Four videos from the Bible Project made in consultation with Dr. Michael Heiser present several disturbing issues, including claims not found in the Bible and a few contradicting it. This constitutes yet more concern about Tim Mackie and his Bible Project that churches need to be aware of.
Most of the book, Praying Like Monks, Living Like Fools, by Tyler Staton, is not about Contemplative practices. Staton uses what is often called the Lord’s Prayer as a template […]
What this adds up to is mysticism, and a mystical view is a natural result of contemplative practices that apparently have captivated Mackie. Mysticism is not a matter of transcending logic or thought; it is actually contra logic and thought. This is why all contemplative teachings downgrade the mind . It is always found in esoteric teachings that there is something profound beyond words and reason that one can experience – a hidden or secret experience and/or wisdom. This is exactly how I thought for over 20 years.
Mackie is planting not only the idea that gaining perception of “another reality” or a “super reality” is positive, but he is offering the means for it through the contemplative practices, which will alter perceptions over time.
Have You Ever Heard of Lilith? Who is Lilith? Lilith is a figure that appears in a variety of sources: Gnostic accounts, Jewish folktales, esoteric occult sources (such as material […]
What can we say to the claims made by Contemplative proponents? Are their arguments sound and biblical?
Heiser avers that Gen. 1:26 means that man is made not only in God’s image but also in the image of the beings of the divine council. This is why, asserts Heiser, it says “Let us.” The “us” includes the spiritual heavenly residents who are also made in God’s image.
Heiser states in a footnote that the Israelites believed that the stars were “animate divine beings” (24), who are the beings of the divine council. This view is promoted in Bible Project videos Spiritual Beings and The Divine Council done with Dr. Heiser. In the video, Heiser states that the biblical authors see these stars as spiritual beings who are “images of God.” This links with Heiser’s teaching that man is made in the image of the Divine Council (52) because the gods of the Divine Council also are image-bearers of God.
This renders humans less than a unique creation, whereas scripture strongly emphasizes the unique status of man. It would also affect man’s relationship with God because it would denote that man has or should have some kind of relationship with the spiritual beings in heaven as we do with God.
Marcia Montenegro is a former Certified professional astrologer, former teacher of astrology, former President of the Atlanta Astrological Society, and former Chairperson of the Atlanta Board of Astrology Examiners […]
For many astrologers, who believe that humanity is now shifting from the Piscean Age to the Aquarian Age, Jesus was the Avatar of the Age of Pisces; he represented that […]
[This article was first published in the Christian Research Journal, Vol. 28, No. 02, 2005. For this CANA online version, endnotes were moved into the body of the text to […]
All spiritual belief systems must come to grips with the evidence that humanity does not always act in kind, compassionate, or loving ways. How do we explain hatred, prejudice, crime, […]