, elves, and affable reindeer. You name it.

For many, such displays spark “spirit.” What’s not to enjoy about Christmas and Thanksgiving themes that are conciliatory, family-honoring, and laden with goodwill toward men?

Now, contrast thankfulness and “peace on earth” with dark, death-centric Halloween icons of witches, tombstones, ghouls, vampires, werewolves, and monsters. Couple these with practices of vandalism, mischief, and extortion; and perhaps you get my gist.

Despite plain distinctions as these, television spook programming and video rentals of violent horror films reach their peak at this time of year. And 2009 is no exception.

Twilight Saga

Just last month in Forks, Washington, the mayor read a proclamation celebrating Stephenie Meyer Day. You may know that Meyer authored four New York Times best-selling novels packaged as the Twilight Saga. Eager attendees entered Twilight character lookalike, trivia and theme-specific, car-decorating contests. Click here to continue reading.

Related Information:

Movie Review: Twilight – An Assault on the Atoning Blood of Jesus Christ by Bill Randles

Movie/Book Warning: Twilight by Berit Kjos

 
This past spring NavPress released My First Message by Eugene Peterson. The book is meant to be a child’s first Bible. A product description of the book suggests that the contemplative practice called lectio divina is being utilized: It states:

My First Message: A Devotional Bible for Kids uses the time-tested practice of lectio divina (or “spiritual reading”), a simple but powerful practice used by Christians for centuries to deepen their devotional lives. It is based on four key elements: reading the Bible, thinking about what is means, praying in response to what is says, and living out the truth.1(This section is taken from the book – p. 5.)

Lectio divina is indeed powerful, as are other contemplative practices, but it will not “deepen” the devotional lives of children. On the contrary, it will introduce kids to a spirituality that produce detrimental results on practitioners.

Friar Luke Dysinger, a present-day monk at Saint Andrews Abbey, describes lectio divina this way:

Choose a text of the Scriptures … Place yourself in a comfortable position and allow yourself to become silent. Some Christians focus for a few moments on their breathing; others have a beloved ‘prayer word’ or ‘prayer phrase’ they gently recite in order to become interiorly silent. For some the practice known as ‘centering prayer’ makes a good, brief introduction to lectio divina….

Then turn to the text and read it slowly, gently. Savor each portion of the reading, constantly listening for the ’still, small voice’ of a word or phrase that somehow says, ‘I am for you today …Next take the word or phrase into yourself. Memorize it and slowly repeat it to yourself, allowing it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories and ideas.

Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they no longer are necessary. Rejoice in the knowledge that God is with you in both words and silence, in spiritual activity and inner receptivity.

This practice has become extremely popular in today’s Christian youth organizations and programs. Youth Specialties, a world renowned Christian organization, instructs young people and youth workers to incorporate lectio divina into their prayer lives. In their magazine, Youth Worker Journal, they describe lectio divina this way:

This is a fancy Latin term for ’sacred reading’ and has also been called ‘meditation on the Word.’ Sacred reading is the practice of reading scripture slowly in a spirit of contemplation. The goal isn’t exegesis or analysis, but allowing God to speak to us through the word. Christians often refer to the Bible as God’s love letter to mankind, and when we take the time to read it as such, we are practicing sacred reading.”

The article then exhorts readers to:

Take a short passage and repeat it over and over again aloud. With each repetition, remove extraneous words until you’ve broken the passage down to one thought. An obvious example is John 14:27, which could easily be broken down to the word ‘peace.’

The concept of allowing God to speak through His Word is perfectly legitimate. I experience that when I read or meditate on the Bible. However, in the context of this article the purpose is not to contemplate the meaning of a Bible verse by thinking about it but is rather meant to gain an experience from it.

There is a difference between reading the Word and understanding its meaning versus a method of focusing on a single word to gain a mystical experience. In light of NavPress’ PrayKids magazine where contemplative prayer is encouraged, it makes sense that they would publish Peterson’s contemplative promoting Bible for kids, but it is tragic to think of how many children could be drawn into a spiritual camp that ultimately negates the gospel and takes practitioners into what contemplative father Thomas Keating calls kundalini (serpent power),3 a Hindu term for the deep trance state that meditators experience. While Richard Foster himself admits that this type of prayer can be very dangerous, (see RAW, p. 144) it is a mystery then why contemplatives would want to teach this to children.

In the PrayKids magazine, NavPress says:

Contemplative prayer is a form of meditative prayer that focuses on communing with God. Although sometimes confused with its Eastern (and non-Christian) counterpart, true Christian meditation has been practiced since Bible times.

Typically, we have found that if something sounds eastern or mystical, it’s because it is eastern or mystical. Eugene Peterson’s book rings of the mystical, and we hope parents will avoid putting their children in contact with it.

And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. Mark 9:42

For more information:

Eugene Peterson, The Message and Contemplative Prayer

Special News Alert: New York Times Article Shows Kids Are Learning to Meditate in Schools

Focus on the Family’s Adventures in Odyssey – Promoting Contemplative?

Sad News for Preschool Children – MOPS heads contemplative

Awana Embraces Contemplative

 
In February of 2006, Lighthouse Trails issued a report titled “Awana: Are They Heading Toward Contemplative/Emergent?” The concerns were over the organization’s connection with Willow Creek, with Awana’s interest in Spiritual Formation and with a recommended ministry list that included a number of contemplative/emergent organizations, including Youth Specialties.1

A year and a half later, Awana is showing signs that it is becoming a full-blown contemplative organization. First of all, through Awana’s prison project, the organization is incorporating New Age sympathizer Ken Blanchard’s Lead Like Jesus Encounter program. On July 13th, we spoke with Lyndon Azcuna, Awana Cross Cultural Ministries director, who told us he was a Lead Like Jesus facilitator. Azcuna works in the main headquarters office of Awana. He said that the project was using Ken Blanchard’s materials. When we explained to him that Blanchard promoted the New Age and mystical meditation, he said that the program did not have these elements.

