| PART 1: Another Gospel? | | | | Madonna has reportedly donated tens of millions to the |
| The influence of the occult upon our everyday lives is | | | | cause. Other famous followers include comedian |
| staggering. An African missionary from the Mandinka | | | | Roseann Barr, actress Demi Moore and many others. |
| tribe of West Africa, once asked a congregation a | | | | In today's occult revolution where every dimension of |
| question similar to that asked by the Apostle Paul of | | | | the occult is being explored, there has been a revived |
| the Galatians. His 11-minute message, spoken in the | | | | interest in Kabbalah among both Jew and Gentile. |
| mid-90's, I can still recall, as he shouted the question: | | | | Although its Jewish origin makes it unique, Kabbalah is |
| "You foolish Americans... who has bewitched you?!" | | | | still essentially an occultic practice, and is thus |
| The basis of his message was that, right here in the | | | | incompatible with the Judeo-Christian faiths. Its |
| good ol' U.S. of A., everywhere he looked, he could | | | | Pantheistic theology teaches that all reality springs |
| detect an occult influence. Whether it was through the | | | | directly from God's own essence. Even if one believes |
| media, commercials, from the "alternative religions," | | | | that these "emanations" from God's essence have |
| even from the puplits of well-meaning Christian | | | | "gone through a descent of ten spheres on four |
| ministers, what this man was detecting was something | | | | different levels" - whatever THAT means - the |
| OTHER than the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Crystals, | | | | conclusion is inescapable that even he who is on the |
| guided imagery, healing meditation, Christian Science, | | | | lowest level is still of one essence with God; and thus, |
| Kabbalah, Mormonism...why has "Christian America" so | | | | ultimately, that individual IS God. This is a concept that |
| eagerly accepted these ideas that, at their root, are so | | | | is incompatible with the Biblical concept God, who |
| contrary to that which would be considered orthodox? | | | | created the world out of nothing, NOT out of Himself. |
| Why are so many things OTHER than biblical | | | | In Genesis 1:1, the Hebrew word for "create" is "bara," |
| concepts being sought out to meet the needs of those | | | | referring to something coming out of nothing. This |
| who claim to be Christians? | | | | verse debunks Pantheism, the belief that God is IN the |
| In 2 Corinthians, 11th chapter, the Apostle warned that | | | | creation and IS the creation. God is not the tree, the |
| some would come preaching "another Jesus" and "a | | | | rock, the building or the air. Yet, Pantheism holds that |
| different gospel." He wrote, "...as the serpent deceived | | | | God permeates everything, and, therefore, IS all. |
| Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted | | | | Pantheism is not unique to the practitioners of |
| from the simplicity that is in Christ." There are three | | | | Kabbalah. I once debated a believer in Pantheism and |
| types of doctrine spoken of within the New | | | | asked him if God was in those bird droppings on the |
| Testament: the doctrine of man, the doctrine of devils | | | | rock wall before us. I believe I heard his mental wheels |
| and the doctrine of Christ (and of God). Personally, I | | | | come to a screeching halt for a moment. "Come now," |
| contend that Bible illiteracy is the basis for this continual | | | | I said, urging him not to check his brain at the door, |
| weakening of Orthodox Christianity. One example of | | | | "your beliefs are either absolutely true in all instances or |
| this can be found in the number of Southern Baptists | | | | they aren't true at all." Incidentally, he was a member of |
| who are joining the Mormon Church. According to the | | | | a local mainline Christian denomination. Pantheism is |
| Arizona Latter-day Sentinel, April 2, 1988, "...an average | | | | being embraced by many Christians. The concept is, |
| of 282 members of their church join the LDS church | | | | basically, that only the spiritual dimension exists. Some |
| each week. Coincidentally, the (sic) average Southern | | | | Pantheistic religions include Hinduism, Buddhism and |
| Baptist congregation has 283 members, which means | | | | Taoism. Pantheism also forms the basis for |
| the Baptists lose 52 congregations each year to the | | | | Transcendental Meditation and some aspects of New |
| Mormons. | | | | Age mysticism. |
| Though a group may mention the name 'Jesus' and | | | | This should not be confused with the concept of God's |
| season their conversation with spiritual-sounding, | | | | omnipresence. God IS omnipresent. He's everywhere |
| familiar Christianese, not all that glitters is gold. For | | | | at once. David said, "...if I ascend up into heaven, thou |
| example, those who worship The Sacred Mushroom | | | | (God) art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art |
| (No, I'm NOT kidding) refer to a mushroom as 'Jesus' | | | | there," (Psalm 139:8). But God is NOT the created |
| so, based upon Romans 10:9-10 (...if thou shalt confess | | | | world. In fact, He is completely EXTERNAL to the |
| with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in | | | | created world. Worship belongs to the Creator, not His |
| thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, | | | | creation. Paul tells us in Romans 1:25 that there will be |
| thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth | | | | those "Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and |
| unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is | | | | worshipped and served the creature more than the |
| made unto salvation.) they consider themselves to be | | | | Creator...." |
| "saved." Some actually believe this and have placed | | | | God is related to the world as a sculptor is related to |
| their faith in a fungus. | | | | his sculpture, or I am related to this message on my |
| We must ask ourselves just WHO this Jesus is | | | | computer screen right now. The sculptor is not the |
| whenever that Name is spoken. Is he Lucifer's | | | | sculpture. The writer is not the writing. The sculpture |
| brother? The archangel Michael? An Ascended | | | | and the writing are productions. They are produced by |
| master? A mere prophet? A fungus? Or is the 'Jesus' | | | | the one that creates, and what one creates, can be |
| to whom they refer the Lord of all Creation that He | | | | created again. Perhaps it will be different or it may be |
| claimed to be? You see Jesus of Nazareth was either | | | | better. |
| a liar, a lunatic, or truly Lord of all... the way WE must | | | | God created everything just by speaking it into |
| see Him as well. | | | | existence. It was not difficult. He's God, you know. "Let |
| PART 2: The FARCE is with us! | | | | there be light and there was light" (Genesis 1:3). Poof! |
| After the first Star Wars movie, Christian bumper | | | | "Let the waters bring forth and they brought forth, Let |
| stickers came out stating that the "Force" was with us. | | | | the earth bring forth and it brought forth" (Genesis |
| Thinking the Star Wars movie was a Christian allegory, | | | | 1:20,24). Poof! God was not put to a test to make the |
| many assumed this "Force" being referred to in the film | | | | universe. Some say, "Mankind was a more difficult |
| was the Holy Spirit. Of course, as we all know, the | | | | product!" God formed Adam out of the dust of the |
| Holy Spirit is NOT a force, but the third Person of the | | | | ground; we must not have been TOO tough. Like a |
| triune God that we worship. | | | | mud pie maybe. Poof! He took a rib from Adam's side, |
| Right? | | | | spoke a word, and turned it into a woman. Poof! That |
| Not according to a 2001 survey by the Barna Group | | | | was not hard for God. This whole creation was not |
| which stated that 61% of Americans believed the Holy | | | | such a magnificent production where God was |
| Spirit to be a mere symbol of God's presence rather | | | | concerned. To us, it is absolutely unfathomable. With |
| than a living entity. Scripture clearly reveals that the | | | | just a little word, it all came to be, or at least, got |
| Holy Spirit has a purpose - to empower those who | | | | started. It was really easy for the Creator. |
| trust in Christ for the advancing of His Kingdom - as | | | | Genesis1:31declares that in six days - even if a day is |
| well as personal character traits. Yet, I marvel at how | | | | as a thousand years in God's economy - it all came to |
| many Christians, ministers included, refer to Him merely | | | | be, simply through His spoken words. |
| as "it" - IF they acknowledge Him at all. Just as | | | | Imagine having that kind of an all-powerful Creator |
| amazing, 60% of adults believe Satan is merely a | | | | God handling our measely, temporal problems! He |
| symbol of evil. Yet, 81% of us believe angels exist and | | | | WANTS to handle our lives in this same way, but we |
| influence people's lives. | | | | must GIVE them to Him. |
| What is most startling about the Star Wars | | | | PART 4: If it's broken, let's fix it |
| phenomenon is not the advent of yet another movie, | | | | North America is the only continent on earth where the |
| but the real ways in which people around the world | | | | Church is not growing, despite a 2002 Barna survey |
| appear to be forming a religion out of the thing. The | | | | revealing that 85% of us self-identify as Christians. The |
| Anglican Digest reported that the first school to teach | | | | exodus from American churches has reached biblical |
| Jedi - named for the Jedi Knights from the series - | | | | proportions. People are leaving organized churches at |
| was recently opened in Romania. Courses at the Star | | | | a rate of 53,000 a week in Europe and North America |
| Wars Academy include the correct use of light saber | | | | combined (the U.S. lost 57,500 in the entire Vietnam |
| swords, and lessons on how to speak Wookiee. | | | | War, to put that number in perspective). As a whole, |
| The BBC reported (2002) that at least 70,000 people | | | | Christians lose 7,600 a day to other religions or irreligion. |
| in Australia wrote-in "Jedi" as their response under the | | | | According to the North American Mission Board |
| category of religion on the last census form. Hard-core | | | | (NAMB), the need for new churches is greater than it's |
| fans of the films have been trying to have Jedi | | | | ever been as evidenced by the church-to-population |
| declared an official religion around the English-speaking | | | | ratios over the last century. For example, in 1900, there |
| world for years now. | | | | were 27 churches, of multiple denominations, per |
