The Dawn of a New Blogging Season

It's been ages... but I think it's time to start posting again. So, what I want to know is, what topics would YOU like to discuss here on My Perspective? I'm up for just about any topics you can think of, so throw me some ideas and we'll get started on a new blogging season!

For His Glory,
Matthew

How'd THAT Happen?!

I just made a somewhat amusing, and slightly disturbing, discovery: my previous post "A New Church For a New Age" has been featured on the Open Source Theology "Emerging Church/Theology Blog Feed." Open Source Theology is an Emerging Church website which says of itself: "The purpose of this site is to assist the development of an emerging theology for the emerging church," among other things. I'm not angry about being listed under their blog feed, by any means; I'm just surprised by it! I'm almost positive the posting in question wasn't reviewed before being listed, as I'm confident that had it been, it would have been excluded. After all, I'm fairly certain that I'm not the best source of "theology for the emerging church."

Well guys, that's my news for this morning... and who knows? Maybe THIS post will be featured as well!

In Christ,
Matthew

A New Church for a New Age: The Depth and Breadth of the New Age Movement’s Influence on Modern Christianity

A research paper I wrote a few years ago -- it could have gone on much longer than this, but by the time it reached the point it is at now, it had already exceeded it's maximum length. In other words, there is a lot more I wish I could have included.

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During the 1980s terms such as “The New Age Movement” and “Age of Aquarius,” though popular in secular culture, invoked a deep-rooted sense of fear and dread among many Christians, who felt that there was something distinctly evil and mysterious about the increasingly popular movement. Interestingly, however, the same phrases which were once nearly synonymous with standing up in church and announcing that the antichrist had arrived mean absolutely nothing to most twenty-first century Christians. It would appear that the New Age Movement, which seemed to be thriving a mere twenty years ago, has now all but completely disappeared. Interestingly, the opposite is true. One may be surprised by the new way in which New Agers have chosen to infiltrate modern culture more effectively than twenty years ago. Ironically, the Christian church, which once so radically opposed the Movement, is now the device being used by the Movement most enthusiastically.

Before exploring the Movement’s more recent shift into mainstream Christianity, it is important that one fully understands the convictions, doctrines, and motives of the New Age Movement itself, which in fact is not genuinely “new” at all. The New Age Movement is essentially a combination of Theosophy, Panentheism, and Eastern Mysticism. New Agers pick up where Darwin left off, studying the mystical, rather than physical, evolution of mankind (Yungen 21). Theosophy, in particular, has had a large influence on the Movement and the two philosophies, though separate, are most often accepted simultaneously by their followers. The Founder of the Theosophical Society, Madame Blavatsky, taught in The Secret Doctrine that the various races of humanity can all be traced back to Atlantis, that there were seven Atlantean races including the “Aryans,” and that the Aryans were the superior or “Master Race.” The same teaching is prevalent within the New Age Movement. While the Aryans were the most highly evolved of the Atlantean races, it was believed that in the process of advancing physically and mentally, the Aryans lost many of their “mystical” abilities. To counteract this, many mystical practices were put in place to reconnect the Aryans with their “higher selves” (Cumbey 102-103). Alice Bailey, a well known New Age author who wrote The Externalization of the Hierarchy, openly promotes the doctrine of Aryanism in her books (90).

The most common way in which New Agers attempt to connect with their higher selves is through the practice of meditation. Unlike meditating upon thoughts or ideas, New Age meditation is done by emptying the mind in order to open oneself up to certain “mystical faculties.” It is imperative in meditation that one ceases to think, without doing so the higher self can never be attained. However, this state of non-thought, referred to as “the Silence,” is only a means, not an end. The ultimate goal is absolute, genuine interaction with what would seem to be a form of divine presence (Yungen 21-23).

The “New Age” is not in fact the official name of the coming period in mankind’s evolution that is being referred to. The “Age of Aquarius” is the New Age which is being alluded to. What makes the Aquarian Age unique to New Agers? As Ray Yungen puts it, “The Age of Aquarius is when we are all supposed to realize that man is God.” The panentheistic teaching that God “is all and is in all” is a foundational teaching of the New Age Movement (Yungen 20). But one need not worry; we will not be left to discover this incredible truth all on our own. We will have the help of Lord Maitreya, the name given to the coming “Messiah” of the New Age Movement, who will be a “world teacher for all humanity.” Interestingly, the arrival of Maitreya is not believed to be the second coming of Jesus Christ, but rather the “fifth reincarnation of Buddha” (Cumbey 19).

