Here's an excerpt from an article from the San Francisco Chronicle on the use of teflon pans. This is absolutely hilarious. I gleaned the important information that I could from the piece, but I also highly criticize it. Imagine that.
The Sticking Point
Nonstick pans are a boon to cooks, but are there dangers lurking beneath the surface?
David Rubien, Chronicle Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Cooks who appreciate the almost-magical properties of nonstick frying pans will be happy to know that the products have gotten a lot more durable. Unfortunately, so has the controversy surrounding the chemical behind the nonstick magic. (Do I smell an anti-corporate bias coming?)
Pots and pans coated with Teflon -- or any of the surfaces analogous to Teflon -- are immensely popular. U.S. consumers spent roughly $1.2 billion on 159 million pots and pans last year, 60 percent of which were nonstick, according to figures from the Cookware Manufacturers Association.
"Nonstick has revolutionized America's cooking habits over the past generation by letting consumers cook with much less oil and grease and by easing the cleanup chores associated with cooking," says Hugh Rushing, vice president of the association. "Nonstick cookware is now mainstream for the majority of U.S. consumers. It's found on high-end cookware as well as medium- and low-priced product."
Decent nonstick frying pans made by companies like T-Fal, Faberware and Revere are widely available in models ranging from $10 to $30. Yet scientific studies, not to mention lawsuits (see story, F4), suggest that there's another kind of price associated with nonstick: The pans may be bad for you. They can give off potentially harmful fumes at medium to high temperatures, and a chemical crucial to the manufacture of nonstick surfaces -- but not found in the finished surfaces -- is prevalent in the environment, including most Americans' blood. (BINGO!)
"We recommend that people phase out the use of Teflon cookware in their home," says Lauren Sucher of the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D. C., organization that compiles data on toxicology. (Okay, so we use the teflon to avoid the grease and oil on traditional pans which is unhealthy, so if we go back to them, we go back to the harmful oils. Then your organization will say we're using too many oils again. Do you see this trickery?)
Teflon is a registered trademark of the DuPont Co., which has been making Teflon cookware and other products for more than 40 years. The company says nonstick pans are completely safe if used according to manufacturers' instructions, and that emissions from DuPont factories have virtually ceased. (I've never gotten sick from using teflon, and I have my blood tested regularly at a holistic health center.)
"Believe me, you get more toxic fumes from the food you're cooking than from the pans themselves," says Dave Boothe, strategic planning manager for fluoropolymer solutions at DuPont. (Yeah, especially when you think about all those pesticides in our food. Agreed!)
The dominance of nonstick is not surprising, particularly now that the pans don't flake and divot like earlier generations of pans, many of which can still be found cluttering the cabinets of America's kitchens. If the average nonstick frying pan from 20 years ago is like a whitewashed shack, today's pans are akin to modern condos with deluxe paint jobs. Paint is often the simile used to discuss the making of nonstick pans, because the nonstick material is essentially painted onto the surface of the pan.
Although the technology has improved dramatically, the essential nonstick ingredient is the same as it was when a DuPont Co. chemist discovered it in 1938. The waxy substance he scraped out of a freon cylinder turned out to be the most slippery substance in the world. Called polytetrafluorethylene, or PTFE, it consists of a chain of carbon atoms that are surrounded by fluorine atoms. Dupont began manufacturing PTFE, trademarking it Teflon.
In 1954, a French inventor figured out a way to bond Teflon to frying pans, and formed a company called Tefal, which evolved into T-Fal, a giant manufacturer of pans and other household appliances. The early nonstick pans didn't hold up very well, however; they began flaking within months. So Dupont and the few other companies that also make PTFE coatings began experimenting with additives to make PTFE stronger.
About 15 years ago, PTFE compounds improved dramatically. Nonstick coatings now are enhanced with powders made out of ceramic, stainless steel or titanium, and the coatings are applied much more thickly, as well. The pans to which the surfaces are attached also are much better, basically a function of bonding different materials to aluminum, which is the best surface for nonstick, though soft in its natural state.
"Reinforced nonsticks are resistant to scratching, many invite the use of metal tools, and their useful life has increased to years of daily use," Rushing says. "Nonstick's ability to remain slippery over time has increased enormously in recent years."
One of the reasons those old Teflon pans would flake and chip is that utensils would dent the aluminum, thus undermining what the Teflon was trying to hold onto. (Yes, I have had older pans that did this.)
Nowadays, aluminum gets anodized, an electro-chemical beefing-up process that makes the metal nonporous, nonreactive and harder than stainless steel. The anodized metal retains the natural superior heat conductivity of aluminum. Today's pans can also be varying combinations of materials like aluminum, stainless steel and copper to try to get the best of heat conductivity, weight, look and cooking effectiveness. (Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't space exploration help contribute to this advancement?)
As for how food turns out when cooked in nonstick pans versus conventional pans, that's a subjective matter. The Chronicle's own test of some nonstick pans provides some illumination, as do the opinions of some professional chefs (see accompanying stories).
Experienced chefs who use nonstick pans know that they are good for certain things, like making crepes, but not for other things, like searing meat. But the same could be said for other pans -- for example, cast iron isn't good for cooking anything acidic, nor would you want to grill a kielbasa in a wok. For some cooks, using nonstick -- or not -- boils down to picking the right tool for the job.
Still other cooks may avoid Teflon altogether because of safety concerns. A letter to Dear Abby that ran in The Chronicle on May 7 from a distraught "Bob in Atlanta," was a cautionary tale about a beloved 26-year-old Amazon parrot who died from exposure to fumes emitted by a burned Teflon pan. (Notice the word "burned.")
Bob's parrot perished from a syndrome known as Teflon toxicosis, which results from overheated PTFE-coated pans and has been recognized for decades. That's why instructions packaged with nonstick cookware say that pans should never be left empty over a flame. Birds have extremely sensitive respiratory systems. (Okay, so why was the pan overheated? Did the bird whip it out and do it? No, it must have been Bob, or someone Bob knows. So where is the personal responsibility being placed on Bob? Hmm..I don't see any. Looks like the SF Chronicle is implying that it's all Teflon's fault. That's right. Take out any personal responsibility for anything. Now, let's say that Bob had purchased tainted pet food from his vet that came from China and the pet died, just like the recent events in the news. He'd have every right to sue the manufacturer of that pet food for not regulating what goes into their food processes, but this appears to be a case of pure negligence and not the fault of Teflon. Ridiculous, I say.)
DuPont says that off-gassing from nonstick pans does not occur until the pans are heated to over 400 degrees, in which case, at worst, fumes can lead to brief flulike symptoms in humans, called polymer fume fever. DuPont scientists point out that birds can die from many different types of fumes, including those produced by burning onions or butter. (Good point. Another reason that people should carefully consider the choice of a parrot as a pet/companion. But that's not the point of this article.)
"Anything that's degraded thermally, whether it's food, wood or plastic, will give off toxic gases," says DuPont's Boothe.
(So....don't let your parrot close to the teflon and don't heat your pan over 400 degrees! Sheesh!)
The Environmental Working Group has collected data from several industry, government and academic studies that have been done on off-gassing of PTFE- coated pans heated to various temperatures. The tests revealed that more than a dozen types of potentially toxic particulates -- including hexafluoropropene, hydrogen fluoride and difluoroacetic acid -- are released. But whether the fumes occur in enough quantity to harm humans has not been determined.
NICE.
(Okay, so what was the message at the beginning of this article again? Hmm..let's see....
"We recommend that people phase out the use of Teflon cookware in their home," says Lauren Sucher of the Environmental Working Group, a Washington, D. C., organization that compiles data on toxicology.)
The same group that says it has not been determined how much of the fumes are harmful to humans? It seems a little premature to go out and recommend that people stop using teflon pans then, doesn't it?
"DuPont says that gasses aren't released in normal use, but academic and peer-reviewed studies show that pans get hot enough to release toxic gases at normal cooking temperatures," Sucher says. But pan fumes are nothing compared to the heat DuPont has gotten over environmental contamination (see story, above). (Uh, see no responsibility placed on Bob, above.) It's not clear whether health and safety considerations have any effect on sales of nonstick cookware.
