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I
know that gay rights activists, the liberal
media, and others are going to say, "See, why
should we ban homosexual marriages? Even the
Christians do it. Why should we say it is wrong?
And why should we even become Christians? They
are no different." But I want to say something
that shows why homosexuality and pornography
are harmful and why they destroy families and
society.
Even
if Ted Haggard were not guilty as this man says
he is, I think the Christian leaders, as a whole,
have been walking in deception and sin for some
time, and they have bankrupted Christendom and
at the price of truth, and souls have been lost
because of it. I pray there will be judgment
in the house of the Lord - that the sexual perversions,
the mysticism, the New Age, the over zealous
marketing and deceptions will be eradicated
and the true body of Christ will shine through
(even though Jesus said the world will hate
us - did the leaders forget that part?) As leaders
like Rick Warren and David Jeremiah have contacted
Lighthouse Trails, and as I have seen first
hand their efforts to defend themselves and
cover up the truth, I have wondered why they
should still be called the leaders of the church.
And then I realized, the true body of Christ
is not made up of leaders that compromise, deceive
and go after wealth and preach false doctrines
that the Bible warns about. The true body of
Christ has one leader, and He is a powerful—yet
loving, a righteous—yet compassionate God. And
He is the only way of salvation—there is absolutely
no other way. As opposed to the religions of
the world, with Christ we cannot earn salvation;
He gives it freely. While we are all sinners
and all need forgiveness from Him, and while
we do sin and need to go daily to Him in humility
and confession, we cannot abide or dwell
in sin if He lives in us (I John 1 & 2).
And He will live in the soul who humbles himself
and asks Jesus Christ to be Lord of their lives.
There is a story I would like to tell. It has
to do with one Christian family and what homosexuality
and pornography did to them. It is a true story.
Catherine was 25 years old and pregnant when
her husband deserted her and their children.
He was gone for two years, having utterly abandoned
his family. Then one day, he showed up but with
him came a secret so great and so horrible,
and one Catherine would not learn about for
three long years. In the end, the innocence
of her children was ripped out of their lives,
and in order to protect them from further harm,
Catherine had no choice but to take her children
and go into hiding, fleeing the country that
was her home.
What does homosexuality and pornography do to
families? Add to that the victimization of children,
which is often the case, and you have the ingredients
to destroy a society. Throw in drugs and New
Age mysticism... and you have little to hold
on to. While everyone, both Christian and non-Christian
alike, have their thoughts and opinions about
Ted Haggard and the implications of this situation,
let us remember that homosexuality and pornography
destroys families and society. How do I know?
I am Catherine, and my story, Laughter
Calls Me, is the story of my children.
Saved by His grace,
Deborah Dombrowski
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Evangelical Christians Combine
Contemplative Mysticism with Catholic Eucharist
Many Christians believe that the Christian
tradition of communion is the same as the Catholic
tradition of the Eucharist. But this is not
so. The Eucharist (i.e., Transubstantiation
) is a Catholic term for communion when the
bread and the wine supposedly become the very
body and blood of Jesus Christ; thus when taken
the partaker is said to experience the presence
of Jesus. These transformed elements are placed
in what is called a monstrance
and can then be worshipped as if worshipping
Jesus Himself. The implications are tied in
with salvation. With the Eucharist, salvation
becomes sacramental (participation in a ritual)
as opposed to justification by faith in Christ
alone. While this mystical experience called
the Eucharist is a form of idolatry (as well
as the very heart of Catholicism), there appears
to be an increase of interest by evangelical
Christians towards this practice.
In Roger Oakland's vital book, Another
Jesus?: The Eucharistic Christ and the New Evangelization,
he explains that the Catholic church leadership,
concerned because of apathy for the Eucharist
within the Catholic ranks, is hoping to "rekindle
the amazement" of the Eucharist through what
is called their "new evangelization program."
With a two-fold purpose - to keep present Catholics
and to bring evangelicals into the Catholic
church - church leadership hopes to enliven
the Eucharist. By saying "rekindle the amazement,"
they mean bring out the mystical, supernatural
element of the Eucharist.