This increasingly popular movement has had plans for many years to expand its circle of influence beyond secular culture. New Age teacher Alice Bailey said in The Externalization of the Hierarchy, published 30 years ago in 1976, “The Christian church in its many branches can serve as a St. John the Baptist, as a voice crying in the wilderness, and as a nucleus through which the world illumination may be accomplished” (510). On an ironic side-note, www.lucistrust.org openly states that the publishing company founded by Alice and Foster Bailey, Lucis Publishing Company, was originally known as the Lucifer Publishing Company before the name was changed in 1925. The reason for the name change is not hard to guess. The site further expounds that Alice and Foster Bailey were both “serious students” of Theosophy and that as such they “sought to elicit a deeper understanding of the sacrifice [of falling from Heaven] made by Lucifer.” The point is further clarified in this revealing statement: “In the theosophical perspective, the descent of [Lucifer] was not a fall into sin or disgrace but rather an act of great sacrifice, as is suggested in the name ‘Lucifer’ which means light-bearer” (Esoteric). It is strange to consider the possibility that a belief system which paints such a blatant reverse image of the Genesis account could ever be embraced by Biblical Christianity.

A new movement has recently surfaced in many Protestant churches, calling itself “The Emerging Church.” This movement places a large emphasis on making the church more “relevant” for the world we live in and tends to abandon the strictly Biblical doctrine of traditional Christianity in favor of finding its own truths through experience-based faith. Surprisingly, to the dismay of a select few watchful Christians, there has been a “growing cooperation of emergent church leaders with New Spirituality/New Age leaders” (Emergent). In fact, emerging leaders for the most part consider traditional, Biblical Christianity to be “outdated, irrelevant, and ineffective” (Oakland 17). Further more, Roger Oakland, founder of “Understand the Times International,” observes a trend particularly contrary to Biblical doctrine, saying “some emerging church leaders have already said the God who judges and requires penal substitution for sin (i.e., the Cross) does not exist.” (19). While many Christians do not agree with Emerging Church values, they often deem the movement rather innocent, as it only intends to make the church more interesting, not to actually change any doctrines of the faith. If this is the case, then it would seem that many emergent leaders were never informed of this. Doug Pagitt, an Emergent leader and pastor of the church “Solomon’s Porch,” says this in regards to the changes he believes need to take place in the traditional church: “Perhaps we as Christians today are not only to consider what it means to be a 21st century church, but also and perhaps more importantly – what it means to have a 21st century faith.” There may be multiple ways to interpret that statement, but Pagitt makes sure that his readers know exactly what he means by it when he goes on to describe his sermons, saying, “At Solomon’s Porch, sermons are not primarily my extracting truth from the Bible to apply to people’s lives. In many ways the sermon is less a lecture or motivational speech than it is an act of poetry – of putting words around people’s experiences to allow them to find deeper connection in their lives… So our sermons are not lessons that precisely define belief so much as stories that welcome our hopes and ideas and participation” (17-19).

Another prominent Emerging Church advocate is author Donald Miller, whose books are so popular among Protestants that they are even quoted from the pulpit in some churches. Miller explains the mood of many emergents toward the traditional church when he says in his best-seller Blue Like Jazz “In the churches I used to go to, I felt like I didn’t fit in. I always felt like the adopted kid… I was accepted but not understood. There was room at the table for me, but I wasn’t in the family… I started asking God to help me find a church where I would fit” (130-133). This emphasis on comfort and “fitting in” is the cornerstone of the Emerging Church movement, a stark contrast considering that the convictions of the Protestant reformation were focused on Biblical truth, not feeling comfortable in a church setting or becoming more “relevant.” Miller makes the focus of his faith clear when he states in his closing comments “Ask [Jesus] to become real to you. Ask Him to forgive you of self-addiction, ask Him to put a song in your heart. I can’t think of anything better that could happen to you than this” (240). Most Christians would consider salvation the most important thing that can happen to a person, so one can’t help but inquire as to why this was not mentioned. The reason salvation is not mentioned is simple: salvation is not an essential doctrine in the Emerging Church. “Repentance and faith” are replaced with “Become a follower of Jesus.” Brian McLaren, founder of “Emergent Village,” states in his book A Generous Orthodoxy “I don’t believe making disciples must equal making adherents to the Christian religion. It may be advisable in many (not all!) circumstances to help people become followers of Jesus and remain within their Buddhist, Hindu, or Jewish contexts” (260). McLaren also refers to the cross as “false advertising for God” while speaking of the doctrine of Salvation (deemed the “doctrine of hell” in this article) in one interview: “[I]n an ironic way the doctrine of hell basically says no, that’s not really true. At the end God gets His way through coercion and violence and intimidation and uh domination just like every other kingdom does. The Cross isn’t the center then, the Cross is almost a distraction and false advertising for God” (Hansen).

Perhaps the strongest tie the Emerging Church has to New Age spirituality, however, is its emphasis on “contemplative prayer.” While contemplative prayer plays a large role in the Emerging Church, its influence reaches far beyond it, influencing even churches which initially rejected Emergent philosophy. In fact, the Contemplative Movement is far older than the Emerging Church, finding its roots in a group known as the “desert fathers,” monks living in isolated communities in the wilderness regions of the Middle East. The desert fathers were also “the ones who first promoted the mantra as a prayer tool” (Yungen 44-45). The mantra is a New Age practice with its roots in both Hinduism and Buddhism.

