| Author |
Message |
Janice (Janice)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 5:51 pm: |     |
The Unification Church teaches that, as a man, Jesus was no different from us except for the fact that he was without original sin. They say he was the one who lived God's ideal in fullest realization. He supposedly attained the purpose of creation, and in light of his attained deity he may well be called God. Nevertheless, he can by no means be called God Himself. (Shudder, shudder)
The death of Jesus was neither his will nor his fault. It was murder, and his body was taken by Satan. (Oh my, what horrible doctrine, if Michael the archangel protected the body of Moses from Satan then we can be sure that Satan couldn't even touch Jesus, amen?)
Also, they say He will come again as the third Adam, the lord of the Second Advent. The Kingdom of God will gradually appear.
Jesus came as the sinless Adam, or perfected Adam. His first mission was to restore his bride and form the first family of God, but he was crucified. Jesus Christ must come again to consummate the mission he left UNDONE 2,000 years ago. (So much for the statement, IT IS FINISHED, huh?)
Christ will be born in a country in the East....and will place a seal on the foreheads of the 144,000.
Korea should be the nation that can receive the Lord of the Second Advent.
Even in the spirit world after his resurreciton, he lives as a spirit man with his disciples.
Lastly, they teach this about the Holy Spirit:
The Holy Spirit is a female Spirit, and she also cleanses the sins of the people in order to restore them, thus indemnifying the sin committed by Eve....the Holy Spirit, being female (negativity) in working on earth. They also teach that there must be a True Mother with the True Father, in order to give rebirth to fallen children as children of goodness. She is the Holy Spirit.
The Way International teaches that God is holy, and God is Spirit. The gift that He gives is holy spirit. Also-Many confuse the Giver, Holy Spirit, with the gift, holy spirit. In the new birth, man receives spirit form God, who is the Spirit. The speaking in tongues was the external manifestation of the receiving of the gift of holy spirit. (I'm wondering if that is why many charismatics say that you WILL speak in tongues WHEN you receive the Holy Spirit?)
At Pentecost the speaking in tongues was the external manifestation of the receiving of the gift of holy spirit... At the conclusion of his (Peter's message), the taught them how to receive the new birth and speak in tongues. (Lies, lies, lies) The holy spirit field...is the field God raised me up for...There's no one I can't lead into speaking in tongues, if they are Christian and want to do it (quote from Elena S. Whiteside, The Way--Living in Love, p. 178)
To worship by the spirit, we must operate a manifestation of the holy spirit...which produces true worship in speaking in tongues. (Wierwille, The New Dynamic Church)
Unity gives this definition of the Holy Spirit:
The very spirit of truth lying latent within us, each and every one.
The Father is Principle, the Son is that Principle revealed in the creative plan, the Holy Spirit is the executive power of both the Father and Son, carrying out the plan.
Spirit is substance...that invisible, intangible but real something which as its indestructible core and cause stands under, or at the center of every visible thing in existence.
This ends the section on the truth and errors taught by the cults concerning the Holy Trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
I will continue to copy information concerning the cultic thoughts concerning Sin, Redemption, Salvation, and Retribution. Sounds like this is where "the rubber meets the road" as my preacher likes to say sometime. Can't wait to tell you all about it.
I will end this post here and return tomorrow with the rest of it.
Janice |
Steve (Steve)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 16, 2003 - 8:18 pm: | |
A few extra points to include in the overview:
UNITY SCHOOL OF CHRISTIANITY (Unity) founded by Charles and Mildred Fillmore. I'll quote one piece from The Revealing Word, written by Charles Fillmore.
Defining Jesus Christ (p. 112) "Christ is the perfect idea of God for man. Jesus is the perfect expression of the divine idea Man. Jesus Christ is a union of the two, the idea and the expression, or in other words, He is the prefect man demonstrated." On page 110, he states that the "mission [of Jesus] was to connect the thinker with the true source of thought." He goes on, "Thinking at random had brought man into a deplorable condition . . . " So much for the Bible! Fillmore simply defined Biblical Christianity out of existence for his followers.