Well all you have to do is go into the major stores, look at what's on the shelves and see what's selling. That should give one, I would think, a somewhat clear view of the effect of safety considerations on sales of nonstick cookware. Also, there are product reviews everywhere on amazon.com and other sites. This sounds like another drummed up wishful thinking statement from the left to steer consumers away from something that doesn't agree with their set of idealogues.
"(PFOA) has been used to manufacture millions -- probably billions -- of pans, and we don't see evidence that anyone is injured by their use," says Boothe. "That's a pretty good safety record."
I'll let that last paragraph speak for itself.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
The power of suggestion
Ahhh...Christmas 2007. It's here!!! This means more lines, crowded stores, parking lots, not to mention savvy one finger waves and four letter words. Yay! Every year, it never ceases to amaze me just how much more petty and moronic we can make this gift giving season, with its endless array of snowmen this, santa that, hurry-and-break-out-your wallet for that "last minute" item that will only set your family back on average $500-$1000 or more in debt this year. When, at the end of the week, you won't give 2 you know what's about what you just bought today.
Just "Gotta have" because everyone else has, or some store told me in their slick ads I had to have:
1. Iphone
2. Nintendo Wii
3. Slingbox
4. Halo 3
5. Guitar Hero 3
6. Hannah Montana
Before you indulge that "inner spoiled child" whether it be your own kids or yourself, just think about that January credit card bill, and that should sober your spending habits back a bit, especially when we think about the interest rate hikes and oil prices. Hey, I'm writing this as much for myself as anyone else. I'd like an iphone, a PS3 and a new Xbox 360, but I don't have the discretionary funds for any of those things, so I refuse to stretch myself for something that can wait a few years. So what if it's Christmas? I will find something else to ask Santa for. And I will be happier and in less debt because of it. Sorry, retailers.
But wait? What about the power of suggestion? I bet my last few sentences depressed the hell out of you.
"Why, you grinch! You have absolutely no Christmas spirit!"
They (the media) are speculating/wondering if Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama is going to have any effect on voters. Well, let's think about that for a moment. She's just come out with a list of her "favorite things" for 2007. Among them are a Breville panini press, KitchenAid mixer and mixing bowls from a well known kitchen supply chain. Last I checked, those tems were sold out everywhere, or at least very hard to get, not just the chain store from whom she recommended you buy.
So does this mean what she says will mean something to voters? I don't know if my flimsy theory will hold up, but it's an interesting observation nonetheless.
Also, let's not forget the weathermen. Nope, I'm not leaving you guys out either.
"Major ice/snow event headed for ____. Officials brace for possible massive power outages. Headaches expected at airports"
I love that. "Braces for" is a nice term for "you better haul your butts to the mall and grocery store TODAY and buy buy buy!!!!" And where do I get my tickets to this "event?" Oh wait, they're free. I never get anything for free.
Well, I guess I'll stay home and drink hot chocolate out of the santa mug I paid too much for yesterday, play my PS3 until the power goes out, and when that happens I'll try to cash in that free night at the Residence Inn, if I can make it there on the 2 inch thick iced over roads.
Wait...they're full. I just called them on my iphone. Damn.
(What was that? Did someone just flip me off in the parking lot?)
Just "Gotta have" because everyone else has, or some store told me in their slick ads I had to have:
1. Iphone
2. Nintendo Wii
3. Slingbox
4. Halo 3
5. Guitar Hero 3
6. Hannah Montana
Before you indulge that "inner spoiled child" whether it be your own kids or yourself, just think about that January credit card bill, and that should sober your spending habits back a bit, especially when we think about the interest rate hikes and oil prices. Hey, I'm writing this as much for myself as anyone else. I'd like an iphone, a PS3 and a new Xbox 360, but I don't have the discretionary funds for any of those things, so I refuse to stretch myself for something that can wait a few years. So what if it's Christmas? I will find something else to ask Santa for. And I will be happier and in less debt because of it. Sorry, retailers.
But wait? What about the power of suggestion? I bet my last few sentences depressed the hell out of you.
"Why, you grinch! You have absolutely no Christmas spirit!"
They (the media) are speculating/wondering if Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Barack Obama is going to have any effect on voters. Well, let's think about that for a moment. She's just come out with a list of her "favorite things" for 2007. Among them are a Breville panini press, KitchenAid mixer and mixing bowls from a well known kitchen supply chain. Last I checked, those tems were sold out everywhere, or at least very hard to get, not just the chain store from whom she recommended you buy.
So does this mean what she says will mean something to voters? I don't know if my flimsy theory will hold up, but it's an interesting observation nonetheless.
Also, let's not forget the weathermen. Nope, I'm not leaving you guys out either.
"Major ice/snow event headed for ____. Officials brace for possible massive power outages. Headaches expected at airports"
I love that. "Braces for" is a nice term for "you better haul your butts to the mall and grocery store TODAY and buy buy buy!!!!" And where do I get my tickets to this "event?" Oh wait, they're free. I never get anything for free.
Well, I guess I'll stay home and drink hot chocolate out of the santa mug I paid too much for yesterday, play my PS3 until the power goes out, and when that happens I'll try to cash in that free night at the Residence Inn, if I can make it there on the 2 inch thick iced over roads.
Wait...they're full. I just called them on my iphone. Damn.
(What was that? Did someone just flip me off in the parking lot?)
Thursday, December 20, 2007
"We're only trying to help you..."
I came across some interesting information today about evolutionists trying to silence the creationists. This is very serious. Many people that may read this blog that don't agree with my views or think I'm crazy will just think more of the same, so that's okay, WHATEVER. But for those of you that would actually like a little more insight into my philosophy of, "If you're a Christian we're going to come after you in every sense of the word..."
Then read this article. Then go see the movie "Expelled" next spring with Ben Stein. You might just see a few similarities.
http://www.ankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/science/SC2W1299.pdf
Then read this article. Then go see the movie "Expelled" next spring with Ben Stein. You might just see a few similarities.
http://www.ankerberg.org/Articles/_PDFArchives/science/SC2W1299.pdf
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Michael Nider's suspension and Dr. Corbett
A Bismarck, ND public school teacher was suspended without pay after showing a video entitled "Letter From Hell" to his health class. This video shows a car wreck and a teen writing a letter to another teen blaming him for his punishment in hell after not sharing Jesus with him.
The video is plain propaganda and is not the way to promote Christianity to students. It's similar to what I experienced as a young kid and it's not healthy.
However, I do find it very interesting that the superintendant and school board jumped on this guy quicker than a rat on a cheeto to suspend him and make him write apology letters to all the parents. Along with the unpaid leave, Mr. Nider also has to take sensitivity training classes. This guy has been with the district for only four years.
Uh...where's the same punishment for Dr. Corbett for all of his law-breaking activities in the more than 15 years he's taught in the Capistrano CA area? A lawsuit has now had to be filed against this man for his atrocities. I think Michael Nider will get swift and severe punishment and may lose his job over this. I think Dr. Corbett will be able to stave off anything like that for awhile and use the court system to delay and postpone his hearings and trial (if there ever is one) PLUS keep his job. Where's the justice in that???
Here's a quote from the LA Times article about Corbett:
Capistrano Valley High School Principal Tom Ressler described Corbett as a "solid" teacher who has been with the Capistrano Unified School District for more than 15 years. Ressler said Corbett's class was popular among Advanced Placement students and has a high pass rate.
"It's really premature to say anything about this," he said of the allegations. "People can make allegations all they want; we have to see the reality and context of what was said."
(Oh so now we have to put the CONTEXT spin on this and not really hold the guy accountable????)
Here's a quote from the Bismarck Tribune:
In addition to the unpaid leave, Nider also must take a sensitivity training class by May 30. A letter of reprimand is part of his personnel file, and if he violates the school policy again, he will be fired. A new teacher will be assigned to the fourth period eighth-grade health class.
"The results of his actions have caused unnecessary divisions among students and staff."
The district started responding to the Balabans' concerns about the video Thursday after board member Dan Kuntz contacted Johnson, who in turn contacted Simle Principal Russ Riehl. Nider was put on administrative leave that afternoon.
The Balabans have received apologies from the superintendent and the principal, and Nider will be writing letters of apology to parents, their daughter and the class.
(Wow, quick and effective action must be taken against this man! He is BAD!)
Where's the apology letter for Chad Farnan? I guess he doesn't get one.
