|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Moses Code - Taking the Next Step Toward a World Wide Awakening
|
|
On
April 5th, The Moses Code film will be released in a "unique
synchronized worldwide opening" 1, just a few weeks after this week's release of the
book with the same title. The book and film will most likely become
best sellers with expected promotion by Oprah Winfrey and others of
influence. The book/film is following the release of last year's The
Secret, which has remained on the New York Times Best Seller
list for over 59 weeks. The Secret, also a book/film, was highly
promoted by Oprah and carries a similar-type message. In essence, both
projects focus on humanity being divine and having the ability to alter our
personal lives and ultimately alter the world in which we live through
hidden mysteries that the projects supposedly reveal.
The publisher of The Moses Code details the theme of the project:
Is it possible that nearly 3,500 years
ago, Moses was given the secret for attracting everything you've ever
desired? The Moses Code was first used to create some of the greatest
miracles in the history of the world, but then it was hidden away, and only
the highest initiates were allowed to practice it. In this book, James F.
Twyman reveals the Code for the first time, showing how it can be used to
create miracles in your life . . . and in the world. By practicing the
principles presented within these pages, you'll discover how you can
integrate the most powerful manifestation tool in the history of the world
into your own life.
The Moses Code is a kind of sequel
or next step to The Secret that focused on the Law of
Attraction, which, if practiced faithfully, promises to help one obtain his
or her hopes and dreams. The Secret tells readers and viewers how
this is possible: "You are God in a physical body ... You are all
power ... You are all intelligence ... You are the creator"( p. 164).
Incidentally, the author of The Secret, Rhonda Byrne, thanks a group
of spirit guides called Abraham for "their inspirational
teachings" (p. xv).
Now, The Moses Code takes followers further along the metaphysical
road:
You may have been told that this Law is
all about "getting" the things you want--things that you think
will make your life more satisfying. But what if that's just the first
step, and cracking the Moses Code depends more on what you're willing to
"give" rather than "get." That would mean that you have
the power to create miracles in your life right now! It would also mean
that you have the ability, even the responsibility, to use that power for
more than just attracting money, a better car, or the perfect relationship.
You're here to use the power of Divinity itself to create a world based on
the laws of compassion and peace. That's the task that lies before us.
In a YouTube trailer preview of The
Moses Code, viewers are instructed to say to themselves I AM statements
to help affirm their own divinity and power. In one segment, a man says,
"I am the way, I am the truth, I am the light [life]."
Lighthouse Trails spoke with a Moses Code staff member on March 3rd and was
told that the film "was re-edited in a significant way" which led
"to re-edit the trailer as well." The new trailer (which can be seen on the Moses Code
website) is much different than the original one. Dropping from over 5
minutes to 1:41 minutes, the new trailer omits the I AM statements as well
as any mention of some of the New Agers who are involved with the project
(such as Neale Donald Walsch). In fact, the new trailer focuses mostly on
the Old Testament Moses and could lead some to believe this is a Christian
film about the patriarch, Moses. However, as can be seen on the Moses Code
website, there is a who's who of the New Age involved with this effort.
In The Secret, many New Age "teachers" were part of the
project including Neale Donald Walsch, Michael Beckwith, Jack Canfield, and
John Gray (Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus). The Moses Code
project has a far more extensive line up of New Age presenters including Neale Donald Walsch, Andrew Harvey, Cheryl Richardson, James van Praagh,
Debbie Ford, Michael Beckwith, and a number of others who are dedicated to
the New Age vision for the world.
The Moses Code trailer explains that on April 6th, hundreds of
thousands of people are going to have the opportunity to come together in
small groups around the world to "radiate this peace and use this
technology [the Moses Code] focusing on the Middle East." On the Moses
Code website it explains why this is being done: "It is clear to most
people by now that when large groups of people gather together for a
single, focused reason, miracles happen."