Acceptance of the Eucharist by evangelical
Christians has been simmering in the background
for some time. Chuck Colson's Evangelicals
and Catholics Together document played a
significant role with desensitizing believers
into finding common ground with Catholicism.
Rick Warren has
openly shown, time and again, his affinity
to joining Catholicism and evangelicalism together.
But as we have succinctly pointed out in our
other works, it is mysticism that unites all
the world's religious traditions. In that mystical
realm that is achieved through contemplative
prayer, it is taught that God is in all
things, and God is all things. To those
who traditionally haven't had much ritual in
their lives (i.e., Protestants) the ambiance
of the Mass would have great appeal because
of it's religious novelty - thus the interest
in the Eucharist by those evangelicals who promote
contemplative. And for most Catholics, the Mass
(where the Eucharist is presented), in and of
itself, is not a mystical experience, but if
you add the contemplative as a draw, one actually
does enter the mystical realm. On the surface
this phenomenon seems complex, but when you
look underneath it makes perfect sense. Within
the contemplative prayer realm you actually
are getting in touch with a spiritual power
or force. Combining the tradition of the Eucharist,
which appeals to many raised in the Catholic
church, with the relatively recent explosion
of contemplative practice, the Catholic church
sees this as a way to recover its robust state
it had in previous decades.
The Eucharistic Adoration (worshipping
the sacraments) is expected of all Catholics,
and church leadership says it is "anathema"
not to believe the elements are actually transformed
into the body and blood of Christ. While such
a belief contradicts biblical Christianity,
a growing number of popular evangelicals (especially
those who promote contemplative) seem to find
no offense in such a doctrine. With the increased
acceptance of mysticism within evangelical circles,
it only makes sense that many evangelical Christians
find nothing wrong with the Eucharist. Such
acceptance, however, is neutralizing former
evangelical resistance to all things Catholic.
An example of this is the 2005 Calvary Chapel
pastors conference when Pastor Jon Courson presented
communion in a Eucharistic-style, suggesting
that communion is more than a remembrance. One
pastor who was there, told us that about 80
of the pastors got up and walked out when this
happened. The pastor said some of these stood
on the sidewalk outside, pointing at the building
and crying out, "Heresy." Today, Courson's church,
Applegate Christian Fellowship in Oregon, has
begun a weekly
contemplative service, and one of Applegate's
pastors recently spoke at Chuck Smith Jr's church
(a Calvary Chapel church until recently asked
to leave the movement). Smith Jr. has shown
much affinity towards the Catholic contemplative
tradition. Earlier this year, Smith Jr. spent
some time at a Catholic monastery, and in his
book, The End of the World ... As We Know
It, he expresses his views when he states:
"More and more Protestant Christians—and we
are way behind the Roman Catholics on this score—are
discovering a new, yet old way of reading the
Bible: lectio divina" (p. 103).
Examples of implementing the Eucharist
within evangelicalism are increasing daily.
As explained in Roger Oakland's article, THE
EMERGENCE OF THE EUCHARIST IN THE EMERGING CHURCH,
Episcopal churches are incorporating the Eucharist
service with the music of rock band U2 calling
them U2-charist services. Oakland explains:
I find this example of Vintage Christianity
very interesting in light of what is called
the New Evangelization Program. This is the
program initiated by the Roman Catholic Church
to win the world to the Eucharistic Christ....
[T]he Emerging Church vintage worship campaign
is now sending out "evangelists" who are introducing
post- moderns that are hungry for experience
to the Eucharistic experience.
In Roger Oakland's article "The
Emerging Church: Revival or Return to Darkness,"
Oakland has shown the connection between the
Eucharist and other forms of worship. Robert
Webber, of Ancient-Future
Worship, is becoming a popular author in
Christian colleges and seminaries, yet Webber
believes that the rediscovery of the Eucharist
is vital today. Oakland states: [W]hen I hear
about "rediscovering the central nature of the
table of the Lord in the Lord’s supper, breaking
of bread, communion and Eucharist" I am reminded
about the "new evangelization" program that
is presently underway. Did you know Pope John
Paul II called for a "missionary vision" centered
on “a rekindling of amazement focused on the
Eucharist” to bring the world to the Eucharistic
Jesus?