While the desert fathers may have been the first to promote the use of mantras in prayer, they certainly were not the last. The real “elephant in the room” is pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Church.” When Warren’s book The Purpose Driven Life went on sale in 2002, copies flew off shelves across the nation as millions of churches participated in his “Forty Days of Purpose.” However, Warren says something very interesting in The Purpose Driven Life: “The Bible tells us to ‘pray all the time.’ How is it possible to do this? One way is to use ‘breath prayers’ throughout the day… You choose a brief sentence or a simple phrase that can be repeated to Jesus in one breath” (89). Remove the word “Jesus” from the equation and one has a near perfect definition of a mantra. While this can easily be dismissed as mere coincidence or simply a poor choice in words, Warren doesn’t stop here. One page 248 of The Purpose Driven Life Warren quotes Aldous Huxley. This is significant when one considers that Huxley is a “former mystic and New Age pioneer” as well as being the single most quoted individual in Marilyn Ferguson’s The Aquarian Conspiracy, a “best-selling New Age book” (Smith 108). Not only does Warren promote a prayer method which is nearly synonymous with a key New Age practice and draw inspiration from New Age leader Aldous Huxley, but incredibly Warren also provides a quote from Theosophist George Bernard Shaw without even so much as an explanation (33).What is the “purpose” of the “Purpose Driven Church,” as Rick Warren calls it? Warren believes that in order to usher in God’s kingdom on earth, an “all inclusive church” must be established. He believes that peace on earth can be achieved by Christians joining hands with Muslims, Catholics, homosexuals, and others (Oakland 145-147).

The notion that it is the job of the church to usher in God’s kingdom is not a Biblical one. The question which logically follows, then, is “what are Warren’s views on the Second Coming of Christ?” With New Age and Theosophical leaders being quoted in his books, it is within reason to look to these groups for answers. Messiah and the Second Coming, by John Davis and Naomi Rice, says of Christ: “Jesus was one soul who reached the state of Christ Consciousness; there have been many others. He symbolized the blueprint we must follow… The way is open to everyone to become a Christ by achieving the Christ Consciousness through walking the same path He walked. He simply and beautifully demonstrated the pattern” (Davis 49). The “Christ Consciousness” is a common New Age teaching. If Rick Warren believes that Christ will not return until mankind has realized certain goals, then is the Christ Rick Warren awaits Jesus, or something else? While the answer to this particular question may never be known for sure, there can be no doubt that Rick Warren has certainly drawn inspiration from New Age and Theosophical leaders.


Another best-selling book that has filled the shelves of many Christian bookstores is the ever popular Chicken Soup for the Soul, written by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Interestingly, these books seem even less likely to belong on the Evangelical reading list.. Jack Canfield was a teacher of the “occultic ‘psychosynthesis’ method developed by a direct disciple of Alice Bailey.” Mark Victor Hansen, on the other hand, wrote the forward to Arielle Ford’s Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Soul, a book which has identical formatting to the “Chicken Soup” books, but “permeates with Eastern and New Age metaphysical content.” All things considered, the book was not originally intended to be a Christian book (Yungen 87).

Perhaps the most surprising revelation, however, comes when one takes a closer look at best-selling Christian author Max Lucado. In Cure for the Common Life Lucado quotes mystic Martin Buber as saying “a divine spark lives in every being and thing” (3, 215). This is a quote from Martin Buber’s The Way of Man. In The Way of Man Buber also states “All men can have access to God, but each man has a different access” and “God does not say: ‘This way leads to me that does not,’ but he says: ‘Whatever you do may be a way to me’” (17). It is strange to consider that such a well-known Christian author would sympathize with these New Age teachings.

The New Age Movement’s influence on modern Christianity reaches even beyond that of the Protestant Church, however. The Movement has managed to have a sizable impact on Roman Catholicism through Contemplative Prayer. In fact, the Catechism of the Catholic Church states “Contemplative prayer is hearing the word of God… Contemplative prayer is silence” (Catholic 652). If referring to Contemplative Prayer as “silence” sounds familiar, this is because “silence” is the same term used to describe the goal of transcendental meditation (Yungen 21-23). Considering that Contemplative Prayer was first practiced by Catholic monks, it is not particularly surprising that it has had the incredible impact on the Catholic Church that it has.

It is difficult to grasp how the New Age Movement has been so successful in infiltrating the Christian church when one considers the stark contrast that exists between New Age beliefs and Biblical doctrine. Where the New Age Movement says that all paths lead to God, the Bible says that Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (King James Version, John 14.6). Where the Movement says that the return of the Messiah will bring a time of peace on earth, Jesus says “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10.34). Where the Movement says that there is a certain “Master Race” which is supreme to all others, the Bible says there is no longer any difference between Jews and Gentiles, saying “And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith” (Acts 15.9). Where the Movement says that Jesus was not the Christ, but a Christ, the Bible says “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son” (1 John 2.22). Where the Movement says that the dead will not be judged for their deeds in life, the Bible says “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Heb. 9.27). Where the Movement says that Lucifer came to earth from the planet Venus to help mankind in his spiritual evolution, the Bible says “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isa. 14.12-15). Clearly, the Bible and the teachings of the New Age Movement can never be truly reconciled, one or the other will ultimately be thrown out when the transformation of the Christian church is complete.