THE WAY INTERNATIONAL (almost a non-existent group at this time, but they do still exist) founded by Victor Paul Wierwille. He wrote his most successful, anti-Christ book entitled, Jesus Christ is Not God. When I was confronted by a Leaf (a member of a Twig [local house church], which belonged to a Branch that belonged to the Trunk, that has it's roots in the MUD (Methods Uf the Devil!) They must have tried to outdo the SDA General Conference structure, but didn't succeed), I decided to to an in-depth study of this book. On pages 87-88 he makes an incredible statement (you don't have to be a scholar to get this one! [I'm not]. To sum his argument up, he stated that Jesus was in God's foreknowledge and therefore couldn't be distinct. He then goes on to explain that the greek word pros, (with) literally means "with Him in His foreknowledge, yet independent of Him ..." C'mon, Weirwille, you can't have it both ways. "Together with distinct independence." (p.86). How could Jesus' independence be "distinct" if He was only a thought in Gods foreknowledge?
I have a lot to say about "Eastern Mysticism", but won't write about it here. There are hundreds (thousands?) of variations on Hinduism. All of the groups mentioned by Janice above are Hindu cults. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabuphada, the founder of ISKCON (International Society of Krishna CONscousness) was practically thrown out of India for his teachings on Krishna Consciousness. He came to the U.S. and found a following, starting in New York city (if my memory serves me right.)
Like C. S. Lewis said, there are only two religions in the world. The Judeo-Christian religion and Hinduism. All other religions are variations or twistings of the two religions.
THE HOLY SPIRIT ASSOCIATION FOR THE UNIFICATION OF WORLD CHRISTIANITY, (HSAUWC) or Unification as it is more commonly known, founded by Sun Myung Moon (translated, means Shining Sun and Moon) was begun in Korea.
Adam and Eve fell when Eve had sex with Satan. Adam fell when he had sex with Eve following that. Jesus did not finish his mission because he did not marry and have a family, he was killed. Sun Myung Moon, with his wife (the Holy Spirit) are completing the mission Jesus failed in by their "holy union." This is why marriage is done with the blessing of Moon, so that the people can be in a "holy union." Of course, anyone familiar with the marriage practices know that often, a man and woman marry who have never known each other. A prerequisite for disaster in many cases.
SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTISM = Just as weird.
Jesus couldn't finish his mission. He had to go to heaven to investigate the books (literal books) to see if the believers were "safe to save." I guess the god of Adventism isn't all knowing. Actually, the god of Adventism doesn't seem to know much of anything except how to put a good spin on SDA history to make it look good to the average Christian.
Cults. They've been around from the beginning. They'll be around to the end. Yes, the number of those involved has escalated significantly since the 1940's. In the early 1900's they numbered only in the thousands in the U.S. Today they number in the multiple millions around the world. Actually, they number in the billions if you consider that Islam is Judeo-Christian cult.
Gotta go eat my soup,
Steve |
Lydell (Lydell)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 10:28 am: | |
Hey Janice and Steve, any idea what the Unity group teaches about meditation and prayer? And any idea where the buzz word-phrase "flow of energy" fits into their beliefs? |
Janice (Janice)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 3:06 pm: | |
Good Post Steve, Lydell, I will have to get with you later as my husband is waiting for me to go to Alabama with him now. Thought I would post this devotional though, it is moving right along with this Easter week.
April 17, 2003
Scammed By Spam
Read: Galatians 1:1-10
I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ. óGalatians 1:6
Have you ever been scammed by spam? Spam is a computer term that refers to junk mail on the Internet. It's a common problem for people who use personal computers. Sometimes it's harmless, but sometimes it's not.
You open your e-mail, and you get a note saying someone wants to help you. Your credit card is invalid, the message says, and your number has to be reentered to reactivate your account. So, you type it in and hit "send"óthinking you're doing the right thing. Later you get a bill for a bunch of items you didn't buy. You've just been scammed by spam!
What appeared to be helpful is no help at all. You trust the message, do what it says, and you end up losing.
We can also be scammed spiritually. It happens when supposed teachers of the Bible distort the gospel and proclaim a false message that they call the truth (salvation by works, for example). But often it's "a different gospel" (Galatians 1:6).