United Methodist, Keith
Howard McIlwain, believes that incorporating
the Eucharist is essential to what he refers
to as the renewal of the church:
[T]he faithful administration of the Eucharist
is a certain key to renewal in the Church....
If The United Methodist Church and its smaller
partners are to experience renewal, we must
also allow the Holy Spirit proper place in
worship, ministry, and pastoral care. Done
with theological integrity, this must be done
by re-examining the Eucharist ...Then, and
only then, will we be able to once again effectively
lead the way to transformation for the sake
of Jesus Christ.
Today, mysticism is taking the world by
storm. The Eucharist will help to make this
happen by providing a vehicle through which
the contemplative can ride. Let us not be caught
unaware but heed the words of the apostle Paul
when he said:
For though by this time you ought to be
teachers, you need someone to teach you again
the first principles of the oracles of God;
and you have come to need milk and not solid
food. For everyone who partakes only of milk
is unskilled in the word of righteousness,
for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to
those who are of full age, that is, those
who by reason of use have their senses exercised
to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)
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Brian McLaren - Rethinking
the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Definition
of Preterism - The belief that all
Bible prophecy (including Matthew 24) has already
happened, including the second coming of Jesus
Christ. Also called Covenant Eschatology or
Fulfilled Prophecy. It is worth noting that
many with the Dominionist and/or Preterist view
point seem sympathetic to and accepting of contemplative
spirituality.
The
following is an interview that took place
between Brian
McLaren and the "Planet Preterist" website.
Excerpt
from the interview:
Interviewer:
I think many Christians within the Preterist
movement are being deeply affected by your
work and by what Emergent is doing across
the world. Why do you think that your message
appeals to so many of us?
Brian:
First, it's encouraging to hear you say
that it does. Theologies work as systems,
don't they ... and they have a beginning,
and middle, and an end, and the three are
integrated into a single system. I think
many of us are realizing that if we have
one part mixed up, it will affect our understandings
of the other two parts. I didn't start with
any interest in rethinking eschatology,
but of course eventually I had to realize
that if I rethink one area, it will lead
to rethinking other areas. I think many
of us are in this kind of rethinking process
- some starting from the beginning part
by rethinking, perhaps, the relation of
faith and science in relation to evolution
and young-earth creationism ... some starting
from the middle, as they re- examine what
the gospel of the kingdom of God is supposed
to mean, or the idea of integral or holistic
mission ... and some starting from the end,
re-examining eschatology. Wherever you start,
you end up looking into the other areas
too, I think....
Interviewer:
As we are also trying to also put a new
face on our own movement and transform it
into "a new kind of Preterism," and move
beyond the theoretical fundamentalism into
the practical, tangible aspects of Christianity
and the realized presence of Christ, we
are encountering the same friction and opposition
that perhaps you have already encountered
when dealing with a target audience that
sees all things in black and white. Do you
have any advice for us on how to better
build bridges and construct better channels
of communication with other believers?
Brian:
Again, I wish I did. I think you are very
perceptive to put the focus on "the realized
presence of Christ," because that is key.
I also think you're perceptive to identify
the underlying problem not as mistaken eschatology
but as "theoretical fundamentalism" and
"black and white" thinking. Sometimes I
think that people who are thoroughly indoctrinated
and habituated into this kind of system
will not be able to break free from it without
experiencing both psychological and social
dislocation and disorientation. Click
here to read more of this interview.
See also: Dominionism,
Global Peace and Mysticism
Ignoring
Eschatology
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P.E.A.C.E. - Just for those
who sign up.
Rick Warren's P.E.A.C.E.
Plan isn't for everyone - only for those who sign
up for it. If your church has signed up for the
Purpose Driven Peace Plan, please study the facts
and make sure this is the direction you really
want your church to go. Warren says that his peace
plan, which will bring about a second reformation,
includes those from other religions. This means
that Jesus Christ cannot be at the center of Rick
Warren's Peace Plan, at least not the Jesus of
the Bible. Check out the documentation. It speaks
for itself:
Quotes about the P.E.A.C.E. Plan: "Who's
the man of peace in any village - or it might
be a woman of peace - who has the most respect,
they're open and they're influential? They don't
have to be a Christian. In fact, they could be
a Muslim, but they're open and they're influential
and you work with them to attack the five giants.