Those who have studied New Age philosophy know that New Agers believe that
when a critical mass (said to be based on a physics law) comes together in
meditation, the rest of humanity will be drawn in (through a kind of spiritual
magnetization), and in this oneness, the earth will be healed. The
prerequisite for this to happen is a global, mass meditation by people who
believe they are divine and co-creators in the universe.
The Moses Code says that mysticism is the avenue through which we
enter a "frequency" that draws us into a sacred space called God,
and this frequency can be entered by turning to the I AM field which
"helps initiate and enhance sacred experiences.... the potential is
promising, particularly with regard to assisting the I AM THAT I AM
breathing exercises ... developed for the Moses Code." In an interview with Moses Code author James
Twyman, Twyman says that this process was originally called the Maharishi Effect which
began with Transcendental Meditation practitioners.
It appears that with the mass success of The Secret, a new threshold
had been crossed with the public's acceptance of metaphysical practices and
philosophies. What the Moses Code is designed for is to take this
acceptance to a new level. The people behind these projects know that they
have a narrow window of opportunity to saturate Western society before
people become bored or skeptical. Everywhere one looks these days one finds
people turning to the mystical and supernatural for the answers to their
problems. One prominent Rabbi, who writes on current social conditions, has
written that 40% of middle aged men and 33% of middle aged women suffer
from various degrees of depression. 2 What better appeal would seem attractive to these
millions of people than being able to change their circumstances in a quick
and timely fashion. This is what books like The Secret and The
Moses Code are offering, and the biblical gospel is seen by these
millions as outdated and irrelevant. Our job as Christians is to proclaim
the opposite, and in so doing preserve the only message that offers
eternal life through Jesus Christ to those who receive Him by faith.
Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that
in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to
seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. I Timothy 4:1
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God. I Corinthians 1: 18
Database of news and research on The Secret
More Information:
Interview with The Moses Code
author James Twyman |
|
|
|
Obama
Foreshadows Coming Spirituality
|
Barack
Obama, the Senator who may become the next president of the United States,
says (in an exclusive article in United Church News),
that the teachings of the UCC (United Church of Christ), of which he is a
member (Trinity United Church of Christ), are "foundation
stones for his political work." Just what are those
"teachings" comprised of? On Trinity's website (Obama's personal
home church), on a page promoting Yoga, the following statement is
highlighted:
Within each [of]us is the seed of
Divinity. Each Soul is divine. I bow to the divinity in us all!
This is the spirituality of Thomas
Merton, who believed that divinity was in all humans and in all creation.
That is why Merton stated:
It is a glorious destiny to be a member
of the human race, ... now I realize what we all are .... If only they
[people] could all see themselves as they really are ...I suppose the big
problem would be that we would fall down and worship each other ... At the
center of our being is a point of nothingness which is untouched by sin and
by illusions, a point of pure truth ... This little point ...is the pure
glory of God in us. It is in everybody. (from A Time of Departing, quoting Thomas Merton, Conjectures
of a Guilty Bystander -1989 edition, 157-158)
The United Church of Christ is an ultra
liberal Christian denomination that has focused on social justice and
making the world into a better place. But in the process of their all
encompassing view that anything positive is spiritually sound, many leaders
within this group have embraced or incorporated the teachings and practices
of occultism and eastern religion. One such individual is Bruce Epperly, a United Church of Christ pastor, who
wrote a book called Reiki Healing Touch and the Way of Jesus, in
which Epperly says: We can utilize the practice of Reiki to transform families,
relationships, meetings, and institutions." Reiki is drawn from
Tibetan Buddhism and incorporates spirit guides and psychic powers. It is
very probable that Obama has been exposed to things such as yoga or reiki.