The video is plain propaganda and is not the way to promote Christianity to students. It's similar to what I experienced as a young kid and it's not healthy.
However, I do find it very interesting that the superintendant and school board jumped on this guy quicker than a rat on a cheeto to suspend him and make him write apology letters to all the parents. Along with the unpaid leave, Mr. Nider also has to take sensitivity training classes. This guy has been with the district for only four years.
Uh...where's the same punishment for Dr. Corbett for all of his law-breaking activities in the more than 15 years he's taught in the Capistrano CA area? A lawsuit has now had to be filed against this man for his atrocities. I think Michael Nider will get swift and severe punishment and may lose his job over this. I think Dr. Corbett will be able to stave off anything like that for awhile and use the court system to delay and postpone his hearings and trial (if there ever is one) PLUS keep his job. Where's the justice in that???
Here's a quote from the LA Times article about Corbett:
Capistrano Valley High School Principal Tom Ressler described Corbett as a "solid" teacher who has been with the Capistrano Unified School District for more than 15 years. Ressler said Corbett's class was popular among Advanced Placement students and has a high pass rate.
"It's really premature to say anything about this," he said of the allegations. "People can make allegations all they want; we have to see the reality and context of what was said."
(Oh so now we have to put the CONTEXT spin on this and not really hold the guy accountable????)
Here's a quote from the Bismarck Tribune:
In addition to the unpaid leave, Nider also must take a sensitivity training class by May 30. A letter of reprimand is part of his personnel file, and if he violates the school policy again, he will be fired. A new teacher will be assigned to the fourth period eighth-grade health class.
"The results of his actions have caused unnecessary divisions among students and staff."
The district started responding to the Balabans' concerns about the video Thursday after board member Dan Kuntz contacted Johnson, who in turn contacted Simle Principal Russ Riehl. Nider was put on administrative leave that afternoon.
The Balabans have received apologies from the superintendent and the principal, and Nider will be writing letters of apology to parents, their daughter and the class.
(Wow, quick and effective action must be taken against this man! He is BAD!)
Where's the apology letter for Chad Farnan? I guess he doesn't get one.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Another example of anti-Christian hatred
Dr. James Corbett in California has just had a lawsuit filed against him for insulting Christianity by "Advocates for Faith and Freedom." He uses the first few minutes of his History class to attack faith. Chad Farnan, a 16 year old, taped him in class saying outrageous things against Christianity, things that clearly do not belong in class, and things that are clearly against the law and violate his rights. No government official is supposed to be allowed to attack faith in any form, and this guy has apparently been doing so for several years. It's about time someone stood up to these atrocities and did the right thing and fought back. Funny how he doesn't seem to attack Islam. That's usually the case isn't it? Get back at the Christians. But they're too afraid to attack Muslims in the public arena. Par for the course a la Richard Dawkins.
Here's a link to the pages of the suit.
http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/news/2007/12/capistranovalleysuitcomplaint.pdf
And I found a very good in-depth blog about this issue. Read more here:
http://bookwormroom.wordpress.com/2007/12/16/more-on-the-teacher-accused-of-insulting-religion-in-his-class/
This is just more proof that if you continue to be a Christian, "We're gonna pursue you personally, professionally, and academically and use the media or whatever vehicles we have to to make this happen. If that doesn't work, we'll start going after your kids."
Either way, they are hell bent (pardon the pun) on forcing God out of our heads completely no matter what the cost and no matter who it hurts. Make no mistake about it. They hate God and they hate Christians.
But they are way too afraid to attack Islamic terrorists in the public arena. Nope, those folks get a complete pass.
It will be an interesting day when these people are finally forced to see the world through glasses that are not narcissistic, hateful and spiteful.
Here's a link to the pages of the suit.
http://www.ocregister.com/newsimages/news/2007/12/capistranovalleysuitcomplaint.pdf
And I found a very good in-depth blog about this issue. Read more here:
http://bookwormroom.wordpress.com/2007/12/16/more-on-the-teacher-accused-of-insulting-religion-in-his-class/
This is just more proof that if you continue to be a Christian, "We're gonna pursue you personally, professionally, and academically and use the media or whatever vehicles we have to to make this happen. If that doesn't work, we'll start going after your kids."
Either way, they are hell bent (pardon the pun) on forcing God out of our heads completely no matter what the cost and no matter who it hurts. Make no mistake about it. They hate God and they hate Christians.
But they are way too afraid to attack Islamic terrorists in the public arena. Nope, those folks get a complete pass.
It will be an interesting day when these people are finally forced to see the world through glasses that are not narcissistic, hateful and spiteful.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Hotel of the week - Le Taha'a
This can't really be classified as a hotel. More like an "island fantasy made into reality." This is the place your psychiatrist tells you to conjure up in your head as your "special safe spot" LOL
It is one of the dream vacations on my wish list. Sigh...to scuba dive here would be seventh heaven. (Further proof, for me anyway, that we were created and not here by random chance.)
http://www.letahaa.com/main.php
From their website:
"Opened since July 2002, this resort is designed to be the most exclusive resort in French Polynesia .
Superbly located on Motu Tautau on the coral reef, the resort faces the island of Taha'a on the lagoon side and offers an unsurpassed view on Bora Bora island on the ocean side.
This traditional Polynesian style hotel is 5 minutes by boat from main island of Taha'a and 35 min by boat from Raiatea Island . The resort offers 48 Over Water Suites & 12 Beach Suites more than a hundred square meters in size.
The public areas are built in the trees, providing an exquisite view on the lagoon and Taha'a Island."
I looked at the regular tourist photos of this place on tripadvisor.com and they are magnificent. Don't ever buy what a hotel or resort sells you on their website window dressing. They hire people to make them look good. Read what real travelers say and look at their pictures. This is the advice I always gave to clients when I was a travel agent. Sure you're gonna get biased reviews here and there, but generally it's a good testament to the overall consistent quality of a destination.
It is one of the dream vacations on my wish list. Sigh...to scuba dive here would be seventh heaven. (Further proof, for me anyway, that we were created and not here by random chance.)
http://www.letahaa.com/main.php
From their website:
"Opened since July 2002, this resort is designed to be the most exclusive resort in French Polynesia .
Superbly located on Motu Tautau on the coral reef, the resort faces the island of Taha'a on the lagoon side and offers an unsurpassed view on Bora Bora island on the ocean side.
This traditional Polynesian style hotel is 5 minutes by boat from main island of Taha'a and 35 min by boat from Raiatea Island . The resort offers 48 Over Water Suites & 12 Beach Suites more than a hundred square meters in size.
The public areas are built in the trees, providing an exquisite view on the lagoon and Taha'a Island."
I looked at the regular tourist photos of this place on tripadvisor.com and they are magnificent. Don't ever buy what a hotel or resort sells you on their website window dressing. They hire people to make them look good. Read what real travelers say and look at their pictures. This is the advice I always gave to clients when I was a travel agent. Sure you're gonna get biased reviews here and there, but generally it's a good testament to the overall consistent quality of a destination.
An examination of Philosophy as taught in American Colleges and Universities
I conducted an experiment. I looked at a course description list for Philosophy at a major secular University. No surprise. There's hardly any attention given to the Christian philosophers in their list, like Hippo, Athanasius, Basil, Chrysostom, Cyril, but there are PLENTY on Buddhist, Japanese, Hindu thought, Marxist, Nietzche, ethics of war (anti-war you can bet) the world food shortage, sexual morality, philosophies of India, Brazilian and Latin American thought, etc. etc. The time given to Christian philosophies is minimal. Just examining their writings, nothing more. No in depth study as to their lives and what they learned from their practices from what I can see and to show how they might have a positive influence on the students. Not like these others. Nope, because that goes against their anti-God pro-socialism agenda they want to teach the kids.
So then I examined a philosophy syllabus from a well known Christian school and guess what? Whole semesters devoted to Nietzsche, Marx, all the Socratic writing, plus philosophy of art,law and of other religions. I didn't see the huge pro Bible and "ignorant" teachings that I have been led to believe are occuring on Christian college campuses. I didn't see this "proof" that Christian Univ grads must be intellectually deprived of something. There are biblical teachings given there, though, not trying to deny that. But how do you think that the majority of them would only push the pro right wing movement, that only Christian philosophers are the ones worth studying and matter? That's what the anti-God crowd wants you to think is happening. But it's not, America.