How can you avoid such a scam? By knowing from the Bible what the true gospel is. Eternal salvation is available only by grace, through trusting in Jesus Christ and His death on the cross for our sins (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). Don't be fooled. Any other message is a scam! óDave Branon
FOR FURTHER STUDY
For a concise explanation of the gospel, visit these
Web sites: www.rbc.net/faith
or www.discoveryseries.org/q0103.
There's no better news than the gospelóspread the word!
rbc@gospelcom.net
©2003 RBC Ministries--Grand Rapids, MI 49555
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. |
Steve (Steve)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 17, 2003 - 11:12 pm: | |
Lydell,
The flow of energy is common within the Mind Science religions. The Unity School of Christianity (Unity) is a mind science religion. They all look at the mind as a conduit through which the energy of the Eternal flows into Man. The flow of energy out of the mind of Man is what causes the phenomenal world (the world that appears to be a physical reality.) The flow of energy, specifically on a mental level, is of primary importance to the mind sciences.
To quote Charles Fillmore, founder of Unity, he says:
"The visible outer world, with all its social, religiuos, and political laws, customs, and ceremonies, is but the flimsy screen upon which mind throws its incongruous opinions. God's thought is love, the inherent potentiality of the God man, which knows neither persons nor things, mine nor thine, but a universal brotherhood in which perfect equity and justice reign in joint supremacy. All philosophers and sages have recognized this silent cause, this perpetual OUTFLOW from center fo circumference."
Page 8, Talks on Truth [emphasis mine]
"Every act of man has its origin in thought, which is expressed into the phenomenal world from a mental center that is but a point of radiation for an energy that lies back of it. That point of radiation is the conscious I, which in its correct relation is one with the Cause, and has at its command all the powers potential in Cause."
Page 9-10, Talks on Truth
Regarding meditation, Fillmore says, "Continuous and contemplative thought; to dwell mentally on anything; . . ." Pretty good so far. He then says, ". . . to bring into realization divine Truth . . ." Page 131, The Revealing Word
Regarding prayer, Fillmore says, "Communion between God and man." OK. He then goes on to say, "Prayer is the most highly accelerated mind action known. It steps up mental action until man's consciousness synchronizes with the Christ Mind." Page 152, The Revealing Word
He then goes on to list 7 "necessary conditions for true prayer." I don't know about you, but there are times when the only condition I pray in is a condition of complete failure of self and a total reliance upon God to get me through the rough time.
Hope this helps. Don't know if it completely answers your question.
Gotta watch out for those Mind Science religions. Next time one of them talks to you, say, "Excuse me? You're not really here, you just think you are. I'm really here, but I don't think YOU are." That'll give them something to think about.
Steve |
Lydell (Lydell)
| | Posted on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 6:57 pm: | |
Thanks Steve, that does help. We have a young woman in our church who has left Unity. She comes out with an odd thing or two to say at times. I know Unity encourages their people to be members of other churches to try to pass on their "light". But I honestly don't see this girl as being intentionally there to do that.
I do think, however, that she is still under some deception. When you look at any of the beliefs of the New Age groups you can certainly see how tangled and convoluted their teachings are and how difficult it will be for someone leaving them to get the stuff unraveled and dumped. I'm just trying to get a bit educated so I can recognize the buzz words with an eye toward eventually being able to take an opening to speak to her, as the Lord opens the door. I understand when she was having her house redecorated she was very interested in getting the contractor to build a circular room for her meditation. YOW!!
I've found info on their teachings, but it said nothing about prayer and mediation and the energy thing. |
Janice (Janice)
| | Posted on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 7:35 pm: | |
Well, my goodness, it is Friday night and I can stay up late, so, let me finish up the teachings of Eastern Mysticism here since you were looking for information concerning prayer and mediation and energy.
The mystics believe the following about sin:
The subject per se is given little attention, and forgiveness of sin is unrealistic. By the Law of Karma, "sowing and reaping," wrong actions inevitably produce punishment, good actions their reward. Salvation consists of doing good in excess of evil in order to evolve to the highest state through successive incarnations. This highest state is Enlightenment; the realization of oneness with the World-Soul, Reality.
Sin is not defined. It consists of actions which are contrary to one's "charma" or "duty."
"Sin means wrong doing or wrong thinking due to discontentment. Suffering is the result of some wrong doing in the past."