And that's going to bring the second Reformation."Rick
Warren, May 2005, Pew
Forum on Religion
"I am praying for a second reformation
of the church that will focus more on deeds than
words. The first Reformation was about beliefs.
This one needs to be about behavior. ... We've
had a Reformation; what we need now is a transformation.""
Rick Warren, July 2005 at the Baptist World Alliance
with Tony Campolo and Jimmy Carter
"I have two goals in my life. One is a reformation
of the church in America and the other is a return
of civility to society when people who disagree
can still get along and like each other even if
they disagree." Rick
Warren on Larry King,12/2/05
The following is an excerpt from the promotional
description on Rick Warren's website about the
upcoming global P.E.A.C.E. Plan Seminar: "Rick
Warren has said repeatedly, 'This is why God made
me. Everything else I have done was simply preparation
for the P.E.A.C.E. Plan.' If you choose to lead
your church to participate in the P.E.A.C.E. Plan
it will be a wild ride and an amazing spiritual
adventure for your members as they get God's heart
for the world, as God uses them to change lives,
and together we bring global glory to God!"
A Quote from Orange County Register:
"Saddleback does control the PEACE
platform. Although Saddleback says it will make
training materials available to the general
public at some point in the future, for now,
the site is proprietary, which means that Saddleback
does not permit nonmembers to view the site.
(The Register was allowed to see the site only
once, and in the company of a church staffer.)
"Church teams who want to use the materials
must register (and attend a conference) under
the PEACE program umbrella. Saddleback can,
consequently, track and lay claim not only to
the 142 PEACE teams that have gone on mission
so far, but also to the potentially thousands
that will do so in the future and that will
become, in the process, indirect partners in
the PEACE 'movement' -- and brand.... Saddleback
may create a platform for both the kingdom of
God and for itself." From New-media
missionaries
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THE EMERGENCE OF THE EUCHARIST
IN THE EMERGING CHURCH
by Roger Oakland
One
of the common beliefs circulating amongst the
supporters of the Emergent Church is a concept
called "Vintage Christianity". According to
this view, experiences effective in attracting
Christians to come to church in the past should
be reintroduced today in order to attract the
postmodern generation who are hungry for experience.
Dan Kimball, author of the book The Emerging
Church: Vintage Christianity for New Generation
is one of the key proponents of this idea. He
firmly believes that worship must play an important
role to attract post-moderns into Christianity.
In a section of his book subtitled "Truly worshipping
in a worship gathering," he writes:
We
should be returning to a no-holds- barred approach
to worship and teaching so that when we gather,
there is no doubt we are in the presence of
God. I believe that both believers and unbelievers
in our emerging culture are hungry for this.
It isn't about clever apologetics or careful
exegetical and expository preaching or great
worship bands. ... Emerging generations are
hungry to experience God in worship.
Rob
Redman, author of The Great Worship Awakening:
Singing a New Song in the Postmodern Church agrees
with Kimball. He has noted that churches that
provide a liturgical vintage form of worship are
attracting the postmodern generation. He writes:
Liturgical churches, particularly Episcopalian,
Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox, report increasing
interest in traditional liturgical worship among
young adults. Redman notes that as the result
of this renewed interest in liturgical worship,
a "worship awakening" is now underway and Protestant
worship services are beginning to incorporate
liturgical worship practices. He states:
A
common approach to the worship awakening among
Protestant churches is to create a blended service
combining older and newer liturgical elements
and musical styles.
Click
here to read this entire article.
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A Plea to Christian Leaders
Are
Christian leaders responsible for whom they quote,
endorse and promote? We believe this is a valid
question that deserves an answer to the body of
Christ. With publishers like Zondervan, InterVarsity
Press, Baker Books and Thomas Nelson releasing
one book after the next on contemplative and emerging
spiritualities, the church is being put in harm's
way with a tidal wave of dangerous and non-biblical
teachings that ultimately leads to eastern mysticism
and the New Age. Countless Christian authors and
leaders have joined this wave, and when confronted
or challenged, they expect there to be no criticism.
