I Guess I'm Not the Only One....

Today's sermon was about deception. I've been second guessing myself with not supporting Oprah because of her backing of Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth". I hadn't read the book but our pastor Carl Anderson confirmed my impression about Oprah and Tolle leading others down the wrong path. Just for the record the sermon wasn't about Oprah, it was about 2 Thessolonians chapter two. I do believe Oprah helps a great number of people and she has a very good heart - our pastor thinks the same thing. However, what's most important is how she is leading others down the wrong path - a path of eternal destruction for not believing that Christ is the only way. Carl, thank you for your message. Many of us have been waiting for it. Now if only we can get Oprah to believe. Tolle's beliefs directly contradict God's word - under the guise of "christian consciousness". To quote another concerned individual on a web blog: "Tolle states that people can be awakened by his book if they meet three conditions: (1) they have to have an openness to spiritual truth, (2) the truth has to have transformative power, (3) the words have to be neutral and transcend any one culture, religion, or spiritual tradition. Let me translate: if you exercise discernment, disagree, argue against you are obviously closed minded and not wise enough or smart enough or sophisticated enough to get it."

Carl mentioned a very troubling quote from Tolle that sums up his position. His idea of "christian consciousness" certainly isn't Christianity. A wolf in sheep's clothing it seems. Tolle states:
"My holiness is my salvation. Who you are requires no belief. Heaven is not a location but an inner realm of consciousness. The man on the cross is an archatypel image; he is every man and woman. My mind is part of God’s, I am very holy, my holiness is my salvation and my salvation comes from me. There is no sin. Do not make the pathetic error of clinging to the Old Rugged Cross. The only message of the crucifixion is that you can overcome the cross."

Scary, isn't it?

According to Oprah: “I am a Christian who believes that there are certainly many more paths to God other than Christianity.”

I think the Gospels were clear and either you believe them or you don't.

I do believe Oprah has helped a lot of people. However, people follow blindly without thinking through the theological and spiritual implications of where she is leading them. The logic is, ”she is so nice, it can’t be bad.”

Anyway, there's my two cents for today.

On a lighter note Benjamin is doing well and has learned how to point. Well, he's either saying #1 or pointing....who knows!