My point is that society wants people to think that Christians are stupid, with no common sense and logic. If they would just abandon their faith and use their logic, they would come to the "right conclusion," that there is no God. These Christians are taught logic and reason every day, yet they still believe. That must REALLY anger you anti God crowd.
Well let me reply to that. Do those Zen philosophy meditations you do on a retreat for college credit prove there isn't a God? Or do they just make you feel better for a couple of hours?
So then I examined a philosophy syllabus from a well known Christian school and guess what? Whole semesters devoted to Nietzsche, Marx, all the Socratic writing, plus philosophy of art,law and of other religions. I didn't see the huge pro Bible and "ignorant" teachings that I have been led to believe are occuring on Christian college campuses. I didn't see this "proof" that Christian Univ grads must be intellectually deprived of something. There are biblical teachings given there, though, not trying to deny that. But how do you think that the majority of them would only push the pro right wing movement, that only Christian philosophers are the ones worth studying and matter? That's what the anti-God crowd wants you to think is happening. But it's not, America.
My point is that society wants people to think that Christians are stupid, with no common sense and logic. If they would just abandon their faith and use their logic, they would come to the "right conclusion," that there is no God. These Christians are taught logic and reason every day, yet they still believe. That must REALLY anger you anti God crowd.
Well let me reply to that. Do those Zen philosophy meditations you do on a retreat for college credit prove there isn't a God? Or do they just make you feel better for a couple of hours?
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Our Fearless Earth
Okay, I just got done watching an episode of "Fearless Earth" on the Discovery Channel which showed the elaborate Great Barrier Reef system in Australia and how it has strengthened and repaired itself over the last several millions of years, despite ice ages, volcanic eruptions, and the like. It was a brilliantly done show and very interesting, especially the part where they showed how coral reefs that can only survive in shallow water survive in 150 foot waters off the walls of the reef.
When Earth's axis was knocked off course long ago, this caused a shifting in the plates and the continent of Australia moved northward from the Southern pole area. It is estimated that Australia moves 5 inches north per year, making it the fastest moving continent, according to the scientists on this show. Man had nothing to do with this.
They interviewed a geologist who demonstrated that there are freshwater lakes just off the northern coast floating above the sea water, and he explained that this was due to the ice age and the stream flowing back and forth over the continent. Man had nothing to do with this.
There's even a place off the reef where the current is so strong and fast that it can kill a diver if he isn't prepared to go with it. This current is responsible for the maintenance of the reef system. That's pretty amazing stuff, and humans have absolutely nothing to do with this. This is natural phenomenon.
They spent nearly the whole hour discussing how well the reef has repaired and maintained itself over millions of years despite all of these changes...and then...BINGO...here comes the global warming mantra in the last 5 minutes and how humans are going to just destroy it if we don't take caution to keep the water from raising 2 lousy degrees. This will destroy the reef system and kill off absolutely everything. Uh...okay...so what are they saying then after all this? That the reef is not really self-repairing? Are we to believe that humans can do more damage than an ice age or volcano THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO? This is based on complete speculation and is really quite irresponsible of the Discovery Channel to promote this.
I guess the reef didn't really survive those things then. (In fact, they say it is getting bigger all the time.) So what gives? What's their real message? If it's to promote global warming, they've just wasted millions of dollars on production costs for this film. This message goes against the very title of the show, "Fearless Earth." Methinks the producers must have demanded that be edited in there post-production to make it more PC.
But I digress.
When Earth's axis was knocked off course long ago, this caused a shifting in the plates and the continent of Australia moved northward from the Southern pole area. It is estimated that Australia moves 5 inches north per year, making it the fastest moving continent, according to the scientists on this show. Man had nothing to do with this.
They interviewed a geologist who demonstrated that there are freshwater lakes just off the northern coast floating above the sea water, and he explained that this was due to the ice age and the stream flowing back and forth over the continent. Man had nothing to do with this.
There's even a place off the reef where the current is so strong and fast that it can kill a diver if he isn't prepared to go with it. This current is responsible for the maintenance of the reef system. That's pretty amazing stuff, and humans have absolutely nothing to do with this. This is natural phenomenon.
They spent nearly the whole hour discussing how well the reef has repaired and maintained itself over millions of years despite all of these changes...and then...BINGO...here comes the global warming mantra in the last 5 minutes and how humans are going to just destroy it if we don't take caution to keep the water from raising 2 lousy degrees. This will destroy the reef system and kill off absolutely everything. Uh...okay...so what are they saying then after all this? That the reef is not really self-repairing? Are we to believe that humans can do more damage than an ice age or volcano THAT WE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO? This is based on complete speculation and is really quite irresponsible of the Discovery Channel to promote this.
I guess the reef didn't really survive those things then. (In fact, they say it is getting bigger all the time.) So what gives? What's their real message? If it's to promote global warming, they've just wasted millions of dollars on production costs for this film. This message goes against the very title of the show, "Fearless Earth." Methinks the producers must have demanded that be edited in there post-production to make it more PC.
But I digress.
Orthodox Christianity
I am going to post some websites and information here that may be of help to anyone who wants to learn more about the Orthodox faith and the true teachings of the Church. The first is http://www.oca.org which is the website for the Orthodox Church of America. This is the best place to go for anyone that is not familiar with Orthodoxy.
You can also visit http://www.goarch.org which is the website for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
There's also http://www.orthodoxinfo.com and Ancient Faith Radio. http://www.ancientfaithradio.com
Some writers that have been particularly helpful to me, other than the Bible, have been Bishop Kallistos Ware, Clark Carlton, the writings of St Chrysostom, Owen Chadwick, Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. George Grube, and the Orthodox Study Bible. Conciliar Press http://www.conciliarpress.com has a treasure trove of books and information about Orthodoxy as well as a new Study Bible with Old Testament due in Spring 2008.
I have downloaded dozens of Orthodox chants in several languages on itunes, as well as purchased several liturgy CD's in English and one or two in Russian. My next venture is to obtain copies of the Divine Liturgy in Spanish and Romanian.
I make use of my prayer corner and meditation area as often as possible, although I could be more disciplined about it.
Coming from a Protestant background, it has been a very new journey for me with a new step to take each day. Sometimes they are small and sometimes they are huge. Many days I feel like I'm in a totally different country. I am learning about fasting and saints, and that is a huge part of Orthodoxy. That is why it is all the more important to take care with who is out there teaching about this ancient faith and who is merely using it as a vehicle to introduce things that our Lord does not want in our lives.
You can also visit http://www.goarch.org which is the website for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
There's also http://www.orthodoxinfo.com and Ancient Faith Radio. http://www.ancientfaithradio.com
Some writers that have been particularly helpful to me, other than the Bible, have been Bishop Kallistos Ware, Clark Carlton, the writings of St Chrysostom, Owen Chadwick, Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. George Grube, and the Orthodox Study Bible. Conciliar Press http://www.conciliarpress.com has a treasure trove of books and information about Orthodoxy as well as a new Study Bible with Old Testament due in Spring 2008.
I have downloaded dozens of Orthodox chants in several languages on itunes, as well as purchased several liturgy CD's in English and one or two in Russian. My next venture is to obtain copies of the Divine Liturgy in Spanish and Romanian.
I make use of my prayer corner and meditation area as often as possible, although I could be more disciplined about it.
Coming from a Protestant background, it has been a very new journey for me with a new step to take each day. Sometimes they are small and sometimes they are huge. Many days I feel like I'm in a totally different country. I am learning about fasting and saints, and that is a huge part of Orthodoxy. That is why it is all the more important to take care with who is out there teaching about this ancient faith and who is merely using it as a vehicle to introduce things that our Lord does not want in our lives.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Contemplative Christianity
I've been reading about a New Age movement within Christianity to introduce some Eastern practices into it, such as Sufism, Gnosticism, contemplative prayer, etc. Anything to do with reaching that "higher state of consciousness" and harnessing that power which God intended all of us to have, such as the teachings of Karlfried Graf Durckheim, Gurdjeff, the Fourth Way, etc. and I've watched youtube videos of this.