Global Peace
Rick Warren and Barack Obama share views on global peace and world-wide
unification. Obama, who was a speaker at the "Pentecost 2006: Building a Covenant for a New
America" conference, used "the speech as a call for continued
dialogue and bridge-building between religious conservatives and
progressives." This "bridge-building" is the same kind of
talk Rick Warren uses when he is discussing his "new reformation"
that will include all religions, in which he states that he will do
"whatever it takes" and work with anyone at all to accomplish
this new reformation in his lifetime.
In Obama's address at Pentecost 2006, he talked about the
"connection between religion and politics." This is what Rick Warren talks about with his "three-legged
stool" philosophy that government, religion and business have to work
together if global peace is ever going to happen. In light of the
popularity of both these men, and given the possibility that Rick Warren
could potentially be "the President's pastor," their views on
global peace should not be overlooked.
New Age Peace
Marianne Williamson (Oprah's featured author for A Course in Miracles)
shares this same vision, as do other prominent New Age leaders. One of
those who has worked closely with Williamson is Barbara Marx Hubbard, who
shares this interspiritual, panentheistic vision for the world. But Marx Hubbard does not conceal her belief that those who
oppose this "great awakening" of mankind will be a deficit and a
hindrance:
Christ-consciousness and Christ-abilities
are the natural inheritance of every human being on Earth. When the word of
this hope has reached the nations, the end of this phase of evolution shall
come. All will know their choice. All will be required to choose..... All
who choose not to evolve will die off; their souls will begin again within
a different planetary system which will serve as kindergarten for the
transition from self-centered to whole-centered being. The kindergarten
class of Earth will be over. Humankind's collective power is too great to
be inherited by self-centered, infantile people." (from The Plan, quoting Barbara Marx Hubbard Happy
birthday Planet Earth p.17)
Divinity in all? Not according to the
Bible. But since the Garden of Eden when the serpent (the devil) told Eve
"ye shall be as gods" (Genesis 3:5), and when Lucifer (Isaiah 14)
said he would be like the "Most High," there has been a New Age
philosophy that declares man is equal to God and God is in him without
faith. The following scriptures (among so many others) testify of the
contrast between God and man.
For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.(John 3:16)
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name [Jesus
Christ] under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4: 12
Right now, the majority of leading
Christian organizations from Focus on the Family to Awanas to YWAM to our
seminaries, colleges, publishing houses, and denominations are to one
degree or another either opening up to or actually promoting contemplative
spirituality. Given the fact that Thomas Merton's beliefs are the
foundation of contemplative, isn't it time Christian leaders who truly love
the Lord and His Word, begin to speak up and warn their people about this
devastating spirituality that is quickly overtaking our world but should
not be overtaking the church. The Bible says faith comes by hearing the
Word of God, but asks: "How then shall they call on him in whom they
have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14). But if
the leaders, teachers, and preachers are all preaching a different gospel
(a mystical, panentheistic one), then how shall the lost hear and be saved?
For related information:
The Red Three Legged Stool
Meditation: The heartbeat of a new kind of politics
"Spiritual Politics" (Excerpt from Reinventing
Jesus Christ)
Why We Should Be Very Concerned About Leonard Sweet and
Rick Warren ... and Their Plans for the Future
How Barack's Winning the Evangelicals
Dissenters at Rick Warren's Church - shown the door over
OBAMA
Exclusive: UCC member Sen. Barack Obama discusses faith and
politics
|
|
Christian Post Says Mark Driscoll "Ditches" Emergent but Evidence
Proves Otherwise
|
|
The
Christian Post has released an article titled "Mars Hill Pastor Ditches 'Emerging' Label for
Jesus." However, in a January 11th article by Lighthouse Trails Mark Driscoll Rejects McLaren But Embraces Contemplative,
Mark Driscoll's rejection of Brian McLaren and Doug Pagitt is questioned
because of Driscoll's continued promotion of contemplative/emerging
spirituality, a belief system that is grounded in mysticism. Below is a
reposting of this article:
"Mark Driscoll Rejects McLaren But Embraces Contemplative"
Since last Fall, when Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church, denounced
some of the teachings of emerging church leaders Brian McLaren and Doug
Pagitt at the Convergence Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological
Seminary, his talk has been the topic of many discussions across North
America. People feel that such a denouncement by someone who had a role in
start up of the emerging church is very noteworthy. (1)
However, while Driscoll has placed himself in what he considers a more
conservative and a biblical form of the emerging church, evidence shows
that when it comes to the driving force behind the emerging church -
mysticism - Driscoll embraces the same spiritual technology as McLaren and
Pagitt.