Works Cited

Bailey, Alice. The Externalization of the Hierarchy. New York: Lucis Publishing Company, 1976.

Buber, Martin. The Way of Man. New York: Citadel Press/Kensington, 2006.

Catholic Church. Catechism of the Catholic Church. New Hope, Kentucky: Urbi et Orbi Communications, 1994.

Cumbey, Constance E. Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow: The New Age Movement and Our Coming Age of Barbarism. Shreveport, Louisiana: Huntington House, Inc., 1983.

Davis, John, and Naomi Rice. Messiah and the Second Coming. Wyoming, Michigan: Coptic Press, 1982.

“The Esoteric Meaning of Lucifer.”
http://www.lucistrust.org/en/arcane_school/talks_and_articles/the_esoteric_meaning_of_lucifer.

Hansen, Leif. “Interview With Brian McLaren.” 28 Apr. 2008.
http://www.understandthetimes.org/mclarentrans.shtml.

The Holy Bible, King James Version. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.

Lucado, Max. Cure for the Common Life. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2005.

McLaren, Brian. A Generous Orthodoxy. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2004.

Miller, Donald. Blue Like Jazz. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2003.

Oakland, Roger. Faith Undone. Silverton, Oregon: Lighthouse Trails Publishing Company, 2007.

Pagitt, Doug. Church Re-imagined. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2005.

“Emergent Church Leaders' InterSpirituality Talks Raise Flags.” 28 Apr. 2008.http://www.christianpost.com/article/20080417/31980_Emergent_Church_Leaders'_InterSpirituality_Talks_Raise_Flags.htm.

Smith, Warren. Deceived On Purpose: The New Age Implications of the Purpose-Driven Church. Magalia, California: Mountain Stream Press, 2005.

Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2002.

Yungen, Ray. A Time of Departing. Silverton, Oregon: Lighthouse Trails Publishing Company, 2002.

Don't Worry, I'm Not Dead

I realize I haven't posted in nearly 9 months now (and my posts were growing farther and farther apart all the time before then), but to quell any excited rumors that may be circulating among my most faithful/hateful reader base (just kidding, you guys know who you are), I figured I'd re-launch (if that's a word) this site by first making the point quite clear that I am alive and well (though conspiracy theories may still swirl, particularly since I mysteriously stopped posting two posts after discussing our current president's birth certificate).

So in conclusion, it is in the hopes of relieving some of my readers (and disgusting the rest of them), that I have made this admittedly abbreviated post.

In Christ,
Matthew

The Prophet Daniel Foretells the Crucifixion of Christ 560 Years In Advance

The Book of Daniel, written approximately 530 B.C. (though some dispute this, a few even claiming it to have been written as late as 165 B.C.), holds many incredible prophecies in its pages. One of the most amazing of all can be found in chapter 9:

Daniel 9:24-27
²⁴Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. ²⁵Know therefore and understand , that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again , and the wall, even in troublous times. ²⁶And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off , but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined . ²⁷And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease , and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate , even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate .

This central prophecy in the Book of Daniel is commonly referred to as The Vision of the 70 Weeks. The prophetic "week" referred to is composed of seven years (i.e. One "day" equals one year, two "days" equals two years, etc.). The "commandment" referred to in verse 25 is decree given by Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 B.C. (see Nehemiah 2:1-8). The period of seven weeks recorded in verse 25 spans forty-nine years (the period of rebuilding) and brings us to approximately 406 B.C.* This period is followed by a sixty-two week period (434 years) leading up to "Messiah the Prince," who will be "cut off, but not for himself" (verse 26). This refers to the crucifixion of Christ, which took place in approximately 30 A.D.* Finally, the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. is noted in verse 26.

In this incredible prophecy, the Prophet Daniel foretold the crucifixion of Jesus Christ approximately 560 years in advance! This wonderful book records many other amazingly accurate prophecies, and I strongly encourage anyone who doubts the authenticity of God's Word to read this book cover to cover.

For those of you keeping track, these events account for only 69 of the prophetic weeks. The 70^th Week of Daniel is believed by most to refer to the coming seven year Tribulation period foretold in the Book of Revelation.

*Note that the Jewish Calendar was composed of 360 days, thus the math doesn't work out as would initially be expected.

In Christ,
Matthew

A Challenge For Atheists

Christians are often accused of being close-minded for not conforming to the naturalistic belief system which is so prevalent in the U.S. So for this little experiment, I would like to see if atheists practice the same open-mindedness they preach.

If you are an atheist, what I want to know is: If God did exist, what would it take to convince you? Give me a hypothetical example of evidence that you would not reject.

I'll be pleasantly surprised to receive any response to this query at all.