This is wrong, and Lighthouse Trails joins many
other believers in the body of Christ in saying
so. We speak up, in spite of hate mail, hints
of lawsuits, angry phone calls, because we see
this onslaught as a direct attack against truth.
Here
is just another example of what we are talking
about. In Dr. Tim Clinton's November release
(foreword by Tim LaHaye), Turn
Your Life Around, Clinton thanks John
Ortberg for being an "inspiration" to him
and quotes Ortberg more than a half a dozen
times throughout the book. Ortberg's strong
promotion of contemplative spirituality is no
secret - he co-authored
a book with Ruth
Haley Barton on the silence. So how could
he be an "inspiration" to a book that is endorsed
by leaders like Tim LaHaye (who wrote the foreword),
Gary Smalley, Ruth Graham and Jerry Falwell?
Incidentally, Falwell just recently endorsed
Larry Crabb's contemplative promoting book,
The
Papa Prayer.
In
Clinton's new book, he also favorably quotes
Richard Foster (who teaches that God can be
reached by anyone through contemplative prayer),
Larry Crabb, Dan Allender, John Eldredge, Philip
Yancey, Dallas Willard and Donald Miller. All
of these mentioned promote contemplative. So
why are trusted leaders like Graham, LaHaye,
and Falwell doing this? Do they just not realize
what contemplative is. We have sent most of
these people copies of A Time of Departing,
and it is not a topic that is under the rug
anymore.
One
of three things is taking place here. Either
these supporting leaders do not know what contemplative
is, or they know but do not think it is worth
worrying about, or they know and they adhere
to such beliefs. We know for a fact that many
of them are well aware of contemplative spirituality,
which means they are either indifferent to the
controversy or actually see it as a valid spirituality.
But isn't it time they came out publicly and
stated their views? Isn't it time they either
renounce contemplative and stop promoting it
through their endorsements and quotes or admit
that they have strong sympathies towards it.
Isn't it time? ... Maybe they already have given
their answer, and we just don't want to believe
it.
SPECIAL NOTE: If any
of the above mentioned leaders read this article
and would like to understand our concerns (and
the concerns of many other believers), please
contact
us, and we will send you a complimentary
copy of A Time of Departing. We believe
you will find the documentation solid and biblical.
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Teen Mania Introduces Kids
to Contemplative-Promoting Speaker
Teen Mania's Fall 2006 "Battlecry
Leadership Summit" will take place in several
US cities this fall, and unfortunately one
of the speakers is contemplative-promoting Jack
Hayford. Hayford has been an ally with contemplative
Richard Foster for some time now and has his endorsement
on the back cover of Richard Foster's book, Streams
of Living Water, in which Foster quotes panentheist
Thomas Kelly as saying "Deep within us all there
is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy
place, a Divine Center."
Hayford's affinity for contemplative is even more
apparent when he endorsed the back cover of John
Michael Talbot's 2005 book, The
Way of the Mystics. Of the book, Hayford
says:
John Michael Talbot is a faithful
worshiper of our Savior, whose music and meditations
not only refresh many, but whose witness reminds
us of the breadth of the scope of vital, living
witness throughout the whole Body of Christ,
and how much we who love Jesus Christ have to
give to each other of our mutual growth and
benefit.
But those "meditations" of Talbot are centered
on Eastern mysticism as is apparent in his book,
The Way of the Mystics. In the book, Talbot
writes about 12 or so past mystics, including
St. Anthony (a desert father), Hildegard of Bingen,
Ignatius of Loyola, George Fox and Thomas Merton.
Of Merton, Talbot writes: [O]nce Merton was established
in the silence, solitude, and seclusion of Gethsemani,
his inner mystic and his inner muse began working
overtime to create a vast outpouring of books"
(p. 217). That "outpouring" showed very clearly
that Merton, who said he was impregnated with
Sufism, had become completely immersed in
mysticism and the belief that God dwelled in all
human beings. Talbot shows equal admiration for
a woman named Hildegard of Bingen. According to
New Age mystic Matthew Fox, Hildegard "represents
the big link between Christian spirituality and
pre- patriarchal spiritualities (goddess spirituality)"
and that she is called the "Grandmother of the
Rhineland mystic movement, a movement of creation-centered
spirituality" (from Meditations
with Hildegard of Bingen).