Well, I think this is all very dangerous. These are attempts at taking away the biblical aspect of Christianity and replacing it with many forms of Eastern Mysticism. They hone in on this belief that we all would like to be possessors of some "secret power" or have intimate knowledge that nobody else does. I've tried to leave my thoughts in the comments section of the youtube videos I've watched, but guess what??? I'm being censored.
From what I can see, it appears that these individuals have studied some aspects of Orthodoxy, not all, have interviewed priests, and so called "mystics," without really referring to any of the teachings of Chrysostom, St Basil or modern teachings of Bishop Ware, and molded it to fit into their own Eastern philosophical value system and then repackaged it as a "new" approach to God.
That sends a HUGE red flag that something is very wrong with this picture, and for me, is a slap in the face of Orthodoxy. Why do these people not want to be questioned about their practices? Is it wrong to ask them to point to biblical references for their teachings? Apparently so. These individuals have very trancelike voices, ones that pull you in and are very adept at getting you to lay down all of your objections to anything. This is where the danger comes in. If you have ever listened to any of Warren Jeffs videos or transcripts from his "Light of Life" series for the FLDS, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Now FLDS is not the same as what I'm discussing today, but the intent of Warren Jeffs is the same as these new esoteric teachers: to break you down and reprogram your thinking.
Let me give an example. One of the anonymous comments I found online was this:
"On watching the video, I became aware that I was seeing nothing, I went into an altered state of consciousness as only your voice I could hear. entranced. The spirit of love and wisdon certainly use you as channel of love and hope.
You are blessed."
Many of these Eastern teachings also use the origins of Christianity, with the Eastern/Western split as the cause for why we should embrace this "new view" of God, and as an Orthodox catechumen, I have to be very careful and dissect what these messages have truly hidden under them.
The following is an article I found on The Conservative Voice about these issues.
Gnosticism, Contemplative Prayer and Other "Christian Traditions"
March 31, 2007 03:23 PM EST
by Marsha West
Christians are being exhorted to put their minds on hold through meditation and take a step into the supernatural realm. Is it biblical to connect with the supernatural realm? In an interview with Emergent leader Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI, he made the following comment: “Central to the Christian tradition, for thousands of years, have been disciplines of meditation, reflection, silence, and breathing. It was understood that to be a healthy person, to be fully connected with God, and fully centered you would spend significant parts of your day in silence–breathing, meditating–praying allowing the Spirit of God to transform you and touch you.” So ordinary people spent significant parts of their day in silence, meditating?
Even if it were true, nowhere in the Bible are God’s people encouraged to stop using their minds and to connect with the supernatural world. Believers are to worship God with their heart, strength, mind and soul. In an altered state of consciousness the mind is not engaged, it’s blank!
For over two thousand years (not “thousands of years”) Christians have followed a whole host of unbiblical practices that God regards evil. But that hasn’t stopped untold numbers from participating. Example: Even though God forbids fortune telling (divination) countless people, including Christians, have visited mediums to “look into the future.”
For more than five thousand years meditation has been practiced by Eastern religions and has become mainstream in Western culture. It is true, as Bell says, that Christian’s have been practicing meditation for centuries. Christian meditation came about when monks began reading the Bible slowly. As they read, they would ponder the deeper meaning of each verse. This is called "divine reading" or lectio divina. As a result of their Scripture meditation the monks found themselves spontaneously praying. Their prayer would move them to a wordless focus on God. They called this “wordless love for God” contemplation. More on contemplative prayer in a moment.
Lacking a biblical worldview and an understanding of Scripture is the main reason Christians are dipping into the forbidden waters of Eastern meditation to “know the unknowable.”
Contemporary Christianity is following “every wind of doctrine.” Believers are listening to what their “itching ears want to hear.” Regrettably, their itching ears are tuned to neo-gnostic heresy. One of the obstacles the Apostles faced were false teachers, the Gnostics being the most prevalent of the bunch. Gnosticism was condemned as a heresy in the first century church. Here’s the crux of Gnosticism:
“Christian Gnosticism is the belief that one must have a "gnosis" (from Greek "Gnosko," to know) or inner knowledge which is mystical knowledge obtained only after one has been properly initiated. Only a few can possess this mystical knowledge, limiting the number of those "in the know". … Gnosticism today seems to provide a lot of the form and color for the New Age portrait of Jesus where Jesus is seen as the illumined Illuminator: one who serves as a cosmic catalyst for others' awakening. As such it is as false and heretical as the Gnosticism of the first century and needs to be roundly condemned for the heresy that it is.” [1]
Most of us think it’s cool to have inside information. Makes one feel important. Even special. Who wouldn’t want to cultivate a special experience with God that no one else has? Sadly, Christians involve themselves in New Age practices like yoga meditation so they’ll “be in the know.” You say, “My church isn’t into any of that New Age stuff.” No, but you’ll read about the New Age stuff in books purchased in your local or online Christian bookstore. You’ll also see an abundance of false teaching on Christian blogs all over the Internet. Or you’ll hear name it and claim it prosperity preachers on TV acting as if the Almighty is actually whispering into their ear as they impart their false teaching to millions of viewers.
You can’t even escape Gnostic heresy in modern Christian music. You could be singing it in church! Listen to the lyrics of so-called worship songs and be amazed! And be sickened.
Last, but not least, the Oprah Winfrey Show is rife with Gnosticism. Those who tune into Oprah’s program (a number of gullible Christians do) will hear her guest’s share their esoteric mystical experiences.
It’s all about experience. “The Gnostics thought that one must directly experience the spirit to learn the truth, this being apart from the word. Stepping over into the supernatural, experience becomes the teacher and gives them real knowledge. What was and is now being taught is spirit to spirit communication that is completely outside the Biblical revelation given by the apostles.” [2]
This fits liberal “Christianity” to a tee. The Word of God is out of date so experience becomes the teacher. In his essay “What are we talking about?” DA Carson points out that some leaders in the Emergent Church movement claim “changing times demand that fresh questions be asked of Scripture, and then fresh answers will be heard. What was an appropriate use of Scripture under modernism is no longer an appropriate use of Scripture under postmodernism.” This is a classic case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater! But I digress.
The “knower” believes that the masses are not in possession of spiritual knowledge, and only the truly “enlightened” can experience God. Thus the reintroduction of contemplative, aka centering, prayer into the Church. How is centering prayer different from biblical prayer? Centering prayer is a meditative practice where the focus is on having a mystical experience with God. Individuals choose a sacred word or symbol (such as God, Jesus, Father) and repeat it over and over during the twenty-minute exercise. Sitting comfortably in a meditative posture, with back straight and eyes closed, the sacred word is introduced as the symbol of consent to God's presence within. Should outside thoughts emerge in your mind, you must return “ever-so-gently” to your sacred word. At the end of your prayer time you’re to remain in silence with eyes closed for a few minutes. Sounds like a good way to relax, doesn’t it? Trouble is, contemplative prayer has no Scriptural support whatsoever. Moreover, it’s the exact opposite of how the Bible instructs believers to pray. Read the prayer of Jesus in Luke 11:1-4 below. [3]
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything,” said Jesus to the apostles. “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23-24).
Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6, NLT).; “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Col. 4:12).
Biblical prayer advocates engaging your mind, even wrestling in your mind, as did Epaphras, not emptying your mind! Yet Pastor Rob Bell encourages Zachary Lind to do just that. Following is a snippet of an interview Lind did with Bell. (For clarity I edited out phrases like “like,” “you know” and “I mean.”):
Interviewer Lind: … the book you recommended to me a few weeks ago [by] Richard Rohr…talked about contemplative prayer … [I read] half of the book and still don’t really know what his definition of that is. But he starts getting into it. And he says … you have to at least sit … past 20 minutes.
Bell: Yeah, yes.
Lind: It takes a certain amount of time before you’re sort of selfish things get aired out. Like you might be all about you for 20 minutes, but then after that it’s like, you’re kind of a blank slate. You know…
Bell: Uh-huh.