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

P.S. - Mudskipper requested a prize for his latest comments on this post. I guess it's only fair! So, Mudskipper, here it is:

The Obama Birth-Certificate Controversy: An Update

An excellent article from World Net Daily was passed along to me last night. It is an all-inclusive compilation of the multiple reasons why such skepticism has been incited in regards to the United States' President-Elect Barack Obama. The article can be found here. (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=80710)

The article, written by Faith2Action President Janet Porter, highlights the 5 major concerns in regards to the eligibility of Barack Obama to be elected President of the United States. Here they are:

1. Barack's Grandmother Claims he was Born in Kenya
Obama's grandmother stated, "I was in the delivery room in [Mombosa,] Kenya, when he was born Aug. 4, 1961." - Watch the video here. (http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1906870/barack_obama_born_in_kenya_ii/)
2. He Does Not Appear to Possess a Birth Certificate
(From the article) "Experts have called the Certificate of Live Birth posted online a forgery. Phil Berg reported on my Faith2Action radio program yesterday, 'It's clearly been altered,' which invalidates it, according to the document itself. Berg added that there is no indication even on this certificate as to specifically where the birth took place. And it turns out that Hawaiian law at the time allowed people to register for this non-hospital short form certificate (without a doctor's signature) up to one year from the date of the child's birth."
3. An Indonesian Citizen?
(From the article) "Only Indonesian citizens could attend Indonesian schools at the time Barack Obama attended school in Indonesia where [he] was registered as Barry Soetoro. His citizenship was listed as Indonesian and his religion as Islam... If he was adopted by his Indonesian stepfather, he would have forfeited any U.S. citizenship he may have had"
4. A Visit to Pakistan
(From the article) "U.S. citizens were prohibited from traveling to Pakistan in 1981 when Barack Obama made his visit - likely with a passport other than a U.S. passport."
5. Returning to the States
(From the article) "According to Phillip Berg on my radio program yesterday, if Barack Obama went through immigration as he re-entered the United States, he would have become 'naturalized,' which also would not qualify him to become President. If he did not, said Berg, there is a likelihood that he is now an illegal alien - not even eligible to serve in the U.S. Senate. In fact, Berg suggested there has been no evidence that Barack Obama legally changed his name from Barry Soetoro."

The article also addresses the issue of Barack's mother only being 18 at the time of his birth, which would disqualify him as a "natural-born citizen" (since in order to qualify his mother would have needed to have resided in the U.S. for ten years, five of which being after the age of 18).

In addition to the above, I was surprised earlier when I came across an article on FighttheSmears.com, a site launched by the Obama campaign, featuring a graphic which it labels, "Barack Obama's Official Birth Certificate" which I discovered, to my surprise, was not in fact a birth certificate at all! The title of the document itself reads: "CERTIFICATION OF LIVE BIRTH" - hardly the same thing. You can view this article here. (http://fightthesmears.com/articles/5/birthcertificate?source=source=sem-pm-fts-bc-search-us)

Draw your own conclusions.

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

Election '08: 'It Ain't Over 'til it's Over'

For those of you who thought that one of the most heated elections in the history of the United States had finally come to a close on November 4^th, you may be interested to hear about this startling new development.

I've gone to a good deal of trouble to verify the authenticity of this story (you might be suprised by the amount of trouble I had in attempting to navigate through the U.S. Supreme Court's website), as most bloggers have simply referenced each-other as sources in this matter. Apparently on October 30^th, 2008, Philip J. Berg, lawyer and supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, filed a Writ of Certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court requesting the review of a lower court's dismissal of Berg's lawsuit "against Barack H. Obama, Jr., the DNC and the other co-Defendants" (source). Why? Philip Berg, along with others, feels that the state of Barack Obama's natural-born citizenship may be in question (the significance of which being that if Obama is not a natural-born citizen, then he is not eligible to run for president of the United States). The buzz seems to be that he may have been born in Kenya. While many have questioned the authenticity of the entire story, the United States Supreme Court authenticates it here. Here's what the docket says:

No. 08-570
Title: Philip J. Berg, Petitioner
v.
Barack Obama, et al.

