The CANA ministry receives many questions about vibrations and frequencies. There are two major categories to address: Claims that attuning to certain vibrations is healing and/or that an object […]
The often close replica of New Thought to Christianity deceives many into thinking New Thought is Christian or that the differences between New Thought writers like Frances Scovel Shinn and others with Christianity is not great enough to warrant concern. In truth, the differences are as wide and destructive as with any other non-Christian belief.
Tradition and Wisdom This is from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation website: “Shalem is grounded in Christian contemplative spirituality and, at the same time, draws on the wisdom […]
The view that the account of Jonah in the Hebrew scriptures is not historical is widespread. Not only that, but viewing it allegorically causes more problems than it claims to solve. Examining this book yields not only evidence for its historicity, but a rich and deep view of God at work and foreshadowings of the Messiah.
Popular speaker and Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer and writer and Pastor Max Lucado joined with modalist T. D. Jakes of The Potter’s House two years ago in bringing an Easter […]
What can we say to the claims made by Contemplative proponents? Are their arguments sound and biblical?
NLP or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is the art of using language, observation, and certain hypnotherapy techniques to “read” a person and plant suggestions in the person’s mind to get him/her to be open to an idea or ideas. In short, it is a form of hypnosis. NLP, co-founded by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, is used in self-help programs, sales and leadership training for businesses and government agencies, and personal coaching.
Many New Age concepts have mainstreamed by being presented as self-improvement instruction taught in business seminars, universities, government, and prisons. Due to their use of neutral language and disguise of spiritual concepts as scientfic, these have multiplied and spread far beyond their original audiences.
These programs are fueled by testimonials, clever marketing, and promises of success. One example is the Silva Method, also known as Silva Mind Control, Silva Dynamics, and similar names. Behind the glitz of media and success stories lurks a New Age and occult spirituality that can bring spiritual, emotional, and/or mental damage due to the belief system at its heart.
Comer’s theme in this book is that Christians must pursue the “practices of Jesus,” or the “Way of Jesus,” which are the spiritual disciplines. However, there is no evidence that the spiritual disciplines as taught by Comer and others are taught in Scripture, nor are meditation and prayer modeled in Scripture anything like what is taught by Contemplatives.
The main theme of Boyd’s book is that God allowed the Old Testament authors and Israel to view and depict him as a pagan war god since they were not able to understand who God was due to their cultural and religious ancient near east (ANE) limitations. Boyd offers biblical texts and ideas in support of this thesis, such as stating that any violent act attributed to Yahweh is against the non-violent Jesus on the cross and has to be interpreted in that light. Boyd writes that he came to this understanding after he stopped trying “to justify the violence that some Old Testament authors ascribe to God” (51).