John Michael Talbot's affinity to mystical practices
is no secret. He says: "I began practicing meditation,
specifically breath prayer, once again. I integrated
the use of Tai Chi and yoga" (A
Time of Departing, p. 10).
When Jack Hayford says that Talbot's meditations
"refresh many," one can only wonder if Hayford
himself has indulged in these meditations. And
with Hayford's obvious attraction to contemplative
through his endorsement of both Foster and Talbot,
will he bring this influence to countless young
people at the Battlecry event?
We hope that the other speakers, including Pastor
Tommy Barnett, will warn the youth attending to
stay away from the spirituality that Jack Hayford
is so readily promoting. And once again, we ask,
why are Christian leaders turning away from biblical
integrity and following hard after a sensual,
New Age spirituality while leading so many on
this dangerous trail?
Worth noting, Benny
Hinn is one of the speakers at the upcoming
King's
Seminary (Hayford's seminary) Autumn Leadership
Conference. Hayford, who is the current president
for the Foursquare Church denomination, is bringing
much harm to many by leading people to the teachings
of Hinn and Talbot.
In addition to Teen Mania bringing in Hayford,
their emphasis on turning Christian kids into
"warriors" lines up with Erwin McManus' Barbarian
Way and Kids in Ministries' Jesus Camp. Dressing
kids in army fatigues and having them chant things
like, We are warriors, is not indicative
of biblical Christianity that Jesus Christ or
the disciples taught. Now with the coupling of
militancy and mysticism, the possible results
should cause alarm and deep concern.
For related information:
Red
Moon Rising: An Army of Young People with a "Violent
Reaction"
Foursquare
Church, the Lake, Promoting Contemplative and
the Emerging Church
Jesus
Camp, Film Reveals the Mystical and the Militant,
Not Biblical Christianity
Dominionism,
Global Peace and Mysticism
David
Jeremiah and the Barbarian Way
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MARCUS BORG on Biblical Literalism
"Biblical literalism
has become a major intellectual stumbling block
for millions of people . . . ."
The following article, from
the Miami Herald is about New Age sympathizer
and meditation promoting Marcus Borg. While Borg
makes no apology, or secret, about his non-biblical
views, his books are sold in Christian bookstores,
and he is admired and promoted by popular Christians
such as Brennan
Manning (in Ragamuffin Gospel) and
Brian
McLaren. Online Christian bookstores like
Lifeway
Stores (Southern Baptist) and ChristianBook.com
carry his books. And now the news article:
"A Radical Spin on the Life of Christ"
BY ALEXANDRA ALTER (Miami Herald)
"Marcus Borg, a professor of religion and culture
at Oregon State University and renowned Jesus
scholar, advocates a radical reinterpretation
of the Christian faith -- one that rejects traditional
views of Christ's virgin birth and resurrection.
"Revising the popular understanding of these key
Christian tenets is essential to the future of
the church, says Borg, who will speak about moving
beyond Biblical literalism during a three-day
lecture series at Coral Gables Congregational
Church next Friday-Sunday. Read
more...
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What is Meditation?
by Ray Yungen
See
Part
I of this paper on the New Age by Ray Yungen.
What
is meditation? What exactly is meditation?
The meditation many of us are familiar with
involves a deep, continuous thinking about something.
But New Age meditation does just the opposite.
It involves ridding oneself of all thoughts
in order to "still" the mind by putting it in
pause or neutral. An analogy would be turning
a fast-moving stream into a still pond by damming
the free flow of water. This is the purpose
of New Age meditation. It holds back active
thought and causes a shift in consciousness.
The following explanation makes this process
very clear:
One
starts by silencing the mind--for many, this
is not easy, but when the mind has become silent
and still, it is then possible for the Divine
Force to descend and enter into the receptive
individual. First it trickles in, and later,
in it comes in waves. It is both transforming
and cleansing; and it is through this force
that divine transformation will be achieved.
(from Holistic Health magazine, Winter
1986)
This
condition is not to be confused with daydreaming,
where your mind dwells on a subject. The way
New Age meditation works is that an object acts
as a holding mechanism until the mind becomes
thoughtless, empty - silent.