Lind: You’re kind of ready to intake anything. He talks a lot in that book about a beginners mind and … being kind of like a child and coming up to Jesus, and really just ready to be written on. And … maybe I’m wrong but I kind of feel like from what I hear … there’s a lot of that going on …
Bell: Yeah, well you have to essentially discipline your life around forming the depths, and that takes just phenomenal discipline that I don’t even pretend to have. [4]
At this point the conversation drifts away from contemplative prayer. Note that Bell gave no warning with regard to the dangers of meditation even though Lind admits that he’s ready to take anything, “Ready to be written on.” Written on by whom? The Bible warns of deceiving spirits! “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thess. 2:9-10).
After listening to the interview what you will come away with is that Rob Bell is leading Christians into dangerous Eastern religious beliefs and rituals. Convinced they’re having an esoteric experience with “God,” many Christians are actually embracing Hinduism.
(Let me just put that quote in again from before from the anonymous poster so you can see again what this is all about:
"On watching the video, I became aware that I was seeing nothing, I went into an altered state of consciousness as only your voice I could hear. entranced. The spirit of love and wisdon certainly use you as channel of love and hope.
You are blessed.")
Puts it all into perspective, yes?
Biblical prayer is comprehendible communication with God. Prayer is not an esoteric, yoga meditation. Granted, many contemplatives are ignorant of the true nature of meditation—but such ignorance is inexcusable and indefensible! The truth about the dangers of meditation is readily available in books and on the Internet.
Contemplative spirituality, like Gnosticism, promotes pursuing a magical mystical experience with “God.” Overlooked are passages such as Joshua 1:8: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." This command is from God! He wants His people to meditate on Scripture; He doesn’t want them emptying their minds.
Leaders in the Emergent movement have succeeded in persuading those who practice centering prayer to put aside God’s Word and focus on a blank wall! Will practicing Eastern mysticism really help to open you up to a greater spiritual experience with God, or just the opposite? Since God opposes mysticism in any form, perhaps contemplatives are really experiencing visits from demonic spirits. Meditate on that! In 1 Cor. 2:15-18 Paul informs us that we have “the mind of Christ.” In Romans 12:2 he reminds us that God’s people are not to kowtow to this world, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
In the words of William Hendrickson, "Even if we or a holy angel must be the object of God's righteous curse, were any of us to preach a gospel contrary to the one we humans previously preached to you, then all the more divine wrath must be poured out on those self-appointed nobodies who are now making themselves guilty of this crime."
Here are some things I found in this particular research:
- Rejection or alteration of the doctrine of Biblical Inspiration 2 Tim. 3:16
- Special in-depth Knowledge - False cultist often claim they have the truth which has been
suppressed by apostate Christianity. (It is important for cultists to “set themselves apart” from
other religions.) 2 Peter 1:20
- False understanding of Redemption - The Blood atonement is either rejected or nullified.
Heb. 9:14
- False understanding of Retribution - False cultists often reject hell, eternal punishment,
and the conscious state of the dead. Luke. 16:23,24
- An Allegorical System of Interpretation, Sometimes cultists do this while claiming they are
literal interpreters of the Bible. Mat. 5:18, John 10:35, Luke. 21:32
- Messianic Leadership - Many false cultists have their own messiahs or divinely chosen
leaders. Luke. 21:8
- A Re-definition of generally accepted Christian Terms. Cultists do this in order to hide the
true nature of their teaching. 1 Tim 6:3, Rom 16:18, 2 Tim. 2:14
This last one was the big one for me, especially when I tried to post comments.
So beware, all you Orthodox and other Christians. This New Age movement is probably spreading into your parish and ministry areas and you may not even realize what is happening because they are so adept at hypnotizing you and making it all sound good.
Remember these questions:
1) What does this teacher say about Jesus?
2) Does this teacher preach the gospel?
3) Does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord?
A believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, “step one” is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the scripture says.
Well, I think this is all very dangerous. These are attempts at taking away the biblical aspect of Christianity and replacing it with many forms of Eastern Mysticism. They hone in on this belief that we all would like to be possessors of some "secret power" or have intimate knowledge that nobody else does. I've tried to leave my thoughts in the comments section of the youtube videos I've watched, but guess what??? I'm being censored.
From what I can see, it appears that these individuals have studied some aspects of Orthodoxy, not all, have interviewed priests, and so called "mystics," without really referring to any of the teachings of Chrysostom, St Basil or modern teachings of Bishop Ware, and molded it to fit into their own Eastern philosophical value system and then repackaged it as a "new" approach to God.
That sends a HUGE red flag that something is very wrong with this picture, and for me, is a slap in the face of Orthodoxy. Why do these people not want to be questioned about their practices? Is it wrong to ask them to point to biblical references for their teachings? Apparently so. These individuals have very trancelike voices, ones that pull you in and are very adept at getting you to lay down all of your objections to anything. This is where the danger comes in. If you have ever listened to any of Warren Jeffs videos or transcripts from his "Light of Life" series for the FLDS, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Now FLDS is not the same as what I'm discussing today, but the intent of Warren Jeffs is the same as these new esoteric teachers: to break you down and reprogram your thinking.
Let me give an example. One of the anonymous comments I found online was this:
"On watching the video, I became aware that I was seeing nothing, I went into an altered state of consciousness as only your voice I could hear. entranced. The spirit of love and wisdon certainly use you as channel of love and hope.
You are blessed."
Many of these Eastern teachings also use the origins of Christianity, with the Eastern/Western split as the cause for why we should embrace this "new view" of God, and as an Orthodox catechumen, I have to be very careful and dissect what these messages have truly hidden under them.
The following is an article I found on The Conservative Voice about these issues.
Gnosticism, Contemplative Prayer and Other "Christian Traditions"
March 31, 2007 03:23 PM EST
by Marsha West
Christians are being exhorted to put their minds on hold through meditation and take a step into the supernatural realm. Is it biblical to connect with the supernatural realm? In an interview with Emergent leader Rob Bell, founding pastor of Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, MI, he made the following comment: “Central to the Christian tradition, for thousands of years, have been disciplines of meditation, reflection, silence, and breathing. It was understood that to be a healthy person, to be fully connected with God, and fully centered you would spend significant parts of your day in silence–breathing, meditating–praying allowing the Spirit of God to transform you and touch you.” So ordinary people spent significant parts of their day in silence, meditating?
Even if it were true, nowhere in the Bible are God’s people encouraged to stop using their minds and to connect with the supernatural world. Believers are to worship God with their heart, strength, mind and soul. In an altered state of consciousness the mind is not engaged, it’s blank!
For over two thousand years (not “thousands of years”) Christians have followed a whole host of unbiblical practices that God regards evil. But that hasn’t stopped untold numbers from participating. Example: Even though God forbids fortune telling (divination) countless people, including Christians, have visited mediums to “look into the future.”
For more than five thousand years meditation has been practiced by Eastern religions and has become mainstream in Western culture. It is true, as Bell says, that Christian’s have been practicing meditation for centuries. Christian meditation came about when monks began reading the Bible slowly. As they read, they would ponder the deeper meaning of each verse. This is called "divine reading" or lectio divina. As a result of their Scripture meditation the monks found themselves spontaneously praying. Their prayer would move them to a wordless focus on God. They called this “wordless love for God” contemplation. More on contemplative prayer in a moment.
Lacking a biblical worldview and an understanding of Scripture is the main reason Christians are dipping into the forbidden waters of Eastern meditation to “know the unknowable.”
Contemporary Christianity is following “every wind of doctrine.” Believers are listening to what their “itching ears want to hear.” Regrettably, their itching ears are tuned to neo-gnostic heresy. One of the obstacles the Apostles faced were false teachers, the Gnostics being the most prevalent of the bunch. Gnosticism was condemned as a heresy in the first century church. Here’s the crux of Gnosticism:
“Christian Gnosticism is the belief that one must have a "gnosis" (from Greek "Gnosko," to know) or inner knowledge which is mystical knowledge obtained only after one has been properly initiated. Only a few can possess this mystical knowledge, limiting the number of those "in the know". … Gnosticism today seems to provide a lot of the form and color for the New Age portrait of Jesus where Jesus is seen as the illumined Illuminator: one who serves as a cosmic catalyst for others' awakening. As such it is as false and heretical as the Gnosticism of the first century and needs to be roundly condemned for the heresy that it is.” [1]
Most of us think it’s cool to have inside information. Makes one feel important. Even special. Who wouldn’t want to cultivate a special experience with God that no one else has? Sadly, Christians involve themselves in New Age practices like yoga meditation so they’ll “be in the know.” You say, “My church isn’t into any of that New Age stuff.” No, but you’ll read about the New Age stuff in books purchased in your local or online Christian bookstore. You’ll also see an abundance of false teaching on Christian blogs all over the Internet. Or you’ll hear name it and claim it prosperity preachers on TV acting as if the Almighty is actually whispering into their ear as they impart their false teaching to millions of viewers.