However, the Lead Like Jesus Encounter is largely based on Blanchard’s book, Lead Like Jesus, and that book does include contemplative elements. For instance, in the chapter called “The Habits of a Servant Leader” a palms-up, palms-down exercise is described (something Richard Foster has encouraged)(p. 158). The book gives a typical instruction on contemplative:

Before we send people off for their period of solitude, we have them recite with us Psalm 46:10 in this way: Be still and know that I am God. Be still and know. Be still. Be…. When people return from their time of solitude, they have big smiles on their faces. While many of them found it difficult to quiet their mind, they say it was a powerful experience. The reality is most of us spend little if any time in solitude. Yet if we don’t, how can God have a chance to talk with us?

For Awana to include Ken Blanchard’s teachings into its organization, shows that the situation is quite serious. Blanchard has been promoting eastern-style meditators for over twenty years, and to this day is still doing so. In addition, he is a board member for the occultic Hoffman [Quadrinity] Institute. Blanchard participated in the Hoffman Process and said it made his spirituality come alive. We believe this experience he had through Hoffman is similar to what Blanchard refers to in his Lead Like Jesus book, when he says people who “quiet their mind[s]” during the Lead Like Jesus Encounter have “powerful experience[s].” This means that now children and families in Awana could possibly wind up with the same experience.

Blanchard, who has been a professing Christian since the 1980s, wrote the foreword for a 2001 book titled What Would Buddha Do at Work?. In the book, Blanchard said:

“Buddha points to the path and invites us to begin our journey to enlightenment. I … invite you to begin your journey to enlightened work.”

Blanchard has made numerous other similar statements about other books. After a 2005 report exposed his connection with Rick Warren (see below), Blanchard placed a statement on a page of his website for a short time that said some of his previous endorsements had been wrong. However, since that time, the endorsements have continued, including his connection with Hoffman Institute. One example of his continued endorsement of meditation practices is his back-cover statement on Jon Gordon’s 2006 book, 10-Minute Energy Solution, in which Gordon makes several favorable references to eastern-style meditators and the practice itself (see ATOD, pp. 164-165). Another example is Blanchard’s June 2006 endorsement of Thom Crum’s book, Three Deep Breaths.

Amazingly, in the book that inspired the Lead Like Jesus Encounter that Awana is using, Blanchard acknowledges Norman Vincent Peale’s role in his spiritual walk. According to Ray Yungen (For Many Shall Come in My Name – p. 47), Peale had strong New Thought connections. This could partly explain Blanchard’s leanings toward the New Age.

While Awana’s decision to include Ken Blanchard’s materials into their program is enough evidence to show that the organization is quickly changing, we must now report that there is something even more disquieting with regard to Awana and their slide into contemplative – a book that is recommended by Awana and also carried by the Awana store: Perspectives on Children’s Spiritual Formation. A description of the book is as follows:

In childrens ministry, models, methods, and materials abound. How do you decide what direction you want your ministry to children to take? Perspectives on Childrens Spiritual Formation allows you to examine the four prominent points-of-view in the church today. You will then be able to make a more informed decision on the way in which your ministry should take.

The book offers four different views on how to transform children. One author, Scottie May, a professor at Wheaton, writes the section titled, “Contemplative-Reflective Model.” May gives a hearty promotion of centering prayer, the Jesus prayer, Christ candles, the Catholic Eucharist and an strong endorsement for contemplative spirituality ala Thomas Merton, whom she favorably quotes in the book. Two Awana staff writers respond in the book to May’s contemplative approach and give it a thumbs up with only minor cautions. But overall they believe that contemplative is a valid approach for all Christians, including children. Perspectives on Children’s Spiritual Formation is giving a green light to Awana leaders around the world to practice contemplative prayer.

Some people may not understand why we write this report about Awana. After all, they have done some wonderful things for children. But that is the very reason we do issue this report – we do not want to see Awana sell out to the fast growing apostasy of contemplative spirituality and the New Age; and because we care about children, we speak up. With more and more public schools teaching kids to meditate and do yoga, and with more and more Christian schools bringing in emerging leaders like Rob Bell (through his Noomas and his book Velvet Elvis), millions of children are now placed in harm’s way by learning meditative techniques that will possibly take them into altered states and demonic realms. We hope Awana leadership will reconsider their position on contemplative/spiritual formation for the sake of children and their parents. And if you have children in the program, please use extreme caution in light of these new developments.

Let us leave you with this sobering thought: Sue Monk Kidd was at one time a conservative Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher. She was led down the road to apostasy (i.e., worshiping the goddess Sophia) through the practice of contemplative prayer after someone handed her a book by Thomas Merton, the same Thomas Merton who is endorsed and quoted in the Awana book, Perspectives on Children’s Spiritual Formation.

For more research information:

Ken Blanchard and the Hoffman Quadrinity Process

Our April 20th 2005 report, Rick Warren Teams Up with New Age Guru Ken Blanchard

AwanaClub Now Featuring Book

Extensive database on Lead Like Jesus (CRS)

Spiritual Formation: Another name for contemplative spirituality

“Christian or Christ-Follower?”