| The same situation occurred in New Zealand in their | | | | 10,000 people. Today there are 12 churches per 10,000 |
| census of 2001. Similarly, more than 390,000 people in | | | | people. Meanwhile eight churches close their doors |
| England declared themselves Jedi in their census of | | | | permanently every day; nearly 3,000 annually. |
| the same year - a shocking number when you | | | | The mind boggles regarding the latest in American |
| consider that only 260,000 people in England declared | | | | Church statistics. For example, the number of ministers |
| themselves to be Jewish! There are various Internet | | | | who no longer believe in the infallibility of Scripture is |
| campaigns going on now that encourage voters in the | | | | startling: 85% of the Presbyterian USA pastors said |
| U.S. to petition for Jedi as an official religion on the next | | | | NO; 85% of the Methodist pastors said NO; 85% of |
| U.S. census form. | | | | the Episcopal pastors said NO; 55% of the Baptist |
| Star Wars creator, George Lucas, once said: "I put the | | | | pastors said NO; 45% of the Catholic priests said NO. |
| Force into the movie in order to try to awaken a | | | | (Source: Warner A. Bonner, LeadershipJournal.net) |
| certain kind of spirituality in young people -- more a | | | | A whopping 42% of Americans believe Jesus |
| belief in God than a belief in any particular religious | | | | committed sins. Whereas Jesus directed us to "go and |
| system. I wanted to make it so that young people | | | | make disciples," only16% of American Christians are |
| would begin to ask questions about the mystery." | | | | involved in a discipleship process of regularly meeting |
| Well, it backfired, George. In a Time magazine | | | | with a group or individual for spiritual growth. The |
| interview, Lucas downplayed any religious implications | | | | Internet is the only mass medium whose audience |
| about his series, but then went on to admit to using | | | | share has grown during the past decade (I can attest |
| "the Force" as a representation of God and the Dark | | | | as this ministry's e-Mail outreach grows annually). The |
| Side warrior, Darth Vader, as a metaphor for the evil | | | | proportion of the population using the Internet as a |
| that exists inside us all. How different is that from | | | | spiritual resource has increased by two-thirds since |
| saying all humans are born in sin and need the help of | | | | 1998. According to the Barna Group, "Our studies |
| "God" to save them? Sounds pretty religious, does it | | | | continue to show that people are using the Christian |
| not? | | | | media to provide elements of ministry that are not |
| Sadly, very few proponents of this Jedi faith have | | | | adequately provided to them by their local church." He |
| noticed that their new "religion" is very elitist and only a | | | | explained, "For some people, these media complement |
| very few of the Star Wars characters are permitted | | | | their church experience. For others, a combination of |
| to attain any benefit from the Force, that being only | | | | these media forms a significant portion of their faith |
| those referred to in the series as Jedi Knights. Far | | | | experience...." |
| from being literally a 'life-force' that can be harnessed | | | | Church leaders should start strategizing right about |
| by the underclasses and oppressed, it can only be | | | | now! |
| used by a chosen few High Priests. | | | | Yes, the times they are a-changin'. The Church must |
| The Holy Spirit is so-entitled for one very specific, | | | | wisely adapt and reach the masses where they are, |
| obvious reason: to distinguish Him from EVIL spirits, | | | | but we must cautiously filter everything we read and |
| deceiving devils that are constantly at work in our | | | | hear through the teachings of Jesus Christ. Remember |
| midst, killing, stealing and destroying even those who | | | | the wise counsel of Paul: "Beware lest any man spoil |
| call themselves 'Christian.' The Holy Spirit empowers | | | | you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the |
| us. He convicts us of sin AND of our righteousness. He | | | | tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and |
| comforts, exhorts, edifies and confirms. He is a | | | | not after Christ," Colossians 2:8. Sadly, much of this |
| constant Teacher and reminds us of all that Jesus | | | | modern-day spiritual smorgasbord, including the New |
| taught (so read what Jesus taught). He's the exact | | | | Millenium's hybrid faiths - though they may well be signs |
| SAME Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and He | | | | of the apostasy of the end times - are really anything |
| desires to take up residence in anyone who believes | | | | less than the unpaid invoices of the Church at large. |
| that Jesus is who He said He is. | | | | Selah. |
| Jesus sent Him. So, He's obviously all well ever need! | | | | Take this opportunity to RATE this message below |
| He's no mere force, but where Satan and his minions | | | | and eMail it to friends and family. This will increase the |
| are concerned, He will make YOU a force to be | | | | possibilities of appearing on MORE search engines, |
| reckoned with. | | | | thereby increasing the odds of people being helped. |
| PART 3: The Kabbalah Kraze | | | | Thank you! |
| The latest trendy religion is the Kabbalah. Pop singer | | | | |