You can’t even escape Gnostic heresy in modern Christian music. You could be singing it in church! Listen to the lyrics of so-called worship songs and be amazed! And be sickened.
Last, but not least, the Oprah Winfrey Show is rife with Gnosticism. Those who tune into Oprah’s program (a number of gullible Christians do) will hear her guest’s share their esoteric mystical experiences.
It’s all about experience. “The Gnostics thought that one must directly experience the spirit to learn the truth, this being apart from the word. Stepping over into the supernatural, experience becomes the teacher and gives them real knowledge. What was and is now being taught is spirit to spirit communication that is completely outside the Biblical revelation given by the apostles.” [2]
This fits liberal “Christianity” to a tee. The Word of God is out of date so experience becomes the teacher. In his essay “What are we talking about?” DA Carson points out that some leaders in the Emergent Church movement claim “changing times demand that fresh questions be asked of Scripture, and then fresh answers will be heard. What was an appropriate use of Scripture under modernism is no longer an appropriate use of Scripture under postmodernism.” This is a classic case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater! But I digress.
The “knower” believes that the masses are not in possession of spiritual knowledge, and only the truly “enlightened” can experience God. Thus the reintroduction of contemplative, aka centering, prayer into the Church. How is centering prayer different from biblical prayer? Centering prayer is a meditative practice where the focus is on having a mystical experience with God. Individuals choose a sacred word or symbol (such as God, Jesus, Father) and repeat it over and over during the twenty-minute exercise. Sitting comfortably in a meditative posture, with back straight and eyes closed, the sacred word is introduced as the symbol of consent to God's presence within. Should outside thoughts emerge in your mind, you must return “ever-so-gently” to your sacred word. At the end of your prayer time you’re to remain in silence with eyes closed for a few minutes. Sounds like a good way to relax, doesn’t it? Trouble is, contemplative prayer has no Scriptural support whatsoever. Moreover, it’s the exact opposite of how the Bible instructs believers to pray. Read the prayer of Jesus in Luke 11:1-4 below. [3]
“In that day you will no longer ask me anything,” said Jesus to the apostles. “I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:23-24).
Paul says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Philippians 4:6, NLT).; “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Col. 4:12).
Biblical prayer advocates engaging your mind, even wrestling in your mind, as did Epaphras, not emptying your mind! Yet Pastor Rob Bell encourages Zachary Lind to do just that. Following is a snippet of an interview Lind did with Bell. (For clarity I edited out phrases like “like,” “you know” and “I mean.”):
Interviewer Lind: … the book you recommended to me a few weeks ago [by] Richard Rohr…talked about contemplative prayer … [I read] half of the book and still don’t really know what his definition of that is. But he starts getting into it. And he says … you have to at least sit … past 20 minutes.
Bell: Yeah, yes.
Lind: It takes a certain amount of time before you’re sort of selfish things get aired out. Like you might be all about you for 20 minutes, but then after that it’s like, you’re kind of a blank slate. You know…
Bell: Uh-huh.
Lind: You’re kind of ready to intake anything. He talks a lot in that book about a beginners mind and … being kind of like a child and coming up to Jesus, and really just ready to be written on. And … maybe I’m wrong but I kind of feel like from what I hear … there’s a lot of that going on …
Bell: Yeah, well you have to essentially discipline your life around forming the depths, and that takes just phenomenal discipline that I don’t even pretend to have. [4]
At this point the conversation drifts away from contemplative prayer. Note that Bell gave no warning with regard to the dangers of meditation even though Lind admits that he’s ready to take anything, “Ready to be written on.” Written on by whom? The Bible warns of deceiving spirits! “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved” (2 Thess. 2:9-10).
After listening to the interview what you will come away with is that Rob Bell is leading Christians into dangerous Eastern religious beliefs and rituals. Convinced they’re having an esoteric experience with “God,” many Christians are actually embracing Hinduism.
(Let me just put that quote in again from before from the anonymous poster so you can see again what this is all about:
"On watching the video, I became aware that I was seeing nothing, I went into an altered state of consciousness as only your voice I could hear. entranced. The spirit of love and wisdon certainly use you as channel of love and hope.
You are blessed.")
Puts it all into perspective, yes?
Biblical prayer is comprehendible communication with God. Prayer is not an esoteric, yoga meditation. Granted, many contemplatives are ignorant of the true nature of meditation—but such ignorance is inexcusable and indefensible! The truth about the dangers of meditation is readily available in books and on the Internet.
Contemplative spirituality, like Gnosticism, promotes pursuing a magical mystical experience with “God.” Overlooked are passages such as Joshua 1:8: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." This command is from God! He wants His people to meditate on Scripture; He doesn’t want them emptying their minds.
Leaders in the Emergent movement have succeeded in persuading those who practice centering prayer to put aside God’s Word and focus on a blank wall! Will practicing Eastern mysticism really help to open you up to a greater spiritual experience with God, or just the opposite? Since God opposes mysticism in any form, perhaps contemplatives are really experiencing visits from demonic spirits. Meditate on that! In 1 Cor. 2:15-18 Paul informs us that we have “the mind of Christ.” In Romans 12:2 he reminds us that God’s people are not to kowtow to this world, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
In the words of William Hendrickson, "Even if we or a holy angel must be the object of God's righteous curse, were any of us to preach a gospel contrary to the one we humans previously preached to you, then all the more divine wrath must be poured out on those self-appointed nobodies who are now making themselves guilty of this crime."
Here are some things I found in this particular research:
- Rejection or alteration of the doctrine of Biblical Inspiration 2 Tim. 3:16
- Special in-depth Knowledge - False cultist often claim they have the truth which has been
suppressed by apostate Christianity. (It is important for cultists to “set themselves apart” from
other religions.) 2 Peter 1:20
- False understanding of Redemption - The Blood atonement is either rejected or nullified.
Heb. 9:14
- False understanding of Retribution - False cultists often reject hell, eternal punishment,
and the conscious state of the dead. Luke. 16:23,24
- An Allegorical System of Interpretation, Sometimes cultists do this while claiming they are
literal interpreters of the Bible. Mat. 5:18, John 10:35, Luke. 21:32
- Messianic Leadership - Many false cultists have their own messiahs or divinely chosen
leaders. Luke. 21:8
- A Re-definition of generally accepted Christian Terms. Cultists do this in order to hide the
true nature of their teaching. 1 Tim 6:3, Rom 16:18, 2 Tim. 2:14
This last one was the big one for me, especially when I tried to post comments.
So beware, all you Orthodox and other Christians. This New Age movement is probably spreading into your parish and ministry areas and you may not even realize what is happening because they are so adept at hypnotizing you and making it all sound good.
Remember these questions:
1) What does this teacher say about Jesus?
2) Does this teacher preach the gospel?
3) Does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord?
A believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, “step one” is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the scripture says.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Poor Hugo Chavez
From Yahoo News:
CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he will govern until 2013 when his mandate ends, now that voters rejected constitutional reforms that would have allowed him to seek endless reelection.
"The shouting is one thing, the reality another ... The reform was not approved, so I have to leave the government in the year 2013. I will work tirelessly until the last day I have left here," Chavez said at an event in the capital.
He also told his supporters: "You have a debt with me, you will tell me if you will repay it or if you won't repay it. You have a debt with me, the nation and the future."
"It doesn't matter if at the end I am left with four or five revolutionaries, welcome, but not two-bit revolutionaries," he told followers at a ceremony where Bolivian and African militants graduated from the state-funded "Che Guevara" education program. He said the "no" triumphed in Sunday's referendum on the constitutional reforms (with 50.7 percent of the votes) because of "blackmail" suggesting there would be violence if the "yes" option won.
"It is blackmail, blackmail of the imperialism and its lackeys ... there was fear that violence would be unleashed and that even if we won by 80 percent against 20 percent they would not recognize the victory," he said.