A "Recommended Reading List" on Driscoll's website shows
that Driscoll resonates with contemplative and emerging church leaders who
teach and adhere to eastern-style meditation. Click here to read this entire
article.
|
Oprah's Latest New Age Book Pick Sells at Record Pace
|
Eckhart
Tolle's 'A New Earth' Is Winfrey's Hottest Pick Yet
by Associated Press
Even for an Oprah Winfrey book pick, ''A New Earth'' has been a sensation.
About 3.5 million copies of Eckhart Tolle's spiritual self-help guide have
been shipped since Winfrey, host of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show,'' announced
her selection four weeks ago.
The book has topped the best-seller list on Amazon.com virtually from the moment
Winfrey's choice was revealed, and it is the fastest-selling pick ever at
Barnes & Noble Inc., according to a statement issued Thursday by
Winfrey. Click here to read this entire article.
|
|
Baptist Press Reports: Obama: If elected I will use the bully
pulpit for gay causes
|
|
Michael
Foust
Baptist Press
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama sought the support of voters
in the homosexual community Feb. 28, telling them in a letter that if
elected president he would work to pass laws important to that constituency
and would use the "bully pulpit" to urge states to grant same-sex
couples the legal benefits of marriage.
The 770-word letter was posted on a section of Obama's campaign website
devoted to homosexual issues. He and Hillary Clinton have worked for months
to get the votes of the homosexual community, even appearing in August at a
historic Democratic presidential forum devoted solely to homosexual issues.
In the letter, Obama touted his past record on such issues and said he
would continue that record if elected. He used the acronym LGBT -- which
stands for "lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender" -- six times.
Click here to read this entire article.
Related News:
Obama Foreshadows Coming Spirituality
Spiritual Politics
The Spirituality of Rick Warren and Barack Obama
|
|
Mount Vernon Nazarene University Bringing
Contemplative/Emergent Speakers
|
On
March 4th, Mount Vernon Nazarene University will bring Walter Brueggemann
(Professor Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary) to speak as part of
their year long Lecture/Artist series. (1) Brueggemann is a proponent of contemplative/emergent
spirituality as are other speakers that have been brought to MVNU in the
past. Two weeks ago, the university invited Shane Claiborne to speak after he
was disinvited by Cedarville University because of Claiborne's emerging
spirituality proclivities. 2 In Brueggemann's case, he could be considered a
pioneer of the emerging church, someone who has been promoting the new
spirituality for a long time.
Many people may not be familiar with Brueggemann, but his influence has
been strong within the contemplative/emergent camp. One of the projects he
participated in was Richard Foster's Renovare Spiritual Formation Study Bible, in
which Brueggemann was one of the editors. The Renovare "Bible"
focuses on Richard Foster's six disciplines (from his book Streams of
Living Waters), one of which is the contemplative practice. Among the
other editors of Foster's book are Catholics, universalists, and
contemplatives; in addition, there are quotes by many mystics of the past.