"Past sins might induce an action in the present; some tendency of the past may come to us" (Meditations of Maharishi, p. 121)
Mystics teach this about REDEMPTION AND SALVATION:
"Be still and know that you are God, and when you know that you are God, you will begin to live Godhood...."
Go within and experience the Divine Nature.
A mystical experience reached by various methods, which blanks out all sense impressions and releases one into a sense of identity with the great ALL, the only Reality!!!
There is no supernatural intervention. We bear the whole responsibililty for our actions. If we attain the clear vision of what we are, "the Divine or Inner Light, and the god within, " we need not go elsewhere. "All may say, at the moment of Awakening, "I am the Way"
Salvation comes through the realization that there is no duality. God is all-in-all, is all there is, and "that are Thou."
God-realization, or Self-realization, the highest of all states of being, is a here and now possibility by any of these suggested methods.
1. The Way of Knowledge, usually involving meditation, focused within. This may be aided by silent repetition of a designated, personal mantra, which is a group of sounds without meaning. Or by "Knowledge" imparted by a "master" by which "inner light" is given and the "current of real life" (the source of life) is given, and the "current of real life" (the source of life) is turned on within us. Meditation is upon this "light experience."
2. The Way of Works, following prescribed rules of conduct without desire. This is the more common way of India, much less emphasized in the West.
3. The Way of Devotion to a deity, involving continuous chanting of the chosen name, as exemplified by the vocal Krishna-Consciousness cult.
Transcendental Meditation is a path to God.
The way of Yoga (meaning union) is that of concentration aided by body conrol, with the aim being "Union with the Divine."
Self-realization is entry into the Kingdom of Heaven within, entry into the field of the Creator. "It is the gradual movement from Matter to Mind, and then to Super Mind. Once we reach the Super Mind, we rech union with the Divine."
Lastly, Mystics teach that Heaven and Hell are NOT ACCEPTED CONCEPTS.
Karma, the "law of the deed," of sowing and reaping, is allied with Transmigration (Reincarnation) in defining the results of sin and rewards of good.
Suffering (on earth) is the result of some wrong doing in the past, one's own repayment of deeds.
One who has attained union with God, or "God-consciousness," has reached the end of reincarnation. As the Buddha is reported to have said, "There is no rebirth for me."
Well, that ended the section on Eastern Mysticism in my brochure, but here is a copy and paste from www.blueletterbible.org that might give some more information on the subject if you want to check it out: The Hermeneutics audio tape series by Dr. Walter Martin is a fantastic twelve part series on how to interpret Scripture! The class is presented in the context of SCRIPTURE TWISTING BY THE CULTS. Now, is that a title that stands out or what?
Janice |
Janice (Janice)
| | Posted on Friday, April 18, 2003 - 8:17 pm: | |
Angie, I am sorry but just now noticed your post that mentioned an e-mail you sent to me. The answer is no, I didn't get it. Send it again to Janice@theLumpkinhome.com if you would rather. It's easier to remember.
By the way, did you ever read over the NIV study that I sent to you? I thought it was strange that I ran across something yesterday while reading a devotional during my break, and it reminded me of all of the resistance that I got from the FAF when I tried to convey all of the stuff that had been taken out of the NIV Bible. This verse of scripture, taken from the New American Standard Bible would certainly make EGW happy because it appears to agree with her false teachings concerning "soul-sleep".
This is the original KJV of the verse in question:
1Cr 15:20--But now is Christ risen from the dead, [and] become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Here is that verse given in the NIV Bible:
20--But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who HAVE FALLEN asleep.
Here is the same verse from the NAV: I Cor. 15:20--But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who ARE asleep.
I am not mentioning this to try and start a great big argument all over again like I did when I first began posting in FAF, but I did want all of you to look at how SUBTLE and DIFFERENT these two versions of text are when lined up with the original King James Version of God's Word. Pray that the Holy Spirit will show you what I am trying to give you here.
