Christians around the world are rapidly abandoning many of the beliefs that Christianity has taught for centuries. For example, a new nationwide survey conducted by The Barna Group has actually revealed that most American Christians do not believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit exists. Even the Pope decided that it would be a good idea to quote from the Hindu scriptures during his Good Friday prayer.What in the world is happening?
It is called apostasy.
It has been happening for a long time and now the majority of Christians do not even believe that Satan or the Holy Spirit exists. Here is some of the data from Barna's survey:
*40% of American Christians strongly agreed that Satan “is not a living being but is a symbol of evil” and an additional 19% of American Christians said that they “agree somewhat” with that statement.
*38% of American Christians strongly agreed and 20% of American Christians agreed somewhat that the Holy Spirit is “a symbol of God’s power or presence but is not a living entity.”
But it is not just American Christians. Even the Pope has gone off the beaten path.
Hindus are applauding Pope Benedict for including a verse from Hindu scripture in the Good Friday Meditations and Prayers that was led by him at the Roman Colosseum.
The “Way of the Cross at the Colesseum” Meditations and Prayers on Good Friday included a verse from Brahadaranyakopanishad ("Lead me from the unreal to the real, from darkness to light, from death to immortality."), a line from Tagore’s Gitanjali ("Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service."), and a reference to Mahatma Gandhi.
Since when does a "Christian" leader include Hindu scriptures in a Good Friday service?
Apparently now.
The reality is that Christianity is falling apart and is rapidly declining in western countries.
But where a void is left behind, other forces are eager to rush in and fill it.
Now Kabbalah classes are being taught in California public schools.
The program is called "Spirituality for Kids" and it is offered in Los Angeles public elementary schools during the day or after school.
"Spirituality for Kids" was created by a leader of the Kabbalah Centre International, and it actively promotes New Age spiritualism.
The following is one exchange between a teacher and a student that was witnessed by a writer for the L.A. Times:
"What does greater satisfaction bring?" she asks. Matthew replies: "Spiritual power!"
Zucker asks him where the power comes from? "Your inner light," the boy answers.
And where is that light found? "In your heart," he says.
Since 2006, almost 4,400 Los Angeles children have taken part in "Spirituality for Kids". The Spirituality for Kids Foundation reportedly has almost 18 million dollars in assets, and celebrity Kabbalah devotees such as Madonna are among its funders.
So Kabbalah gets to be taught in public schools, but if you say the name of Jesus you get taken to federal court.
What a great country we live in, eh?
2 comments:
Great article. Christianity, or the many denominations we group together to call "Christian" has really done this to themselves at many levels. The Torah has been thrown out as "Old" and been replaced by an almost anything goes mentality as long as a person gets "fed" or is uplifted by the music or the message regardless of where the message comes from. We have watered everything down to a very humanistic message that coincides with out culture of sexually explicit messages, deviant behavior being glorified and a self centered embracing of the world and God.
Keep up the good work! I just found your blog and we need to know this stuff is out there.
I can't speak much to the Kabbalah bit, but I do want to note one thing I believe to be important with the Pope and his use of other religious texts in what he said. I don't know whether the story is true, but even if it isn't the point still applies:
There are two separate issues here. One is what the Pope was trying to do by citing other religions. The other is whether there is anything wrong with doing so in and of itself, apart from our intents.
I think it would be quite reasonable to say that the Pope was overstepping his rightful bounds as a pastor to the people that God has entrusted him with. He was not seeking to protect them from sin and death, but his motive was probably an attempt to say that "Hey, there really aren't that many differences between us and the Hindus" - yeah right! The difference is very fundamental, as fundamental as that between God and Satan. So I do not in any way condone that kind of thing. He ought to be much more careful, because he'll give an account for that someday.
But speaking to the other issue, it is not true that because a person does not know Jesus, they do not therefore recognize some things that are right and true. If those who are dead in their sins cannot recognize anything of truth, then we might as well throw away all of modern industry and technology - for example, the Internet - because most of the people who were influential in these technological gains are essentially pagans. But by using such things, we affirm implicitly that they do have a grasp, an understanding of a piece of, the truth - they rightfully recognize it. The same is no less true of truth about God than it is about technology or science. Thus, in other religions we can find that, like Scripture says, those who are now in hell still showed the imprint of their maker upon them, being able to understand certain things of truth. It is not wrong to recognize this truth where it is found, because it is God's truth, not Allah's or Mohammed's truth, not the truth of Bahaullah, and not the truth of the numerous demons who are worshipped in other religions.
Just thought I'd add that in there. The two issues are often conflated and this can lead to great amount of snobbery and arrogance towards certain Christians who rightfully recognize both of these things for what they are and live accordingly...
To put it in so many words, our doctrine AND are lives are to be pure.
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