Perhaps one of the more telling indicators of Brueggemann's spiritual affinities
is his endorsement of Alan Jones book Reimagining Christianity. In
Jones' book, he calls the doctrine of the Cross a vile doctrine, yet
Brueggeman says of the book (on the back cover): "His vision of faith
and ministry for the time to come will be a gift for many readers." 3 A few quotes from Jones' book, however, will show
that Reimagining Christianity is not a gift, at least not for those
searching for biblical truth:
The Church's fixation on the death of
Jesus as the universal saving act must end, and the place of the cross must
be reimagined in Christian faith. Why? Because of the cult of suffering and
the vindictive God behind it. p. 132
The other thread of just criticism addresses the suggestion implicit in the
cross that Jesus' sacrifice was to appease an angry god. Penal substitution
[the Cross] was the name of this vile doctrine. p. 168
The image of the child Jesus sitting on the Buddha's lap appeals to me and
captures the spirit of this book. It is an image of the Kingdom. "The
Kingdom" is a sort of shorthand signifying an inclusive community of
faith, love and justice. p. 12
Christianity as a set of beliefs doesn't work for me. At the same time, I
acknowledge the need for ritual and celebration in my life and find
fulfillment and joy in many traditional practices. I light candles and ask
for the prayers of the saints.... These disciplines ... do not require me
to believe literally in angels and the Virgin Birth. p. 31
Later Jones suggests that the doctrine of
the Cross is a myth made up by man. (p. 133) It should be painfully clear
to biblical Christians that someone who is endorsing Alan Jones should not
be speaking to Christian university students at all, and Mount Vernon
University will be putting their students in harm's way by bringing
Brueggemann. We cannot help but wonder why the leaders of the Nazarene
denomination are allowing this to happen.
A revealing critique of
Brueggeman's beliefs states the following:
With the facet of interpretation,
Brueggemann argues that the Bible requires and insists upon "human
interpretation that is inescapably subjective, necessarily provisional, and
as [we] are living witnesses, inevitably disputatious." Beyond the
baseline of main claims or affirmations of Apostolic faith, we must attach
only "tentative authority" to interpretations on almost all
questions.
This is perhaps the crux of the matter -
Brueggemann, along with many other contemplative/emerging leaders,
considers the validity and reliability of the Bible "subjective,"
"provisional," and "disputatious."
Brueggemann is no stranger to emerging spirituality. In his 1993 book, Texts
Under Negotiation: The Bible and Postmodern Imagination, he lays the
foundation of current emerging thinking to some degree. In fact, emerging
leader Tony Jones' new release, The New Christians, has some
resemblance to Brueggemann's 1993 book. Brueggemann explains what he means
when he calls the Bible "compost." He says: "I use it [the
term compost] to suggest that the Bible itself i not the actual place of
new growth ... it does not tell us about the specificity of our life (pp.
61-62). For Brueggemann, "imagination" means that the
interpretations of the Bible and its doctrines are up for grabs and cannot
be set in concrete. And like so many of the other emerging pioneers (such as
Leith Anderson - see page 28, 55 of Faith Undone), Brueggemann
emphasizes the importance of our experience to interpret God's word.
Experience molds the Word as opposed to the other way around. Basically,
Brueggemann proposes that since our world is always changing, our
interpretation of Scripture should always be changing too. Thus, the term
"imagination."
Another pro-emerging speaker at Mount Vernon was Dr. Christian Scharen, who
spoke in September (on staff at the Yale Center for Faith and Culture). He
is the author of a U2Eucharist-type book titled One Step Closer: Why
U2 Matters to Those Seeking God which he touted when he came to MVNU.
He is also a signer of (in Yale's own words) "the recent historic open
letter signed by 138 leading Muslim scholars, clerics, and intellectuals
from around the world. 'A Common Word Between Us and You' identifies some
core common ground between Christianity and Islam." 4 Another MVNU speaker that falls in the emerging camp
was Eddie Gibbs, (see pp. 181-185, Faith Undone)
Mount Vernon Nazarene University is doing a disservice to students who are
paying them for a Christian and biblical education. We hope that MVNU
students can see this and request the president and administration of the
school to reverse its present course.