The KJV says that Jesus was the "firstfruits" of them that SLEPT (sounds past tense to me, but maybe I am wrong here, wouldn't be the first time, would it?) After all, he went and spoke to the spirits in the grave and led captivity captive, didn't he? So, I tend to believe that those people are the very ones that God says will appear WITH Jesus WHEN he returns to set up his earthly kingdom of a 1000 years. Maybe I don't see the NIV in the same light as some of you either but it looks like the NIV is saying Jesus was the firstfruits of them who HAVE DIED which really isn't that different from the KJV, but then note how the NAV reads. The NAV would be a favorite of EGW because it reads "those who ARE ASLEEP."
I know that God still keeps his basic doctrine of salvation in tact, I don't believe that he would ever allow the devil to mess with that, but it is the "little things" that often trip us up and that is the very thing that will work in Satan's favor so that he can place that tiny seed of doubt into our lives as to the authenticity of the word of God. I will leave you with that to study over, and will also say that I was truly surprised when no one wanted to know WHICH 16,000 or more words were omitted from the NIV. Just a curious observation, that's all.
Janice |
Doc (Doc)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 8:00 am: | |
Hi Janice,
A literal translation from the real original version of God's word in Greek of 1 Cor 15: 20 reads as follows: Now but Christ has-been-raised from dead-ones firstfruits of the having-fallen-asleep-ones.
As this sounds a little clumsy, the various translations, of which the KJV is just one, rearrange the words in various ways to make it more readable. This always has to be done when making any translation.
Of the three versions you have given above, the NIV seems to fit the original most closely.
God bless you,
Doc |
Colleentinker (Colleentinker)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 6:26 pm: | |
Thank you, Doc. You made a good point which, perhaps, many people haven't pondered: translating from the Greek requires first a literal, word-for-word translation, then an arrangement into English (or whatever language into which one is translating).
We received correspondence from a Wycliff Bible translator about a year ago (or a bit more) who told us he was translating scripture into some obscure dialect from an isolated location which I can't remember exactly right now. He told us that he had been reading our website to gain some help in dealing with an Adventist friend with whom he had ongoing correspondence. The point he made was this: if the gospel required keeping the Sabbath, then the gospel would not be adequate to bring tribes such as the one with whom he worked to salvation.
This tribe, he said, had no numerical system for counting. They had no concept of a seven-day week, and in order for them to keep the Sabbath, they would first have to learn to count and then keep track of the days by counting. The gospel, the story of Jesus and his death and resurrection, would not be enough for isolated tribes that had completely different ways of reckoning life. Working with tribes such as this, he said, illustrates that the gospel has to be complete without the concept of a seventh-day requirement.
Interesting!
Colleen |
Steve (Steve)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 7:56 pm: | |
Hi Lydell,
In reference to your posting of April 18th above:
Much of what I have you will not find in references on the cults. Over the years I have collected a vast amount of original material from the various cults. I would never claim to be the expert in the field, especially not after my being deceived by Adventism; that definitely humbled me. However, I do have vast amounts of information and original research to share on numerous cults. I'm pleased that my information was helpful to you.
Regarding the young woman at your church, I would guess that if she is still involved with Unity, she must be very confused (or she may think that EVERYTHING IS VERY CLEAR!, another possible sign that someone is deceived). If she has left Unity, it may take quite a while to shake off the cobwebs of her mind. Like those of us who have come out of SDAism, as much as one might try, there lingers an occasional thought, or turn of phrase, that just doesn't have the same meaning as when used by any other Christian.
Or, perhaps she needs to be born again? That would clear up quite a lot of misinformation.
WOW Colleen, fascinating info from your Wycliffe correspondent.
Steve |
Steve (Steve)
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2003 - 8:01 pm: | |
P.S.
For a great reference to the statement above regarding thinking that everything is perfectly clear as a sign of being deceived, I would direct any interested reader to C. S. Lewis, The Silver Chair, Chapter 12. Of course, if you haven't read the Chronicles of Narnia, to read them for the first time as an adult is absolutely thrilling (I read them over 20 years ago as a young adult).
For those who have fallen under the enchantment of the [EG]White Witch, read The Silver Chair, chapter 12. The parallels for me were beyond words for quite a while, I could only read it and cry.
Steve |
Colleentinker (Colleentinker)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 24, 2003 - 5:01 pm: | |
I agree, Steve. I re-read The Silver Chair last summer for the first time since leaving Adventism, and it is powerful.
Colleen |
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