Docketed: October 31, 2008
Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Case Nos.: (08-4340)
Rule 11

~~~Date~~~ ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oct 30 2008 - Petition for a writ of certiorari before judgment filed. (Response due December 1, 2008)

Oct 31 2008 - Application (08A391) for an injunction pending disposition of the petition for a writ of certiorari, submitted to Justice Souter.

Nov 3 2008 - Supplemental brief of applicant Philip J. Berg filed.

Nov 3 2008 - Application (08A391) denied by Justice Souter.

Note that it states that the response to the Writ of Certiorari is due December 1^st, 2008. This means that President-Elect Barack Obama will need to provide a legitimate birth-certificate to the Court by that date. The docket also states that Berg's request for an injunction to delay the November 4^th elections was denied by Justice Souter. What can we expect in the coming weeks? It's hard to say, but one thing's for sure: the Supreme Court wouldn't take too well to resistance on the part of the President-Elect. If he doesn't produce the certificate by December 1^st, Obama's name may not appear on the ballot on December 13^th (the day the Electoral College votes).

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

My Perspective: Election '08

This year's election has been one of the most heated America has ever seen, and with the media discussing the election 24/7, election ads running on television and being sent both in the mail and through e-mail, as well as some pastors even being so bold as to proclaim from the pulpit the candidate they support, many Christians are struggling over who they should vote for tomorrow when the polls open. The question being asked across the board seems to be: What is the Christian way to vote? And many authors and televangelists are quick to offer their responses. For this reason, I would like to make just a short note concerning this year's elections and attempt to offer a reality check as to what a Christian's priorities ought to be concerning politics.

The bottom line is, it isn't our job as Christians to change the world through politics. Just look at the government Israel was under in the New Testament - believe it or not, Rome was far worse than anything we're facing today. Yet Jesus still never once told his disciples to overthrow the government and establish a new, more biblical one. That being said, it's still good to do what we can to keep our country from declining morally even more than it already has. But rather than throw my support behind a particular candidate (as I'm not particularly impressed with any of them, Democrat, Republican, or Independent), I'm proposing a different focus. I propose that we as Christians pray not for change in Washington, but for salvation in Washington. Pray that whoever wins the elections on November 4th will come to know Christ, and that He will change him into a man after His own heart - that would be a far better influence than simply voting for whoever you deem to be the "lesser of evils" out of the current pool of candidates.

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

Pray for Salvation in Washington

Discovering the New Age Movement - Constance Cumbey Tells Her Story

Constance Cumbey, author of The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, and A Planned Deception, as well as host of the internet radio show My Perspective (Radio Liberty), explains how she first discovered the New Age Movement and its surprising (and overwhelming) influence on modern society and the modern church as well as the Movement's agenda for a 'One World Order.'



I would strongly encourage you to check out her books if you ever get the chance - they're getting harder and harder to find all the time, so I wouldn't get my hopes up for finding them at the local library. If you know me personally, I have them both and should be able to loan them to you for a while - just ask!






In Christ's Love,
Matthew

God is Not a Force of Nature - Why Evolutionists Don't Understand

Understandably, most atheists tend to take a very scientific approach to every issue they attempt to tackle. Whether it be deciding which medicines will treat a disease best, or which pair of socks will be least likely to get them funny looks in the workplace, atheists will almost always resort to conducting multiple trials and comparing the results, searching for consistency. There is, of course, nothing wrong with this approach and, in fact, it is often-times the best approach in a dilemma. The problem, however, manifests itself most clearly when this same logic is applied to the existence of God in relation to the personal accounts and experiences of theists. You see, while it is perfectly acceptable to test the existence of a natural force, such as gravity, by simply conducting trials and seeing if multiple trials yield consistent results, the same cannot be said for God. Why is this? Allow me to offer you a couple of hypothetical situations and perhaps you'll begin to understand:

---

Christian: "When I was 12 my grandmother was dying and I prayed to God to heal her, and, even though the doctor had said there was no hope, she was healed that same day. That's how I know God is real and that He hears my prayers."

Atheist: "Plenty of 12-year-old kids have prayed for God to heal their relatives before, and He didn't. Therefore, your 'evidence' isn't really evidence at all."

---

Christian: "After I became a Christian, God helped me to overcome my drug-addiction. I must have tried hundreds of times before, but I just couldn't do it. Only God could have done something like that."

Atheist: "Plenty of non-Christians have overcome drug-addictions, any psychiatrist can do what you claim your God did. Not to mention all the Christians who struggle with drug-addictions that they could never overcome - no matter how many times they prayed."

---

Notice how atheists often-times find themselves incapable of accepting a Christian's personal experiences as genuine simply because they can't reproduce the results multiple times. Now, I need to make a distinction, if God were simply a force of nature then such refutations would be quite impressive. However, if we apply the same arguments to the existence of an intelligent being, we realize that they are, of course, absurd. If someone were to say: "I know Matthew exists, because I ran into him at the mall once, and he bought me a milk-shake," would an acceptable refutation be: "That doesn't mean anything, you silly, irrational fool. If that were really true, then Matthew would buy everyone he ran into at the mall a milk-shake. Because, as you freely admit, he probably doesn't, I can only assume that your entire story is meaningless and you have no good reason to believe Matthew exists." Of course not, that would be ridiculous. While this logic applies well to the predictable forces of nature, which are assumed to respond in exactly the same way when introduced to the exact same circumstances multiple times, the same cannot be said for intelligent, decision-making entities.