For Further Research:
A look at Walter Brueggemann on biblical authority
Nazarene Superintendent Praises "A Time of
Departing" But Denomination's Schools Sinking into Contemplative
|
|
More medical schools teaching spirituality in medicine
|
|
By
Bonnie Booth
AM News
The newspaper for America's Physicians
Christina M. Puchalski, MD, was a bit of a pioneer when she created a
spirituality and health course in 1992 at George Washington University
School of Medicine in Washington, D.C.
The course, offered as an elective, covered spiritual practices, including meditation,
as well as topics such as humor and alternative medicine.
When Dr. Puchalski first began teaching her course, 2% of medical schools
offered course work in spirituality. By 2004, the figure was 67%.
Now 100 of the approximately 150 U.S. medical schools offer some variation
of spirituality-in-medicine course work. And 75 of those 100 require their
students to take at least one course on the topic.
Dr. Puchalski can take some credit for the change. She and a colleague
developed a program in spirituality and health at the National Institute
for Healthcare Research. Funding by the John Templeton Foundation -- an
organization that makes grants to research projects -- has given medical
schools the opportunity to develop a spirituality curriculum of their own. Click here to read this entire article.
Related News:
Doctor Confirms Meditation Explosion
US News & World Report: Alternative Medicine Goes
Mainstream
Global Peace and Harmony by Ray Yungen
|
|
Non-Emergent Christian Camp for Kids Looking for Summer
Counselors
|
|
Good Tidings Bible Camp,
located in the Catskill Mountains of upper state New York, is a
Christian Bible camp that has determined to stay true to the gospel message
of Jesus Christ and does not incorporate contemplative or emerging
spirituality into its programs or camp life. Every summer, Good Tidings
brings in teens from New York city for two-week-long camp sessions.
Many of the youth attending have never been outside the city before. The
camp provides many activities such as horseback riding, hiking, swimming,
and much more, as well as evangelistic teaching from the word of God.
*** Good Tidings is
looking for college-age counselors for this summer's camps, which will go
from the end of June through August. If you are interested in finding out
more about being a camp counselor this summer, please contact Good Tidings
program director, Brianna Morgan at: bri_morgan@hotmail.com.
|
|
Publishing News
|
Special Note: Lighthouse Trails
bookstore is carrying the retail
edition of Deceived on Purpose and The Light That Was Dark,
both by former New Age follower, Warren Smith. Wholesale orders for these
two books can be ordered through Bookmasters.
THREE WAYS TO ORDER
DIRECTLY FROM LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS PUBLISHING:
2. Toll Free Order
Line: 866/876-3910
Quantity Discounts: 40% off retail for
orders of 10 or more copies, 50% off for international orders of 10 or more
copies
We ship both retail
and wholesale orders within 24 hours of receiving order.
BOOKSTORES AND OUTLETS
for small retail orders: Lighthouse Trails books are also available to
order from most bookstores (online and walk-in). If your local
bookstore isn't carrying one of our titles, you can ask them to order
it for you. While you may have to wait longer to receive your order,
the advantage of ordering through bookstores is that you will have no
shipping charges.
SAMPLE CHAPTERS OF
LIGHTHOUSE TRAILS BOOKS:
Lighthouse Trails Publishing now has
sample chapters available online for most of the books we publish. We
believe you will find each of these books to be well-written, carefully
documented, and worthwhile. Click here to read some of the chapters.
Note: Lighthouse
Trails is a
Christian publishing company. While we hope you will read the books we have
published, we also provide extensive research, documentation, and news on
our Research
site, blog, and newsletter. We pray that the
books as well as the online research will be a blessing to the body of
Christ and a witness to those who have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as
their Savior and Lord.
|
|
Newsletter in Print - Coming Soon
|
|
If
you would like to receive the Coming
from the Lighthouse newsletter in print form by mail, please
send an email to newsletter@lighthousetrails.com. Be
sure and include your mailing address in the email. We will be issuing a
printed newsletter several times a year for those who prefer that over the
email edition or for some reason need both.
Both email and printed editions
will be free.
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|