The crowd chanted "Nooo" when Chavez evoked the possibility that "those who won the 'No' would return to govern the country, which is what they want."
"We are not confronting the 'petit-Yankees from here, but the empire of the United States, the most powerful empire on Earth," he said. "Didn't you see the president of the United States celebrating the victory of the 'No'?" he asked in reference to a statement by Bush who said Venezuelans voted for democracy.
"However much you shout, it is the truth," he told the crowd.
"We lost in Caracas, we lost in the neighborhoods, millions did not go to vote. They can say what they want, there is no excuse."
In the words of el Rey Juan Carlos de Espana, "Por que no te callas?"
Poor Hugo Chavez. It seems he just can't get a break! Just read what his ex wife says about him. This is very telling.
BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela - Hugo Chavez's ex-wife said Thursday she is proposing a constitutional amendment to shorten presidential terms, saying the president has been in office long enough.
Marisabel Rodriguez said she believes terms should be reduced from six to four years, and allow presidents only one opportunity for re-election.
"Four years and re-election ... it gives you enough time," said Rodriguez. "This can be done through an amendment."
Her comments came four days after voters narrowly rejected the president's 69 proposed changes to Venezuela's Constitution, including reforms that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely.
Chavez and Rodriguez divorced in 2004 and have one daughter, 10-year-old Rosines. Chavez, a former paratroop commander who first took office in 1999, also has three children from a previous marriage. Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro — dismissed his opponents' win as insignificant on Wednesday, using a derogatory term for feces.
"He's been using that language for some time. I think it's a lack of respect for Venezuelans," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez drew attention ahead of Sunday's referendum by breaking years of silence and strongly criticizing her ex-husband, accusing him of becoming obsessed with power, putting politics above the population's well-being and failing to fight corruption.
What this man fails to understand is that this is NOT the U.S.'s fault. This vote was put to his own countrymen and they voted, it is that simple. I can't wait to see the spin that the leftist media will put on this story.
CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he will govern until 2013 when his mandate ends, now that voters rejected constitutional reforms that would have allowed him to seek endless reelection.
"The shouting is one thing, the reality another ... The reform was not approved, so I have to leave the government in the year 2013. I will work tirelessly until the last day I have left here," Chavez said at an event in the capital.
He also told his supporters: "You have a debt with me, you will tell me if you will repay it or if you won't repay it. You have a debt with me, the nation and the future."
"It doesn't matter if at the end I am left with four or five revolutionaries, welcome, but not two-bit revolutionaries," he told followers at a ceremony where Bolivian and African militants graduated from the state-funded "Che Guevara" education program. He said the "no" triumphed in Sunday's referendum on the constitutional reforms (with 50.7 percent of the votes) because of "blackmail" suggesting there would be violence if the "yes" option won.
"It is blackmail, blackmail of the imperialism and its lackeys ... there was fear that violence would be unleashed and that even if we won by 80 percent against 20 percent they would not recognize the victory," he said.
The crowd chanted "Nooo" when Chavez evoked the possibility that "those who won the 'No' would return to govern the country, which is what they want."
"We are not confronting the 'petit-Yankees from here, but the empire of the United States, the most powerful empire on Earth," he said. "Didn't you see the president of the United States celebrating the victory of the 'No'?" he asked in reference to a statement by Bush who said Venezuelans voted for democracy.
"However much you shout, it is the truth," he told the crowd.
"We lost in Caracas, we lost in the neighborhoods, millions did not go to vote. They can say what they want, there is no excuse."
In the words of el Rey Juan Carlos de Espana, "Por que no te callas?"
Poor Hugo Chavez. It seems he just can't get a break! Just read what his ex wife says about him. This is very telling.
BARQUISIMETO, Venezuela - Hugo Chavez's ex-wife said Thursday she is proposing a constitutional amendment to shorten presidential terms, saying the president has been in office long enough.
Marisabel Rodriguez said she believes terms should be reduced from six to four years, and allow presidents only one opportunity for re-election.
"Four years and re-election ... it gives you enough time," said Rodriguez. "This can be done through an amendment."
Her comments came four days after voters narrowly rejected the president's 69 proposed changes to Venezuela's Constitution, including reforms that would have let him run for re-election indefinitely.
Chavez and Rodriguez divorced in 2004 and have one daughter, 10-year-old Rosines. Chavez, a former paratroop commander who first took office in 1999, also has three children from a previous marriage. Chavez — a close ally of Cuban leader Fidel Castro — dismissed his opponents' win as insignificant on Wednesday, using a derogatory term for feces.
"He's been using that language for some time. I think it's a lack of respect for Venezuelans," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez drew attention ahead of Sunday's referendum by breaking years of silence and strongly criticizing her ex-husband, accusing him of becoming obsessed with power, putting politics above the population's well-being and failing to fight corruption.
What this man fails to understand is that this is NOT the U.S.'s fault. This vote was put to his own countrymen and they voted, it is that simple. I can't wait to see the spin that the leftist media will put on this story.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Hotel of the week
This is my pick for the week....Hotel El Convento de San Juan.
http://www.elconvento.com/
I stumbled upon this place purely by accident two years ago after touring El Morro. I was on a cruise ship stop. I took a taxi on my own from the pier to the fort and then met up with some other cruisers and we hit the bar at this place. It was in a word...FANTASTIC.
Truly reminiscent of Old World Spain, it is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, and Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It is a former Carmelite convent built 3 and a half centuries ago. In the lobby, ornate chairs with the crest of Old Spain adorn either side of a beautiful hand carved armoire complete with soft lighting, perfect for catching up on your reading.
As we entered the Patio del Nispero, a lone guitarist sat in a corner strumming away soft tunes, echoing the romantic sounds of Andalucia. On the other side of the Patio sits one of the best bars in the world, El Picoteo. I tasted crisp and refreshing sangrias there and marveled at the fabulous kitchen set up for those most Spanish of foods, the culinary tapas.
I tried the Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp) and Aceitunas Calamatta (Calamata Olives) and just kept drinking Sangrias, enjoying the guitarist in the corner. I didn't want to leave, but alas, the cruise ship was about to leave port for St Maarten, and another adventure awaited me there, the chance to sail aboard a World's Cup racing yacht.
http://www.elconvento.com/
I stumbled upon this place purely by accident two years ago after touring El Morro. I was on a cruise ship stop. I took a taxi on my own from the pier to the fort and then met up with some other cruisers and we hit the bar at this place. It was in a word...FANTASTIC.
Truly reminiscent of Old World Spain, it is a member of the Historic Hotels of America, and Small Luxury Hotels of the World. It is a former Carmelite convent built 3 and a half centuries ago. In the lobby, ornate chairs with the crest of Old Spain adorn either side of a beautiful hand carved armoire complete with soft lighting, perfect for catching up on your reading.
As we entered the Patio del Nispero, a lone guitarist sat in a corner strumming away soft tunes, echoing the romantic sounds of Andalucia. On the other side of the Patio sits one of the best bars in the world, El Picoteo. I tasted crisp and refreshing sangrias there and marveled at the fabulous kitchen set up for those most Spanish of foods, the culinary tapas.
I tried the Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp) and Aceitunas Calamatta (Calamata Olives) and just kept drinking Sangrias, enjoying the guitarist in the corner. I didn't want to leave, but alas, the cruise ship was about to leave port for St Maarten, and another adventure awaited me there, the chance to sail aboard a World's Cup racing yacht.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Why do...
other people who practice pagan religions and worship Earthly things in this modern day and age receive more respect than Christians do? I see evidence of this every day. Those that want to elevate themselves to a "higher consciousness" and believe that you can be your own God, and believe that human accomplishments trump our Lord and Savior receive more admiration and respect than someone who simply goes to a church, reads their bible and prays daily. That costs less money and is far simpler than trying to figure out numerology, runes, witchcraft, or trying to prove that Darwinism and humanism are superior to God. That's just messed up and gets you nowhere. Worshipping nature and ourselves is contrary to what God intended. God created us, nature and all the animals around us, so to worship those creatures and ourselves in place of God defeats His entire purpose.
Those that do not believe we were created to serve, IMHO, are the ones in the box and they always will be.
Those that do not believe we were created to serve, IMHO, are the ones in the box and they always will be.
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