So why does this issue come up so frequently? Ironically, it's our own fault. We as Christians will often try so hard to present an appealing argument for God's existence that we will subconsciously begin to treat Him more as a concept, idea, or natural force, than as the Omnipotent God of the universe who possesses both the ability and the right to make His own decisions based upon information which may, or may not, be available even to us. We paint an inaccurate picture, then complain of the unfortunate results.

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

Empirical Proof That God Rules and I'm an Idiot...

Hey guys, I don't usually write about personal stuff, so I'll make this short and sweet. God has once again shown how incredible He is, how stupid I am, and how infinite His grace truly is by picking me up, dusting me off, and putting me back on the right path again. And what instrument did He use to do it? Simple. He used the notes from the sermon that I gave two months ago. This just proves, once again, that Jesus rules... and I'm an idiot.

For those of you who already suspected that I was an idiotic fool only pretending to have all the answers, you've proven far wiser than I, and while I still may not agree with you on every topic, I have finally come around to your end of the table on this one.

In Christ's Love,
Matthew

Is Evolution Unfalsifiable?

While I'm contemplating my next full-length post (and please don't point out how long it's been, I'm quite aware of the recent lull), I thought I'd just throw my latest gripe out there for you guys to look over...

After giving the issue much thought, I've concluded that the theory of evolution must be one of two things:

1. Entirely unfalsifiable

2. Very close to being entirely unfalsifiable

So, since I'm sure you're wondering, here's the question that sparked this train of thought (this is a question for evolutionists, obviously):

"If, hypothetically, evolution were false, what evidence would you need to see in order to convince you of it?"

Or perhaps more specifically:

"What hypothetical evidence in opposition to evolution could exist that the theory would not be able to offer an explanation for?"

Try looking at it this way:

1. Take a piece of "evidence" in favor of evolution.

2. Reverse it (i.e. suppose the exact opposite had been discovered instead).

3. Ask yourself if, coming at it from a new angle, this new piece of evidence would have any negative impact on the theory whatsoever.

Let's take a look at this formula in action:

1. The fossil record is considered evidence for evolution, because creatures appear in the fossil record in the same order in which they are believed to have evolved.

2. Suppose the fossil record was jumbled (not in the correct order)

3. While it would no longer technically be 'evidence,' evolutionists would remain unphased (ironically, the fossil record is jumbled, by the way, that's how I know they would remain unphased).

So, if any evolutionists out there are up to a challenge, I challenge you to give a specific (hypothetical, of course) example of how evolution could potentially be falsified.

In Christ's Love,

Matthew

Your Thoughts?

Hey guys, sorry for the stunning lack of activity lately... I've been running low on material and inspiration. So... I figured I'd ask YOU what you want to talk about! You can submit your topics in the 'comments' section of this post, or in the 'Your Thoughts' form in the right column.

In Christ's Love,

Matthew

A Simple Faith Test

Do you have enough faith to be an atheist? Take this simple quiz and add up your score to find out:

1. (T/F) Matter can sponaneously arise from non-matter.

True: +1
False: +0

2. (T/F) Living matter can arise from non-living matter.

True: +1
False: +0

3. (T/F) Order can spontaneously (i.e. without assistance) arise from non-order.

True: +1
False: +0

4. (T/F) If the letters from the word "artichoke" are jumbled up every 30 seconds (forming gibberish such as cartohike, etc.), then, given enough time, the words "zebra," "apricot," and "fountain" will inevitably be formed eventually.

True: +1
False: +0

5. (T/F) It is possible to reach the end of an infinity.

True: +1
False: +0

Scoring:

5 = Hardened Atheistic Evolutionist
4 = Common Atheistic Evolutionist
3 = Agnostic
2 = Theistic Evolutionist
1 = (Unsure) Creationist
0 = (Confident) Creationist

Why Do We Pray?

MudSkipper asked:

"Why do Christians pray? I mean, God is omniscient, and pretty much knows what you are thinking before you even think of it. Every time I go over to a Christian person's house for dinner, which is fairly often, I often ask myself that question when we pause to pray. "We" being the 3rd person way of being polite, since it is really "They" who pause ( With a curious look on my face as I look at the somber lot talking to someone who isn't there). What could you possibly say, or ask for, that God in his omniscience, doesn't already know? What do they hope to accomplish? Do they want to change God's mind? . . . . He even knows that you would ask him, and has already issued a response before you even asked!"

? ? ? ? ?

Why do we pray if God already knows what we are going to say? Steve (MudSkipper) has deemed this a "Silly Question" on his blog, but I think it's a rather good one. I'm going to open this one up to reader-response.

Comment Away!

In Christ's Love,

Matthew

Why Did God Send Bears to Maul Innocent Children?

MudSkipper said:

OK, so here's my hardest question:

Why does God maul children with bears?
For example, why did God kill 42 children for saying to Elisha to "Go on up baldhead"?

He could have just spanked them, but mauling them with bears was somehow necessary.

So tell me, why does God kill children like that?

If you can somehow convince me that mauling children with bears is justified, then I will become a Christian, I give you my word.

Read the story here:

2 Kings 2:23-25 (KJV)

23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.

24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.

First off, a few things to consider about this verse:

1. The word translated “children” (‏נַעַר‎) would more accurately be deemed “young men.”

2. The fact that an incredible 42 were killed suggests that this was more than simply a small group of individuals making fun of a man’s baldness. This was organized and possibly premeditated.

3. The term “bald head” (‏קֵרֵחַ‎) was most likely a reference to leprosy (Leviticus 13:40-44), not merely a comment on physical appearance.