English
mystic Brother Mandus wrote of his adventure
into these realms in his book This Wonderous
Way of Life. He spoke of being "fused in
Light" which he described as "the greatest experience
of my life" which gave him "Ecstasy transcending
anything I could understand or describe."
In
order to grasp what this movement really entails
the reader must understand what was happening
to Brother Mandus. He wasn't merely believing
something on the intellectual level, he was
undergoing a supernatural encounter. In truth,
he had created a mental void through meditation
and a spiritual force had filled it.
The
two most common methods used to induce this
"thoughtless" state are breathing exercises,
where attention is focused on the breath, and
a mantra, which is a repeated word or phrase.
The basic process is to focus and maintain concentration
without thinking about what you are focusing
on. Repetition on the focused object is what
triggers the blank mind.
Just
consider the word mantra. The translation from
the Sanskrit is man, meaning "to think," and
ti-a, meaning "to be liberated from." Thus,
the word means "to be freed from thought." By
repeating the mantra, either out loud or silently,
the word or phrase begins to lose any meaning
it once had. The same is true with rhythmic
breathing. One gradually tunes out his conscious
thinking process until an altered state of consciousness
comes over him.
I
recall watching a martial arts class where the
instructor clapped his hands once every three
seconds as the students sat in meditation. The
sound of the clap acted the same as the breath
or a mantra would - something to focus their
attention on to stop the active mind.
Other
methods of meditation involve drumming, dancing,
and chanting. This percussion-sound meditation
is perhaps the most common form for producing
trance states in the African, North/South American
Indian, and Brazilian spiritist traditions.
In the Islamic world, the Sufi Mystic Brotherhoods
have gained a reputation for chanting and ritual
dancing. These are known as the Whirling Dervishes.
Indian Guru, Rajneesh, developed a form of active
meditation called dynamic meditation which combines
the percussion sound, jumping, and rhythmic
breathing. From Ray Yungen's book, For
Many Shall Come in My Name
Next:
Part III The Higher Self
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WARNING: Christian Publishers
Continue Publishing Contemplative Books
One
of the most dangerous places for a Christian
believer to go today is a Christian bookstore.
But while Christian bookstore owners and buyers
are responsible and lacking discretion for stocking
their shelves with popular, fast selling titles
that compromise the gospel, many of the largest
Christian publishing houses are even more guilty
for publishing the books in the first place
at the expense of biblical integrity and Christian
virtue. Below is a list of contemplative titles
by some of the largest Christian publishers.
We provide this partial list to warn believers
of book titles that may be dangerous to their
spiritual well-being.
Zondervan:
Sex God by Rob Bell
S.H.A.P.E. by Eric Rees
Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference by Philip
Yancey
Praying the Names of Jesus by Ann Spangler
Thomas
Nelson:
Soul Cravings by Erwin McManus
How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of
Your Life by Mark Victor Hansen
Yoga for Christians by Susan Bordenkircher
Speaking My Mind by Tony Campolo
Baker
Books:
Emergent Manifesto by Tony Jones and Doug Pagitt
The Divine Embrace by Robert Webber
Sacred Listening by James Wakefield
Preaching by Calvin Miller
InterVarsity
Press:
The Garden of the Soul by Keri Wyatt Kent
Sacred Companions by David Benner
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley
Barton
Meditative
Prayer by Richard Foster
Solitude and Silence by Jan Johnson
Bethany
House:
Into
the Depths of God by Calvin Miller
The Soul at Rest by Tricia Rhodes
NavPress:
When the Soul Listens by Jan Johnson
Renovation of the Heart in Daily Practice by
Dallas Willard and Jan Johnson
Divine Intervention by Tony Jones
The Message, Remix: Pause by Eugene Peterson
For
more on Christian publishers who publish contemplative
books, click
here
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Taize - Another Avenue Through
Which Contemplative is Entering the Church
 Taize
Community is an international, ecumenical community
in France. Taize Worship is practicing the silence
with icons, candles, incense and prayer stations,
and is a very
contemplative/Buddist oriented community</ | | |