4. The phrase “go up” (‏עָלָה‎) is likely a reference to Elijah having been caught up to Heaven (2 Kings 2:11-12), thus we see here that this was specifically a case of religious persecution, not simple ridicule.

In conclusion, they were most likely not “children” in the sense your question suggests, they were not simply mocking Elisha’s physical appearance, and it was organized religious persecution, not coincidental ridicule. Furthermore…

You specifically challenged to me prove that this action was “justified.” Justifying it is in fact the simplest part of your inquiry. You see, the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). It is not that the children were very unfortunate, but rather that we are extremely fortunate that we haven’t been mauled by bears ourselves. We should praise God for having the mercy to withhold His wrath from us for a season, and, for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for eternity.

I’m sure you’ll find several things to disagree with here, but I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume that your key complaint will be that you don’t agree with God’s standards. That, of course, is your opinion and you are free to feel that way, but surely you know that if there is a God then He has every right to be the one who sets the standards.

In Christ’s Love,
Matthew

P.S. - For the rest of my readers, Steve didn't post this part on my blog but he put it on his. You might find it interesting: I'm going to do like Jesus said, sell all my possessions and follow Him if mauling children is justified. I'm waiting, with anticipation of the answer to this question...

All the more reason why I'm sure this answer won't be good enough for him... he's staked too much on this issue.

By the way, I promised Steve a prize if I ever created a post based off one of his questions, so... here it is!

Our Most Important Duty

John 1:43-46

"The day following Jesus went forth into Galilee, and found Philip, and said to him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael, and said to him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see."

Notice the very first thing Philip did after being called by Jesus. Did he say, "Wait, Lord, this sounds like a lot of work, let me get back to you when I'm about to die," or immediately rush off to write a soul-stirring song our heart-warming, best-selling book about the experience? No, of course not, because Philip understood what it really meant to follow Christ and that there were more important things at stake. So what did he do? He immediately went off to tell others about the Saviour - a radical idea in today's church. Throughout the New Testament we see the same attitude exhibited over and over again by those who come to Christ, they immediately feel the need to tell everyone they can. Take the woman at the well in John 4:7-30, verses 28 and 29 say, "The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and said to the men, Come, see a man, which told me all the things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?" Then there's the man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:5-15, verse 15 states, "The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus, which had made him whole."

It is our duty as Christians to seek and save the lost, it is non-negotiable. The Great Commission applies to all of us, not just the "evangelists." Yet what do we see today? According to The Barna Group, only 54% of Christians feel the need to share their faith, and worse still, only 36% of protestants actually do share their faith (and only 10% of Catholics). How can we claim to know Christ if we do not wish to see others brought to Christ? It is the most important duty of the Christian to share his faith with as many as he can, and notice Philip didn't wait until he had been discipled for 12 months, been baptized, joined a church, studied apologetics, and taken an evangelism course before he started sharing his faith. One of the most common excuses for not sharing our faith is "What if I'm asked a question I can't answer?" But this didn't seem to bother Philip. When a skeptical Nathanael said, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied with just what Jesus had told him: "Come and see."

"Oh, my friends, we are loaded down with countless church activities, while the real work of the Church, that of evangelizing and winning the lost, is almost entirely neglected." - Oswald J. Smith

In Christ's Love,

Matthew

Miraculous Healings? Todd Bentley's 'Lakeland Revival'

The 'Lakeland Revival' in Lakeland, Florida is an ongoing revival hosted by minister Todd Bentley, and began on April 3, 2008 (yes, as of today it is still in progress). Bentley claims multitudes of 'miraculous healings' have taken place at this revival, including individuals being healed of terminal diseases as well as a claim of at least 18 people (the number keeps changing, so this may not be current) being raised from the dead. Bentley claims these 'great signs and wonders' are evidence of his authenticity.

Unfortunately for Mr. Bentley, if these healings are any reflections on his authenticity, then he is about as authentic as the 'leather' jackets at Wal-Mart. Pastor Larry Reed, Washington State, had terminal bone cancer and attended the Lakeland Revival last week. Mr. Bentley 'healed' him and he stood from his wheel-chair in triumph as the crowd cheered. Tragically, Reed died last Tuesday.

Watch this video and take a closer look at Todd Bentley's testimony.

You decide.

In Christ's Love,

Matthew

The Age Old Question...

Can God create a rock so heavy He can't lift it? This and other paradoxical (and somewhat ridiculous) questions are repeated so many times they are quickly passed off as simply unanswerable just to make the matter easier to deal with. Which is sad, considering how easy the answer is to come by: Yes, if He imposes limitations upon Himself to do it. Not only is this answer simple, but, surprisingly, it is Biblical. Just as God created a cross so burdensome He needed help to carry it (Matthew 27:32), God can impose limitations upon Himself.

A few other silly questions atheists throw our way:

1. Can God create a spherical triangle?

2. Could God think of a time when He was not omnipotent? If He can't think of it, He isn't omnipotent, but if He does think of it then there was a time when He wasn't omnipotent?

3. If God can do anything, does that mean He can fail?

By asking these self-cancelling questions, atheists hope to "prove" God doesn't exist simply because they were able to hopelessly confuse a Christian. In the future, don't fall for it. If the atheist has any common sense He knows none of these questions can resolve the question of whether or not God exists.

In Christ's Love,

Matthew